Food Wins.

Everyone in my family associates food with love. Not unhealthily, I don't think, but it's a major thing. During the last few days that were horribly hot, I let the kids stay inside and watch television for a while in the afternoons, but on the condition that they watch watch what I chose . . . . yeah, I know you're all thinking I put on Inglourious Basterds or something, right? WRONG! Food Network!

Paula Deen is on at 430, and one of the days we watched she had her son, Jamie, in with her, making all his favorite stuff. It made me think of all the best things we had growing up (stroganoff with rice, cutout cookies, Lorene's green chile burritos, Joyce's cherry bars and meatballs, Jan's wild rice soup and pork loin, turtle cookies, caramel rice krispie treats, Dewey's French toast, cheeseburgers with the cheese perfectly melted across the top that he set the timer on the tv to monitor while they sat on the grill . . . etc., etc.)

(love!)

And of course, I got to thinking about what my kids are going to remember when they grow up, now that they're basically out of their picky stages and attack dinner like a pack of wolves (finally). These are some of the things they love, and links to recipes if you're interested:

Mango Chicken Salad, Everyday Food

Summer Fruit Salad, Everyday Food

4th of July Trifle, Sandra Lee

Orange and Cumin Pork Loin, Emeril Lagasse

Individual Meat Loaves, Ina Garten (Bubby calls these "meat brains")

Pasta Primavera, Giada DeLaurentis

Fruit Salad with Cannoli Cream, Giada DeLaurentis

Ricotta Pancakes with Apples, etc., Tyler Florence This one is more for special occasions, but it's killer if you can find the time in the morning.

There is one other, simple thing that is probably my favorite thing to eat, ever in the world: Fruit dip. Cream cheese + marshmallow cream + lemon juice on either strawberries or cantaloupe. Or anything, really, since it's better than a can of frosting (I would like to talk about Madeline Ashton). I made some a few days ago and hid it. (rabbit mother).