So if you make something and botch it

[Teenytoona]

Do you usually eat it anyways, whether or not it's that great, or do you toss it.

It was not the fault of the recipe, it was some playing around I did with it, but I totally killed this soup I made yesterday. I took it for lunch today and it was ehh at best, and definitely not somethign I could ask the family to help me eat. I suppose I could throw it out, but I hate wasting food. I also could put it into containers and freeze it for those "desperate times" when I can't think of anythign else to bring to lunch.

But I guess I"m looking for permission to toss it. LOL.

[Alyantavid]

Depends on how bad it is.

The things I usually botch are baked goods or a new recipe I'm trying where I actually follow the recipe. I'm not a measurer or an exact recipe follower and things usually turn out better for me. I did make some bread yesterday (in my psychotic bread maker) that is just hard as a rock. I hate to throw it out but I don't want my kids breaking their teeth either. So right now it's sitting in the cupboard while I decide what to do with it.

[Mosaic]

For the bread, I say either feed the birds or stick it ina food processor and make yourself some breadcrumbs to use in another recipe.

For recipes that turn out so-so... it depends. Most of the time I try to "fix" it, but we all know that seldom works. My husband is an angel and will eat almost anything I make, even if I don't like it. We have different tastes, so I don't feel badly passing along something to him and I make it clear that my feelings will certainly not be hurt if he doesn't like it.

If it's THAT bad, honestly, I've left it in the fridge planning to eat it just for sustanance and then end up throwing it out because it's too old anyway. But don't bother freezing it... if you don't want it now, you won't want it later!

[JamieCatheryn]

My DH will eat it and call it fine even if I can't stand it. If I try a few bites and it's bad enough to rethink being hungry, my portion gets thrown out.

[DevaMajka]

Could you strain it, rinse the veggies/beans/whatever, and just eat those?

[Teenytoona]

Originally Posted by DevaMajka

Could you strain it, rinse the veggies/beans/whatever, and just eat those?

Nope, because I used my brand new immersion blender. LOL. I think that's part of what did it in.

Ah well... I probably will freeze some of it out of guilt.

[Ola_]

I will usually toss it if it's beyond repair. DH will eat anything (even though I tell him he doesn't need to because it's so awful). LOL

[BetsyS]

I usually eat it once, then throw out the leftovers.

I had to do that this weekend. I made this cheese ball/dip, and it turned out wayyyyyy too creamy for me. I ate it twice, and that's that. I threw the rest away.

[chezlyryan]

Depends how bad it is here too. If no one likes it and it will just sit in the back of the fridge or freezer, might as well throw it out.

[hildare]

depends

depends upon what it is, but isn't that what dogs are for?

[mommathea]

Our chickens love oops foods

[Kirsten]

Why would you eat it or freeze it if you really don't like it? That makes no sense to me. I hate to waste food too - but there is a limit. You made a mistake. Lesson learned. Toss it.

[MeepyCat]

For all of me, you have permission to toss it.

At my house, when I put terrible food in the freezer, it's just a delaying tactic. It means that I'll use up the freezer space until the day I look at the date on the package and think good gods, this has been here for years! I'm throwing it out. It's faster (and conserves freezer space) just to throw things out when I first realize I don't want to eat them.

I don't like to waste food, but I'm not a garbage disposal either. Sometimes it's better to feed the dog or the compost heap, call it a lesson learned, and move on.

[Smokering]

Soup is usually fixable. Is the "ehh"ness a lack of flavour, disproportionate quantities of ingredients etc, or something disastrous like a burned taste?

I vote trying to salvage it with herbs, spices, curry, soy sauce, chilli sauce, a can of tomatoes, more salt or whatever if you can: if not, toss it. Food is never more appetising after it's been neglected in a freezer for months.

[lil_earthmomma]

Totally you have my permission to toss it!

I do not put food in my mouth that I don't like. Too many years of that as a child, so I refuse. That being said I can almost always salvage a recipe, especially a soup.

What kind of soup is it? What's in it? Use it as a base for another soup, or as a base for a sauce or casserole. Freeze it in small quantities and add it to one of these until it's used up, if you feel too guilty to throw it away.

[Chicky2]

I have turned so-so soups into a casserole, pasta sauce, base for another soup, etc....Really, tell us what it was suppose to be, what you think you did to it, and maybe we can help!

[artemis33]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

I usually eat it once, then throw out the leftovers.

This. Unless it is totally inedible, then it gets tossed and we eat grilled cheese or something

This happened to me a few weeks ago - I was making black bean chili and realized I was out of chili powder. I asked DH to pick some up for me. Put it in the recipe and as soon as I smelled it I realized he had bought me chipotle instead of regular. I love it but it is WAY hotter than regular and I had just put in about 3-4TBS. Even with extra beans and tons of sour cream and cheese, it was too hot to eat. I was tempted to try to add even more beans and tomatoes to 'fix' it, but DH gently said 'don't do it honey - just let it go' : So I did I hate wasting food, but I didn't want to waste even more trying to salvage something that might not even work!