I wish I was about to tell a tale of dining at my favorite steakhouse with Twitter pal Jennifer Perillo. But, alas, despite the fact that we both live in Brooklyn, we have yet to meet in person. I feel like I know Jennifer well already. Isn’t that the case when you regularly share something as intimate as your love of food and cooking?

When I saw that Jennifer was looking for guest bloggers, I jumped at the chance to offer my services. Jennifer is a serious food pro who’s had a successful business as a personal chef, stints at NYC institutions including Gramercy Tavern and Essex House, and is an accomplished food writer and recipe developer. I love her blog, her voice, her recipes.

So go to In Jennie’s Kitchen and check out my piece on making a steakhouse meal at home. Sound not very kid friendly? Ahhh… doubt me not, dedicated readers. Like all true ChowMamas, if I’m cooking something at home—even if it’s a challenging meal for kids—I find a way to make sure there is something for Isaac. Cuz this mama isn’t into cooking separate meals for anyone.

This time, craving the classic steakhouse creamed spinach, I worked on making a slightly healthier and heartier Polenta “Creamed” Spinach that, along with some of our tomatoe salad (and carrot and cucumber sticks), served as Isaac’s full meal. The experiment paid off—it was SO delicious. The only problem was that Isaac liked it so much, there wasn’t quite enough for me and the ChowPapa!!

So today’s parenting message? If you’re creative and relaxed about how you feed your ChowBaby, you can find a way to make almost anything “family-friendly.” So treat yourself. It’s okay to prioritize your cravings over a perfectly “kid-friendly” meal. If your ChowBaby isn’t into it, she won’t starve. I promise. (And, hey, there’s always PB&J.)