Thursday 13 AND Tuesday Table Topics (The Late Edition): Greatest challenge in the kitchen

Pretend it's Tuesday, would you? That would help me out tremendously. The question I plucked from the Table Topics pile this week is: What is your greatest challenge in the kitchen? And, in the interest of doing double duty, see Thursday 13 below. (I'm nothing if not a multi-tasker.) They do relate, you'll see. It's all about food, so it relates, no?!

It's probably pretty obvious to everyone else right now what my greatest challenge in the kitchen is. It's obvious to me, even, and I can be slowish in self-discovery ways, yes indeed I can. But when I look at all the food I've made over the course of the summer and all the preserving I've done (especially this week) and all the photos I've uploaded to blogger, it begs the question: where are the posts?

Well, they are in my brain. Right along with most of the recipes and cooking tips and tricks. This was my challenge in catering, and will probably haunt me as long as I cook: WRITE IT DOWN, SHER. Good holy grief. There. That's it. That's my biggest challenge: I read recipes, consult the books, but then strike out on my own and think back later, oh, I really should have written it down--was that two garlic cloves or three? A pint of chicken stock or a quart? Who can say? It tastes good, I eat it, feed others and move on.

When attempting to make it again do I think, dang, that would be good to know... I have scraps of paper hither and thither, notes tucked away on my iphone, sort of, but most of it rattles around in my brain and I NEED TO GET IT OUT! Luckily my memory is pretty good, and my taste memory too, so I can usually get it somewhat close. However, I would be a much better cook if I could adhere to this one thing. Definitely a more consistent cook, too.

So for this combo of Thursday 13 and Tuesday Table Topics, I'm going to list the thirteen things that have come out of my kitchen in the past 48 hours. With the hope/promise of posting what I can remember in the near future! And pictures too...

1. Plum chutney.

2. Lavendar scented plum preserves.

3. Roasted tomatoes (oh, the smell!).

4. Roasted eggplant (looks revolting, want to try something new with this... no more need for baba ghanouj... I just don't see my men buying that any time soon...).

5. Enchilada sauce.

6. Marinara sauce.

7. Dried plums.

8. Dried blueberries.

9. Enchilada/tortilla lunch bowl with cilantro, cheese and sour cream (yummy AND cleared my sinuses!).

10. Meaty spaghetti pie with homemade marinara. Men loved that for dinner tonight.

11. Cabbage salsa.

12. Pico de gallo.

13. Very hot tomatillo/pepper sauce.


Love a good list! Actually makes me feel like I accomplished something this week. Now I'm ready to put my canner away and join the rest of the world again.

To see other Thursday 13 participants, go here. Happy TT.