but I had to cook my entire life and learn through cooking classes the last like 10 years to get remotely good.

... just how bad were you 10 years ago anyway?

I don't really understand why you bother with any fancy stuff is good ol' bland food is enough. Like if you enjoy cooking a lot and stuff then yeah I'd expect you to want to make something more varied.

Personally I wouldn't really give two shits if someone likes whatever I cook or not. I think its a bit of a cultural thing too though.

I'm kind of forced to eat really bland things by my stomach.  I have a severely fucked up stomach and most things that aren't as simple as you can make them easily make me very nauseous.  It sucks because it's pretty hard to eat at other people's houses or restaurants I'm not familiar with already, but at the same time it makes cooking for myself or other people cooking for me (by this I mean JUST me, if other people are involved in the meal it makes it very hard) really easy.  Also there are some foods where I like them so much I eat them even though they do make me sick, I just do it on rare occasions.  I think this is why I don't know how to cook much, because I basically already know how to cook every meal I can really eat, which isn't much.  I'm really interested in cooking, but at this point could only really learn to cook things I wouldn't eat myself.

My mom likes cooking for me because it's so simple though, especially because she has no sense of taste so she worries about her cooking (I mean this literally not as some sort of insult--my mom technically does have a sense of taste but she can only really taste really spicy or salty things and even still it's not the RIGHT taste, it's just A taste.  Her sense of smell is the same way, she fell from a ladder onto solid concrete and luckily that was the only major long term effect of it.  Somehow this turned into a big thing about my mom not sure how this happened oh well)

Bondo, the important thing is that your girl at least appreciates your food. You won't live their forever, and when you two are on your own, you can satisfy your pleasure of serving someone appreciative of your talent. For now, slap some spagetti together lol

Pretty much this.  If your in-laws don't care what you make, even if it's something that they'd normally eat, then this is all that matters.

... just how bad were you 10 years ago anyway?

Not really super bad, I just was young and inexperienced with cooking in the kitchen.

But Bondo, try making a simple sandwich type meal, hot open face beef sandwiches are pretty common and grilled cheese with tomato or mushroom soup.

And I agree with a previous comment that was saying that you should ask what they like to eat and how they like it done so you can learn a little about their tastes and what kind of foods they agree with most. If they like to order pizza and chinese why not try making that?


EDIT: I wonder if maybe a recipe exchange might be a good idea to help you with food idea's (classic styles and not that fancy shizz you see on tv)

I cook for my family and friends all the time. Its been interesting the feedback I get because usually I really stretch people's palates, but every time I've cooked for people who enjoy food and make a point of their enjoyment of food (the wino down the street, my best friend who grew up in honolulu, my stoner friends etc) have always gushed with excitement over the things I make for them. My family mostly just gets annoyed, but I've finally gotten them to accept that there is more to seasoning meat than salt, pepper, and garlic powder lol. Its amazing how using olive oil instead of butter and a saute pan instead of the microwave can spruce up a meal, and thats usually what I do with my family and I think they enjoy it.

but having worked in a couple different kitchens over the last two years, I have my fair share of horror stories with unsatisfied customers and their crazy specific off the menu ordering and basically just constant headaches and shit heh. There are people out there who intentionally take out some sort of frustration with their job on people that work in restaraunts. I am convinced.

I'm kind of forced to eat really bland things by my stomach.  I have a severely fucked up stomach

Me too man.  I subsist on like rice, oatmeal, and raw produce.

And spicy chicken wings that give me diarrhea

Making roux is hard and I can't get it to work for the life of me.

as for the roux itself, you just gotta whisk the shit out of it till it comes smooth

and then as for using it, just make sure you go very slowly. its best to make the roux in like a pitcher or something so you have more control over how it flows so you're not worrying about it like dribbling down the edge of whatever you made it in instead of into the sauce/soup/whatever

Or you could collect some mud from your front yard and serve THAT to them. You may actually be improving their health by doing this, I've heard.

HAHAH, listening to others as well... maybe you should just stop cooking for them, if it doesn't please you to do it anymore than it can't be worth it to try all the time and feel like your failing at something which your not failing.

If it hurts you don't do it, if they don't care and you are putting all your effort into it than it really isn't worth it to do. Just do what makes you and your wife happy as she will be the best friend that goes through life with you, and will help you along the way... not her parents.

Man I feel sorry for you, It seems you really put your heart into cooking, and it would be very important to have their appreciation, sucks =(
If I were you I would cook only for you and your wife, and the rest can keep eating their regular shit.