Guess who is creating in the kitchen? That little old chef, me.

Unemployment has spawned a new passion for me.

With my wife working multiple jobs, I have taken over domestic duties and my creative side has become dominant in the kitchen, where my list of innovative dishes seem to be endless.

Not since I was a single father of three, responsible for feeding three growing boys, have I been able to flesh out my cooking skills like this.

My sons were always amazed at my creativity. I’m sure their wives thank me daily for how I prepared them. I was the first person to use a crock pot to make hot dogs. Yep, I’d plop eight frozen dogs in the pot before going to work and then when I got home, wella, the dogs were ready to bun. Made the dogs moist and very digestible. The meat would fall of the bone….if there had been a bone.

Then there was my macaroni and cheese creation. I never read the directions on boxes. Figured the concoction only needed water…and extra cheese. They still talk about Dad’s mac and cheese. Ask one of them.

So, with my current semi-retirement and my wife’s tackling of a couple of jobs, my spatula has been pressed into service once again. Carol loves my cooking. You should see the look on her face every night when she comes home to see what I have whipped up. She recently couldn’t believe my Italian sausage, pasta, cheese crock pot creation. But she wasn’t feeling all that well… so much of the dish had to be given to our basset hound, Jackie. That was right before Jackie had to spend a few days at the vet with some sort of gastro-intestinal problem.

I am currently in the Mancave and smelling my latest creation------beef noodle casserole. Told Carol on the phone about it and she said she’d have to work late----and I shouldn’t wait to test it out. Hoping she brings her appetitive with her when (if) she comes home because I’ve made a whole bunch of it. Should last us for days!

In all of this, I have felt a certain pride in being versatile enough to change roles with Carol. There have been some miss-steps, like when I mistakenly used regular dishwashing liquid in the dishwasher. Who would have thought that to be a faux paux? Carol had to bucket suds out of the bottom of the dishwasher for a couple of hours after that one.

She’s been so supportive…..especially lately. In fact, she told me today, when I told her of the beef noodle surprise that awaits her…..that she wouldn’t be upset with me if I didn’t find another college presidency. In fact, she said “anything will do,” to get my career kick started.

Isn’t she great?

I have a few other ideas in the food pipeline that I look forward to…

Been thinking of a sort of hamburger helper variation of my aforementioned macaroni and cheese where I start with “the helper” and mix in extra cheese until I get the texture I’m looking for….a sort of cheeseburger goulash.

If you would like a few of my recipes, please message me. In the meantime…

Bona petite.