I grew up in a Lebanese family in which food played a starring role. Before we could finish one meal, my mom was already asking what we wanted for the next one. Despite working all day, my mom always had dinner on the table every day at 5:00- a feat I did not appreciate until I was much older. Eating dinner together was a non-negotiable in our house. No matter how busy our lives got, the one thing we could depend on was a home-cooked meal. Even if it meant my mom being in the kitchen until 9 pm preparing dinner for the next day. Like my mother, I understand the importance of a home-cooked meal. Unlike my mother, I do not plan my dinners three days in advance, sometimes even one day ahead is pushing it. This usually results with me scrambling for ideas only to realize I am…