just your average tuesday night

i am a big sister, of big brothers big sisters of san diego. i have been matched with my little sister for over 2 years now. she is 17. she is a high school junior. she loves food but is 17 years old so her palate is not yet as refined or as adventurous as mine. i try to keep it real with stuff i know she loves and i only push a little bit with the new stuff. tonight we kept it real. i made penne alfredo with chicken and broccoli. this kid would eat noodles with alfredo sauce and broccoli almost everyday if you let her. this is usually her menu preference at most italian restaurants. i don't think it's a bad thing at all--although her grandma pokes fun at her for ordering the same dish everywhere we go. if a teenager wants to eat green vegetables, i say give them to her! chicken breasts butterflied, broccoli steaming, water boiling...i get the basics going. a little salt and pepper and olive oil for the chicken--nothing fancy. when that's done, i melt a little butter, add cream and boil to start the sauce. i put in some cheese and pepper and dinner is pretty much done. "i want to be able to cook like you." i smile. all the while, i am listening to stories about her boyfriend and her family and college and all kinds of other topics. i don't think i am really doing much, which is why i chose to cook this after a long, long day at work. but it made me stop and smile. and then we ate.