Maybe because of an initial commitment to a long list of ingredients or something else beyond my comprehension, I just cannot figure out to make a satisfying bouillabaisse.
Also, Xiaolongbao because folding the dumplings is above my meager spatial skills.
Regular white or brown rice on the stovetop. Somehow I always end up either with hard kernels or mush, especially with brown. No problem with basmati. I know a rice cooker would solve all of my problems, but we don’t eat enough rice to make storing one worthwhile.
Mrs. ricepad has suggested the same to me, but I’m too stubborn to listen to reason. Mostly she tells me my method will result in a very tasty butter. By my reasoning, however, it’s far easier to wash out a jar and lid than a bowl and beater/whisk. I can be a real pighead sometimes.
ETA: In defense of my admittedly weak justification, I’m usually whipping up just enough for the two of us, so it seems like overkill to get out a bowl and even my smallest whisk.
I have never made a good pie crust. Simple as all heck for most people, mine always suck.
Can’t think of anything else I’ve had trouble pulling off, but there’s probably something else out there.
Edit - ah, HAH! Here’s one.
I tried these several different ways (even @ScottinPollock’s foolproof recipe suggestions) and although they were always tasty, they never got the Crooks-N-Nannies they were supposed to get. Just bread inside.
So Chirashi “scattered sushi” is perfect for you!
Some things are worth the effort … how long does it take to wash & dry a mixer bowl and whisk? The payoff: luscious pillows of lightly whipped cream flowing over perfectly ripe (in season) strawberries.
Two Tips: A pastry mat helps a lot … I have a big one without markings that I’ve been using but decided to try this one with guides: (Just sprinkle on a little flour first)
Give this Pie Dough recipe a try … all butter, uses Cuisinart but includes another method. She says to use two tea towels (wrap the dough like a beggar’s purse, but one is all you need, just do half at a time, then wrap in plastic wrap, into the fridge before rolling out. Use like a linen tea towel, never terry or microfiber! I just hand wash and dry and reuse a few times before washing in machine.) I follow her instructions exactly and I don’t have any problems.
Same here.
I think it’s so much easier if some expert (mother? grandmother? aunt?) is by your side in the kitchen, teaching you how to do things like this; this is how people used to learn to do these more difficult tasks. Sadly, I had to teach myself how to do this, also to make fresh pasta. We are so fortunate to have easy access now to recipes and videos to teach us these things if we want to learn them.
We have to eat every day, might as well learn how to make something delicious.
I can’t poach an egg either, but to be fair I haven’t tried that many times. My sous vide is so much easier and makes eggs perfectly to my liking in runniness.
I think I’ve posted elsewhere that a whole roasted duck is my kryptonite. It’s either moist and flabby, or it’s well-rendered and dry. There is no in-between. I’m much better at getting that balance with a drumstick or a breast, but stick more parts together and it stops working for me. 
My omelets taste good, but look ugly. The roll has never been easy nor that successful for me.
The other thing I am terrible at - but not a dish - cutting even matchstick anything. I can prep different things for much longer periods, but if you handed me a few potatoes, carrots or whatever veg you have on hand, they start looking wonky after about 5 minutes. I just get bored! They are thin, they are small size, but I can’t be bothered with making them so even.
My mother and aunt, both excellent pie makers, tried to teach me. I’m hopeless.
I use the smallest of the bowls in a Pyrex 4-bowl set, and that, with a hand mixer, makes some excellent whipped cream, and you’re not overloaded with it. The bowls chill well too. This is my set:
Good lord - someone wants $200 for this set on eBay. Ummm, NO.
Stop undermining my already weak rationalizations, dammit!
I hate making rice on the stovetop so much that I’d rather wash all the parts of my InstantPot (in other words, I make it in the IP which means more to clean, but it’s so much easier - for me, at least - that it’s worth the extra scrubbing).
Re-brand it as ‘Steve’s hand-shaken pouring cream’ and voila! Fancy!
That reminds me of a Julia Child story. She reputedly once had homemade ice cream fail to set for a dinner party. She rechristened it as ‘floating ice cream’ and served it anyway!
I make really great pie crust but unashamedly uae Pillsbury pre made. Its actually made with lard and comes out reliably good crust.
I can now accept that I’m not good at everything. It’s ok, I excel in some areas.
Read this and prepared to be shocked.
Damn. I can only think of the number of Blue Cornflower casserole dishes (with lids!) of my Mom’s. I might have a couple, but honestly don’t remember.
