Potato Chips and Broilers

... don't mix.

Words of wisdom for the week: turns out, popping a potato-chip-encrusted casserole under the broiler to help it brown faster is NOT as brilliant an idea as it would first seem. What it does, in fact, is burst into spectacular flames within 2 minutes.

Good news is: my smoke detector works. Plus, tuna casserole has handy ingredients that are always around, and it doesn't take too long to throw together another batch... though we did eat pretty late. Thankfully, my guests (Mom and Pop) were very patient, and even brought over a fan to help pull the smoke out all the open windows. Though, Pop did complain about being cold. lol

Much like my experience in Iowa, where I belatedly realized that a AAA Membership could come in mighty handy (which I hooked myself up with as soon as I got back home), this experience has convinced me to purchase a fire extinguisher post haste. I kept trying to remember all the rules about what kinds of fires were safe to put out with water. At least it was pretty contained in the oven... plus, once the fire ate through all the oil in the chips, it ran outta steam rather quickly, so I figured it was pretty safe to douse the blackened embers.

I set out my handy dandy ionic air purifier this morning, too, in hopes of combating the wonderful lingering aroma. I highly suspect, however, that I'll have to wash the curtains and all the furniture covers before it's all over. *sigh*

I do never seem to do anything halfway.