Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

While enduring a ‘bug’ this week that left me unable to do much but sleep or sit in front of the TV, I happened upon Clarissa Dickson Wright’s series, ‘Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner’, which you can find on YouTube, and which is a really interesting history of how our 'three squares', and the ways we partake of them, have evolved over time.

In the Lunch episode, she featured a pasty (yes, no 'r') crust design, executed by food scholar Ivan Day. This was so beautiful, I had to find the design, and know more about it.

On the way, I found some interesting stuff – including Day's great website on historic food:

http://www.historicfood.com/portal.htm

The pasty design seems to have been derived from Edward Kidder’s ancient ‘Receipts of pastry and cookery, for the use of his scholars’, published in 1720 (you can still buy a copy on Amazon ;-):

http://www.historicfood.com/Edward%20Kidders%20Lamb%20Pasty.htm

I’m not personally a fan of British pasties; but it seems to me that we could decorate our sweet or savory pies just as beautifully – it just takes practice, and starting small! And you don’t need cutters to do this; just find a design, make a cardboard cutout of it, and find a sharp knife to cut the pastry to each of the shapes; then do some detail on the pieces.

Food52 has a lot of starter ideas for ‘fancying up’ your pie:

https://food52.com/blog/8744-9-ways-to-fancy-up-your-pies

-JT

[MomwithHope]

I've been taking apples and putting them through my peeler/slicer with the hand crank. I freeze them in little baggies, only a half apple each. So easy to pop out of the freezer and put in with my oatmeal. I only make 1/3 cup dry oats (not the quick ones) in a bowl. Add 2/3 cup water, a few raisins, a few broken up pecan halves, some brown sugar and the frozen apples on top nuke for 3 1/2 minutes on 50%. (a 1200 watt microwave). Delicious and the frozen apples come out hot and fresh tasting. Kind of like underbaked apple pie filling.

Those peaches sound delicious. nothing better with ice cream IMO. I just save ripe ones by slicing and putting in a foodsaver bag and freezing - just in single portions.

[momtothree]

Yes.. please post it! (unless it uses pork... after last season... the pigs that were fed on walkers.. still has me creeped out). (((Hugs))) Mom

[momtothree]

CHEESY HAM CHOWDER RECIPE

Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped small
1 cup diced carrots
3 tbsp all purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1 can (15 1/4 oz) drained whole kernel corn
2 tsp chicken bouillon
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups fully cooked cubed ham

In a dutch oven or large soup kettle, heat some butter or oil (*see note on bottom). Saute onion and carrots until tender. Stir in flour to coat all the veggies. Add the milk and water. Bring to a boil and cook (stir) for about 2 minutes or until it thickens. Add potatoes, corn, bouillon and pepper if you like it. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese, ham and heat until melted.

***Original recipe called for 10 slices of bacon that you diced, fried, and set aside. The onions and carrots were then sauted in the bacon grease. The bacon is then stirred in at the end. However, I try to cut down on cost where I can.. and TBH, I didn’t see the bacon adding a whole lot.

I also used frozen corn since I was out of canned. I would recommend adding salt at the end.. you never know just how salty ham can be (I find some ham very salty and others not so much). It is a stick to your ribs type of chowder and probably not a Weight Watchers recommended one. LOL! The family loved it.. even my 11 year old that we say eats five things only. (a bit of an exaggeration but she is stupid picky). I also did all the work up till adding the milk and water and then I transferred it to a crock pot. It is very versatile this way. Hope you like it!

[momtothree]

Thank you Mom... I’m looking forward to making her the first batch! 39 years and counting... that was an excellent buy! (the dehydrator.. not the husband) LOL... I guess that was a good buy, too. (((Hugs))) Mom

[miss marmelstein]

About all I can do when making my fruit pies is using left over dough to make leaves or fruit designs. I’m a decorating idiot and can barely frost a cake with any expertise!

[MomwithHope]

Yes both were amazing gifts!!

[Freedom56v2]

Wow looks perfect! Thanks so much for sharing this!!

[Liz]

So glad you like it.......a quick and easy holiday recipe.

[Freedom56v2]

I’ve never made it but it sounds good. Some rum or rum extract seems mandatory.

I like your tag line bw!

---

What a great addition to recipe Liz sent!

Hope all is well down in TN

~Freeper formerly known as bushwon ;)

[Freedom56v2]

“Quick” and “easy” are my top internet search terms ;)

[Liz]

Will try them (smirk).

[Freedom56v2]

My daughter was an au pair for the summer and had to cook—only she did not know how beyond microwave popcorn and ramen noodles~two major food groups of college students LOL...As a competitive swimmer, she was never around during our dinner preparation at home.

While au pairing, she would frequently text me for ideas, info, etc. Once while having coffee with a friend, daughter texted me, and my friend said she always put in “best ever, easy” recipe searches...she highly recommended them—probably saved my daughter from getting fired ;)

[Freedom56v2]

I’ve never made it but it sounds good. Some rum or rum extract seems mandatory.

I like your tag line bw!
What a great addition to recipe Liz sent!

Hope all is well down in TN

~Freeper formerly known as bushwon ;)

~~~~~
Actually the recipe calls for Rum extract :)

[Liz]

NO-BAKE FRENCH SNOWBALLS
Fast, lowfat elegant treat. Cookie-like confection. Found in an old cookbook.
CHEF'S NOTES: Use toasted/finely ground peanuts. Can do-ahead and freeze for a chewy texture.

METHOD Combine 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 c conf sugar. Add cup chp nuts. Moisten w/ 1/2 cup fat-free
sweet/cond/milk, tsp vanilla, pinch salt. Shape into balls. Roll in combined cocoa and conf sugar.

[CottonBall]

I can’t wait to try that eggnog bread recipe!

I could kick myself now for forgetting to buy eggnog the last time I was in town. I may have to make a special trip now ;)

[CottonBall]

Here is my 2nd installment of little village cakes.

These were made with the orange cake batter. For each, I made only a half recipe, which fit the little village pan perfectly. Unfortunately with the orange recipe, it didn't rise over the top of the pan so I didn't get any to eat. So I don't know what it tastes like. With the other 2, some flattening of the building bottom was needed so they didn't topple over!

I got distracted when the timer went off and likely overbaked these. The details on them is much better than the first batch, so that might be why. The batter is less dense, so I would expect worse details....But I can see the little windows and doors on these. They popped right out again, even better than the first batch, with little coaxing needed - probably due to being more done. With all the recipes, I needed to bake them about 30 minutes. That's probably more than the metal pan needs and is more than most recipes state.

The little thumbnails can be enlarged by clicking on them.



The gingerbread batch is cooling as we speak. I'll send those pics next and then I'll be done! I'm thinking I can make these in various colors and make a little Burano village (the island in Venice where the houses are all different bright colors).

Aliska, here's the little nutmeg kernal so you can see the pattern in it. The gingerbread called for it - but like with vanilla, I think the measurements given are just suggestions, right? I love the aroma of both of them, so I tend to add lots extra.

[Freedom56v2]

LOL I am going thru my spices right now making a list and checking it twice ;)

I note in your little cottage cakes post, you had a pic of whole nutmeg spice in a jar. What do you use to grind it? Maybe the super small side of a cheese grater?

BTW, they look wonderful and I may be adding to my list ;)

Also, in an earlier post, you noted you were going to try an orange batter...that sounds interesting...and yummy. Was it good? Did you post the recipe or link for that?

[Jamestown1630]

I’d bet that the gingerbread ones will turn out the best, if only due to the color (?)

[CottonBall]

I was organizing my pudding file (yes, I have one...) and came across this recipe: I’ve never tried it but have always intended to.

Bread Pudding with Eggnog Sauce

½ - ¾ loaf French bread
½ c chopped pecans
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1½ c milk
2 T brown sugar

In a sprayed 9x13 pan, tear the French bread into pieces. Sprinkle with pecans. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with sugar, cinnamon, and milk. Pour over the bread pieces. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover and refridgerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Bake in a 350’ oven for 50-60 minutes or golden brown. Serve warm with eggnog sauce. (Optional: add raisins, blueberries, cranberries, or cherries)

EGGNOG SAUCE:
In a double-boiler, combine:
3 T. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. sugar

Slowly stir in 2 c. eggnog. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Cool slightly.

[Freedom56v2]

Wow those look scrumptious too!!

Gotta try them :)

I had better be careful or I will be gaining a lot of weight over the holidays if I don’t give most of this stuff away ;)

A Freeper gave me a wonderful pumpkin choc chip bread recipe for Thanksgiving and I am making those too :)