The Quest for Food...

In many ways, as the mother of the home, I am still a hunter and gatherer, as woman of old.

I remember, two years ago, being in China with my two little boys and Mary, in the city of Qing Dao, at a hotel whose resturant did not offer any western food and nothing my children would it. It was an especially stressful time, almost midway through our trip.

One afternoon, I left with kids in the hotel with a young lady who was accompanying us on the trip to help me with the kids and I went out in the strange city, knowing where nothing was, not speaking one bit of Mandarin, hunting for food for my family. I walked down streets, actually scared, depressed and somewhat hopeless...and prayed for protection and FOOD they would eat.

I did eventually find Qing Dao's version of a mall with a Mcdonalds, (complete with a little play area) and smack-dab next door, a Starbucks! PTL! How westernized am I!!!

The quest to find the perfect food is still a daily challenge By perfect I mean, something that all of my kids will eat, that Angela and I can stand as well, that does not cost an arm and a leg (well maybe a chicken's arm and leg, but you know what I mean.)...I guess chickens don't have arms. Ok, a wing and a leg.

So often I will cook some yummy new dish, only to get three turned up sniffing noses, little plate hand shoves as they move it away from them and a this is yucky. sigh. Or two out of three like it. :( It is a sad battle. We only have about three or 4 sure fire everyone likes it meals. And I can't just keep repeating those...then everyone will hate them.

So I am on the constant hunt through magazines, books, websites...for the perfect meals. Price, time to cook, and child approved...not to mention I would like to drop a few pounds, but I cannot even think of adding that criteria, or the quest would be hopeless.

So as I come across a good recipe or a good website, I will add the website to a new list of links I have on the site. and I will list successful recipes here. (Don't hold your breath until I find one.)

So please share if you have some winners from your home, as well.