Oops!

OK...so we all want life to be beautiful, but most of us can't always have perfection. And that's ok. If we try new things, we're bound to fail sometimes. And those little mistakes can be as important as...and teach us enough to lead to...our greatest successes.

Inspired by my recent trip to the Texas State Fair, I thought I'd try to make corny dogs at home. Ran across a recipe from a great cookbook (from well-known chef who will remain nameless) and thought I'd try it. It added some cool-sounding enhancements to the batter like a can of creamed corn and some minced jalapenos. Yum. They sounded perfect for a party we have coming up soon.

Well, what a mess. The cornstarch you were supposed to dip the hot dogs into did nothing to keep the batter on. They came out of the oil lumpy, bumpy messes. Now, they didn't taste too bad. However, I was testing them as party food. So, I let them sit for thirty minutes to see how they'd be after being on the buffet for a bit. I certainly had no plans to spend my party standing over a fryer all night long cooking fresh batches. Well, as they cooled, they got soggier and greasier. Yuck.

So, a failed experiment. But still fun. I was glad I tried. Don't worry if you have your own disastrous recipes...or even meals. If we always stuck to the things we knew we could cook, we'd all be eating instant macaroni and cheese and scrambled eggs every night. It also reinforces the fact that you should try things before you ever try to serve them at a party or dinner party. Never pass up the chance to "rehearse" for your biggest performances.

So, get out there and create your own disasters! I certainly have had my share, and would love to hear about yours.