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Post by BoatBabe on May 4, 2010 22:33:45 GMT -5
Ohhh, Obscenely chocolatesque. Among other things . . . Gotta try it.
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Post by doctork on May 5, 2010 23:15:57 GMT -5
One of the disadvantages of living at a hotel is that I cannot really do any cooking. Oh yes, there is a complete kitchen. But I just don't want to spend a ton of money for a variety of ingredients when I know I won't use but a fraction.
Oh well, angel making me meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and home made lasagna, makes up for it. Mostly.
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Post by BoatBabe on May 9, 2010 22:33:40 GMT -5
One of the disadvantages of living at a hotel is that I cannot really do any cooking. Oh yes, there is a complete kitchen. But I just don't want to spend a ton of money for a variety of ingredients when I know I won't use but a fraction. Oh well, angel making me meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and home made lasagna, makes up for it. Mostly. That's a disadvantage?!? Puh-Lease. So, no planning, no shopping, no cooking and no dishes. And no time or storage for the above said stuff. Sort of like being on a perpetual cruise, eh? ;D So, I'll try to find some more recipes that make you desperate, doc, for the thrills of cooking yourself.
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Post by doctork on May 10, 2010 8:05:31 GMT -5
But sometimes I get tired of Lean Pockets or PB&J for lunch! Salads for dinner. However, yesterday being Mother's Day and all, I got take-out Chinese!
I do shopping and dishes - just not much.
And I will be headed home soon - end of the month - where I will go to Dream Dinners and make a whole month's worth of "real meals." There is Dream Dinners in the Phoenix area, but I do not want to drive all the way down there.
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Post by BoatBabe on May 10, 2010 20:42:04 GMT -5
But sometimes I get tired of Lean Pockets or PB&J for lunch! Salads for dinner. However, yesterday being Mother's Day and all, I got take-out Chinese! I do shopping and dishes - just not much. And I will be headed home soon - end of the month - where I will go to Dream Dinners and make a whole month's worth of "real meals." There is Dream Dinners in the Phoenix area, but I do not want to drive all the way down there. ALLLLL-righty then. Dream Dinners = real meals. ;D Can't argue with logic like that. Dahhlink is making tacos from scratch. Not very time consuming. Really nummy. The spicing of the meat is paramount. NO Packaged Crap.
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Post by gailkate on May 10, 2010 23:50:56 GMT -5
Dream dinners are from scratch, aren't they? As I understand the concept, someone else has scratched up all the ingredients, but they still must be put together. I've studied all the directories around here and can't find anything similar to the ones K has described. I'd love one that would just let me point to ingredients and let minions do the chopping, sautéing, etc. I would do the hard parts, anything involving chocolate, whipped cream or honey.
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Post by doctork on May 11, 2010 20:23:59 GMT -5
Dream dinners are from scratch, aren't they? As I understand the concept, someone else has scratched up all the ingredients, but they still must be put together. I've studied all the directories around here and can't find anything similar to the ones K has described. I'd love one that would just let me point to ingredients and let minions do the chopping, sautéing, etc. I would do the hard parts, anything involving chocolate, whipped cream or honey. Yup, Dream Dinners are from scratch. You schedule an assembly time and list of meals you want to make, go to the "meal assembly kitchen," and each of your selected meals will have a "station" where all the ingredients are there waiting for you - chopped, sliced, ready to put together. If the recipe calls for 1/4 cup chopped onions, there will be a container of freshly chopped onions and a 1/4 cup scoop. The meals will be in either zip-top bags or disposable aluminum pans. Each meal serves 2- 6 people - you choose size, and it varies by the franchise too; you prepare them to your taste (Howard hates onions so I go light on them in any recipe) and take them home to put in the freezer. I can make 15 meals (3 or 6 servings each) in just under 2 hours. At Dream Dinners, they offer 3 or 6-serving sizes, but other vendors offer 2/4/6 serving size choices. The meals are generally very nutritious, using low-fat and healthier alternatives where possible. The nutritional information for each meal is on the website. You're right gk, there is no Dream Dinners in Minnesota, but there is "Let's Dish" in St. Paul (750 Cleveland Ave S) that looks very similar. Here's the current month's menus. www.letsdish.com/menus/storemenu.aspxThere are 3 pasta dishes that look suitable for vegetarians, two fish or shrimp meals (depending if you do seafood), and a chicken stir-fry that probably would work with tofu. At the Bellingham store, the owner offered tofu and other accommodations for vegetarians, but that would probably be store-specific. Most stores offer an option to prepare the meals for you to pick up; the store I use in Winston-Salem charges $10 for that. Watch the website or google "coupons + Dream Dinners" to look for a sale or discount or new customer offers. There are also discounts for "Frequent Flyer" customers. Because you don't have food waste and don't have to buy an expensive spice to use 1/2 tsp for one recipe, it can actually save money over grocery store shopping and do-it-yourself. This is especially true if your default is fast food or ordering pizza or Chinese.
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Post by BoatBabe on May 11, 2010 20:50:15 GMT -5
I haven't done Dream Dinners, either. But my girlfriend does. As I understand it, they have recipes there that the ingredients fit. You grab the disposable foil pan, assemble the mostly fresh ingredients, take it home with directions to cook, and can do a whole week of food preparation on a Saturday afternoon. I don't mean to sound so disparaging, it's just that the broccoli casserole we had at her house was bland, at best, and soggy at worst after being frozen and thawed. The last two days I've asked my Main Greek Chef-Guy to make a Greek salad with chicken for my lunch. He sautes the chicken with onions, zucchini, red and green peppers and mystery spices, then tosses the salad with an olive oil/fresh lime juice dressing. MMM-mmm!
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Post by hartlikeawheel on May 12, 2010 0:59:15 GMT -5
The bars sound delicious and filling, indeed, Gail. And certainly they're more palatable than the Donner Party's repasts. Some party!
Yes, the pie had a lard crust, Babe. It was as light and flaky as snow. After years of pie-making I've finally got it down pat. After I cut the lard into the flour and salt I put it back in the refrigerator to get cold. I use ice water to mix it and touch it as little as is humanly possible.
I brush the top with milk the last fifteen min. of baking and sprinkle with sugar.
Your episode of duplicating jay's dessert was hilarious. The tricks you need to know about boat life.
The other day I made a half-recipe of rhubarb chutney just to see how it would taste. It was good and I think I'll make some more.
Rhubarb Chutney
8 C. rhubarb cut into 1/2 in. pieces 2/3 C. cider vinegar 1 1/2C. brown sugar 1 C. golden raisins 3 cloves minced garlic 12 peppercorns 1/4 C. finely chopped ginger 1/2 t. salt I also added a couple of drops of red food coloring to make it pink.
Simmer about eight min. until rhubarb is tender and mixture thickens.
Makes about five cups.
This will be good with pork.
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Post by gailkate on May 12, 2010 9:31:51 GMT -5
That chutney sounds divine - some good bread and chutney would be a great snack. I wonder if it could inclue onions, which Howard should learn to like (or disguise). See this: www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/updates/onions.phpStomach cancer in particular is much reduced in populations that consume lots of onion and garlic. Go here for great chart of vits and mins in vegetables: www.healthalternatives2000.com/vegetables-nutrition-chart.htmlLooking up onions, I just noticed that parsnips contain a potload of potassium. This would be good to know, K, for pts. who can't swallow potassium pills. How about a Dream Dinner concoction of banana/parsnip chutney?
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Post by gailkate on May 12, 2010 23:38:29 GMT -5
Chutney coincidence.
Our neighborhood newspaper had some rhubarb recipes today, including one for chutney. It started with only a lb. of rhubarb, which I take to be 2 cups, so the proportions are different. But it does include a medium chopped onion! In addition to the ingredients in hart's recipe it calls for 1-2 cinnamon sticks. No mention of peppercorns, which I think sound like a special touch, not to be skipped.
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Post by BoatBabe on May 13, 2010 20:15:39 GMT -5
I'm taking notes. If I can get out from under the upholstery job this weekend, I'm making hart's Rhubarb Cream Pie and Rhubarb Chutney.
Gail, could you post the chutney recipe from the newspaper so I can see variances and proportions? Thanks!
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Post by gailkate on May 14, 2010 17:54:18 GMT -5
Here goes with the chutney. That little paper doesn't have an online version, so I'll type from my clipping and hope to get it right. RHUBARB CHUTNEY 2 Tb olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 lb. rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1/2 C golden raisins 1/2 C brown sugar, packed 1 TB fresh minced ginger 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks 1TB sherry vinegar
Heat the olive oil in a saucpan over medium heat Add the onion and cook until softened Add the rhubarb, raisins, brown sugar, ginger and cinnamon Continue to cook, stirring over medium heat till the rhubarb starts to break down (6-7 mins.) Stir in vinegar and remove from heat Remove cinnamon sticks
Adjust for taste with more sugar or vinegar. Will keep in refrigerator for several weeks.As I said, hart's sounds good with the peppercorns. I also doubt that sherry vinegar is necessary. Combining the two recipes should be pretty easy. Besides pork, she recommended smearing this on sandwiches, esp. smoked turkey. She also said that you can bake rhubarb (chopped and sugared) while you're baking something else. But that would require having an oven that wasn't out to get you.
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Post by BoatBabe on May 14, 2010 22:14:00 GMT -5
Oooooh, cool. Lots of ideas now, with tastes and quantities.
Thanks so much!
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Post by BoatBabe on May 25, 2010 21:36:38 GMT -5
Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup honey * 1/3 cup Dijon or spicy brown mustard * 3 teaspoons curry powder * 6 tablespoons butter, melted * 1/8 teaspoon pepper * Dash ground cayenne pepper * 4 split chicken breast halves, bone-in, skin removed or left on
Preparation: In a bowl, combine the honey, mustard, curry powder, butter, and peppers; blend well. Wash chicken breasts and pat dry. Trim away any excess fat and remove skin, if desired. Arrange the chicken breasts, skin or meaty side up, in a lightly greased baking pan. Coat the chicken with the honey mixture. Cover with foil and refrigerate for an hour or two.
Bake the chicken, covered, in a 375° oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and baste the chicken. Continue baking, uncovered, for 30 minutes longer, basting every 10 to 15 minutes. Serves 4.
Okay, so that's the recipe. Dahhlink used all of the honey mixture in the basting. He made rice in the rice cooker, and forked out the baked chunky curry sauce to serve over the rice.
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Post by doctork on May 25, 2010 22:20:14 GMT -5
That Curry Chicken and Rice looks so good! Maybe I will try the recipe this weekend when I am home in North Carolina!
(Just trying out the phrase "home in NC")
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Post by gailkate on May 25, 2010 23:36:50 GMT -5
Thanks, BB and dahhlink! I'm going to try the basic sauce on rice. I learned a chicken/rice trick from a long ago boyfriend. Put the chicken in a roasting pan. Surround it with uncooked rice. As the juices start running, the rice soaks up all the juice and whatever flavoring you've added - presto, chicken and rice ready to dish up straight from the roaster. I think that would work with this scrumptious - and pretty hot - curry sauce.
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Post by BoatBabe on May 26, 2010 7:37:55 GMT -5
That's a good trick with the rice, gk. Dahhlink sometimes uses it, particularly when he is in a Cream of Mushroom Mood.
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Post by BoatBabe on May 27, 2010 20:48:26 GMT -5
Spot Prawns sauted in garlic infused olive oil and Old Bay Seasoning, Yukon Gold Potatoes and tomato slices. Not really homegrown tamada tasting, but pretty okay. See, this picture is much better with the sofa coloring. Attachments:
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Post by BoatBabe on Jun 24, 2010 19:14:20 GMT -5
Sorry I've been so lax in updating that it might be past Rhubarb Season in your area. This is my favorite: Attachments:
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Post by BoatBabe on Jun 24, 2010 19:16:51 GMT -5
I tried two shots of this killer pie, because it is hard to see that there are three wheat stems. It is a Rhubarb Custard Pie, the best of the best, if you ask me. Even if you didn't. ;D Attachments:
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Post by jspnrvr on Jun 24, 2010 19:21:18 GMT -5
Now, that there is a good lookin' pie. It would sure be a pity to let it set around too long.
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Post by BoatBabe on Jun 24, 2010 19:31:28 GMT -5
I had initially used my Apple Pie Crust to make this pie (which was darned good,) but this pic is my old-fashioned lard/ice water crust with an egg wash and lightly sprinkled sugar (Killer!) You can see how that fluffed it up.
The Rhubarb Custard guts:
4 cups of rhubarb, sliced (long if thin, short if fat)
3 eggs, slightly beaten, then pour over rhubarb and fold in with spatula
Mix together: 1/4 cup canned milk 2 cups sugar (glug in a little more canned milk to moisten all if necesary)
Add to rhubarb and fold in with spatula
1/4 c flour nutmeg (a few generous dashes)
Add to rhubarb and fold in with spatula
Fill bottom crust
2 tbsp butter, dotted over filling
Add top crust
Bake at 450 degrees F. for 10 minutes, then 350 degrees for 40 minutes
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Post by BoatBabe on Jun 24, 2010 19:35:51 GMT -5
Now, that there is a good lookin' pie. It would sure be a pity to let it set around too long. ;D Well, see, that's the deal, Jay!
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Post by gailkate on Jun 25, 2010 8:10:23 GMT -5
ok, now about "canned milk." Do you mean evaporated or sweetened condensed or what? Why do some recipes call for one of these over regular/skim/low-fat? Last year I bought a book called Bakewise, which has invaluable explanations of the chemistry of baking and the differences among ingredients. But I don't remember anything about canned milk and I don't know where the book is buried. (Ain't no way the oven is being used till this heat wave simmers down.) But it's a gorgeous pie and I love the idea of food as it accents room decor.
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Post by BoatBabe on Jun 25, 2010 21:58:15 GMT -5
Canned milk is not sweetened. It's just a can of milk, evaporated milk (thicker than usual.) Used as "milk," you just add the same amount of water.
No matter what, sweetened milk is going to read, "Sweetened Condensed Milk," probably not something you want to mix with 2 cups of sugar . . .
;D
I can always tell the people who had refrigeration and readily available fresh milk growing up.
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Post by gailkate on Sept 6, 2010 0:07:58 GMT -5
Wouldn't you know it? Boatbabe got so clever with the name of this thread that no one would remember it was about cooking. So I'm dredging it up onto our radar screen.
Also, there's a survey thread on what's most important in baking a good pie. Much useful discussion of tips and tricks.
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Post by doctork on Sept 6, 2010 7:48:38 GMT -5
Thanks for bumping this.
BUT, is there a recipe for pie crust? I used to have one for "Fool Proof Pie Crust" but I lost it. Sometimes there are problems with all this moving around.
But I am pleasantly reminded of what is in my near future by my posts from The Residence Inn. And I have scheduled my Dream Dinners Session in Phoenix for next Saturday!
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Post by BoatBabe on Sept 8, 2010 1:31:26 GMT -5
Well, this is fun! Doc, My Dahhlink is living on Marie Calander's (sp?) pot pies in his microwave. Not too bad, I guess. Could be worse. I have pie crust recipes. You want some? I've been living on, ummmm, cottage cheese and toast. It's just different, I guess. I wash dishes once a week. Dream Dinners are sounding pretty darned good!
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Post by gailkate on Sept 10, 2010 9:31:31 GMT -5
Let's talk about sardines. This may be a one-shot topic, as not that many people like talking about sardines. Still, I have a reason. Jerry has had a physical which raised some nutrition issues, Not enough HappyDL. Others, too, but I'm on HDL now. The idea of sardines, packed in oil and looking exactly like the disgusting piscatory slime they are, is not appetizing. However, I recall being fed some Happy Hour snacks of sardines on crackers and - though I'd been imbibing - they weren't too bad. Does anyone know how to make them palatable?
Just the other day, the antique column in our paper described special dishes meant to hold a can of sardines on elegant Victorian tables. They were delicacies and all the rage. Apparently ladies in satin and lace were pleased to partake, which makes one wonder. Were there special towels for squeezing out the oil? Did servants go around squeezing and deftly placing sardines on the guests' plates? Was there a contingency plan for barfing?
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