RETRO DINNER

I was pulling a baking sheet from the drawer when my son Alex came into the kitchen.

“Are you starting dinner?” he asked as he went to the cabinet and took out a glass.

“Yup!” I put the baking sheet on the counter and went to get the roll of tin foil. “We’re having your favorite!” Ripping off a piece of foil, I lined the baking sheet, then went to the refrigerator and pulled out our dinner. “We’re having chicken nuggets!” I said as I held up the packages for him to see.

Alex looked surprised. “Wow! We haven’t had those since I was a kid.”

“I know!” I smiled as I reached over to turn on the oven. “These were always your favorite.” I unwrapped the package and dumped them on the baking sheet.

“When I was four.” Alex looked suspicious. “What made you decide to make this tonight?”

“I don’t know.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I was in the store trying to decide what to make for dinner when I saw these and I just started to reminisce.”

Alex still didn’t look convinced.

“So, you have a choice.” I went to the cabinet and pulled out two packages. “You can have either instant mashed potatoes or boxed macaroni and cheese.”

Alex didn’t look very enthusiastic. “You’re not making homemade?”

I shook my head. “Nope. We’re keeping it old school.”

Alex took the box of macaroni and cheese. “I guess this one.” He put the box on the counter.

“Excellent choice!” I reached into the drawer to get a pot out. “Do you want to get the carrot sticks out of the fridge for me?” I was filling the pot with water.

“Sure.” Alex took the bag of baby carrots out and put them on the counter.

That’s when my husband Steven came in the front door. “I’m home!” he called.

“We’re out in the kitchen.” I called back.

He came in carrying his cooler and placed it on the floor. “This looks interesting.” He was looking at the pan with the chicken nuggets on it.

The oven beeped, letting me know it was done preheating. “Perfect!” I said as I put them in the oven. “Ten minutes from now dinner will be ready!” I smiled as I looked at both of them. “Why don’t you pick out the dipping sauces you want to use.”

Steven picked up the box on macaroni and cheese. “You’re not making homemade?”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “I decided on having a retro dinner.” I looked over at Alex and smiled. “It’s going to bring back so many memories!”

“Okay, I’m calling it.” Steven put the box back on the counter. “You didn’t feel like cooking tonight so you picked these up instead.”

“What?” Alex looked surprised.

I sighed. “Okay, fine. I went to the store and didn’t really feel like cooking anything. So, when I saw the nuggets were buy one and get one free, I was sold.”

Alex looked over at Steven. “How did you know?”

Steven shook his head as he began unloading his cooler. “She was selling it way too hard.” He looked back at me and laughed. “Retro dinner.”

“Okay you two, go pick out your dipping sauce.” The water was almost to a boil as I opened the box of macaroni and cheese and dumped the elbows in. “Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.”