A cooking experience.

FOR COOKS ONLY!

Well! I don't know if I should laugh, cry, or congratulate myself. I had planned to go camping, but it rained, and I planned to cook over the open fire with the groceries I bought. In order to use up the groceries I decided to try the cook-out, in. I love my cast iron and I have a big two handled skillet. Yes, I bought olive oil. I put on the skillet and put in a little oil to get ready.

I had purchased 2 brat patties for the grease in the cooking of the breakfast stir-fry. I had to turn on the fan because it got a little smelly. I put in the patties and then decided I need to chop them into smaller pieces. That wasn't real easy. Oh, yes I also had a spatter screen since it was beginning to make a mess on the stove. Well, what ingredients do I have? Asparagus, hash browns, red onion, sharp cheddar sprinkles, eggs and a green pepper. What do I put in next, I asked. Hash browns seemed logical since they need to cook longer. The bag was frozen and how do I just use some of them? I banged it on the counter and when I opened it they went all over the counter, sink, floor, and stove. Some made it into the skillet. More oil and this time some butter and pepper. Stir, Stir, Stir! Smoke, Splatter! The skillet was filling up unexpectedly for all I planned. I got out the red onion and sliced and chopped. Meanwhile the asparagus was soaking in the sink to clean and chop. Slice, slice, chop, chop! It was feeling great as I put in more ingredients and saw it taking shape. At this point the counter, stove and floor had onion, hash browns, oil, and splatter all over. I put in some pepper since I had some of that.

The skillet was already full and I hadn't done anything with the green pepper and I had forgotten about the cheese. Stir, stir, turn up the fan, open the window! I am a neat-nut for those of you who don't know and I was fit to be tied at this point. Also the brat was well done by now and the hash browns were sticking to the bottom of the skillet. At this point I felt too tired to eat but continued. OK! It's time for the eggs. I got them out and wondered where I was going to cook them. I dished out part of the skillet and thought I could do them in there. I knew they would run over to and under the remaining fixins. So I got out a big bowl and emptied the rest of the stir-fry and by that time the skillet was smoking more and very hot, temperature management! I need more hands. I grabbed the skillet and yes, no hot pad, it was hot, remember, cast Iron? Time for a quick couple eggs in the skillet and they were done before they hit the skillet, it seemed. I rolled them around and of course broke the yoke, scrambled.

Fixins had cooled but the eggs were hot. Lots to do it seems. Turn off the heat, move the pan, put some things in frig, wipe a few things down and finally eat. WOW! It was GREAT! A little too much brat, no green pepper, no cheese, but good. I don't know how you cooks do it. My hat is off, well now it is, to you. It took a lot to clean up. I have to brag about my cast iron skillet because it cleaned up perfectly with warm water and a wipe. I seasoned it before and with a wipe of olive oil it is ready to go again.

The kitchen survived and the floor is now mopped as well. Thanks for hanging in there if you did. I guarantee that reading this was less time then cleaning up.