What dishes do you find the most difficult to prepare?

[rissole]

I voted that I am equally comfortable with cooking all of these. It's not that I'm Emeril Lagasse, but I've never really found one category of dishes to be any harder than the others. Maybe many others feel the same way.

Note: Some of the poll categories will overlap obviously, but please just pick the best option that you can.

[wallycat]

I voted bread/grain.
It's actually the bread that has me mystified.
I grind my own flour and therefore cannot reproduce the perfect, fluffy white loaves that DH worships :rolleyes:
I keep trying, but I've accepted defeat. I want to declair that mine are perfectly edible and not actual bricks or anything; they just aren't puffy fluffs.
I also have issues with pizza crusts because of the grinding issue :(
But...I'll have you know my cornbread is great because it's fresh ground :D :cool:

I'm sure there are other areas that I wish I were better...
for example, I wish I knew my cuts of beef/pork. I have to post so Sneezles answers me what is acceptable :o :p or ask a butcher...we know how friendly they can be :rolleyes: but once I get the right cut of meat I feel I do OK.

Beverages...you mean people drink something besides wine :D :D ;)

[rissole]

Originally posted by wallycat
I voted bread/grain.
It's actually the bread that has me mystified.
I grind my own flour and therefore cannot reproduce the perfect, fluffy white loaves that DH worships :rolleyes:
I keep trying, but I've accepted defeat. I want to declair that mine are perfectly edible and not actual bricks or anything; they just aren't puffy fluffs.

I actually like dense loaves. Why do you grind your own flour?

Originally posted by wallycat
I'm sure there are other areas that I wish I were better...
for example, I wish I knew my cuts of beef/pork. .

You mean there are different cuts of meat? ;)

[Little Bit]

If I had to pick one area of cookery, I'd say pastry gives me the most trouble. I recently found a pie crust recipe that's worked well, but is loaded with fat. I'm keeping the recipe, but am a bit fearful of the outcome when I lower the fat content the next time I make it.

Bread, crackers, other stuff is fine, but pastry seems so much more complex and sort of unforgiving.

[AndreaU]

Meat dishes because of the cooking temperature guidelines. I'm quite paranoid about under- or overcooking meat so I tend to avoid it for the most part!

[d_ferrero]

I picked "other" (although I guess cheesecake qualifies as a dessert). I seem to have the most difficult time with egg & cheese dishes -- cheesecake, souffle, meringue ... they never turn out quite right.

But looking at your list, I don't believe I've ever made a soup or a stew in my life. It's not that they intimidate me exactly... just that they feel like a lot of work for the end result. I've had enough homemade soup contributed by OTHERS to know that the store-bought stuff doesn't compare, but just can't find the motivation to make it myself.

[tamawrite]

Really? I love making soups and stews. They're hard to ruin and usually make good leftovers.

I voted meat, not that I have tons of trouble with it, but if I have to choose one thing, meat seems to be the most touchy. Of course, I wasn't thinking of pastry at the time...

And you know what else I have trouble with? Chocolate chip cookies. All others kinds of cookies are no sweat, but my choc chip ones never come out thin and chewy like I want them! Grr.

[Holly in KC]

I voted "side dishes". Although technically not difficult to prepare, I have a lot of difficulty 1) deciding what sides to serve, and 2) timing them to be finished at the same time at the rest of the meal. I definitely gravitate to "one pan" meals.

[clairea]

This is fresh in my mind as I just made cupcakes to take to school for DS's birthday, and I was completely disgusted with the results. I do all kinds of other baking that (IMO) turns out well, but for some reason whenever I make cupcakes I either over- or under-fill the cups, or over- or under-bake them:o I used the same cake recipe that turns out beautifully for layer cakes and sheet cakes, and I even measured the batter I put in each cup and some turned out too full and overflowed, and some were too small:rolleyes:

Claire

[SusanL]

timing is my greatest problem. I have the hardest time getting everything on the table at the same time at the correct temperature. :( (If I make the same menu several times, I am ok. How many of us repeat the same menus???)

[memartha]

Like Holly, I voted "side dishes" for two reasons:

1. My side dishes are usually fresh veggies and they take time to prep (wash, cut) and then cook properly
2. Some side dishes are more complicated (more ingredients)and again, take a bit more time than i'm willing to give them.

It seems I often spend more time on the side dishes than the main dish, and they are not the most popular part of the meal with my family. But I enjoy them and wouldn't serve dinner with out a couple of veggies.

[run4joy]

Steak. It always turns out too done, too rare, but whatever the mistake it results in disappointment.

[kwormann]

any dish planned on a night where I come home tired......:D

[Beth]

I answered equally comfortable with all of them, but I think Kim's answer might fit best.

[Kayaksoup]

I answered grains, mostly because I can't bake bread to save my life. That is the BF's job.

[colleency]

I said side dishes, but what I really mean is figuring out what side dish to serve. I always end up steaming green bean or broccoli, because I can't figure out what goes well with whatever I'm making.

[Chefzhat]

I can't work with yeast - frustrating, but true. I can never get the right temperature, texture, etc. It must be a curse.

Wallycat- you grind your own flour??? When are you coming to visit me!!!:D I'd love to bake bread with you!

Debie

[little_bopeep]

I chose "other" because even tho it involves meat, I can't BBQ to save my life. Bone-in chicken comes out raw, and brisket comes out "briquet." I have no problem making meat dishes in the house, but all BBQ'ing is relegated to the men in the family <insert Tim Allen making "man" noises here>.

[NewMrsG]

Voted meats - I have been a vegetarian, off and on (mostly on) for the last 15 years or so. I started incorporating poultry about 2 years ago and a limited amount of red meat about a year ago ... but because I just hadn't been cooking this stuff for so long, I'm not as comfortable with it. And, it's not like a pasta sauce or a soup, which you can stop and taste before it's done to adjust ...

It's getting easier, but it's still a struggle!

If I had to pick a second category, I'd say desserts - not that they're especially difficult or don't taste good when I make them - but my desserts never look pretty! Especially cakes - can never frost them to look like they should.

[Alethea]

I voted equally comfortable with all of them, but if there had been a catagory for pancakes or waffles that would have gotten my vote. Though come to think of it, I don't know that I've ever made a beverage either.

[KristinK]

Meat. I don't eat red meat and don't really know how to cook anything besides a basic burger.

[Valerie226]

Grilling!!! It sticks, it falls through, it comes apart, it falls into the flame. it's overdone or underdone. incinerated or raw. I've tried every tip in the books & nothing works reliably. I've oiled the piece of food, I've oiled the grill, I've oiled both and it still sticks & rips apart. forget it, I use the stove.

[tigermorris]

breads are difficult for me; I seem to have a fear of yeast!!!!

Terri

[sunberst]

meat.

i am paranoid of undercooking chicken, pork & fish because of disease/sickness. then i get paranoid of overcooking it because of dryness.

[Shelley16]

Definitely grilling for me. Disaster ensues if I leave the grill to tend to side dishes......so I leave it up to my husband.

[matt]

For me the hardest thing is doing the Turkey for Thanksgiving and of course bread. At times i am frustrated because so many others can do it not a problem, however for me it is a very big challenge.
Matt