Day 78: Fries with a side order of ... mitten

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 78: Fries with a side order of ... mitten

It’s a question every woman, or man, hears on a regular basis ... “What’s for dinner?”

In our house, it’s no different. Tonight, when I asked Dieter what he felt like for dinner he had no idea. So I made some suggestions. 

Rice with veggies and chicken ... no, not in the mood. 

Mash potato with beans and sausages ... no, that didn’t appeal. 

Potatoes with fish and a salad ... no, he didn’t feel like fish. 

Fries with a salad and steak ... yeah, that was a good idea.

Off Dieter went to the store to buy everything that was needed. In the meantime I tidied up the house, did the dishes, and folded some laundry.

When he came home, I emptied the shopping bags and pulled out a bag of frozen fries. 

“And this?” I questioned holding up the bag. 

“They didn’t have good potatoes,” Dieter said. “So I went for frozen fries instead. Less work for you.” 

Well, that was considerate but I don’t really like frozen fries. Oh well, just this once it would have to do.

I placed the frozen fries on a tray and shoved them in the oven. About five minutes later I smelled something burning. I opened the oven and noticed a tiny piece of aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven. Could that be what cause the smell? Surely not.

Another few minutes later the smell intensified and when I opened the oven grey smoke wafted out. The fries looked good though, beautifully golden, so I wasn’t too worried.

When the fries were ready, the smoke that came out of the over stung my eyes and took my breath away. Something was not right with this oven and it had to cleaned.

To pull the tray out of the oven I grabbed a mitten from the countertop and looked for the other one. I looked left, I looked right, I couldn’t find the other mitten.

“Dieter, have you seen an oven mitten?”

“No.”

Darn, where could it be? With no time to waste, I grabbed a dishtowel and pulled the tray with fries out of the oven. And wouldn’t you know it ... there, in the oven was the other mitten. I carefully fished it out and threw it in the sink.

How did the mitten get in the oven ... well, that’s easy to explain. When the oven is not in use, I store heat resistant trays, a vegetable strainer and oven mittens in the oven. Usually I take them out when placing something in the oven, but this time I’d obviously forgotten.

So we had fries, salad, and steak for dinner, with a side order of oven mitten. 

Stupid, I know, but we've all done stupid stuff, right? The bottom line is, before turning on the oven, check that nothing is in there that doesn't belong.