I made Rachel Ray's (RR) baked ziti this evening and walked away an injured man!
THE SETUP
The recipe called for a red and a cream sauce and after watching RR make it on her morning TV show, I was convinced I was up to the task.
I bought the necessary ingredients and set them on the counter. I thought I had enough pasta in the cabinet but only had half a box so I walked downstairs to our favorite Italian grocery store and bought more.
Going back to the store threw off my timing as I wanted to have dinner on the table when John walked in the door so I needed to pick up the pace.
I started to boil water and began making the red sauce. I cut up a medium sized onion - my knife skills are pretty weak but improving everyday. I added some minced garlic from a jar and cooked it up at a medium heat with some olive oil. Next, mash up some plum whole tomatoes from a can and add them into the mix.
THE INCIDENT
I started to open the can of tomatoes with our old/rusty can opener. It failed to cut the can all the way around. When I tried to pry it open with the end of a spoon it didn't budge. I tried the can opener again to see if I could cut the edges that didn't cut the first time around. Still wouldn't open.
I pushed down on one side of the can and tomato sauce flew out across the kitchen landing all over the stove, microwave and me. Before I could fully comprehend the severity of what needed to be cleaned up, I had a delayed urge of pain rush through my body. My left middle finger was stuck inside the can! I quickly tried to get it out by pushing the other side down and proceeded to badly cut my pointer finger on my right hand.
There I was standing in the middle of the kitchen with tomato sauce covering almost everything, onions and garlic spitting oil, bowling salt water and two painful-bloody fingers.
I felt it was appropriate to shout out a few "choice words" for my friend Rachel Ray and her "simple and easy" 30 minute meals!
I regained my composure, I wrapped wet paper towels around my fingers and added the tomatoes to the sauce. I even managed to rip up some fresh basil - with the fingers that did work - and tossed in some salt and pepper.
I then set off to the bathroom to repair my fingers with Neosporin and band aids. Man, I seriously don't have any skills in the kitchen!
THE MORAL OF THE STORY
Dinner ended up tasting very good, HOWEVER, I will forever understand what people mean by putting their "blood, sweat and tears" into a dish...and have two scars on my fingers to prove it!
