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Small Talk: Let's Gossip In The Pantry!

Meredith Quill

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Meredith Quill

Meredith Quill

The Small Talk topic is for:

 

  • Introductions
  • Off-topic chatter
  • Having virtual tea with forum buddies

 

This is NOT a topic for actual show discussion. When you want to talk about the show:

 

  1. Figure out the nature of the topic you want to talk about
  2. Look for an existing topic that matches or fits
  3. If there is NOT an existing topic that fits, CREATE ONE!

 

Examples of topics that populate show forums include (but by no means are limited to):

 

  • Character topics
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Happy trails beyond Small Talk!

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Maverick

Maverick

 I saw that too.  Apparently that set was really expensive and by damnit they're going to get their money's worth out of it by keeping it in use year 'round.  First Holiday Baking Championship, then Kid's Baking Championship and now Spring Baking Championship.  I can't wait for the Arbor Day Baking Championship.

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Lura

Lura

That makes me happy to know that another baking show is planned.  It may not be the best show the FN could dream up, but at least it's a chance to watch people bake.  Well, if the camera didn't play around so much, that is.  But there are so few actual cooking and baking shows that I'm all for it.  I've actually found myself enjoying it.

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mlp

mlp

The new issue of FN Magazine has a short interview with Sandra Lee and describes her as a judge on the Holiday Baking Show.  That must mean that she's replacing someone.  I read that Duff and Lorraine are going to be co-hosting a "Worst Bakers" show (groan) so I suppose it could be either one of them but I'm hoping it's Nancy Fuller because I don't like her.  

I'm glad Sandra Lee is well enough to handle a show again.  

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Maverick

Maverick

 I saw a quick commercial for the Halloween Baking Show (the one with Ron Ben-Israel, Sherry Yard and Carla Hall hosting last year).  It looks like Aunt Sandy is one of the judges.  I also saw Carla Hall, so I assume Sandy is replacing Sherry Yard.   She may be replacing someone on the Holiday Baking Show too (hopefully Nancy), but the Halloween show makes more sense as she was always doing those Halloween episodes of her show where she looked like she was outfitted by Bob Mackey.

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mlp

mlp

You're right, Maverick.  I just saw an announcement of the cast for the Halloween show - Carla, Sandy and Damiano!  And the host will be Jeff Dunham which I don't understand at all.  I suppose the idea is that he'll draw viewers because he's popular but I didn't think he had any connection to cooking.  I really liked the panel last year so we shall see.

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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

Regarding popular, knowledgeable fan favorites who will be judging on other holiday themed competitions are:

The Christmas Cookie Challenge season begins on November 5 and Gesine Prado (love her) will be one of the judges on November 12. Adorable Molly Yeh will be one of the judges on November 26. Eddie Jackson returns as host. And as always, Ree Ree will be a judge on all the episodes.

Holiday Gingerbread Showdown begins November 25 and will be hosted by Marcela Valladolid. The amazing and awesome Kerry Vincent will be one of the judges! Yay! I love her but she would intimidate me.

Holiday Wars premieres November 25 and Jonathan Bennett returns as host. Judges are Shinmin Li and the ubiquitous and (IMO) over-used Jason Smith. I can't tell but it looks like this is just a one episode battle. Maybe they couldn't get too many cake artists, sugar masters, fruit carvers to return because the prize money is only $10,000 for this one episode. After splitting three ways and then taxes, the main prize (IMO) is national exposure. 

Of course there are more Thanksgiving and holiday competitions and the FN site has info on all of them. 

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MerBearHou

MerBearHou

(edited)
2 hours ago, luvapickle said:

I like Prado, but man is she everywhere right now. 

I like her too but I'll be curious to see how she does -- I think she might one of those who is best in small doses.  She can be very "ON" at times (at least for my taste).

Edited by MerBearHou
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luvapickle

luvapickle

20 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

I like her too but I'll be curious to see how she does -- I think she might one of those who is best in small doses.  She can be very "ON" at times (at least for my taste).

She was just on Beat Bobby Flay. Usually I see her baking, but she was judging. She so reminded me of her sister.

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tobeannounced

tobeannounced

(edited)

I've been watching the Christmas Cookie Challenge that some of y'all were talking about in the episode thread. I was really skeptical at first, but I put it on in the background, and I think this is actually my new favorite baking show. I was watching some of the reruns this weekend, and it seems like the perfect medium to be able to have beautifully decorated bakes in the short amounts of time they're given. They have some really talented bakers/decorators as well.

I don't know if there needs to be a whole thread devoted to the show, but I thought I'd see if anyone else wants to chat about it. I really like the host, and I know a lot of people don't like Ree, but she doesn't bother me. But mostly I love seeing the process of the decorating and the mostly lovely results.

Edited by tobeannounced
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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

16 minutes ago, tobeannounced said:

I've been watching the Christmas Cookie Challenge that some of y'all were talking about in the episode thread. I was really skeptical at first, but I put it on in the background, and I think this is actually my new favorite baking show. I was watching some of the reruns this weekend, and it seems like the perfect medium to be able to have beautifully decorated bakes in the short amounts of time they're given. They have some really talented bakers/decorators as well.

I don't know if there needs to be a whole thread devoted to the show, but I thought I'd see if anyone else wants to chat about it. I really like the host, and I know a lot of people don't like Ree, but she doesn't bother me. But mostly I love seeing the process of the decorating and the mostly lovely results.

There is a forum for the cookie challenge!!

http://forums.previously.tv/forum/3672-christmas-cookie-challenge/

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mojoween

mojoween

Ok for those of you who are good at baking - I work from home so no longer have any coworkers to bake for, so my hubby and son’s coworkers get goodies instead.

I’m going to be baking some cookies next week and will probably do my staples of peanut butter, butterscotch chocolate chip and oatmeal chocolate chip.  However, I saw a recipe for molasses cookies that looks doable for my limited skill set but what am I wondering, is if molasses cookies would go well with toasted coconut in them?  

Also peanut butter cookies made from scratch are the devil’s instrument.  Whoever thought you should mix flour and peanut butter together is a sadist (I only have a hand mixer because I use it maybe three times a year so it gets very tiring very quickly).

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Destiny74

Destiny74

(edited)

If I lived before electricity I would never be a baker.  Creaming butter by hand?  No thank you.

Oh, and whipping cream or egg whites to stiff peaks?  I just can't with my wimpy arms.

Edited by Destiny74
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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

(edited)
9 hours ago, mojoween said:

However, I saw a recipe for molasses cookies that looks doable for my limited skill set but what am I wondering, is if molasses cookies would go well with toasted coconut in them?  

I guess it depends on the consumer's personal preference, but that combination doesn't do that much for me. I use molasses in a more ginger/winter spice batter. I see that you are making two cookies with chocolate chips. One idea would be to substitute the chips for the coconut in the oatmeal cookies. I've done coconut with oatmeal before and it has worked wonderfully. Of course you can't really go wrong with any combination. Don't know if I've ever had a "bad" cookie! But when I make a bunch of recipes for holiday gifts or entertaining, I try not to make too many that have nuts or too many that have chocolate.  This year, I have a fruity cookie (orange/cranberry/pecan), a spice cookie (cheating this year and throwing in Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps), melting moments cookie and am also doing the bake-off winner in our local newspaper's contest of german chocolate upside down bars.

I wanted to add that some time ago in one of the "Food" forum threads, someone posted this recipe and said it is the best cookie ever. If I don't do the german chocolate bars, I am going to do this:  http://madaboutmaida.blogspot.com/2011/12/mulattoes.html

Edited by Spunkygal
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mojoween

mojoween

Oh I like the idea of a coconut/oatmeal cookie.  Thanks!

Now comes the figuring out what each recipe needs and making a trip to the grocery store, heh.  Since I basically only bake at Halloween and Christmas I don’t keep stuff like chocolate chips or brown sugar around or even baking soda.

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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

5 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Oh I like the idea of a coconut/oatmeal cookie.  Thanks!

Now comes the figuring out what each recipe needs and making a trip to the grocery store, heh.  Since I basically only bake at Halloween and Christmas I don’t keep stuff like chocolate chips or brown sugar around or even baking soda.

I don’t bake that often either and that’s what has me doubting if I do the German chocolate bars. It requires a lot of items that I would use only a little bit of.  I don’t want to buy a box graham crackers just for 1/2 cup of crumbles. Stuff like that.

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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

Last year I made these https://cravingsomethinghealthy.com/cranberry-orange-almond-shortbread-cookies/

They are good but I would add a little bit of orange juice or a touch of orange extract for more orange taste. Be careful with extract cause it can get away from you and taste too artificial. Or you could even do a powdered sugar orange glaze for the top!

This year I am trying these https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/17272/cranberry-orange-cookies/ because I like the orange sugar on the outside. It’s not a shortbread dough but looks yummy. There are a million recipes on the net for cranberry orange cookies! I like to go ahead and make the dough now, roll into balls and freeze, then thaw and bake later. I will do the orange sugar for these after they’ve thawed. 

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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

13 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

Thank you so much...I love orange and cranberry and when you add pecans, what could be better!!!!

An update: I noticed today that Trader Joe’s has crystallized orange slices. I am going to take a taste first and if I like it, pulverize in my spice grinder for the sugar coating! It’s in a bag near their nuts. [insert nut joke here] 

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suebee12

suebee12

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

An update: I noticed today that Trader Joe’s has crystallized orange slices. I am going to take a taste first and if I like it, pulverize in my spice grinder for the sugar coating! It’s in a bag near their nuts. [insert nut joke here] 

Thanks for the update but this makes me feel a bit sad...Before I moved from FL, I lived walking distance to a Trader Joe's...I loved that! Now it is a 3+ hour drive and I don't drive that far anymore...plus I like to drive where I know. Hopefully we will make the trip sometime in the near future but probably not before Christmas! =(

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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

(edited)
54 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

Thanks for the update but this makes me feel a bit sad...Before I moved from FL, I lived walking distance to a Trader Joe's...I loved that! Now it is a 3+ hour drive and I don't drive that far anymore...plus I like to drive where I know. Hopefully we will make the trip sometime in the near future but probably not before Christmas! =(

I think you can also buy it on Amazon or one of your other local stores may have it. But I’m sure lovely fresh orange zest would be great! 

Edited by Spunkygal
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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

On 11/30/2018 at 8:03 AM, mojoween said:

Oh I like the idea of a coconut/oatmeal cookie.  Thanks!

Now comes the figuring out what each recipe needs and making a trip to the grocery store, heh.  Since I basically only bake at Halloween and Christmas I don’t keep stuff like chocolate chips or brown sugar around or even baking soda.

@mojoween, I just wanted to mention that if you make the oatmeal/coconut combo, you may want to reduce the amount of sugar in the dough if you use sweetened coconut. The recipe I used today calls for unsweetened coconut but all I had was sweetened so I reduce the sugar and it is delish! 

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Spunkygal

Spunkygal

17 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Ohhh thank you.  

I needed to go to Walmart to get Christmas light bulbs so went down the baking aisle and grabbed coconut but it is sweetened.  I would have never thought of that!

In that case, I’m glad I made these today. My recipe called for 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup white sugar. I put only 1/2 cup white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar. This was based on comments I read on Pinterest.

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tobeannounced

tobeannounced

(edited)

Hey @BusyOctober, I'm watching the gingerbread competition.

The guy that won last week wasn't my favorite, but the lady who won this week was the one I thought deserved it. I like the judges for the most part.

I'm not familiar with the female judges, but the older lady really seems to know her stuff. And good to see whathisname from whichever baking show that was he won - lol. Marcela seems so different on this show than the other baking shows I've seen her on - so carefree and lighthearted. 

The thing I'm dying to know is how the lady who did the New Orleans inspired gingerbread theme on the last show managed to elevate the humble rice crispie treat.

1 minute ago, tobeannounced said:

Hey @BusyOctober, I'm watching the gingerbread competition.

The guy that won last week wasn't my favorite, but the lady who won this week was the one I thought deserved it. I like the judges for the most part.I'm not familiar with the female judges, but the older lady really seems to know her stuff. And good to see whathisname from whichever baking show that was he won - lol. Marcela seems so different on this show than the other baking shows I've seen her on - so carefree and lighthearted. 

The thing I'm dying to know is how the lady who did the New Orleans inspired gingerbread theme on the last show managed to elevate the humble rice crispie treat.

 

1 minute ago, tobeannounced said:

I have no idea what's happening here! Please disregard double post.

 

Edited by tobeannounced
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mlp

mlp

I've been watching the gingerbread show and, so far, I've enjoyed it.  The skill it takes to make those creations is impressive and the patience they require is beyond me.  As with all the competitions, I hate the twist which is totally unnecessary and almost mean when they have so much to do.  

I liked Adam on Best Bakers so I was tickled to see him judging.  He's certainly qualified.  And, of course, I was delighted to see Kerry Vincent.  

The woman with ridiculous blue hair was pretty but just this side of obnoxious.  I think she was more interested in making an impression on TV than anything else.  I was waiting for Kerry Vincent to rip her to shreds for the Rice Krispie bars with fondant so I was sort of stunned when the judges liked them.  They looked awful.

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suebee12

suebee12

(edited)

On the  Gingerbread show, wasn't the man who won the first show, Van, on the Wedding Cake contest with his mother? Sure looks like him to me, hat and all. I enjoyed his building but the woman who won the second contest, was great! That was some work of art she did! I am enjoying this series, and since it is only 4 shows long, shouldn't get tired of it!!

 

Edited to add: Someone did request a forum for the Gingerbread Challenge but it has dropped way to the bottom of the request list...probably because it is only 4 episodes long.......

Edited by suebee12
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mlp

mlp

Quote

On the  Gingerbread show, wasn't the man who won the first show, Van, on the Wedding Cake contest with his mother?

I don't know.  Van (who deserved to win the gingerbread show) was very small.  I don't remember the guy who competed with his mother being that little.  Maybe he was but his height didn't contrast with mom's enough for me to really notice.

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mojoween

mojoween

47365189_10212855084441421_4001571848012

The finished product.  I would be sent home if this were a competition because in the oatmeal coconut cookies you can’t taste the coconut.  Lorraine would be so disappointed in me!

The oatmeal coconut are at the top, then the butterscotch chocolate chip (some were under baked which was weird but they are still yummy) then molasses at the bottom.

The molasses cookies don't look like the ones I’ve ever seen in the store but holy moly are they good.  I could eat every single one of them.

That’s enough baking until next October for me!

And can I just tell you the heart attack I had.  The last batch of cookies were a pan of molasses, I put them in, walked away to do something, started reading the newspaper again...turned and looked and the timer was not on!  Thankfully I could figure out how done they were while looking at them so I didn’t overdo them.

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mojoween

mojoween

(edited)

I used a recipe that called for a cup of raisins so used a cup of coconut instead.  I think it helped with the texture of the coconut to make the whole cookie more gooey, I just can’t taste it.

And I didn’t even know today was National Cookie Day until I had already started!

Edited by mojoween
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MerBearHou

MerBearHou

17 hours ago, mlp said:

I don't know.  Van (who deserved to win the gingerbread show) was very small.  I don't remember the guy who competed with his mother being that little.  Maybe he was but his height didn't contrast with mom's enough for me to really notice.

It's definitely the same guy on both shows.  Van is intense but seems so earnest and eager to shine.  I was so happy he won his episode.  The woman who won episode #2 was REALLY good.  Had to mute the TV whenever the blue-haired woman spoke.  Her voice was the worst.

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mlp

mlp

OK  I wasn't really sure.  I just didn't notice he was that little on the first show.  

I meant to mention that blue-haired woman's voice myself.  She sounded worse than Katie Lee and that's saying a lot.  

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kj4ever

kj4ever

14 hours ago, mojoween said:

47365189_10212855084441421_4001571848012

The finished product.  I would be sent home if this were a competition because in the oatmeal coconut cookies you can’t taste the coconut.  Lorraine would be so disappointed in me!

The oatmeal coconut are at the top, then the butterscotch chocolate chip (some were under baked which was weird but they are still yummy) then molasses at the bottom.

The molasses cookies don't look like the ones I’ve ever seen in the store but holy moly are they good.  I could eat every single one of them.

That’s enough baking until next October for me!

And can I just tell you the heart attack I had.  The last batch of cookies were a pan of molasses, I put them in, walked away to do something, started reading the newspaper again...turned and looked and the timer was not on!  Thankfully I could figure out how done they were while looking at them so I didn’t overdo them.

Butterscotch Chocolate Chip sound divine!

My decorated sugar cookies so far this year:

 

 

truck2.JPG

truck.JPG

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mojoween

mojoween

Those are awesome!  Like I mentioned before I have a very limited skill set.  Baking ok, decorating HELLS no.  I can barely make recognizable stick figures.

I’ve noticed everywhere I've been shopping that stores have some variation of a red truck in all sorts of Christmas decorations.  I wonder what that’s about.

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kj4ever

kj4ever

(edited)
2 hours ago, mojoween said:

Those are awesome!  Like I mentioned before I have a very limited skill set.  Baking ok, decorating HELLS no.  I can barely make recognizable stick figures.

I’ve noticed everywhere I've been shopping that stores have some variation of a red truck in all sorts of Christmas decorations.  I wonder what that’s about.

I cannot draw to save my life but I can pipe me some designs.  I think it's because when you do it you are breaking it down into basic shapes, not really drawing.  I had no idea until I helped my nephew with some wedding cookies for his wedding shower.  Whodathunkit?

That was 3 years ago and I can make all kinds of stuff now.

I made a better truck but made the door like a wood grain.  I'm horrible and forget to take pics.

Edited by kj4ever
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jlc

jlc

On 12/4/2018 at 12:15 AM, suebee12 said:

On the  Gingerbread show, wasn't the man who won the first show, Van, on the Wedding Cake contest with his mother? Sure looks like him to me, hat and all. I enjoyed his building but the woman who won the second contest, was great! That was some work of art she did! I am enjoying this series, and since it is only 4 shows long, shouldn't get tired of it!!

 

Edited to add: Someone did request a forum for the Gingerbread Challenge but it has dropped way to the bottom of the request list...probably because it is only 4 episodes long.......

The woman who won the second show did not follow the rules. Her showpiece was not 36" tall. How did she win?

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suebee12

suebee12

23 minutes ago, jlc said:

The woman who won the second show did not follow the rules. Her showpiece was not 36" tall. How did she win?

They made mention of this during the final judging. I don't think any of them made the height requirement due to time or faulty gingerbread so they judged on flavor and technical abilities.

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jlc

jlc

31 minutes ago, suebee12 said:

They made mention of this during the final judging. I don't think any of them made the height requirement due to time or faulty gingerbread so they judged on flavor and technical abilities.

Oh, i was doing stuff around the house as I was watching, so I must have missed it. Thanks.

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kj4ever

kj4ever

On 12/1/2018 at 1:16 PM, Spunkygal said:

Reminder...The Great American Baking Show returns on Thursday, Dec. 6, on ABC!

Anyone else watch this?  There's no forum for it, but I don't think it is that many episodes.

I almost felt like it was a completely dumbed down version from the British version.  Four hours to make eclairs?  Wow.  The results were less than impressive.

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