Host Chat: Now We're Cooking

Welcome to another edition of Host Chat.  Just as Regis shares exciting stories from his life each morning, I share my latest tales of hobnobbing, hijinks, and more often than not, humiliation! 

Leave it to Beaver's Barbara Billingsley,
working it in an apron... and pearls!

Seven hours.  That's how long I've been waiting for some guys to come install new closet shelves.  As you can imagine, this seven-hour wait has pushed my whole day off-schedule. What was on my agenda for today, you ask?  OK, well, not that much. Basically just two things: Work Out; and Cook Dinner.  The latter is kind of a big deal, because I'm generally pretty useless (read: disinterested, unmotivated) in the kitchen.  But recently the Food Network's Marcela Valladolid inspired me with this mashed potato recipe.  I've since created a whole meal around it, replacing most of Marcela's Mexican Made Easy fare with some of my All-American favorites. What (besides Marcela) finally got me cooking, you ask?  Well, two things. One, my husband, Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein, and I are expecting a baby later this year, so it seemed to be high time I put down the take-out menus and picked up some better eating habits.  Two, my beloved husband works long, long hours every day (weekends most definitely included).  Wouldn't it be great if (on the days I'm not busy at CNN or Vh1 or whatever) I welcomed him home, 1950s style, with a highball* in hand, an apron around my waist and a hot dinner on the table?  He does a lot for this little family of ours.  I should cook him a nice dinner in return!  But now, it's after 5pm and I haven't done anything on my to-do list!  Nothing!
Which led to this conversation:


Me: Do you know what time you'll be home from work tonight?  I'm trying to decide whether to take an evening yoga class.  I haven't worked out yet, because I've been sitting around all day waiting for these Closet Guys.
Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein: Probably pretty early, for once. Maybe 8:00?

Me: Hmmm.  I know I said I wanted to cook dinner tonight, since we're booked the rest of the week and half the ingredients will be expired by next week...  

Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein: What time is the yoga class?

Me: It's pretty late.  I wouldn't be home until 9:00.

Hollywood Super Agent Jim Ornstein: Want to tell me what to cook, and I'll cook it?


Is he a great guy or what?  The main reason I wanted to cook tonight was to do something nice for him, and here he is, offering to whip up dinner!   And suddenly my decision is easy: skip yoga today, and start cooking... ideally, while standing in tree pose.  
Now, if only I could nail down an ETA on those Closet Guys...

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*I honestly have no idea what a highball is!  Some sort of cocktail?  Or just the glass the cocktail is served in?  Can someone help me out here?  Oh, thanks so much, webtender.com, you're so generous.  What do I owe you? Oh, it's on the house?!  Why, thank you!