I knew I was in trouble when I took a piece of meat, threw it into the oven, cooked it, and it came out tasting like I was eating plywood.
Beef was something that was XSU's responsiblity. And I have to grudgingly admit he was good at it. He got rid of the barbecue - I know I know - and bought one of those electric grill things that he kept in the garage. He regularly spent time in there with his secret sauces and marinades and I just ate. You know that the electric grill went with him when he left. In fact it was the only appliance he took. I should be grateful for this. Yet even now, a mere two and half months later, it irritates me to no end that the garage still smells like a bad greasy spoon joint.
Since XSU left I have tried cooking steak, pot roast, a couple of stir fry thingies, and I have to admit, I regularly bomb on all. RJ sees beef on the counter top and tells me she's not hungry before I even get started. The only thing I can manage is a good beef stew - a full bodied red wine improves everything;. I can also cope fairly well with ground beef. My roasts - like chewing rubber. Steaks - we're talking hockey pucks. And I realized it's because I haven't cooked beef in at least 15-20 years. Seriously.
I am going to have to re-learn the art of cooking beef. Home Ec 101. Julia Child, Martha Stewart, Joy of Cooking and every other cook book I own will be found strewn across my kitchen when I throw a steak or a roast on the counter and into the oven. Next summer I will have to buy a barbecue and see how many steaks I turn into hockey pucks before I can actually cook a piece of beef worthy of fancy dining room eatin'. For the next little while though make sure it's chicken, fish or vegetarian if I have invited you over for a meal.
