Ever had one of those things where everything you touched flopped? I was pretty sure this was going to be my lot yesterday as I was getting ready for Bunco. December was my month to host which means I'm in charge of the meal. I picked items I thought were going to be easy to make. Oh, they normally are, but come on...it is me and the kitchen. By the way, would these kitchen adventures be as much fun to read about if everything I cooked came out right?!
It started with the pralines. I don't really make a lot of candy so I'm not really "in the know" about things related to candy making. To my mom's credit she did warn me to make it on a day with the smallest percentage of humidity. Well, it was getting down to the wire and I didn't have much of a choice. I made it on a day with 85% humidity. Well, it never set...ever. I was pretty sure this was going to be a huge flop. After some quick thinking, I decided to buy some premium ice cream and melt the candy to use as a topping. I confided to one person that it started out as a flop. After one bite, she suggested that I keep that flop business to myself and just say I meant for it to be an ice cream topping. I did...and everyone wanted the recipe to my wonderful praline sauce. So, on one hand the terrific part is that the pralines were still a wonderful dessert. On the other hand the flop part is that now I have to explain that it was a flop and I don't know how to make it sauce. I just sort of lucked into it.
My next dish was a corn casserole. I've made this numerous times before but in the original recipe. Last night I needed to double it. Doubling a recipe isn't normally hard, but this one was tricky. I couldn't remember if I was supposed to double everything but the oil or not. That casserole had one cup of oil in it. Doesn't that just sound wrong?! Anyway, I cooked it and when I took it out it was nice and brown on top. And a little bit shiny. I had to pat it down with paper towels to get some of that extra oil out. So, now I know...do not double the oil. Thankfully, when everyone ate it last night it tasted fine. Hopefully no one woke up with clogged arteries!
After those two things I was beginning to think that I'd made a huge mistake saying I'd cook. The last thing I needed to make was the taco casserole. Normally, I'd think how can someone possibly mess up meat, cheese, and tortillas. But seriously people...I don't have the best track record here. I started to gather up the ingredients and discovered that I had forgotten to set the meat into the fridge the night before. All my meat was frozen! I quickly defrosted it in the sink with hot water. So, finally the meat was done and I was ready to layer. Only problem...I ran out of cheese. Let me just say that I did stop at the store and grab some cheese so the casserole turned out fine. Actually, everyone loved it! It would have been terrific if I'd remembered to grab the lettuce and tomatoes that were supposed to go on top. Now, I currently have two bags of shredded lettuce and three tomatoes. Well, salads are in right?!
Even though every single part of that meal could have been a disaster, everything turned out okay. I don't question it. I'm just in awe of it...my ability to have the most terrific of flops!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Terrific Flops
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Do you need a NO FAIL recipe? One that can ALWAYS turn out???? And I'll bet you have everything...
HEre ya go. On WT, it's become known as Annette's casserole:
Supreme Beef Casserole
1 lb ground beef
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (5 oz) package egg noodles
1 c. sour cream
1 (3 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
6 green onions, chopped with tops
1 c. grated Parmesan
Brown beef in skillet, stirring to break into pieces. Drain off fat and return meat to skillet. Add tomatoes, sauce, salt, sugar, and garlic. Simmer for 5- 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook noodles and drain. In a bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, onions, and noodles. In a greased 2 quart casserole dish, pour a small amount of meat sauce. Cover with a layer of noodle mixture and then Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, topping with meat sauce. Bake in 350 oven for 35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
I hate the kitchen - I hate to cook! I soooo appreciate that Kevin loves to cook, or I'd be back to eating out every night like I use to! ha!
I am SO glad that someone turns out well after flops. This week is neverending for me and after today, I don't know how it could get any worse!! I am glad that everything turned out well for you. Look at you - making lemonade from lemons. :)
Annette: Thanks for the recipe! Sounds yummy. :)
Lori: That is one of the things on my "hubby wish list"...must know how and love to cook!
Becky: Oh, friend...what happened? Trust me, at the moment I was sucking on those lemons and pouting pretty hard!
girl - you need to have your bunco group do what we do in December: we all go out to eat at the choice of whoever hosts in December, then head off to the hostess' home for a gift exchange (everyone brings a nice gift, we draw numbers and go in numerical order to either pick, or steal from someone else).
hey - did you have any luck with the coffee cups?
Doesn't sound at all like a flop to me! Sounds devine.
Jacquie
Valerie: With everything going on I didn't. I found a really nice bakeware dish within the required amount. Though if I had done a Starbuck's card it wouldn't have been alone...there were three of them there! None of which came home with me.
Jacquie: I know! It amazes me how things like that usually turn out okay in the end. :)
I know my husband gets a little scared whenever I say I'm cooking something new - while most people burn things, I tend to undercook them!
Hooray for fabulous flops!
Mmmm...taco casserole. Oh, and I could mess up meat with no problem! LOL Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Post a Comment