Posted by elixirbeth on 2006-03-09 21:02:06
Post Subject: question about 50s retro collectibles
hi all,
as a collector myself, i was approached by my MIL with a question. she was wondering if the Watkins casserole dishes are of any particular value... i dont collect that brand, and know nothing about it other than that its still in business. any info?
i dont want to answer with an "i dont know" based on principle... yall know how it is.
Posted by tinafay on 2007-10-10 00:56:14
Post Subject: Puffed Pizza Casserole
Puffed Pizza Casserole
1 lb. ground chuck 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cups spaghetti sauce, any flavor 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup milk 3 eggs 1 cup shredded mozzarella Parmesan cheese Brown meat and onion; drain. Add sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon hot sauce into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. put in oven to keep warm. In a bowl, beat eggs and milk until frothy. Add flour and salt, then beat until smooth. Pour over hot meat mixture, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until dough is puffed and browned.
Last night I made this up as I went along. It was pretty much perfect, although I'm sure on Saturday I will find out it was 43616781512 Weight Watchers points (I'm joining on Saturday). But whatever, it's my last hurrah.
I may be a decent cook but I'm still a horrible photographer. You want the recipe? Okay here goes.
===
Italian Casserole
(I'm sure this name is offensive or even incorrect but it's what I came up with at 8:15 in the morning.)
1 box rotini (or pasta of your choice)
1 pack Italian sausage
1 pepperoni (or you can buy pre-sliced, but Jimmy wanted chunks)
2 bell peppers
1 pack small mushrooms
1 onion
1 shallot
1 handful fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic
4 oz. mozzerella cheese
4 oz. parmesan cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce (or make your own)
Note: I highly recommend using good cheese, no matter what you're cooking. It will totally make the difference between a dish people remember and a dish that evokes a "meh." This means stay away from anything that says Kraft on it. Also, I just combined everything in the baking dish as I went along, but it would have been less messy to do it in a big bowl, then dump it into the baking dish.
1. Cook the pasta, meanwhile prep other stuff and put into a 9x13 glass baking dish.
2. Slice bell peppers into strips, slice mushrooms in half and chop parsley. Place in baking dish.
3. Chop onion, shallot and garlic. Saute in olive oil, put in baking dish.
4. Chop pepperoni into chunks, place in dish.
5. Cut sausage into bite size pieces, fully cook (I just threw them in a teflon pan til done), place into dish.
6. Put cooked pasta into baking dish, followed by jar of spaghetti sauce and mix everything well.
7. Cut mozzerella into slices or break apart, and distribute over top of mixture. Grate parmesan and cover everything.
8. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted.
9. Serve up and enjoy. This would go great with garlic bread.
If anyone tries this or comes up with a better name let me know. Permanent link to this can be found at My Aim Is True.com.
Posted by athena on 2005-05-23 10:47:40
Post Subject:
oh, thank you! i've been looking for a protein-rich breakfast recipe i could make ahead of time (i have to watch my blood sugar). how long can you keep the casserole? how would you store it?
Posted by becca_13 on 2004-12-28 11:01:29
Post Subject:
my mom and sisters were in town for a few days before x-mas so i cooked up a storm and also made home made dog biscuits for the neighbor's puppies.
for x-mas dinner with my hubby's dad on the 23rd i made stuffed mushroom apps, goat cheese and almond stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, raclette, made a tomato, cucumber, vidalia onion salad with home made creamy vinegrette dressing, raspberry rum trifle and a few other things.
for x-mas dinner with hubby's mom on the 24th (our southern x-mas) there was cheesy vidalia dip with crackers, cream cheese with red pepper jelly and crackers, a fried turkey, sweet potato casserole with ginger and brown sugar, green been casserole, garlic and cheddar biscuits, collards, cranberry sauce, and a caramel apple pie.
Posted by elixirbeth on 2005-08-16 09:11:21
Post Subject:
TUNA CASSEROLE
1 large can of albacore tuna in water
1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
milk (pref whole or 2 %)
2/3 to 3/4 of a bag of egg noodles (about 8 to 10 oz)
grated cheese
handful of frozen peas
white pepper (optional)
cook noodles as directed. preheat oven to 350.
in another pot, combine soup and a can's worth of milk. cook until combined and warm. add a dash of white pepper if you like. drain tuna and add it to the soup. add a handful of frozen peas.
heres where i get confused... i cant remember if the pan has to be 9 x 9 or 9 x 13... i guess tell her to use which ever one she has! (hehe) either way, a glass pan works the best.
drain noodles. grease the pan, and add noodles. pour soup/tuna mixture onto the noodles. sprinkle with cheese. bake at 350 until cheese is melty and casserole is golden brown around the edges.
let stand on the stove top for a minute or two after pulling the dish out of the oven.
YUM!
ps. im vegetarian, too... this recipe is about as basic and meat-centered as i get!
Posted by lazysundae on 2007-12-15 10:39:58
Post Subject: Christmas dinner!
i've got food on the brain. who's cooking xmas dinner? my bf and i are in nyc, both away from family this year so i'm going to try a german-inspired xmas since he is homesick for germany:
roast duck w/ cherries and black peppercorn sauce
red cabbage
mashed potatoes (we don't like potato dumplings)
green bean casserole (i didn't make one at thanksgiving)
cheesecake w/ lemon-blueberry topping (not really german but it's our favorite dessert)
i miss xmas in the philippines w/ my family, where we have a whole roast pig and someone stands there all night to carve it. i know there are a lot of vegetarians here but i grew up on meat! sorry if this grosses you out :)
Posted by jennjitsu on 2005-06-29 00:57:22
Post Subject: can anything be a casserole?
I'm trying to get creative with stretching our food supply. I like casseroles because you can squeeze many food groups into one, they feed my husband and myself for days and they are easy.
I have recipes, but is there a general formula for turning anything into a casserole? Sometimes I have weird combinations for leftovers and wish I could just dump it all into a casserole dish and work a little oven voo doo.
What is the main component of a casserole? Noodles? Evaporated milk or some kind of sauce? Hit me!
Posted by kindarana on 2005-06-30 09:32:39
Post Subject:
I think if you can bake it in a casserole dish you can call it a casserole.
If you can find some Midwestern church cookbooks (who knows, they might post them online) you will find more casseroles than you could ever use.
They're also a good way to get rid of leftover veggies or meats or starches.... or even leftover cream of mushroom/chicken (I forget who's veggie around here) soup, if anyone actually eats that for soup instead of using it to make casseroles.
Let me call all the spirits of my ancestors and give you a generic formula:
Start with a starch:
- rice
- noodles
- sliced potatoes
For an authentic MW taste, ensure that nothing besides salt (yes, above and beyond the sodium-enhanced soup) is added for flavoring, perhaps a scant bit of ground pepper.
Posted by kindarana on 2006-05-18 00:01:16
Post Subject:
If casseroles are common fare near you (I'm from the Midwest, where the question is more often "which kind of casserole") maybe a fruit salad or munchies (chips/veggie platter) might be good too. Pasta salad maybe?
I love the freezable casserole suggestion, though.
Posted by Karen1948 on 2006-09-06 12:20:33
Post Subject:
I have a couple of ideas for you. These could be used as the inserts for the bottom of casserole carriers. There are several patterns on-line and in Simplicity, Butterick etc. commercial patterns. I made these as gifts for family members one Christmas and they were a great hit -- we do a lot of potluck dinners in nw Ontario.
Another suggestion is to paint them and give as trivets for gifts. I'm not a painter so what I would likely do is just put on a base coat of paint and stencil something on them as decoration.
Yet another idea is to use them as picture frames -- use a jigsaw to cut out the centre in whatever shape you choose, make some kind of a "hinge" (purchased small hinges or pieces of leather, ribbon or whatever; put a "closure of some type on the 2 sides (available at craft or hardware stores) and a hanger on the back and presto you have picture frames. The smaller pieces left from cutting out the centre could be used as a small trivet or .. . . .
I have other ideas but this post is getting pretty long as it is ;)
Good luck.
Karen
Posted by girlsavage on 2005-08-16 13:55:15
Post Subject:
Mexican Beef Ole'
1.Prepare 6 servings mashed potatoes.
put in 2qt. casserole pan
2. Stir in 1 can drained corn 1 1/2 - 2 cups beef(or whatever) taco meat and 1/2cup shredded cheddar cheese.
3. Spoon 1cup salsa over top and sprinkle with another 1/2cup shredded cheddar and 1cup crunched up tortilla chips
4. Bake in 350 degree oven until piping hot in center...15-20 min.
keeps well in the fridge for about 6 days and rewarms nicely
Posted by cackalackie on 2005-09-24 11:00:36
Post Subject:
Hey guess what? I was just looking through some old recipe cards and found my grandmother's old recipe for pumplin cookies, along with many others. Looks like in my youthful wisdom, I asked her for lots of recipes.....
Posted by brdgt on 2007-02-27 22:50:27
Post Subject:
Maybe some fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola? Or you can make a breakfast casserole and bring in portions each night. Throw in some bagels once in a while?
Posted by stella on 2004-11-23 12:35:10
Post Subject:
if you don't want to be gourmet, you can buy boxes of instant stuffing at the store. i think Mrs. Cubbisons has some vegetarian ones, just read the ingredients to make sure there's no meat flavoring or anything. just follow the directions on the box. i usually put all the prepared stuffing in a casserole and bake it for a while, until the top browns.
Posted by lawgirl on 2005-11-01 15:23:47
Post Subject: me too!
Ooh I am flashing back to that scene in Steel Magnolias where the woman says she wants to cook something from the "Freezes Beautifully" section of the cookbook.
Anyway, a good friend of mine is having a baby in about a week and all the ladies from church take turns bringing her a meal. I am so excited that I just bought a new casserole dish. But I am new to cooking/baking, so I have no cookbook and thus no "Freezes Beautifully" section.
I would love to see some simple (for a beginner like me) recipes that include some healthy and yummy ingredients. In general, I think the fewer the ingredients the better, but I'd love to see some of your fav recipes.
Posted by culinarymartyr on 2004-12-15 00:13:31
Post Subject:
My mom has made an eggs/sausage casserole for years on Christmas morning, prepped the day before and popped into the oven before we start opening gifts. Depending on the schedule we might have fruit salad, fresh biscuits, or any manner of other things. Since we always had lots of local visiting to do it was nice to have a calm, relaxed morning together.
One friend made Paula Deen's french bread casserole (should be on the food network site) and swore it was fantastic (I think just about everything Paula does is fantastic).
My aunt is making a hash brown casserole - frozen hashbrowns and onions and tons and tons of cheese - this year, which should be good.
Posted by lazysundae on 2007-11-09 16:33:07
Post Subject: No Thanksgiving thread yet?
What's on your menus? How do I convince my BF that we alone cannot consume an entire turkey??
My menu so far:
Hot Spiked-Spiced-Buttered Apple Cider
Cornbread-sausage-apple stuffing
Brussel sprouts w/ golden raisins & prosciutto/pancetta/bacon (haven't decided yet)
Traditional sweet potato casserole (w/ the marshmallows)
Red velvet cupcakes from Heavenly Crumbs
I'd like to do a duck or individual cornish hens for the main course. Any tips/recipes?
Posted by sarabell on 2007-11-10 21:23:20
Post Subject: Re: No Thanksgiving thread yet?
What's on your menus? How do I convince my BF that we alone cannot consume an entire turkey??
My menu so far:
Hot Spiked-Spiced-Buttered Apple Cider
Cornbread-sausage-apple stuffing
Brussel sprouts w/ golden raisins & prosciutto/pancetta/bacon (haven't decided yet)
Traditional sweet potato casserole (w/ the marshmallows)
Red velvet cupcakes from Heavenly Crumbs
I'd like to do a duck or individual cornish hens for the main course. Any tips/recipes?
what about a turkey breast? they're pretty freaking big.
Posted by msfish on 2007-11-21 15:20:23
Post Subject:
Oh, I love your idea of your Christmas get-together - that sounds like so much fun, and it never occurred to me! I would have adored that when I was little (and I'm tempted to try to get something together now as an adult, too). What kind of casserole do you make?
Posted by nicegirl512 on 2004-11-29 19:09:13
Post Subject:
Well, I made a fairly traditional stuffing and it turned out great! Your arteries will harden just reading about it!
Melt 1 stick butter. That's right, the whole stick.
Saute
1 chopped onion
lots of chopped celery
While you're sauteeing, sprinkle in
sage (lots)
rosemary
oregano
thyme (lots)
ground bay leaf (lots)
When the onion and celery are completely translucent, pour in the bread cubes. I used the aforementioned stale baguette and cubed a few slices of whole grain bread for variety. The baguette did stop being crunchy, but it never stopped being *very* chewy. So I don't know that I recommend extremely stale bread.
I also added sunflower seeds for a texture variation and a little protein.
Stir to coat the bread with the herbs and veggies, and then pour in vegetable broth (I used the paramalat packed kind from Trader Joe's) until it's the right level of moisture. Put into a casserole and keep warm in the oven.
My mushroom gravy, also the first time I've tried it, came out DELICIOUS.
Heat about 2 tbsp olive oil and add
a chopped onion
Cook at medium low until the onion carmelizes, about 10 minutes, stirring.
While the onion is cooking,
Slice mushrooms (I used cremini and button)
When the onion is golden brownish, add the mushrooms and
3-4 cloves minced garlic.
Saute until the mushrooms are tender and have given up their juices.
Whisk about 2 tbsp flour into a cup of veggie broth, and stir into the mushrooms.
Keep adding veggie broth and/or flour (always mix the flour into the liquid first, don't add flour directly to the gravy or it will lump) until you have enough gravy and it's the right texture.
Add about 1/2 cup dry red wine. This turns the gravy purple so use
Soy sauce to adjust the salt flavor and get it back to brown.
Posted by Amber Nussbaum on 2005-12-21 09:40:58
Post Subject:
Almost any type of cookies. Sausage balls (they are just as good cold). Maybe a cold dip/cheese ball/etc and take it in a cooler with some gourmet crackers. Or a casserole/GOOD macaroni & cheese that can be heated up when you arrive...
Posted by sjkmaurice on 2005-06-30 10:52:10
Post Subject:
Also, to stretch our meat budget (chicken is CRAZY expensive in Canada, even the whole ones you have to cook for hours), I add more veggies and less meat. No one really misses it. And sometimes, it's cheapest to buy an already cooked rotisserie chicken from the deli (around $7.00) and that goes for one meal with plain chicken, one meal in a casserole or stir fry dish and two lunches of chicken salad.
I also make just enough for us to eat that night because we're horrible at eating leftovers. If we're not satisfied at the end, we eat salad.
Posted by Momto2boyz on 2007-11-22 23:52:11
Post Subject:
I've made several different casseroles in the past. My back-up is the "traditional" sausage-egg strata (but I hate it...and I don't think too many others really LOVE it or anything).
Some of the best I've made were a baked apple pancake and baked french toast casserole. But I have a sweet tooth, so I love anything sweet in the morning! Plus, I can make them all the night before and put them in the fridge. If you're intersted in any of the recipes, let me know and I can dig them out.
Posted by kitchensqueen on 2006-05-28 12:42:36
Post Subject:
Some of my favorite casseroles are scalloped potatoes with ham, baked rice, ham, spinach and mostaccoli casserole.
Baked rice is super easy-- brown garlic and onion in a pan, throw in your rice just to toast, then add chicken broth. Let the rice cook until just about tender, add your favorite herbs, and pour into a casserole and bake for a half hour. Delicious. If anybody wants the recipe with exact measurements, or the mostaccoli recipe, just let me know.
Posted by sjkmaurice on 2005-11-21 17:01:27
Post Subject:
The other day I was being lazy and dinner ended up being hamburger meat, half a large package of frozen mixed veggies and a package of Uncle Ben's already cooked rice (you're supposed to tear the corner and heat in the microwave). I just browned the beef (with onions, garlic and soy sauce) at the same time I heated the rice and veggies and mixed it all together with a touch more of soy sauce.
Another favorite of mine is leftover chicken tossed in a casserole with broccoli, mushrooms, carrots and cream of (your favorite flavor) with the added milk/water and served with pasta or rice.
Leftover spaghetti and sauce mixed with chunks of pepperoni and topped with cheese makes a great easy dinner.
My mother's favorite easy dinner is a box of Stovetop stuffing laid into a casserole pan and then topped with chicken or pork and baked for I guess about 40 minutes or so. Although it probably shouldn't be laid out a day in advance.
Posted by delqc on 2005-11-21 16:37:50
Post Subject: casseroles
Ok, I live a crazy lifestyle. I work full time, go to school part time, and am desperately trying to work out enough to lose 50 pounds. The boy works full time + loads of overtime, trains for a competitive sport, and will be going to school part time starting this winter.
AND we have 2 homes (apt in the city and cottage in the country) which require a fair bit of maitenance and cleaning.
And we generate more laundry than a football team.
So ... I'm trying to make the most of my cooking time. Last week while making one supper (butter chicken, rice and green peas with pre-made sauce) I also made a casserole for supper the next night. Same time in the kitchen, but 2 meals. The next night all we had to do was toss that Mac'n'cheese in the oven, do our workouts, then chow down.
So, do you have any easy casserole recipes that one could make the night before, and that make almost a complete meal? For the mac'n'cheese, we the eating night we just had to steam some spinach ...
Lemme know!
del
P.S. I use the mac'n'cheese recipe from the Joy of Cooking. It's REALLY GOOD!!!
Posted by cackalackie on 2004-12-14 10:02:23
Post Subject:
All that sounds really nice but also a bit rich. I think you should definitely include a fresh fruit salad (melon, pineapple, etc), which can be made the day before.
My step-mother does brunch on xmas day, and she does an egg/sausage casserole, a potato casserole (made with sour cream and onion and frozen hash brown potatoes, topped with corn flakes), fresh fruit salad, and biscuits with butter and jam and country ham. And of course fresh OJ and coffee. I have pastries and pannetone at my house first thing.....then head over there for that.
In Britain, it's customary to have smoked salmon and cream cheese or smoked salmon with scrambled eggs. That sort of thing. And mimosas ("Buck's Fizz").
Posted by aspiring on 2005-03-27 19:07:26
Post Subject:
I only know a tiny bit about the raw diet. It seems to require a whole lot of time and many fancy kitchen tools. The theory sounds pretty good and I do try to eat more raw food than I used to. Here's my question, pardon my ignorance:
is it hard to feel warm when not eating any cooked food? On wintery days I long for soup or casserole, I know these can be made raw but I crave the heat. Is that psychosomatic?
Posted by breewell on 2004-10-06 17:34:55
Post Subject:
My husband does amazing things with polenta, I am always in awe since I don't have the patience for it. Since polenta takes at least 35 min of stirring on the stove top to develop its full flavor, he sometimes bakes it so he doesn't have to stand and stir (40min at 350 stir once then 10 more min). Either way he adds some garlic and basil in the beginning. He puts it in a casserole dish, and cools it in the freezer. When it's cool, it gets firm, so you can cut it in squares and fry it (with spray if you don't want the fat) until brown on each side. Then we have it over salad, or piled with spinach tomato and goat cheese or fresh mozzarella.
We also sometimes have it mushy with either a tomato sauce or a mushroom ragout.
Posted by breewell on 2004-10-30 22:17:56
Post Subject:
My ultimate comfort food is my mom's baked mac and cheese. She doesn't make a cheese sauce, she just puts a layer of well cooked macaroni noodles, then grated cheddar, a pat of butter and a little salt, and repeat. at the end she pours 1/2-1 cup warm milk over it all and bakes it for 45min-1hr (it's a very imprecise science)
My new favavorite comfort food (that is easy and my husband loves it) is any kind of Strata.
You layer white bread in chunks (crusty loaves are good) with a meat (I use fake ham since the boy is veggie) and a vegetable (asparagus, spinach or zucchini are reliably good) and of course cheese (if it doesn't have melted cheese is it really comfort food?) and they you mix up 4-6 eggs with milk (as if you are making scrambled eggs) add salt pepper and hebs and spices (oregano, paprika, whatever fits) and pour it over your strata (which incidentally, means Layers). Have enough egg mixture so that the bread gets sufficiantly soaked, but the casserol dish isn't filled to the top (the eggs will expand). And bake! This is really good for using up things in the fridge, and also can be customized to be healthier, whole wheat brad, egg whites, less cheese (sob!). When in doubt I throw anything in a casserole dish and bake away.
Now I want this. I wonder if I could use chunks of squash?
That is a great gift for you sisters!
Posted by cackalackie on 2006-05-17 22:44:56
Post Subject:
I always like taking a one-dish casserole. Take it in a foil baking dish (that you don't need back). And include baking instructions (and what it is) - including that it's suitable for freezing - and what the baking directions are if it's frozen.
If they get lots of stuff, then they can at least freeze yours and enjoy it later.
The other thing is something that would be suitable if they're needing to feed all the guests, etc.
And pound cake is good too. I'll never forget how good it was to eat cakes and things after my mom died. It really was comfort food - and made me feel a bit better at the end of the day.
Posted by pudding on 2005-03-28 00:17:47
Post Subject:
I only know a tiny bit about the raw diet. It seems to require a whole lot of time and many fancy kitchen tools. The theory sounds pretty good and I do try to eat more raw food than I used to. Here's my question, pardon my ignorance:
is it hard to feel warm when not eating any cooked food? On wintery days I long for soup or casserole, I know these can be made raw but I crave the heat. Is that psychosomatic?
I don't think so at all. Think about how a cup of tea warms you up, or the way you sweat when eating chillies or a spicy curry.
I definitely don't think I could do an all raw food diet! But I have read that is an excellent idea to eat a large proportion of your fruits, vegetables and salads raw.
Posted by co-el on 2006-01-03 23:30:03
Post Subject:
No mishaps this year but I did blow up a casserole dish of macaroni and cheese in the oven one Christmas. What a mess to clean up! I turned the oven up too high and all that cheese and milk boiled over and caused the Pyrex to shatter. LOL.
Posted by Mathias on 2005-11-07 17:07:40
Post Subject:
This butternut squash casserole is a repeat request at holiday potlucks. I personally think it's a nice change from the typical sweet potato dish:
BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE
I buy these pecan pralines each year from my coworker (a frundraiser for her organization) and blitz them in the food processor and mix that in with the vanilla wafer topping part. MMMMMMMmmmm.... Seriously.
Posted by stella on 2006-02-25 14:32:57
Post Subject:
i think all lentils taste different. i definitely think red and brown lentils taste different, anyways. they're both pleasant, just subtly different. try them both and see which you like! i prefer red lentils for dal or thick soupy dishes, and brown lentils in a brothy soup (red lentils just dissolve) or more casserole-ish dish. i have some french lentils, but i haven't cooked them yet. my mom puts them in soup.
Posted by ramonaquimby on 2004-12-13 20:08:14
Post Subject: christmas breakfast recipes
Hello,
This year I am making breakfast for the entire family. So far I am planning to make belgian waffles with blueberry sauce and whipped cream, a bacon egg and cheese casserole, and possibly brie en croute.
do you have any recipes for a wowish breakfast? It is the first time I will have cooked for my family, plus it's xmas so i'd like it to be somewhat special..
Posted by kindarana on 2004-12-14 10:30:30
Post Subject:
Mmm, that strata sounds good, and a bit similar to the brunch casserole we have on Christmas morning. Though we don't do any fancy layering, just some milk and bread and eggs and cheese and optional bacon bits and maybe some onion, all into a bowl and it hides in the back of the fridge on Christmas Eve (that's our big dinner night) and just goes in the oven. Simple but tasty, that's what matters.
Will there be kids? Maybe they'd like to pour waffles or something; we used to dilute food coloring and paint bread with it (just buy one of those cheap packs of plastic brushes) and then you put it in the toaster and it comes out cool.
Posted by mrs_stroozi on 2005-11-22 14:03:19
Post Subject:
We do a "turkey scramble," which feeds the four of us, but for two I don't see why it can't be halved, saved and/or frozen for later.
The basics: saute a small chopped onion with 2-3 sliced cloves of garlic, add a pkg of turkey burger and brown, add a drained can of diced tomatoes. Sprinkle some dried Italian herb mix over it. Simmer until most of the liquid at the bottom is gone. Serve over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.
To fancy it up: add sliced celery to the onion/garlic. Dice up a potato and throw it in with the tomatoes. Peel and chop a broccoli stalk and add it with the tomatoes, but don't tell anybody what it is until after they've eaten it. Throw in a coupla chopped fresh tomatoes.
Add a half-bottle of marina for pasta sauce.
Forget the tomato and Italian herbs, add lots of cumin, tumeric, a little ginger and celery salt for a kind of faux curry or tostada filling.
My mother used to make a casserole of pre-cooked egg noodles, hot dogs and canned stewed tomatoes. She'd mix the three ingredients, throw them in a pyrex dish, cover the top with seasoned bread crumbs from the can and bake until browned. I don't like casseroles as a rule but I crave this one.
Posted by xuli on 2006-08-14 21:42:35
Post Subject:
Here's a casserole recipe I've been dying to try forever, and finally made tonight. It's still in the oven, so I can't say how it tastes, but OMG it smells amazing! (ETA: It's delicious!) It comes from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics.
Caribbean Sweet Potato Gratin
1 garlic clove
1-1/2 t. freshly grated lime peel
2 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 t. dried thyme
1-1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2-1/2 c. coconut milk*
4 c. (1-1/2 lb.) peeled and VERY thinly sliced sweet potatoes
1 c. cooked rice (I used brown)
1-1/2 c. cooked black beans (or 1 can, drained)
1-1/2 c. fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed & chopped
Topping
3/4 c. cornmeal
1 T. veg oil
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. salt
Preheat oven to 350. Oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
Combine all ingredients up to the coconut milk with the coconut milk in a bowl. Pour 1/3 of this mixture into the greased pan. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes, 1/2 of the rice, 1/2 of the beans and 1/2 of the spinach in the pan. Pour another 1/3 of the coconut milk mixture over everything, then repeat an additional layer with the second half of the potatoes, rice, beans and spinach. Pour remaining coconut milk over all.
Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle on top.
Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, rotating in oven after 30 min. When potatoes are tender, remove from oven and let sit for another 2-3 min so the potatoes can absorb remaining liquid.
* If you're using canned coconut milk, this would be 1-1/2 cans. Freeze the leftover milk, or refrigerate it and use it within three days to make coconut rice!
Posted by jasmineT on 2004-11-20 10:55:09
Post Subject:
The alton brown recipe is the closest to my homemade mac n'cheese. I use wheat germ instead of bread crumbs for the topping and add shredded cheese to the top. I also steam broccoli and cauliflower and add to the casserole- so yummy!
Posted by fairgreenlady on 2005-08-18 10:56:07
Post Subject:
I'd wonder what the bride thought of some of the gifts I gave, but the ones I thought were pretty neat were
a radio you can play in the shower
a pyrex casserole dish with a copy of my very own special chicken recipe that she'd always wanted
a gallon of pure NY maple syrup sent down South (that was $$ tho)
personalized Christmas ornament with "first Christmas together"
Posted by Snufkin on 2004-12-10 16:20:26
Post Subject:
The way I was taught, you first make a basic white sauce and then mix in a cup or so of grated cheese when it's almost finished. Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce, pour in the casserole pan, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake until it's set. Nowadays I like to mix things in like frozen peas (especially with a cheese like gruyere or swiss), slices of garlic clove, and LOTs of black pepper.
Posted by cackalackie on 2005-11-02 11:35:52
Post Subject:
Hey - We always have that at our Christmas brunch (at my dad and stepmom's)! That, along with the breakfast casserole (eggs, sausage, cheese, etc.), fresh biscuits, and fresh fruit salad.
Posted by artgeek on 2005-11-26 20:57:37
Post Subject:
I think I didn't cook a thing this Thanksgiving, instead helping out with some of the prep work (cutting carrots, peeling potatoes, etc) and--my mum's favourite part--I handled every last bit of clean up.
Regardless, our menu:
One 15-pound free-range organic turkey--brined and cooked by my husband
Turkey gravy (mum)
Stuffing (mum)
Mashed potatoes (joint effort by all)
Green bean casserole (mum)
Glazed carrots (husband, following an Alton Brown recipe)
Cranberry sauce (husband)
Homemade bread (husband)
French silk chocolate pie (Mrs Smith's ;))
Two bottles of red wine (provided by moi)
Posted by xuli on 2005-11-25 12:18:34
Post Subject: How was your Thanksgiving? (food-wise)
So -- what did you eat? What did you make, what was made by others? How did it turn out?
We had:
Turkey (made by me -- YUM)
Stuffing (made by me -- YUM)
Dressing (made by me -- haven't eaten any yet -- we just had stuffing yesterday!)
Cornbread (made by me -- YUM)
Eggplant casserole (made by me -- not so good, though the boy liked it)
Cranberry-orange sauce (made by the boy -- YUM)
Creamed spinace (made by the boy -- YUM)
Garlic mashed potatoes (made by the boy -- YUM)
Gravy (made by me -- YUM)
Tiramisu (not so good -- we decided to get a frozen dessert since neither of us is a "dessert" person or a baker -- but it was too sweet and kinda icky)
Soooo many leftovers in the fridge ... can't wait for dinner tonight! I need to pick up some bread for turkey sandwiches ...
Posted by shawneemonkey on 2005-11-25 13:12:05
Post Subject:
thanksgiving is my favourite food holiday.
we had:
turkey (a 23-pounder!) - cooked by boy - fantastic
stuffing - "cooked" by me - not totally from scratch: it was a bag of herbed bread bits i bought at whole foods and it turned out really well
giblet gravy - made by the boy - yummy
mashed 'taters - made by me - kind of bland, but tasted great with gravy and stuffing mixed with it
scalloped taters - made by mom and they were yummy
green bean casserole - made by boy and i have NO idea because i hate the stuff and didn't partake
a yam and a sweet potato - made by me - i had to boil them because we had no room left in the oven - turned out fine, cubed with cinnamon and ginger sprinkled on top
cranberry sauce - made by me, a simple combo of fresh berries, water and sugar, YUM
pumpkin pie - made by the boy and ohmygosh, YUMMMMMMM
cherry pie - made by mom - low sugar, good stuff!
and yes, i had pumpkin pie for breakfast. i'm sure i'll have leftovers for lunch and dinr and every other meal for the next week. not that i'm complaining!
Posted by kittensrme on 2005-11-26 15:24:11
Post Subject:
This was probably the best Thanksgiving I've ever had, foodwise, which may be kind of vain because I made most of it. :)
Here's what we had:
Turkey ala mom: I'm a vegetarian, but everyone seemed to like it.
Stuffing ala me: My first successful attempt at vegetarian stuffing. Sooo good!
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes ala me: Fabulous
Cranberry sacue ala me: Amazing
Sweet potato casserole ala me: Topped with brown sugar and coconut... mmm!
Cheese potatoes ala me: Deliciously fattening, as usual.
Green beans sauteed with garlic and onions ala me: Very good
Peas ala the microwave: Filled with delicious pea-ness
Salad ala me: Romaine lettuce, toasted pecans, apple, and big fat hunks of bleu cheese. Make it for every holiday and it's always awesome.
Rolls ala the grocery store: Because it's not Thanksgiving without bread that no one eats.
Pumpkin pie ala me: Every year I get convinced to just buy one from the store, but not this time buddy! And boy, was it good!
Better than Robert Redford cake ala my mom: I think everyone has a version of this recipie. Crust, a layer of sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip, another layer of chocolate pudding, and a layer of Cool Whip. Good stuff.
Goose liver ball ala my mom: We forgot to set it out, so who knows? From past experience with goose liver balls, I imagine it was very good.
All this and only four people ended up in attendance. Oh well--more leftovers for me!
Posted by gingerandlulu on 2005-11-15 15:25:47
Post Subject:
I'm not really a sausage fan, but here's a dish that everybody seems to LOVE ... my ex's mom used to make it and people would RAVE and inhale it.
DRUNKEN SAUSAGE
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup bourbon
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 pounds sliced kielbasa sausage
Mix first three ingredients together. Pour over thinly sliced sausage in casserole dish. Bake at 300 F, 2-3 hr., until slices are glazed and sauce has thickened. Can also be done in a crock pot.
Posted by Katrin on 2005-08-11 10:53:20
Post Subject:
Maybe this isn't really a recipe, but I do remember the worst food my mom ever made. I'm sure she got the recipe from some '70s housewife magazine.
Spread evenly in a casserole pan and chill:
Bottom layer: Chicken salad. Ordinary innocent chicken salad with mayo, celery etc.
Top layer: Raspberry Jello made with TOMATO JUICE instead of water.
She made this a couple times to serve at her women's group luncheons. Fortunately we kids didn't have to eat much of it. Disgusting.
Posted by sjkmaurice on 2005-08-11 11:24:59
Post Subject:
Maybe this isn't really a recipe, but I do remember the worst food my mom ever made. I'm sure she got the recipe from some '70s housewife magazine.
Spread evenly in a casserole pan and chill:
Bottom layer: Chicken salad. Ordinary innocent chicken salad with mayo, celery etc.
Top layer: Raspberry Jello made with TOMATO JUICE instead of water.
She made this a couple times to serve at her women's group luncheons. Fortunately we kids didn't have to eat much of it. Disgusting.
Posted by ottseetotsee on 2004-05-18 22:26:24
Post Subject:
Hi -
The term "Thread hijack" made me giggle!
I live in NJ, and I suppose we might have a lot more food products available due to the fact that there are more than 7 million very cranky and demanding people crammed into a very small state. To find frozen (uncooked) loaves of bread, you might want to check in the freezer section of your grocery store, near the pastry and pie crusts.
If not, frozen pizza dough works, if you have it in the deli case. Or, you could make the dough at home...which I do sometimes, depending on how much time and energy I have...and the bread tastes even better!
If you need a recipe for a nice white bread, let me know!
Best wishes-
Chrissy
PS - my boyfriend asked what I was doing, and when I told him, he suggested a casserole he makes sometimes: it's easy and feeds lots of people - boil some potatoes until soft, then throw in some Italian sausage (yep, right into the water), and then some chopped onion (yep, again, right into the water), and just when the onions and sausage are about cooked, toss in some tomatoes. Drain immediately and serve with lots of salt and pepper.
Posted by zlimone on 2005-09-25 14:40:36
Post Subject: ohh man!
hmm i think i have a salty/savory tooth, though i like sweets i used to just binge like crazy but now my addictions would be:
black bean casserole, any breads/grains..yummy!, peanut butter..all that hydrogenated goodness! haha and my friend makes heavenly peach dumplings with butter and icingsugar/poppyseed topping...oh man sooo good...no wonder im overweight...hah
Posted by kittensrme on 2004-11-13 20:05:26
Post Subject:
Ever since my parents got divorced I haven't really had a really good Thanksgiving dinner, but I'm hoping to change that this year. My grandma's getting a boxed, pre-cooked dinner from the grocery store for the meat eaters, and I'm going to make some sides... Sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, cheese potatoes, salad, maybe some green beans... We'll see. It should be pretty good as long as I don't try to make vegetarian stuffing.
Posted by amanelle on 2004-04-19 13:48:02
Post Subject:
Elfchick---any idea how to make the white cheese sauce you get in Mexican restuarants? I've tried several different cheeses and can't seem to find the right one.
I had never heard of Pierogies until my husband brought some home. Very tasty. At first I called them porgies because I could never remember what they were called.
For Cinco de Mayo I'm making chicken qesadilla and nacho salad.
Last week I tried pecan crusted chicken (not so good) and tropical chicken (very good) and a broccoli casserole that was low carb (Dad's on the Atkins diet). This week we are trying a new linguine recipe and maybe some peanut butter cookies. While organizing our cabinet the other day I realized that we have 3 jars of open peanut butter and I want to try to use some of it up. Last night we made yummy italian doughnuts to use up some riccotta cheese that expires this week. I've been on a cooking kick for the last week or two. We're moving in 3 weeks so the more we eat up the less I have to pack, plus we're broke from moving.
Posted by empressCrash on 2004-08-12 19:17:32
Post Subject:
Ahh, the days of Ramen and boxed Mac and Cheese and spagetti.
Soups are easy and you can make a huge batch over the weekend - and freeze single portion sized containers/zip lock bags for a quick meal later.
Are you going to be sharing the kitchen with roomates? I highly recommend the my shelf my stuff method - with one shelf dedicated to sharing (ex. if it is on the bottom shelf - fair game) That way (hopefully) nothing gets shoved to the back to turn into a new life form that no one will take responsibility for.
If you want a break from boxed Mac and Cheese:
Melt 2 Tbs. butter in small pan. Add 2 Tbs. flour. Then add 1 and 1/2 cups milk. Over medium heat - stirring constantly - cook until thickened. Add Worshershire sauce (1Tbs or so) and onion powder(about 1 tsp.).
Cook 2 cups macaroni. Drain
Take 1 pound of cheese - cut about 4 slices then grate half and cube half.
Toss it all together - pour into square casserole top with sliced cheese and paprika. Bake at 350 for 30min. TaDa
Posted by moon_lemming on 2004-11-24 13:33:25
Post Subject:
how do you make thanksgiving traditional-ish, but for two?
Maybe you could use a smaller turkey or a chicken instead. Roast a couple of sweet potatoes (sliced) instead of making a batch of mashed potatoes. You can make a regular sized batch of cranberry sauce and freeze the leftovers for eating with chicken/turkey/pork/whatever later. Make some couscous or a rice pilaf instead of stuffing (but I hate stuffing, so YMMV). Buy one of the bags of frozen rolls and only cook as many as you need for dinner.
I'm not sure if those are lame suggestions or even what you're looking for, but that's what I'd do. I don't know what you'd do about casserole-type dishes, though, except maybe find similar substitutes. (I never eat the casseroles, so I'm not sure what you'd substitute.)
Chinese food sounds so good though. (Lunchtime right now -- can you tell? :P)
Posted by starkittn on 2005-05-13 07:17:24
Post Subject:
maybe this should go in the cookbook thread, but... try the vegetarian gourmet's easy low fat favorites and easy international recipes by bobbie hinman. these cookbooks totally changed the way i eat. i have been a vegetarian for almost 10 years now, and for the first 8 or so, i ate a ton of peanut butter and cheese and ended up being a lot more unhealthy than i was when i was eating meat. i hated to cook because i would spend hours making something with 100 steps, only to have it turn out to be tasteless or gross.
these books made me love cooking, though. the recipes really are easy, mostly you just chop stuff up, mix it together, and throw it in a soup pot or casserole dish with some spices. there are a lot of beans and rice type recipes in them, but there are also a lot of others with stranger ingredients, like lentils, leeks, eggplant, and artichokes... things i used to be afraid of. i've been enjoying eating this way so much, that i didn't realize what i had been "giving up." i looked in my refridgerator a few months ago and it hit me that all my cheese and sour cream was expired because i hardly eat any of it anymore.
good luck and bon appetit!
p.s. hello! i used to post at the old school glitter, but this is my first post here. i've been lurking for a while, and i thought maybe i should join you all again.
Posted by moon_lemming on 2005-09-11 14:27:30
Post Subject:
shopping: the best way this has worked for us is to make a list of meals we want to have throughout the week, then go shopping and get what we need to make those meals.
the reason this works the best is because I am the most impulsive shopper ever and have to have a list to stick to. plus this way there's no, "what oh what shall I fix?" and it's easier to plan a balanced week, meaning one meat-centric meal, two chicken, one fish, three vegetarian, or whatever. we also always pick up a (good) frozen pizza because there's bound to be one night when we (well, I) don't want to cook, and it's cheaper than getting delivery or take-out.
meal choices: I'm still learning how to cook, so I'll usually make meals I know I can do well five days out of the week and try something new the other two.
tips: I don't have a lot of these. hmm. if I make lasagna or baked ziti or something like that, I assemble enough for two meals and freeze one batch uncooked so that it can just be thrown in the oven when I don't want to cook. like, right now I have some eggplant lasagna and a casserole full of baked ziti with mushrooms in the freezer.
those aren't very mind-blowing tips, sorry. I'm still learning.
Posted by pudding on 2006-03-28 22:44:42
Post Subject:
Similarly to sjkmaurice, I have a bank of recipes which I choose between, so we have the same things every fortnight rather than every week. We cook something new every so often to avoid boredom. The good thing about repeating the same group of recipes is that it becomes really quick and easy to make dinner. I try to make sure we have a balance of different meat dishes and vegetarian meals over the fortnight and almost every meal I cook uses the least number of pots, dishes and utensils possible because there is nothing worse than washing up. I have a mother who seems obsessed with cooking meals which use every pan she owns whenever I have dinner there and am obliged to wash up. I digress. Our meals are mostly made from less expensive ingredients and quick, simple recipes because otherwise it is too tempting to order takeaway.
Here's a list of some of the recipes I make over the fortnight:
* Roasted chicken breasts & roasted vegetables with gravy.
* Potato & Leek Pasta (this has green vegies, bacon and cheese in it).
* Devilled Tuna.
* Lentil Pasta.
* Spring Vegetable & Lamb Casserole (Sounds fancy - just soup mix poured over lamb chops and cooked, served with mashed potato & green vegies like peas).
* Spagetti Bolognaise.
* Vegetarian Chilli (I use the recipe from Jean's book).
* Curried Mince.
* Soup & Toast (I either make a pot of soup & freeze the rest or else the soup is canned).
* Burritos (My husband cooks this one)
* Bacon & Eggs (Another "specialty" from my husband)
* Rissoles & steamed vegetables.
* Steak or chicken & steamed vegetables or salad.
* Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake (this is a new one I have just learnt).
Plain and simple food, but it is lovely to eat stuff which is home cooked.
Posted by glitter_girl13 on 2005-02-06 17:10:08
Post Subject:
oh! here's another one!
http://randomgirl.com/recipes.html
this is the site that i used constantly when i first went vegan. she has lots of "cheesy" recipes listed. my favorites are tia's mac and cheese and the broccoli rice casserole. they both use nutritional yeast. the pb cups are awesome!
Posted by quornflour on 2006-12-26 14:59:41
Post Subject:
3 C's Casserole
(Cheese and Chili and Cornbread)
2 Habanera Chili
2 ½ lbs leanest ground beef
1 small onion - chopped
1 large (whole) shallot – chopped
1 table spoon grape seed oil (or other cooking oil)
2 habanera – chopped
1 green bell pepper - chopped
2 cans of black beans - drained
1 can red kidney beans - drained
3 cans stewed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
3 tablespoons cumin
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons lowery’s
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup filtered water or black coffee
Chop and prepare onions and peppers. In a large pot over medium heat oil and add onions and one habanera cook until the onions are translucent. Add beef salt and other spices. When beef starts to brown add water and cover to allow spices to infuse the meat. Stir regularly to keep from burning. When beef is cooked through add all other ingredients and let simmer for at least 30 minutes.
I prefer to let chili sit a day before serving, but this is not necessary.
Spicy Macaroni and Cheese
16 oz grated jalapeno jack cheese
16 oz grated cheddar
8 oz crumbled feta cheese
4 oz cream cheese
2 ½ cups milk
1 stick butter
1 shallot - chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons Lowery’s seasoning salt
2 small bags of macaroni
1 tablespoon flour
Cook macaroni according to package directions and set aside in a baking pan. In a large pot melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped shallot cook until translucent. Add flour and cream cheese and mix until cream cheese is soft. Add milk and mix until thickened. Add salt and cayenne pepper. Add cheese and melt into sauce. Pour over macaroni and mix.
Take about half of the macaroni and cheese and put it in a deep roasting pan and spread it over the bottom of the pan. Add a quart of cooled chili over the top and spread it out.
Mix up two boxes of Jiff Cornbread mix (or your favorite corn bread recipe) and pour this over the top. Bake this in a 350° until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
Serve warm.
Posted by nerf on 2005-09-11 22:03:47
Post Subject:
I try not to do meal rotation, but there are some meals I will cook at least once every month. I have a really easy pasta with tomato sauce recipe, which is what I crank out when I'm not feeling up to much. Sometimes we eat that twice a month. We go shopping on a weekly basis, and although I'll have a list for things I know I'll forget (like toothpaste or something), I tend to plan meals at the store. I'll see what's on special and then go with it. If free-range chickens are cheap, we'll have roast chicken that week. If all the meat seems expensive, I'll stick to one or two cheaper bits, like some stewing beef for goulash or curry and mince (really versatile), and the rest of the week we eat vegetarian. We also buy burrito wraps which we keep in the cupboard for (almost) effortless meals. You can put so many things in a wrap. We like peri-peri chicken, but stir-fried veggies is a good option. Unless we're planning a meal for guests, and we have something specific in mind, I try not to decide what I want before I go, because then I have more flexibility to buy within my budget. But I don't have fussy children to feed (or to carry around the store), so I can appreciate that having a plan of action can be better in that situation. I guess that it helps to have a repertoire of simple meals that you can make so that when you're looking at something at the store you can easily translate that vegetable or meat into a meal in your head.
edited to add:
One of my favourite sites is http://www.deliaonline.com/
We have some of her books, but all in storage. This is where I got my goulash recipe from, though I cook mine on the stove instead of in the oven because I don't have a proper casserole dish (yet). She also has a tomato soup recipe (Bloody Mary soup) which takes at most 15 minutes to make, but is so tasty. My new lunch staple!
Epicurious, http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/find/advanced/, is good too. But they have a lot of recipes, so it can be a real time waster. The link above should take you to the advanced search, where you can put in a set of criteria (like vegetarian, or main ingredient pork) and it will give you related recipes.
Posted by sistasmell on 2004-06-08 11:00:47
Post Subject:
Malinka, I did ALL the food for my wedding myself, and it wasn't bad at all. I took a couple of days off the get all the pre-prepared stuff ready, and had help on the actual day (reheating the quiches, minding the ham, etc.), and it was fine. Mind you, we only had about 40 guests. And yes, the food was to die for and people still talk about what a great, fun, and tasty wedding we had.
I do have a recipe for the mold.
1 lb. butter
1 lb. cream cheese
Cream these together and layer in an 8 cup mold that's been lined with damp cheesecloth (a clean flowerpot is pretty and tall and works well) with 2 cups of pesto (the kind that has the parmesan already in it). 6 layers of cheese and 5 of pesto is a good way. It's easier if you divide the cheese and pesto ahead of time. When you've done the last layer, fold the cheesecloth over the top and press firmly. refrigerate for 2 hours, or, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 5 days. Before serving, toast some pine nuts and arrange them on top with some fresh basil sprigs. Good with crackers, French bread, and raw veggies.
Melt butter in frying pan over med. heat. Add onions, cook until tender. Add thyme, lower heat and cook until golden brown, 25 min. Add garlic, cook 2 min. add 1/4 cup wine, cook 2 min. Add sugar, cook 10 min. Add rest of wine, cook 2 min. Season with salt and pepper and cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut top rind off cheese and place cheese in small oven-safe casserole. Top with onions and bake 30 min., until completely melted.
Serve with French bread or crackers.
People will beg for this every time they see you.
Pepperoncini Rolls
3 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 pepperoncini, topped and seeded
Blend all this in a food processor.
Spread all over flour tortillas and then roll up.
Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill until firm.
Cut into rounds.
Serve with salsa.
miss b’s tomato salsa
Makes a big bowl
6 tomatoes, 3 of them seeded
1 vidalia onion
1 bunch of cilantro
Rough chop all of this and add 3 minced garlic cloves to it.
Stir in 1/4 cup good vinegar
1/2 can tomato paste
Salt & pepper to taste.
Some good additions:
Corn kernals
A chopped jalepeno pepper
Posted by stella on 2007-04-09 20:27:18
Post Subject:
good to know! my Jewish friends in high school didn't mix meat and dairy or ear pork or shellfish, but i don't think their families did the separate utensils thing either.
i'm having a burrito-casserole thing (it's like a burrito with rice, beans, cheese, and olives, but layered instead of rolled) that i made a few months ago and froze. it's even better reheated now than it was when i first made it.
Posted by amygdala on 2004-12-26 10:31:28
Post Subject:
I mostly celebrate Hanukkah, but my dad isn't Jewish, so my sister and I do Xmas with him every year (the only good thing for me about growing up in an interfaith home was that once my parents split, there was none of that nasty fighting about who to spend Xmas/Hanukkah with).
So for Hanukkah, from mom, sis, and bf:
Ice tongs, wine decanter, wine bottle chiller (bf)
Thai cookbook with really nice pictures and subscription to Bon Appetit (yay!) (sister)
Black cashmere sweater, Le Crueset 5 qt. casserole dish, burgundy velvet gloves, belt, socks, and a great black Tahari suit (that she totally scored at TJ Maxx for mad cheap, I'm so proud!)(mom)
And Xmas, all from Dad, who is still trying to buy my love back since he disowned me for a few years after the divorce:
Black and pink PJs with matching slippers, Simpsons trivia calendar, Trivial Pursiut 90s edition, America: The book (woohoo!), the Far Side wall calendar, and....AN IPOD! The ipod was the only thing I actually asked for. And he's sending me the port thingy that you can use to hook up the ipod through the FM frequency to the stereo, I guess the store was out.
The best was that my mom, sister, and I celebrated make-up Hanukkah on Christams eve, so I got to eat latkes and roast chicken on Christmas Eve, then we tried to avoid all the Christmas holiday programming that took over the airwaves.
Posted by bratgirl on 2005-03-14 23:33:08
Post Subject:
That's a great idea for the sauce!! I'll have to try that! I love pizellies!!
As for scallops, the below is fast and easy:
The recipes as is says it serves 4, but I made this for my husband and me with 1/2 lb of scallops (and cut the proportions of everything else - only 1 1/3 T of butter, etc) and it was enough so this could serve 6. I guess it just depends on how many side dishes you have.
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced (If you're me, you double the garlic)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2 Pour melted butter into a 2 quart casserole dish. Distribute butter and scallops evenly inside the dish.
3 Combine the bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, parsley, minced garlic and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle this mixture over the scallops.
4 Bake in pre-heated oven until scallops are firm, about 20 minutes.
Sprinkle some freshly grated Parmesan on top before serving if you like. I also added a touch of Cracked Black pepper at the end (but my hubby didn't) - so you decide.
Posted by mishapville on 2004-10-08 10:27:49
Post Subject:
There's a really good recipe for a pumpkin casserole in the original Moosewood Cookbook - it has pumpkin, onions, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, and some other stuff I can't remember...it's tasty.
Posted by for_esme on 2004-10-09 00:10:03
Post Subject:
yes, bookish, please do post the pumpkin chocolate chip recipe! it actually sounds to me like a delicious combination.
tonight i made the pumpkin bread recipe from the joy of cooking. it smells soooo good, although it's not done baking yet so i can't tell you how it tastes. the recipe does use a lot of sugar, though, much more than i'd like. anyone have any pumpkin bread recipes that are a bit less sugar-crazed?
that pumpkin casserole sounds so good too! i'll have to look that cookbook up on the library's website.
Posted by Darcy on 2004-10-04 03:26:16
Post Subject:
I absolutely LOVE peanut butter, as does my brother...in a pinch he microwave green beans, and melted peanut butter on top, and he loves it...he calls it his PB casserole...I tried it, and it tastes just as simple as it sounds...PB with gr. beans. No special flavor mix or anything. My hubby and I are convinced that anything is better with cheese, PB, or deep fried. My other brother took his girlfriend to the fair this year and tried a deep fried TWINKIE!!! That's a first, but he said it was awesome!
Posted by smudgy_cat on 2004-07-26 13:44:11
Post Subject:
I know my previous post seems inhumane, but chicken are livestock animals that area primarily raised for food. I think even the special fancy show chickens in 4H get eaten or butchered at some point.
To raise chickens and not be prepared to euthanize them at some point is unrealistic. I think it is very irresponsible to just opt for letting the chicken wander at night, hoping that some wild animal will kill it. If you purchased the chick, raised it to adulthood, and used it's eggs in your meals, you owe it to the chicken to give it a respectful death.
A hatchet and a stump provides a cheap, quick, and relatively painfree death. It's also why the guillotine was a popular form of execution for humans for quite a few years. To contrast, a coyote or raccoon will likely rip apart the chicken and eat it while it is still alive and conscious of what is going on. Even though chickens are pretty stupid, I would never sentence an animal I was responsible for to that fate.
If you can't handle the butchering, at least consider taking the ckicken to a vet or humane society for euthanization. If you are accumulating a flock right now, you may also want to look at the local humane society for chickens.
I know it seems wasteful to butcher an old chicken and not eat it, but sometimes it has to be done. Because our chickens roamed an enclosed area between 1/4 to 1 acre at any moment, they weren't tender yummy chickens. Chickens are tender and juicy when they are butchered young and not allowed to move around freely. They also taste better when they are fed large quantities of corn and grain that cause them to gain weight and fat.
The older chickens are edible, but they will likely be tough. If you want to get around the toughness, you can marinate the meat in alcohol (wine, beer, etc) overnight. You can also use a commercial tenderizer, which will partially breakdown the meat. It's also helpful to debone the meat and use the metal mallets and pound the meat. Using all three methods together will likely give you really good results. If you want the roasted chicken, you'll have to really marinate it and be ready to accept a tough chicken for dinner.
However, I think it's easiest to just choose recipes that work with the chicken. You can boil or pressure cooker the chicken and then pull the meat from the bone and cook it into a pot pie, a casserole, or stew. You could also do enchiladas or stir frys, or anything else that works well with small pieces of meat.
If you do go for a larger flock, you might want to build it up gradually so that you are adding and subtracting a few chickens each year instead of decimating the entire flock every 3 years.
Also, keep in mind that raising chickens can get expensive in time and money. You have to shovel out the coop, buy straw for the nest boxes, buy insecticides and cleaners to spray in coop and nesting boxes, buy proper foods and supplements, as well as gather eggs and change food and water every morning. You have to be home early in the evening to lock up the coop, because otherwise animals might harm the flock at night. You also have to get up early to let them out because hens want.to.lay.that.egg.now. Leaving town will be a lot more difficult for you, because you'll have to find someone to tend your flock when you are gone. You may have willing volunteers now, but chicken care gets really old really fast.
