Poison for Dinner?

"Mom! What's for dinner?"
"Poison."
You see, that's my answer more often than not because I've learned over my 11 years of motherhood that no matter what I say is for dinner, the response from my daughters will typically be, "I don't like that." So when it's not poison for dinner, it's worms ... or oatmeal, which is probably not instilling a healthy respect for that particular superfood in my young eaters.

I'm a mom of two tweens (10 and 11) with palates that are still developing and often changing. My youngest, for example, when offered her choice of cuisines for her birthday dinner this week chose -- ta da -- buttered noodles. For lunch today? Buttered noodles. She might be prepping for a marathon or something. I'm not sure. She's been buried in her computer for months. My eldest is my more adventurous eater at the moment. She's tried sushi and everything.

I'm not a trained chef, but more of a Food Network cook. My dad is a foodie with excellent technical and artistic ability in the kitchen. As with many of the best chefs though, his answers are often vague or blatantly dismissive when asked for his secrets. So I'm on my own -- just me and Ina and Tyler, that is.

You can come here for actual recipes that are not always organic-whole food-quinoa-infused health bombs. But I do try now and again to introduce my kids to nutrients. I would describe many of my dishes as semi-homemade, but don't expect matching cocktails or tablescapes. It's food kids will actually eat ... usually.

Enjoy the poison. ☠