Everybody plays with food... I mean, plays the fool ;-)

This is based on an inside family joke, where my sister thought that the song, “Everybody Plays the Fool,” was the title above. It shows that everyone makes mistakes and misunderstands things. So why should it be any different in the kitchen?

I will be the first to admit that I do make mistakes in the kitchen. It’s the risk you take when you create your own recipes. Not every dish I make can be completely perfect the first time around. So sometimes, there are boo boos in the kitchen and food that has to be thrown out.
Monday night was a good example of how recipes go awry. I wanted to try someone else’s – namely, a Martha Stewart magazine recipe that I have been saving for a long time. It was for the microwave, and it was for cod. Probably not the best idea to microwave fish, but I wanted to try it. Besides, if it was from Martha Stewart, it should have been tested in their kitchens.

The truth was it was probably tested in their kitchens – where their fancy, superduper microwaves worked properly and they had wonderful dishes to zap stuff in. The Postage Stamp (just in case you don’t know what it is, see this post), meanwhile, has issues of it’s own. I’m beginning to believe that it is freaking out in knowing that Passover is coming and is going to undergo a major clean and overhaul. I know that I am.

Either way, the Postage Stamp’s microwave skills have been suffering as of late, and it’s been having some difficulties when it comes to zapping. On top of it, while I’m sure the Martha Stewart kitchen’s budget is unlimited on dishes, I am limited to a tiny Corningware dish.

So I ended up with my Corningware boiling over, with burnt sugar on the glass rotating dish and half-cooked fish. I sat there, looking at Ari, who was staring back at me with hunger in his eyes. Dealing with my husband when he is in need of food and I mess up is not a task I look forward too. I had nothing to spare for this one. Ari calls me the queen of plan B, but I was out of ideas The answer was frozen fish sticks. Normally, I would have cried and ordered a pizza, but with a health-obsessed husband, that idea was out.

It wasn’t the first mistake I made and certainly won’t be the last. As long as I am creating recipes, I’m sure that there will be more crazy things that happen, not to mention burns on my hands (and occasionally my stomach, like there was last night – don’t ask) and cuts on my fingers. But along the way, I will produce good food.

So I want to say to people who claim to be bad cooks: Don’t give up. If you make a minor mistake, it’s not the end of the world. If you feel that you can’t make anything delicious, open yourself up to food education. I am always happy to teach others to be better cooks. It’s the only way that we become better.

In the meantime, I leave you with the only thing that did work properly on Monday: my famous broccoli coleslaw. It may not have had everything in this recipe that makes it so good, but it was still super-tasty. This is one of Eden’s favorites.

BROCCOLI COLESLAW

1 bag broccoli coleslaw
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup slivered almonds

DRESSING:

3/4 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon salt

Pour the broccoli coleslaw into a bowl. Mix in the almonds and the cranberries.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, pour the mayonnaise in. While pouring in the vinegar, mix with a fork to remove all the lumps. It should be slightly thinned. Add the sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed and salt. Mix. Adjust to taste.

Pour the dressing over the coleslaw. Allow the coleslaw to marinate in the dressing for at least 20 minutes before serving.

QUICK TIP 1: For those allergic to nuts or cranberries, they can be omitted. However, they provide great flavor if you choose to use them.

QUICK TIP 2: If you don’t like almonds, try chopped walnuts instead.