southern_expat's Profile
I feel like I failed
I roast garlic to spread on bread all the time, because isn't a gob of roasted garlic swimming in olive oil much better that butter? I think so!
Never used purple skinned ones, but I do make sure that the garlic heads are very fresh - NO green shoots popping up inside. Those do make everything extremely bitter, might be the problem?
I take a couple (or twelve) heads of FRESH garlic, separate the cloves from papery skin (throw those small cloves into the 'chicken stock' freezer bag). Toss in a small baking pan with olive oil and s&p. Cover with foil and roast slowly (300-325) for 30-45 minutes. Let cool, then pop the cloves out. Yes it's a lotta work up front, but roasted garlic keeps well in the fridge and can be frozen for ages.
Yum, now I'm hungry again! Peace - Pam
What is your "perfect breakfast"? [moved from Home Cooking]
I too hate sweets in the morning! Hard to keep the weight down with carbs, butter and cholesterol, but boy are they yummy!
Assuming you mean 'perfect' in the sense of fabulousness - Eggs Benedict, traditional or any variation... Bacon instead of ham. Biscuits instead of English muffins. Fried green tomatoes on any layer. Spinach or asparagus in there somewhere. Constants are poached eggs and hollandaise - is there anything hollandaise doesn't make better?
black truffle (?) advice - questions
A dear friend gifted me today with some 'black truffles' she purchased in the mushroom section of a fairly high-end grocery. I've never had truffles before, know nothing about them (except that they're supposed to be kinda tasty) so I was excited.
They were packaged in a small plastic clamshell container, wrapped in a tissue/plastic wrap sort of thingie. The sell-by date is two weeks from today. When I opened them, they smelled really moldy and were sorta slimy. I rinsed them off and now they just smell and look like little black spongy mushrooms.
I have searched and searched, and can't find any advice on how to tell if they're okay. I'm pretty sure that moldy-slimy-spongy-after-rinsing is probably lethal, but y'all are generous with the advice (thank you!) and what the heck do I know about them.
Question # 1 - will these things kill us? Is this how they are supposed to be?
Question # 2 - I am pretty sure I know the answer to #1, so how can I mimic the flavor (on the fairly-thrifty budget) without killing anyone?
Thanks in advance for y'all's generous help! -- Pam
Any Chowhounds have cooking experience in prison?
making prison wine - funny article (about halfway down the page)
http://www.thesneeze.com/steve-dont-eat-it/
What's on your kitchen wall?
Three cool prints of chefs on bicycles. Got one as a christmas gift a few years ago, and happened to run across two more when I wasn't even looking for them.
Peace! Pam
What's The One Thing You Can't Eat, even for money.
Bananas (I shudder to even type that word). I've eaten crickets, ants, durian, Guinea pig, horsemeat, all kinds of offal, etc. I'd do it all again just for the experience. Put me in a room with a banana, I go nuts. I really have a hard time even looking at one (hard to buy fruit, but I manage.) I should really call the Maury Povitch show.
Seeking an old magazine article (involves horsemeat)
Tried the library (I'm a big fan), no luck. Web search, no luck. Worth a shot asking here, though!
Seeking an old magazine article (involves horsemeat)
Years ago (maybe 15-20) I read an article in either Gourmet or Bon Appetit - had to be one of those, titled something like "The Best Meal in the World" I have searched the web archives for these magazines and cannot find it.
This is not a pro- or anti-horsemeat discussion, just something I remember from the article that might help jog some memory, which is why I put it in the title. I want the other recipes. I know it's a long shot, but if anyone can help me locate it it's gonna be a Chowhounder!
Loking for St. Patrick's Day menu ideas...Maybe a cocktail recipe or two too?
I have never heard of Banoffee Pie, but it sounds incredible. You've just rounded out my St. Pat's menu perfectly!! thanks!
Cooking Task You Detest the Most?
Very fresh eggs are certainly tasty cooked any other way, but for hard-boiled eggs, they just have to be a little old. Something about the air seeping in. I turn them upside down (smaller, pointier end down) while they 'age.' It centers the yolk, at least in my experience, that way if you make deviled eggs, ya don't have that little thin flappy part that breaks when you try to stuff it.
I never have a problem peeling eggs. After they're done cooking, drain the hot water out and rinse them with two or three soaks of cold water. Drain the water out, and then put the lid on and shake shake shake to break up the shells. Add more cold water and ice and let them sit. Peeling them under cold running water helps, too.
Cooking Task You Detest the Most?
What IS IT about unloading the dishwasher that is so dreadful?? I hate it so badly!! All the dishes and glasses and utensils are so squeaky clean, yet I'll put it off as long as I can! I'm happy to see I'm not the only one!
Recommendations for cookware for vacation rental
We vacation at rental homes all the time, and mostly fly there, so packing our own knives, pots and pans isn't much of an option! This might sound weird, but 'making do' can make for some fun memories. I will never forget my mother, insisting that 10 pounds of live crawfish be rinsed before cooking. No colander to be had, so she used the plastic-coated dish drainer. The sight of her screaming and laughing as we pried off the clinging claws of those little crustaceans - priceless!
Many more great memories from this renter's side. Provide the best you're comfortable with and don't sweat it.
Aerogarden reviews?
I LOVE my Aerogarden! I'm growing herbs and they're going like gangbusters. They've been growing for about six weeks and I've harvested basil, chives, mint, parsley, dill, oregano (thyme, not so much, but I have it in the garden and it seems to like being under two feet of snow!). Not a lot of them, mind you - I don't think those who need more than a few tablespoons of herbs at a time would really benefit from it. I cook mostly for myself, though, and it's been really great to prune off the tops (which helps the plants be bushy instead of leggy) and I love having fresh herbs in the dead of winter for salads, scrambled eggs, etc.
If you're thinking about ordering one, my advise is to call the 800 number instead of ordering from the website. The model I originally wanted wasn't in stock, and when I pouted about it, they gave me an extra 20 percent off another one and threw in an extra seed kit.
There's a good board here http://www.aerogardengrowers.com It's a pretty small forum, but I've gotten tons of tips there.
Bottom line: I'm the world's biggest cheapskate, but coveted this appliance for over a year, and I have to say it's lived up to my expectations and was well worth it. If you get one, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have mine!
Most Wonderful Tastes (Of Normal Foodstuffs)
The 'oyster' from a roast chicken or turkey (no one in my family knows these exist)
The crispy outside fat from an old-fashioned roast ham (not glazed!)
The crispy tails from fried fish at my grandfather's fishing shack (rest in peace, PaPat!)
End pieces of barbecue brisket, pork roast, etc., especially when there is crispy fat attached (sensing a theme here?)
A vidalia onion pulled fresh out of the ground by my dad, while still in the field checking the crop, sprinkled with a little salt he pulled from his pocket (I grew up on an onion farm)
Ditto a juicy tomato and tiny, raw sweet corn from PaPat's garden
I could go on but some sort of salty liquid is leaking from my eyes and I can't see (thanks for the lovely memories!!)
Cook's Illustrated.com....worth it?
Claudette! I love that I'm not the only one who considers cookbooks and cooking magazines great bedtime reading! Hard to read a computer screen when you're trying to fall asleep, even if it is a laptop. And there's something about leafing through old issues that's comforting, seeing the wrinkled, stained pages from past kitchen endeavors.
I have to admit, my magazine and website subscriptions are a yearly birthday gift from my mom. Even if she didn't gift them to me, I'd pay for them. I've only been getting the mag since 2006, and it's so great to be able to look up things in the archives.
I agree with lulou23 - it's my go-to resource. Reading through the testing process has taught me SO much about cooking.
Answer: It's definitely worth it! Peace!
What is your favorite Food TV show?
THANK YOU! This thread made me think about the show, but I couldn't dredge up from my dilapidated memory anything I could google. You made my day!
What is your favorite Food TV show?
Ina, Tyler, No Reservations, Bizarre Foods (always love learning about other cultures!) and DDD.
just a wee tad OT, but there used to be a show, on PBS, I think, featuring two cute LOLITS (little ole ladies in tennis shoes!) who drove up on a scooter in the intro. Based in England, I'm pretty sure. I believe one of the ladies passed away a few years ago. I loved them, but added years plus subtracted brain cells have taken their toll. Just curious if anyone remembers their names, I'd like to look them up again.
lots of leftover rice - suggestions?
I would never in a million years ignore you, silly goose! I will definitely try your suggestion!
And don'tcha just love the 'measurements' moms and grandmoms give? Grandfather's, too - I call my 97-year old PaPat all the time for recipe advise (trying to compile our childhood memories before it's too late.) Most of his measurements are 'a little of this, a little of that,' and 'cook it until it looks right. Peace!
leftover artichoke dip, too much garlic
I made an artichoke dip yesterday (artichoke hearts, mozzarella/parmesan, low-fat mayo) and it has way too much garlic in it. I certainly don't want to toss it out. I thought of using it as a pizza topping, not sure if that'll tone down the garlic enough.
Any suggestions for toning down the garlic, besides adding more stuff? Party's over, I don't want to have a half-gallon of dip on my hand! Thanks in advance.
Healthiest Breakfast Possible
Low-fat cottage cheese saved me from my bacon-and-fried-egg habit. I don't care for sweets, so I top it with tomatoes, toasted nuts, fake bacon bits (don't thrash me!), crunchy veggies, herbs, etc. Good protein and filling.
Fruit, granola, etc. are good, too, and not so sweet. Best to you in the 'reformation'!
What are you baking these days? [old]
I, too, am obsessed with the no-knead bread concept. After trying the Lahey recipe, my Cook's Illustrated arrived, with their 'Almost No-Knead' bread technique. Made for a much better loaf, IMO. They had several variations that were fabulous, as well - Rosemary-Olive was outstanding.
I hate that CI and their website subscription is so expensive. My mom subscribes for me for xmas every year. I'm too lazy right now (it's late!) , but tomorrow I'll try to dig up that issue and send it to you, if you want. Peace!
lots of leftover rice - suggestions?
I used the infernal 'super-duper rice cooker' again this evening, and figured out one more thing I like about it. If I leave it to warm for awhile after the cook cycle is done, the non-stick insert makes for a great crispy bottom crust (socarrat?) with really easy cleanup. Quine, you've really got me thinking, though! I plan to purchase a really good small non-stick saucepan and try out your suggestions! But I still do love my 15-buck rice cooker (thanks, Big Lots!)
Part of my mind-set in cooking the 2-cup water/1-cup rice method stems from my momma, who taught me that you just can't do it any other way! And of course, what momma says has to be gospel! But, I believe now that I can tackle smaller amounts.
Thanks again, y'all, for the suggestions. I'm an inveterate soul-food cook, but love to branch out. That's what's so wonderful about the feedback on this board!
Color of dinnerware - turn on / turn off / don't care
Now that you mention it, a more brightly-colored, darker blue would be pretty, and appetizing. I should have specified, but this blue bowl is sort of a washed-out, mottled, lighter blue. Still - blech.
I am in the market for a 12-piece set of matching plates and bowls. I know that 'mismatched chic' is appealing to a lot of folks, but you have to have lots and lots of pieces to make that work! Cobalt blue would look great with the serving pieces I have. Thanks for the idea!
lots of leftover rice - suggestions?
Hm, if I freeze it in those leetle snack-bags, I just might be able to wedge a few of them into the cracks between all the other stuff in the freezer! Not a bad idea!
thanks for all the suggestions, ya'll - I wasn't feeling particularly creative, and knew I'd get the best ideas here. Peace!
lots of leftover rice - suggestions?
I do so love that rice cooker, but you're right, I should give the 'becoming one with the rice' thing another go! Small amounts don't seem tasty to me 'cause they're either mush or rocks. I just cannot seem to get the temp right on the stove, even with a 'full batch' to make it be just right. I have never made satisfactory rice on the stove, which is why I got the (really cheap) cooker. Plus, I'm exceedingly lazy - the 'dump it in, push a button, walk away' method of cooking appeals to the slob in me!
But, it's a long cold winter that doesn't seem to want to let up anytime soon, so I think I'll give it another go! Also, I think if I bought a heavier small pan, that might help, as well.
BTW, IS there such a thing as red and purple rice? I think I just might have to check them out! Peace!
French Onion Soup - Which Recipe do you Recommend?
I love the CI recipe. Suggestions: start with a GREAT stock, and don't use sweet onions (I made that mistake only once - beefy dessert soup, anyone?)
And I agree - more soup, less gloopy bread and cheese! I also like to add some sliced onions in near the end of simmering, I like the texture contrast.
lots of leftover rice - suggestions?
I LOVE rice. Jasmine, Basmati, long-grain, short-grain, brown, black, red, purple (okay not red and purple, but you get the picture.) When I cook for family, I usually hear, "do we have to have rice at EVERY meal?' (answer: yes, of course!) My rice cooker is on the counter in the place that a microwave is not - I use it that often. However, I live alone, and I end up tossing out tons of leftover rice. Ya can't just make a half-cup of rice and have it be tasty!
I've made enough rice pudding to last me for ages. Incorporated it into a few casseroles for the freezer - my take on a chicken divan casserole, mexican casserole, etc.
I like to pride myself on being an inventive cook, but y'all here are so creative, I figure I might glean a few tips! Thanks in advance, CHers!
