CookieWeasel's Profile
Eating well, while being poor.
I'm in the same boat as you, Yayme. I use a lot of brown rice and broccoli. I think meat costs too much, but agree with you on the chicken. I cut up my own but sometimes those thighs are a good buy. I have a friend with a yard full of avocado trees, and that helps. We have a lemon tree. Much of the time I grow my own herbs. Cost Plus has good prices on some of their spices, and so does the Asian grocery here. I use my crock pot a lot!
Christmas cookbooks--what'd Santa get you? what [if anything] will you buy yourself tomorrow?
Father Christmas brought me a copy of Baking Illustrated (from Cooks Illustrated), and I've been enthralled with it. I got a copy of Shirley Corriher's Bakewise for myself, and between the two of them, it;s been a fascinating read. I also received a copy of My Life in France, which turned out to be pretty entertaining.
Taste aversion to alcohol?
I've never liked the taste of alcohol! During my college years and twenties I was peer-pressured into drinking, and never enjoyed it. I did develop a taste for Kahlua, but that was despite the alcohol undertaste. I seem to have zero tolerance for alcohol, and it only takes a tiny bit to get me drunk, which makes it a bad beverage choice for me! Nowadays the only alcohol i consume is rum (in baked goods) and wine (in sauces).
Best Yogurt on Earth?
Those Brown Cow cream-top yogurts are my absolute favorite! Can never eat less than two at a time. My favorites are the Vanilla, Cherry Vanilla, and Creamy Coffee. YUM!
Scandinavian Christmas dessert?
If you don't like rice pudding you could make rommegrot instead. It's a Norwegian pudding made with cream, butter and flour-- very rich! It's not associated with Jul the way risengrot is, but you could serve it anyway. I'd give it a trial run first, so you can decide whether or not you like it.
Most disgusting taste (of normal foodstuffs)
I am SO with you on the Miracle Whip. That stuff is downright revolting. My RM loves it though so it's always in our fridge. Euuwww....
Chef Academy on Bravo
I was rooting for Suzanne until the jacket tailoring debacle. Now all I can do is roll my eyes and snort, "Pluh..LEESE! Get over yourself already!" Nevertheless, I still think she is a lot of fun to watch and I can't wait to see what she'll do next.
T-Day Postmortem: the good, the bad, and the ugly
The Good: Brined a turkey breast and it came out just right, a tad pink in places but white overall, and really moist.
The Regrettable: The gravy was salty; next time I'll skim out the fat, which I shouldn't have anyway, and add a little light olive oil instead.. The sweet potato casserole was too sweet; next time I'll cut way down on the brown sugar. The bacon in the green beans didn't fry up crispy; next time I'll use the cast iron skillet instead of the stainless electric one. I forgot to add the sugar to my pumpkin pie-cake and had to skim off the topping and remix, resulting in a more cakey than pielike texture; next time I will set out a mise en plas. Salad dressing was partially solidified, resulting in less flavor; next time I will leave it out at room temperature an hour or two before serving. The dressing turned out too solid and clumpy; next time I will use a different kind of bread, dry it in the oven, and add less water.
What's the #1 Thing That You Eat and Say, "Wow That REALLY Hit The Spot"?
A steamy bowl of Tom Kha Gai soup fresh out of the hot pot brings tears of joy.
Chef Academy on Bravo
I don't see it either. In fact, I don't think i've EVER seen a sexy male chef, although I thought Danny from Hell's Kitchen was cute. Hmmmm... food for thought.
Food that Most People Love and You Don't...
Yup, hate the strings. Won't touch raw celery, but it's great when it's cooked-- improves both texture and flavor.
Food that Most People Love and You Don't...
I'm TOTALLY with you on the chewiness of proteins thing. Gotta be tender and moist or no dice.
Food that Most People Love and You Don't...
Steak and Scallops! Everybody else LOOOOVES these! I find steak too hard to chew and swallow (and no, I'm not 90 years old with dentures!). And to me, scallops taste like rotting flotsam and smell like a floater-bloater crime scene.
Chef Academy on Bravo
I love it! I'm hooked! And I find myself rooting for the always-late porn star Emanuel and the bling-bling pannekaker-making Swedish-American. Wow-- it is such a great feeling to be excited over a cooking show again. Keep it up, Bravo!
What was the worst food you HAD to eat as a kid?
The worst food I had to eat routinely was summer squash, and yes, I was MADE to eat it, every last bite. I HATED it! I had a bathrobe with big pockets and sometimes I would wear it to the dinner table and slip some squash into the pockets. Then I'd take a bathroom break and flush the evil vegetable down the john. I have no idea why I found the taste so repugnant. Nowadays, summer squash is one of my favorite things!
under-used treasure or garbage? what ingredient do you think people are wasting?
Coffee grounds. Great for tomato plants.
under-used treasure or garbage? what ingredient do you think people are wasting?
Absolutely! I LOVE beet greens! My favorite cooked green as well.
A Community Ofrenda for Día de los Muertos: Day of the Dead
Yes, Kattyeyes, my feelings exactly. And not too different from my culture, where we believe the dead return to be with us at wintertime, when the nights are long and dark, and spirits are out and about. I always leave an offering for them this time of year, and at Jul. Thanks for setting up this community offrenda.
A Community Ofrenda for Día de los Muertos: Day of the Dead
For Tessa, some cheerios
For Weezie, some raisins
For Dukie and Baron, some tri-tip
For Uncle Ev, French wine and a wheel of brie
For Aunt Jane, home-baked french bread with roasted garlic
For Grandmother Hallie, some Danish butter
For everyone else, a chocolate calavera with royal icing flowers, and a slice of Pan de Muerto!
Things I ate/drank in college that I will never eat again
I had just one hideous out-of-stomach experience with SC in my freshman year, and that was enough! Got so sick I had to go to the student medical center. The exact same thing happened to my dad when he was in the army, only he couldn't tell them what was wrong-- I forget what the official (mis)diagnosis was! SC-- NEVER AGAIN!
Things I ate/drank in college that I will never eat again
At UCLA in the early 70's, that drink was called Strip-and-Go-Naked. It was too heinous to consume in quantity-- one or two sips was all I could manage, thankfully!
I can't believe I just ate...
Day before yesterday: A banana moon pie, two Little Debbie nutty bars, a pecan mini-pie, and a handful of chocolate covered orange jelly sticks. I'm dieting, though, so tonight I'm just going to have the nutty bars.
Are there foods you won't eat because you consider them too dangerous?
Wild mushrooms. I had a friend who loved to go gather them and he was always putting them in his food. Then he became so intent on the rest of us eating them too that I had to put the friendship on ice for awhile. I had visions of a fungoid Jonestown event...
Alton Brown's ten year anniversary show, Good Eats
I love Good Eats. I love AB. I HATE audience shows. Turned it off after ten minutes or so. What a disappointment!
Nutella.......mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I've done that too. Perfect use for Nutella. You can add some custard, too.
Nutella.......mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Here's a similar one: A dollop of Nutella inside aebleskiver!
Taco Bell quality
I've been going to Taco Bell since high school. Always loved the Mexican Pizza, chalupas, and fiesta burrito. And the caramel apple empanada is da bomb! I would love to eat at the taqueria more often if they would match TB in price, location and parking. Lately I've noticed a decline in TB. Twice I ordered the same standard item and the morons in the back sent up something completely different. Last time I got a salad there, the tortilla "bowl" tasted like rancid grease. Yuck. And the size of things is getting smaller. Too bad! So lately I've been going elsewhere and getting a frozen yogurt with toppings instead-- it's probably a bit healthier anyway.
Menu suggestion...what to make with Swedish Meatballs and Potato cakes
Exactly my thoughts about the cabbage dish!
"Don't Yuck Someone's Yum": Readers Send Their Own Eating Rules to Pollan
Jasmine and Passadumkeg, I am referring to the people (always female, all who live in the same city!) who do this in a very aggressive way without asking first. This has happened to me time and time again. I never say anything for fear of sounding mean-spirited or selfish, which I am not-- really! It's different when it's a reciprocal sharing of food, agreed upon at the beginning of the meal when food is untouched and forks are clean. (which my friends and I always do when at Chinese restaurants, for example) I agree that food is a communal experience, but this sharing needs to be done in a thoughtful way, not like Hitler invading Poland.
"Don't Yuck Someone's Yum": Readers Send Their Own Eating Rules to Pollan
Here's mine: Don't stick your fork into the food on someone else's plate. If you "just want a taste," order your own.
