How to Stay Humble in the Kitchen

Last week, I proudly showed off some of my recipes and food photography to some new friends. My photography has come a long way and my recipe developing skills have improved, thanks to you all. I have to be accountable for my creations, especially my lovely readers are to make the recipes at home.

BUT, not everything I cook is a success.

Yesterday was Tuesday, so obviously the kids wanted tacos. Especially since we’ve seen The Lego Movie (affiliate link) more times than I can remember. Taco Tuesdays have become a regular offering in our dinner menu.

Weeknight dinners are a careful dance of supervising homework and cooking the various components of dinner. Last night’s dance was a disaster.

As I browned the ground turkey, I stuck our pre-made taco shells in our toaster oven to warm. I usually heat them up in the oven, but I’d forgotten to preheat the oven earlier. I wanted the shells to still be warm by the time the taco meat was done.

I take pride in how well I time the different foods when I’m cooking.

As the taco meat browned, a hint of smokiness hit my nostrils. I thought it was the spices that I browned before adding the ground turkey. So I didn’t think much of it. Soon the smokey smell grew stronger.

I turned around and a taco shell was on fire!

Turns out store bought taco shells are extremely flammable. Who knew?

I unplugged my toaster oven–and my coffeemaker because they were in the same outlet. I didn’t have time to figure out which plug belonged to which appliance. I reached for the first cuplike thing I could find–an empty quart sized yogurt container–and filled it up with water.

Now, I know you’re not supposed to throw water on a grease fire, but at the time, it didn’t occur to me that store bought taco shells are greasy. They’re fried, so I should have known. (You want to douse a grease fire with salt or baking soda–not water.)

I tossed water on the burning taco shell. The fire jumped to its neighboring taco shell and burst into flames. Another splash of water drenched the two blazing tacos but yet another one became a burning flag.

Eventually I was able to put out the fire but not before the rest of the taco shells burned to a crisp. I grabbed tongs and tossed them into a pot of water that was soaking in the sink.

This all happened in a span of twenty seconds.

A heartracing twenty seconds.

Hopefully I looked composed in front of the kids as they watched with panicked faces.

I should know better than to get overconfident in the kitchen. Luckily we had had flour tortillas so dinner became Soft Taco Tuesday.

Fiery tacos will definitely keep a person humble in the kitchen.

I guess it’s time to pick up a fire extinguisher for the kitchen. Do you have any recommendations?