it was a little hot in the kitchen last night

Every once in a while I get completely bored of the usual dinners I make.
Tacos. Spaghetti. Chicken. Hamburgers. Yummy but boring.
So I try and branch out.
Last night I made spice rubbed tilapia,
with cilantro rice and cuban style black beans
with Trader Joe's mango salsa on the side.
Look at me being adventurous.
Look at me spreading my culinary wings.
Look at me bringing flavor and cultural diversity to the dinner table.
Look at the children not eating.
Will was excited. "I love fish," he said, popping a bite in his mouth.
Pause.
"Except this isn't very good." Water gulping.
"That is spicy!"
"Really?" I said.
Scott piped up, "Is there cinnamon in this? I thought you didn't like
cinnamon in savory food....and it is spicy."
"No cinnamon...paprika...ginger...allspice...lime juice..." I took a bite.
And let loose with a Michael Jacksonesque "Whoooooooooooo!"
A little fire may have shot out of my ears.
"Wow...that does have a kick."
Now I don't mind spicy but usually it is nice to have something that is
not spicy to cool the mouth down which I thought would be the mango salsa.
But apparently someone in the packing plant got excited
with the jalapenos and that was also spicy.
Cuban black beans? Spicy.
At this point, the child who has the least tolerance for spice began to
tear up...."It's all sooooooo spicy."
And I forbade him from crying.
Somethings you can cry about. Spicy fish is not one of those things.
I let him eat left over corn muffins with jam.
And then I started laughing.
Because I cooked a dinner that should have had a scoville rating.
It tickled me.
Scott was glad about that because usually when the children complain
about dinner, I become easily angered and start making statements like,
"Hungry children everywhere would love this dinner."
That may or may not be the case with this particular dinner.
So I am soldiering on in the quest for new meals to
broaden our palates with.
Tonight I'm making Thai Peanut Noodles.
I wonder if they're spicy.....