And Then It's All O.K.

I  had a lot of leftover clean-out-the-refrigerator-vegetable soup (and lord it was good) and Ernie and I started talking about how long it is since we've had chili. So I promptly decided to turn the rest of my vegetable soup into chili. We toasted a cast iron skilletful of dried guajillo peppers and then let them sit in some hot water before pureeing them. We dug some ground beef out of the freezer and pulled some cumin and Penzey's chili powder out and dumped everything together. Later Ernie made cornbread and we devoured it. Man it was good....hot, but not too hot and my biggest thrill was that Owen liked it. Owen's not a big mix your food together kind of guy so I was delighted that he polished off two bowls with no idea that he was ingesting collard greens and sweet potatoes and green beans and zucchini and peppers......

The thought of Leo eating chili on the other hand is enough to make one weep with laughter. Truly. Weep. I read a blog in the New York Times the other day on picky eaters and really (can we say REALLY REALLY REALLY) related to it---and to many of the comments as well. Not that I'm a food writer but I'm someone who loves to cook and always imagined she'd just feed her kids what she ate and it would be no big deal. A dislike here and there but no big deal. And of course what happened was that we met up with Leo's steel will and a palate to end all palates....and the deal was BIG. We have been up and down and around with Leo and his eating. In the end no matter what kind of doctor or specialist it is, they eventually shrug their shoulders and say, "well, he's healthy."

Once again, I must remind myself that this is who we are talking about.....and then it's all o.k.

My sweet pea.