A Promise We Never Keep
Every time, it starts the same way.
“We’ll keep it simple.”
“Nothing big.”
“Just a little dinner.”
We say it earnestly. We mean it in the moment. And then somehow, before a main dish is even locked in, there are already four side dishes planned and one more being “considered, just in case.”
At this point, we should know better. But hope springs eternal. Especially when groceries are involved.
There Are Always Two of Us
Every family has that one person. The one who brings extra food because what if someone is still hungry. What if someone shows up late. What if the kids suddenly eat like linebackers.
In our family, that person is not one. It is two.
We are those cousins. The ones who arrive with foil-covered pans, backup desserts, and a quiet confidence that no one will leave hungry on our watch.
How It Starts vs. How It Goes
How it starts:
One of us texts, “Let’s keep it simple.”
How it goes:
Three starches.
Two proteins.
A vegetable that turns into three vegetables.
Bread. Always bread.
And enough food left over to make tomorrow’s lunch feel like a holiday encore.
Somewhere along the way, “simple” becomes a suggestion instead of a rule.
The Fear Beneath the Food
If we are honest, it is not really about excess. It is about fear. The deep, unspoken fear of running out of food.
For us, that is the ultimate taboo.
It’s so bad that our uncle sometimes fibs about the guest count. If thirty people are coming, he tells us ten. He thinks he is protecting us from ourselves.
It has never worked.
Everyone still leaves with a trunk full of takeout containers.
What “Simple Dinner” Means to Us
Our version of simple includes options. It includes seconds without stress. It includes knowing that if someone’s favorite dish runs out, there is another pan waiting quietly in the oven.
Simple means abundance without anxiety. Simple means no one has to ask, “Is there more?”
Because there always is.
Cooking Is How We Love
We are not minimalist cooks. We never will be.
We cook with laughter in the kitchen, music playing a little too loud, and the sound of foil crinkling as yet another full pan is covered “just in case.”
Food is how we show up. How we say you matter. How we say stay awhile. How we say take some home.
The Lesson We Pretend Not to Learn
Every gathering ends the same way. Leftovers divided. Containers promised to be returned. Plans made to do it all again soon.
We always say next time will be smaller.
It will not.
If you ever eat with us, come hungry. Bring containers. Clear space in your fridge before you arrive.
Because for us, cooking too much is not chaos.
It’s how we say we care.
#FamilyFood #CousinsWhoCook #CookingForLove #FeedingGenerations #HomeCooking #FamilyTable #FoodIsCare #HostingFromTheHeart
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