It's What's for Dinner...

Tonight is my night with the girls.  The Mom is going out this evening, so I decided to take the girls out to dinner. 

"Where are we going to eat?" my little one asks. "Are we going to Ruth's Chris?"  I told her that I would add that suggestion to our list of choices, but I didn't think that we would go there tonight.  "Are we going to Soup Plantation?" she continues.

"It will be a surprise," I said, "but I'm sure it will be someplace that you like."

I'm often faced with a dinner decision when my wife is out for the evening.  Sometimes I'll opt to just stay at home and make something simple from my childhood:  macaroni & cheese with tuna fish, noodles with cottage cheese, or one of my favorites - tortilla pizzas.  I usually reserve the more grandiose efforts such as homemade pasta, gnocchi, chicken piccata or real pizza dough for when my wife is able to relax with us as a whole family. 

This is not to say that I don't cook real food with the girls.  They've helped me many times with my baking projects.  I like to see how long they will last while kneading dough, for example.  And, they never pass up a chance to help me with cupcakes, as long a they are able to steal some of my batter and/or frosting afterward. 

Tonight I've already decided on The Spaghetti Factory.  That's not one of my wife's favorite restaurants, so she won't be missing out on anything.  I used to go there all the time, so it still holds a special place in my heart/stomach.  The girls like it, and it's always a fun place to people watch.  I look forward to our little 'date'; I've got to take advantage of them while I can.