My mom and I stand in the kitchen. The floor tiling shakes cold as the arctic on a warm day. The light glistens off of the fridge like the sun. Dark cabinets shine with cleanliness of a thousand car washes. This is where happiness is made.

Reaching for the red round rigidity M&M bowl, My Mom and I read the recipe to establish what we need to create this golden brown cheesy potato heaven. The frozen potatoes smoke from the warm air. The cheese softens. My mom says, “add the cheese into the bowl.”

“Alright,” I announce. I double it hoping to create a even better side dish.

But adding the onions isn't that easy. Holding the knife like a pencil, my mom stops me so I don't hurt myself.

“What are you doing holding the knife like that?” She corrects my hold. “There, now you can cut up the onions then add them to the bowl.”

I look at my mom, thinking she's crazy. When she hands me two onions to chop, I cut the calm collected onions. The onions scream as the knife slices through. I take the cutting board and add the onions in the bowl.

We add the rest of the spices and other ingredients and put it in the oven to cook.

As time goes by, I wonder when they will be done. The sizzle when they were pulled out was like a thousand snakes in one pan. This is the dish I love to make with my mom.