I'm not much of a cook, I tend to keep things simple and safe, it lowers the chance of disappointment, but I've had disappointments galore.
- G-dog -
I'm pretty good at doing BBQ's, burgers, pizza, pasta, breakfast things, I have breakfast stuff for dinner regularly, it's splendid, and I make the best potato salad in the universe. In truth I can make quite a lot of stuff, and most enjoy cooking now and then, but I'd not call myself a good cook, just average. Tonight I decided to use my average cooking skills to make dinner and I was pretty chuffed because it came out well, by my standards.
I had a hankering for baked potatoes because, potatoes y'all. I decided to add in some carrots, broccoli and parmesan-crumbed chicken schnitzel and mushroom sauce made with fresh mushrooms - but the hero of the meal was the potatoes! You can see the end result pictured above. Yeah folks, I know it's not the best plate of food you've ever seen, but it tasted pretty good and that's what counts right?
I did a thing with the potatoes, sliced them about one-third the way through along their length and rubbed powdered French onion soup mix into them prior to spraying with virgin olive oil and baking along with the carrots. I'd usually poke some rosemary sprigs into the cuts but I didn't have any so, fuck it. I dropped a dob of butter on each one prior to serving and they were still good without the rosemary.
The broccoli was steamed and left still sort of crisp and I fried up the schnitzels in a small amount of oil. Once plated I drizzled on my mushroom sauce, sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on the top and that was that. Dinner is served. Above you can see some of the process.
I'll be honest and say I made far too many potatoes...and will be honest and say I made far too many potatoes on purpose...and ate them because wasting food doesn't sit well with me. The initial dinner-idea revolved around baked potatoes and all the other stuff was just the accompaniments, so I feel quite vindicated for my potatoexcessivity and besides, they were fucken legit, so what the hell right?
I had company for dinner and heard not a whisper of complaint, but many compliments which I took in my stride, modestly. Secretly though, I was really pleased with how things turned out and loved the compliments.
I think I'm on a roll because tomorrow morning I've planned a nice brunch, brunch because a pretty big sleep-in is planned and I think the momentum from an average, but successful, dinner tonight will continue. I have planned toasted olive rye bread spread with butter, slathered with humus, and topped with sliced of avocado with cheesy scrambled eggs; it might sound average, but it's legit. If you don't believe me, I don't really care.
Anyway, don't worry, you'll not see too many cooking posts from me, just one now and then I guess, when things turn out ok...which isn't every time.
Do you have a go-to meal you're good at cooking? I'll accept a response even if you're average at cooking it also. It's all about the enjoyment of good food rather than presenting it as they do in that show, Masterchef, for me at least. I also believe the company one shares food with helps make average food great. What do you think? Comment below if you'd like.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
All images were taken by me, on my phone.