30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons

One of the biggest, yet in some ways most beautiful, things about humans is that we err. Yep, mistakes make us unique and beautiful and while we ought to avoid them, we shouldn’t feel bad if they happen.

And some of the most entertaining mistakes we can make are those very temporary mental lapses in reasoning the way we ought to—brain farts. They happen, they’re unavoidable, so why not have some fun with them?

A Redditor by the nickname of u/BeauteousMaximus recently paid a visit to the r/Cooking subreddit with an open question urging people to share their biggest “brain farts” in cooking, and sharing how they themselves tried to make a cup of pour-over coffee into an upside-down mug.

And folks were eager to share their unexplainable cooking mishaps, making the post gain some modest attention with nearly 4,600 upvotes and over 2,700 comments.

We’ve siphoned the best responses to the call to share and created a lovely curated list below, so check it out, vote on the cooking disasters you laughed at the most, and why not share your own stories in the comment section below!

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons made an absolutely gorgeous vegetable stock from scratch using scraps i'd been collecting & freezing for weeks & lots of beautiful fresh herbs. poured it into a colander and - yep, straight down the f******g drain. all of it. my brain forgot it was the liquid i was saving, not the colander bulls**t.

i immediately just sat down, bump, on the kitchen floor, & contemplated my life choices for a while.

catsmash , goblinbox_ Report

Final score:

351points

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PennilessPsychopath 2 years ago

Had to make me laugh when was drinking water

72points

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Lololol so one time, I was boiling eggs in the morning, and one of them cracked while in the pan, so I scooped that one out. Then I added another egg in and I was like “I’ll just leave that one in a little bit longer” AS IF I WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO TELL THEM APART

Ok_Specific6904 , liz west Report

Final score:

232points

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Jo Johannsen 2 years ago

Your heart was in the right place. 😀

76points

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Was really upset when I couldn't find my leftover bacon to have for breakfast. Found it the next day in the knife drawer.

okokimup , Pat & Keri Report

Final score:

220points

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kathryn stretton 2 years ago

I once roasted a lettuce and found the chicken in the salad drawer in the fridge. Goodness knows what my brain was doing.

97points

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Was making a stock in a pressure cooker at 2 am, accidentally dumped a couple cinnamon sticks into it for unfathomable reasons.

It was godawful. Smelled like Santa had passed at a chicken restaurant.

DrCalamity , Peiyi Report

Final score:

202points

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Zophra 2 years ago

In a rush I have mixed up cinnamon and cayenne spice jars. There was no going back - only throwing out.

64points

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Bruh I made eggs Benedict on Christmas and spent so much effort getting the hollandaise sauce right I totally forgot to poach eggs and served an English muffin with sauce

shigglewiggle , malcolm-fs Report

Final score:

183points

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Jo Johannsen 2 years ago

Probably still satisfying.

55points

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons My gf wanted a hot chocolate and asked me if I could get her one, while I get my coffee.

I took the bag with chinese five spices mix and mixed it with milk. I do know that this bag contains five spices and not cocoa, because it's my only plastic bag in that shelf and it it's written on it, but my brain was like 'brown powder - close enough'.

She didn't like it.

HappyScripting , John Ong Report

Final score:

176points

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M O'Connell 2 years ago

5-spice powder makes fantastic molasses-spice cookies though.

59points

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Sooooo many times when I’m making a dish served over rice I forget to start the rice until I’m almost finished cooking. Then have to keep the food warm while I wait for rice to cook. Face palm every time.

tanksmiley , gamene Report

Final score:

163points

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Nubis Knight 2 years ago

Since I've got a rice cooker it's easier to remember cooking the rice.

49points

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Went to drain some shrimp that I thawed at work. Had the strainer setup over the sink, garbage next to me to toss the bag in. Cut the bag open and dumped the shrimp right in the garbage

Crunchy-Banter , IndyDina with Mr. Wonderful Report

Final score:

150points

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Catarina 2 years ago

Put paper towels in the washer and plates in the Trash...more than once

55points

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I once left a glass pan with lasagna on my electric stove, covering the back 2 burners. I then decided to make tea, put the kettle on the front burner, but turned on the wrong one. Walked away, but a few minutes later the lasagna pan exploded, covering my kitchen in tiny glass shrapnel.

effervescentfauna Report

Final score:

146points

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Zophra 2 years ago

But the lasagna...nooooooo!!!!!!

69points

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#10

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Used coconut flour instead of bread flour for a loaf of bread--that didn't go so well.

I also deep fried a pot holder once. I don't even know what was going on in my brain on that one.

LyrraKell , Julie Magro Report

Final score:

136points

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Kelzbelz79 2 years ago

Never heard of coconut flour before but my mission now is to aquire some ,mistake for you- new thing to try for me.

64points

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#11

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I very frequently pull things out of the oven and forget that they're stupid hot because they are no longer in the hot place.

kdfsjljklgjfg , Thomas van de Weerd Report

Final score:

134points

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Samantha 2 years ago

I always leave the potholder on or beside the dish as a reminder that it's hot. Usually works.

47points

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#12

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Greased the pan for rice krispy treats with bug spray rather than cooking spray. Fortunately, I realized before serving them to anyone (but not after filling the pan, so I had to run to the supermarket for more ingredients).

eilonwyhasemu , Ben Paulos Report

Final score:

126points

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Kelzbelz79 2 years ago

At least you realised thank goodness.

79points

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#13

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I used a colander to strain my linguine, but the holes were bigger than the pasta so it all went through and fell into my sink.

Beginning_Low_4385 , lisaclarke Report

Final score:

119points

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Jo Johannsen 2 years ago

That's why I have two colanders, regular and mesh - and both stainless steel.

43points

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#14

My father grabbed the ground up Graham Crackers instead of the bread crumbs for clams casino. You DO NOT want to eat Graham Cracker Clams Casino.

MagneticNoodles Report

Final score:

116points

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raemastah 2 years ago

oop

21points

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#15

When I was a teen I accidentally put used vegetable oil in a packet chocolate cake mix. Cake tasted like baked potatoes and lamb with a hint of chocolate.

TisCass Report

Final score:

112points

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Potty pagan panda 2 years ago

I really wouldn’t want to taste that

36points

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#16

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I was making pancakes and put the two tablespoons of sugar into the container that holds my flour rather than the pancake bowl

Boo_baby1031 , Jonatan Svensson Glad Report

Final score:

104points

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Laura Watts 2 years ago

I was making my daughter sone medicine in juice as she doesn't like the taste and poured the juice into a full medicine bottle husband laughs at me then does the same thing 3 weeks later - we need more sleep lol

70points

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#17

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Spent a bunch of time making filet mignon with an herb and Cabernet gravy out of the leftover fat in the pan and on the final bit of thickening the gravy, I added powdered sugar instead of flour.

RudeCamel , Laurel L. Russwurm Report

Final score:

104points

POST

Kelzbelz79 2 years ago

Oh no! What a terribly tragic mistake.

40points

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#18

I once slow cooked a large ham for 9 hours, came to get it out and it was still wrapped up in its plastic.

BlueCreek_ Report

Final score:

104points

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Cat Palmer 2 years ago

Just say you cooked it sous vide.

64points

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#19

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I was making French toast for too many people and forgot to dip a batch in the egg stuff…. Enjoy your pan fried toast.

jbeth74 , Anna Report

Final score:

100points

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Kelzbelz79 2 years ago

Fried bread, love it with a full English 😋

41points

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#20

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I accidentally started to pour vanilla extract in salad dressing instead of vinegar.

I guess it's not the stupidest mistake since it was clear imitation vanilla extract in a bottle that looked extremely similar to the vinegar, and I realized pretty quickly and only put a tiny bit in, but after tasting it out of curiosity, I have to say that the flavor was certainly... memorable. It turns out that vanilla can taste amazingly horrible in savory stuff.

BunnyEruption , Rose Report

Final score:

96points

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Benita Valdez 2 years ago

My sister mistook anise extract for almond extract; really gross cookies

39points

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#21

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons squirted skin lotion into the soup

put coffee in the dishwasher detergent dish

StickyCarpet , Shawn Campbell Report

Final score:

91points

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BasedWang12 2 years ago

get this person the f**k outta the kitchen... or .. or wherever they were

80points

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#22

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I once used my blender plunger to push something into the food processor.

Those replacement plastic plungers are surprisingly expensive

DefrockedWizard1 , Mike Mozart Report

Final score:

83points

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Adrian 2 years ago

Did something similar - used the Vitamix plunger without the lid and, yes, those suckers are expensive!

21points

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#23

I accidentally put a plastic jar of peanut butter in the microwave for 20 minutes instead of 20 seconds. Came back to a molten puddle

emem707 Report

Final score:

83points

POST

tom 2 years ago

consider your self lucky, my boy put a plastic bottle of rice milk in the microwave for 10 minutes instead of ten seconds, expanded, exploded, the microwave fell to the floor...one hot mess

48points

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#24

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I once made a yogurt parfait and sprinkled garlic powder on top instead of cinnamon. Such a dumb mistake when I was in a rush lol

madjerz23 , voyagevixen2 Report

Final score:

77points

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Kelzbelz79 2 years ago

Ewwwww

32points

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#25

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I've done the gravy thing, total duh moment.

Soy Sauce and Worcesterhire bottles sometimes have a pour spout when you uncap them and sometimes they don't. I've made messes a few times by not checking before pouring. most recently I put half a bottle of soy sauce into my soup.

Sometimes I lose count of how much flour I've already measured and have to re-measure it, which is odd because I bake often, sometimes I just totally blank.

ClementineCoda , IndyDina with Mr. Wonderful Report

Final score:

76points

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Rachel Ainsworth 2 years ago

Soy sauce and worcester sauce can sucessfully substitute for each other in gravy although the flavor will be slightly different.

26points

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#26

Was making homemade cheese sauce for mac/cheese and accidentally used powdered sugar instead of flour

poppinpinkpuffin Report

Final score:

72points

POST

Stephanie A Mutti 2 years ago

Ahh my MIL did same with potatoes au gratin but it was really good. 10/10 would make again

23points

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#27

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I used to have a bowl of oatmeal and nuts with a jasmin tea for breakfast. I chopped the nuts and poured them in the tea cup that was full of boiling water.

ExtremeBaker , Micah Sittig Report

Final score:

70points

POST

Catarina 2 years ago

Só ...washing your NUTS in the morning...sounds about right 🤔

44points

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#28

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Started blending my hummus with soaked but uncooked chickpeas. 3/10, would not repeat.

fire_loon , kbxxus Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Rachel Ainsworth 2 years ago

Could have made falafel instead?

22points

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#29

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I was deep in thought when I realized I added 60g of salt into the pan.

Meri_Stormhood , vic15 Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Rachel Ainsworth 2 years ago

I once added salt instead of sugar in croissants. For some reason the dough didn't rise.

23points

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#30

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons A few different times while making sauces, my brain has entirely turned off and I've grabbed the baking soda instead of the cornstarch to thicken them.

JHunz , yancy9 Report

Final score:

63points

POST

Alex Boyd 2 years ago

my sister did the opposite recently, making corn bread. It tasted pretty normal but had the approximate density of a neutron star. I suggested that maybe her baking soda had lost its oomph, so she got it out to check. She came back with two very-similar-looking containers, and said, "I think I know what happened."

42points

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#31

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Tried making banana but bread… was a soupy mess. Turned out I forgot to put the flour in

clemoon717 , Beckmann's Bakery Report

Final score:

25points

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angied4liberty 2 years ago

I forgot to add sugar. Looked beautiful, but tasted terrible.

9points

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#32

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I used white wine vinegar instead of white wine. In a lasagna. Just mindlessly following a recipe.

Needless to say, the substitution didn’t work. But it was still edible, at least!

nostradweebus , Richard Report

Final score:

24points

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Kelzbelz79 2 years ago

So at least it wasn't a total waste of time money and food.

9points

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#33

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Thought I was being so smart weighing my flour for homemade pasta. But I used the weight for an entire recipe instead of per cup. Had five times as much flour as needed. The pasta was not good.

EatMorePieDrinkMore , Crystal Report

Final score:

22points

POST

Zophra 2 years ago

I wonder how you could even form pasta if it was this dry from all the extra flour...

11points

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#34

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I was making Kraft Mac and cheese for my kids and dumped the cheese packet in the boiling water. It exploded everywhere.

Another time, I was making homemade carrot cake for a family dinner and left out the baking soda. It didn’t rise and was dense AF.

Interesting-Basis856 Report

Final score:

22points

POST

May 2 years ago

I don't understand the first part - how does cheese explode?

7points

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#35

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons I recently put parsley into a curry instead of coriander. The moral of the story is 'don't do your shopping/cooking while drunk'

Ancient_Thanks_4365 , Wheeler Cowperthwaite Report

Final score:

22points

POST

Kelzbelz79 2 years ago (edited)

Oh I don't know, I've come up with some pretty tasty food when I've been half cut, seems to give me the confidence and devil may care attitude to experiment more.

12points

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#36

Absentmindedly dusted chicken wings with baking soda instead of baking powder before cooking. The wings were inedible.

Paupy Report

Final score:

20points

POST

#37

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons ahhhh the great chili powder-cayenne mix up of 2019

rhinestoned-tampon · , Alan Levine Report

Final score:

18points

POST

May 2 years ago

At least those are related spices

21points

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#38

30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons Was making breakfast sandwiches at work and dumped a raw egg out of my egg cooker thinking it was cooked, right onto my English muffin with cheese.

BeesoftheStoneAge , Charles Smith Report

Final score:

18points

POST

tom 2 years ago

well we all have our moments OF STUPIDITY

2points

#39

3 Tbsp instead of 3tsp of vanilla in the cream sauce for my Irish apple cake

green_eyed_cat Report

Final score:

17points

POST

Kel_how 2 years ago

Honestly, I rarely measure my vanilla anyways

12points

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#40

When prepping veggies i throw the scraps in the sink from the cutting board. I cant tell you how many time ive thrown my peeled garlic in the sink.

TheBabyLeg123 Report

Final score:

17points

POST

Hedgeh og 2 years ago

Time for a new process!

3points

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What do you think ?

Scarlett 2 years ago

I managed to burn a salad during Thanksgiving. I was mixing up a salad since I’d been banned from the oven after the Great Yam Fire of 2018 and managed to knock a candle from the windowsill into it. Burned salad doesn’t taste good, especially when parts of it are coated in wax.

34points

Joan Afflick 2 years ago

The Great Yam fire of 2018...oh you gave me a good laugh there. Thanks ☺️

16points

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Nicole Normand 2 years ago

So, are you banned from the kitchen yet?

4points

Heather Vandegrift 2 years ago

You are now in charge of bringing the napkins and starting out of the kitchen and away from the food until it's time to eat!

Keisha 2 years ago

You shouldn't probably not even walk by a kitchen much less go inside.😜

Got Myself 4 Pandas 2 years ago

Don't feel bad, my kids set the kitchen on fire putting out cereal

1point

CalamityOne 2 years ago

Once made carrot cake: grated the carrots, mixed the ingredients, poured into the pan, and placed in the oven to bake. 20 minutes later, realized that the pile of grated carrots was still sitting on the counter. It was pretty good carrot-less carrot cake, but still...

30points

I feel your pain. Don't you just have this undescribable feeling when you look over and see something like that? Like - "I have just wasted part of my life on that mistake!" - type of feeling.

mm65851 2 years ago

I will admit that more than once, I've started the coffee-maker with no coffee, but still made a fine pot of hot water! Once in awhile, I like to start it WITH the coffee - but no water in the resevoir. The best entertainment though is when there IS water and there IS coffee - but I didn't put the emptyncarafe on the hotplate first... Good times.

Sally Barry 2 years ago

Pumpkin bread baked in coffee cans. Poured the batter in, put into the oven, and 5 minutes later spotted the dates, raisins, and chopped nuts in a dish that I forgot to stir in. I quick took one out and stirred them in, that one was not a success. The other pumpkin bread baked all right, but was pretty blah.

6points

Not cooking, but more than once I have walked into my bedroom with my phone and a glass of water, put the phone on a coaster and thrown the glass of water onto the bed. Now I mutter to myself as I enter the room "glass on coaster, phone on bed, glass on coaster, phone on bed..."

Eat Dirt Crow 2 years ago

Pull the pin, throw the grenade

14points

I have heard of people doing that same thing. I would love to see it happen in person but I would probably laugh so hard I would pee in my pants

TJ Farrell 2 years ago

This gave me a good laugh... Especially when you think of it as you wet your bed 🤣🤣🤣

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30 Times Folks Online Messed Up A Meal In The Most Entertaining Way Possible For Unexplainable Reasons

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