Cooking & Baking
Related: About this forumWe went out of town for the weekend and I was going to be so smart...
knowing we wouldn't have time to cook when we got home Sunday evening. Right before we left on Friday, I made a pot of chili. I figured the flavors would meld all weekend and it would be nice and tasty to reheat when we got back. I set it on the porch to cool.
But we had a lot going on while packing. Taking the dogs meant gathering all their stuff and bathing them before we put them in the car (two small ponies, one at a time in the shower). Packed all their crap, packed all our crap and then we hit the road.
And an hour or so in, I remembered the chili. DOH!
Luckily a neighbor was able to get it and keep it for us. But I had been imagining a chili crime scene when/if the raccoons discovered it!
Turns out, it was just so-so chili. I hadn't used enough salt and I think the tomatoes were too sweet or something. I ended up adding a can of Ro-tel for some zing. But it wasn't as thick as my chili usually is so I am wondering if it had anything to do with my attempt to make it ahead. Oh well.
hlthe2b
(102,419 posts)While I've had batches that were better than others, I agree on the "blending of flavors" theory. Usually when I have a bad batch it is because I wasn't paying any attention and probably added too much or too little of something over previous. My last batch was waaay too hot with the 1/2 can of chopped jalapenos I added. Ended up topping with a little plain greek yogurt & shredded cheese to pull some of the "hot" out.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)I do have ADD and I was using lists for packing and tracking from room to room to gather stuff. I am quite known for leaving out an ingredient or two.
Normally, I might have on the list: get chili off porch...but for some reason I didn't do that this time.
global1
(25,285 posts)you might have come home to a burned out house.
Just making a joke at the expense of the TV Show - This Is Us and I guess at the expense of the makers of CrockPot.
I made chili as well. I purposely make it milder and sweeter to please those who don't like spicy chili. I leave the spicing up to the person - and make available a dish of hot chili peppers and an assortment of hot sauces. Also put out dishes of beans, onions, shredded cheese and oyster crackers - so everyone can customize to their taste buds.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)why in god's name would they choose THAT? I don't know if Crock Pot can recover from it, commercials or not. It seems really irresponsible of the show to choose that. Why not a generic oven, an iron, a frayed wire, etc???
hlthe2b
(102,419 posts)I feel for the manufacturers of crock pot though... this was quite a hit and though they can reassure, they can't come out and say it COULD NEVER happen.
Ohiogal
(32,118 posts)NJCher
(35,764 posts)Famous last words here. I'm always outsmarting myself. I could tell you stories all day long of how I outwit myself.
Should be a thread on its own.
Culinary or otherwise, I have tales to tell. I especially outsmart myself when I hide stuff.
that's how I outsmart myself, too. Sometimes I've even gone so far as to put something where I'm going to need it when I do something. Wow, isn't that smart? Well, not if you don't remember that you did it!!
Like I might find a broken necklace in the glove compartment of the car someday. Why there? Oh, headed past the repair shop.
I have a file on my computer called "where things are."
Also, new rule: anything put in a new place has to be listed there.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)I need to start such a file. And then tell someone else that I started that file!
Sometimes I think about a burglar breaking in, opening some closets or drawers and thinking WHAT THE HELL?
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)raccoons would have been my favorite creatures to get at it. My chili's loosened up and separated out some liquid after a couple days in the refrigerator. Flavors mellow also. I once made it way too hot for us and we had to have it on crackers, but it was nice the second day.