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greenhaven_gw

Kitchen mishaps...cautionary tales:

greenhaven
9 years ago

I had a near-miss this morning, thought I would share as we can all relate! Then feel free to share yours!

I was mixed up a quadruple batch of banana bread this morning for a family reunion today, really getting into it. I creamed up my shortening, sugar and eggs, then pushed the bowl...confidently...to the side to combine my dry ingredients.

Except...we recently had quartz countertops installed and I have had laminate my whole life except for one short foray into tiles.

Well, quartz is pretty slick, and a heavy stainless steel mixing bowl slides pretty easily. By the time I realized what was happening and whipped my head around to witness the carnage the bowl stopped, right at the edge of the island! Lickety-split I snatched that puppy back from the edge and the day was saved! Okay, so I could have mixed up a new batch, but I am trying so hard to get out the door this morning!

So, lesson learned: quartz is slick, slide your bowls at your own risk and with utmost caution. :o)

Comments (41)

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago

    LOL - and thanks for the advice. Just glad that BB didn't go flying any further.
    Yes - quartz is more slippery than my old laminate. It is also harder than laminate - so don't drop any bowls on it. (So far so good on both for us)
    How about a picture of the BB?

  • countryatheart
    9 years ago

    At work we use pieces of the cheap waffle weave shelf liner to keep the bowls and cutting boards from sliding around the stainless countertop. They are easy enough to rinse out and dry between uses.
    Greenhaven-you are much more daredevil than I, I'm still afraid to scratch my granite so I would not slide anything. (I'm pretty sure it won't scratch.) By the way I second the motion for a picture of the BB.

  • PRO
    Joseph Corlett, LLC
    9 years ago

    5 second rule.

  • cat_mom
    9 years ago

    We had to get used to placing glasses on our granite counters instead of plunking them down. Our old glasses were very thin glass, so I was glad we needed to replace them anyway when our reno was completed (we were down to too few in each size at that point, and they were etched and cloudy besides).

  • PhoneLady
    9 years ago

    I am now in the mood for BB

  • Buehl
    9 years ago

    I'm glad disaster was averted - but I got a good chuckle out of reading this and picturing it in my mind as I read!

    We've had a couple of sauce and preserve jars fall out of the refrigerator - and break and splatter up to 6 feet away - we have a tile floor now instead of vinyl. With vinyl, those jars probably would have just bounced - but with ceramic tile - they break! We're a bit more cautious now when rummaging around in the refrigerator (or trying to jam one more jar in the (removable) bin on the door - the front comes off if the bin is overstuffed).

    Stone counters - my immediate family (DH, DS, DD, me) adapted rapidly to being careful how hard we put down a glass/dish (or dropping one) - but my parents & in-laws, not so much - I seem to lose a couple of glasses each time they visit! Oh well - glasses are replaceable - parents/in-laws are not (and while I like my glasses, I love my parents & in-laws!)

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    countryatheart, great idea about the shelf liner! Just so happens I have tons. It is also great for going under chair cushions. You know how when you sit on one they tend to slide and put so much tension on the ties that hold them on? No more with the waffle weave! I also use pieces of them between my non-stick pans to prevent dings and scratches.

    Trebuchet, lol! I suppose I could have scraped that goop off the floor...but partakers of the finished product would get a lot more in their bread than they bargained for! Two big dogs and a cat...need I say more?

    phonelady, come over, I'll make you some. I may or may not ever have accidentally baked a spoon into a loaf of banana bread. :o/

    We have yet to lose a glass or plate to the counter, but it is still ll so new, lol! I am sure my time is coming. I can only imagine the condiment blowback as those jars hit the floor! Once I dropped a Corelle bowl and it hit on its edge on wood laminate...and spectacularly shattered into a gazillion pieces. I can meld that image into one involving salsa!

    Alright, fine. banana bread, all that is left of two large loaves and two small loaves, but i did leave an intact one at the kids' house. never made it to the reunion, moving day for the kids into their first house.

  • Mags438
    9 years ago

    Yummy! 2x

  • countryatheart
    9 years ago

    Yea definitely looks yummy! Congrats to your kids. That is a great accomplishment, you must be proud of them.

  • jennifer132
    9 years ago

    BB looks good.

    And I love the colored shakers! Where/what are they?

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This is so weird; I would have sworn I replied to this already! Sorry jennifer123!

    I got those s and p shakers from Dot&Bo. I actually bought a set for my DIL but loved them so darn much I got a set for me, too!

  • christina222_gw
    9 years ago

    Thanks Greenhaven, Just ordered those salt and peppers, love them!

  • jennifer132
    9 years ago

    Thanks!

  • PhoneLady
    9 years ago

    Tell us more about this alleged spoon baked into the BB!!!

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Lol, well, not much more to tell! I was having a friend over for coffee and decided last minute to whip up some banana bread. I always get worked up when faced with the prospect of "entertaining" because I live a, erm, low-key lifestyle.

    So friend shows up, we are chatting while she leans on the peninsula. I tip out this gorgeous bread onto the cutting board, slice gently, and "clunk."

    "What the....?" is what I said. That might not be what I was actually thinking.

    I break the end off the bread to reveal a soup spoon (I frequently use them for easy mixing) lying peacefully at rest on the bottom of my beautiful loaf. Nonchalantly I slid my eyes sideways to gauge whether friend had seen the spoon. She had. She gaped. Then I thought she was going to pee her pants laughing. It was a great morning!

    And the bread was delicious. :o)

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    P.S., why am I the only one telling tales? I want to make fun of other people, too!

  • christina222_gw
    9 years ago

    We nearly had a countertop mishap tonight. I had just tipped a pot of pasta into a colander in my sink when my mom, who was helping me by feeding my cat, slid his old bowl of food onto the counter. It slid all the way across and nearly fell into the sink on top of the pasta! Stone is more slippery than corian it turns out!

  • PhoneLady
    9 years ago

    Well since you insist.................I make a very simple chicken broccoli casserole in a lasagna type dish that is very well received in my family. Just steamed broccoli florets on the bottom. Next layer is cooked shredded rotisserie chicken. Top it off with cream of chicken soup somewhat thinned with milk. Top layer is prepared Stove Top stuffing. Pop the whole thing in the oven to heat through.

    So I made a triple batch a few years back to have plenty for leftovers and to freeze. We are all in the kitchen....very hungry and practically with our noses pressed against the oven glass waiting for the perfect moment for the stuffing to be browned just right.

    All of a sudden we hear a loud POP. Where did that come from?? Look in the oven and it takes a few moments to wrap our heads around the fact the glass dish has exploded and casserole and glass shards are dripping down through the oven racks onto the piece of foil laying on the bottom rack.

    Fast forward to leftover lasagna heated up in the microwave for dinner. I've since read many stories/explanations for imploding/exploding glassware. What a #*%(&% mess!!

  • PhoneLady
    9 years ago

    p.s. to greenhaven. Does that officially make it spoon bread? I would have busted a gasket seeing that :) Great story!!

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh I would have CRIED over that casserole! Not only the mess but I love that dish! Although we use cheese between the soup and chicken and add mayo and lemon juice to the sauce. Chicken Divan my sister called it the eldest time she made it for us. I used to make it in quadruple batches when the boys were still home and their friends would all be clamoring for food!

    Cat food would have made an interesting seasoning!

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago

    Greenhaven - that is a hoot! I almost left a spoon in my vitamin - oops - but someone spotted it! - Maybe you need to try something other than BB!

    A few years ago, I decided to make a home made Boston Cream Pie. The recipe suggested putting the warm custard in a food processor. Well, I have DMs original Cuisinart which I never use - so I plucked it out of its hiding place and start pouring the custard into the processor - not realizing the center of the food processor is lower than the rim - do you see where this is going...

    So, the custard flows over the center, over the food processor, over the counter, down the cabinets and new Miele dishwasher.... What a mess!! I had to scream to get DH to come help and he just gaped at the mess.

    BTW - the BCP was delicious!

  • Mgoblue85
    9 years ago

    I've learned that I need to be very specific when giving recipes to those in my fam that don't cook/bake....

    My sister asked me for a recipe for chocolate cake to make for her DH, then fiance, which I did - only I didn't specify the type of oil to use... Needless to say, she told him the recipe was from me when he said it had an interesting flavor! Yep, you guess it - she used OLIVE oil. She never came clean and I still tease her about it. She apparently has other redeeming qualities...

    Next story...I emailed a recipe for peanut butter cookies to my daughter - she wanted to bake some for her GM's birthday. Well, I forgot to indicate 1/2 of what for the baking soda. I'm not sure how she even got 1/2 CUP to mix into the dough, but she did. Fortunately, she decided to taste one first. I laughed so hard when she told me. She wasn't quite as amused.

    I guess when you don't bake or cook on a regular basis maybe olive oil in a cake and a box of baking soda in a batch of cookies makes sense. Regardless, I was the fall guy (gal) for both.

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Mgoblue, taking TWO for the team! Hilarious that your dd would jump to half a CUP of baking soda, lolol! Obviously not a baker!

    Oh, now Boston Creme Pie...I could use me some of that! I can only imagine the gooey mess...thinking Ghostbusters, ha ha!

    Banana bread is common for us because I'll throw into the freezer bananas that are on the cusp of bad. But I also make a mean zucchini bread and apple bread! I should try zucchini-apple bread sometime...

    Oh, and pumpkin bread...it might seem I am more baker than cook and you would be right.

    And now I am siting in bed being hungry! I need to go shopping so I guess it is eggs and rosemary-olive bread toast for breakfast.

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago

    GoBlue - LOL on the recipes.
    Off topic but since canola and corn oil are on the bad list - what oil do you use? I am pretty sure that there is not a canola tree.

    Green - yup ghostbusters for sure. Just glad Miele's front panel is tight. When I had Miele out for a repair, they took off the SS panel and I was sure there was going to be egg all over the place but none to be found.

    I also freeze just about anything but use most for smoothies but sometimes breads. I even freeze leftover lettuce,spinach, cukes etc for smoothies.

  • schicksal
    9 years ago

    The only mishap we had involved an immersion blender. Someone doesn't like using a cheese grater and tried to use it to shred cheese. That doesn't work very well and all the the pieces of cheese got stuck around the blade.

    Long story short, they forgot to unplug it before removing the pieces of cheese. The button is on the side, they hit it by accident and you can do the math from there. It was only a few stitches and didn't leave a scar at least.

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh, OUCH! That is a classic example of a cautionary tale! Glad it wasn't more serious!

    a2gemini, I desperately need to got back on my smoothie regimen. The stress of our move has left me fat and depleted again. :o/

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago

    You can do it GH - You can do it!
    I am trying to cut out extraneous bread and treats but we have so many leftovers from my decade party to nuke!

  • williamsem
    9 years ago

    From way back, but since so many of you have kids around...if you are cooking with a child that loves math and already had fractions in school, trust that they can double a recipe. I was baking cookies with my grandmother many years ago and we were making a double batch of cookies. I had the recipe in my hand and was doubling it as we went. Well, she didn't think the shortening sounded right, so she doubled assuming I had not. I have never seen cookies so thin in my life! Of course she got a prompt " see! I told you I doubled it!" From me, and we got to work adding in more ingredients to save the rest.

  • PhoneLady
    9 years ago

    All of this food talk is making me hungry. On the way to the freezer to take out banana bread I'd set aside. Problem is....... I'll never be able to slice a banana bread again without looking for hidden utensils.

    Green......the mayo and cheese sound dreamy in the chicken dish but don't think we need the extra calories in this household. I claim a victory last night because I got my husband to split a steak with me last night instead of cooking two as usual. Just hubby and me with no voracious teens any more. My willpower is sketchy and I will often keep eating something yummy if it's right in front of me. Can't eat what's not there.

    It's not stress that's making ME fat. It's lack of it! Retired last year and now too many hours firmly planted on the soda with my IPAD. Much of it enjoying GW. plus it's 110 here in AZ today. 112 tomorrow.

  • PhoneLady
    9 years ago

    Ah that's SOFA not soda. :)

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Ha ha, awesomest Freudian slip (aka typo!) No one hefre needs the calories, I assure you. Two years as empty nesters I am only now learning how not to buy and cook for a houseful. Mine and their friends went almost all at once!

    williamsem, totally guilty of that one1

    a2gemini, you would be proud of all the resh fruits and veggies and NO ice cream in my cart today.

  • a2gemini
    9 years ago

    Green haven - way to go. Check out your Freudian slip above.

  • new-beginning
    9 years ago

    i have one that's a couple of years old - my SIL (who admits she isn't a very good cook) decided to cook some collard greens (we had them over-flowing in the garden) and watched one of the food cooking shows and used their recipe - they said (on the show) to add 12 cups of salt - yes you read that right TWELVE. It should have been 1/2 cup of salt (this was for a HUGE pot of collards and even that would have been a lot). Needless to say those of us who were offered collards inquirerd about the amout used.

  • Mgoblue85
    9 years ago

    N-B, 12 cups??? Oh my...that sounds like a recipe for curing. Typos can be dangerous, but obviously make for funny stories.

    GH - dd was in college, so not experienced at all.

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    a2g, ha ha! Caught that typo! But the Freudian slip eludes me....not enough coffee yet this morning, maybe.

    Oh wait...hefre! Ha ha ha ha ha! I was looking at resh, rofl!

    I can't even imagine having 12 cups of salt on hand!

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    a2g, ha ha! Caught that typo! But the Freudian slip eludes me....not enough coffee yet this morning, maybe.

    Oh wait...hefre! Ha ha ha ha ha! I was looking at resh, rofl!

    I can't even imagine having 12 cups of salt on hand!

  • marcolo
    9 years ago

    When I was a kid, my aunt made a batch of cookies for the parish priest. Later, he told her how much he loved those "delicious lemon cookies. "

    "Lemon? " my aunt thought. There wasn't any lemon in the recipe.

    She went home and dug out the card to double check. No lemon. Then she went through all the ingredients she had used, trying to figure out where the flavor had come from. The wrong extract? Nope, that wasn't it. Had something gone sour? No.

    Finally, the only thing left was the oil, which this particular recipe used instead of butter or shortening. She went under the cupboard to get the bottle. Apparently, she had never felt comfortable handling big jugs of oil, which were glass back then, so she usually transferred some to a plastic squeeze bottle, typically an empty dishwashing detergent container. This time, there were two squeeze bottles in the cabinet. One said, "Lemon Joy."

    She never told the priest. But we always wondered what is next bathroom visit was like.

  • zeebee
    9 years ago

    OH MY on the lemon cookies!

    Years ago, when my mom took a job that kept her away from home for most of the week, my dad took over the cooking. He's never had a very good sense of smell, which affects his sense of taste as well. So he developed a heavy, heavy hand with spices to compensate.

    So one day he's making a pot of chili and decides he wants it extra-spicy. He adds several tablespoons of that reddish-brown spice in the little paper bag.

    But it wasn't chili powder. It was nutmeg.

    And the result was vile.

  • queen_gardener
    9 years ago

    LOL!!!! While I was reading this, I thought I was cooking chicken . . . burner was OFF!!!!! Turned it on, cooking now. Going to get off the computer and focus . . . I like to read while I'm waiting . . .

  • Iowacommute
    9 years ago

    I started baking by myself when I was in third grade. Well I learned that first summer when melting chocolate and butter for brownies some plastic spoons are heat resistant and some are not. I use designated wood spoons now.

  • greenhaven
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Ah, revival of a great thread! That poor priest and his "lemon" cookies!