I didn't share with you the exciting Christmas morning I had. I was making monkey bread in muffin tins for breakfast and I was cooking the caramel topping in a saucepan on the stove top when I was distracted by what I do not know (it might have been Miss Peeps in the other room)....at this point I don't remember. I then smelled something burning and ran into the kitchen to see my sauce pan on fire! And I mean ON FIRE....flames were leaping up from it. I grabbed my oven mitts, grabbed the pan and put it in the oven and closed the door but it was still flaming so next I grabbed a container of Bisquick, opened the door and threw it on top of it as best I could. It still burned! Then I went for my full flour container and kept throwing that in the oven until the fire was out. Whew! I was shaking like a leaf and there was terrible smoke everywhere that was making my eyes burn and my throat burn...it was bad!
I just got through seeing something on television that stated most home fires start in the kitchen and they said you should never leave the kitchen while you have something cooking! Well, I'll tell you I learned a lesson! I'm not even going to answer the phone! I must admit though...the only 2 times this has ever happened to me is when I was cooking with sugar on the stove top. The other time was years ago making some hummingbird syrup and I got called away from the kitchen. I opened all the windows and turned on the kitchen fan but I can still smell it in the kitchen and that was Christmas Day! I do leave things cooking in the oven and soup on the stove top but never again will I leave anything that has sugar cooking on the stovetop! NEVER EVER! I have a fire extinguisher right there too but have never used it and not even sure if it works. Do they have expiration dates? I think fire departments should give classes on the use of fire extinguishers and also how and where to install smoke alarms. That would be a wonderful community service, not that they don't do enough already especially the volunteer departments. When the smoke cleared and I was able to go back in the kitchen to work, I finally did make my monkey bread after cleaning the entire oven and vacuuming up all the flour that didn't quite make it into the oven. It was 1:30 p.m. by the time I had my Christmas breakfast but I feel very lucky to have been around to eat it in my home!
Here's my once pretty yellow enamelware pan and this is after soaking and scrubbing and a stint in the dishwasher! I'm going to try that method I used on my Le Creuset enamelware and see if that helps.
Today has been garbage out to the curb, laundry and I need to pay a bill, make the Buffalo Wing dip and so much more! LOL!
Happy Trails! And remember what Smoky the Bear says.....only YOU can prevent kitchen fires! Be careful out there!
I just got through seeing something on television that stated most home fires start in the kitchen and they said you should never leave the kitchen while you have something cooking! Well, I'll tell you I learned a lesson! I'm not even going to answer the phone! I must admit though...the only 2 times this has ever happened to me is when I was cooking with sugar on the stove top. The other time was years ago making some hummingbird syrup and I got called away from the kitchen. I opened all the windows and turned on the kitchen fan but I can still smell it in the kitchen and that was Christmas Day! I do leave things cooking in the oven and soup on the stove top but never again will I leave anything that has sugar cooking on the stovetop! NEVER EVER! I have a fire extinguisher right there too but have never used it and not even sure if it works. Do they have expiration dates? I think fire departments should give classes on the use of fire extinguishers and also how and where to install smoke alarms. That would be a wonderful community service, not that they don't do enough already especially the volunteer departments. When the smoke cleared and I was able to go back in the kitchen to work, I finally did make my monkey bread after cleaning the entire oven and vacuuming up all the flour that didn't quite make it into the oven. It was 1:30 p.m. by the time I had my Christmas breakfast but I feel very lucky to have been around to eat it in my home!
Here's my once pretty yellow enamelware pan and this is after soaking and scrubbing and a stint in the dishwasher! I'm going to try that method I used on my Le Creuset enamelware and see if that helps.
On a brighter note.........I'm crocheting these trees. They can be used as ornaments or in a garland. The pattern and tutorial is here
I have several to make so I think I'll sew the ends in tonight while I watch t.v. Once you make one you understand it and it is easy peasy!
Happy Trails! And remember what Smoky the Bear says.....only YOU can prevent kitchen fires! Be careful out there!
My heart is beating - I had a grease fire once. There must have been grease under the burner and when I was heating something, I got small flames. I shut off the stove and put a pan cover on the burner - flames showed on the three uncovered burners! I covered them all, waiting and lifted a lid - flames jumped about 12" high. I called 911 and sent my five kids through the neighborhood for a working fire extinguisher (no one had one - but all the neighbors came running) Meanwhile my husband dumped about 50 pounds of flour on the stove (I used to buy bulk from the Amish) and that did put the fire out. I called 911 back and told them not to come, but they were already on their way. And since I used to work for the city and did civil service testing, I knew this would just turn chaos into a circus. The fire department did arrive and said that they NEVER recommend putting flour on a fire with flames - it can explode and burn you! We were just lucky (?) it was 50 pounds and smothered it first. Just an FYI. My story gets even funnier. After standing around joking about the flour mountain, the fire fighters kindly offered to use special fans to suck the smoke from my house. However, they were laughing so hard they accidently put them backwards and blew all the leaves from my yard into my house. Although they apologized and reversed it, I found leaves in bookcases and under furniture and all sorts of nooks and crannies for years. Glad your story had a happy ending!
ReplyDeleteThank you Miss Merry! I had no idea about any of that. I am going to do more research too and get myself a new fire extinguisher! I learn so much from all of you! Yes, that was funny about the leaves coming in instead of the smoke going out! I'm glad both our stories had happy endings! Thanks again!
DeleteFire extinguishers do expire. Neighbors that did bring them all had expired ones. It really was a learning experience for us all! I had always heard to throw flour on a fire. The fire fighters were quite adamant that you should not do that - unless you have a dump truck full!
ReplyDeleteBaking soda maybe? I think that's what I've been told to throw onto a fire. Oh my goodness! Such a scary thing for you. I'm glad everything turned out well in the end. Your little Christmas trees are sure pretty. They would be nice to hang up as a garland, even after the holidays are over. Even into the summer they would be a fun reminder of the camping season.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Betsy
I'm not sure baking soda would be any different than flour and most people don't have enough baking soda to do much good. I am going to do so me research and report back here so we can all be safer! Knowledge is power!
DeleteI had problems at first because I just wrote the directions down but once I did it watching her pictures it went much better! Yes, I love pine trees at any time of the year. They would look cute at your campsite!
OH my dear my heart is pumping faster while I was reading ..ohh I am glad you alright and you control the fire ..next time I will be more careful too because I mostly sitting and dreaming ..
ReplyDeleteHappy new year xx
My heart was pumping pretty fast that morning too! It was scary to think of what might have happened. The angels were definitely looking over me that morning and I'm sure it's not the first time they've been called in! LOL!
DeleteI will do some "googleing" and find out some info and report back here although Miss Merry was very informative....good for all of us to know.
I had a fire one inside the oven...not fun and the whole fire dept arrived, since I was a member I never quite lived it down and the traditional "If there is a fire at your house you need to cook everyone breakfast" was cancelled:) My smoke alarms went off...and off and off. My fire burned itself off inside the oven:)
ReplyDeleteWhew! Fire is something I am very respectful of and when we have fire danger warnings here it makes me nervous!
DeleteSo grateful that you are alright, and that you were able to put the kitchen fire out!! Scary stuff!!
ReplyDeleteOur local fire dept. does teach classes on how to use fire extinguishers, etc..
I'm sure that your dept. would be happy to teach you. One thing to tell if your extinguisher is still 'good' is to turn it upside down. While you turn it up side down, listen at the side of it, and if it makes a sound like sand sliding, then it's still good. The chemical is still moving and the extinguisher will still work.
Wishing you a safe and very Happy New Year, sweet friend. I'm so glad that you and your home are safe :)
~K.
Happy New Year to you and thank you for the great info on the fire extinguishers. I called them once about where to put smoke alarms and they weren't very helpful. They're volunteers so maybe if they got paid they'd be more helpful. LOL!
DeleteOh boy, I'm glad you weren't hurt and that nothing worse happened. You asked a good question about fire extinguishers. I'm glad some knowledgeable ppl answered them here which was informative for me as well.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year and glad to hear from you as CA has been in the news...earthquakes? Fires? You've had a lot out there this year...stay safe!
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