Burnt Cheez-Its

Ok, so here I am... a total virgin to this blogging thing, so needless to say, I have no earthly idea what I'm doing right now. However, I guess it's what these social media tech savy people call "blogging". Anyway, I titled this "burnt cheez-its" because my boyfriend brought up the fact that I should use that as a subject matter the other night... after I informed him that I had started my own blog. I think his exact reaction was... "So what are you going to write about.... burnt cheez-its??" Well.. I got upset, taking the comment as a belittling joke at my ability to write a worthy blog. Of course, he was only teasing me at the time and didn't mean it that way.. but being the sensitive woman that I am, I took it that way and to spite him also made it the title of my very first blog entry. That's right... "As a matter of fact I will write about burnt cheez-Its. What now?!" (hehe) Anyway, so with all that said as my introduction.. that is how this title came to be. So, in my own way, I am paying tribute to my joker boyfriend and honoring his sarcastic remark here. I do love him dearly, with all my heart... I do.

Well every silly title needs an explanation, so yes... there is a story behind the title here so let's just get right to it. First thing you must know, I am a big fan of the Kelloggs/Sunshine creation called Cheez-Its (cheese crackers) & I especially love the ones you find in the box with the little burnt edges. Seriously, you know what I'm talking about if you really love them like me... I mean, I will pick around in the entire box to find those little tasty morsels! Anyway, with that said.. I seriously think they should make a box that came with all of them that way so one afternoon during a day off from work I decided to try to make my wish come true. I went out and bought a box of regular cheez-its, poured the entire box onto a baking pan, sprayed a little bit of the olive oil cooking spray on them and then tried baking them at 250 degrees. Then I waited... and waited... and waited. Well, it just didn't seem to be working so it was then that I made the oh so brilliant decision to turn on the broil option instead.. AND then left the room to fold laundry.

Yeeeeah.... BIG MISTAKE.

As I was in the middle of my nonchalant laundry folding, a cloud of smoke billowed out from my kitchen area and I smelt the burnt smell that I have come to be so familiar with in the kitchen (ok, so cooking is not my strong suit). Well, I ran into my smoke filled kitchen cursing myself the entire time. When I went to open the oven a big flame leaped out at me.. the cheez-its were on fire in my oven! I then totally freaked out as I mentally foreshadowed burning down my entire apartment building over trying to brown some cheez-its... this is not the front page story that I have dreamt of all my life.

So, in my moment of foreshadowing complete and utter doom, I picked up my phone & dialed 911, as any of sane mind gal would do (right?!)... yes of course, it was totally on "OMG, WTF do I do?!" impulse. Per usual procedure, the operator asked what my emergency was and when I blurted out the word "fire" they immediately allerted the local fire department to come out to the scene. Ok, I admit, I can be quite the little drama queen in times of emotional distress. Anyway, no later than 3 minutes after I hung up, I hear the sirens. Wonderful, I think.. the entire fire department is coming to save me from a bunch of burning cheez-its in my oven. This is classic. Well, long story short... they did arrive and I reluctantly led them to the scene of the crime, or so I felt. Yes, once at the scene they got more than a chuckle out of it, probably mostly out of me (the neighborhood wannabe arsonist). Yes, I felt pretty embarrassed to say the least, but one thing was a positive for me in the end.. they didn't jet very quick, they stayed and chatted for a while there in my dink box kitchen and were all extremely easy on the eyes too. That's right ladies... YUUUUUMMMMMY!!! I am talking not your average joe fireman, but pin up perfect firemen that many of us women all over the country have fantasies about coming to our rescue in our private lives (or not so private, whatever works for ya!). I seriously had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn't all just some crazy dream. So anyway, if there was a good outcome to the slightly ego squashing story here... it was definitely that. And in the end, needless to say, after I told my boyfriend he got more than a few laughs at my expense.. & rightly so, as I will probably never live it down. However, I just have to keep saying... God Bless hot men in uniform, even if it does take a pretty quirky idea gone completely wrong to get them to show up at your door. ;)

*** Closing Notation: I had no idea until I did a little web surfing that there is actually a petition for us "slightly burnt cheez-it" lovers out there to sign in hopes to get a box of our "favorite flavor" up on the shelves. Just click on this sight and sign it if your little heart desires like mine: http://www.petitiononline.com/kjr928/petition.html