My Kitchen is Not a Restaurant!

My daughter informed me she doesn't like chicken and will not eat chicken.  Although, she will eat chicken nuggets.  When I was growing up we ate what my mom prepared.  We didn't have the option of saying "I don't like that, can I eat chicken nuggets instead".  If you didn't like what was cooked, you didn't eat.  First of all, chicken nuggets didn't exist.  And second of all, this was the 60s and 70s.  My mom was old school; dare I mention more.

My kitchen is not a restaurant.   In order to avoid constantly whipping around the kitchen like a schizophrenic chef, I have that same fundamental philosophy with my daughter and husband. When I cook, I do have to factor in food intolerances/infractions; mine and my daughter's.  And that is enough to deal with, no nightshade foods and diary at a minimum for her and no soy, egg, or dairy for me.  This challenge is enough to work around without other factors, such as: "I don't like that."

 "the worst chicken I have ever had"

The "rabbit incident".  One day, my mom tried to pass off rabbit as chicken. It was awful. I finally told her this is the worst chicken I have ever had.  She then confessed to us it was rabbit and not chicken. The "rabbit incident" is why I refuse to eat rabbit to this day.  While I choose not to disguise rabbit as chicken, I suppose my expectation is for all to eat what I prepare.

Pizza Day.  At times we have pizza day.  I buy dough from Fresh and Easy or Trader Joe's.  I can best determine the dough contents and control our food intolerances when we make our own pizza rather than purchase at a local pizzeria.  On pizza day, it is easier to have our own individual pizzas.  I don't fair well with dairy which eliminates (cow milk) cheese and my daughter can not eat tomatoes (nightshade) which eliminates the typical pizza sauce.  I have to make my daugther's pizza with an Alfredo cheese sauce and mine with tomato sauce.  My husband usually prefers the Alfredo sauce as to the tomato aggravates his heart burn.

While, at times, I have to make allowances for our food intolerances.  Furthermore, I also keep cross contamination in mind; not mixing utensils while I am cooking.  For these reasons, I do feel like a restaurant chef.  For the most part, my family gets the point and realizes when I cook, my kitchen is not a restaurant.