Someone Made Me Eat This: MIL Steps Up Her Game

Yesterday, I was spared a visit from MIL who went out to her country house to spend time with her sister. But today, I wasn't so lucky. Jeremy informed me that since MIL didn't come on Thursday, she'd come today. And because I agreed to 4 days a week, I had to smile and be ok with it.

I have to say the old gal's really taken to heart that lecture my husband gave her about not serving the same shit every day because she really pulled out all the stops. Not that this is her best effort ever, but she put in so much more effort than she has been that I had to ask Jeremy if it was a Chinese holiday I wasn't aware of. No, no holiday today. Just MIL taking us very seriously. Thank you, MIL.

So, I know you want to see what she made us, right? Of course you do! Why else do you read my blog, right?

 I'll be honest...when I saw this, I did not have high hopes at all for this meal. I thought I'd be sneaking off to the kitchen to snarf down bags of mini donuts that my parents sent in that package. I hate this dish. Potatoes, scary meat bits and some overcooked green beans. I love how she tries to plate it with the 6 large shrimp on top, like she's Emeril now. This dish is always horrible. I hate it. The shrimp, however, were actually very good. I'll give her that.

 Spinach? No. I'm actually not sure but if I had to guess, I'd say it tasted a lot like celery so I think it was the leafy part of the celery. You'll see why I suspect this in a moment. How'd it taste? Not bad but she over-garlicked it for my tastes so it was a bit overwhelming. Not awful though.

 And here's why I suspected celery leaves in the last dish. This is a very common side dish in China. Boiled peanuts with carrots and celery. It's pretty tasty though I am so much happier eating this when I can drink beer alongside it.

 This sloppy mess of zucchini was actually much better tasting than it looked. MIL grows vegetables out at this country house of hers so she was showcasing her fresh produce. My only problem with this is all the oil that poor zucchini is swimming in. Gak!

 Fresh steamed clams! These were really nice and fresh today too. Nice job, MIL!

 Burnt farts? What IS this hot mess? MIL told my husband to tell me it was a Chinese sandwich. Nice try, lady. It's a floury Chinese flatbread stuffed with a pork and vegetable mixture, similar to what she'd put inside her wontons and all her other stuffed things (dumplings, stuffed buns...you name it). It wasn't terrible but it was very greasy and a little burnt-ish. Big on salty too. I ate one small piece and she kept trying to give me more. Nooooooooo! Stay away!

Not pictured, we were also served that damn xifan soup crap. My husband insisted I eat it. "It's healthy! It's good for you!" Tomorrow, we must go for our 38th week check-up for the baby so I told him if Dr. Wang says that this xifan shit has any real special healing powers or whatever the fuck Jeremy and his batty family think, then I will shut up and drink it without complaining. Dr. Wang is pretty on-point. When I had Raelynn, MIL insisted that I couldn't eat cold foods because that was bad for me and my breast milk. Jeremy called Dr. Wang and asked her about that and that's why she's my hero - she said that was ridiculous and that I could eat whatever I wanted. Hopefully she'll have my back on this xifan shit or else I'm stuck eating it with a big spoon and a big smile from now on.