alliedawn_98's Profile
Where does soup rank in your food favorites?
Try adding some smoked chicken in with black bean and sweet potato. I use Mexican spices, diced onions, and peppers in it and my children love it!
South Boston, Virginia
Update on Shan-Gri-La......it is not good at all now. The last couple of times we were in there, the food was dried out and over cooked. They had gone to more American foods, like fried chicken livers, fried okra, macaroni and cheese, etc. and less Chinese and Japanese. We went in about 3:30 pm and they charged us the dinner prices but still had food out from lunch service. Needless to say, we won't go back there again.
I haven't eaten at Bistro 1888 and haven't heard any locals talking about it in the year+ we have lived here. The Magnolia Grill looks promising but I haven't been there yet. Smokin' Jakes BBQ is pretty good. I loved their Chipotle BBQ Burger with Bacon, Fried Green Tomato, Cheese, Slaw. Mi Carretta is a really good Mexican restaurant (love the guacomole made tableside) and all the locals talk about it.
I ate at Ernie's Restaurant one Friday evening for the all you can eat seafood. I wasn't impressed but it was pretty busy so guess others liked it. They did have oyster stew on the buffet which surprised me. Maybe I've lived a sheltered life but I don't recall ever seeing in on a menu in the past.
Just trying to give a little update for anyone that might end up over in our neck of the woods.
River themed finger foods
Fried catfish bites
steamed mussels
I would bet there are some crawfish around there, too.
Eel
frog legs
turtle soup
I would think things that grow in and around the river. If you go on down around Darrien, you could do seafood, too.
Ground Beef safety -WWYD?
It should be fine. I rarely ever use ground beef the same day I buy it and sometimes keep it for several days in the fridge. I've even bought it reduced. I just make sure to cook it thoroughly and if it smells off, I toss it but that hasn't happened in a long, long time.
Instant Oatmeal
I've been eating the Quaker Quick Oats, just 1/2 cup oats, 1 cup water and 1 minute 30 seconds in the microwave. Then I stir in natural peanut butter, sliced bananas, and dried cranberries for a very filling breakfast.
My worst food experience of 2011-Bad Garlic!
I have had the same problem in southern VA. I never saw any for sale at our local farmer's market and I have been using the jarred stuff. It's not as good but I got sick of wasting money on shriveled cloves or green shoots in the cloves.
Cheese pecan sandies
My grandmother used to make these flat, round crackers with cheese and cayenne in the dough. She put a pecan half on top in the center and baked them. She called them "cheese straws". I have tried various cheese straw recipes and while they are similar, they are just not the same. BTW, she is from southeastern Georgia.
Having Your Thanksgiving at a Restaurant: Choice or Necessity?
Your post sounds a little familiar. There are four of us, no family nearby and no friends who do not have family obligations on Thanksgiving day. We went out several years when the children were younger, then I started cooking at home. This is one of my favorite meals to cook throughout the year but my least favorite to eat and all those leftovers........yuck. I don't dream of leftover turkey sandwiches or leftover turkey anything for that matter and the same goes for the other dishes. Turns out that the rest of my family of four feels the same way. So this year we are going out to a buffet where there will be turkey, ham, and fried chicken and lots of sides to choose from so everyone can eat what they want and no leftovers to eat for the next week. :)
Hard boiled Eggs in Gravy
In southeastern Georgia, the giblet gravy had chopped boiled eggs in it and was made with turkey dinners to ladle over dressing.
How do you pronounce "praline"?
Currently a Virginian, formerly a Georgian and it's a pray-lean with pee-cans in it. :)
high cholesterol
Lopid (Gemfibrozil) is what my friend was prescribed for high triglycerides, high HDL and low LDL after having a mild heart attack. The cardiologist also recommended Omega 3 supplements...specified Omega 3 and not Omega 6, preferably krill oil. He was also told to cut back on sugars, fats, eat more whole grains, get more fiber and more exercise.
BTW, the high triglycerides, low LDL and high HDL can be symptoms of metabolic syndrome, too.
Verdict on the slimcado?
I tried one of these yesterday and was really disappointed. It was difficult to chop and peel in my normal way because the skin kept tearing and it had a weird sort of tissue around the seed. The taste was quite sweet and it was juicy...just different all around. My daughter said not to buy those again!
Greek Yogurt - are you sure?
I really like the Greek Gods, too. Fage is another favorite. I buy whichever one the store I am at carries. Greek Gods when I get to a Kroger store and Fage from Walmart....when they actually have it in stock. I guess it's popular around here which is funny because there aren't many Greek yogurts available at other stores in my area. I will buy Oikos, too.
Endangered and Extinct: Taco Flavored Doritos
I just bought a bag of Taco Doritoes at Food Lion on Saturday. The bag caught my eye because it's like what I remember from my childhood. I haven't opened it yet so don't know how they'll taste.
How do you mellow red onions
I bought a bag of onions a while back that had some tips on the back. One of them said if you like the flavor of raw onions but do not want it to be overpowering, you should rinse the chopped onions under running cold water and then allow to drain.
Tony Bourdain visits the Ozarks
Rofl! I wish I had thought of that when I lived down there! So far, I haven't seen any signs of armadillos in VA.
What says "American Food" to you?
I wish you could remember the name! I have a friend in McDonough, I will ask her if she's ever heard of it. She gets out and about a good bit. I am bad about tossing jars or peeling labels and not remembering the name.
What says "American Food" to you?
I think it may be they're just used to eating the Vidalias. Each year, Vidalia, GA hosts the Sweet Vidalia Onion Festival in May. They have an onion eating contests and there are even children participating! An uncle of mine participated one year. I can't imagine eating all that raw onion. I would be sick. Vidalias are a milder onion but sometimes they do have a good bit of heat. It depends on the growing season..how wet/dry/hot/cold is what I've been told. I know I have gotten Arizona sweets and others that were milder.
Tony Bourdain visits the Ozarks
I live in southern VA and some guy asked my SO if he wanted to eat some raccoon not too long ago. The guy was going hunting that night and was going to share it with him. My SO is not that adventurous when it comes to food.
Tony Bourdain visits the Ozarks
If you see where armadillos have been rooting in your yard and want to see a live one, then walk around with a flashlight after dark. They will actually run towards you. We had them in south GA when I was a teen.
I just Googled Garlic
Yes! I have been having that issue with shriveled or sprouted garlic lately. I was in the store trying to find some and the bulbs all felt so empty. I bought elephant garlic instead since that was the only decent bulbs I could find locally. I tried it in a tomato based sauce and the flavor profile was a little different. Not to mention, that one clove was just way to much for what I needed. I ended up tossing about half of it into the compost. I didn't know the best way to store it for later use. I still have the elephant garlic, just missing that one clove.
Brand Failures
We used to get the pancake sausage on a stick for breakfast at school. I haven't had them in a long time. I don't know about the chocolate chip ones but my family likes chocolate chip pancakes.
Brand Failures
I actually loved Crystal Pepsi and was disappointed when they stopped making it. I also enjoyed the Holiday Spice they had out about 5 years ago at Christmas. I stockpiled it while I could get it.
02putt, my children would beg for the Cheeseburger Doritoes and I liked them better than some varieties.
Are you able to smell asparagus metabolites in urine? [from General Topics]
Sure glad to know my family isn't the only one like this. lol
Yes, I can smell it within a very short period after ingesting. I love to eat asparagus but really don't like that smell!
Watermelon Rinds and why would anyone think they're good?
I had never had the pickled watermelon rinds and bought some from a market this past summer. I was disappointed because they were so different from the watermelon rind preserves I had as a child. I have half a jar left and have been wondering what would be a good use of them.
South Boston, Virginia
Hi, I just moved to the South Boston area a few months ago. I was really surprised to see it come up on Chowhound!
I know a lot of people do not like buffet restaurants but a new one has opened in South Boston called Shan-Gri-La. They have Chinese, Japanese, and American food. I have eaten there a few times. I'm no sushi connoisseur, really not sure what everything I eat is and wouldn't know how to begin ordering off a menu but I have enjoyed what I've eaten from the sushi bar there. You can watch the chef preparing it and someone told me he will take special orders. The other food is really good and everyone I have talked to enjoyed it a lot. It's not a fancy restaurant but good for lunch. I've never been at dinner time.
Summer is here! What are your tips for picnic coolers?
We have one of those Coleman coolers that will keep ice in 90 degree temperatures for several days. We took it camping and put frozen burgers (preformed and frozen by me), frozen chickens, and other items in it. We loaded it on Thursday afternoon and some of the items were still frozen on Sunday. We did drain water and add ice to it a few times just to be safe but it works really well. It does work best if the food going into the cooler is already cold.
Just got braces and EVERYTHING hurts, need ideas for softer foods...
For anyone who needs to eat soft foods, the blender is your friend! I just had oral surgery last Friday and on Saturday, my SO grilled stuff chicken breasts. I threw on in the blender with some chicken broth, just to moisten, and pureed it. It tasted so good! I also had a hamburger from the blender and carrot raisin pineapple salad. Yes, it's like eating baby food but you can still eat nutritious foods and a variety.
This is what they do in nursing homes and other facilities where people have difficulty swallowing or chewing so can't eat solid foods.
what do you prefer that most foodies would scoff at?
Oh boyz, I just had Spaghetti-O's on Monday after oral surgery on Friday and yuck! I used to beg for either those or a pbj for lunch as a child but now, blech! I have quickly adapted to just throwing regular foods in the blender. lol
Amish Friendship Bread
I have read this thread and laughed. I live near Amish and I think you would all be amused by what you find in their shopping carts at the grocery store. They buy many of the same items we do, convenience items, processed foods, etc. They do not live strictly off of what they can grow or raise at home. They buy riding lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, and all sorts of other things. Some of them have electricity or diesel engines to run equipment in their barns but not their homes, a telephone across the road (that way it doesn' t interfere with home-life), they eat out at restaurants (once sat across from a table of 12 at King Dragon Buffet in Sturgis, MI), and they work in mobile home factories and other manufacturing facilities in the area.
As far as the Amish Friendship bread, I made that stuff for about 6 months back in 2008-2009. I made all kinds of variations....banana bread, banana-strawberry bread, pumpkin, and the cinnamon that came with the starter. The cinnamon never turned out right for me. The only time it was edible was when I left the pudding mix completely out of it. The other breads were ok but we got sick of eating them. I froze the bread so we ate on it all last summer after the 6 months of baking the stuff every 10 days. I froze starter and it's still in the freezer and I still have no desire to use it. :)
