So, you’ve got that special someone coming over for a wonderful dinner–you’ve got the flowers, the candles, and all the ingredients on standby, and now, all you need to do is prepare the perfect meal. However, as you’re working your way through the recipe, you realize that you’ve completely messed it up somehow.

What are you going to do? You can’t just stand there and watch in horror as your heavenly creation is quickly turning into a nightmare, right before your eyes. You have to rescue it!

Luckily, most of the mistakes we make in the kitchen can be easily fixed. So, if you are someone who is prone to kitchen accidents, get yourself a notepad and a pen. Or just bookmark this page for future reference.

Here are a couple of ways you can fix common cooking mistakes.

1. Browning the Steak

There is nothing like a good ol’ sear on a freshly-prepared steak. If you think that your steak isn’t browning, there could be a valid reason behind it. This usually happens when the steak has water residue on it and to get that perfect sear, the steak has to be dry. So make sure to pat it dry before throwing it into a hot pan. Once you’ve done that, just stand back and enjoy the sizzle.

Pexels | Simply remove the steak, dry it and then put it back in the hot pan

2. Overcooked Pasta

When it comes to making pasta, many recipes talk about cooking it until it's al dente, which means leaving it with a slightly undercooked feel to it. But if you happen to be one of those unfortunate individuals who overcook their pasta, then worry not. Simply drain the pasta as soon as possible and then add it into a pan along with cheese, cream, and beaten eggs. Cook the mixture until it's firm and then present it right off the pan. There you go, a whole new dish.

Pexels | Every Italian’s worst nightmare: overcooked pasta

3. Not-So-Crispy Roasted Potatoes

You can’t forget crispiness when it comes to roasted potatoes. If you are having trouble with the crispiness, then there is only one reason behind it: your cooking tray is overcrowded with too many potatoes, which is not allowing the heat to distribute properly. So, you can either divide the potatoes into two roasting trays or roast them in different batches.

Pexels | Make sure to leave space between the potatoes

These simple saves are going to turn your nightmare dinner into a truly memorable one.