"Someone Must Have Burnt Their Dinner!"

So, if you got my tweet tonight (follow me @carojernigan) then you heard. You probably even smelled it. I almost, quite literally, burnt down the house. And not only our small house, but the entire apartment.

This is how it happened.

Dustin and I were meeting some youth group girls at 4:00 at the Starbucks down the street from our house. Right before leaving, I put the beans I had soaked the night before on simmer so they could be cooking while we were out.

We had a lovely meeting and got to know the girls better. We even went to look at a house while we were out. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Suddenly, I told Dustin we needed to head home. Not really for any particular reason other than Julip needing a diaper change.

(Side note not directly, but somewhat related to this post: the neighbors below us, yes the ones we hear fighting all the time, well they are like gourmet chefs. Each night delicious aromas of roasting garlic and sautéed onions escape from beneath their doors and float up to our kitchen that doesn't smell quite as delicious.)

As we were walking up to our third floor apartment, I smelled the smelliest burning smell. "Someone must have burnt their dinn...!", I said to Dustin. But before I could even finish the sentence, I was racing up the remaining steps and threw open the door.

Even with the windows open, the smoke was just hovering in every room!

Black smoke was rushing out of our door and the smell was unbearable. I threw Julip into Dustin's arms and slung the pot of beans over to the sink. (Probably not the best idea because more smoke came from the pot!) We opened all the windows as fast as we could and I just had tears in my eyes. I thought I was going to throw up all of my delicious grande cafe mocha.

 These were pinto beans...

 Not black beans...

And that is how I almost burnt down the house and successfully coated all of our furniture, clothes, and walls with the lovely scent of charcoal beans for dinner.

Straight up charcoal!

Does this delicious and nutritious meal make your mouth water? :)

Can you smell it floating through the keyboard and filling your nostrils? Lord have mercy! Have you ever gotten this close to burning down the house or should I just retire from cooking?

My sweet Dustin left immediately, probably to get away from the stink, and picked up take'n'bake pizza. This is a rarity. I'm just thankful to have the night off!