AARGH! Please help me salvage this meal!!

[Judegirl]

I spent three hours cooking today and have nothing to show for it except what is about to be a ridiculously long MDC post...

I tried to make a kielbasa-potato casserole and ruined it and I really, really don't want to throw it out. (And we don't have a dog!) I used 6 potatoes and a bunch of kale (organic, no less...!) and a pound of kielbasa. There were two problems. First, I now realize that the recipe meant smoked/cooked/nitrate-laden kielbasa. I bought fresh kielbasa (white sausage). The sausage now tastes something like what I imagine a fairly-clean foot tastes like like. :

Second, it called for condensed cream of mushroom soup and I was all excited to use a substitute mix but I forgot that my mix uses dry milk powder and dd can't eat that, so at the last minute I was stirring cornstarch into chicken broth...which resulted in something strikingly similar to my homemade playdough.

So I cooked it all up with a bunch of shredded cheddar and some rice milk. : I ended up with a dish I shall heretofore call Weird White Hots and Salty Mushy Potato Slices in Gelatinous Ick. DD had a sandwich and I had Rob's Gourmet cheese puffs.

I've plucked the sausage out of the ick, figuring maybe I can break it up into two dishes, and at least halve the salt and the gelatinous factor. Maybe I can mash up the ick and add a milk substitute to turn it into cheesy potato soup? Maybe I can throw the sausage under a bunch of sauerkraut and mustard and hope for the best? How would I do these things?

I'm open to anything...and sorry this is so long!

Jude

[Kirsten]

Well, if the sausage tastes like foot and the rest is... what did you say? gelatinous? I think you have not much choice; I'd throw it out. Big bummer.

I once made a great pot of split pea soup which we had for dinner but there was a TON leftover. It was too hot to put in the fridge so I left it on the stove to cool. Forgot it til the next morning.... : I was so sad to throw it out! But I did.

[artemis33]

Awww sorry mama! Your post did give me a good laugh though - only cause it sounds totally like something I'd do (and have done way too many times! )

I would definitely pluck out the sausage and try to use it elsewhere. Your saurkraut idea sounds like a good one! Or just on buns with mustard?

I'm not sure about the other stuff - hopefully someone will have ideas.

ETA - Oh I forgot you said the sausage tastes like foot lol. Maybe it isn't worth saving I'd probably try mustard though lol.

[sleepnrain]

What do people normally do with that sausage? Maybe you can somehow cook it again with some more flavour...

Is any of the other stuff still pick-out-able? Like, maybe you could use the kale in soup, or mash the potatos or somethign..

Sorry, but I'm really laughing , this is SO something I'd do. Sorry it happened though, I also know how frustrating it is!

[Judegirl]

Well, I suppose it's actually probably a wee bit tastier than foot, lol. I think it tastes a lot like what I've heard called "white hots" or bratwurst. Rubbery and not a lot going on, but with something with flavor it'd be okay. I'm just not sure what to do.

I'll give it a little while longer in the hopes that there's someone in the forum tonight more createve/knowledgeable than I about such matters. Then I'll start playing around again. Sheesh!

Thank you all for the support!
Jude

[momto l&a]

I'd make it into soup.

[wife&mommy]

Originally Posted by Judegirl

I spent three hours cooking today and have nothing to show for it except what is about to be a ridiculously long MDC post...

I tried to make a kielbasa-potato casserole and ruined it and I really, really don't want to throw it out. (And we don't have a dog!) I used 6 potatoes and a bunch of kale (organic, no less...!) and a pound of kielbasa. There were two problems. First, I now realize that the recipe meant smoked/cooked/nitrate-laden kielbasa. I bought fresh kielbasa (white sausage). The sausage now tastes something like what I imagine a fairly-clean foot tastes like like. :

Second, it called for condensed cream of mushroom soup and I was all excited to use a substitute mix but I forgot that my mix uses dry milk powder and dd can't eat that, so at the last minute I was stirring cornstarch into chicken broth...which resulted in something strikingly similar to my homemade playdough.

So I cooked it all up with a bunch of shredded cheddar and some rice milk. : I ended up with a dish I shall heretofore call Weird White Hots and Salty Mushy Potato Slices in Gelatinous Ick. DD had a sandwich and I had Rob's Gourmet cheese puffs.

I've plucked the sausage out of the ick, figuring maybe I can break it up into two dishes, and at least halve the salt and the gelatinous factor. Maybe I can mash up the ick and add a milk substitute to turn it into cheesy potato soup? Maybe I can throw the sausage under a bunch of sauerkraut and mustard and hope for the best? How would I do these things?

I'm open to anything...and sorry this is so long!

Jude

I'm so sorry but this was cracking me up! I have done things like this on more than one occasion! You are not alone!

[***Heather***]

Sometimes I find it's better to cut your losses. I've done that before where something wasn't very good but added stuff to it to make it better. It still sucked and then I wasted even more food. It's an unending cycle.

[Judegirl]

Update

In case anyone's losing sleep wondering about this, I made shepherd's pie with the ick tonight. I added more rice milk to it and I didn't season the meat (ground buffalo) beyond a dash of basil, and baked it at 350 for about an hour. It was a bit salty, but pretty good; the babysitter went back for seconds!

I'm trying the kielbasa with mustard and sauerkraut next week. Wish me lucK!

Jude

[Ravin]

For future reference, instead of using corn starch, which has that gelatinous effect, use flour or plain (no crap added) instant mash potatoes (basically potato starch) as thickener. DH for some bizarro reason bought this huge box of instant mashed potatoes at Costco a while back--the only upside is the ingredients listed are potatoes, butter, and salt. The roommies use instant a lot but ignore this--they like more crap in theirs I guess.

Anyway, potato starch.

[wife&mommy]

Originally Posted by Judegirl

In case anyone's losing sleep wondering about this, I made shepherd's pie with the ick tonight. I added more rice milk to it and I didn't season the meat (ground buffalo) beyond a dash of basil, and baked it at 350 for about an hour. It was a bit salty, but pretty good; the babysitter went back for seconds!

I'm trying the kielbasa with mustard and sauerkraut next week. Wish me lucK!

Jude

I am so glad you saved it!!

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by Judegirl

I shall heretofore call Weird White Hots and Salty Mushy Potato Slices in Gelatinous Ick.

This made me LAUGH..

I once made a home made beef stew- beef, carrots, potatoes, carrots, celery.. it was delicious..

and when I knocked the crock pot on the floor trying to open the microwave to get the warmed biscuits out, the cat enjoyed the stew tremendously.

I was just going to add, when it comes to keilbasa, I find one I really like and stick to it.. some are uncooked, others need excessive cooking- it is sort of a mixed bag as to what you get.

[Meg Murry.]

Originally Posted by Judegirl

I spent three hours cooking today and have nothing to show for it except what is about to be a ridiculously long MDC post...

I tried to make a kielbasa-potato casserole and ruined it and I really, really don't want to throw it out. (And we don't have a dog!) I used 6 potatoes and a bunch of kale (organic, no less...!) and a pound of kielbasa. There were two problems. First, I now realize that the recipe meant smoked/cooked/nitrate-laden kielbasa. I bought fresh kielbasa (white sausage). The sausage now tastes something like what I imagine a fairly-clean foot tastes like like. :

Second, it called for condensed cream of mushroom soup and I was all excited to use a substitute mix but I forgot that my mix uses dry milk powder and dd can't eat that, so at the last minute I was stirring cornstarch into chicken broth...which resulted in something strikingly similar to my homemade playdough.

So I cooked it all up with a bunch of shredded cheddar and some rice milk. : I ended up with a dish I shall heretofore call Weird White Hots and Salty Mushy Potato Slices in Gelatinous Ick. DD had a sandwich and I had Rob's Gourmet cheese puffs.

I've plucked the sausage out of the ick, figuring maybe I can break it up into two dishes, and at least halve the salt and the gelatinous factor. Maybe I can mash up the ick and add a milk substitute to turn it into cheesy potato soup? Maybe I can throw the sausage under a bunch of sauerkraut and mustard and hope for the best? How would I do these things?

I'm open to anything...and sorry this is so long!

Jude

Oh, honey...

I can save this meal.

First of all, make a decent stock. Throw any meat bones you have into a pot and add water, carrots, celery, chopped onions, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme, pepper, and salt to taste. Boil like crazy. When it comes to a boil, turn it down to low and add at least 1 cup of white wine, red wine, or beer. Let the mixture reduce itself by about 1/3 over the next few hours, or until the leftover meat has fallen off the bones.

Strain all the solids and throw them away. Keep the liquid.

To the liquid, add your potatoes, kale, and kielbasa. Bring to a boil and then turn it down to low and let it simmer until the potatoes are very soft.

In a separate frying pan, fry one red onion and a handful of green onions until they turns golden-brownish and add to the mixture.

In a blender, puree the potato/stock mixture all together until it's achieved a consistency you like.

If you want it creamier, stir in some soy milk. If you want it a bit meatier/saltier, add about 2/3 strips of fried bacon that you've crumbled. If you want it slightly spicy, add a dash of Tabasco or chili oil.


Hope that helps.