Crisis cooking skills, or the lack thereof

[slipjig3]

I really need to put some actual food in the kitchen. Last night I was faced with the prospect of not wanting to cook, but wanting to be frugal and have something at home. I had the remains of a rotisserie chicken in the fridge, and upon discovering that we did indeed have some mayo left I decided to pursue the chicken salad option. I really should have opened the jar, though: once the remaining chicken had been chopped and gathered in a bowl, I discovered that the mayo had separated into a bilious yellow component and a phlegmatic white component, and I wasn't about to sit around to find out if they could be mixed again. Not exactly what I would call pleasant.

So I was faced with still not wanting to cook, sure as hell not wanting to go to the store (that would have involved pants), not having a lot in the way of ingredients around, and having this bowlful of diced cooked white-meat chicken to dispose of. Dandy. Acknowledging that my options would have been far more copious were I far less lazy, what I eventually ended up with was a bowl of diced cooked white-meat chicken mixed with some Gorgonzola, pine nuts and balsamic vinaigrette. Which I ate. From the bowl. With a fork. It was plenty tasty, understand, but I still felt like someone who had wandered through the kitchen of a chef making something more substantial, and getting handed an ingredient bowl with the instructions, "Here, kill this off, wouldja?"

* * * * *

Unrelatedly, you still have 24 hours to respond to the Anonymous Sex Confessional, if you are thus inclined. Thank you to everyone who has chimed in so far; it has been very (what's the word?) edifying.

Comments

[light-in-motion.livejournal.com]

Some of the best stuff I've ever made, and the most fun I've had cooking, has been when I've had to scavenge for ingredients. Needing to scavenge pretty much enforces creativity. I can share my list of pantry staples, if you're interested. If you don't care for the whole list, I will simply say: capers.

[light-in-motion.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah.. I should have mentioned: it sounds like you do have crisis cooking skills, or you wouldn't have ended making something so *nommynous. You just (surpised, anyone?) lack confidence.

*Yes, that is a word. I just made it up. So there.

[primal-pastry.livejournal.com]

Had you eggs and oil you could have made mayo.

It should be noted that this is not an unreasonable account of dinner time here.