Small Talk: Out of Genoa

[Cupid Stunt]

2 hours ago, boes said:

Yousagoodmother!  Maybe Luther ate some of those recipes and that's what made him question things...

2 hours ago, pearlite said:

Or contributed to his epic constipation and roids.

 

[peacheslatour]

My grandmother (Mom's mom) had a degree in Home Economics and couldn't figure out how to make a salad. She would say to my mom and aunt "you girls make the salad, I can't understand how to do it".

[Anna Yolei]

....Whut?

You cut the lettuce and vegetables and put dressing on it. How was that hard to figure out?

[peacheslatour]

Right? I could never get her to understand the concept. "See Grandma, you just get out a big bowl, tear some lettuce into bite sized pieces and add....come back Grandma...where are you going?"

[peacheslatour]

Wow! What looked like the entirety of Lake Washington High School just marched by my house. They were holding up Black Lives Matter signs and other ones that said Love Wins and stuff like that. They were yelling something that I couldn't make out. It was thrilling!

[boes]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

My grandmother (Mom's mom) had a degree in Home Economics and couldn't figure out how to make a salad. She would say to my mom and aunt "you girls make the salad, I can't understand how to do it".

I understand her.  Your grandma had a resistance to salad making the same way I have a resistance to eating one.  Unless it's full of all the things that negate it's healthy goodness.   My idea of a salad is a bowl of croutons and nuts.

Edited November 14, 2016 by boes

[peacheslatour]

That's probably it. She really liked meat And organ meat. And blood pudding. Her idea of a salad was to put out a bowl of sliced cucumbers with vinegar and sugar on it.

[valleycliffe]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

My grandmother (Mom's mom) had a degree in Home Economics and couldn't figure out how to make a salad. She would say to my mom and aunt "you girls make the salad, I can't understand how to do it".

my mother in law, cut up ice berg lettuce and put it in a bowl...she made an oil and vinegar dressing to go with it.

however, that was the way her mother made it..lol, funny how that works..i make a lot of my things the way my mom used to..basic stuff like scalloped potatoes, meatloaf, turkey stuffing etc.

[boes]

13 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

That's probably it. She really liked meat And organ meat. And blood pudding. Her idea of a salad was to put out a bowl of sliced cucumbers with vinegar and sugar on it.

I love those!  And I can eat tomatoes and green beans straight from the garden like a starving man.  I think it's lettuce.  My mother, to get me to eat some, would sprinkle sugar on it.

Does a BLT count as a salad?

[peacheslatour]

15 minutes ago, valleycliffe said:

my mother in law, cut up ice berg lettuce and put it in a bowl...she made an oil and vinegar dressing to go with it.

however, that was the way her mother made it..lol, funny how that works..i make a lot of my things the way my mom used to..basic stuff like scalloped potatoes, meatloaf, turkey stuffing etc.

I do that too. I won't eat anyone's potato salad or cole slaw except my mom's or my own. 

/Card carrying member of the Picky Eater's Mayonnaise Hater's Club.

[Cupid Stunt]

1 hour ago, boes said:

I understand her.  Your grandma had a resistance to salad making the same way I have a resistance to eating one.  Unless it's full of all the things that negate it's healthy goodness.  My idea of a salad is a bowl of croutons and nuts.

[peacheslatour]

CS, been meaning to tell you how much I love your new avatar! I loved It's A Beautiful Day and I adore Maxfield Parrish.

Edited November 14, 2016 by peacheslatour

[boes]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

I do that too. I won't eat anyone's potato salad or cole slaw except my mom's or my own. 

/Card carrying member of the Picky Eater's Mayonnaise Hater's Club.

Mayonnaise.....just mostly NO.  There are exceptions, but they're rare.  I'm the same way about Cole slaw, too.

But then again, I come from a family that used ketchup on BLT's.

[Tippi]

Ralph Emerson Elementary School?  As in Ralph Waldo Emerson? That is teh awesome!

I attended many a church social in my youth (I have sadly fallen way off the churchly bandwagon) and remember the food very fondly.  Lots of fried chicken, ham, potato salad, and a zillion cakes and pies.  My darling mother, an excellent cook, was a jello salad pro.  She made one with lime jello and cream cheese and maybe canned fruit?  I was too busy going for the German chocolate cake to notice.

Cupid Stunt, glad you liked the cookies!  My son demands I make these every Thanksgiving!

Edited November 15, 2016 by Tippi
Where's Waldo?

[peacheslatour]

I want to make them too, since DH is king of the pies and I want to do something pumkin-y. Would it be okay to drop them by mini ice cream scoops on a cookie sheet? Greased or un-greased? If you do them in a muffin tin, do you use papers? How full? They sound so yummy!

[Tippi]

Peaches, for the muffin tin: I do use the paper liners and spray them with Pam so they don't stick.  They don't rise (as cookies or muffins) so how you put them in is how they come out, shape and size wise.  I fill the muffin liners about 2/3 to 3/4 full.  They would need to bake between 15-20 minutes at 350.  Don't overbake them--you kinda have to feel them as they are cooking so they don't get too firm.  (A little chocolate glaze drizzled over the top of the muffins is also good.) For cookies--I'd say a generous tablespoon is a good size, the mini scoop sounds fine.  Don't need to grease the cookie sheet and start checking them by 10-12 minutes to be on the safe side.  What you are looking for is similar to what the ones in the bakery section of the grocery store look like.

I am trying to think where I got this recipe--it might have been All Recipes.  If you google spice cake mix pumpkin chips you'll probably get a bunch of hits.  Someone at work had brought in some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, but her's were from scratch.  I tried those but in looking for something easier, I found this recipe!

[peacheslatour]

Thank you. Okay one more question (sorry) do you make the cake mix according to the instructions on the box or just mix the pumpkin and dry mix together?

[Tippi]

Yep, just the dry cake mix (just like it comes out of the box) and the canned pumpkin. Stir these together in a bowl with whatever amount of chocolate chips you want.

[peacheslatour]

Nice! Can't wait.

[PatsyandEddie]

Thanks Tippi! ??

[LeftPhalange]

7 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Wow! What looked like the entirety of Lake Washington High School just marched by my house. They were holding up Black Lives Matter signs and other ones that said Love Wins and stuff like that. They were yelling something that I couldn't make out. It was thrilling!

http://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/juanita-lake-washington-students-walk-out-of-class-in-protest-of-election/

[pearlite]

13 hours ago, boes said:

Mayonnaise.....just mostly NO.  There are exceptions, but they're rare.  I'm the same way about Cole slaw, too.

But then again, I come from a family that used ketchup on BLT's.

Oh, mayonnaise! It's one of my main food-groups! Oily deliciousness! Miracle Whip and that sweet stuff you can have, but mayo--I get anxious if I don't have at least half a large jar in the fridge at all times.

But then, brace yourselves...I actually don't really like chocolate. Don't crave it, and just don't care about it at all. Anything with brown sugar, butter, a little cinnamon, and maybe raisins, yes. But no chocolate.

I like rich and greasy better than sweet most of the time.

[NinjaPenguins]

I feel empowered by LP. Pumpkin, whether real or artificial crap in a can, is the Nick Newman of food. You'd think bananas would take that honor, but life is full of little surprises like that. 

[pearlite]

17 minutes ago, NinjaPenguins said:

I feel empowered by LP. Pumpkin, whether real or artificial crap in a can, is the Nick Newman of food. You'd think bananas would take that honor, but life is full of little surprises like that. 

LP? Sorry, I have the stupids this morning.

With you on pumpkin. I can leave it, and don't get the enthusiasm at all. I really like sweet potatoes [which I nearly typed as "ptomaine"...] and orange squashes--as vegetables, but pumpkin, no.

And NP, I'm with you on nuts as well--mainly don't like them much, aside from cashews maybe.

[miamama]

20 minutes ago, NinjaPenguins said:

I feel empowered by LP. Pumpkin, whether real or artificial crap in a can, is the Nick Newman of food. You'd think bananas would take that honor, but life is full of little surprises like that. 

I hate pumpkin too. I love mayonnaise though.

Please no one send me Philly pics. I'm already home sick today. 

[NinjaPenguins]

Sorry, pearlite! LP = LeftPhalange, who boldly shared an anti-cat opinion with us. 

Miamama, what about this sexay pic of Billy in the pool?

You feel better already, amirite?

[Cupid Stunt]

14 hours ago, Tippi said:

Ralph Emerson Elementary School?  As in Ralph Waldo Emerson? That is teh awesome!

I attended many a church social in my youth (I have sadly fallen way off the churchly bandwagon) and remember the food very fondly.  Lots of fried chicken, ham, potato salad, and a zillion cakes and pies.  My darling mother, an excellent cook, was a jello salad pro.  She made one with lime jello and cream cheese and maybe canned fruit?  I was too busy going for the German chocolate cake to notice.

Cupid Stunt, glad you liked the cookies!  My son demands I make these every Thanksgiving!

Church potlucks are fantastic! I would go directly to the dessert table. Luscious jelly rolls, sour cherry pie, lemon pound cake, meringues, pecan tarts, cookiescookiescookies, Tunnel-o-Fudge bundt cake ... Empty calories and good times.

I love those pumpkin cookies, and so easy! I stood in front of a hot oven, on a sweltering fall day in Los Angeles, and baked two batches. They were vacuumed up by Mr.Stunt and Son.  I'm making more tonight. Wheeeee!

[peacheslatour]

9 hours ago, LeftPhalange said:

http://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/juanita-lake-washington-students-walk-out-of-class-in-protest-of-election/

Huh. The article says that the Lake Washington protest never left the campus. Gee, I never knew the main drag in front of my house is on the LW campus.

[Anna Yolei]

1 hour ago, NinjaPenguins said:

I feel empowered by LP. Pumpkin, whether real or artificial crap in a can, is the Nick Newman of food. You'd think bananas would take that honor, but life is full of little surprises like that. 

I have no idea how pumpkin became the rage. My only guess would be Starbucks put it on the map with their most overrated of overrated drinks, the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I don't remember seeing this many pumpkin inspired products growing up.

Oh, and Bath and Body works is THE WORST. Last year, they had no fewer than nine different pumpkin-scented plug in fragrances. WTF. Thank God I still have a collection of the Hawaii line ones to carry me into Spring. #firstworldproblems

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, NinjaPenguins said:

I feel empowered by LP. Pumpkin, whether real or artificial crap in a can, is the Nick Newman of food. You'd think bananas would take that honor, but life is full of little surprises like that. 

I just went and looked at our can of Libby's, under ingredients: Pumpkin. That's it.

[pearlite]

20 minutes ago, Anna Yolei said:

I have no idea how pumpkin became the rage. My only guess would be Starbucks put it on the map with their most overrated of overrated drinks, the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I don't remember seeing this many pumpkin inspired products growing up.

Oh, and Bath and Body works is THE WORST. Last year, they had no fewer than nine different pumpkin-scented plug in fragrances. WTF. Thank God I still have a collection of the Hawaii line ones to carry me into Spring. #firstworldproblems

Yes, Anna [or do you use both names?]. Daughter sends me pix from Connecticut food stores with shelves of pumpkin-flavoured items. Pumpkin isn't a dominant favourite flavour here, at least in eastern Canada. And I really don't want pumpkin-spice plug-in smells, thanks.

Mind you, we get mincemeat, to even things up a bit. This is not hamburger. This is that raisins and dried fruit stuff you put in pies or tarts. Another dubious holiday item.

[valleycliffe]

4 minutes ago, pearlite said:

Mind you, we get mincemeat, to even things up a bit. This is not hamburger. This is that raisins and dried fruit stuff you put in pies or tarts. Another dubious holiday item.

LOLOL  don't forget the suet, sometimes is included in the ingredients.

for those not familiar with term, it is raw beef or mutton, especially the hard fat from around the loins and kidneys.

[pearlite]

4 minutes ago, valleycliffe said:

LOLOL  don't forget the suet, sometimes is included in the ingredients.

for those not familiar with term, it is raw beef or mutton, especially the hard fat from around the loins and kidneys.

Oh, yeah. I once entertained the idea of making a Christmas pudding [you know what that is vc], so I bought a bag of suet. It sat in the fridge for months before I threw it out. Now that I think of it, I could have melted it and made really good chips [french fries].

[miamama]

2 hours ago, NinjaPenguins said:

Sorry, pearlite! LP = LeftPhalange, who boldly shared an anti-cat opinion with us. 

Miamama, what about this sexay pic of Billy in the pool?

You feel better already, amirite?

I do. thank you. Hee.

[valleycliffe]

LOL  my mom used to make her christmas pudding in late june/early july...

one year, she added a little rum, then my dad, who didn't know she already added it, added some too...she would serve the christmas pudding with a wonder sauce she used to make...

it used to amaze me that she would start our christmas eve dinner before we left for midnight mass, come home and eat, then open our gifts..would get to bed somewhere around 3 am or 4 am....then when i would get up, my mom would already be up and have the turkey all dressed and in the oven...the turkey was very often 25 - 30 lbs..

[Cupid Stunt]

I like mayonnaise, but I'm a pain in the ass about it (When am I not?). I like Cains in a glass jar, but barring that, I usually make it fresh in a blender or with a stick blender -- This is a French-style mayonnaise, very easy:

Ingredients:

500 ml sunflower oil or 500 ml olive oil

4 egg yolks

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 lemon, juice of

1 garlic clove, crushed and minced (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper 

Instructions:

- Take a tall measuring beaker or a tall glass container - it must be tall.
- Put the egg yolks, Dijon mustard, garlic if using, salt & pepper in the jug. Pulse to mix them together.
- Pour in the oil. Using a hand blender - plunge it all the way to the bottom and then turn it on low, then increase speed.
Then very slowly pull it up towards the top of the jug, you will see the mixture turning into mayonnaise as you pull it up!
- Add the lemon juice as soon as your mixture has emulsified. Mix again, then taste & season again if needed.
- Store in jar for up to a week in the fridge.

When using a standing blender, follow the instructions, but add the oil in a stream through the lid while blending.
 

Aioli is delicious, too. More work, but worth it.

Aioli Recipe

 

Miracle Whip is too sweet to me, and I'm not a fan of the texture. Hellmann's changed their formula and use plastic jars (depending on the quality of plastic used, it can be permeable to gas and odors in a refrigerator); no thanks. 

[pearlite]

Also a fan of the egg-and-oil emulsion, Cupid. But also quite lazy a lot of the time. You can put the acid element in first, and it will still work--so will using a hand whisk if you feel like the exercise--so will using the Cuisinart.

Years ago [I mean decades ago], I did work out the world's richest Caesar dressing, on a mayonnaise base, and related to aioli, but incorporating garlic as in aioli, anchovies [or anchovy paste], Worcestershire, parmesan, and more lemon proportionally. Suitable for many purposes, including just spreading it on yourself and licking it off.

[ByTor]

20 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

My grandmother (Mom's mom) had a degree in Home Economics and couldn't figure out how to make a salad. She would say to my mom and aunt "you girls make the salad, I can't understand how to do it".

If you've never seen this you need to!

Edited November 15, 2016 by ByTor

[peacheslatour]

Thanks By Tor! That was hilarious, I love those guys.

And that tutorial was right on. My grandma ended up teaching high school and my mom, who also has a Home Ec. degree went into design and fashion.

[Cupid Stunt]

2 hours ago, Anna Yolei said:

I have no idea how pumpkin became the rage. My only guess would be Starbucks put it on the map with their most overrated of overrated drinks, the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I don't remember seeing this many pumpkin inspired products growing up.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte was made with a mix of traditional fall spice flavors (cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove), steamed milk, and espresso, topped with whipped cream and the pumpkin pie spices, but no actual pumpkin.

In August 2014, the "Food Babe" pseudoscience blogger Vani Hari published the article You’ll Never Guess What’s In A Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (Hint: You Won’t Be Happy). There was a great deal of howling that there wasn't any pumpkin in the drink, too much sugar, and used an approved food-safe caramel coloring. Starbucks reformulated the drink with actual pumpkin puree to remove the artificial coloring. The sugar content remains the same.

With the popularity of Starbucks introduction of Pumpkin Spice Latte, the same scent and spice flavor that drove the food and clothing bloggers wild, invaded candles, soaps and lotions, dairy products, home fragrance, doughnuts and baked goods, and candy.

I love pumpkin and squash, some baked goods and in savory dishes. But with the inundation of the too often artificial sweet scent and flavor, a little goes a long way, and I'm not sorry when the season ends.

[Anna Yolei]

2 hours ago, pearlite said:

Yes, Anna [or do you use both names?]. Daughter sends me pix from Connecticut food stores with shelves of pumpkin-flavoured items. Pumpkin isn't a dominant favourite flavour here, at least in eastern Canada. And I really don't want pumpkin-spice plug-in smells, thanks.

Mind you, we get mincemeat, to even things up a bit. This is not hamburger. This is that raisins and dried fruit stuff you put in pies or tarts. Another dubious holiday item.

I go by either. The name goes back to my high school fanfic writing days....the Yolei thing was because the first time I'd seen the name at all was in a dubbed anime, but at the board I run I dropped that part ages ago. :p Sadly, none of that fanfic was soap opera related, but if you're a Trek fan, you'll get a laugh. Lol.

Anyway, regarding mincemeat...my understanding of that dish is that it began as a meat dish and somehow it became what it is now. Which would be confusing to an American visiting the UK since "mince" is still used as the term for ground meat. 

[peacheslatour]

All I want is a decent avocado. Around here from Oct. to Feb. you can't get an avocado that isn't either a shiny green rock or a black puddle of goo.

[Anna Yolei]

Where is "here," if I may ask?

There may be a solution for ya!

http://www.avocadobox.com/

[peacheslatour]

 Nice, but kind of spendy. If only dh loved them as much as I do.

/Seattle area.

[pearlite]

34 minutes ago, Anna Yolei said:

I go by either. The name goes back to my high school fanfic writing days....the Yolei thing was because the first time I'd seen the name at all was in a dubbed anime, but at the board I run I dropped that part ages ago. :p Sadly, none of that fanfic was soap opera related, but if you're a Trek fan, you'll get a laugh. Lol.

Anyway, regarding mincemeat...my understanding of that dish is that it began as a meat dish and somehow it became what it is now. Which would be confusing to an American visiting the UK since "mince" is still used as the term for ground meat. 

Re the mincemeat--you're absolutely right! A lot of spices to cover up meat that was past its first youth, and if it was a holiday or sometime festive, the dried fruit and probably booze went in there. I have actually seen "foodie" retro recipes where someone works in some ground veal or something. No thanks. I'll eat one mince tart per season and just leave it at that--for form's sake alone.

Yes, a ST old-guys fan.

[Petunia13]

This was a bad year for avacodos. The main areas they were grown had droughts. That's why they were more expensive in 2016 and the ones available were/are in poor conditions. 

[Joimiaroxeu]

Pumpkin pie makes me want to vomit (I'm Team Sweet Potato Pie) but they'll pry my Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino from my cold, dead hands.

[jewel21]

3 hours ago, Anna Yolei said:

I go by either. The name goes back to my high school fanfic writing days....the Yolei thing was because the first time I'd seen the name at all was in a dubbed anime, but at the board I run I dropped that part ages ago. :p Sadly, none of that fanfic was soap opera related, but if you're a Trek fan, you'll get a laugh. Lol.

Anyway, regarding mincemeat...my understanding of that dish is that it began as a meat dish and somehow it became what it is now. Which would be confusing to an American visiting the UK since "mince" is still used as the term for ground meat. 

I also wrote fanfic and was an admin at a original and fanfic writing message board for over 10 years. A lot of our stories were Dark Angel centric.

Edited November 15, 2016 by jewel21

[ByTor]

Speaking of pumpkin spice...if any of you are familiar with Wegmans, I'm still mad at them for no longer carrying pumpkin scones :'(

[Anna Yolei]

43 minutes ago, jewel21 said:

I also wrote fanfic and was an admin at a original and fanfic writing message board for over 10 years. A lot of our stories were Dark Angel centric.

Ahhh, the good ol' days of fandom communities. 

As a teen, I think there at least three or four big boards for every show I was following at the time. And then, there was the Godawful Fanfiction board where the worst of fanfic could be snarked. I miss that place, volatile as it became near the end.