 When I was about 10 or 11 years old, I decided that I wanted to really impress my mom by making dinner while she was at work. First up, take a look around the kitchen for ingredients and make my menu. Canned tuna? No. Fresh vegetables in the fridge? Hmm. Chef Boyardee Pizza? Bingo!!
You see, it was a pizza kit in a box, so I thought that was so cool. There were directions and multiple steps involved, but I was ready for the challenge. I grabbed a bowl, dumped the dough mix in and added the warm water. Fork in hand, I mixed and was so excited when it actually looked like dough! Using well-oiled finger tips, I spread and stretched it out on a baking sheet and moved on to opening the can of tomato sauce. Oops- little spill. That’s ok, no big deal. Looks like there’s plenty that didn’t hit the floor. Sauce spreading, check! Now for the little can of grated cheese. Yikes, it kinda looks like sawdust, but I sprinkled it on anyway. Wow, this is going to be so good!! As I popped it into the oven, I look around with panic at the mess I’d made. I knew that my mom would be home soon and I had to get this kitchen cleaned up fast. Our dog Lassie was doing a pretty good job of cleaning the floor, so I piled the dirty dishes into the sink (thinking back, I must have used at least 6 bowls and a ton of utensils in my process because it was overflowing!). Then I grabbed everything from the countertop and stuffed it all into drawers, just in the nick of time. My mom walked through the door. I will never forget the look on her face as she opened the silverware drawer now dusted with flour.
For the countless hugs to help me through tricky times, encouragement to try harder than I think I can, and all of the times when you let the little things slide (like when I was a young teenager and went to Woodstock with friends, yet somehow fibbed a bit and said I was going to Cape Cod!), and for that giant smile you gave me when you tasted your first bite of my “homemade” Chef Boyardee pizza, I want to say thanks, Mom!!
Wishing my mother and all of the remarkable mom’s out there a very happy Mother’s Day!
xox
P.S. Since my Chef Boyardee days, I’ve made a few (hundred!) homemade pizzas. Take a look at some of my favorite recipes here. https://www.joanneweir.com/recipes/pizza-breads/
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