Seems as if it’s been ages since we’ve met here—I have learned from spine surgery that I am not cut out for being waited on! The Normanator made a fabulous chief cook and bottle washer but it feels good to be back in the kitchen again! And I’ve missed you guys…
My first venture into the kitchen led me to choose one of my comfort foods. I took a picture but the results were dismal. This dish tasted far better than this photo shows:
Goulash? Really? grin/giggle
I learned to make goulash when I was 10 years old. My mother had a serious bone fracture with complications. That’s when I fell in love with all things domestic! Mom directed me from her place on the sofa and that’s how she taught me to cook. Maybe that’s why I never depended much on recipes?
The Normanator had some ground beef left from something he made for us. I found the gluten free pasta in the pantry, along with some tomatoes we canned last year. I browned the meat as the macaroni cooked. I seasoned it with salt and pepper…that’s when the whole meal turned a corner.
I wanted cumin for its wonderful smoky flavor. I think the effects of the pain pills were still in my head because when I shook the spice into the meat I suddenly realized I had NOT taken the cumin. I had grabbed the CURRY! We sped from German food directly to India and there was no road map!
I thought of the quote “Stay Calm and Carry On” I’ve seen on the ‘net. So I stayed the course and hoped we would not have to scrap this meal. *It’s hard to cook with your fingers crossed. GRIN
I added some chopped onion and some frozen corn, hoping to save the dish. I knew there were eggs in the fridge in case this was the disaster I feared…I added some of the home canned tomatoes and kept on keeping on! Just in case, I added a pinch of red pepper flakes.
As I plated this new creation I called goulash it smelled divine. It was different to the taste but not unpleasant. The Normanator had no complaints and I felt we had scored-having a tasty, very low cost meal, mistakes and all!
Mistakes can happen in any kitchen. When it happens to you, just roll with it. Depend on your creativity and whatever sits on your pantry shelf or in the fridge and carry on!
I want to thank all of you who sent your good wishes for a speedy recovery and I want to welcome all the newbies who signed up to be Members and receive the little series of cooking tips! It is such fun to read your messages and see the new names every day! We truly hope we are a contribution to your lives.
If you are using EBT cards from WIC or SNAP or you have Farmers Market Coupons, this little corner of the internet is dedicated to YOU. Maybe you have goods from a food pantry or food bank; you might have food commodities. You may just love squeezing your food nickels til the buffalo bellows! In any case, we just want to help. There’s nothing to buy; no fancy apps. Just ideas to help you feed the people you love when you are on a tight food budget!
Connie Baum
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