\nMy Entitled DIL Demanded I Make a Special Thanksgiving Menu for Her Because Mine Was ‘Too Cheap’ \u2014 I Agreed but Outplayed Her Later\n
When my daughter-in-law, Kayla, demanded I create an \u201celegant\u201d Thanksgiving menu because my traditional dishes were \u201ctoo cheap,\u201d I smiled and agreed. But behind that smile, I was already planning a meal she\u2019d never forget. A meal she\u2019d wish she hadn\u2019t requested.\n
Kayla has always had a knack for rubbing me the wrong way. My son, Arnold, sees her as the perfect wife, but I\u2019ve endured years of her condescending remarks and entitled demands.\n
This Thanksgiving, though, she finally pushed me too far, and I decided it was time to set her straight without saying a word.\n
\n
My name is Jasmine, and I\u2019m the kind of person who believes in family harmony above everything else. But when your daughter-in-law makes your life a constant balancing act of holding your breath, even the most patient mother can reach her limit.\n
Arnold, my son, met Kayla at work five years ago.\n
From the moment he introduced her to the family, I could tell he was smitten. And why wouldn\u2019t he be? Kayla is one of those women who knows exactly how to present herself.\n
She\u2019s always impeccably dressed, speaks with a polished sweetness, and seems to adore her husband. On the surface, she\u2019s the perfect partner.\n
But behind that fa\u00e7ade lies the real Kayla. A demanding, condescending, and bossy woman who has made it her mission to undermine me at every turn.\n
The first time I noticed her true nature was during a family dinner, a few months after their engagement. I had cooked my signature roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Those were the dishes that Arnold had loved since he was a boy.\n
As we sat down, Kayla smiled politely and said, \u201cThis is nice, Jasmine. It\u2019s very, uh, homey.\u201d\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d I smiled but could sense an insult hiding beneath her fake words.\n
\n
Later, when Arnold went to fetch drinks, she leaned over and whispered, \u201cYou should really consider updating your recipes. These dishes are so outdated.\u201d\n
\u201cOutdated?\u201d I asked. \u201cWell, Arnold loves these dishes, so I tend to stick with what makes him happy.\u201d\n
\u201cOh, of course,\u201d she smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s just that, uh, he\u2019s used to eating a little more refined with me.\u201d\n
I wanted to snap back and put her in her place, but I stayed quiet for Arnold\u2019s sake. However, I didn\u2019t want to let her nasty attitude slide. I decided to talk to Arnold about it after dinner.\n
\u201cArnold, can we talk?\u201d I began hesitantly.\n
\u201cSure, Mom. What\u2019s up?\u201d\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about Kayla. She\u2026 she\u2019s been a little dismissive toward me lately,\u201d I said carefully. \u201cI don\u2019t want to overstep, but I feel like she\u2019s\u2014\u201d\n
\u201cMom,\u201d Arnold interrupted. \u201cKayla loves you. If she\u2019s ever said something, it\u2019s probably just a misunderstanding. Honestly, you might be reading too much into it.\u201d\n
I sighed. \u201cArnold, I know what I heard. She called my cooking outdated\u2014\u201d\n
\u201cShe\u2019s trying to help, Mom,\u201d he insisted. \u201cYou\u2019ve always been a little set in your ways. Maybe she just wants to bring something new to the table. Don\u2019t make it a big deal.\u201d\n
My son thought I was making a big deal out of it, but I knew I wasn\u2019t.\n
From that point on, I stopped complaining to Arnold. It wasn\u2019t worth the argument, and I didn\u2019t want to damage my relationship with my son.\n
\n
I decided to keep my head down and maintain a peaceful relationship with Kayla for Arnold\u2019s sake.\n
I thought if I showed her respect and accommodated her requests, she might soften toward me. But I was wrong. Kayla only saw my compliance as an invitation to push me further.\n
Every family dinner became an opportunity for her to assert control.\n
\u201cJasmine, can you make that salmon dish I had at that fancy restaurant? I\u2019ll send you the recipe,\u201d she would say, as if I were her personal chef.\n
I agreed, hoping Arnold would notice how hard I was trying to please her. But he didn\u2019t. Instead, he praised her for being so thoughtful.\n
\u201cShe\u2019s just helping bring some variety, Mom. Isn\u2019t it nice to try something new?\u201d\n
Nice? It was exhausting. The final straw came a week before Thanksgiving. Kayla called me while I was folding laundry.\n
\u201cHi, Jasmine!\u201d she chirped.\n
\u201cHello, Kayla,\u201d I replied cautiously. \u201cWhat can I do for you?\u201d\n
\u201cWell,\u201d she began, \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking about Thanksgiving, and I realized it\u2019s such an important meal. We should really step up the menu this year. Don\u2019t you think?\u201d\n
I could already feel my patience wearing thin. \u201cStep up the menu? What do you mean?\u201d\n
\u201cWell,\u201d she continued, \u201cyou know, your usual dishes are, uh, fine. But I was thinking we could do something a little more elevated this year. I\u2019ll send you a list of recipes. They\u2019ll make the meal more special.\u201d\n
\u201cKayla,\u201d I began. \u201cThanksgiving is about family and tradition. I\u2019ve been making the same dishes for years because that\u2019s what everyone loves.\u201d\n
\u201cOh, I know!\u201d she said breezily. \u201cBut wouldn\u2019t it be nice to try something different for once? Honestly, your dishes are a bit, well, basic. And Arnold and I are trying to eat healthier, so this will be good for everyone.\u201d\n
Basic. That word rang in my ears.\n
\u201cSure,\u201d I said through gritted teeth. \u201cSend me the recipes.\u201d\n
When her email arrived, I nearly dropped my phone. Every recipe was packed with expensive, obscure ingredients. Truffle oil, imported cheeses, and organic products.\n
I could tell that sourcing the items would cost a small fortune and take days of running around specialty stores. As a result, I decided to call her back.\n
\u201cKayla, some of these ingredients aren\u2019t exactly easy to find,\u201d I said. \u201cAre you sure this is what you want?\u201d\n
\u201cOh, absolutely,\u201d she said with a giggle. \u201cThe dishes you usually make are too cheap. I thought we could try having an elegant menu this time.\u201d\n
\u201cBut Kayla, I\u2014\u201d\n
\u201cI trust you, Jasmine. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll figure it out.\u201d\n
Her confidence was infuriating. But instead of arguing, I smiled to myself.\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take care of it,\u201d I said before hanging up.\n
And I meant it. Just not the way she expected.\n
Thanksgiving Day arrived, and the house was buzzing with activity. The smell of roasted turkey, buttery sweet potatoes, and spiced green beans filled the air.\n
Arnold and Kayla arrived late, as usual, with Kayla strolling in like she owned the place. She was glowing with triumph. Her smug grin told me she was ready to claim her little victory.\n
\u201cJasmine,\u201d she said, handing me a bouquet of flowers. \u201cYou\u2019ve outdone yourself. I\u2019m sure the menu will be just perfect.\u201d\n
\u201cOh, it will be,\u201d I replied with a warm smile.\n
As everyone gathered at the table, the spread looked divine. Kayla, of course, took the seat of honor next to Arnold, her eyes scanning the dishes with approval.\n
\u201cEverything looks wonderful,\u201d she announced, grabbing her plate. \u201cLet\u2019s dig in!\u201d\n
I watched her confidently spoon a heap of stuffing onto her plate, followed by a generous serving of sweet potato casserole.\n
She looked around the table, basking in the compliments from the other guests, before taking her first bite.\n
And then it happened.\n
Her eyes widened and she froze mid-chew.\n
I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind as the flavor registered. She reached for her water, taking a sip to compose herself, but it was no use.\n
You see, I knew Kayla wasn\u2019t allergic to anything, but I also knew her little secret. She hated nuts in her food.\n
So, I made sure to give her the Thanksgiving dinner she deserved.\n
The stuffing? Loaded with pecans.\n
Sweet potato casserole? Topped with a thick candied pecan crust.\n
Green beans? Tossed with slivered almonds.\n
Even the mashed potatoes had a garnish of roasted hazelnuts on the side.\n
The pi\u00e8ce de r\u00e9sistance? Dessert. Pecan pie. Chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies. Brownies with walnut chunks.\n
Everyone else at the table raved about the food, piling their plates high.\n
\u201cJasmine, this is incredible!\u201d my sister exclaimed. \u201cYou\u2019ve outdone yourself this year.\u201d\n
Meanwhile, Kayla just sat there quietly and had turkey with plain mashed potatoes.\n
She forced a tight-lipped smile, nodding politely as the compliments flew my way, but I could see the irritation bubbling just beneath the surface.\n
Her moment of glory had crumbled into silence.\n
And when it was time for her favorite part of Thanksgiving\u2014desserts, she couldn\u2019t touch a single item on the table.\n
I watched her push her plate away, feigning fullness.\n
\u201cOh, everything was just so filling,\u201d she said.\n
\u201cBut you love dessert, babe,\u201d Arnold, oblivious as always, said. \u201cAren\u2019t you going to have some?\u201d\n
\u201cNot tonight. I\u2019m, uh, watching my calories.\u201d\n
Kayla didn\u2019t lash out or confront me, but her stiff demeanor and forced politeness spoke volumes.\n
After dessert, she pulled Arnold aside, her whispered words sharp and hurried. She kept glancing at me as she talked to him.\n
Arnold nodded at her, his brows furrowing as she gestured toward the dining table. Eventually, he walked over to me, looking slightly uneasy.\n
\u201cMom,\u201d he began hesitantly, \u201cuh, Kayla mentioned something about the food tonight.\u201d\n
\u201cOh?\u201d I replied as I cleared the dishes. \u201cWhat did she say?\u201d\n
\u201cWell\u2026\u201d He paused, glancing toward Kayla, who was now pretending to help tidy up. \u201cShe thinks the nuts might have been, um, intentional. You know how she feels about them.\u201d\n
I set down the plate I was holding and looked at him.\n
\u201cArnold, I didn\u2019t think about that. You see, it was Kayla who sent me the recipes. I was just following her suggestions to make an elegant menu with no \u2018cheap ingredients.’\u201d\n
His brows knit together. \u201cShe sent the recipes?\u201d\n
I nodded, walking over to the counter to grab my phone.\n
\u201cI can show you the email if you\u2019d like. She was very clear about wanting something special this year, so I did my best to meet her standards.\u201d\n
Arnold stood there as he tried to process my words. He looked over at Kayla, who was now trying to look busy folding napkins.\n
\u201cShe, uh, didn\u2019t mention that part,\u201d he muttered under his breath.\n
\u201cShe\u2019s been very particular about what I serve, Arnold,\u201d I continued gently. \u201cI only wanted to make her happy\u2026 and you happy too. But I guess I misunderstood what she wanted.\u201d\n
He exhaled slowly, his eyes darting between me and Kayla.\n
\u201cMom, the food really was amazing,\u201d he said. \u201cI mean it. I\u2019ll talk to Kayla about this, okay? I think there\u2019s been some sort of a miscommunication.\u201d\n
\u201cThank you, Arnold,\u201d I smiled. \u201cI appreciate you listening. That means a lot to me.\u201d\n
As the evening wound down, Kayla stayed unusually quiet, offering only curt goodbyes as they left.\n
\u201cThanks again, Mom. Everything was perfect,\u201d Arnold said softly before leaving.\n
As I watched them leave, my heart felt lighter knowing that Arnold was finally starting to see Kayla as a human being, and not as the epitome of perfection who couldn\u2019t commit a mistake.\n
That night, I didn\u2019t yell, I didn\u2019t argue, and I didn\u2019t let her ruin my holiday. Instead, I showed her that entitlement has no place at my table.\n
And judging by her silence, I\u2019m pretty sure she got the message.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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