Cooking w/Anna M (new blog).

[WonderingInWA]

There have been a few photos here and there of the guys in the kitchen. John apparently knows how to cook as he has been pictured with Anna making food. And there was at least one occasion when all the boys made breakfast for all the girls. And one of the boys knows how to BBQ, although that's not really "women's" work, I suppose. Oh, and I believe it is traditionally Stevie's job to mash the beans for burritos (wish I were kidding, but I'm not).

[anjulibai]

Anna knows how to make yoghurt. I don't know how often she does it, but they did a post once about it.

[Arete]

Anna knows how to make yoghurt. I don't know how often she does it, but they did a post once about it.

I remember that post well. I remember it well because I come from a gaggle of college graduated, birth control using, property owning sluts who were taught how to make yogurt as preteens. It fell under our father/headship's curriculum of "Useful Shit You Should Know How to Do" that also included car oil checking, basic tire changing, duct tape is your friend, how to make soup stock, and this is a bank book and how we use it. That post of Anna making yogurt ( and she wasn't even doing it well, who the hell uses flavored yogurt for a starter!) was a Maxwell version of a Match.com picture and blurb. " Look at our well raised, virgin helpmeet in training. Has mastered yogurt!"

[Pizza Bagel]

Praise God! Gordon Ramsey has been purposed to take over Kylie M's commenting duties!

And just like that, Gordon R is gone. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate that one bit!

[LurkerOverThePond]

And just like that, Gordon R is gone.

Well look who's here - hi Steve!

[twin2]

Didn't they have chicken enchiladas in their menu lineup at some point?

I have seen pics of that for "special occasion meals".

I'm not one to snark much on fundie meal plans. I'm a good cook myself and cook from scratch a fair bit, but what can I say, some nights after a tough day at work, grilled cheese and canned tomato soup it is!! I'm a also a creature of habit, so there are diners I eat every week, like eggs. However, I don't pride myself of being trained since birth to be a godly homemaker using that as an excuse to forgo education, hobbies, and fun. Two of their daughters are grown adults and one is almost there. At this point you would think there meals would consist of things like a roast chicken dinner, beef wellington, quiche lorraine, ect, roaster veggies with a balsamic reduction, souffles for dessert, ect. But no, they basically cook anything one can find in any Midwestern church cookbook and throw together in 15 min.

The one that has always struck me as odd in their pics of family meals. At my house, and pretty much everywhere I visit, when there is a big meal, with lots of food, it is spread around the table and everyone helps themselves and passes the dishes. However, at Maxhell, in most pics, all of the food is piled in front of Steve-O and the rest of the table is bare. I'm guessing Steve dishes it all up, sure it is just another way to exert his control.

[Peppercorn]

But you're probably busy and don't have that many available adults in the house to help you. There is no reason why all those Maxwells being home all day can't fix good meals. They don't even have little ones under foot. That was one of the laziest meal plans I have ever seen.

You are half-right. Sometimes I'm busy and sometimes I'm just lazy. I do agree about the Maxwell adults needing to make better meals. They could all take a night and produce some fantastic, healthy, low-cost dinners. (Sheesh, even I make good meals several times a week.) King Stevus wouldn't even have to participate, just dole out the miserly portions.

Eh, what am I saying? The purpose of the Maxwell cult is to limit their options in everything. Prison food for all!

[salex]

I've wondered about that, but then I wondered how he functioned in the military and working for a large employer. OK, maybe the regimentation of the military worked for him.

My husband has spent his life managing engineers and programmers, including 17 years in aerospace--and I've met a full spectrum of engineers/programmers. The engineering department has always had its share of very "tightly wound" individuals who needed consistency, order and control, which they could manage in the confines of their cubical with an assigned task, etc. As I recall, Steve didn't leave corporate work because of the actual work involved, but because something changed in the workplace that required interaction with a woman in the workplace. (per my memory and what I've learned here).

[Peppercorn]

I should have read the entire thread before posting the reply above. You all said it better.

Steve may have to sharpie out the luscious pictures lest they incite gluttony and lust

So right. The Maxwell's boring meal plan can probably be attributed to Mr. Two Animal Crackers himself. Can't have anyone enjoying their food too much, or even get too excited over the cooking of it.

Or maybe they all just happen to prefer bland flavors? I know some families that seem to have, as a whole, pretty odd taste buds and/or eating habits.

And of course, the girls think their regular menu is perfectly normal, appealing, and offers plenty of variety. They don't know any better. But to outsiders, who may be used to more varied, ambitious, flavorful cooking? It looks really sad, boring, and low-skill. Teri's taught her daughters to cook about as well as she's taught them to write, unfortunately--and they don't even know it.

This. Exactly this.

Anna should learn how to cook with cannabis. Stevehovah may not approve, because of the potential giggling, but it is all natural and therefore God approved.

And now I want a Free Jingerite to appear at a Maxwell conference with a big platter full of homemade brownies. ::giggle::

[nelliebelle1197]

My husband has spent his life managing engineers and programmers, including 17 years in aerospace--and I've met a full spectrum of engineers/programmers. The engineering department has always had its share of very "tightly wound" individuals who needed consistency, order and control, which they could manage in the confines of their cubical with an assigned task, etc. As I recall, Steve didn't leave corporate work because of the actual work involved, but because something changed in the workplace that required interaction with a woman in the workplace. (per my memory and what I've learned here).

I have always wondered if a woman was promoted above him.

[rural juror]

They probably feel that spending too much time and effort on food would take away from their ministry. On the other hand, they do seem to have kitchen gadgets that are more than just the bare necessities - I believe they have a high-end mixer, blender, an espresso machine... This has always surprised me about the Maxwells.

[YPestis]

I don't see anyone mentioning this, but I've wondered if the Maxwells are flirting with the idea of writing a cookbook or how-to book for young SAHDs? They've had posts which extensively documented some of their cooking adventures (such as it is). Maybe Steve is also looking for his next book idea. Perhaps they realize they can't write a courtship book / "Preparing Daughters" book due to their unmarried girls and awkward questions with Joseph's broken courtship. Cooking is a nice addition to the "lifestyle" they're peddling and would showcase how "well" they've trained their SAHDs.

I've seen the Maxwells make some beautiful baked goods, and there's occasions where I see them making more complicated dishes than what Anna lists out. They obviously know their way around the kitchen. I'm not sure if it's good enough to qualify them to write a cooking book but that hasn't stopped the Maxwells before! It's kind of like their ITonRamp stuff....the set of courses do teach you something, but it's probably not anything advanced and certainly overpriced. I anticipate that any cook books the Maxwells make would end up in that category.

[WonderingInWA]

They probably feel that spending too much time and effort on food would take away from their ministry. On the other hand, they do seem to have kitchen gadgets that are more than just the bare necessities - I believe they have a high-end mixer, blender, an espresso machine... This has always surprised me about the Maxwells.

The Maxwells like high-end kitchen appliances and high-end computers. But in their defense (off to the prayer closet, I know), when you are cooking for a large family, you have to have appliances that can take the volume and frequency to feed everyone. It's ridiculous not to have quality appliances. Even with my family of 4, I've been through my fair share of "cheap" appliances, and it is frustrating.

[Sailing on Europa]

Just wanted to agree with what others have said: If homemaking is their sole mission in life and they give up college to pursue it, etc, then why aren't they better at it? It's really sad, because as stifled as the maxwells are, cooking could be a creative outlet, but they aren't even allowed that. I can't imagine not being able to try out different recipes and eat a variety of foods. Every Friday evening I go through my pinterest recipes or other recipes I want to try, and I make a grocery list. It's fun!

[WonderingInWA]

Just wanted to agree with what others have said: If homemaking is their sole mission in life and they give up college to pursue it, etc, then why aren't they better

at it? It's really sad, because as stifled as the maxwells are, cooking could be a creative outlet, but they aren't even allowed that. I can't imagine not being able to try out different recipes and eat a variety of foods. Every Friday evening I go through my pinterest recipes or other recipes I want to try, and I make a grocery list. It's fun!

They apparently like Mexican food, but I don't think they venture into any other "ethnic" foods. And I don't think they like to try new foods, either. They just stick to their plan because it works for them. I wonder if they've ever even had Chinese food?

[already hungover]

Just wanted to agree with what others have said: If homemaking is their sole mission in life and they give up college to pursue it, etc, then why aren't they better at it? It's really sad, because as stifled as the maxwells are, cooking could be a creative outlet, but they aren't even allowed that. I can't imagine not being able to try out different recipes and eat a variety of foods. Every Friday evening I go through my pinterest recipes or other recipes I want to try, and I make a grocery list. It's fun!

Some people just don't care about variety or fancy food. I could eat the same 4 or 5 things all the time and not care; I mostly just don't want to have to think about what I'm making for dinner or spend a lot of time cooking it. But the Maxwells are up on such a high horse about homemaking that you'd think they'd make complicated/fancy dishes once in a while.

[Arete]

They apparently like Mexican food, but I don't think they venture into any other "ethnic" foods. And I don't think they like to try new foods, either. They just stick to their plan because it works for them. I wonder if they've ever even had Chinese food?

My guess is that it is Steve who likes Mexican food, and whatever Steve likes, the family endures whether they actually like it or not. They do make nice baked goods, but they bake and attach proselytizing tracts to give away around the holidays. It's like that soup kitchen being discussed on the other thread, they don't do it because it brings people physical happiness, they do it to "bring people to Christ". Nothing, but nothing can be done or enjoyed without contributing to soul winning at chez Maxwell.

[halfheartedheroine]

Some people just don't care about variety or fancy food. I could eat the same 4 or 5 things all the time and not care; I mostly just don't want to have to think about what I'm making for dinner or spend a lot of time cooking it. But the Maxwells are up on such a high horse about homemaking that you'd think they'd make complicated/fancy dishes once in a while.

Same. I've got about five meals on rotation (and in my freezer!) that I eat pretty consistently, but I blame it on Crohn's limiting food choices and then being busy with school and letting cooking slide to the back burner, if you'll forgive the pun. I also tend to pick the same things at restaurants (my 'safe' dishes). But with cooking for a group? Even if they traded out chefs every now and then, one person learning one new meal every month, they could end up with a lot of variety.

[already hungover]

Same. I've got about five meals on rotation (and in my freezer!) that I eat pretty consistently, but I blame it on Crohn's limiting food choices and then being busy with school and letting cooking slide to the back burner, if you'll forgive the pun. I also tend to pick the same things at restaurants (my 'safe' dishes). But with cooking for a group? Even if they traded out chefs every now and then, one person learning one new meal every month, they could end up with a lot of variety.

I do the same thing at restaurants! It's not that I don't like or appreciate really good food, I'm just way too lazy to do it myself. But if I had an army of stay at home daughters to cook for me? I might be more interested...

[nelliebelle1197]

I do have to say that they are good housekeepers. The house is beautifully clean.

[Shoes Grace]

I don't pride myself of being trained since birth to be a godly homemaker using that as an excuse to forgo education, hobbies, and fun. Two of their daughters are grown adults and one is almost there. At this point you would think there meals would consist of things like a roast chicken dinner, beef wellington, quiche lorraine, ect, roaster veggies with a balsamic reduction, souffles for dessert, ect. But no, they basically cook anything one can find in any Midwestern church cookbook and throw together in 15 min.

So much this. And it's not just the cooking- it's all that creative stuff they do, Mary's artwork, Sarah's writing, the cardmaking, the photography, the music, between Bible time and scrubbing the radiator vents with a toothbrush, what do they have to do all day but devote themselves to a creative past time? Hell, consider prison art. These are guys with very limited access to the outside world and time on their hands, and often times the results are gorgeous. I'd imagine most prisoners, given enough time, could create at least one thing that anyone would say, "wow, that's beautiful." And we don't see that kind of achievement in any Maxwells. The construction work is about as close as it comes.

The Maxwells are genuinely the only glitch in my opinion that everyone can be fantastic at something- maybe they're all secretly fantastic in bed. (Secretly because not even they know.)

That said, I don't get too judge-y on what other people eat, because I'm a picky eater and not fond of green salads, for one, which pretty much automatically makes me unhealthy in the eyes of most people, but, well, :disgust: I'm just fine with me. That said, I made bread from scratch this last week and had to improvise with pancake mix when I ran out of flour. I want to see Anna do that. Melting the cheese on your toast is not cooking anymore than ripping open the box of Hot Pockets and preparing for sauce napalm is cooking.

[Lillybee]

I think that life in Maxhell, has to be more boring than life in a Carmelite convent. At least the women there chose that life and were not born in to it. There is a Trappist monastery nearby and even those monks seem to have more of a life than the Maxwells, they make some very good wine.

[WonderingInWA]

Mary is supposed to be the seamstress in the family. I believe she made most of the bridesmaid dresses for Christopher and NR-Anna's wedding, and I thought they were pretty and fit well (which cannot be said for NR's dress, but that was just unfortunate in every way). Someone posted on the blog sometime around then asking if she quilted, and they said she does not. They aren't wearing the frumpers anymore so I guess she's out of a job at home. We all know she won't be making any bridesmaid dresses again anytime soon. But that's a skill she could market out and make some money doing but of course, she won't. How sad.

[guidedbybobafett]

The food they eat seems fine to me, aside from the hot dogs. Hot dogs are actively bad for you, and I don't think adults should eat them once a month, let alone several times a week. I love hot dogs, and I limit myself to about 3 a year.

[lipstickgoalie]

I do have to say that they are good housekeepers. The house is beautifully clean.

Their house is beautifully clean because That. Is. All. They. Do.