As long as everyone is around the table who cares how the food got there - I love to cook from scratch but most nights it is just not possible so I am very thankful that we live in day and age where dinner can be made with minimal fuss. It all sounds very good and healthy - at least you did not pull out a TV dinner and put it on the table tray and all. Or run to a McDonald's to get fast food - I don't know if anyone has heard of this place it is called My Menu - all they sell is frozen food - it is delicious and most is precooked and you just heat it up - the food tastes fantastic and it does not take a long time to cook. The company is from Canada.

I think that having the family poker night was more important that having mom slave away in the kitchen for over an hour or more

The only time I have made "real" mashed potatoes is for a holiday!! Otherwise I buy the frozen ones that you steam for 10 min in the microwave. They taste the same! Why would I spend all that time that I don't have or need to do other things?! Don't feel bad - I think "home cooking" is far less common!! I called my mom last year to ask her for her recipe for a pie crust because I didn't have one. Her response was "Why on earth would you do that to yourself? I can give it to you, but I have to say, you risk it just not turning out. They make them in the refrigerated section and no one knows the difference and it always turns out. That's the recipe I have been using for years."

The other night I made white rice (pre browned, with herbs), beans in manteca with garlic and onions, and bistec encebollado (lots of onions and a bit of chile peppers), with tortillas on the side (of course), all from scratch and I got it all on the table in 45 minutes start to finish.

I've had a lot of practice with the basic "beans, rice, tortillas and an entree" menu (plus salsa or guacamole if there's no "pica" in the entree itself). SO taught me everything I cook from his culture - my mom was *not* a cook, and I am nothing like a natural born cook myself. No way do I cook from scratch every night.

I think it's a matter of balance. And yes, time with the family is more important than whether you had "help" getting the meal together.

Tonight we're having Chinese. (grin)

L

I made chicken and sausage gumbo Saturday. I used Douget's jarred roux. I cheat all the time. The idea is to get good quality cheat products. Like the Douget's Roux...no one could tell I used the jar instead of hanging over the stove for hours getting the roux just right. Even with the jar roux..it's still a long process! I served it over Minute Rice. For leftovers the next day, I made potato salad and deviled eggs. Fresh made Pumpkin Bread was served shortly after.

Funny thing about mashed potatoes, I like the boxed version fine, but I ALWAYS make them from scratch...for some reason. Considering how I cut corners in so many other areas, I find it weird that I insist on potatoes from scratch!

My big thing is I rarely cook during the week. DH will feed his kids fast food every day. DD and I will eat out once or twice during the week, but the rest of the week, I am making easy things at home. Soup and grilled cheese, anyone? Weekends are when I do my cooking...and for some reason, I never make things for the week like dorothyparkerwannabe, wish I were forward thinking enough to do that....