What Do You Do?!

This week I offered to take a meal to a family down the road - neighbors who were going to be dealing with some health and traveling issues, all-in-all one of those weeks which we all wish we could press "fast-forward" and move past all the unpleasantness.  There were some dietary issues to be acknowledged in making this family meal, and I felt pretty good about my menu.

So this morning I hauled out the chicken I had slow-cooked yesterday and boned it, I made the noodles (with very little seasoning besides salt).  I made some fairly bland carrots (but carrots, in my opinion, are awesome on their own - who doesn't love 100% carrot juice?  Right?)  And then I made a spinach souffle.  And biscuits for the chicken and noodles.  And chocolate chip cookies, along with some chocolate chip cookie without chocolate chips, because who knows if chocolate is easily digestible or not?  My GI tract is honed in on my daily handful of chocolate chip, so I have no reference by which to assess the situation.

OK!  All was cooked.  I tasted this, that, and the other, and let me tell you:

The chicken and noodles had a big FAIL taste to them.  Oh, no!!  What?!  I carried two spoonfuls out to That Spouse o' Mine who was on the tractor mowing our ditches.  "Taste this."  "WHAT??!!"  (Diesel too loud.) "TASTE THIS!  JUST TASTE IT!!"  He tasted it.  No emotion.  "It tastes like boiled chicken."

Ew.  That's it?  "It tastes like boiled chicken."?

What does one do when a meal is a major fail, but one has promised it to arrive at 5:00 pm?  I had no idea what to do.  I didn't think it tasted ...tasty.  It didn't seem like comfort food to me.  It sure wouldn't be my choice of a "homecoming meal" after a trip to MD Anderson.

What to do, what to do...

Ugh.  I opened our fridge, grabbed our bottle of Thai Peanut Sauce and threw it into the food bag and out the door I flew.

When I arrived at the family's house, huz was on the phone and no one else was around.  I am comfortable enough with their kitchen, so I found a pen and tablet and scrawled, "Chicken & noodles: not so great.  Use peanut sauce."  I handed it to him, he smiled (still on phone), and I left.

What does one do?  We are not a community which has a Pizza Shuttle on every corner.  Or a deli.  We are miles and miles away from anything concerning food.  Unless you see the cows and chickens and sheep as potential.  Nope, I felt like I was stuck with a meal that tasted like "boiled chicken".

I may throw in the kitchen towel after this experience.  I have always had great confidence in my cooking.  But this was a major FAIL.

Ugh.