Challenges We're Facing

As I take on this project, there are some challenges ahead:

1) Bryan's food preferences: My husband hates with a fiery passion onions, peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes. This was a challenge initially in our marriage since everything my family ever cooked had onions and/or tomatoes. I've come to accept it and only occassionally slip one of the offending ingredients.
2) My hestitation of food I've never had before. E.g. Rhubarb. I don't know what it is, how to pick it out, or what the hell to do with it. There aren't too many food ingredients that I've never tried before, but I've come across a few in the book and sooner or later I'm going to have to deal with it.
3) Ingredients: Traditionally, I shy away from recipes that either have a lot of ingredients, or use ingredients I'm not familiar with (see above). This is something I'm trying to get over. I've started reading the recipe and skipping right on over the ingreidents list. This has helped since a dash of different spices can make a simple recipe look daunting.
4) Shady Schnucks: We live in Midtown Memphis. Our local grocery store selection is not good. We have several choices near our house and I will only shop at one of them. Its a much smaller grocery store compared to the size of the one my parents shop at in the 'burbs. While it is convinent if you need to get in and out fast, but in terms of selection, it can be quiet limited. There is an Easy Way for fresh produce and the farmers market on Saturdays in the summer. But finding meat and other miscellaneous items can sometimes be tricky..
5) If you can't stand the heat...: We purchased our first house a few months ago. Its an awesome older home. We love it. The kitchen appliances have been updated and the stove has made more than one person extremely jealous. However, it doesn't have central AC. It gets hot in Memphis in the summer. And it gets hot in the kitchen when cooking, especially when I use the stove. There have been several times lately when I've been sweating before I can get dinner on the table. I'm a wimp and I hate with a fiery passion to sweat. The ceiling fans (there are two) can only do so much. The current plan of action is to purchase an extra fan and save for AC.