What do you think about this new post idea? I won’t post a food flop every Friday, but now and then I’ll share my latest kitchen bummers because I certainly have my share. (Yes, that's my bread in case there was any doubt.)
I hope you’ll grab that picture and share your own food flops at your blogs and then leave a link in the comments below!
So here’s my Friday Food Flop for today:
A couple weeks ago we had extra raw milk, so I made a double batch of yogurt cheese. Our herbs are going strong on the deck, so I decided to throw both together for a yummy stuffed shells pesto filling. I didn’t write down the recipe since it flopped, but here’s what I remember:
- 2 batches yogurt cheese (from 2 quarts of yogurt)
- Container of Daisy cottage cheese
- Sea salt
- Garlic
- Lots of basil, oregano, parsley – a handful of each
- Splash of balsamic vinegar – 1/8th cup or so
- Splash of olive oil – again, about 1/8th cup or so
I blended it up well in the food processor, because I love a velvety smooth cheesy filling, and it was good when I taste-tested. I had high hopes as I filled the shells, added our favorite sauce on top and then plenty of shredded cheese.
The Letdown:
It came out only ok. The flavor was still crazy good, but the cheese curdled or something and ended up having a weird consistency. BUMMER!
Anyone know what I could do different next time?
Do you think it was the balsamic vinegar? If so that will stink because the extra “pesto” flavor is what made it so good (before it was baked anyway) and made it different from a basic stuffed shells recipe. Not that I don’t love a good Italian Stuffed Shells recipe, but this kicked it up a notch.
HEY, I just had an idea as I was typing this up…
I think next time I’ll cook the shells, add the filling, heat the sauce in a pan and pour it on top, throw on the shredded cheese and then just put it under the broiler long enough to melt the top. Hopefully this way the cheese inside won’t curdle, everything else will be hot from the sauce, and the enzymes and nutrients from the raw yogurt cheese will all still be there, too, unlike with the other recipe when everything is baked! I’ll let you know after I try it. 🙂
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Kristin says
Not so bad. I still got some nice Ricotta from the whey. And cheese failures make for delicious pork!
Kristin says
I spent the day making Parmesan cheese only to have it stick like the dickens to the cheese cloth in the mold. And the day started with skimming 4-1/2 gallons of milk (Parm is made with skimmed milk), then heating, culturing (and waiting), renneting (and waiting), cutting & stirring, and stirring, and heating, and stirring. Only to have it go to the pigs. Not one of those edible cheese failures. Ah well, if at first you don’t succeed…..get a second cow so you can try, try again!
KitchenKop says
Wow Kristin, that just plain STINKS!
lydia says
This is a great post and great idea!! I flop all the time – but that’s how I get better at cooking – learning by my mistakes!!
Today I wanted to create a yummy coconut lime sherbet/ice cream – it turned out semi -decent. The texture and creaminess were spot on, but the lime flavor was weird!! I think I may do coconut ginger instead!!
Are you gonna do this every Friday? Ha ~ I could certainly contribute each time, lol!!!
Erika says
I think this is a wonderful idea !! Going online, and seeing such informative postings from someone with such a following is a bit intimidating for those of us who try to be Suzy Homemaker.. and end up with chaos lol !!
It’s very humble, and reasuring for someone to put it out there that they aren’t perfect either.. and that’s okay. It takes alot of the hopelessness away when you make something that looks so good on a site.. but ends up looking like some life form from another planet 🙂 lol Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!! You give *us* all hope !
*People still struggling with trying to make nourishing/nutrient dense/traditional food in this convenience/processed easy access life we live in !*
I applaud you for being real, and down to earth as we all strive to improve our way of living 🙂
Sincerely,
Erika
KitchenKop says
What a sweet comment, thanks Erika!!
charity dasenbrock says
Kelly, next time you could make a reduction of the balsamic and drizzle it on top after baking. just take 1/2 cup or so of your favorite vinegar and reduce it to half the volume. Yummy!!
Kris says
This is something I can participate in! I flop a lot when I cook…
Earlier this week I decided to start soaking grains. So I planned all my recipes and started the soaking the night before. I did not know really how to soak, so some of my things did not turn out right :(.
Here’s the link …
https://onecookandtwochefs.blogspot.com/2010/07/baking-day.html
Jeanne @JollyTomato says
Love it! We have had more “food flops” than we can possibly recount in this small space. Regardless, we added this to our Friday Food News “Feed” today: https://bit.ly/bJqQ5B
cheers,
Jeanne
Terri says
Love, love this idea. It is nice to know we are all having flops occasionally and are not alone. Of course, I love the successess (is this a word? hmmmn) too! It seems that I have a flop once or twice a month (or week) depending on how often I am cooking and trying new things.
Sarah says
food flops! definitely! we all have them and it’s nice to know other real foodists aren’t hitting the target every time! it’s a journey for us all… 🙂
Kim says
I love this idea too. This weeks flop for me was sweet potato latkes. I grated two sweet potatoes and an onion, mixed in three eggs,some salt and some cinnamon. I heated the coconut oil and then found out that getting them to stay together was nearly impossible. I know it would stay together better if I added some flour but I wanted the dish to be grain free. I tried adding more egg to hold it together. No luck. It was really unfortunate because the ones I did manage to get out in one piece were really good. Anyone have any suggestions on how to keep them together without adding grain or more carbs??? Maybe moulds….
Meagan says
Coconut flour 🙂
Valerie says
Here’s a link to a similar recipe that uses garbanzo bean flour and yogurt to bind them.
https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/crispy-sweet-potato-cakes-recipe/index.html
FoodRenegade says
I ditto the coconut flour recommendation. Works great!
Wendy (The Local Cook) says
LOVE this idea! My submission is Vegetable Vindaloo. I’ve made it successfully before, but trying to make too many things at once made me forget a key ingredient . . . and not listening to my instincts means the vegetables turned out more fried than steamed.
https://thelocalcook.com/2010/07/19/vegetable-vindaloo/