Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love
Beth and I recently got into a rhythm where she'll do the cooking one week and I'll do the cooking for the next week. As it happens, this week is a Beth Week, so last night she made some garlic-seasoned chicken and rice.
The thing about this is that Beth definitely has more experience in the kitchen than I do. I can boil water and attempt to follow a recipe, but in my single days, I was more likely to make a run to Wendy's or some other fast-food place. So in general, I don't really question Beth's prowess when she's behind the stove. It was with that same attitude last night that I didn't think to question why she put a paper towel over a small pot of rice while it was on one of our gas burners. That is also why I didn't question her when said paper towel caught on fire. Apparently the rice instructions called for a tight seal on the lid, and Beth had seen her mom use a paper towel between lid and pot to help form a seal. Of course, the difference here is that this strategy works well for large pots, not so well for small pots. Edit: I'm told that the actual problem here is that you're supposed to remove the paper towel before removing the pot, to avoid it catching on a hot burner.
Coincidentally, Beth was talking to her parents at the time of this incident. I should also point out that her dad is a volunteer firefighter. It's safe to say that they gave her a hard time. Immediately after the flames had been extinguished, Beth asked me if I was going to rush to update my blog. I'm pleased to say that I was able to resist for a little over 12 hours.
Of course, part of that resistance came in the form of karma. I woke up in the middle of the night with a very upset stomach. Well, that's not quite true. My stomach seemed fine, it was everything below it that was in distress. Luckily (or not), my intestinal antagonists were seeking the fastest and most direct route out, which by that time was decidedly not up. I share this bit of joy with you, dear reader, so that you may learn from my mistakes - never mock the Food Bringer.