Thursday, November 19

Me and Amelia Bedelia



So does anyone remember Amelia Bedelia? She was the housekeeper who managed to do everything wrong apart from her saving grace: she kicked butt when it came to making lemon meringue pies (moral of the story is that if you can make pie, then you can get ahead in the world!).

Anyway, I was always jealous of Amelia - not because of all the screw ups that she did, but because she had her thing. That one thing she could do better than anyone else. So, for many long years I've searched for my cooking thing but so far my only achievement is to find a meal that I burn less regularly than other meals (and I don't want to name it since we're having it tonight and I think my family has already suffered enough without me jinxing myself!!).

But, despite all of my crimes against food, I finally found my own inner Amelia Bedelia. Yup, that's right, I've got my thing.

Chocolate coconut brownies.

And I mean, I don't like to boast but I'm almost at the stage where I could make those suckers blindfolded and they would still turn out (but I won't of course because like I said before, I think my family have suffered enough). However, I can't tell you the relief I feel at now having one thing I can make, secure in the knowledge that it will turn out just like it should.

So what about everyone else? What's your cooking thing (and more importantly could a novice like me make it!!!!!!)

8 comments:

Gerb said...

Oooh. Chocolate coconut brownies? You must share that recipe!

I don't know that I have a cooking "thing" although I'm quite proud that I have mastered makizushi (rolled sushi) - even the inside out rolls (with the rice on the outside) - and I can flip an aebelskiver without deforming the little ball shape. Woo!

Meredith said...

I love to make crepes. I don't make them often, but they are soo good when I do! They don't last long in our house when I make them.

Alissa Grosso said...

I'm not really a bad cook, but I live in a family of people who are really into the cooking thing, and I'm just not that into it. So, I can cook if I have to, but I usually don't. That said in high school we used to have parties in Spanish class on a regular basis. I think our teacher organized one once and we thought it was such fun that we took it upon ourselves to have them every few weeks or so. I made brownies for the first time, and ever after that I was locked into making brownies. In fact we would pass around a list where people could sign up for what we were going to bring, but by the time it got to me someone had already put me down for brownies. The funny thing is they were just brownies from a mix, and I think it was the store brand mix, at that.

Sara Hantz said...

I'd definitely win a medal in the bad cook olympics.... the only thing I can make which 'usually' doesn't go wrong (though I have been known to miscalculate when measuring) is chocolate biscuit cake....

Erica Orloff said...

I make cold soba noodle salad--this Asian recipe with rice wine vinegar and lime and soy sauce and . . . heavenly! A vegetarian delight. And I can make them blindfolded. AND my kids like them.

Aside from that, I make a delicious eggplant parm. And aside from that, I try to stay out of the kitchen. I kind of loathe cooking. LOL!
E

Alyson Noel said...

I'm sorry to say but I have no cooking thing. I'm completely inept in the kitchen--though thankfully my husband is an awesome cook who handles those duties! Your brownies sound awesome though!

Amanda Ashby said...

Gerb - oooh yum - I love sushi rolls! I'll definitely share the brownie receipe - I just need to dig it out!

Meredith - I love crepes. I can make pancakes okay but I'm not so good on the crepes - you would be very popular in my house!!!

Alissa - hahaha - that is so funny! And I also suffered from having a father who was like something out of Masterchef - made my own efforts very medicore. Mind you, probably because I would rather read a book that make hollandaise sauce!!!!!

Sara - yup, I've tasted the hcolate biscuit cake and it rocks!!

Erica - as ever, we are as one!!!!!!!

Melissa Walker said...

My husband cooks mostly, which rules, but I try desserts. I just made a mean pumpkin pie!