Pink Spaghetti and Cinnamon Chicken

So here I was a recent newlywed trying to be the perfect host for our guests. I don't know why I was worried. It was, after all, my young nephew who was about 7 years old. He was being accompanied by his mother, my sister. They were traveling on a train and would surely be hungry and tired upon arrival.

My husband had tolerated my cooking in the brief few months that we had been married. He knew I wasn't the Betty Crocker-type when we were dating. Marriage wasn't going to change that. Good thing our wedding vows didn't mention anything about cooking. Oh well, back to my story.

Upon picking up our guests they were indeed tired and hungry. I let them know that I had a special treat made especially for them. Upon sitting at the kitchen table I gleefully revealed my special treat. And as only a child can, my nephew blurted out, "But Mom this spaghetti is pink". Could I redeem myself with the cinnamon chicken? No such luck. My sister tried to exercise diplomacy but she had concerns about the chicken as well as the spaghetti. I was so embarrassed.

I tried scraping the cinnamon off but to no avail. And the pink spaghetti was due to using a cheap brand of tomato sauce without any spaghetti sauce. It was a recipe for disaster.

Needless to say that food fiasco is always a topic of humorous conversation for those rare times that we get together as a family. That little darling of a nephew is just like a son to me. He is on the brink of turning 30. A few years ago he came up for Thanksgiving to specifically make dinner for us. While I would enjoy a repeat performance of his culinary skills he is now married. He will no doubt be entertaining with his wife and friends.

In recent years he says I've improved my cooking skills. Perhaps it's because I no longer use cinnamon on my chicken and I use a better-tasting spaghetti sauce.

Now if he would just stop teasing me about the Kansas City Royals.

SOURCE:

Personal experience