Keeping Me Humble

Not everything works out perfectly for me. Even so, I lead a charmed life and nothing bad ever happens either. But since I use this forum as a way to share recipes that have done me right (because after all, who would thank me for publishing the bad recipes), it is only fair for me to mention that I have had some flops along the way.

Last night, to go with a fantastic Summer Squash Chowder, I made Buttermilk Biscuits that never rose. They were edible, they were even tasty, but the texture was odd to say the least. And man, were they funny looking. Tonight, I served the leftover chowder as a first course for a Spinach and Gruyere Tart which was expensive to make yet tasted so bland I actually had to get up and bring the salt shaker to the table (I'm a firm believer in the theory that if a meal is cooked perfectly, salt shakers should have no place at the table). We will eat the leftover tart for dinner tomorrow night, with Yellow Squash Ribbons with Red Onion and Parmesan (if I find the vegetable peeler).

I have a recipe for Peanut Butter Pie that I adore, but since I can't leave well enough alone, I tried a different Peanut Butter Pie recipe this weekend (which didn't hold a candle to my other recipe). Peanut Butter is The Carnivore's favorite ingredient, but this pie has already lasted 4 days and we haven't finished it yet. The pie is perfectly fine, but is so rich as to be off-putting.

There are times I would love to blame the bad meals on the fact that it is extremely difficult to cook with Fat Baby doing laps around the stove, pushing his heavy wooden walking toy into my bare ankles with every pass. But since I don't cook with my ankles...

On the positive, look-to-the-future end of things, I have some bananas that died a miserable and lonely death a few days ago, and if I get up the courage after a week's worth of failures, I will use them to bake a banana nut bread in the next day or so. I have been wanting to try this particular recipe out for more than a week now. Then again, maybe it would be best if I stuck to some of my tried-and-true recipes for the next few days. I could use the ego boost.