Mom's Day and the Advent of Alyssa's Cooking Prowess

When I left home for college I couldn't cook anything beyond a bowl of cereal. After a semester in a dorm room, eating at the college's cafeteria, I was out of there. I moved off campus into the "Soccer House," a house of 12 soccer players led by a graduate from my high school.

I still remember during those first weeks in the soccer house how a guy we called "Wolfie" taught me how to boil water, and then cook spaghetti noodles.

That was all it took. I ran with it from there. I always loved to eat. And it didn't take a genius to figure out that I would need to learn to cook well if I wanted to eat well.

Yesterday, our daughter Alyssa had us over to her house for a Mother's Day dinner. I was excited and frightened all at once.

Afterall, before Alyssa moved out on her own, while she was still with us here in Marietta, the most advanced thing I ever saw her cook was a Hot Pocket in the microwave.

But being out on your own can have some very important effects on a young person. Your laundry seemed to just appear, the house seemed to magically clean itself, and food was an expected provision. Then, all of a sudden, you realize that you have to do all of this for yourself.

Alyssa cooked us a pot roast with a special au jus, fancy parmesan green beans with italian seasonings, and roasted quartered red potatoes with a slight cheesey crisp on top. Oh, and in her downtime she managed to whip together an awesome cheese cake complete with cherry topping.

WOW! Where did this come from?!?!? - from Hot Pockets to pot roasts!

She did an excellent job. She's well on her way for sure. Everything was really delicious. I filled my plate up twice.

I was very proud of her, but I really never had any doubt that she would pull it off.

Here's to Alyssa for a wonderful meal.

And as it was mentioned yesterday - what time should we be over next Sunday?