Posted on 03/01/2018 5:13:10 PM PST by Jamestown1630
Dear Cooking FRiends;
Due to issues at home and at work, I am going to be unusually busy for the foreseeable future, and I have decided that I will have to reduce our Weekly Cooking Thread to a monthly thread. Often, the thread is still quite active when Im ready to post the following weeks installment, so I dont think it will make a great difference if we continue each thread over a month.
Ive greatly enjoyed the camaraderie that weve developed here; learning about all of your family culinary traditions and cooking secrets; and just sharing TALK, as our conversations wandered - often into terra incognita, as a lot of threads on FR do ;-).
You have all taught me many things, and introduced me to new horizons not all of which have had to do with food and cooking - and Im grateful for that, and for all of you.
Ive also enjoyed and learned a great deal from the sheer effort of posting on a weekly basis for the last couple of years, digitally challenged as I am. Im still not very smart about using this little 'spaceship' as I call my computer; but at least I can post a picture and have a little HTML under my belt (Thanks, Liz!)
Instituting a cooking thread was one of my priorities when I signed-up, because I had always enjoyed the cooking threads on FR during my many years as a prior lurker especially the Thanksgiving ones! - and I hope to continue for a long time.
I will probably post around the first of each month and will always be checking in!
***********************************************
I recently discovered Stephane of the French Cooking Academy YT channel. He does great videos that are packed with information on ingredients and technique, and Ive been especially impressed with everything he does with Potatoes.
Here is his video on Gratin Dauphinois - the Classic French Potato Bake; but check out the Duchesse potatoes, as well - they look fancy, but aren't that hard to do:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QCdN89DAYE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdzwYREr48
-JT
When I was planning to post the vegetable garden cake, I just knew you’d be the most appreciative.
Reminds me of Dick van Dyke.....he suffered terribly and lost work but nobody ever guessed it was his teeth.
WARNING IF YOU PLAN TO DO THIS
Dick had dental implants but since there was no outward infection, or bruising, no one guessed implants were the problem.
Since he came forward, others with implants told of similar problems. Removal was a solution....but the damage to the gum structure was already done.
Tragic.
Start with a package of tostadas. You can buy them in most grocery stores, but Hispanic stores have a large selection with subtle differences. Sprinkle some pre-shredded Mexican blend or Monterrey Jack cheese on them before cooking. Be careful not to put too much on. Shake a few drops of Tabasco sauce over the top and cook them in the microwave. If blood pressure isn't an issue, sprinkle some salt over them. The object is to melt the cheese to the point where is is slightly fried. 45 seconds does the trick for three tostadas in my oven. Next, add some deli sliced jalapenos you buy in a jar, and then some thin-sliced yellow onion strips too. Put a handful of shredded lettuce on top. You can buy pre-shredded lettuce which works well. Finally, add a tablespoon of taco sauce on top.
Most tostadas have refried beans, but this makes them too heavy, in weight and taste, and makes the tostada soggy. Without beans the tostada is light and crisp with the corn flavor balancing the cheese and the pepper.
Two or three of these make a good meal with an avocado. Take a ripe but firm avocado and slice it from the north pole around the south pole back to the top again with a serrated steak knife. Make sure to penetrate all the way down to the nut. then make a second cut 90 degrees off the first all the way around, from the top to the bottom and back. Now, starting at the top, peal off the skin in four strips. When that's done, pop the avocado quarters from the nut to be eaten whole, without smashing it.
When we used to have cable, I once saw a medical mysteries show that had one episode about Trigeminal Neuralgia. It looked absolutely horrible.
Yum....great recipe.
The thing that was most awful for me was the fact that you never knew what would bring it on, or how long it would last. I’d go weeks or months with no problem, and then a breeze across my face would set it off; and it could last seconds, minutes or hours. I remember once being out on a walk in the park, and having to sit down on a curb and just cry, because the sudden pain from a wind was so incapacitating and horrible.
Another time, I was driving home from work with pain I’d had for hours. I still don’t know how I got home safely on that day.
I was very lucky because they could finally locate a cause in my case. For many people, it seems to be idiopathic, and they have to ‘manage’ it. I think I read somewhere that it’s called the ‘suicide disease’ because 25% of people who suffer from it commit suicide.
Yes. Dental implants seem to work out for some people; but as someone who has suffered from this I’d rather just have a missing tooth than risk complications from implants.
BUT---I'm with you----
The thought of someone drilling into my head THAT close to my brain matter gives me pause.
I feel like a dam nosy sister querying you on something you are anxious to forget.....
but I wonder why an X-ray or thorough dental exam did not expose the cracked tooth?
Surely a practiced dentist would have noticed that?
That was exactly my question!
I had only one dentist from the time I was a child, until my late ‘30s, when this problem developed. At the time it started, my workplace had begun to offer an ‘HMO’ type dental insurance, and I signed up as a ‘safety valve’ in case of an unexpected and expensive emergency - and because my dentist was old and about to retire. But I never used it - my old dentist didn’t accept it. I kept it as cheap ‘extra protection’.
When the problem began, money was tight, and I went to the HMO dentist first to see what they were like. At that time the pain was infrequent, and when he said he didn’t find anything, I didn’t worry about it. Later, when it had become severe at times, I went back and they decided it was TMJ, and put me through some treatment for that. I had never heard of TN, but I had heard of TMJ, and figured they might be right; and of course, as it often does, the TN subsided for awhile.
Finally, when I went through another siege and the ‘TMJ’ treatments weren’t working, I did some research and learned about TN. I decided to just go back to my old dentist - who found the cracked tooth in one visit, with one x-ray.
I never knew why the HMO folks didn’t find it. Maybe it was a very fine crack that didn’t show up well in x-rays.
My Grandmother had an old saying: ‘The new broom sweeps clean, but the old one knows where the dirt lies.’ I like OLD doctors ;-)
I’ve had three different experiences with very painful and debilitating conditions in my life; one, my congenitally lousy spine, will be with me until they perfect the ‘whole skeleton transplant’ operation.
But they aren’t really bad memories - they taught me perseverance, the importance of having absorbing interests in life to distract from life’s inevitable bad times; and that ‘this too shall pass’ :-)
On the first Monday of every month I meet with other home bakers. Each month we have a challenge to bake at home and bring to the meeting (croissants, Cornish hand pies, sour dough bread...) For this next month we are assigned “drunken cupcakes.” I can find some online, but thought I’d find out if any bakers here have a good cupcake recipe that might work for the challenge. Thanks.
After all you'd been through.....Still, it was a relief to have a diagnosis.
I've always maintained I'd rather have an old country doctor who was a superb diagnostician than one fresh out of medical school.
Did you ever see the movie ‘Doc Hollywood’?
That’s one of my favorites. My childhood family doc was like the old doc in that movie.
I’d never heard of ‘drunken cupcakes’; but a search shows that some are made with Rum.
I love rum-buns, so I’d probably love those...
I love the part when the old doc treats the kid with coca-cola.
Best Ever Blueberry Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
1 cup low fat Ricotta cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the cinnamon swirl:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 cups fresh blueberries
For the streusel topping:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl combine the ricotta, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, and melted butter with a wire whisk until well combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix with a rubber spatula just until combined.
Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan, greasing it well.
Spoon half the batter into the bottom of the pan (the batter will be very thick).
Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and sprinkle half the mixture over the amount of batter in the bottom of the pan.
Spoon the second half of the batter over the cinnamon sugar layer and smooth out the top as much as possible.
Sprinkle the remainder of the cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter and add the blueberries to the top.
Combine the streusel topping ingredients in a small bowl until the mixture reaches the texture of coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the blueberries.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before releasing the spring form pan and slicing to serve.
https://thebusybaker.ca/best-ever-blueberry-ricotta-coffee-cake/
Toasted Hazelnut Slice ‘n’ Bake Cookies with Milk Chocolate
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup (133g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (120g) toasted and finely chopped Diamond of California hazelnuts, divided
optional: coarse sugar for rolling
8 ounces (226g) milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
Directions:
In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, and continue to beat until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, and salt together until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Switch to high speed and beat in 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, divide into two. Shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 2.5 inches in diameter. The measurements don’t have to be exact. Tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 5 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. I always chill mine overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
Remove logs from the refrigerator and roll into coarse sugar, if desired. It’s really only for added crunch and a little sparkle! Slice each log into 12 equally thick cookies and place cookies on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until brown around the edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
Melt the chopped milk chocolate in a double boiler or (carefully!) use the microwave. For the microwave, place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Melt in 15 second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Dip each completely cooled cookie halfway into the chocolate and place onto a parchment or silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining chopped hazelnuts. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator to help the chocolate set. Once set, enjoy!
Make ahead tip: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Baked and chocolate-dipped cookies freeze well - up to three months. Or you can freeze them without the chocolate and dip/decorate after they thaw out. Cookie dough logs freeze well too, up to three months. Allow the logs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then continue with step 3.
Bacon Avocado Pasta Salad
Ingredients
8 ounces bowtie pasta (or other medium-sized pasta)
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
2 avocados, cubed
8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup diced red onion
Creamy Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Cook pasta noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Place noodles, tomatoes, avocado, bacon, and red onion in a large bowl.
Add mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir together till totally smooth.
Pour dressing over pasta salad and toss everything together!
Cover bowl and place pasta salad in the fridge for about 2 hours (or more) before serving!
http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2018/03/bacon-avocado-pasta-salad.html
Easy. Just make a buttercream icing, add chp cherries, droplets of almond
extract and some cherry juice. H/cream and melted chocolate makes ganache.
FINAL Layer on baked brownies cordial icing, then smooth on ganache.
Your bacon avocado pasta salad has a great favor profile.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.