Spicing it up and a little dovetailing

Dovetailing is a term I learned in FOODS 101 with Mrs. Nicols. As a 7th grader, I interpreted it to mean doing many things at once. The dictionary definition of dovetailing includes the following:

only things of a different nature can adhere ; cohere  is for things of the same kind that stick together and form a whole

During one frantic dinner time, I was "multitasking."  While cooking  mushrooms and reviewing a spelling test and getting crayons for a toddler to color and texting a teenager to remember to pick up his brother, I reached for the spices I have used multiple times and quickly sprinkled the fragrant combination of familiar flavors onto the concoction. Immediately, a waft of sweet cinnamon filled the kitchen air and permeated the frying pan brimming with mushrooms! Not really a coherent combination.

One can easily see the resemblance of the colorful season salt and cinnamon spice jars. An understandable mistake. How often does one dial a familiar number by its pattern, rather than by the numbers (when asked for the number, you think and then mimic the dialing motion with your fingers). I find myself cooking by feel, rather than with clarity - reaching for an ingredient based on color, or shape, rather than waste the time reading the label. This helps me save 5 to 7 seconds per ingredient!! And those packaged food items....I can't remember the last time I actually read the instructions. While some might claim this is a scatter-brained approach, I suggest multi-tasking (aka, motherhood) may be the true mother of innovation! Of course, cinnamon mushrooms may not be a hit, but most of the time things work out. Just look at the history of unusual or interesting culinary or fashion fusion and I'll bet a mother was behind the idea. Ever wonder about the '80's fashion combo of oversized scarves and big hair, or the 60's colorful nehru jacket matched with flare pants? What else could account for the classic combination of orange jello salad sprinkled with shredded carrots?

 I am convinced that the above method is how such combinations of chilled fruit soup or coconut carrot soup started. One of my FAVORITE conflicting flavors is the sweet taste of fritos and peanut butter.

1 cup sugar

1 cup Karo Syrup

Mix in saucepan and bring to boil

Add 1 cup peanut butter and pour over 1 bag FRITOS chips 

This is one of the best DOVETAILS I have ever tasted. Only a multasking mom could of figured that one out.

(and NO CINNAMON was involved)