Dinnertime came again last night. It's relentless. Every night, it's the same collision between the need to eat and my inability to put something in the oven without setting off the smoke detector. In the past three weeks, I've boiled a meatloaf in it's own oil (apparently it's important to get the low fat ground beef) and set chicken legs aflame. I tried to make a pot roast, only to discover that this involves more than taking a roast of beef and baking it in a pot.
I'm not sure where this standoff with the oven started, only that it's gone on for as long as I can remember: When my sister came to visit me at my first apartment in Philadelphia, she found an abandoned baked potato in the oven. "Is this yours?" she asked, poking it with a fork. "No," I admitted sheepishly, "it must belong to the old tenant." I'd been in the apartment for six months and never seen it.
Maybe if I'd glazed pottery in my youth, or participated in some other activity that involved putting things into heated boxes and predicting how they'd transform I'd be better at this, but the truth is, I could convert our oven to an auxiliary storage cabinet for my collection of pretty pasta bowls and spend the rest of my life a happy girl.
Is that so wrong?
19 comments:
This reminded me of how the Gilmore Girls keep shoes (I think it's shoes?) in their oven. Storing baking ware in the oven is light years beyond them, take heart!
The potato bit totally made me snarf. The other day I found a can of soup that expired in 2003. And the thing is, I didn't even live where I live now back then. So I somehow transported expired food with me when I moved.
I think your standoff with your oven is hilarious. Don't give in! That would be letting the terrorists win.
Um.... using your oven (or fridge, or microwave, or other kitchen cabinetry) for storage better not be wrong... because, well, um... yeah. Domestically dormant? True. Short on storage? Also True. Result is finding odd bits of non-kitchen-or-food related items mixed among, say, the silverware. :o)
xox
Have you thought of discovering the art of using a crock pot? Or a slow cooker as some call it? They seldom catch on fire....
You could store IT in the oven.
I'm not sure how you found my blog (or if I found yours first), but I'm so glad you left a comment. This is great!
i had to laugh at the meatloaf thing. that happened to me once. then i realized you have to have someone for the grease to GO. lol. i had the meat taking up the entire pan.
to follow up on sara's comment...i think it is shoes that the gilmores kept in there.
that aside, i mostly keep pots/pans/baking sheets in the oven. basically all the stuff i could but never actually use.
although, if you're interested, one of the only things I actually make well are mini-meatloaves. it's a lot easier than baking one large loaf. practically fool-proof! which is the only reason I'm able to make them! :)
you're too funny! ...if you're interested in making nice with your oven, watching the cooking channel - like Rachel Ray, might help because they step you through what to do. (I used to take notes while I watched...but that's just because I'm a big geek:))
I love you - you know I'll cook for you ANYTIME!!
You mean that drawer under the burners isn't for pottery storage? Darn! Who knew.
The potato in the oven is too funny! Unfortunately I'm the one who has to use the oven the day I move in because I have some recipe I've been waiting to try and being that its a new oven, its either too hot or not hot enough but I never know this because it's new, then I order pizza. You'd think I'd start skipping the oven part, but no, it's almost tradition now.
I have two words for you:
Crock.
Pot.
Go get one. I'll fill in the rest.
Six months?!?! You are so cool.
No.. I'm with you on that one. I HATE TO COOK!
You have perfectly summed up why I use the stove, and never the oven.
Everybody has different talents! That potato story was hilarious.
I'm about to embark on the crock pot adventure. If you end up doing that, check out http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/. She's got some interesting recipes.
This cracked me up. I've been married 12 years and still hate the dinner witching hour. It usually turns me into someone I can't stand! I'm using a dinner plan service now, and so far it's helped. Simple meals, shopping lists, and my husband and kids will eat them. If only there was a dinner fairy. Sigh!
omg haha a random potato in your oven for 6 months???
You don't need the oven to cook pasta :) Obvi you should be reading my other blog www.wearenotmartha.com
everything on it is super easy!
LOVE IT! Seriously if I didn't eat Freshetta Pizza I don't think I'd ever use the oven either.
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