Querencia's Profile
"Dirty" recipes that are crowd pleasers
Buy cheap peanut brittle (79 cents a box on sale at the drug store) and pulverize it in the Cuisinart. Set it out as an ice cream topping and label it "Sawdust". It's delicious shoveled onto ice cream and boys about ten years old love to gross grownups out with what they're eating.
Need Cookie Suggestions
Thanks for all responses. Using hard-boiled egg in cookies is new to me. Amazing. Had not thought of biscotti. I used to do a chocolate biscotti that I hadn't remembered in ages. Collaboration always helps. As the saying goes, all of us are smarter than any of us.
Things you want to bake
RE "I have sweet visions of covering my coffee table with a towel and carefully lovingly stretching [strudel dough] out": In the absence of such a vision, phyllo makes very nice strudel.
Need Cookie Suggestions
I need a cookie that meets specific criteria. It will be added to a bag lunch for a church food distribution, so it needs to be sturdy---not too thin, delicate, or crumbly. I want it to be about 1/2 inch thick and 3-4 inches in diameter when baked. It shouldn't turn sticky and soft when it sits as I will be baking the cookies the day before. I am thinking that a dough that is made into balls and flattened slightly might work---am not inclined to do the roll-and-cut-out bit. I have a jar of molasses I'd like to use up---does anyone know of a molasses cookie that would fill the bill? Something about the consistency of an Archway molasses cookie? Or (another cookie type here) since I need 60 of them, I was wondering about a cookie dough that would include cereal like Rice Krispies, to extend volume---does anything come to mind?
What does Montreal have to offer? June 30 - July 3
I will tell you what I adore in Montreal but my off-beat suggestions may offend proponents of fine restaurants. But, here goes. 1) Although I am not a vegetarian I make a beeline for (vegetarian) Le Commensal (several locations) which has a hot buffet and a cold buffet because the cold buffet is the most awesome salad bar I have ever seen in my life. 2) The Underground City has many many many food courts which set up for lunch for the hordes of office workers who eat lunch there so that at about 11 or 11:30 everything is fresh and gorgeous and these food courts are ethnic food heaven---I swear that half the new international residents of Montreal must run food court places. My introduction to all kinds of foreign delights was in the Montreal Underground City and because there are so many places and prices are low you can make this an occasion for grazing.
Food-related volunteering [Toronto]
I'm not in Toronto but can tell you that in Chicago the feeding programs are run from churches so you might check churches. Whether you are making sandwiches, baking cookies at home to bring in, cooking a hot meal, dishing out spaghetti, or distributing bag lunches, here you would definitely be working (as a volunteer) with a church program. I see your note that you want to remain secular but I don't see how that would be a problem as the feeding programs I have worked with (half a dozen in as many churches) have not had a worship component.
What cut of beef should I buy to grind at home for burgers?
Why grind it at home? I have never had a butcher refuse to grind a cut of meat I was buying. Less mess if he does it.
Rum suggestions for baking only
You definitely want a dark rum for cooking and baking in order to get the flavor. I absolutely use Meyer's. The light rum (that looks like water) is used for drinks like pina colada and daquiri. You won't get Meyer's all that cheap but you don't use much and a bottle will last you for years if you just use a couple of tablespoons in an icing or a filling. BTW a shot (or even a tablespoon if you don't drink and just want the flavor) of Meyer's is also nice in hot chocolate on a cold winter night.
I Love my Weber grill - Cornell chicken
If you have a grill with a top that slides over do try Beer Can Chicken (directions online). The cooked chicken meat is more moist and tender and flavorful than any chicken I have ever tasted. You can buy a wire beer can holder at Bed Bath & Beyond that holds the beer and positions the chicken, or you might just wing it with a pan underneath.
HELP: how to make popcorn on the stovetop
In pre-microwave days I made popcorn on the stove burner using a heavy covered pan (actually it was my Mirro pressure cooker pan without the rubber gasket and thingamabob---just pan and lid). You do have to use oil in the bottom of the pan (but not too much) and you do have to keep the pan moving, sliding it back and forth across the burner. You'll figure out how high to turn the burner so that the corn a) pops and b) doesn't burn. Another option is that we are now in the full swing of yard sale season and you may be able to pick up a corn popping machine of some kind for a couple of dollars.
a little help for watermelon
* I read somewhere that you can inject vodka into watermelon. Have never tried it. I guess you would use what my children when they were little used to call a shotter (the thing the doctor gives shots with).
Fourteen ounces is the new pound
A supermarket chain in Chicago advertised (in its newspaper ad) "a 12-oz pint of blueberries". How stupid do they think we are? And, janniecooks, please feel perfectly free to rant. Have you checked out your half-gallon ice cream package lately?
To anchovy or NOT to
This is not about pizza but it is about anchovies.The anchovy dish I keep feeling tempted to try (but haven't yet) is in Scandianvian cookbooks and I have seen it called Sailor's Delight or Sailor's Dream. Basically it is a baked casserole of scalloped potatoes with some sliced onions thrown in and a layer or two of salty anchovies, with cream poured over all and then baked. Can't you imagine a sailor on northern seas standing watch all night up on a ship's deck in a snowstorm, freezing his *** and dreaming of this, all hot and creamy and potato-y and salty with the anchovies?
Dry large lima beans - going the way of the dodo?
Karl, this plus rearranging the displays all the time, seems to be about raising the probability that while wandering around searching for something we will commit Impulse Buying. And they're probably right.
John Hancock building for a drink with a view.
My standard advice to out-of-town visitors is, if they plan to go up to one of the observatories (Hancock or Sears/Willis), they will pay a $15 entrance fee, but instead there is the option of going to lunch at the Signature Room (Hancock, 96th floor) which has a buffet for about $20 so for $5 more they get the same view plus lunch.
Need a Recipe for a Coffee Cake to Travel
Not sure what you mean by travel---ride in car for two hours? Fly to Europe? I have taken a whole Julekaka when traveling to Europe (haven't tried it since 9-11 but this is about whether it travels well). This was a rather firm braided yeast bread with raisins and candied fruit in it. I would just put it on top of the other stuff in my hand luggage and we would hack off a slice for breakfast every morning to replace the plain rolls that usually came with our coffee. It traveled perfectly and lasted for over a week. I bought it at a Swedish bakery but you could easily make it---Julekaka recipes are online.
Make ahead meals for Elderly
Don't overlook desserts. In similar situations I have heard much appreciation for tapioca pudding, bread pudding, baked custard, chocolate pudding (the cooked kind made from a box), and fruit crisps and cobblers. The soft puddings are especially welcome where chewing is compromised. Tapioca has been the big favorite (I use the Fluffy Tapioca recipe on the Minute Tapioca box, doubling it and using 3 eggs instead of 2 to increase nutrients).
Need non-fussy fish or Italian recs near James Hotel for 2-hour window on Saturday night
If you want to stay nearby, the closest possible place to The James is Heaven on Seven as it's across the street. This is Cajun and their menu offers many fish and shellfish choices. Go up the escalator at the corner of Rush and Ohio.
What to do with dry curd cottage cheese?
Is this like bakers' dry cottage cheese? Pretty smooth, not curdy? First thing you do with it is stop off at the nearest cathedral and give thanks that you have it because I can no longer find it in Chicago---I thought it was extinct. It's just the thing for making cheese filling for pastry---put it through food processor or blender with an egg, some lemon rind, some sugar.
Help with menu from garden
Kengk, I like YOUR menu because you preserve the integrity of each individual vegetable.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
Having lived 25 years in Maryland, I think that if God told me I could have one more meal on earth before departing forever I would go to The Cozy in Thurmont, MD. It dates back decades and defines the term "funky" (part of it is in disused railroad cars). It's near Camp David and every reporter in the Western World knows about it. The Cozy is a huge-huge buffet featuring such homemade Maryland pleasures as roast turkey, pot pie (chicken and big square noodles in gravy), real mashed potatoes, wonderful coleslaw, fried oysters, ice-cold cottage cheese that you're supposed to dribble apple butter over, hot biscuits with honey, and fifty or sixty other things leading then to an array of home-baked pies. I just checked their website and the current price for all of this is listed at $12-$17 depending on day and hour. I am writing this from 700 miles away and wish I were there now. Google "cozy thurmont" for details.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
I'm a few years away from Maryland so this may be out-of-date but is the Lexington Market still a good place to graze? My favorite thing was Faidley's crabcake on a saltine cracker but my husband liked a place that did big greasy mounds of fried potatoes with bacon & eggs. A stop at the lima bean soup plan was always wise. Then we'd hit Amish ice cream place. Then the place with the peanut brittle and hand-dipped chocolates.
To theminx: Consider a place down in Thurmont that is as funky as possible and dates back decades, The Cozy. It's near Camp David and every reporter in the Western World knows about it. They have a huge-huge buffet of homemade stuff like roast turkey, real mashed potatoes, amazing coleslaw, "potpie" (a Pennsylvania chicken and noodles dish), cottage cheese that you're supposed to dribble with apple butter, fifty or sixty other things, then an array of desserts featuring homemade pie. There used to be scalloped oysters but probably not any more as oysters are so rare and expensive now.
Home Made Instead of Purchased
We used to make our own peanut butter,. cstout---just put peanuts (with or without salt according to your taste) in the Cuisinart and let it run until they turn into peanut butter. This will definitely happen.
"Least Favorite Vegetable" Poll
I cherish this memory. Out-of-town friends (Midwestern Americans) came early for dinner, starved as they had missed lunch while touring. I set out crackers and a mountain of garlicky baba ganoush in which they almost buried themselves as they devoured it with both hands uttering glad cries of joy and asking, "What IS this?". "Eggplant," I answered. All three of them, in perfect unison and disbelief: "EGGPLANT??!!".
Staring at a pile of shredded cabbage, what salad should I make?
Doesn't have to be salad. Shredded cabbage makes a wonderful stir-fry. Add a teaspoon each of soy sauce, sherry, and sugar. Toss in any odd bits of leftover pork or some canned French fried onions or maybe a few shrimp., anything, or have it plain as a vegetable.
How to cook artichokes for making a dip
You don't actually have to cook fresh artichokes to make a dip of the hearts. A lot of people use the canned hearts (not the marinated ones). Also if you have a Trader Joe's convenient they sell bags of frozen artichoke hearts.
need ideas for egg substitute
I still would suggest trying the date cake because it is an incredibly flexible and forgiving recipe. Try it with the non-egg egg substitute and let us know what happens.
Ok clever cooks! Money/time saving tips on multi-purposing items!
To save time, make chocolate chip cookies but don't add the chocolate chips. Spread the dough in a brownie pan. Put the chocolate chips on top. Run the pan in the oven for 3-4 minutes until the chips soften. Remove the pan and run a knife through the dough a few times to marbleize the chocolate. Return to oven and finish baking. Cut into squares.
Strawberries have no flavor anymore. Agree or disagree?
Personally I think that those Edible Arrangement things are the worst waste of money I have ever seen. The fruit is beautiful but doesn't have much flavor and if you expect to keep the thing you either have to have a massively huge refrigerator or else take it all apart right away so you can refrigerate the fruit in covered containers.
