Leftovers anyone?

So last December at the Daniels family reunion we played the newlywed game and one of the questions was what was my (Laura's) worst cooking disaster. We both said the same thing: I haven't had one because I don't cook enough. Well, next time we play that game there will be a different answer.

I was at the store and saw a box of Falafel mix. I thought, "Hey, something new to make" and "Didn't I eat that once as a child and like it?" and "The picture on the box looks pretty good." I don't know, maybe I've been watching too much Blue's Clues because in one of the episodes her friend makes Falafels (was it Periwinkle? I'm always half asleep when it's on). Hey, if a cartoon can do it how hard could it be?

From the moment I opened the box and took a whiff I began having second thoughts, but it was Falafel night and I wasn't going to throw away a perfectly good $1.07 box of ground up chick-peas and spices (seriously, why did I think that sounded good?). I followed the directions and though they looked mushy and were falling apart, I fried them up anyway. Did I leave them in too long? Not long enough? Was it not hot enough? I have no idea, but I cooked them all and lovingly placed them in front of my family. Let me just say that no amount of ranch dressing, cheese, or ketchup was going to make those babies taste any better. They were horrible!

Maybe, just maybe if I'm ever in Egypt and the opportunity arises to try a Falafel cooked correctly, I might do it. But until then, I think I'm Falafeled out. From the opening of the box to the throwing the remains in the outside garbage and the lingering smell despite that, it was a cooking disaster---probably my first one (and by the way, I think the small amount I did eat did a number on me... and we all know there's only one number!)

Well, this is how they are supposed to look...

...and this is how mine turned out. Yikes!

(P.S. I have no idea why I spent so much time talking about this)