odkaty's Profile
Finally....an excuse to put in a garden, after 30 years of farm stands
You spelled kohlrabi correctly — one of my favorites too!
Left-handers - how do you handle your cutlery?
lol, this right hander uses chopsticks, acetylene torches, and a bunch of other stuff with the left hand. So sharing a computer with my left-handed co-worker was never a problem, after a few moments I could use his wacom tablet as easily as I could use my own.
How can Americans incorporate more fruits & vegetables in their diets on a budget?
I agree — if junk food isn't presented as an option, then it won't become the norm. I normally stuff everything into one dish, not as a side.
There's no junk food in our house, only ingredients, and a lot of vegetables. We have a chest freezer full of CSA/garden/farmer's market produce to use this winter. I normally have enough put away to last through the end of February/early March. Then we have a few sad expensive months of sub-par vegetables before local produce comes into season.
Tips for dining out with babies and toddlers, please
My SIL used rubber bibs, along the lines of your placemat, that had a large "cup" or "well" at the bottom. Her favorite thing was the clean up — she just put the bib in the dishwasher.
Poll -- do you have an electric, ceramic, gas or induction cooktop?
Gas with convection oven. Five burners ranging from 18,000 to 5,000 BTU.
And, no, I'm not interested in switching. Even the POS gas we had before this current stove heated more evenly (high and low) than any electric I've used — including my MIL's fancy new induction.
need some new ideas for savoury vegetarian sandwich fillings & toast toppings, beyond peanut butter, hummus and cheese
In my rotation:
- tempeh salad with or without curry powder, apple, raisins, nuts, etc, served in pita bread.
- baba ghanoush with lots of fresh vegetables
- falafel (baked for serving cold) with fresh vegetables, garlic and a smear of hummus or tahini
- tapenade with lots of fresh vegetables for a light lunch
- any sort of leftover bean dip with lots of fresh vegetables, sriracha or some other hot sauce
The perpetual guest -- are you one? Why?
The other couple? They've suggested several times over the years, but no invitation is ever forthcoming. It's a bit of a joke amongst the rest of the group.
The perpetual guest -- are you one? Why?
In a close group of 2 couples and 2 singles, we're the perpetual hosts. I tire of always hosting, being volunteered to host (seriously!) and being expected to host. Fortunately the 2 singles have started hosting occasionally. I appreciate the effort, positive reinforcement and all. Unfortunately it's a case of too little too late — I'm burned out.
None of B through D apply to the non-hosters, and none of the close group have children (several in the extended group do, but they host too).
Slumming it in the Kitchen
My quick go-to meal is always a frittata. Get home late, head to the kitchen, assemble and stick in oven, 10-15 minutes for other stuff, and dinner's on the table within 30 minutes.
It's a meal we actually look forward too, and it's easily dressed up with sriracha, sides, sauces, fancy cheeses, etc.
Mourn the loss of the planned meal, but don't feel dirty about the quick meal — nourishment important too.
Survey: Do we cook worse than the previous generations?
Echoing several other posters, I'm going to say that as a whole the American public's cooking is declining. The advent of food products and convenience of restaurants has made it easier for people who don't enjoy cooking to have a semblance of food.
Personally, I will say my cooking is about the same as my mother's, better than my father's. I grew up in a, for lack of a better term, "cook from scratch" house. Our pantry/fridge contained ingredients like onions, potatoes, rice, flour, etc. I was in high school before I had store bought bread. And I've never had many of the food products that many of my peers consider iconic — peeps, twinkies, ho-hos, etc. With one glaring exception, Mom's mother, all of their extended families cook (well) too, as does my generation.
My husband's family is in the "better" camp. He and the elder sibling learned to cook well, and a nephew is really showing an interest in cooking. He already makes better crepes than I can. My MIL is not a very good home cook. Apparently she's declined over the years, but I really doubt that.
The Kitchen 'Show' Sponge...
Agree with Sandy — your mom sounds wonderfully considerate. My aunt used to do that too, though with the nice towels — she expected her guest towels to be used.
Pancakes and waffles - how do you top them?
You reminded me of a really rich cardamon orange syrup I made this summer for a cake. I should make another batch and use it for waffles.
The Kitchen 'Show' Sponge...
No show anything, even in the guest rooms — I've always found that wasteful. Why have something you're not going to use?
The sponge is changed out regularly. In between it takes regular bleach baths and dunks in the dishwasher. The sponge normally dissolves from the battering it takes well before it turns nasty.
Washing Dishes & Latex Gloves
I'm amazed the gloves lasted a month and a half! Mine only last 1-2 days before springing a leak or getting nasty enough that no gloves is more appealing. I keep a box of them under the sink, grab new and recycle the dead ones.
Pancakes and waffles - how do you top them?
Red pepper as in cayenne, red pepper flakes, or chopped chilis.
As for the gravy, I've had it with both. Not a big fan of pancakes in any form.
Pancakes and waffles - how do you top them?
- Orange marmalade, butter, salt & red pepper
- Maple syrup, preferably B, butter & salt
- Sriracha
- Huckleberry syrup, butter & salt
- Morels & gravy
An Atavistic Response [moved from Home Cooking board]
Hot (spicy).
I didn't grow up with that on a regular basis — it was an infrequent treat punctuated by ventures to Thai and Ethiopian restaurants. And Mom's massive yield of habaneros one summer helped the transformation.
A college friend would bring her dad's homemade salsa from home. She and I'd sit and eat it by the spoonful, while our roommates looked on in wonder.
Stocking a Hunting Cabin
My hunters have a wood stove, running water (piped in from the creek), hot showers (combo sun heated and stove water) and an open air outhouse. Everything but electricity!
Anyway, meals. Bacon, eggs, toast/hot cereal, pancakes (not bisquick. I think he uses the CI mix recipe now) for breakfast. Hard cheddar, salami (or other non-refrigerated cured meat), rolls, mustard for lunch. Dinners vary. My uncle does most of the cooking -- stews, chili, pork & beans. Occasionally he makes cornbread or drop biscuits too. He packs the ingredients, including dried fats/milks so he only needs to add water.
Vegetarian Dinner Party
Favorites from our dinner parties:
- Yellow pea soup with spiced yogurt, spinach and rice (I serve without unless it's a big group)
- Vegetable terrines (I choose vegetables based on the season)
- Eggplant (or squash?) Tian
- Chili
- Broccoli, cheddar and beer risotto
- Souffles
Vegan/Vegetarians: What to eat when feeling under the weather???
Frittata or a spicy daal.
I've Rendered My Spouse Useless!
The opposite has happened in my house — the spouse who's turn-to meal was overcooked pasta and bottled spagetti sauce has learned to cook. He's turned into a wonderful sous chef, and with some meal-idea prompting can make dinner in a pinch.
Anne Arundel Pit Beef Tour
Arundel VFD is planning to do pit beef this Saturday (10/1) at the fire house.
Vegans and Vegetarians: How Would You Feel About This?
"there is not necessarily any deliberate misleading."
I disagree with this. The dish is described as vegetarian/vegan when it isn't — how can that be anything but misleading? Deliberate or not, it's untrue.
Better to describe the dish and add something in small print to the effect of "cooked in oil shared with ." Then the customer is correctly informed and the restaurant isn't misleading anyone ... except people who need large print :-)
Vegans and Vegetarians: How Would You Feel About This?
An otherwise vegetarian/vegan dish in meaty fryer oil is no longer vegetarian/vegan. This customer can taste the difference.
That's a very unethical menu writer/chef. I'd be wondering what else is the restaurant deliberately misleading the customer about. "Grass-fed" meat in the form of Cargill or Hormell? Cage free eggs courtesy of Perdue?
Need pickling help..made a mistake
Leave them in the fridge — refrigerator pickles have a several month lifespan before they start to deteriorate texture-wise.
As for future canning, make sure you're using a recipe that provides processing times, etc. In addition using a true canning recipe (not something for fermentation or fridge pickles), you'll want to consult either the Ball Canning guide or the USDA's food preservation publications for further information. There are specific processes for sterilizing jars and equipment that you'll want to follow.
Unappealing raw flour taste in the tortilla wrapper of my breakfast burritos...
Do you have a toaster oven at work? My uncle introduced me to these — he'd tried microwave, oven and toaster. The latter works the best for us office dwellers.
cuisinart ice cream maker doesn't thicken
Did you chill the ice cream base for at least 2 hours before putting it in the ice cream maker?
Monthly healthy food grocery bill?
$130/week for 2 people in the DC metro area. That includes household items (toilet paper, laundry detergent) but no meat, no supplements and no prepared/pre-packaged foods. We eat out 1-2 times per week.
We have a garden, plus a CSA membership, and I frequent the local farmers markets and organic grocers for food stuff. Household items are purchased in bulk on sale from Target/Giant/Safeway. And I buy things like beans in bulk. We eat a balanced diet, so no need for supplements.
I don't skimp. I like cheese, but I buy small blocks so we finish it before it goes bad. My husband likes fage with local honey. And I buy fresh-roasted coffee from a small local roaster at $13/lb.
Chipotle steps in it again
Ingredients are listed, quite clearly IMO, on Chipotle's web site.
