Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Liz Tudor]

This falls under nasty recipes: a few years ago, I was in a large church women's group. We were subdivided into smaller groups, loosely by age. There were 8-10 of us that were in thr the second to"youngest," and we were in our 30s-40s. The Big Annual Spring Luncheon was a potluck. My group kicked in on a chicken tender platter, as many of us worked and had kids with full schedules. Tomato aspic was a very popular dish for the older ladies to bring. Think tomato jello. Sometimes it was plain (tomato soup with Knox gelatin), sometimes it had bits of boiled egg, celery, olives, or was spiced up with Tabasco (like a congealed Bloody Mary). One of our group had never heard of it. We dared her to try some. She got one that was loaded with stuff. We were the last to get to our tables, and the guest speaker had started. Meanwhile, we are acting like 5th graders in the cafeteria, waiting for her to try this guck. She did, made a horrid face and delicately spit it into her napkin. We were all cramming napkins in our mouths and muffling giggles, hoping we weren't being too rude. The 20-something group was giving us the stink-eye. By then, we had tears rolling down our faces. Good times.

Fast forward a couple of years, and we're doing a church ladies' cookbook. I'm one of the editors who enters, formats, and edits recipes. We get FIVE freaking aspic recipes! All different! I later overheard someone mention they were so glad Mrs. So & So put her recipe in the book, because she wanted to make it for bridge club. Ack! We were all amazed that people A. Ever ate that stuff, and B. STILL eat that stuff!

Edited October 20, 2015 by Liz Tudor

[Love2dance]

I haven't had a carb since 1998.

That is the saddest thing I have ever read.

[emma675]

I adore the GBBO! It's one of my favorite shows.

 

My favorite nostalgia food? Kraft spaghetti dinner in the green box. My mom was not much of a cook and that was a "homemade" meal in my family. Bless her heart, she tried. I still love it to this day.

[theredhead77]

Everybody hold your noses! My mother was not much of a cook. she served me and my brothers spaghetti with contadina tomato sauce straight from the can. Not spaghetti sauce but tomato sauce. Oddly enough this has become my primary comfort food. I like angel hair pasta with the sauce straight from the can. Not heated. And not from the frig. Is everybody totally grossed out?

Nope.

 

I've been known to eat a jar of baby food meat sticks (the things that look like Vienna sausages). I don't even have kids.

[lookeyloo]

I would totally eat that.

And only two ingredients!! If you ever try it I'd love to hear how it goes.

[lookeyloo]

Nope.

 

I've been known to eat a jar of baby food meat sticks (the things that look like Vienna sausages). I don't even have kids.

And I have been known to eat baby food squash. Heated with a little salt. This was before butternut squash became popular and available.

[wilsie]

Good luck tomorrow, burlsa!

[latetotheparty]

All this talk of food is making me hungry. I have four hours left that I can stuff my face, then I'm off of food until after surgery tomorrow. Maybe I should have picked up a cheesecake for me to eat after. I know I will eat a ton. After each procedure I've had in my life, I eat myself into a food coma.

Once after a colonoscopy, I ate a grinder that was probably 16 inches long and 10 cheese sticks. That is probably the most food I've ever eaten in one sitting.

 

Good luck tomorrow, Burlsa.  I'll be thinking of you!  <3

[Absolom]

All the best tomorrow.  May you not even notice what is happening.

[burlsa]

Aww, thank you all so much! I'll check in at some point tomorrow just to let you all know what's up. Probably not right after because I'm hoping to be doped up! Lol. But six hours of laying flat and still is probably going to get me online!

[HundFan]

I haven't had a carp since 1998.

 

Actually, it was 1990. But that's not so sad.

Edited October 20, 2015 by HundFan

[NikSac]

This thread has just reminded me how much I love tomato aspic. I know, I'm probably not supposed to, but I do.

 

Burlsa good luck tomorrow!

[Happyfatchick]

Ohhhh, my gosh you guys are cracking me UP!!!!! Love the holiday nostalgia -getting me all revved up!!! I love the holidays, I love Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Love it love it.

But my comment right now is going back to the rutabaga convo earlier. In my mind, there are PLENTY of things that grow here on planet earth that were N.E.V.E.R. intended for human consumption. I have the most vivid image of God up in heaven laughing until his sides ache, pointing to earth saying, "they ATE THAT!!!!!!! Can you BELIEVE it!?!?!?!?!" Rutabagas are front and center in that category for me. God is laughing, just saying.

My parents were both raised on farms, and both were keen on veggies. (Me too, but not stinky bitter boiled orange ones...). Several years before my Daddy died, I talked to him just before dinner on his birthday. We'd already made plans for the weekend to celebrate, so I knew they were eating at home. I asked, "so whatcha eating tonight?" He says (his voice all excited), "RUTABAGAS!!! Mama's just ready to put them on the table!"

I said, "Daddy. It's your BIRTHDAY!!!!! You do NOT have to eat rutabagas on your BIRTHDAY!!! I think it's in the Bible, and I KNOW it's in the Constitution!!!" He laughed and laughed and said, "I LOVE 'EM!!!" I knew he did, he'd been trying to talk me into a love of that nastiness for years. Ewwww.

My fave Halloween costume (maybe ever): last year the adorable little girl next door was cotton candy. Her pink hair was a MASTERPIECE!!!

Thanksgiving: we bake one bird and fry one bird, and my cousin smokes a butt that we then fight over. And it's a moving target, our crowd - every year we have people that are just there. Same core crowd, but every year someone has someone who had nowhere to go. I love that.

Christmas: the past 3 years, I've had a patriotic tree because we have Army, Navy, and Marines represented in immediate family. Giving that a rest this year, but will come back probably. It makes quite a pretty tree, though. I'll probably do a Disney tree instead. I never get them up as early as I'd like, but I'm ready for them to go away the day after. (Sometimes Christmas afternoon!). My children (and their children) do our main celebration on Christmas Eve morning. I don't even remember when this started, but we do a HUGE breakfast/brunch kind of thing on Christmas Eve. This year, we'll have my son's new baby girl (due dec 1), and my daughter's family will be home from Nica. And for THAT...I would almost agree to eat a forkful of rutabaga. Nah, jk.

And canned asparagus? I just can't even.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Happyfatchick

[Love2dance]

Or try the Fluff with Nutella--heaven in my mouth!

Nutella with ANYTHING......yum.

[magpye29]

The worst?  Canned spinach.

[Tabbygirl521]

Canned peas are also abominations from hell.

[Readalot]

Ohhhh, my gosh you guys are cracking me UP!!!!! Love the holiday nostalgia -getting me all revved up!!! I love the holidays, I love Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Love it love it.

But my comment right now is going back to the rutabaga convo earlier. In my mind, there are PLENTY of things that grow here on planet earth that were N.E.V.E.R. intended for human consumption. I have the most vivid image of God up in heaven laughing until his sides ache, pointing to earth saying, "they ATE THAT!!!!!!! Can you BELIEVE it!?!?!?!?!" Rutabagas are front and center in that category for me. God is laughing, just saying.

My parents were both raised on farms, and both were keen on veggies. (Me too, but not stinky bitter boiled orange ones...). Several years before my Daddy died, I talked to him just before dinner on his birthday. We'd already made plans for the weekend to celebrate, so I knew they were eating at home. I asked, "so whatcha eating tonight?" He says (his voice all excited), "RUTABAGAS!!! Mama's just ready to put them on the table!"

I said, "Daddy. It's your BIRTHDAY!!!!! You do NOT have to eat rutabagas on your BIRTHDAY!!! I think it's in the Bible, and I KNOW it's in the Constitution!!!" He laughed and laughed and said, "I LOVE 'EM!!!" I knew he did, he'd been trying to talk me into a love of that nastiness for years. Ewwww.

My fave Halloween costume (maybe ever): last year the adorable little girl next door was cotton candy. Her pink hair was a MASTERPIECE!!!

Thanksgiving: we bake one bird and fry one bird, and my cousin smokes a butt that we then fight over. And it's a moving target, our crowd - every year we have people that are just there. Same core crowd, but every year someone has someone who had nowhere to go. I love that.

Christmas: the past 3 years, I've had a patriotic tree because we have Army, Navy, and Marines represented in immediate family. Giving that a rest this year, but will come back probably. It makes quite a pretty tree, though. I'll probably do a Disney tree instead. I never get them up as early as I'd like, but I'm ready for them to go away the day after. (Sometimes Christmas afternoon!). My children (and their children) do our main celebration on Christmas Eve morning. I don't even remember when this started, but we do a HUGE breakfast/brunch kind of thing on Christmas Eve. This year, we'll have my son's new baby girl (due dec 1), and my daughter's family will be home from Nica. And for THAT...I would almost agree to eat a forkful of rutabaga. Nah, jk.

And canned asparagus? I just can't even.

. Daughter and kids home for the holidays? Best news I read today. I hope they come home to stay!

[Wok Chop]

Ohhhh, my gosh you guys are cracking me UP!!!!! Love the holiday nostalgia -getting me all revved up!!! I love the holidays, I love Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Love it love it.

But my comment right now is going back to the rutabaga convo earlier. In my mind, there are PLENTY of things that grow here on planet earth that were N.E.V.E.R. intended for human consumption. I have the most vivid image of God up in heaven laughing until his sides ache, pointing to earth saying, "they ATE THAT!!!!!!! Can you BELIEVE it!?!?!?!?!" Rutabagas are front and center in that category for me. God is laughing, just saying.

I've only ever eaten rutabaga in pasties, and pasties HAVE to contain rutabaga. So, if you ever visit Michigan, I guess you will never get to eat a pastie. On the other hand, Yoopers eat their pasties with ketchup, which disgusts me, so I guess I'm a kinda pastie loser myself. I'll show myself out.

[Readalot]

Aww, thank you all so much! I'll check in at some point tomorrow just to let you all know what's up. Probably not right after because I'm hoping to be doped up! Lol. But six hours of laying flat and still is probably going to get me online!

I wish you the best experience possible. when I went in to see my mom after she had this procedure she was cool as a cucumber. She said she hardly felt anything. Luckily our favorite shared show was on (Castle), time passed quickly as we did an extended analysis of the show.

[latetotheparty]

Canned peas are also abominations from hell.

 

Canned peas are not even real peas.  *shudder*

I've only ever eaten rutabaga in pasties, and pasties HAVE to contain rutabaga. So, if you ever visit Michigan, I guess you will never get to eat a pastie. On the other hand, Yoopers eat their pasties with ketchup, which disgusts me, so I guess I'm a kinda pastie loser myself. I'll show myself out.

 

This is truth.  And, man, I want a pastie right now,

[Almost 3000]

Thanksgiving is a love/hate time for me since my birthday occasionally falls on it. Usually, I didn't have a cake because my mom was busy preparing for Thanksgiving so I usually had pumpkin pie for celebration. But on the plus side, when my birthday did fall on Thanksgiving, we did feast!  I love stuffing, and make it with bread cubes, sausage, onion, broth, apples and cranberries and seasonings. Instead of candied yams, I like to bake them and serve with melted butter and a touch of cinnamon. My sister and I usually do the cooking together. Although when my brothers and parents were alive we all helped out.

I'm a sometimes Thanksgiving Birthday too. As an only child (probably spoiled:) I often didn't like Birthdays that week because I felt everyone's attention was elsewhere. Now I rather like it.

eta: as it was pointed out to me spoiled and soiled are not the same

Edited October 20, 2015 by Almost 3000

[JoanArc]

I wish you the best experience possible. when I went in to see my mom after she had this procedure she was cool as a cucumber. She said she hardly felt anything. Luckily our favorite shared show was on (Castle), time passed quickly as we did an extended analysis of the show.

So...I take it the kid lived?

[Happyfatchick]

I've only ever eaten rutabaga in pasties, and pasties HAVE to contain rutabaga. So, if you ever visit Michigan, I guess you will never get to eat a pastie. On the other hand, Yoopers eat their pasties with ketchup, which disgusts me, so I guess I'm a kinda pastie loser myself. I'll show myself out.

Oh dear. The only thing I've ever heard referred to as a "pastie" is the flesh colored thing that showgirls (like in Vegas) wear to cover up their nipples (sorry, peeps) to keep them from showing through the costumes. I'm doubting I would be tempted to have one with or without ketchup. Plus I have no idea what a Yooper is.

Fairly certain I've just put myself in the "too sheltered" category.

Also: WHAT KID????? I've been seeing posts asking about a kid all day. What kid, and how did I miss this?

Edited October 20, 2015 by Happyfatchick

[BOOgen3]

I never even heard of pasties until I went to college in the UP. My first one during a "pastie picnic" during orientation and I was hooked. They were so ubiquitous that pasties were available in every bakery, as well as served in the dining halls. My son and I were at Universal Orlando two weeks ago and we waited twenty minutes in line to get one at the Three Broomsticks. Delicious. BTW a yooper is a person that lives in the Upper Peninsula of MI.

ETA. A pasty is a hand held meat pie. It is filled with ground beef, carrots and rutabagas. They made their way to the UP when Cornish, Welsh and Finnish miners came to work in the copper mines. Dammit. With this post I sound just like some know-it-all. Nope, just a fan of pasties.

Edited October 20, 2015 by BOOgen3

[magpye29]

HFC, a Yooper is a native of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, or U.P.  

 

The kid is a classmate of Readalot's daughter(?) who recently came out and started talking about suicide when his parents were not very supportive of him and wanted him to keep quiet about his sexuality.

 

Pasties are small handheld pies filled with meat and/or vegetables.  I think they originated in Cornwall, as they're sometimes called Cornish pasties.

[Muffyn]

Also, pasties that go on your nipples are pronounced like paste-ees.  Cornish pasties are pronounced as past-ees.  Just trying to help HFC out.  

[BOOgen3]

Past-ees. Hey ya, you betcha!

[Readalot]

So...I take it the kid lived?

Thank you for your concern. Since you last asked I now know he has met with professionals which is a relief to us all.

[JoanArc]

Thank you for your concern. Since you last asked I now know he has met with professionals which is a relief to us all.

We need more detail than that, after your riveting story.

 

Also, daily updates.

[kalamac]

Where I'm from a pie and a pasty are considered two different things. Pasties are generally vegetarian, if they have meat in them as well as vegetables it's a Cornish Pasty. A meat pie is I think most comparable to a chicken pot pie, but generally with minced or chunked beef. (You can get a delicious Satay Chicken Pie from Vili's in South Australia.)

[realityfan26]

If you want to see some terrific Disney costumes, check out the Instagram account - ferdalump. The mom creates amazing costumes for visiting Walt Disney World. She also has a YouTube account that shows how she creates them.

I don't like cooking so I'm drooling over the Halloween candy & Thanksgiving recipes.

[Happyfatchick]

Oh! I remember that now, I'm sorry Read. You were getting ready for bed, and your daughter and all the neighborhood kids were rallying for that boy. Yes, I really did have a blank spot and I apologize. I'm so glad he's getting help!

[HundFan]

 As an only child (probably soiled:) I often didn't like Birthdays that week because I felt everyone's attention was elsewhere. 

 

 I'm an only child too so PLEASE tell me you meant to say "spoiled" and not "soiled." We've got enough prejudice to deal with without that. 

[Readalot]

We need more detail than that, after your riveting story.

Also, daily updates.

it was the middle of the night and I needed to vent (hubby was sick and finally fell asleep) so I went here to my safe place and over shared. After some of the feedback, I realized that other things were too fresh, and I should of kept it to myself. So I won't be talking about it anymore.

Oh! I remember that now, I'm sorry Read. You were getting ready for bed, and your daughter and all the neighborhood kids were rallying for that boy. Yes, I really did have a blank spot and I apologize. I'm so glad he's getting help!

thanks! It appears his parents are onboard for professional help so that in itself is one less huge hurdle for him.

[JoanArc]

it was the middle of the night and I needed to vent (hubby was sick and finally fell asleep) so I went here to my safe place and over shared. After some of the feedback, I realized that other things were too fresh, and I should of kept it to myself. So I won't be talking about it anymore.

I'm just glad he goes to a school that's staffed Sunday mornings! How convenient for all the student's mental health needs.

[NikSac]

Oh dear. The only thing I've ever heard referred to as a "pastie" is the flesh colored thing that showgirls (like in Vegas) wear to cover up their nipples (sorry, peeps) to keep them from showing through the costumes. I'm doubting I would be tempted to have one with or without ketchup. Plus I have no idea what a Yooper is.

 

Oh thank goodness I wasn't the only one thinking that about the pastie. I do know it's also some sort of meat filled food pie, but I was laughing about the nipple covers the entire time I was reading this thread.

 

And I have no idea what a Yooper is either, but at least I'm proud to be aware of two whole different kinds of pasties haha.

[Wellfleet]

I have a love/hate affair with FN and it's hosts. I love Ina Garten's recipes but can't stand her snooty, pretentious Hamptons friends. Ree Drummond is the biggest phony going with her ranch wife shtick, but she seems like she wouldn't spit on you if you approached her on the street. Giada used to irk the crap out of me but I'm kind of rooting for her since shady ass surfer boy Todd took her to the cleaners in the divorce. I do like the one girl who lives in the Midwest, I can't think of her name, though.

 

Agree about Ina and Ree. I've found that I like Ina's food and her 'keep it simple' entertaining philosophy. Her cookbooks are gorgeous and her recipes turn out well. But not everyone who can cook can "sell cooking." And Ina can't, IMO. She may be Auntie Mame when at home with Jeffrey, but she is mind-numbingly dull in front of the camera. Not an ounce of television presence. She repeats the same 6 sentences throughout every show, and giggles after every statement, hers and her guests. Plus the footage shown of her driving around East Hampton in her BMW to pricy little food shops - not necessary. Show us how to do stuff, Ina...

 

Ree, IMO, doesn't deserve to have a cooking show. She's not a trained chef, she's not even self-taught and very experienced to the same extent as many of the other FN "stars" are. She got the offer only because her little grass roots blog took off, which a number of people in the know have attributed to the fact that the Drummond family, one of the largest land-owners in Oklahoma, paid a PR firm to promote it. It should be noted that her blog is much better than the cooking show, and much more than food and cooking - really worth the time. Ree is quite funny in the blog. Unfortunately, none of that comes across on TV with her either. Ree's recipes have apparently been gleaned from 100s of church supper cookbooks from all over Oklahoma. She hasn't even bothered to update them for the 21st century. And owing to her lack of training, maybe she doesn't know how.

 

IMHO, the best thing Food Network ever did were Alton Brown's Good Eats, and his motorcycle and island tours - Feasting on Asphalt, Feasting on Waves. I even have the cookbook that accompanied the second one - The River Run [Mississippi]. They were entertaining, informative and reminiscent of something that PBS would do. And that has to be good.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Wellfleet

[Readalot]

I'm just glad he goes to a school that's staffed Sunday mornings! How convenient for all the student's mental health needs.

no private school here. I am friends with school admin so I was able to contact her direct. But our district does have a top notch student mental health team to handle situations as these.

[BitterApple]

Wellfleet, I agree about Ree's blog. She's much funnier and more personable in her writing than she is on camera. I'm not sure if you've ever read the Marlboro Woman's blog, but there's some hilarious snark on there about the PW show and its' purloined church potluck recipes.

[Wellfleet]

Wellfleet, I agree about Ree's blog. She's much funnier and more personable in her writing than she is on camera. I'm not sure if you've ever read the Marlboro Woman's blog, but there's some hilarious snark on there about the PW show and its' purloined church potluck recipes.

 

Yes, I've seen that 'Marlboro' blog. There's another one now called "Pioneer Woman Sux" I think. These people really loathe Ree. That was the first time I realized how much hate there is out there for many, if not most people, in "public life." No one is universally-adored, despite what the media would have us believe. And while I couldn't disagree with a lot of what they were saying - I mean, Ree is not a trained cook, most of "her" recipes are relatively unhealthy, and she doesn't make them her own by adapting, testing them etc - all that is definitely true. But I was really shocked by the acid hatred. 

Edited October 20, 2015 by Wellfleet

[SomePity1066]

Past-ees. Hey ya, you betcha!

You betcha, too !!! Are you from Western Washington State ? That's such a thing there ! I swear if you said "I'm having a heart attack" SOMEONE would say "You betcha !". Show me some love for Spokane, Wenatchee, and Walla Walla !

 

As for pasties, I was lucky enough to travel to Cornwall on the vacation of a lifetime, and ate almost nothing but pasties - meat, vegetarian, savory, sweet, hot, warm, cold, and on and on. They were soooo good, and it was that much more because I was enjoying them in the very place they originated...

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g186243-d4833373-Reviews-Cornish_Pasty_Shop-St_Ives_Cornwall_England.html#photos

[Wellfleet]

Everybody hold your noses! My mother was not much of a cook. she served me and my brothers spaghetti with contadina tomato sauce straight from the can. Not spaghetti sauce but tomato sauce. Oddly enough this has become my primary comfort food. I like angel hair pasta with the sauce straight from the can. Not heated. And not from the frig. Is everybody totally grossed out?

 

To quote Claree from Steel Magnolias, after Shelby finished describing the 'bleedin' armadillo" groom's cake that was going to be served at her wedding "Well, it' unusual..."

[Wellfleet]

Deleted duplicate post.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Wellfleet

[BOOgen3]

Originally I am from western NY. I went to college up in the UP of Michigan. All of the locals in the not quite "twin cities" of Houghton and Hancock would always says "hey ya, you betcha" at the end of a statement or as a term of agreement. In my grand tour of living since college I have also enjoyed "y'all" and currently "wicked" used as a superlative.

As far as pasties, we were very excited when we came out of almost every train staion we were in in London to find a pasty shop or cart. Savory, sweet, meat. Don't care which. All are acceptable. There used to be a great store in Manhattan called Pie Face that had the pies kalamac referenced. Pie. Pasties. Filling enclosed in pastry. It's all good.

[GeeGolly]

So sorry, GeeGolly. That is awful.

Thanks Loves2dance, And no worries, it has been a few years now. Our new house feels more like a home than a house now. We had raised our babies in the house that the storm took - we had lived there nearly 25 years. When you lose everything material things mean less. So I think Christmas bugs me because of the commercialism, combined with nostalgia. 

 

 

ETA: I can't find the post where burlsa mentioned having a medical procedure. Warm & fuzzies!

Edited October 20, 2015 by GeeGolly

[Purpose to defraud]

Everybody hold your noses! My mother was not much of a cook. she served me and my brothers spaghetti with contadina tomato sauce straight from the can. Not spaghetti sauce but tomato sauce. Oddly enough this has become my primary comfort food. I like angel hair pasta with the sauce straight from the can. Not heated. And not from the frig. Is everybody totally grossed out?

No, the fried baloney "steak" did that! 

[Lukeysboat]

I've only ever eaten rutabaga in pasties, and pasties HAVE to contain rutabaga. So, if you ever visit Michigan, I guess you will never get to eat a pastie. On the other hand, Yoopers eat their pasties with ketchup, which disgusts me, so I guess I'm a kinda pastie loser myself. I'll show myself out.

Yum!! I have made pasties many times and yes, they've gotta have rutabaga. Those are some tough veggies to cut though.

I love canned peas, also. Mmmmmmm!

[CherryMalotte]

Ordered my dad some Spam for X-mas one year.  Garlic Spam...and Bacon Spam.  Now that's kinda gross.  They used to have Spam with cheese in it, but I haven't checked their website in a long while.

[Jellybeans]

Yay! My refund posted! :-)

Lesson learned.

[GeeGolly]

Chipped beef on toast. Nuff said.