Never Try, Never Fail

 

I am a woman who is guilty of not starting something because in the end, I don’t want to fail.  It’s embarrassing.  It’s not just me; it’s my kids who have to see me fail.  Boo.   I almost didn’t enter the Strawberry Festival recipe contest last year because of my epic fail the year before. 

Short story long: I entered my Bodacious Berry Tart with a luscious cilantro-lime cream.  It was  beautiful, even though I had to stay up late the night before getting the crust ready…since Lucas broke his arm that afternoon.  The broken arm was my omen that if I pushed through, I would certainly win.  Especially, since this recipe won Grand Prize for Taste of Home.  I’m still waiting for the issue to come out two years later. 

Anyway, I hung around the judging tent so I could gage reaction.  I wasn’t prepared for what I saw.  A beauty queen took a bite and then looked like she wanted to cry.  Unfortunately it wasn’t because it was the most amazing thing she had ever eaten, since she couldn't spit it out fast enough.  Not very queen like, but I had forgotten that to some people cilantro tastes a lot like soap. Ugh. Epic fail.  When a person loves to cook…that is not what you want to see.  Here's a link to my YouTube video for the recipe.  I had come up with this as an entry into the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Recipe contest a few years ago.  Bodacious Berry Tart with Cilantro-Lime Cream.qt

 I mustered up my courage to enter again, promising Harry I’d do it if he’d finish baseball…or something like that.  That time, I didn’t hang around to see how my dessert went over.  And, for the life of me, I can’t remember what I made…. Since I lost, again.

But, I like to think that I’m modeling how to lose gracefully to my children.  As well as how to be brave and never give up.  These are all things I tell my sweeties that grown-ups everywhere have to deal with.  Learn it now, young ones.

I learned more last week about creativity in the kitchen.  Some of the best ideas just don’t work out. Perhaps, like, making a noodle less lasagna without a recipe. I had an idea that I thought that might work.  As I began to assemble my ingredients, I discovered I didn’t have the cottage cheese that I would substitute the ricotta for….no worries I assured myself “I’ll just skip it”.  (Not a good idea). 

So, here’s how I started:

I used my $4 mandolin from Aldi’s to thinly slice my zucchini length wise. Be careful not to slice your finger as well. 

I started browning my breakfast and Italian sausage.  When they were cooked I added pepperoni and onion.  

I didn’t drain the fat….it tasted too good.  Maybe that was one of the problems. 

I began to layer sauce/zucchini/ shredded carrot/mozzarella cheese.  Repeating until my lasagna pan was filled. It went into an oven at 350 to bake for 45 minutes.  

When I first pulled it out, it was beautiful.  I even let it rest 15 minutes before I cut into it….when I did cut into it and scooped out the first piece…that’s when it all fell apart (literally).  I had made a baked sauce.  I guess the ricotta and egg really is necessary…and maybe some breadcrumbs to help absorb all that liquidy goodness. 

How did I salvage that mess?  By making a pot of noodles to go with it.  

Does this mean I will no longer “wing it”? Certainly, not.  If Julia Childs could be brave in the kitchen, I can too.