November 04, 2004

Learning to Cook

I was reading this post over at Eric's (Straight White Guy). He was describing a dish that he had for dinner that, well...let's just say it wasn't his favorite.

Took me back a few years. I did learn to cook at an early age. BUT, while in college I became a vegitarian (I was broke dammitt). The I traveled so much I kinda forgot the basics of down home cooking. Flash Forward - suddenly wife with husband and 3 children to feed.

What to do, What to do.

SO....we were poor as church mice. Was getting very difficult to figure out what to make with hamburger that was different. Eggs, you can only do so much. So....I started "cooking with soups". Ahh yes, you could add Campbells Cream of anything with any type of meet, throw in some rice and call it a flippin' masterpiece.

I thought I was all that and a bag of chips (and my kids would have preferred the chips to anything I was fixing!)

Honestly, I thought I was about the best cook around. Hell, they ate everything I put on the table. A person doesn't know if you don't tell them. It's all about communication.

Then one day, I stepped over the line. It was 2 days before payday and we were busted. Shoot. Had to make dinner. Check out the cupboard. Mother-In-Law had gone to the grocery. Yuck. Let's see.....Cream of Mushroom soup, SPAM...oh and I got Tator Tots in the freezer. Yeah - cassarole.

Trust me. DO NOT EVER PUT THAT COMBINATION TOGETHER. If the "aroma" doesn't get you the taste will.

It was so bad, I threw it out before they got home, scrambled some eggs and toasted some bread and just took the grief. I can't imagine what they would have said if I had actually served that.

Yeah, live and learn.

**that reminds me, I need to pull together a recipe for carnival of the recipes. ;-) **

Posted by Tammi at November 4, 2004 05:30 AM
Comments

OMG! Too funny!
Spam and mushroom soup???
(I don't like either one!)
Oh my dear Tammi....
I have Spam Memories......
I remember my mum thinking Spam was the best thing since sliced bread, and to this day I still cant stand the sight/smell of it.
Fried in slices, served on a bun.
Cut up and added to the scrambled eggs with cheese.
Oh my ..... yeah.
My downstairs neighbor makes sandwiches for her monsters with it, in a spread form... (shudders)
Oh and let's not forget the canned deviled ham... ewwwwwwwww mum liked that one too.
I think they still make it, the can is wrapped in paper with a little dancing devil on it?

Posted by: Jovi at November 4, 2004 06:36 AM

I probably should have mentioned that I had never tasted SPAM ever. I had to read the container to just be sure it was a "meat type" product.

YUCKKKKKKYYYYYYY

Posted by: Tammi at November 4, 2004 06:53 AM

I think labeling it as a meat-type product is wishful thinking on the manufacturer's part.

Posted by: Jovi at November 4, 2004 08:21 AM

I guess then that I shouldn't have put you on the SPAM mailing list? You don't want the valuable coupons and to go to the SPAM Contest they have every year for their exciting recipes, what you can do with it, building and shot put contest?!

How disappointing. The mailman won't be happy when you refuse the care package.

Posted by: Lee Ann at November 4, 2004 08:45 AM

Eweeee, my mom still makes fried Spam sandwiches. And she wonders why she has heart problems.

That stuff scares me, and yes we had to eat it when I was younger, either that or go hungrey. And when your hungrey anything tastes good.

Posted by: Machelle at November 4, 2004 09:25 AM

GAH! Spam is Evil. I feel sick now. Great Family Tree you did for Harvey by the way. I especially like the "don't ask" bits. LOL!

Posted by: Sally at November 4, 2004 12:14 PM

Tammi - Sally's doing a post on "not for the Carnival" recipies.

Go there & mention this one, if you haven't already

Posted by: Harvey at November 4, 2004 01:44 PM

Blech. I might hurl...

Posted by: Boudicca at November 4, 2004 08:23 PM