As we enjoyed a lovely beef barley soup/stew this week, I was reminded how, a year ago, I’d promised Rob and myself that I’d get a little more comfortable in the kitchen in my “reWirement.” That hasn’t happened yet and, along with drinking more water, I’m going to be a little more dilligent in doing just that. Looking up recipes. Stepping outside my comfort zone. Continuing to explain to my sisters why I really don’t need an Instant Pot now that I have time to cook (although two out of three of the sisterhood in Kelowna couldn’t stop raving about these must-have appliances that have taken Canada by storm).
 
Fortunately for you – if not for me – the more time I spend experimenting, the more stories there will be that we’ll all be able to laugh at. But what’s ironic is that, in 2017, the two funniest kitchen occurrences weren’t even my fault. 
 
You’ll recall, of course, the great chicken incineration that happened when Rob reversed how he barbecues and went high and hot when it should have been low and slow. 
 

 
He has since gotten back up on that horse – or fowl – and regained his confidence at the grill, thank goodness.
 
Then there was Christmas morning, just a week-and-a-half ago. My sister Cindy had some frozen buns (and not just because of the Kelowna weather). The recipe for her Land of Nod buns (so named, I’m guessing because you don’t have to get up early to knead, etc.) called for a bundt pan. She didn’t have one and considered using an angel food cake pan, but opted not to. When you combine those circumstances with the fact that she added a few extra balls of dough, above and beyond what the recipe called for, you get a disaster of almost laboratory proportions.
 
When I posted the picture on Instagram and Twitter Christmas morning, I included the caption: “Why, when the recipe calls for a bundt pan, you use a bundt pan,” I got some hilarious responses.
 

 
Author Linwood Barclay tweeted (@LinwoodBarclay) “Which Alien movie is this from?” while Karen called it “Edible modern art.” @Metran15 asked, “What on earth was that?” while most folks on Instagram wondered why I would be cooking giant mushrooms (and that’s a perfectly logical question, judging by the picture). 
 
In the end, they were just yummy (which is all that really matters), we had some laughs and were grateful to have added another memory from a lovely few days of music, family, food, tears and “cheers!” With the 12 Days of Christmas ending, it’s always a good time to reflect and relive the warmth, right? Maybe curl up with a good book? Linwood Barclay has written quite a few….