Filed under: Food Made by Other Food Folks | Tags: food, merlins pizza, Picky eaters, pizza, Places to eat in destin florida, travel
After just a few days in Destin and apparently one too many seafood restaurants, Mr. Picky began his campaign for the food that he can not live without-pizza.
On the table in our condo, a little plastic two-sided holder gave the TV station list on one side and an ad for Merlin’s Pizza on the other. From the time he saw the ad, Mr. Picky had to try it, and after yet another meal of seafood, he was ready.
Since we were on vacation, and while on vacation, anything goes (almost), we ordered him a cheese pizza pie from Merlin’s one late, late night. The waiting was the most exciting part. At home, we live so far in the country that Domino’s doesn’t know that our neighborhood exists, but in Destin, the pizza will come to your door. That blew Mr. Picky’s mind. It was heavenly.
When it arrived, it was as if the pizza kid was Santa. Mr. Picky got to open the door and pay the dude. It was great.
Then, we opened the pizza box.
I thought Merlin’s pizza was great. It was a homemade pie with lots of fresh spices. Yum.
Mr. Picky, though, is a die-hard corporate pizza man. In his opinion, there is no reason to mess with perfectly good run-of-the-mill pizza, which he has eaten plenty of. He didn’t like it and was mad at the plastic TV station holder for the rest of the trip.
Next time, when vacation comes around and a late night pizza is in order, I think we’ll stick to the plain Jane pizza variety. Not because Merlin’s wasn’t good, but because my one kid who lives for pizza wants “regular” pizza-preferably, the kind where all he has to do is open the door and pay.
Filed under: Food I Make, Random Foodie Thoughts | Tags: food, kids, life, pasta, Picky eaters, recipes
Having a sibling who is a picky eater can not be easy.
Having two kids, I don’t mind making a separate item for lunch or dinner for them to eat. I don’t mind cooking something extra at all. I know several parents who insist that the children eat what the adults eat at the family dinner table. I have a friend who makes one thing, and if the kids do not eat it, the kids don’t eat.
I call that child abuse by Hamburger Helper.
I don’t adhere to the “You eat what we eat” rule for several reasons. First, I would rather make something that they will eat than deal with hungry and grouchy children. Also, I understand not wanting to eat what someone else has picked out for you to eat. Sometimes foods just don’t sound or look appealing. Another reason, I don’t mind cooking. I love it. So, to make an extra dish or even extra dinner is not a big deal. Making macaroni and cheese for them to eat while we eat pork chops keeps the peace and the sanity.
I’ll take all of those things that I can get.
I usually only make one extra thing. I like to cook, but I can’t do it all day, for heaven’s sake.
Mr. Picky has only a handful of food he likes, bless his heart. He likes cheese, bread, spaghetti, macaroni, chicken in random chunk forms, and variations on these things put together. If I don’t feed him a form of food from this short list, he will not eat. He is not acting in protest. It’s more like he doesn’t have to eat. Food is something he could give or take.
I don’t know that feeling at all.
Sometimes his sister takes a hit when the choices on the table aren’t to her liking. That isn’t very often, though. She’ll eat anything. Not being the picky eater, though, she is not who I cater to.
One go to meal for the both of them is pasta with butter, a splash of olive oil, and parmesan cheese on top. I cook the pasta and then stir everything in while it is all still warm.
It suits Mr. Picky just fine. He will eat and eat and eat. Miss Helper?
She knows how to make do. Thank goodness she can eat almost anything.
Especially with purple and green sprinkles on top.
Filed under: Random Foodie Thoughts | Tags: easy food, food, food photography, life, Picky eaters, tacos
In our home, food is a thing. We take it pretty seriously, ya know? There are times when I hit a home run, and times when I strike out.
The fam is getting tired of my attempts at gourmet. Mr. Picky doesn’t want anything that looks or sounds or smells weird or isn’t made of cheese.
Mr. Opinionated is happy some of the time, but he would eat chili from a can every meal if I would fix it.
Miss Helper lately just wants fish sticks.
When the fam is looking a little weak or grouchy or hungry, I have only a few sure-fire ways to fix the situation.
We can go to the Mexican restaurant. We can eat pizza. We can eat chicken again.
Or, as I have recently found out, I can make the humble, no-frills taco.
I had no idea that something so simple would be so great. For our family of four, a box of twelve taco shells doesn’t last long.
Mr. Picky eats a taco shell stuffed with shredded cheese. Miss Helper likes cheese too with a little meat. Mr. Opinionated and I eat anything and everything on ours. I am particularly fond of avocado slices with sour cream.
We all eat, and it takes me less than twenty minutes. Easy peasy.
And we live happily ever after. Or, at least until the tacos wear off.
Filed under: Food I Make, Random Foodie Thoughts | Tags: cooking with kids, food, life, Picky eaters, pizza
How do you keep two kids and one mom happy?
Good question.
The kids want pizza. Plain.
I want pizza. Far from plain. I want mushrooms, onions, and artichokes. You know, standard pizza fare.
So, we compromise.
Everyone is happy. For now, at least.
Filed under: Food I Make, Random Foodie Thoughts | Tags: bananas, food, peanut butter, Picky eaters, recipes
Few experiences are as fun for me as sharing new foods with my kids.
Granted, one of them only eats new foods if the foods are made of bread, cheese, chicken nuggets, or some combination of the three. The other one eats anything and everything including oysters and sauerkraut. Still I try to introduce them to new things and enjoy the fun.
Today, when the time came for our usual after-school snack, I found the ingredients needed to make a new food experience for the both of them-the PB and B aka the peanut butter and banana sandwich.
I loved these sandwiches growing up, and I believe these were one of the first foods I made. Coming home from school every day, I was always starving, and I could make one of these easily. The mashed banana mixed equally with the smooth-never crunchy-peanut butter filled me up until supper, and I could make it whenever I needed a snack.
Plus, it reminded me of the King’s favorite sandwich. Thank you, thank you very much.
So today was my chance to share my culinary memory of the PBB. One kid refused to even try, of course. The other kid ate every bite, of course.
It was still fun and yummy.
Who knows, maybe soon one of them will be making this favorite for me.
The Opinionated Foodie: The Love (or Not) of Food and Everything That Goes with It 