What's For Dinner?

I'm sure I can't be the only one who struggles with what to cook for dinner. Inevitably, I will ask someone in the family what they want for dinner and/or what I should cook. Here are the typical responses:

Vince: "Whatever you want to cook, I will eat." This is so true and he is so sweet to say it! He never complains about what I cook and I really appreciate that. HOWEVER. If I am asking him what I should cook for dinner it is because (a) I don't want to cook or (b) I'm not hungry for anything specific and can't think of what to cook. I ask because I really want to know. I once heard of a wife who asked her husband what he wanted for dinner and he said something like "Whatever" and she said something like "If nothing's what you say, nothing's what you'll get". I've been tempted at times but I've never said it. I am fortunate, though, to have a husband who will eat anything and everything I prepare.

Ev: "I don't know....Orange Chicken?" She always wants Orange Chicken. And not the easy homemade recipes, either. She is a high maintenance orange chicken person, relatively speaking, because we don't eat out much. Ev likes the Costco Orange Chicken (a challenge for us since I don't shop there) and/or Panda Express. Both options are generally out of our dinner price range anyway.

Et: "What? We can't have Orange Chicken? That's not fair! We never have Orange Chicken! Unless Aunt Sabrina is leaving. Is she leaving again? I can't wait to have one less girl in the house. Dinner? I KNOW! Let's have bacon and sausage!" Of course we can't have bacon and sausage for dinner and of course I say it. First of all: Bacon AND sausage together for any meal is just not smart/healthy for anything more than a special occasion, generally a church function or big family gathering. Our family is not big enough. Yet.

Iy: "I KNOW! LET'S HAVE MACARONI AND CHEESE! I WILL MAKE IT FOR YOU!!" Yes, at this time of the day everything out of Iy's mouth COMES OUT IN ALL CAPS. And I think the girl could live on Mac and Cheese. Except not Kraft Mac and Cheese (the really good stuff that I never buy because generic is so much cheaper) because it's not as good as the normal stuff. According to my kids. And Iy loves to make mac and cheese. But if I say that Iy can make it then I will have three other kids upset because they ALL like to make it! Also Mac and Cheese is not healthy. So I have to say no. Again.

N: "Hot Dog! I like Hot Dog! Let's have Hot Dog! Hot Dog! Hot Dog! Hot Dog!" At this point I demand silence and tell Ev to pull a piece of meat, any meat out of the big freezer and we will unwrap it and cook whatever it is. We will have mystery meat dinner.

To which Et (you know, the one who wanted bacon AND sausage) will inevitably say "Why do we have to have meat for dinner? We ALWAYS have meat for dinner!"