Do something good for yourself and for your family this weekend. Forget going out to eat Saturday night, and plant yourself firmly in the middle of your kitchen. Going out this weekend means going out of your normal routine and staying home to cook something delicious. Guys, throw on that ratty apron and head outdoors. The grill is out there, and you can't fire it up from the inside. I don't think we have that kind of technology. Yet.

Sure, dining out has its allure. There's no work involved, save walking from your car to the restaurant or having to decide which entree you will order. People cook for you, clean up after you, and kiss up to you for a measly 15 percent. You can live like a king for an hour and a half, then drive home feeling bloated and tired. How kingly!

Or you can cook, clean, and serve your loved ones and make them happy for one night. But really, this is not about them, it's about you. You have the tools, and you have the talent. You can do it.

Admittedly, this is more about men than women. Historically, the men hunt and gather and the women cook what has been hunted and gathered. That's sort of a broad generalization for what has been a trend throughout time. Granted, there are more men cooking today than ever before, but overall the trend is the same.

Think about your parents, or your grandparents. Who did the cooking? My family was a little more progressive in that my father did a lot of cooking, partially because my mother has lupus and arthritis, but he also loved it and taught me so much. I wanted to be like him not only because he cooked great stuff, but because of the attention received for being a man that knows how to cook.

When I think back to my grandparents, I can remember exactly how it was. My grandmothers did all the cooking. Period, end of story. Growing up, I didn't consider any gender or social implications of it, but looking back I realize that it was rather sad that the men didn't cook at all. And when my grandmothers both died, that left my grandfathers completely in the dark as to preparing their own food beyond a bowl of Total.

So, as we push forward into the twenty-first century, let us push forward in our thinking and ways of life. Let's teach our kids to cook, both boys and girls. Let us teach them not to rely on Mom or a restaurant for their food. For someday, they will be on their own, forced to depend on themselves.

And as for you, grab an apron and grab a spoon. There are a few holidays coming up for which you can show off those talents, and maybe invent some new ones. Father's Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day all provide wonderful opportunities to stretch your cooking muscles. Let us buck gender stereotypes in the kitchen, for both men and women. Guys .... get in there and bake something. Ladies ... fire up the grill and do what comes natural.

I believe in you. You can do it.

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