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Monthly Cooking Thread - August 2018

Posted on 07/28/2018 4:12:20 PM PDT by Jamestown1630

Eggplant Parmigiana is one of my favorite dishes, but it’s a time-consuming dish to make and messes up a lot of dishes. And even though we’ve used for years a great, easy recipe from America’s Test Kitchen which involves baking instead of frying the eggplant, my husband’s commitment to low-carb eating makes any recipe that uses breading less than ideal.

Looking for a fast, low-carb alternative, I happened to find ‘Cooking with Pina’ on YouTube, and Pina’s quick, throw-together recipe. It may not be like what you are used to, but if you like eggplant for itself and are low-carbing, this might be a good way to get your ‘fix’ and vary your diet. You can use your own sauce, or buy bottled stuff. (We are actually making this right now, and tonight we’re using bottled because our year’s worth of the homemade stash is finally depleted :-(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuWw56O0P4w

(Pina's is a really nice website for Italian cooking - check out her Marinara sauce, using pesto, and the Potato Pie. And she finally taught me how that cute little stove-top espresso pot works - I must have one!)

Here in Maryland our 'Beautiful Swimmer', the Blue Crab, is the State Crustacean; and crab soup is a big deal. Ocean City throws a festival and crab soup cookoff every year, where local chefs compete in both Red and White categories. My favorite cookbook for traditional Chesapeake recipes has always been John Shields’ original ‘Chesapeake Bay Cooking’, and here is a recipe from that book for a traditional style Crab Soup:

Crab Soup at Cross Street Market (Baltimore)

Serves 10

4 quarts water

2 cans (1 lb. 10 oz.) tomatoes or 5 cups peeled tomatoes

1 can (10 oz.) tomato sauce

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup barley

1/2 cup fresh parsley -- chopped

1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

3 stalks celery -- diced

1 large onion -- chopped

2 ham shanks

1 beef bone

8 blue crabs -- cleaned/quartered

2 pounds claw crab meat -- picked for shells

1/2 head cabbage -- chopped

2 medium potatoes -- diced

4 cups mixed vegetables, fresh or frozen (corn, green beans, peas, limas, carrots)

salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, combine the water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, barley, Old Bay, celery, onion, ham shanks, beef bone, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour. 

Add the soup crabs and backs. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Add the cabbage, potatoes, and mixed vegetables. When the vegetables are tender, add the claw meat, and simmer a little longer. Discard the backs. Pick meat from the shanks, and add to soup.

********************************************

There are probably as many ways to make Maryland Crab soup as there are families who make it; this article from Mid Atlantic Cooking offers a history of the soup, and an exhaustive compendium of historical recipes; it also includes a recipe for making your own Old Bay seasoning from scratch:

https://midatlanticcooking.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/maryland-crab-soup/comment-page-1

And here's the link to John Sheilds' original 'Chesapeake Bay Cooking':

https://www.amazon.com/Chesapeake-Bay-Cookbook-Rediscovering-Pleasures/dp/0201518082?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=0201518082

-JT


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Food; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: chesapeake; crab; eggplant; keto; lowcarb
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To: Yaelle

Poor ol Desert and Whopper are gone now, gonna have to feed Yerself LOL


121 posted on 07/29/2018 8:04:29 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: Keyhopper

I like sweet baby rays BBQ sauce.


For commercial bbq sauce, we love Stubbs Original. Not too hot, not too sweet, just right. Does not give an msg migraine.

Another Stubbs product we love is the chicken wings sauce. It is HOTTTT but perfect - a little goes a long way to put on my sesame wings.


122 posted on 07/29/2018 8:23:58 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: mylife

Bummmmer!! :)


123 posted on 07/29/2018 8:24:39 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: caww

Haven’t figured out how to enjoy the clean up afterwards..LOLOL


How to make the cleanup go really fast: either a friend chatting with you, or a great podcast! It really works.


124 posted on 07/29/2018 8:25:37 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: Yaelle

you get the kids involved in the mess, then they kinda take stewardship, or a size 9 redwing work boot in the hinder!


125 posted on 07/29/2018 8:48:57 PM PDT by mylife (The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: Jamestown1630
The Bialetti-Moka-Express-Stovetop-Espresso-Maker gets rave reviews.

Made in Italy....that's all you need to know.

126 posted on 07/30/2018 5:46:16 AM PDT by Liz ( Our side has 8 trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.sap-happy)
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To: Liz

Thanks. On the list!


127 posted on 07/30/2018 5:55:19 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: Yaelle

These days I listen to podcasts or audio books whenever I’m doing housework. You don’t even feel like you’re working.


128 posted on 07/30/2018 5:56:22 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: Jamestown1630
A perfect dessert to have while drinking your stovetop espresso. A delicious, layered make-ahead treat.
CHEF TIP Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche ice cream is fantastic.

Dulce De Leche Mocha Ice Cream Dessert

Praline Crumbs: 10 whole rectangular graham crackers cup ea butter, brown sugar, chopped pecans

METHOD Arrange crackers in single layer in dry 15x10x1-inch baker. Melt butter on med-high. Stir in brown sugar.
BTB; boil 2 minutes. Offheat, stir in nuts. Pour and spread over crackers. Bake 350 deg 10 min. Cool 30 min or so. Crush into coarse crumbs.

Filling and Topping quart (4 cups) dulce de leche ice cream, slightly softened 16 oz jar hot fudge ice cream topping
quart (4 cups) coffee ice cream, slightly softened 1 1/2 cups h/cream 1/3 cup coffee-flavored liqueur

LAYERING Sprinkle half of crumbs in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. Cut and remove carton from dulce de leche ice cream. Cut ice cream into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices over crumbs, overlapping slightly. Spread ice cream with spatula until even pressing down firmly. Freeze 1 hour or until firm. Cut and remove carton from coffee ice cream. Cut ice cream into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices over crumbs, spreading ice cream until smooth; press down firmly. Freeze while preparing fudge topping.

FUDGE TOPPING Place hot fudge ice cream topping in plastic bag. Cut small hole in bottom corner. Squeeze to pipe fudge topping over ice cream. Scatter w/ rest praline crumbs. Freeze 30 min til fudge is firm.

FINAL Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks. Fold in liqueur. Spread over top of dessert. If desired, garnish with chocolate curls. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Let stand at room temp 20-30 minutes before service.

129 posted on 07/30/2018 6:06:04 AM PDT by Liz ( Our side has 8 trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.sap-happy)
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To: Jamestown1630; All

I’m going to share this, as someone sent it to me and the recipes look SUPERB...with or without a Heat Wave!

No-Cook Summer Meals:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/hannahloewentheil/no-cook-summer-meals?utm_term=.onKvq2Y8D#.pfePMRwbr


130 posted on 07/30/2018 7:17:20 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Some amazing recipes there....thanks.

I'm going with the Crab Avocado Salad.

131 posted on 07/30/2018 7:34:20 AM PDT by Liz ( Our side has 8 trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.sap-happy)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

I like the Summer Rolls; crispy coolness, and they’re fun to make and look pretty. You could offer different kinds of dipping sauces.


132 posted on 07/30/2018 7:54:44 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: Jamestown1630

So true. I do my watering with podcasts and the time standing there dippers or is fun.


133 posted on 07/30/2018 8:12:35 AM PDT by Yaelle
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To: Jamestown1630
Oh my, those rolls look luscious. All those veggies and dips.

Saving for another day.

134 posted on 07/30/2018 8:59:31 AM PDT by Liz ( Our side has 8 trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.sap-happy)
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To: Liz

They all looked great! I’m making a ‘Fiesta Chopped Salad’ for dinner tonight, as the garden is exploding and I have everything on hand:

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/fiesta-chopped-salad/


135 posted on 07/30/2018 9:17:43 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Love it.


136 posted on 07/30/2018 9:25:19 AM PDT by Liz ( Our side has 8 trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.sap-happy)
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To: Yaelle
Well that could work but I think one has to enjoy cooking to begin with and I don't. It's often a necessary chore as also one has to really enjoy eating to begin with. For me it as always been more the fellowship at the table, so now with kids all on their own and living solo here it's become another chore in the day. Which is why I look for quick and tasty rather than the experience and joy of cooking. As mentioned I'm a late bloomer in cooking...learning how to enjoy cooking.
137 posted on 07/30/2018 9:31:50 AM PDT by caww
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To: leaning conservative

Well I’m going to try them....glad to hear they’re good!


138 posted on 07/30/2018 9:34:15 AM PDT by caww
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To: Yaelle

It sounds so decadently delicious!


139 posted on 07/30/2018 10:26:52 AM PDT by leaning conservative (snow coming, school cancelled, yayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!)
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To: caww

Makes sense to me. I feel I could cook all day and not even eat what I made (though I would want detailed feedback).


140 posted on 07/30/2018 12:29:28 PM PDT by Yaelle
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