The ***OFFICIAL*** Weekend Singles' Thread US/British food and confectionery (October 13-15, 2006)

13th October 2006 | Snugs

[snugs]

For singles Thanksgiving & Christmas can be lonely. You can go to events & be with lots of people, but still be lonely. I speak from experience.

Single guys.. even if cooking “Ian’t your thing”.. DO TRY HARD to develop a couple recipes that are “you”.. you take to friend’s homes w/invite; take to church carry ins etc. Your “signature dish” , if you will. I have a feeling Snugs and others will be sharing a lot of ideas for you to work on. Cooking is NOT women’s world in reality, although traditionally it is. You will be tickled & flattered when you get an invite & people suggest you bring that “great” ______ dish.

I have many great memories of Thanksgiving over the years. NONE OF THE GREAT memories involve preparing the turkey.. There were memories but not great.

Over the decades I have followed a vegetarian diet (animal lover, not health reason) I have NOT really done a T meal. Seems I have been invited to others homes & I bring a dish or to various restaurants. There is always plenty to eat!

I came across this link & depending on what is going on this year I might try this.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving


There is NO mention of a “stuffing” dressing, so I will share a recipe that I have created & it is modified each & every time.. One of those dump it kind of recipes. I always liked stuffing but NOT the giblets inside. At one time I made a stuffing with Pork or Italian sausage & it was good & got raves & requests for recipe.

Here is the Harvest stuffing recipe:

Herb & Fruit Dressing

8 Cups cubed bread (about 12 slices) I use a Brownberry health nut or 12 grain bread.
½ cup butter
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 apples, peeled, cored, & chopped
1-1/2 tsp sage, rubbed dried
1 tsp thyme, dried
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 Cup chopped dried cranberries
1/2 Cup raisins
I can sliced/chopped water chestnuts
1 cup pecans &/or walnuts mixed
2 Cups vegetable stock
salt && pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread bread cubes on a
baking sheet and toast for 15 or 20 minutes, until
lightly toasted.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Put
celery and onion into skillet, cover, and sauteé
for 5 minutes. Add two Tbsp of the stock and stir
to release any browned bits. Simmer until liquid
evaporates. Add apples & two more Tbsp of stock &
simmer, stirring, until liquid evaporates.

Stir in seasonings & 1/4 cup of stock, cover, reduce heat to low,
& simmer until apples are tender, 5 or 6 minutes.
Pour bread mixture into a large bowl, mix in fruits & nuts & ,
drizzle with remaining stock, & season with salt && pepper.

Transfer to a 12 – 14 cup casserole, lightly coated with
non-stick spray, cover, & bake in a 325 degree F oven
for 35 to 45 minutes.

note:
apples which maintain their shape when baked are best,
Northern Spy is *the* quintessential choice but Golden
Delicious would be good too.

Happy Planning... DollyCali

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[Billthedrill]

Typical British meal -
Bangers and mash
Lager

Typical American meal -
Pizza
Lager

Well, it's typical in my circles, anyway.

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Now for my favourite bit the food. The following are collages I have put together of various food and confectionery identified with either or both countries and at the end items that are associated with festivities such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter etc.

Today the main meal type food concentrates on English food tomorrow I will do similar for American food, freep me any suggestions you would like included in the graphics for tomorrow of your favourite American food.

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[proudofthesouth]

3) British sweets (candy): Toffee

Love, love,love British toffee! Its great for a sore throat.

[A knight without armor]

Everything I know about British lifestyle I learned on Fawlty Towers. They were always eating kippers and prawns and in one episode with the rat named Basil they were serving cheese cubes for dessert. Of course the rat managed to be in with the cheese.

I've never had a kipper or a prawn. I think I'd like kipper because I really like fish including anchovies and sardines, etc. I don't get what prawns are. They looked like shrimp.

[BigSkyFreeper]

The truly authentic English candy is to die for, and easily acquired in Canada, which isn't that far from where I live. My favorite is the English toffee. I go to Canada once a month just to buy authentic English candies.

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I prefer beer to lager but you are right lager is probably now more popular than beer in Britain and I also suspect that pizza is probably eaten as much as bangers and mash as well.

Amongst women I would say the drink of preference is what we call alcol pops

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Prawns are what you call shrimps. We only call the very small shrimps, shrimps.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Prawns are similar to shrimp only larger.

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When I was in America in 1997 I tried your Kit Kat but it just was not to me what I know as Kit Kat. Then we went to Niagara and there was the real thing I did not realise but I had English chocolate withdraw LOL.

I think I ate 3 bars of Kit Kat whilst in Canada that day :o)

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I like toffee with brazil nut in it complete with the little hammer to break it :0)

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We call all shrimps prawns apart from the very little brown ones which we call shrimps.

[Billthedrill]

Ugh. Nasty stuff. I prefer ales, myself. The British may have had an empire and invented the language and a bunch of other minor stuff, but as a civilization they'll be immortal for having invented India Pale Ale. Nectar Of The Gods!!

Food? Who needs food?