When I left home, I had very few life skills.
I was great at school, sports, writing, studying…I was great at listening to music at full blast in my room. Or fixing my hair.
I could paint houses.
But living…. I had to learn from the ground up. (Still learning really)
I worked as a waitress all through college. In an old diner that no longer exists. The 4:30 am shift. Almost every day. The smell of cinnamon rolls and bacon would waft out from under the doors and into the parking lot, like a cloud of sweet and salty perfume…..a scent I wore throughout most of my college career. Ranch dressing was often just rubbed in like lotion. I poured coffee for my regulars for hours. I worried when they weren’t there. And they did the same of me. I rarely charged them and paid for their coffee with my tips. (Something I couldn’t afford to do now that coffee is over $2 in most cafes.)
I learned how to cook there. Little things. I was taught by two very tattooed, very gruff and seemingly scary characters. When we weren’t busy I would go back and watch and learn the basics. Eggs. Soups. Specials. After 4 years of working together, I didn’t know how I would leave them. Or the daily giant bin of bacon and oversized cinnamon rolls dripping in butter (that I never learned how to make)
I want my son to have a few more skills than I ever did, when he goes out there. I’ve prepared him. Little by little. This is where he goes for the basics. I’ve been building his cookbook for years…so he can taste home when he isn’t here. Or when I’m away.
But don’t get me wrong, I want him to wait tables. Serve coffee. Have regulars. Learn about life from homeless people who need your company more than the coffee in the morning. That’s a life skill too.
LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP
1/2 Cup butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Onion Chopped/ Diced
3 or 4 large cloves garlic
2 cans of chicken broth or equivalent with bullion cubes and water
4 cups peeled, cubed potato
1/2 cup green sliced onions
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup milk
6 or 7 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped
Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, tabasco sauce and green onions (all optional of course)
Melt butter in large pan over medium heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add onion and garlic; cook one minute until onion is tender. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Add potatoes.
Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until potato is tender. Stir in milk and bacon and heat thoroughly. Garnish.