It happens to the best of us....

We all have done it.  Some more than others.  Tonight, part of our dinner was one of those times.  I decided tonights dinner would be Breaded Steak Sandwiches with Roasted Red Pepper, Mozzarella and Marinara.  Along side of this great sandwich, I thought a nice homemade hash brown would be the perfect accompaniment.

I grated the potatoes and onion for the hash browns.  I am happy to report that all finger tips and knuckles are still in tact.  I mixed the potatoes and onion with salt and pepper, added butter and oil to the frying pan and began to cook the hash browns.  I made a few mistakes in the process.  Now, I can honestly say that I have had my share.

My first mistake was the frying pan was not hot enough.  If the oil/butter is not ready, all that will happen is that the potatoes will steam and not crisp up.  This is a fairly common mistake and one that I consciously have to remind myself about.  Always being in a hurry will often end up in disaster.  A good sign that the pan is hot enough is that the oil/butter will shimmer in the pan.

The second mistake, in my opinion, was grating the onion.  Because the onion was grated and broken down, too much moisture was released too quickly.  With more moisture in the pan, the hash browns did turn brown but there was no way they would get crisp.

So, lessons learned?  First, in trying not to risk the end result, take your time and be patient.  Secondly, pay close attention to how the dish comes out and if you are not satisified, try and come up with a way to make it better.

To paraphrase the words from one of my idols, Julia Child....Never, ever, apologize for your food!

Anyone else have any horror stories?