If I Love You

If I love you, I will pour my heart into making you wonderful meals.  It will be my mission to find out your favorite things, and how you like them made, I will catalog your likes and dislikes, so you will never be confronted with something that might offend you.  I will be your culinary goddess/doormat.  Hmm, what’s wrong with this picture?  What if I happen to like green olives, and the thought of them turns you green?  How far will I go to cater to your wishes and whims, and what about what I want?  In the past what I wanted went out the window, while I fussed over meals, or cakes, or whatever to make sure the object of my affection was happy.

Well, it’s been a while since I indulged in that level of doting and adoration, and frankly, I’m not sure I’m up for another round.  This doesn’t mean that if I love you I will tell you where you can find the leftovers from my can of Dinty Moore Stew, and make you Hamburger Helper for your birthday, but I think my days of slaving over a meal that I don’t especially like or want are over.  If you really like tripe, well, you can make it for yourself, or have it at a restaurant,  either way you’re pretty much on your own!  I think it’s about time someone asked me what I’d like for my birthday dinner.

So, if you’re thinking of cooking for me, please don’t be intimidated (so many people tell me they are intimidated to cook for me, which is silly, because I am really not difficult to please).  Please don’t make me anything too fussy or fancy, or try to impress me, please just make me something you think I will like, and put some flowers on the table.  Here are some suggestions for when you make me dinner. I am very fond of short ribs, with wide pasta, and roasted chicken with almost anything, you can make me spaghetti with garlic and oil, and a crisp romaine salad and I will be very happy.  I really don’t want an elaborate dessert either, in fact my very favorite is apple or pear tart, maybe warm with some caramel or vanilla ice cream.

In my life I have lovingly made hundreds, if not thousands of pretty great meals for my sweethearts, but I can’t think of one who has made one for me…  If I love you I will probably not take you out for dinner, though I do love to go out for dinner; I will lovingly cook for you,  and if you love me, please take an hour or two to show me how much, because I’m sure going to do that for you.