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From: lendube
Date: 07-10-2007, 08:02 PM (1 of 27)
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Three days in a row! Three, count 'em, that I've bombed with dinners. I can't believe it. I'm not an outstanding cook at all but I'm sure a bit better than adequate and I CERTAINLY have many years under the belt but I'm beginning to feel like I can't boil water!  Friday was a dish I've made a hundred times but made some substitutions and it just didn't cut it. We ate yogurts instead. Saturday it was chili with waaaaaay too much salt. I used Kosher and didn't think about how coarse it is. The spices seemed wrong too. Dumped that chili. Last night the fish was dry and overly seasoned. Rice mushy........ Not looking forward to tonight. This has happened before but jeez louise, it's maddening and tough on the ego.  Poor dh. He's sweet, doesn't complain, and says, "It's okay sweetie. I'll have a bowl of cereal."Lennie |
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: Mom of Six
Date: 07-10-2007, 08:17 PM (2 of 27)
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when that happens to me we order pizza or eat frozen foods for a while till I feel compitant again. I haven't messed up hot dogs or frozen chicken nuggets yet
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115 
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From: Bama
Date: 07-10-2007, 08:38 PM (3 of 27)
When that happens to me, it's usually when I'm cooking for company.  My mom always says that if her cornbread sticks to the skillet, she'll have company show up for supper. 
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116 
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From: PaulineG
Date: 07-10-2007, 10:50 PM (4 of 27)
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I think you just need to spend a night or two making foolproof dinners. No experimentation or substitutions. Something really simple. I do something similar from time to time because I get really bored with same old, same old but I'm the only one at all with an adventurous palate in the family so it usually seems easier to go back to old favourites. Maybe pull out a recipe book to try something new rather than making it up. That's one of my other faults - I'm arrogant enough to think I can do it better than the recipe book author. Most of the time I'm right but I can be spectacularly wrong. If it's so hot there - why not just have a salad - pretty hard to mess that up. Pauline
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User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 07-11-2007, 08:07 AM (5 of 27)
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If I don't have anything cooking my husband will do it. Sometimes he experiments a bit much but I don't complain. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: jwright
Date: 07-11-2007, 12:28 PM (6 of 27)
| I'm just glad to know I am not the only one that has ever done this. I totally and completely burn pasta noodles once--talk about lack of conficence! I started them, then started playing computer games and two hours later something started smelling. I had no idea that pasta noodles would burn and become part of the pot! |
User: jwright
Member since: 12-28-2006 Total posts: 96 
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From: lendube
Date: 07-11-2007, 12:44 PM (7 of 27)
Yikes! That's why I always wear my timer around my neck when I put something on like that. With a 3 story house and yard I could be anywhere when that food's ready.  Well, happy to say last night went fine and I hope I'm back to normal. I just took a previously frozen pizza crust, covered it with sauce, cheese, pepperoni and olives. Foolproof, but I was surprised I didn't burn it and that it tasted very good. I'll be food shopping, etc. today so I'll have a better stock but that honestly wasn't the problem.  I had a feeling I wasn't alone here.  Lennie |
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: jessie s
Date: 07-11-2007, 06:06 PM (8 of 27)
| Your problem is you have been cooking for a while. A new cook follows the recipe perfectly, no substitutions or any imagination. Their cooking usually turns out good but after eating it several times it becomes boring. A cook who has been doing it for a while tries different things out, new ingredients and experiments with spices. Usually the meal turns out very well and never boring. But sometimes our experimentation turns out poorly but not that often. Your goofs were all in a row so now that is finished and the next bout of experiments will be good. jessie s |
User: jessie s
Member since: 02-26-2007 Total posts: 46 |
From: PaulineG
Date: 07-11-2007, 06:09 PM (9 of 27)
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You must be contagious Lennie - I burnt a perfectly foolproof dinner last night! Just not paying attention - and unfortunately not even for a good reason.
Pauline
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User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: Kaitlinnegan
Date: 07-11-2007, 06:58 PM (10 of 27)
That's so frustrating! I've definitely had runs of bad luck with cooking -- usually just from being careless, trying to do too many things at once, or not following the recipe closely. I really hate it when I try a new recipe that's rather complicated and it doesn't turn out well -- I suppose I should stick to the simple stuff. That tends to be what we like best, anyway. Where do you guys get your "foolproof" recipes from? I could use a few more in my arsenal.. 
http://www.sew-whats-up.com - the new home for Sew What's New
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User: Kaitlinnegan
Member since: 03-20-2006 Total posts: 222 
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From: Bama
Date: 07-11-2007, 07:50 PM (11 of 27)
Don't feel so bad Lennie. I screwed up today. I thought I'd be smart and put a roast in the crockpot today. I'm trying a recipe I found for Cajun style pot roast. It said to serve over rice. I put the rice on to cook and got on the computer. A few minutes ago I remembered my rice when I smelled it burning.  DD was in the kitchen and said "I've been wondering what that smell was."  Um, don't think to warn mom when you smell something funny. I hope it will come out of the pot. I hope the roast turns out okay. Haven't tried it yet, but no one is getting rice to serve with it tonight. Maybe some toast. |
User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: plrlegal
Date: 07-11-2007, 08:44 PM (12 of 27)
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Grilled cheese on the George Foreman tonight. I stayed right by it when I put a sandwich in because once you get it hot, it only takes about 2 minutes to have a perfect grilled cheese sandwich. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: lendube
Date: 07-11-2007, 10:15 PM (13 of 27)
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Ah, Kaitlinne (is that right?), by "foolproof" we just mean that we've been cooking those particular dishes for longer than you've been alive! Thanks for all of the support everyone! Didn't have to cook tonight and I've got a pantry (I wrote panty, lol lol ) full of groceries! Pauline, see how we're bonding?? You just did that to make me feel better!  Lennie |
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: material_pakrat
Date: 07-11-2007, 10:22 PM (14 of 27)
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Ladies - I need to teach you the way to cook rice - taught to me by a chef. It works for all rice types (the only one I haven't tried is brown rice!) Throw the pots out the window, and get a microwave dish with a lid. Using any measuring cup you want to give the right size serving, use the following ratios..... 1 part rice to 1.5 parts hot water. Water is to be the temp out of your hot water tap, not boiling. Microwave for 12minutes, stirrng every 4 minutes. You may need to add a little more water part way through. The only problems i have ever had with this is when the rice boils over a bit in the microwave, but it is cleaned up in 2 seconds flat. I have had 2 different microwaves, and both worked with these times, but you may need to adjust slightly for your microwave. As for cooking slumps - when I get like that I hand the cooking over to hubby or my eldest son (supervised of course.) After a couple of days off, life usually goes back to normal. Cheers, Soph.
I'm happiest when I am sewing! |
User: material_pakrat
Member since: 12-13-2006 Total posts: 220 |
From: Addicted2Sewing
Date: 07-11-2007, 10:36 PM (15 of 27)
When I get that way it's usually sandwiches for us, I can't screw that up 
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User: Addicted2Sewing
Member since: 02-01-2007 Total posts: 133 
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From: Judi
Date: 07-12-2007, 02:23 AM (16 of 27)
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My absolutely foolproof way to cook rice is in the electric rice cooker. It never burns. And hard cooked eggs - in a very old electric egg cooker my dad bought, used for forever and then it came down to me. Hubby is more apt to burn things. He only knows 2 heats on the gas stove - really hot and off. I like it most of the time when he cooks, but sometimes he gets a little heavy with the peppers in the stir fry. Judi
Sewing is almost better than Chocolate. |
User: Judi
Member since: 06-22-2000 Total posts: 85 |
From: PaulineG
Date: 07-12-2007, 06:19 AM (17 of 27)
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Lennie - is that like when women in the same household start to co-ordinate hormonal cycles? The way Soph does rice is the way I do mine when I'm having a lazy risotto. I use some sort of powdered soup mix (mushroom and chives is my fave) in the water and cook the other ingredients in the frypan (chicken, mushroom, corn, onion, sesame seeds etc.). I cook the pan stuff (while I'm waiting for the rice) until cooked and then add the flavoured rice (when it's finished) and heat it through over the gas. That is one of my foolproof recipes. Unless you're having a "moment" and forget to check one or the other. Pauline
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User: PaulineG
Member since: 09-08-2006 Total posts: 901 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 07-12-2007, 08:01 AM (18 of 27)
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My absolutely foolproof way to cook rice is in the electric rice cooker. It never burns. That's my way too. Works every time. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: esrun3
Date: 07-12-2007, 09:19 AM (19 of 27)
Hey Lennie, we all have those days! Blame it on the heat!! LOL Hope things are going better for you these days-you seem to be having a disasterous week. 
Lyn
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User: esrun3
Member since: 12-02-2004 Total posts: 2345 |
From: Bama
Date: 07-12-2007, 09:22 AM (20 of 27)
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I have a rice cooker but I only get it out when I need to cook a large amount of rice. I could have used my steamer too, but again, didn't want to get it out. Well, I soaked the burnt up rice pot all night and it's still a mess. Anyone know how to remove the mess from a stainless steel pot? It's my favorite cooking pot. A foolproof way I saw to cook rice was on a show called Miss Lucy's Cajun Cooking. She filled a pot with lots of water (didn't measure it) , brought it to a boil, then poured in the rice. She cooked it for 25 minutes then drained it in a colander and rinsed it. Perfect rice that's not sticky but you do wash away some of the nutrients. I've done it that way several times and it always turned out perfect. I wish I had done it that way last night. BTW, the roast turned out pretty good. 
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User: Bama
Member since: 03-21-2000 Total posts: 2116
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From: Dede
Date: 07-12-2007, 09:57 AM (21 of 27)
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I'm not going to confess to messing up 'cause when I mess up, I mess up big time. Bama, try CLR for your pot. I clean all my stainless with it once in a while and it shines back to its natural glory ... well almost. |
User: Dede
Member since: 03-23-2001 Total posts: 469 |
From: lendube
Date: 07-12-2007, 12:16 PM (22 of 27)
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Now that would be a cool trick, Pauline, if we could do that 1/2 a world away. And yes, Lyn, I am having a rough span of time. It's been one thing or another. More than you know. But at least the heat's broken and it's been gorgeous for the third day now. Even cool. Yippee! Hope you've caught a break. Bama, what I do is probably toxic as hell but I put water in the pan, add dishwasher detergent, powder or liquid, bring it to a boil, turn off the heat, cover it and then let it sit. This works much of the time. Maybe you should run the fan when you boil??? (My disclaimer in case you get sick..... although we've never had a problem.) I too have used a rice cooker since 1975. I'm only on my third and not because the others broke. I just passed them on to the kids. I now have one with a steamer. Love them and never burn rice, ever. Lennie |
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: Judi
Date: 07-12-2007, 12:43 PM (23 of 27)
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I do cook a large amount of rice in the cooker. Then I use what we need for dinner, and let the rest of it cool. I fluff it a bit then put it into zip freezer bags, about the right size for 2. when we need some more, I put it in the microwave for just a few minutes. It comes out steaming and still fluffy.
Judi
Sewing is almost better than Chocolate. |
User: Judi
Member since: 06-22-2000 Total posts: 85 |
From: lendube
Date: 07-12-2007, 12:47 PM (24 of 27)
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I always make fried rice with the leftover. I've never made it the same way twice but it's always good. The secret is to always add COLD rice to the quickly fried vegies, etc. Lennie |
User: lendube
Member since: 08-06-2006 Total posts: 1548 |
From: judymo
Date: 07-12-2007, 04:36 PM (25 of 27)
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Bema try cream of tartar and make a paste let it sit for a while and then clean the pot. judy |
User: judymo
Member since: 03-19-2005 Total posts: 185 
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From: Mom of Six
Date: 07-12-2007, 09:11 PM (26 of 27)
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DD made dinner tonight! She made a Chicken potato bake. It is a Banquet homestyle meal & pretty hard to mess up. I am going to buy some different flavors next time they are on sale.
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115
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From: material_pakrat
Date: 07-12-2007, 09:37 PM (27 of 27)
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You could always try a bicarb soda paste, and after it has sat for a while, add a bit of vinegar. That might help clean that pot up.
Cheers, Soph.
I'm happiest when I am sewing! |
User: material_pakrat
Member since: 12-13-2006 Total posts: 220 |
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