Fantastic… or not?
Guest Blog Featuring: Midge
I threw a little dinner party for some friends of ours and decided to try out a new fancy recipe or two I found on Pinterest. I went to the grocery store and bought all of the ingredients. As I waited for my guests to arrive, the minutes seemed to click by slowly. This was going to be a fantastic dinner party!
Or not! Nothing brings out my kitchen insecurities more than cooking “in front of” other people. I was super confidant in my mind’s eye and the recipe seemed so easy to make. But, as my friends started to arrive, my hands started shaking and I became very nervous. My first thought was that my friends would all discover that I had no idea what I was doing in the kitchen. And, if you have been following my recent guest blogs, I suppose that fact is probably very true!
I spilled the milk, dropped a piece of chicken on the floor, and cut myself with a paring knife all within the first five minutes! Gradually, I relaxed and was grateful when one of my friends offered to step in and help with a few things. Realizing that my ideas were a bit bigger than the party I planned, I simplified the menu on the fly.
The cute bunny shaped watermelon with fresh fruit placed delicately inside? Sorry, it didn’t make the cut for this dinner party! When the meal was over, I was disappointed that the fancy dish tasted just “so-so”. I should have listened to my mother-in-law who advised me never to try a new recipe when you have company.
But, I will not let this one recipe flop get me down!! I am cooking Bok Choy for the first time next week and I hope it turns out better than this dish. No matter what, learning to cook has been a fantastic experience.
Have you ever had a recipe not turn out the way you wanted it to? Do you have any ideas for a great dinner party recipe?
Molly Green’s June 2012 Issue has some great ideas for decorating your outdoors area for dinner parties! One of the articles called Pretty Party Pennants by Emilee Gettle includes a “How To” video on creating something new for your outdoor festivities! I would love to try this project! http://www.theoldschoolhousestore.com/Molly-Green-Magazine-Lets-Head-Outdoors-p/molly-6-12-outdoor-eb.htm
Also, I follow my cousin Molly Green on pinterest! Check out her latest pin at http://pinterest.com/pin/56858014016011718/ You will be able to catch up with all of her latest ideas there!!
Yes Midge, I think you should heed your mother in laws advice. :0) Don’t do new recipes on company nights.
And I am curious why you are cooking in front of your guests? Why not cook and have it almost ready at arrival time??
I think even the best cooks have tried recipes that just didn’t turn out. It is always fun to try new things tho. I find myself trying something new about once a week!
We have a full meal with our church every week. So I try not to do new recipes on those days. :0)
Midge Says: Thanks Angela!!! My mother-in-law is right again
I think I will heed your advice this next time and have most of the food ready when they come. My husband calls it a lack of proper timing of meals and I call it lack of experience. I always think things that I make in the kitchen won’t take as long as they do! I am learning! 