Cookaholics Bulletin Board

My husband likes to clean up after me and stir things so he is more than welcomed in the kitchen. He is also a good chopper and has the patience to cut small pieces. I often assign him onions when he asks if he can help. Problem is getting him in the kitchen... Every time he mentions a desire to learn to cook, I run out and buy him a cookbook. Hasn't stuck though.

Mary

But I bet you haven't returned any of those cookbooks, now have you?
When I was living with folks who would get in the way in the kitchen I would ask them what space they needed and give them that piece of counter and work around them. Now I ask my SIL if she wants help and if she says yes I do so and if she says no or doesn't answer at all I leave.
I will cook dinner once a week or so, and let her do other things. It works out.

Actually, I'm the bad backseat cook. Kris kicks me out of the kitchen/dining room somewhere around the third suggestion.

While cooking, she's my sous chef; whenever I get "in the weeds" (guests are due in 20min and I haven't finished the appetizer, let alone the entree) I can grab her to speed things up. We do the whole "kitchen dance" thing and avoid bumping each other, which is more impressive if you've seen the size of our kitchen.

On the other hand, the kitchen dance only works with me and Kris, and only in our kitchen. Ye gods, my father-in-law! Turn on a burner and you can guarantee that he'll need to wash his hands, and that the only place he can do it is in the kitchen. They have 6 sinks in that house on the ground floor alone. He does this to my MIL too.

I have, so, you're right, that is!

Amy

Mine is willing to help, but he is so sloooooooow that it rarely works out. I could have all the prep work done, and he's still putzing around chopping the first carrot. He always does the steaks, and is very good at it. He also does all the cleanup - so it's good. Most of the time.

Fortunately, he rarely gives advice on what I'm doing - that would be trouble - for him.

My husband cooks on occasion and does a pretty good job. He usually makes fried pork chops and rice and gravy, when he does cook. It is pretty much all he grew up eating. However, he hates to follow a recipe or direction. He also *never* helps me cook or cleans up after me. Unless, I ask him to grate cheese or pick chicken off the bone.

He never messes with stuff or questions me though. He does occasionally get in my way though.

I have to admit, Geekboy does make our salads, and he does it without getting too much in the way. They're pretty tasty, too.

Sort of on a tangent, when you cook do the other eaters clean up? I have found myself washing up after cooking a meal where the housemates came down to eat and then walked away from the table way too many times. Sometimes I've ended up cleaning up after a meal that I didn't even eat, just to get the kitchen usable.

Becky, you need New Rules.......or you won't cook.

Becky,

It sounds like you're living with college students.