Share your lessons learned here. (beautiful, shirt, Missouri, house)

[Blueberry]

Another lesson learned back when I was young and ignorant is to engage the brain when following recipes. Dh and I were newly married when we decided to make our first ever fried chicken. Since we love the chicken dinners at Knott's Berry Farm, it was only natural to follow the directions in their cookbook. One grease fire, burned carpet, and very messy kitchen later (fire extinguishers leave an awful mess!), we analyzed our mistakes. (Yes, there were multiple ones! )

The first mistake was following the recipe. It called for boiling oil. (Oil IS NOT supposed to boil! Intellectually, we both knew that, but we were blindly following the recipe.) In order to aid the oil, we turned up the heat and put a lid on the pan (mistake #2). When dh took the lid off the pan to check the oil, flames erupted and soared extremely high. DH reacted instinctively and threw the lid across the kitchen (mistake #3). Both of us were rapidly approaching panic mode (mistake #4), and I kept saying, "What are we going to do?" The only thing I could think of was using the fire extinguisher, but dh had a "better" idea--NOT! He attempted to carry the flaming pan of hot oil out to the patio (mistake #5) so the flames could burn off. Thankfully, he only got a few steps before he realized that was a fool's errand, but not before the oil splashed out of the pan and melted the carpet. Back to the kitchen with the pan (good idea!). Thankfully, dh was trained in the proper way to use a fire extinguisher, so he was able to put out the fire rather than spread it further which is what usually happens in grease fires. By this point in time, black smoke was billowing out of the condo, so we went door to door to our neighbors telling them everything was under control and not to panic if they saw smoke.

Dh and I vowed NEVER to tell my mother what had happened; she'd never let us live it down. However, the first time my mother was over and asked what happened to the carpet, the first words out of my mouth were, "Oh, that's the result of the grease fire." (Oops!) Since the cat was out of the bag, I relayed the whole sordid story. She laughed and laughed! Being the wise and experienced person she is, she then asked why dh simply didn't calmly put the lid back on the pan and turn off the heat. (Well, gee Mom, he was panicking!) She also reminded me that baking soda and/or flour were good (actually better) alternatives to a fire extinguisher when dealing with a grease fire.

My mother was actually very gracious about the whole incident. She was just extremely thankful that neither of us were hurt, and she never mentioned our blunder again. I eventually worked up the nerve to tell her about the toxic cloud, and she just rolled her eyes and told me to NEVER mix household chemicals. (Thanks, Mom. Couldn't you have told me this EARLIER?!)

-----

Another thing I learned from this incident was to never have a stove with burner knobs located at the back of the stove. (Yep, that's what we had!) If there is a stove fire, the first thing you're supposed to do is turn off the heat, but severe burns can result if the knobs aren't located in the front. Unfortunately, with all the digital controls nowadays, most oven controls are toward the back.

[mr.man]

Originally Posted by Blueberry

Another lesson learned back when I was young and ignorant is to engage the brain when following recipes. Dh and I were newly married when we decided to make our first ever fried chicken. Since we love the chicken dinners at Knott's Berry Farm, it was only natural to follow the directions in their cookbook. One grease fire, burned carpet, and very messy kitchen later (fire extinguishers leave an awful mess!), we analyzed our mistakes. (Yes, there were multiple ones! )

The first mistake was following the recipe. It called for boiling oil. (Oil IS NOT supposed to boil! Intellectually, we both knew that, but we were blindly following the recipe.) In order to aid the oil, we turned up the heat and put a lid on the pan (mistake #2). When dh took the lid off the pan to check the oil, flames erupted and soared extremely high. DH reacted instinctively and threw the lid across the kitchen (mistake #3). Both of us were rapidly approaching panic mode (mistake #4), and I kept saying, "What are we going to do?" The only thing I could think of was using the fire extinguisher, but dh had a "better" idea--NOT! He attempted to carry the flaming pan of hot oil out to the patio (mistake #5) so the flames could burn off. Thankfully, he only got a few steps before he realized that was a fool's errand, but not before the oil splashed out of the pan and melted the carpet. Back to the kitchen with the pan (good idea!). Thankfully, dh was trained in the proper way to use a fire extinguisher, so he was able to put out the fire rather than spread it further which is what usually happens in grease fires. By this point in time, black smoke was billowing out of the condo, so we went door to door to our neighbors telling them everything was under control and not to panic if they saw smoke.

Dh and I vowed NEVER to tell my mother what had happened; she'd never let us live it down. However, the first time my mother was over and asked what happened to the carpet, the first words out of my mouth were, "Oh, that's the result of the grease fire." (Oops!) Since the cat was out of the bag, I relayed the whole sordid story. She laughed and laughed! Being the wise and experienced person she is, she then asked why dh simply didn't calmly put the lid back on the pan and turn off the heat. (Well, gee Mom, he was panicking!) She also reminded me that baking soda and/or flour were good (actually better) alternatives to a fire extinguisher when dealing with a grease fire.

My mother was actually very gracious about the whole incident. She was just extremely thankful that neither of us were hurt, and she never mentioned our blunder again. I eventually worked up the nerve to tell her about the toxic cloud, and she just rolled her eyes and told me to NEVER mix household chemicals. (Thanks, Mom. Couldn't you have told me this EARLIER?!)

-----

Another thing I learned from this incident was to never have a stove with burner knobs located at the back of the stove. (Yep, that's what we had!) If there is a stove fire, the first thing you're supposed to do is turn off the heat, but severe burns can result if the knobs aren't located in the front. Unfortunately, with all the digital controls nowadays, most oven controls are toward the back.

Wow which story is more dangerous or funny good to see you're still here to tell them.

[Janipoo]

This is actually my mom's lesson learned. She went out and bought a chair for her living room and called my dad to pick it up and she went home and painted the front door and frame. So when my dad got there he was trying to figure out how to get the chair in without hitting it. I thought my dad was going to kill her .

[Pikantari]

Originally Posted by Janipoo

This is actually my mom's lesson learned. She went out and bought a chair for her living room and called my dad to pick it up and she went home and painted the front door and frame. So when my dad got there he was trying to figure out how to get the chair in without hitting it. I thought my dad was going to kill her .

who learned the lesson? him/her?

she will never ask him to do anything again or he will never do anything again?

yikes!

[thefer]

Originally Posted by Evey

Lesson learned:

If you flush the toilet you should wait for it to stop running before you leave the house so you don't come home to water oozing out from under all of the doors and your dog standing on the couch.

You made me laugh !! I can just see the poor dog!

[Blueberry]

Originally Posted by mr.man

Wow which story is more dangerous or funny good to see you're still here to tell them.

Thanks! I think my guardian angel must have worked overtime quite a bit. Thankfully, most of us live through our stupid mistakes. I don't relish the idea of becoming a candidate for a Darwin Award! Amazingly, a college education didn't prepare me for real life!!!

[PinkString]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

Ditto potato peels! BAD, BAD, BAD!!!! Wasn't me, either.

And don't put wilted lettuce in there either!

[lionking]

cheap shower heads always work better than the more expensive ones.


It is impossible to sip a Yoohoo,you must chug it.

[poconoproud]

lesson learned from my cd friends:
don't buy a garbage disposal

[motormaker]

Originally Posted by poconoproud

lesson learned from my cd friends:
don't buy a garbage disposal

Why? They work fine if used properly.