Letting Them Win

B always jokes that I let him win in the kitchen. Like I’d maybe let a child win at checkers, I let B think he can help with the cooking and baking. Well, maybe he’s right, a little. But it’s not really his fault. It’s the nature of our jobs and schedules right now.

Here’s how it works…

B will ask if he can make dinner one night—to give me a break. I say sure! So, he’ll find the recipe. But then I’ll actually pick up all the ingredients at the grocery store because I do the grocery shopping. I mean, with his long hours, it just wouldn’t make sense for him to make an extra stop at the zoo, aka grocery store. And then with the recipe sitting out on the counter…I’m home…and he won’t be home until late…so, of course, I’m going to do as much prep work as possible. Otherwise, we won’t eat until bedtime. So, all this to say, by the time B gets home to “make” dinner, the veggies are chopped, the marinade's been made, the spices are out, etc. etc. etc. All he has to do is turn the oven or grill on.

After we eat , I say, "Wow, Brian, that was really good. Thank you!"

He says, “Sure, so glad I could make you dinner.”

And in this fashion, I let him win at checkers. 

Well, he is super helpful in the kitchen, and I did in fact, need his help the other night as we got dinner ready and made dessert. I tried a new cookie-in-a-skillet recipe—it’s a chocolate chip cookie that bakes in the cast-iron skillet and then you slice like a pie and serve with ice cream.

So, I made the cookie dough, smooshed it into the skillet, and threw it in the oven. I took it out a tad early as it seemed to be getting plenty brown on top (and toothpick came out clean). I let it cool for a few minutes as the recipe said. Then, as I moved forward on dinner, B offered to flip the cookie onto a wire rack from the skillet. Sure! Great! Thanks! So, he flips the skillet over and the cookie plunks down on the wire rack in its solid form as it's supposed to. As I ask him if I can get him a plate so he can flip it  once more, so it’s right side up, I see the wheels spinning in his head. He’s going to do it on his own. He dosn't need another plate. And almost in slow motion, as my mind says nooooooooo, I watch him take the wire rack and cookie in one hand and assuredly flip it so that the cookie lands on his other hand. And…cookie-in-a-skillet becomes cookie-mush-all-over-the-counter.

I wish I could have taken a picture of B’s face. He was so sheepish and so sorry. It wasn’t all his fault though. I should have let it keep baking, I told him adamantly! That would have solidified it a bit more. Definitely not his fault...he's winning the checkers game.


But, really? You’re going to flip it on your hand?! Well, nevertheless, the cookie mush sure tastes good. We’ve been eating off of it like vultures for a few days now. I’d recommend the recipe. Just bake it as long as it says, don’t flip onto your hand, and let them win.