**

Tonight, I made a beef roast, mashed potatoes and candied carrots. I cut slots in the roast and stuffed about a dozen cloves of garlic in them and then seasoned it with olive oil and a garlic herb seasoning mixture.

I boiled the potatoes while sauteeing a Vidalia onion and a couple of tablespoons of diced garlic. I put the potatoes and onion sautee in the Kitchen Aid mixer, added butter, sour cream and cheese and whipped them up.

The carrots were slightly steamed then I added a couple of tablespoons of honey, a couple of teaspoons of cinnamon and a cup of brown sugar. I left them on medium heat until the water evaporated and the sweet stuff made a glaze.

I believe that during the cooking process, the only way to ensure that everything is good is to taste and taste frequently. I often employ others that are going to enjoy the meal in the tasting process and ask their opinion about what is needed. IE: more salt, pepper, spices, etc. Obviously, the boys get to help out a lot and I have to say that they know what the fuck they are talking about.

If Ryan or Joshua say "I think it could use some cayenne pepper, or soy sauce, or thyme, or salt, or WHATEVER ... I believe them. See, I taste it first and have an idea of what the food needs, but I want to hear what they have to say. Sometimes they surprise me and suggest something I might not have thought of ... not often, but sometimes, and usually they are right and the dish ends up better than it would have. It's because of this that I think I rarely have complaints about what I cook.

Tonight, as I was in the kitchen, "Iron Chef America" was on. It was battle "Farmers Market" and we had been looking forward to watching it all week. The boys were in the living room and I was minding the stove when suddenly a voice called out ... "Hey dad! Why don't YOU take on one of the Iron Chefs?"

Now obviously, there has never been a home chef who has been accepted into Kitchen Stadium for that particular culinary battle, but my head swelled anyway. I was proud to think they considered me so capable in the kitchen that I could possibly do it.

I love being a domestic God! Have a good week ya'll"