What's for Dinner?

It's a question I get asked at least once a day by my loveable finance, who never has been one to "wing" a meal. In our years together--and especially in the year living together--the division of labor has happened organically, based on each of our interests and skills. Dan, who never misses a wrinkle when ironing shirts, has taken over laundry duty. He also has an extra "neat" gene, so it's more likely you'll find him vacuuming the floors. I, on the other hand, love to watch a meal come together and so have become the unofficial chef in the relationship. When I see my clothes nice and neatly folded, I know my cooking is worth the effort. But sometimes in the middle of the day, when I'm plugging away at work, I suddenly realize I have no idea what's for dinner. A slight panic rushes in. In my few post-college years, I've assembled a small repertoire of dishes, but still, finding something fun, interesting, healthy, and nutritious to cook--that appeals to both of us--can seem like a daunting task. I've thought more than once that this is karma for when, as kids, my brother and I used to complain about whatever dish my mother served up--there was nothing wrong with the meal, it was just fun to whine about it. Somehow, though, an answer always appears. Whether it's something I find at the Trader Joe's right next to work, Dan pitches in on a day when I'm just exhausted, I brainstorm with a friend on cooking ideas, or we just decide to splurge and eat out, I can usually figure something out. And when we sit down to a nice meal at the dinner table (OK, sometimes we eat on the sofa while watching DVDs of The Wire or LOST), I'm glad I toiled over a hot stove.