Tru here.  Example of my cooking prowess from day before yesterday: tried to cook a super simple recipe so what could go wrong?  Cut finger (rather severely because picked up shears that cut bone) from tremors & poor estimate of finger placement when opening mix packet.  Meanwhile knocked liquid to floor and made mess that was running onto new cabinet.  Remembered need to use potholder but forgot HOW.  I know that makes no sense, but I think brain shattered from the other stuff.

Possible TOOLS:

One friend purchased chain-link glove to enable safe cutting despite tremors and distance/depth perception complications.  For her that works a lot better than heavy-duty gloves, which seem more difficult to keep clean and dry.

Possible TECHNIQUES:

Tips from Barry Pankhurst:  When I am baking, so that I don’t make any mistakes and forget any of the ingredients, what I do is to:

1. Always have my typed-out recipe in front of me so that I can clearly see it and follow the ingredients list.
2. As I have Alzheimer’s and dementia I now always pre-weigh each of the ingredients into individual dishes and then lay them out in accordance with my recipe list.
3. Then when mixing and making the recipe I can double check and tick that I have all the ingredients correct as I add them into the recipe.
4. In the past when baking products, I could rely on my built-in memory clock to know when products would be baked “BUT  NOW” I have to use a baking alarm timer otherwise I would have to call myself (King Alfred).

As for all my ingredients I have my own very big bakery bench and behind me I have my own ingredients cupboard with everything labeled.  I also have a small bench and rack by the side of my large bench that has all my more bulky ingredients such as the flour and all my cake decorating equipment.  All my other tools are kept underneath my work bench on a shelf.

I also believe and still practice the philosophy that (Everything has its place, and should and must be kept in its place).  In this way it helps prevent any further confusion in my mind.

So to help my mind, it’s all about my preparation first.

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From Max McCormick:  I use a lot of the same methods Barry does for cooking.  I line up the ingredients in order on the counter, then move them off to the side or put them away once I’ve used each one.  I also check off the steps on the recipe.  When I have to add more than one of something, like cups of flour, I mark each one with a tally mark on a piece of paper so that I don’t lose track of how much I’ve put in.

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From Truthful:  In the past I was able to use simple mixes or make-a-mix myself, so that no one project was too complex.  Measuring each ingredient into 1-quart glass measuring cup allowed re-count if lost track of amount.  Alarms ensured power got turned off when done.  CLEAR, well-marked ingredient canisters simplified process of finding my ingredients since often word labels fail to register as ingredient I am looking for.

Unfortunately those techniques no longer work for me.  However there are a few things I can still make.  Container pictured above is used to make my creamer.  I put one can of condensed milk into bottle, filling to first red line marked “condensed milk”.  Then between the two red lines says “1/2 tsp vanilla and sweetener” so that goes in next; maybe a squirt of Gourmet Davinci Sugar Free Irish Cream (or English Toffee) Syrup.  Then fill to top red line with “White Almond-Coconut Milk”, as marked.

Shaker for protein drink is also CLEAR container marked for proportion of both wet and dry ingredients.  Then the contest is remembering to close the shaker lid before shaking (where I again messed up this morning, like in my blog of a month ago).

With chocolate protein in shaker cup I pour into CLEAR coffee cup until half full, then fill the rest with coffee (my husband makes) and add creamer.  I have yet to discover successful microwave time estimates other than the one-minute button.  …  I just need to remember not to trust my own estimates because my estimator is obviously broken!
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