I love watching the Food Network shows, all those chef making gorgeous dinners, delectable desserts, and divine drinks.  I am envious of the chefs who travel to wonderful restaurants, sampling and rating their creations.  What a job!  Throwdown with Bobby Flay inspires me; I would be so intimidated to cook next to him.  And I would enjoy having a meal (or preparing a meal) with Giada de Laurentis, especially while on her weekend getaways.

But there is a real cooking show that is missing from the perfectly matched kitchens I see aired daily.  How about cooking for the everyday family living a real life?  I love to cook for guests, but that isn’t the same as our everyday routine.

We need a balanced, cost-efficient meal for 3 vegetarians, one who will eat minimal veggies and no fruit, and a husband who is game for almost everything.  There are no assistants to shop and decide on meals, though I have a couple children who can help in food and table preparation when they are home.  We need meals prepared about 5 nights a week.

While preparing let’s add two dogs underfoot ready to pick up any scraps, a phone ringing, soccer practice in 30 minutes, help with homework during the school year, and a little variety to the weekly food preparation routine. Oh, throw in a set of grandparents who live with us for the summer (and mom is an excellent cook!)

I don’t think the cameras could fit in my kitchen!  But it’s an interesting idea for cooking for the real family.  C