It's really funny, but yes, his professional cooking experience actually does get in the way of cooking at home. He's been out of the professional kitchen for 10 years now, but he still hasn't been able to adapt. He's used to being given a menu and an ingredients list. If I gave him a nice basket of ingredients with a menu card and a bow, he'd be fine, lol. (A wee bit o'sarcasm there, lol). But he can't come up with dinner on his own, no matter how well the pantry is stocked. Some days I don't really even have the energy to point him in the right direction. When faced with the task of "gotta feed the kids and do something about dinner" on his own, he reaches for the phone. I, on the other hand, can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and improvise quite well, even if there isn't much to work with. I'm not asking him to do that, but a little initiative and opening his eyes to the big picture (ie:ingredients in multiple kitchen locations) would be a big help. On the flip side, when I'm hypomanic, we eat like kings, lol. Normal days are good, but I can go from being unable to get off the couch to make boxed mac-n-cheese to being a whirlwind and making homemade mac-n-cheese, AND BBQ pulled pork AND homemade bread AND homemade turkey pot pie AND....in a matter of a couple of days. That's when I'm able to freeze a lot and make it last for a while. What I need to find is the sweet spot in between where I can make a few days worth of meals and freeze them. I love Rachael's Ray's new show where she makes five meals in one day and you just have to make fresh pasta or rice or something and heat up the main course. I've been able to do that a couple of times and it has worked out well...as long as I'm feeling well, that is. If I tank in the middle of the week, the chicken I grilled on Tuesday for Thursday's quesadillas just gets eaten plain by a husband and kids who just can't be bothered.

For a while there, he would cook on Saturdays, so I'd at least get one day off...but even then, I had to show him what to cook. I even brought him along with me grocery shopping so he could be included in meal planning...didn't help. *sigh* Ah well...it's a work in progress.