lhb78's Profile
Turnips for flavor in Ina Garten's Warm French Lentils
This recipe calls for a turnip to be simmered with the lentils and then discarded. I love this recipe but tried another very similar recipe without the turnip. Not as good.
Can anyone tell me HOW the turnip affects flavor? Is it similar to the recommendation for adding a bit of cayenne pepper instead of salt to, say, soup, enhance the saltiness?
Help design my next meal
What about seafood tacos? I prefer to fry up corn tortillas than use the crunchy store-bought shells for fish tacos and then you can use any seasoning and toppings. I like cilantro, peppers, shredded cabbage soaked in a little citrus juice (lemon, lime- even orange).
What are you baking these days? July 2011, Part 2 [old]
I somehow always end up in a baking mood in really hot weather... why is this?
I just made a savory tart with caramelized onions, gruyere and cherry tomatoes. It was so delicious but the 1.5 hours of cooking time in Sunday's heat was unbearable. Definitely a keeper though. I also make a blueberry crumb bar that another poster suggested- also on a very hot day.
Best canned baked beans?
my husband swears by the B & M brand- our store sells it in a jar rather than a can but I think some places have it in both.
Defeated by the Marshmallow Recipe...AGAIN!
Like another response mentioned- are you using anything other than a glass pan? My recipe says that is crucial.
What do you pack for lunch?
Do you like your co-workers? I frequently bring in my leftovers to share with a co-worker, she does the same and sometimes we coordinate and bring random stuff to create a meal. One day she had tabbouleh and cucumbers and I had lettuce and hummus so we made a salad wrap. Last week we had leftover trout with a salad. I get sick of my go-to foods but she has different ones so together we're guaranteed an inexpensive but different meal despite it being leftovers.
New Cooking Channel Reactions??
I'm with you- I got so tired of RR and Giada and some of the v. annoying meals for $5 dollar shows that I stopped watching FN. I'm pleased with some of the new shows like Chuck's Day Off, like that Two Fat ladies is back but wish there were fewer of the FN standards.
MAN v. FOOD fans ... Toughest challenge for you?
The breakfast burrito/omelet would be really tough- I'm thinking of the episode where he needed to eat 7/8 plates to win. I think he also ate a 12 egg omelet with hash browns- that would be impossible- too many eggs.
Help Me Like Beets
Have you tried baby pickled beets? I had never been a fan but after trying the pickled beet- I was surprised to enjoy the taste. I tried homemade canned beets recently and they were better than the kind I've had from a can- which I imagine are what get put onto salad bars.
"Foodies: Culinary democrats or cultural snobs? "
As with music and wine, there will always be some people that consider their opinion, preferences, and/or knowledge to be superior to others. I think "culinary snobs" are the same as people that stake their life's worth on whether they win Trivial Pursuit- if they can't be smarter or have a more refined palate than someone else- do they have a place in the world? I see countless posts on Chowhound from commenters that, it seems, cannot resist responding to posts where someone asks an unsophisticated question by explaining the err of the original posters way- if everyone knew everything there would be no Chowhound homecooking board. My kind of foodie isn't an expert- it's someone that educates themselves by trying everything, asking questions without judgment for the preference of others.
Dandelion Jelly- Suggestions for use
My neighbor made some amazing dandelion jelly- sweet, refined with hints of citrus. So similar to honey that I must always buy honey made by bees eating dandelions.
It is delicious on toast and is probably very good with peanut butter or greek yogurt... maybe even as a glaze for meat.
Does anyone have other suggestions?
Please help me feed my 17 yr old brother-in-law!
To help him expand his horizons- show him your favorite cookbook or the link to CHOW and let him decide what looks good/ what he wants to try. It gives you a starting point- whether you liven up his favorites or try new ingredients. Since he's 17, he can help cook the meals and learn how and why certain ingredients go together. If he's interested, you could put him in charge of some of the weekly meals. Have fun!
Crab Legs In Tomato Sauce
Since most crab legs that I've purchased are frozen (many are cooked, too), I'd suggest steaming the crab legs, removing the meat from the shell, and then adding them to the dish right before service so you don't over-cook the meat.
I've had a similar dish with the crab legs (in the shell) on top of the pasta and sauce in the North End (Boston). I thought that it tasty but trying to take the crab out of the shell in a nice restaurant (with red sauce) was very difficult. It seems that the crab legs were quickly tossed in a small amount of sauce before serving.
Please help me figure out what this is!
Was it "The Original Carlsbad" Oblaten- a variety of flavors, comes in a cookie tin about 1 in tall, each wafer is divided into 6 triangle pieces? I get them at TJMaxx- prompted by a post that I read last year.
Crunchiest potato chips yet
Miss Vickie's are an excellent chip- the BBQ flavor are really delicious. I'll have to try the crinkle cut.
Things I can make ahead for a long camping trip
Will you be sharing a kitchen/pantry with others or are you starting from scratch? Will you be able grow vegetables yourself? Will you have access to a store or are you bringing all your food at the beginning of the summer? I think the answer to these questions will help people supply solutions.
If you'll have at least one burner to cook on and water (with no pantry to get you started), I would suggest home canned or store-bought canned vegetables; rice, pasta or cous cous; dried beans, canned tuna/ salmon; oil, bullion cubes- items that can be combined in myriad ways to create a meal.
If you won't be able to "cook" very often then beef jerky, canned meats, dried fruit, nuts, etc. are good options. I don't mention canned veggies here because I don't know if you have to bring everything in at once.
If your cooking situation is not as basic as your post suggests, especially if you'll share a kitchen that can be stocked with basic pantry supplies, then I think you'll eat well this summer without having to plan too far ahead.
Imagine a wonderful frozen pizza
I love the Totino's Crispy Party Pizza... I have to say the whole name becase it makes me happy. I think frozen pizza crust gets too dry but Totino's doesn't have any side crust which makes it perfect. Also, the thinness means that I can actually have a crunchy crust and a soft top. The teeny pepperoni's are good too- the one with the whole slices is not as good.
Worst tasting snacks - ever!!!!
My husband loves Twiglets- I've only known them to come from the UK (London, specifically). They look like cheetos except that they are covered in a yeast flavored topping- like marmite (it might even be marmite). I think they taste burnt.
So I guess my second choice would be marmite. I tried it once when I was travelling and met someone from Australia that offered to share. OMG! It was overwhelming.
Top Chef Winner - 10 comments/Questions
Once the chef's stop getting immunity, I think their performance should become a factor in choose the top three and the winner. If the top three cheftestants in Season 5 got credit for past performance the winner would have been different. There should be a safe-guard against a middle-of-the-pack contestant having a "good day" and beating someone that was at the top of their game for most of the elimination challenges.
Top Chef Finale Pt. 2(spoilers)
I agree with Lizard- Stefan was nicer than what most of the episodes portrayed. He was always one of the first to help another contestant.
For the final challenge it makes sense that they cook their "best meal ever" but I think they should have more time to execute each course. If they had had time to identify and fix their mistakes I think the decision would have been different.
For the next season, the twist should be that contestants identify one course that didn't go over well and then they should have a chance to fix it or replace it. Then, that new course would be judged with the other courses. Stefan could have made another dessert and Carla could have re-done her souffle.
EMERGENCY! Meeting my Korean parents for the first time here, what to cook?
I, too, find this thread fascinating because I'm adopted and "the file" says that I'm part Thai though I grew up in a family of non-asians and my adopted sister was not asian. I really don't know very much about the culture or the country except for what I've read and of course- meeting the biological parents is fascinating to me. thanks for sharing!
Victor's Cafe, NYC Black Bean soup recipe?
Victor's Cafe is my favorite restaurant! I haven't been there is many years but I alrways ordered the black bean soup. I'm so happy to be reminded of it- I'll have to try the recipe below.
Marshmallow recipe [split from General Chowhounding Topics]
I make regular marshmallows all the time but typically only use vanilla- that said, i bought a much better quality of vanilla this year so when I added it (at the end) I felt like the taste was overwhelming. My recipe called for 2 tbsp... and I can not-so-fondly recall the burning of peppermint oil on my lips as a kid... I'd suggest no more than 1tbsp but would probably use 1 tsp for my particular recipe.
Brussel Sprouts were HUGE hit! THANKS!
I made a very similar recipe for Thanksgiving and it was a hit as well. I never expected such a positive response... to add a bit of crunch I took 1/4 of the shredded sprouts and baked them until they were really cruchny like chips and sprinkled them on top.
Need great soup recipe for my first Thanksgiving dinner -- please help!
you do need something simple for a first T-day. Below I've included a recipe for broccoli soup that my mom has been making for years. I love it because it has great flavor but it isn't super thick or heavy.
You'll need 1 can evaporated milk, 3-4 Tbsp butter, 2-3 heads of broccoli(at my store they come in packs of three), 1 med. onion, 2 C strong chicken broth(you can use boullion cubes), and a blender).
Dice 1 medium onion and saute for a few minutes in the pan you'll use to make the soup.
Cut all broccoli (including peeled stems) into small pieces.
Add 2 cups of strong chicken broth to the pan and then add the broccoli and simmer until the broccoli is soft but still green. The onions will disappear into the soup.
Using a slotted spoon, put about 3/4 of the broccoli mixture into the blender (smooth soup= put all of the mixture in the blender) and pulse a few times until the broccoli is broken down to your liking (this will be the texture of your soup).
Add the contents of the blender back into the soup pot (with the broth and un-blended broccoli) on medium heat. Add 1 can of evaporated milk and 3-4 tablespoons of butter and stir lightly while butter melts. Add S&P to taste. Do not let the soup boil. If you want a richer soup- add more butter!
Once you get the taste you desire you can serve the soup. If you reheat it, don't boil it then either.
stock in turkey roasting pan
My mother makes gravy in the roasting pan using the following method (which utilizes the brown drippings):
After turkey is done, place the roasting pan on the stove over one or two medium burners. Add 1-2 cups of chicken/turkey stock (if you have a large group- add more) to the pan and scrap the bottom to loosen the yummy brown bits. In a separate container- she uses the 2 C pyrex measuring cup- mix approx. 1/4 cup flour with cold water and stir until there are no lumps. Once the liquid in the pan starts to simmer ,slowly add some of the flour mixture while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. It should start to thicken at this point. Simmer for a few minutes until the flour "cooks" and it reaches the desired consistency.
If you want it to be thicker- add more of the flour/h2o mix. If it gets too thick- add more stock.
This method allows you to use the brown bits, the stock gives you a larger quantity of gravy while adding flavor.
Best Homemade Food Gift
I like to make homemade marshmallows- these are especially good if you want to ship something to people because they keep well for a few days in an air tight bag.
This year I'm going to try making biscotti. I tested a few shortbread recipes but they didn't look so great- tasted good but whenver I tried to cut them they crumbled at the edges. If you were a better baker than me Cooking Light had three recipes in their recent issue.
alternative mashed taters?
My mother made a cauliflower and mushroom (portabello, I think) puree a few years ago- it might have been from Cooking Light or South Beach. It was really good, had a hearty rich flavor and did not feel like a low carb side.
What's The One Thing You Can't Eat, even for money.
Raisins- ick! Tilapia b/c I saw a show where they were used to clean the water in a Hippo enclosure.
I tried to like foie gras and toro but the consistency makes me gag.
White asparagus, Miracle Whip, Ham salad, tripe or anything organy probably wouldn't suit me well... eels or anything worm like- NO WAY.
Not a huge fan of marshmallow fluff
For Money, I'd try certain bugs like a grasshopper or ant.
I'd be a terrible fear factor contestant but generally don't consider myself a picky eater.
