No, I didn't do the fried pies yesterday. I like to cook and I am good at it, but I have my limits. Monday night Lyman and I cooked Shrimp Creole from Rima and Richard Collins' The New Orleans Cookbook. It's as good a recipe as we have in the house, and if you are willing to sell your favorite child or grandchild into slavery, you, too, can try it.

Here's the list of ingredients (no amounts -- too taxing): oil, flour, scallions, celery, onion, green pepper, garlic, parsley, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chives, red wine, bay leaves, whole allspice, cloves, salt, black pepper, cayenne, chili powder, mace, basil, thyme, lemon juice and water. And 2 pounds of peeled shrimp.

We used home canned tomatoes rather than tomatoes and tomato sauce, and Lyman made a stock from shrimp shells to use in place of water. This recipe calls for 1 & 3/4 cups of thinly sliced scallions, and let me tell you, my personal Hell is standing at the sink cleaning green onions thinner than my little finger. And it was delicious.

But last night? Hamburgers were too much trouble.