This morning I couldn’t find my favorite pan to make peas. I used a different pan and put a small amount of water in the bottom of the pan, then I put my frozen, organic green peas in it. Turned it on high, and stepped into the other room,”for just a minute” to check my e-mail.
“Mom, what is that smell?”
“Oh no, my peas!”
The water had burned away and the peas were dark green. The pan was steaming and smelt like… burnt green peas. I opened the oven door to put the pan in it so I wouldn’t have to smell burnt peas.
And what did I see in the oven?
Any ideas?
Did you guess the pan I couldn’t find? Yes, it was the pan I was trying to find this morning.
Now I have two pans of burnt peas in the oven.
I need a plan to never burn my peas again. And in the spirit of making lists with steps that are all over the internet, here is mine.
5 Steps to never burn a pan of green peas again
1. Admit you do not have the ability to have two thoughts in your head at the same time. Say this out loud, “I admit I can not remember I have anything on the stove if I do something else.”
2. Clarify what is important to you. Decide what is more important, reading your e-mail or eating peas that are not burnt. The only way to change your behaviour is to focus on what is important.
3. Determine what you will do and write it down. Type or hand-print a sign that says, “I will not leave the room while I am cooking peas.”
4. Call a friend to hold you accountable. “Hello Kathleen. I have a pot of peas cooking on the stove now. Will you please call me in five minutes to make sure I didn’t leave the room?”
5. Install an electric force field at the entrance to the kitchen. If you forget about your peas cooking on the stove and try to leave the kitchen you will get an electric shock.
Your peas are cooked. Now go and eat them. (p.s. Turn off the burner.)
“Are you still forgetting things?” “I don’t know, I can’t remember,” I said.”
― Stephen King, Duma Key
Have you ever burnt a pot of peas? How about a pot of oatmeal? Sausage? Please tell me in the comments. I would love to know how to not burn food.
