• Start Your Own Blog
  • About this Blog

Loving the Home Life

  • Home
  • Clean It
  • Cook It
  • Fix It
  • Grow It
  • Preserve It
  • Make It
  • Prepare for It
  • Budget It
  • Prevent It
  • Celebrate It
  • Print It

How to Salvage a Bombed Recipe

22 Jan

Jump Ahead To:

      • It happens to us all. The recipe bombs. Served with a side of humor are ideas for how to salvage a bombed recipe even as company arrives.
  • The Black Bean Soup of 1990
    • The Bean Soup “Inked”
    • How to Salvage a Bombed Recipe Right Before Company Arrives
    • How to Salvage a Bombed Casserole Dish
    • Turn Bombed Casseroles Into Soup
    • The Cake Broke!
      • FREE Home & Life Calendar!
      • More from my site

It happens to us all. The recipe bombs. Served with a side of humor are ideas for how to salvage a bombed recipe even as company arrives.


It happens to everyone. In spite of your best effort, a recipe just bombs. It looks horrible. Sometimes it even tastes awful. And it’s frustrating and embarrassing. Today I’m sharing with you one of my recipe failures. If a dish looks awful but still tastes good, it may be possible to reimagine it. Here are some ideas for what to do to salvage a bombed recipe.

This post contains affiliate links. Read here for disclosure.

The Black Bean Soup of 1990

My husband and I still laugh about the Black Bean Soup of 1990. We’d recently been to a restaurant where we enjoyed wonderful black bean soup. As a young bride, I wanted to surprise him after work one day with a delicious homemade version of this soup. With no Pinterest or even the internet, I was on my own.

I bought a package of dried black bean, an onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and bacon and went to work. The onion, carrots, and celery got chopped and put in the pot with the dried beans, long strips of bacon, and seasoning.

Can you see where this is going?

when a recipe bombs, runny casserole, saving a broken cake, quick dish for company, what to keep on hand in recipe emergency

I don’t know why I put whole strips of bacon in the soup. It’s a mystery of the universe.

And I didn’t soak the beans. I thought they’d soften as they cooked for about 10 minutes. Like pasta, right? You don’t soak pasta.

recipe fails, how to salvage a recipe, when a recipe bombs, how to fix a soupy casserole, make soup from a casserole, how to serve a cake that broke, quick trifle

I want a photo of black bean soup in this article, but I can’t find one for free on the internet. This is a can of black beans I put in a bowl, added some chopped carrots, garnished it with cilantro and photographed it to add to the story. You see, I will NEVER make black bean soup again. I want you to know this is not a photo of a recipe I made. It’s just a prop for this article.

The Bean Soup “Inked”

After simmering about 30 minutes, our little apartment is smelling great. My husband comes home and comments on how great dinner smells. He goes to the pot of soup on the stove, lifts the lid, and just stares at it blinking. I ask him what’s wrong.

“What is this?” he asks.

I cheerfully tell him its black bean soup. He’s going to be so thrilled!

“It is?” he asks warily.

Uh oh.

He gets a spoon out of the drawer, dips it into the soup and pulls out this long, dripping strip of bacon. The bacon strip is black as ink. The liquid dripping from it is black as ink.

My lovely smelling soup looks like a squid had a fright right in the pot.

My heart sinks. I thought I did so well.

He hugs me and tells me he appreciates the effort and is proud of me for trying. Then we look up the number for pizza delivery.

Harbor Sweets

How to Salvage a Bombed Recipe Right Before Company Arrives

Is this a nightmare scenario or what? There’s even a television commercial where a young woman has a date coming over for dinner and she burns the duck shortly before his arrival. She calls her father and he gives her good advice: make pasta.

Making a pasta dish is a great solution. Here’s my Emergency Bombed Recipe and Company’s Coming Backup Plan:

I keep some shrimp and scallops on hand in the freezer. In the pantry, I keep pasta, a jar of marinated artichoke salad, a few varieties of pesto, fresh garlic, a jar of marinated sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan cheese.

myBluprint.com

Start cooking the pasta and thaw the shrimp and scallops in a colander under warm running water. Then heat a skillet drizzled with olive oil and a pat of butter on medium heat. Pat the shrimp and scallops dry with a paper towel and along with some finely chopped fresh garlic sear them until they’re cooked through in the skillet. When the pasta is done, drain it and toss the shrimp and scallops into it. Then add as much of the artichoke salad pieces and sun-dried tomatoes as you like. Add a couple of tablespoons of the oil marinade as well for flavor. Add your favorite pesto and mix it all well. Pour it onto a large serving platter and garnish with shredded parmesan and fresh or dried basil. It’ll save the day, I promise! Your visitors will love it!

what to do when a recipe bombs, what to do when a recipe fails, help company is coming and I have no food, how to improvise when a recipe bombs

Here’s pasta dish I threw together this summer when a brisket I smoked turned out to be almost all fat and little meat.

smartphone photography, smartphone photography tutorial, better photos with your smartphone, iPhone, Android, Snapseed, Photoshop app, Photoshop Fix app

How to Salvage a Bombed Casserole Dish

I’m committed to getting more vegetables into my daily diet. And the other day I was really hungry for scalloped potatoes and ham. But I don’t want the heaviness of all the potatoes. I decide to substitute cauliflower, carrots, and a little sweet corn for the potatoes. So I make Scalloped Veggies & Ham.

But I forgot one thing. The starch in the potatoes plays a role in thickening the sauce. Here’s how my Scalloped Veggies & Ham turned out:

what to do when a recipe bombs, what to do when a recipe fails, help company is coming and I have no food, how to improvise when a recipe bombs

Umm…this isn’t exactly what I had in mind…

The sauce is thin. It’s unappealing to the eye. But it tastes really good! I’m not going to feed this to the chickens. It might make a nice soup.

Turn Bombed Casseroles Into Soup

I remove the “skin” from the Scalloped Veggies & Ham and put the filling into a saucepan. A little extra milk and seasoning yielded a thick, hearty, Creamy Vegetable & Ham Soup.

what to do when a recipe bombs, what to do when a recipe fails, help company is coming and I have no food, how to improvise when a recipe bombs

I keep a loaf of artisan bread in the freezer. It pairs beautifully with the re-imagined Scalloped Veggies & Ham! Most casserole-style dishes can easily be revamped into a delicious soup.

Is your Chicken Pot Pie runny? Carefully remove the crust, cut pretty shapes out of the crust with a cookie cutter, add a little milk to the filling and warm it through. Ladle it into a pretty bowl and top it with the pretty shapes. Now you have a creamy chicken soup!

The Cake Broke!

Sometimes the cake falls in the oven or breaks apart when we try to take it from the pan. Don’t panic. Cut it up into cubes and get out some pretty wine goblets or wide-mouth Mason jars. Layer cake cubes in the glass with fresh or frozen berries, Cool Whip, instant pudding, ice cream, or a can of pie filling.

Here is my Farmhouse Strawberry Shortcake. What a fun way to serve a classic summer dessert! It’s also an inspiration for any flavor cake that might fall or break apart while being taken from the pan. For example, chocolate cake that breaks or falls will still be delicious served this way.

farmhouse, strawberry, shortcake, cake, spring, fun recipe, strawberry shortcake recipe, mason jar, half and half, sponge cake, Reddi Whip, farmhouse style, country living, simple living, simple recipe, cooking with strawberries, creative dessert

A bombed recipe is frustrating but doesn’t always have to be a disaster. If it still tastes good, try using some of these tips to re-imagine the dish. And if that fails, more and more grocery stores have hot, prepared meals that can be picked up at the counter. If this is what needs to be done, save a few minutes by calling ahead so they can have it ready for you.

Have you had a recipe bomb? What did you do? Did you re-imagine it or call out for pizza? I’d love to hear about it!

FREE Home & Life Calendar!

Home   life calendar

Subscribe to get our latest content by email, and enjoy a free Home & Life Calendar that includes a monthly checklist of home and life related activities to help you stay organized.

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by ConvertKit

More from my site

  • Slow Cooker Oxtail Barley SoupSlow Cooker Oxtail Barley Soup
  • Green Bean Casserole from ScratchGreen Bean Casserole from Scratch
  • Chicken Parmesan Over Angel Hair PastaChicken Parmesan Over Angel Hair Pasta
  • Bacon Smoked Cheddar Mac & Cheese: The Ultimate Comfort FoodBacon Smoked Cheddar Mac & Cheese: The Ultimate Comfort Food
  • Bake Feather-light Dinner Rolls This Thanksgiving!Bake Feather-light Dinner Rolls This Thanksgiving!
  • Golden Milk Soothes Diverticulitis SymptomsGolden Milk Soothes Diverticulitis Symptoms
Pin26
Share1
Tweet
+1
Share
27 Shares

Filed Under: Cook It Tagged With: recipe bombs, salvage a recipe

« How to Safely Use Tea Tree Oil
Happy Pink Crochet Heart Garland »

Comments

  1. Julie Briones says

    January 22, 2019 at 2:48 PM

    Okay… I smiled through the whole thing! I could just see it go down! Helpful tips, too! Pinned!

    Reply
    • Kay says

      January 22, 2019 at 7:11 PM

      Well, ya gotta laugh when these things happen. 😂 I’m glad the tips are helpful.

      Reply
      • Julie Briones says

        January 24, 2019 at 9:36 PM

        Thanks for sharing at Homestyle Gathering! I hope others get to enjoy your humor and tips!

        Reply
  2. Marilyn says

    January 22, 2019 at 6:52 PM

    Great ideas! Thanks for sharing. I found this through the Homestyle Gathering.

    Reply
    • Kay says

      January 22, 2019 at 7:10 PM

      Thank you, and I’m so glad you visited Homestyle Gathering. Wonderful ideas from very talented ladies.

      Reply
  3. Mary says

    January 23, 2019 at 8:49 AM

    Kay that bean soup story will haunt me forever. I really enjoyed reading this post and I will definitely try the tip about turning casseroles into soups especially when they are packed with healthy alternatives.

    Reply
    • Kay says

      January 23, 2019 at 12:57 PM

      😂 Black Bean Soup has haunted my husband and me for almost 30 years. After taking the photo of the bowl of black beans for the article, I set it on the kitchen counter and walked away for a minute. He sees it and comes down the hall and asks me why there’s a bowl of black beans on the counter. I explained what I was doing. He said, “Oh good. I thought you were making Black Bean Soup again. I was worried.”🤣

      Reply
  4. Chris Kosto says

    January 24, 2019 at 7:03 AM

    Amazing tips! They seem delecious!

    Reply
  5. Ade says

    January 24, 2019 at 8:30 AM

    You just got me hungry. Thanks for the detailed description and explanation. You have lots of information about food to share.

    Reply
    • Kay says

      January 24, 2019 at 1:18 PM

      Thank you Ade and Chris! I do my best and I’m glad to be of help.

      Reply
  6. Mysobremesas says

    January 24, 2019 at 3:10 PM

    You know this is a really good outlook on failed recipes. Like hey! Yeah didn’t come out how you wanted but it’s still delicious food that you could repurpose. Awesome!

    Reply
    • Kay says

      January 24, 2019 at 3:13 PM

      I’m glad you like it! Unless it’s inedible, I think there’s usually some way to repurpose it.

      Reply
  7. Sandra Mekosh says

    January 24, 2019 at 6:24 PM

    This is a fantastic article. I LOVED it. My first”mistake” dish I was trying to impress my husband with was beef wellington. It was such a disaster. LOL 20+ years later, I still haven’t made it again and whenever we see someone making it on TV we just laugh and laugh.

    Reply
    • Kay says

      January 24, 2019 at 6:53 PM

      I’m so happy you loved the article and that it brought back a fun memory!! 😀 I think there are a lot of young brides with stories like ours. You just have to laugh!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome, Friend!

I’m so glad you stopped by! I’ll pour some coffee and we can visit about recipes, gardening, natural remedies, things to make, essential oils, and more! I live on an acreage in Iowa where we raise fat & sassy cows, fluffy chickens, lots of fruits and vegetables, and a very independent Blue Heeler.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs designed to provide a means for us to earn fees at no extra cost to you by linking to Amazon.com and other affiliated sites.

Better Photos with Your Smartphone Email Course FREE with Your Subscription! Click here to get it!

Tailwind’s Hashtag Finder is a Game-Changer! I love it!!

Non-toxic Cookware for Your Holiday Recipes!

The Tasty Recipes Plug-in Makes Food-Blogging a Breeze!

Everything for Home & Garden

Plow & Hearth

The Honest Company

How ’bout them Cowboys!!

Shop the newest Dallas Cowboys fan gear at Fanatics!

Let’s Connect!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

LOVE this All-Natural Tinted Lip Balm!

This is more than a planner. This is a tool to get you where you want to be this year. I’m using it and LOVE it!

Slay Your Goals, planner, goals, goal-setting, organization

I'm using this planner for organizing my intentions and goals for 2019 and LOVING IT! It's really helping me get to the heart of my ideas and goals, determine if they're a good fit, organize their implementation and get where I want to be. This isn't just for business goals, it's great for life goals as well! Check it out!

Real Fitness for Real People Online and In-Person

Learn to Create an Amazing Blog Here!

Building a Framework, Abby Lawson, blogging, launch a blog, monetized blog, side business, side hustle

LTHL uses Siteground!

Web Hosting

Recent Posts

  • Chicken Parmesan Over Angel Hair Pasta
  • How to Crochet a Simple Infinity Scarf
  • Slow Cooker Oxtail Barley Soup
  • Successfully Starting Seeds Indoors
  • Make Pink Champagne Cake for Your Valentine!

Archives

  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018

Latest from Instagram!

Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2019 · Refined On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in