Farmhouse Rules - General Discussion

[Lura]

Believe it or not, I liked this show, and it isn't the first one I've liked.  I thought those pork chops looked fantastic and will try making them like she did (but I refused to cut them up into a salad).  The salad itself looked great with homemade bleu cheese dressing, but I'd omit the beets and peas.  There's nothing like a sourdough bowl, especially at the end when the sourdough has been infused and softened from the soup.  I'm definitely making her beef stock, which was a little bit like Julia Child's recipe, but with shortcuts.  I, too, thought the grandchildren were darling, and that little girl is beautiful already!  The cookies were something new to me, and I'd like to make a dozen for my chocaholic husband.  I love the way she goes around everywhere, and everybody seems glad to see her.

 

Good show, Nancy!  Let's see more like it!

[Timetoread]

I agree with you, anneofcleves.  Nancy's food is heavy.  I've noticed that her daughter, Nita, and her son both have that "rounded" look, so I imagine part of that is genetic, but they've also been raised to be good eaters, I suspect.  I think Nancy's philosophy is more "fill 'em up" than it is "healthy."  She isn't overly concerned with cholesterol and things that I'm concerned about.  I'm still trying to find the recipe for that strawberry-lime drink she made yesterday or the day before.  It's sugary, but it would be a nice change from sodas and some of the other bottled drinks out there.

Health is not summed up in whether one is fat or whether one is skinny. Neither is healthy food split up into fattening or non fattening. Trust me a home cooked meal consisting of farm fresh ingredients is far healthier than the chemical stew we get premade from large companies that slap a "fat free" sticker on the frozen boxes. I am not condoning being overweight - the truth is most likely if there is excess weight it is not so much what you are eating as how much of it. It is true that dietary fat is calorically dense but it also contains nutrients that our bodies need. So if weight is a problem, one should have smaller portions of high fat food. The food pesented here doesnt seem to be every weeknight food but rather food for celebrations and gatherings that embodies richness, fullness and nurturing. How boring would the holidays be with steamed boneless chicken breast and some lettuce and vinegar on the side? And who needs to consult a professional chef or cook to learn how to make that?

[anneofcleves]

The food pesented here doesnt seem to be every weeknight food but rather food for celebrations and gatherings that embodies richness, fullness and nurturing. How boring would the holidays be with steamed boneless chicken breast and some lettuce and vinegar on the side? And who needs to consult a professional chef or cook to learn how to make that?

I get that, but even if it's celebration food her food is heavier than many enjoy.  That's really my point.  If I've got a choice between a great grilled fish or roasted meat with some imaginatively prepared fresh vegetables and one of Nancy's typical meals that end in a trip to the ER with a gallbladder attack, I'm going with the former.  That's just me - very little Nancy makes has me running to the kitchen to try it out.  Amy Thielen's fare, while on the heavier side, seems like more inventive American fare.  And she speaks without an utterly annoying and affected vocal cadence.  

Edited March 7, 2015 by anneofcleves

[chessiegal]

15 months ago I was obese (clinical definition based on my BMI), with unhealthy levels of cholesterol and high blood pressure. I was told I was pre-diabetic. I ate whatever I wanted and didn't exercise. When I had to walk 3/4 of a mile and I thought I was not going to be able to make it, I had an epiphany. I did not want to end up in a mobilized wheelchair, diabetic, or worse. After 15 months of healthy, sensible eating and exercise, I am no longer obese and am at a normal BMI. My cholesterol and blood pressure are normal (as is all my blood work), and last year I completed a 3 mile walk and a 5K walk for charities. As someone who was overweight and have struggled with my weight my entire life, my concern with being overweight for myself was my health. It is also my concerns for others. People have to make their own choices in life, but it doesn't prevent me from keeping my own experience from entering into the equation.

 

The above leading to this - I am interested in healthy and tasty recipes. You don't need fat or sugar for food to taste good. If that's not what is being presented on a cooking show, I'm not interested.

Edited March 8, 2015 by chessiegal

[Lura]

Chessiegal, congratulations!!!   You must be so proud of yourself!  You should be!  After a very serious accident, I gained a lot of weight while recuperating, and I know the struggle it can be to take the weight off.

 

 

 

 

[anneofcleves]

Yesterday on her show (a replay) she made a beef stew which looked pretty good.  I'd want to sub a leaner beef than the 3 pounds of chuck she used, but otherwise thought it looked like a good, basic beef stew.  She used beets, though, and my question is whether others have put beets in stew.  I hate them but would like to like them because I know they're so nutritious.  For those who have added beets, does the flavor permeate the stew or do they just kind of blend in?

[anneofcleves]

She added parsnips and carrots to the recipe, which should add plenty of sweetness.   I was just wondering if people have added beets to stew and if the flavor permeates.

 

I've been cooking for many years (have worked in the industry, actually started as a child) and have great success with leaner meat substitutions.  Chuck has a fat content higher than I care for in my dishes, where I want more of a balance between the meat and the vegetables.

[wrestlesflamingos]

Folks - we got a little off course and aggressive in the last few posts. Please keep in mind that people will have different opinions and different levels of investment in a particular issue. It doesn't mean you should advocate they move to your position just because you are passionate. Please leave a little room for disagreement and debate. When two posters start aggressively trading posts it can be a turn off for everyone else.

 

Feel free to report any post that violates our community culture or reach out to any mod with questions. Thanks!

 

[Lura]

In the most recent episode, Nancy cooked for her visiting (thin) son and his wife and daughters.  She was all about cooking dishes that her grandmother had cooked and then teaching her granddaughters about their two great grandmothers.  I nearly fell asleep a couple of times.  To whet their appetites for the family stories, she served the most God-awful looking ham soufflé, along with baked beans and another grandmother's banana cake.  The ham soufflé was made with just the white sauce and ham -- no contrasting flavors like cheese.  I wondered what it tasted like, but I don't care enough to make it.  Nancy was so fond of the subject matter that she raised her voice for emphasis and kept drooling over the food, trying to sell us on it.  She ate those foods when she was growing up, so I can see why they tasted good to her, but I didn't get the feeling that anyone was bowled over except for the cake.  This seemed like a good episode to miss.

[Aquarius]

I thought that was her daughter - ?  Didn't she say something about her daughter having moved to California and she doesn't get to see them very often?  I don't remember a son or son-in-law at all.

 

I actually found the episode sort of interesting.  It explains where the "rulebook" came from - Grammy Carl, of course, makes sense as most of the rules seem to hers  - but what I don't understand is why Grammy Carl would have compiled the family recipes that included the in-laws of her children.  Right?  Nancy mentions the "grammies" (Carl, Tabor, Fuller) as all being her grandmothers.  Which would make them all related by the marriage of Nancy's parents.  I know there's no such thing as an "ordinary" family, but that collection of people seems very Nancy-centric and not what people normally consider their extended family.  (I mean from Grammy Carl's perspective, of course).

 

I loved Nancy's little side trip to the historical museum, just because that's just the sort of thing I would do if I came from a place with roots.  I loved the little model of her grandmother's (?) family's general store.  So cute!

 

That ham souffle was weird, but what I thought was the weirdest part was the ground up ham.  I don't believe I've ever seen ham go through a meat grinder before.  It seems like a lot of trouble if you're just going to more or less make a casserole with it.  (Because a classic souffle that was not).

 

And although Nancy was very sing-songy and loud (it seems to get worse when kids are present), I thought she seems genuinely fond of her granddaughters and I thought that was nice to see.

[canter]

I caught a rerun this morning, the airplane episode. I had never seen the show before. I liked her at first -- she reminded me of hanging out in the kitchen with an older family member.

But then she made chicken salad sandwiches, fruit salad, and sugar cookies. Really?? Who can't make all of those things right now with no recipe involved?? Those recipes were simpler and less useful than the ones on Pioneer Woman.

[anneofcleves]

Canter, as I'm so often reminded here, these shows cater to people who favor classic American food (nothing wrong with that) and who are just learning to cook (nothing wrong with that, either).  But if you already know how to cook pretty well, it's like looking for blood from a stone to see any of them make anything complex or challenging, let alone explain the cooking concepts.  I'm old, and I miss the tv cooks who were a) great cooks (or even chefs) and b) great teachers.  I learned so much from them.  I just watch cooking shows because I love cooking so much I'll watch someone boil water.  Apparently.

 

The best chicken salad I've ever made is (I think) from Martha Stewart.  It's a curried chicken salad served with a dollop of mango chutney.  You can serve it in on brioche, in tea sandwiches, in a lettuce wrap, on an endive leaf, or just eat it out of the bowl.  It's that good.

 

As for Nancy, she does make a lot of cookies.  Talk about my least favorite thing in the world to cook...

[anneofcleves]

That ham souffle was weird, but what I thought was the weirdest part was the ground up ham.  I don't believe I've ever seen ham go through a meat grinder before.  It seems like a lot of trouble if you're just going to more or less make a casserole with it.  (Because a classic souffle that was not).

 

Aquarius, I have to say the ham souffle intrigued the heck out of me.  I've seen retro-style ham loaves, which this recipe was very close to being, that my grandmothers and my husband's grandmothers made.  Ground ham was a staple item for many cooks back in those days to use up a big ham in inventive ways.  

 

As Nancy's shows go, I enjoyed this one probably the best.

[HyeChaps]

As an episode focusing on the farm locale, I enjoyed the one with the root cellar and pickled vegetables very much.

The casserole of potatoes and squash looked interesting.

[ariel]

I thought this week's recipes (rules) looked tasty. I would have added a splash or two of vodka to the lemonade.

Edited March 16, 2015 by ariel

[grisgris]

Nancy's fresh vegetables always look so good. I wonder where you get ham steaks like that? The only ones I ever see are just big flabby center slices.

 

Yeah. I was fully expecting Nancy to whip out the GiGi juice for that lemonade. There was no wine served either. Maybe their guests don't drink.

 

Overall good show.

[ShellSeeker]

Aquarius, I have to say the ham souffle intrigued the heck out of me.  I've seen retro-style ham loaves, which this recipe was very close to being, that my grandmothers and my husband's grandmothers made.  Ground ham was a staple item for many cooks back in those days to use up a big ham in inventive ways.  

 

As Nancy's shows go, I enjoyed this one probably the best.

 

My mom started making ham loaf years ago, and it was immediately a family favorite. She cooked it with pineapple chunks and made a brown sugar glaze. OMG. So yummy. A few years later she modified it and started making them into meatballs. I make them sometimes...they are so good! But I have to go to a specialty meat store to get ground ham, and even then I have to ask for it and one of the butchers will grind it up for me.

[Lura]

My mom had a ham loaf recipe that was wonderful, and my husband loves it, too.  It's topped with a mustard-brown sugar-pineapple juice glaze that is just delicious.

 

I watched the root vegetable episode today, and I thought the potato-squash, etc. dish looked good.  It seems a little bit starchy, but I'd still like to try it sometime.  I loved her food cellar -- everything so clean-looking.  My mom and my mother-in-law both had fruit cellars, andNancy's reminded me of theirs except for the outdoor entrance.

 

Aquarius, you could be right about Nancy's family members.  My husband was talking to me when that part was on, and I might not have heard it right. Nancy has two daughters and two sons -- right?  Or is it one each?

Edited March 17, 2015 by Lura

[Lura]

Oh, my gosh!  That air show episode, with Nancy flying in the back seat, was too much!  Or, rather, Nancy was too much!  I think next time she'll choose a different fabric for her dress.  There was a lot flapping in the wind in this episode!

[HyeChaps]

This new series of episodes does not include in her voiceover the part about the six kids, 13 grandchildren and the wonderful city guy David.

[Lura]

Six kids?  Somewhere along the way, I heard that Nancy had four kids, but six is even more impressive!  She did mention having 13 grandchildren in this episode.  She has certainly led a busy life.  She also mentioned in this show a former husband, and she gave a rather disgusted look.  She said that he didn't like cheese, so she called her cheesecake "vanilla pie."

[sabretooth]

I think I got drunk just from watching her make the Bowlerina punch on today's episode. 

 

That hash looked good, but wouldn't the sausage dry out by the time the potatoes and tomatoes cooked? As I was watching her make the hash, I kept flashing to Bobby Flay preaching about par-cooking your potatoes when making the dish. 

[grisgris]

I would have left out the French toast and they would have had plenty to eat. Not sure what I thought of the tomatoes on top to the hash. Part of me wanted just a nice poached egg.

 

I wouldn't be able to bowl after consuming that spread, never mind the Gigi juice!

 

I think that Nancy's shows are slowly but surely getting better.

[Mawmooney]

I caught this show by accident this weekend - what a mess! From the little jokes she sprinkles her commentary with to the extremely boring and fatty food she serves - and did you know the liquor store sells coffee liquor - how cutting edge!

[Lura]

Grisgris, I'd like to think you're right about the shows getting better.  I hope they are, but you wouldn't know it from the airplane show episode.  Is that a new one or a very old one?  The exaggerated cheerfulness and mugging the camera was just plain disgraceful.  If it had been me, I'd have died before I'd watch it again.  Does she think she's cute?  (I don't mean "cute" as in her looks, but rather "cute" when she wiggles her hips and thinks it's funny).  Every hope I had for Nancy just sort of died and went down the drain after that show.  I wish she'd act like a nice, happy, mature woman instead of a clown.  Even David let me down, laughing at her and pretending she was adorable when she behaved that way.  I decided that he was a little bit "off," too.

Edited March 25, 2015 by Lura

[mishy]

Lura I looked it up and that was the first episode of last season. So whatever goodwill she has given you with these new shows should still be intact!

[grisgris]

 @Lura that airplane episode was probably the worst one of the bunch. I don't even remember the food, just Nancy in the back of that biplane with the wind plastering her dress to her uh, generous bosom. Ugh. Nancy's still a force to be reckoned with, but it seems like in this last group of shows, she's toned down. She still says the dumb old cliche's like "chop chop in the pot" BTW, did y'all know that she has a trademark for that phrase? Her behavior when she goes to farms or shops isn't so OTT as it used to be. (Anybody remember her taking a big bite out of a fresh peach and wiping her dripping mouth off on the farmer's shirt sleeve? Yeah. That stuff.)

 

It appears that the theme for this season is F.A.M.I.L.Y., as we are sternly reminded with each episode.

[Aquarius]

Arrrgh.  The airplane episode.  I even know the name - "The Fed Baron" - because I will avoid that episode any time it is on.  Seeing Nancy in the back of that plane, with everything, um, flying against the wind - just no.  No, no, no, no!

 

As for the Bowlerina episode.  The stuffed French toast looked kind of interesting.  Sour cherries and almonds are probably a pretty good pairing.  It never occurred to me to make my own coffee liqueur because I have known since I reached drinking age (many moons ago) that I can buy it in a liquor store.  But hers did look interesting, if a little sugary.

 

And wowza, that was a lot of food.  Any one of those dishes alone would have made a decent brunch.

 

Now, while not nearly as bad as seeing Nancy's chest smashed up into her chin, I have to say I also don't need to see Nancy in a tutu.  Like, ever again.

[Lura]

Nancy in a TUTU???  That must be one of two shows I've recorded but not seen yet.  Are you kidding me, Aquarius???  That's enough to make me wonder whether my sense of humor has gone south.  What is Nancy trying to prove?  I wonder what David thinks of all this?  He may be one of those men who get turned on by fat women.  There are lots of understandable reasons for carrying too much weight, but I suspect that Nancy's is just plain old gluttony.

[Aquarius]

Nancy in a TUTU???  That must be one of two shows I've recorded but not seen yet.  Are you kidding me, Aquarius??? 

 

Nope, not kidding.  She's (supposedly) on a bowling team called the Bowlerinas.  They all have nicknames embroidered into their pink bowling shirts (Nancy is "King Pin").  I don't know if they always do this or it was special for the "tournament" they made it into, but they showed up at the lanes with pink tutus over their bowling clothes.  I hope the whole thing was just for the show.  I really do.

[Lura]

That is SO funny!  I can't wait to see it for a good laugh (or groan)!  The good news is that they wear the tutus over their clothes.  I was picturing Nancy in a tutu, bending over deeply to throw the ball, and wondering whether she'd lost her mind!  Wouldn't that be a sight?

[Lisin]

Hi guys, we don't encourage body shaming here, and while her diet may explain her body size, it doesn't mean we should discourage people from engaging in fun team activities. You can dislike her and her recipes, but stating that being overweight means not doing X (marrying, having friends) is starting to enter the area of bodyshaming. Thanks! 

[Lura]

That was quite a brunch that Nancy cooked for the bowlers.  Even though breakfast is my favorite meal, I doubt that I could have eaten all that food, though.  I enjoyed her cooking on the other episode I hadn't seen, the harvest meal held at her house.  That pork roast looked juicy and tender.

[Aquarius]

I gotta say.  Someone bullies me into dropping my bid on a perfectly lovely antique table, they better serve me something waaayyyyyy better than pasty boiled salmon, rice and champagne mixed with PEAS (!).

 

I love roasted asparagus and hollandaise, but it can't hold its own with all that set on perfectly lovely antique table I gave up.  No way.

 

Because - PEAS (!)  In a drink!! 

[anneofcleves]

The sweet pea mimosa almost made me barf.  And I really like peas.  

[Lura]

Peas are one of the very few veggies I don't like.  I'll blame it on my mother, who insisted I clean my plate when  I was three years old, and that meant eating a pile of cold peas!  I haven't been able to stand them since.  lol  In any case, that drink nearly gagged me.  It sounds like an April Fool joke.

[grisgris]

That granddaughter of Nancy's, Elisa/Elise? Is adorable! I'm not a fan of kids, especially when they are parroting scripted/prompted superlatives about Mom's/Grandma's/Aunt Sandy's cooking, but that girl was so cute and earnest about helping Nancy with the cooking.

 

I thought that was a weird choice of items to put together for a meal to serve to kids, especially those sandwiches. I laughed when the one boy observed that the purple onions "were kind of hot."  I have to give Nancy credit though. There weren't any chicken nuggets, fries or veggies swimming in cheese or ranch dip on that table.

[Lura]

Is Elise/Elisa the one who's about 6 years old or less and blonde?  I remember the show, but I don't recall which granddaughter helped her.  I think the little girl of 6 or so is an absolutely beautiful child, one of the prettiest kids I've ever seen on television. I think she's a daughter of Nancy's son -- the one who lives around there.

[grisgris]

I'm starting to like Nancy's show better, but not today's. I couldn't get behind having lamb (even mixed with ground pork) in an Italian-type of sauce. Lamb has such a distinct, gamey flavor, that I just couldn't imagine how it would pair with a marinara sauce.

 

There was too much cheese. Mozzarel in the salad and goat cheese on the Brussels sprouts. I think the sprouts would have been just fine without it. Maybe that's the way David prefers it and after all, it was his birthday.

 

It was a nice family gathering. Nancy seemed much more toned down around David's side of the family.

[anneofcleves]

Good show.  See now, I thought the lamb meatballs looked great and would like to give her recipe a try.  I would gobble them up, but I'm a huge fan of the combination of lamb, tomato, and oregano.   And applause for Nancy for using tomato puree and not salty, gross canned tomato sauce.

 

The Brussels sprouts looked great, too, but I think I'd prefer them with another meal.  In fact, I could eat those as a meal.

Edited April 21, 2015 by anneofcleves

[ShellSeeker]

Good show.  See now, I thought the lamb meatballs looked great and would like to give her recipe a try.  I would gobble them up, but I'm a huge fan of the combination of lamb, tomato, and oregano.   And applause for Nancy for using tomato puree and not salty, gross canned tomato sauce.

 

The Brussels sprouts looked great, too, but I think I'd prefer them with another meal.  In fact, I could eat those as a meal.

 

I also thought those meatballs looked awesome. I've got a recipe from Giada that I make now and then that uses ground lamb in a red sauce. It is really good. If I try this, I'll probably make the meatballs smaller than she did. I might have to try those Brussels sprouts too...I can't stand them just steamed, but my husband loves them so I make them sometimes. But roasted, they looked pretty tasty.

 

I use canned tomato sauce with no salt added, and it cuts waaaay down on the sodium. I do that with just about everything. You can add salt to taste and still come out way ahead.

[grisgris]

Interesting points. I've never had lamb prepared any other way than just plain roasted or grilled. You all (and Nancy) just might be on to something I need to try!

[HyeChaps]

Those lemon bars look good too.

[ShellSeeker]

Interesting points. I've never had lamb prepared any other way than just plain roasted or grilled. You all (and Nancy) just might be on to something I need to try!

 

You should give it a try! I love lamb, and my family does too, so I make it pretty frequently. Ground lamb is a less expensive than chops, and of course way cheaper than a leg or rack. So it's a way to have lamb on the cheap (sort of).

[grisgris]

Well ground lamb is showing up more frequently at my grocery store (as well as more ground chicken and pork.) I suppose that's partially due to the ever-increasing prices of ground beef.

 

I'll have to find some recipes to try out. Anybody have any good suggestions? I've had spaghetti quite a bit lately, so Nancy's recent recipe doesn't really appeal to me right now.

[Lura]

I'm just barely OK with lamb, but I wouldn't like it in my meatballs, I don't think.  I think the FN has a conspiracy going on.  I happened to watch Guy Fieri on his DDD show a couple of nights ago, and he visited a Greek diner that really impressed him.  They made their meatloaf with a combination of beef and lamb, served with a yogurt sauce.

Edited April 22, 2015 by Lura

[ShellSeeker]

grisgris, I'm replying to your post over int he Small Talk thread.

 

Also, the one thing I do really like about this show is how Nancy's field trips are always to local shops. I think it's great that she's giving small businesses a little bit of free advertising. Or maybe it isn't totally free, who knows, but it's cool that small local businesses get featured on her show.

[ShellSeeker]

grisgris, here's a link to a meatloaf made with lamb, sun-dried tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. My family loves it. I usually use 2 lbs of ground lamb, and then up the rest of the ingredients a little bit. I feed a family of 5, plus I need leftovers for lunches. It's also great to whip up and throw into the freezer to have on hand.

 

http://www.food.com/recipe/lamb-balsamic-and-sun-dried-tomato-meatloaf-451129

[grisgris]

Hey Queasy-bo, thanks! I'll definitely try it. I'm due for another grocery awards discount pretty soon and will buy the ingredients.

[anneofcleves]

I enjoyed this show a lot.  I don't normally like meats with a sweet glaze, but the way she prepared the chicken first with the fresh sage and oregano rub followed by the spicy sweet glaze looked really delicious.

 

The roasted turnips, again with the fresh herbs (thyme) looked fantastic.  I love turnips roasted with olive oil but I've never roasted them with that much butter.  I bet it's really decadent.  I also noticed that she didn't peel them, which is something I always do.  Next time I'll leave the peel on.

 

Even her farmer's salad looked great with the preserved lemon, crumbled goat cheese, and honey vinaigrette.

 

I wish I could have that meal for dinner tonight.