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My Cooking


I have to tell a story or two on myself. Our Sunday School class seems to have babies all the time. As a part of the class ministry, we take meals to families with new little ones around the house. A list is sent around in SS or sent out by email and we sign up. I have always thought this was "my thing," I love to cook and look at new babies. I used to sign up most every time a list went around.
When I was newly pregnant with Sarah Kate and extremely sick, I signed up to take a meal to a sweet couple that had a new baby boy. I decided on spaghetti and meat sauce. I usually buy Kraft seasoning for the meat sauce or some other seasoning envelope. As I made the meal that late afternoon, I was talking to my mother on the phone, keeping Emily occupied and feeling very nauseated. Too much to handle while cooking, especially for someone other than my family. Because I was rushed and nauseated, I did not taste the food.
I took the spaghetti and meat sauce to their house along with salad, bread and dessert. Marched in proudly, unloaded the food. stared at the cute baby and drove home...........


The next morning, I discovered the seasoning pack, leaning against a canister by the cook top. I FORGOT to add the seasoning. Soooooo....I had taken them noodles covered in plain hamburger meat and a can of tomato paste. Think about how that tasted! Bless their dear souls, bless mine. Chaw city!

I frantically called my friend to apologize.


Fast forward two weeks later. I am still sick, still signing up for meals. I made a HUGE pot of chicken enchilada soup and all the trimmings and took it to another family that had a beautiful baby girl. The soup was good, I tasted it! I took it in their house and put it too close to the edge of the counter top. YEP, it got knocked off and the soup was all over their kitchen, literally all over the place. We were all chawed. What do you do?

Well, I knew what I was to do: take a break from the meal ministry. I did for over a year. I am back at it. I am certain there have been cooking mishaps for these families too. But they are all too nice to tell me. I always wonder if there is a cat hair in the food, or my sheding hair. Or, have I left out anything, added too much of something?

All this to say: I am cooking for three families in the next few days. Yes, be in prayer for them and me. I try to use extreme caution.


Comments

Andrea said…
I've never done that with other families...however. (little back story here)
My parents followed me to Texas from Los Angeles...my Mom was visiting CA family and my Dad was alone and doesn't cook) So I bragged on how I make a great roast like Mom's and invited him over.

Well, my roast was HORRIBLE. I bought a different cut of meat and let it cook in the crockpot for 5 hours (instead of the normal 7 I give it) and it was SO DRY and tasteless. Like dog meat! HA HA- so my Dad ate every bite while I complained how horrible it was and how it's normally not like this...he kept telling me it was good. Poor guy...he hasn't been back here for dinner since. HA
Anonymous said…
laurie,as soon as you started on this topic, i knew you were going to write about our meal. you could have brought us just the noodles and we would have ate it w/ smiles on our face!!!! i love that our class does this and i'm sure i speak for everyone in saying, we all appreciate each other's cooking! and what a blessing it is to have meals brought to us!!!! dont ever be chawed at the fact of your generosity :)
Susy said…
Thanks for making me laugh! I consider myself a pretty good cook, but whenever I cook for other people I get so nervous! I usually end up doing something wrong and have to apologize for the dry meat, runny pie, etc. When I make a cake my husband always jokes and asks if there are 2 more in the trash that didn't work. Oh well...at least we are trying!
Laurie that was too funny. I know not at the time but you telling it now totally cracks me up. Thanks for sharing. Now when I take someone a meal from here on out I will be super paranoid and will be triple checking everything before it leaves the house (ha-ha).
Hi Laurie - thank you so much for sharing this story. I've been married for about a month and a half and I went to make dinner for my husband last week - three courses and I ruined every single one of them (one burned, one dried out and one crumbled). I cried and my husband had to go to the grocery store and buy pre-made fried chicken!! I'm grateful for stories like this.
Jenna said…
This made me laugh out loud!!! You are too funny. Bless your heart - I know the shame of failed culinary attempts all too well. I am sure your SS is VERY glad to have you back on the list!
e-in-tx said…
Oh Laurie - you are so funny!! I have to admit, I am the same way. Love to cook and look at new babies, just not always sure that my meals are as good as I think they are! Oh well, it is the thought that counts??!!!
Quick follow up on your singleness posts, as a single lady (never married, 40+)...is there a specific prayer you prayed? I am struggling with my faith and prayer and would love to have some hints to get me back on track.
Thanks for your entertaining posts! Hope your cooking goes well.
Kristen said…
You are not alone - I made a fantastic (and easy!) chicken pot pie and when I made it for a family with a new baby in my church all seemed to be fine. But I was cooking and being mommy and talking on the phone, etc and later that night I realized I had DOUBLED the salt of this dish. It's already a tad on the salty side and adding salt is not something you want to do! To use your word, being chawed was an understatement. I called and apologized profusely. I felt like I owed her another dinner!

I have the recipe posted on my recipe blog (on my sidebar) It really is yummy. Just don't double the salt!
Auntie D said…
Laurie that is so funny! Thinking of you as you prepare your meals!!

P.S. - I love the mustard colored walls in your house. What is the color??
Lauren said…
Oh my word, too funny!!!! But you did it all with the right heart and with good intent, just remember that, haha!! :)
Betsy said…
Oh my word...those stories are so funny! Probably not so much at the time, though, right???
SILLy stories!! said…
Don't be so hard on yourself. I create "food bloopers" all the time!! I am really bad at putting something on the stove and turning the heat way up to cook it faster, then forgetting about it--I call this "southwest style" or "blackened style"--hehehe. Anyway, I have in the past burned a can of peas (it really is an art form!) and also I once put lemon pudding mix in the milk I was heating (I so ment to put in vanilla mix)-ok, that smells just nasty!! So my point is, I got a real kick out of your post today!!!
Ansley said…
Oh my goodness - these stories were too funny!! I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only one who has "been there, done that!!"...definitely not funny at the time but fun to laugh about afterwards. Best of luck on your upcoming meals.
Erin said…
Oh Laurie, bless you! So glad I haven't been the only one. I totally ruined a meal to a family as well. Thanks for sharing!

And by the way, this ministry toatlly blessed us when Kinley was born so I always try to help when I can and the there's probably more meals to come that I will wreck, but the thought is what counts most, right?!

And just so you know, the meal you brought to us was AWESOME! And I truly mean that!
Kristy said…
Oh, this was funny!
I have to admit- I am a lurker. =) I always read about your goings-on, and think your girls are so cute!!

It cracks me up just to read the word "chawed". I have never heard that before - and it is sooooo funny! So when you put "chaw city" I could not stop giggling!
HaHa! I can promise you that you are not alone in messing up a meal! I love the post. What a beautiful family you have!
The Garners said…
SO funny!
I made a casserole and a yummy (well, should have been yummy) scalloped potato dish for my friend Mary Katherine when she had Trent. I thought I'd provided a nice meal. Then the next morning I opened the microwave and saw a whole stick of butter inside. Couldn't think what on earth that was doing there...then I realized it was supposed to go in the potato dish I took to MK!!!! Oh my--I'm sure that was a very bland dish of potatoes! I called MK to apologize!

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