Last Monday, Becca wrote about family memories and looking back to her childhood...she asked us to remember something about our Mother and write or scrap about it. Her story was very funny...about a spontaneous food fight at the dinner table, how fun!
She got me thinking about food and kitchen stories, and I realized that I have several, perhaps too many, kitchen mishap incidents that have happened to me! I am actually a good cook! And I like to cook, but for some reason, these strange "accidents" have happened in my kitchen and sadly, in other people's kitchens!
It all started way back when I was 13 or so and was babysitting for a family friend. Actually, the Mom was my old babysitter when I was younger, and now I was babysitting her kids. The kids wanted me to make them popcorn for a snack. I admit, I hadn't really ever done that before, at least not on my own. Now, this was before the days of microwave popcorn and so I had to use oil and the popcorn pot (you know the kind with the hinged, flip up lid and wooden handle (an important detail for later in the story). So, I turned on the burner with the pot and oil and walked to the pantry to get the kernels and when I turned back around, no joke, flames are coming out of the pot! I am freaking out! I send the kids outside the house and then try to remember...is it baking soda or baking powder that puts out a kitchen fire? I am panicked and can't remember, so I call my Mom and she hears on the other end of the phone, just these words: "Mom, is it baking soda or baking powder that puts out a kitchen fire?" Now that I am a mother, I just can't imagine how she felt at that moment! She asked if I'd called 911, no I hadn't. She tells me to hang up and call 911, but I still don't know what to do with the pot! So, I hang up, call 911 and to the sound of sirens racing through town, I try to move the flaming pot to the sink, but the wooden handle catches fire on the way!!! So, I drop the pot on the linoleum floor (burning and marring it of course), BUT the drop must have sucked the oxygen out of the pot and the flames were extinguished, thank goodness! So, the firemen get there and use big fans to air out the house and special spray to rid the kitchen of smoke. My Mom arrived to see what was going on and help out if she could, but it was all over by then. Oh, what a LONG wait for the parents to get home that was!!! They weren't really angry with me, they knew it was an accident, they were shocked and upset and very thankful the kids were all right!
The next "oops" in the kitchen, wasn't as scary...just really funny. I am at my then future mother-in-law's house for Easter. My boyfriend (now husband) and I were there, his sister, his Mom's close friends. We eat dinner, everything is great and we are all visiting as the pies are warming up in the oven. There were three, a blueberry and two others...I can't remember the flavors, they aren't important. So, the timer goes off and I offer to go and retrieve the pies from the oven so that his Mom could stay and entertain the rest of her guests. I open the oven, and use pot holders to grab the foil pie pan from the oven. I grabbed it at 9 and 3 o'clock and the pie flipped over my fingers and blueberry filling spilled all over the open oven door and down through the opening between the door and oven and even into the drawer below! What a HUGE mess! And of course, it was a pie someone had brought to the dinner! How embarrassing, I still have not (and never will I fear) live that down!
Next up, Jen vs. the nacho cheese. Again, at my mother-in-law's house, by now we are married, I think. One of our favorite meals is tacos. And I love to warm up Nacho cheese for a topping on tacos or chips. I popped the container in the microwave like always and when I heard the beep, I took out the cheese. Man was it hot!!! Hotter than usual and I immediately dropped the container on the floor and the cheese spewed up like a geyser and went all over the kitchen...the floor, the ceiling, the light, the stove, the counter, you name it! Again, what a mess! His Mom said, from now on no nacho cheese gets heated up without a plate under it!
And my final (I hope) kitchen faux pas was at the first home hubby and I owned. And it's a Christmas story. Typically, I hosted Christmas Eve dinner for the two families, mine and his. I decided that we were going to do fondue..fun right? I had visions of everyone sitting around the table, dipping their bread and veggies and reminiscing and having a cozy time. And that happened, for a while... I bought the fondue pot for the occasion and could not find the right size Sterno, so I bought the special fondue oil that goes in the tiny little pot that sits under the fondue pot. There's a top to it that you can supposedly slide open and closed to turn the flame up or down and control the heat. Well, first of all his Mom doesn't like fire, no fire place use or candles in her house, so she was nervous to start. But, we got it going and everyone was enjoying their fondue...until flames started crawling up the side of the pot! What is it with me and fire!?! Are these warnings I should heed for future fire-related decisions to avoid some major fire catastrophe in my life?! I hope not! Anyway, I was too afraid to try and turn the little dial thingy to reduce the flame. My hubby did that and it didn't work, the fondue forks were burning, his Mom backed away from the table (holding a fire extinguisher), everyone was laughing, sort of. He finally just put out the flame and we finished everything on the stove. I returned the fondue pot to the store, it had to be defective right? A Christmas Eve we'll never forget (and another kitchen moment I'll never live down!).
Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of these incidents to scrap...but maybe someday I can take a picture of popcorn, blueberry pie, a container of nacho cheese and a fondue pot and do a page on this, it really would be funny! Chelle, want to make a fire kit? LOL
So, have I sparked your memory? What is your one (or four) most memorable kitchen mishaps? I'd love to read them! Post them on your blogs and link us up in the comments here...scrap them if you can so we can see pictures!
I hope you have a happy and safe Monday, no fires!
Thanks for reading, Jen
LOL! Such fun stories! Thanks for sharing Jen!
ReplyDeleteJen, these are so funny! You are a great writer too. I totally felt like I was right there at the table x-mas eve!
ReplyDeletewell, since I was witnessed these incidents I can attest to the accuracy of the stories. Thanks Jen for bringing back such wonderful family memories. I knew where you were headed when you started to talk about food mishaps. I'm sure we have all had a few, don't feel alone. Most of us just won't admit to them.
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