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Josh & Anna Smuggar: A Series of Unfortunate Events


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Homemade lasagne is about as easy as making spaghetti, I'd be surprised if Anna doesn't know how to make it, unless she's just never attempted it.

(Not putting down those who buy it frozen)

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Homemade lasagne is about as easy as making spaghetti, I'd be surprised if Anna doesn't know how to make it, unless she's just never attempted it.

(Not putting down those who buy it frozen)

 

Good Italian sausage (even no meat!),   good cheeses, and fresh basil and garlic would be something lost on Jimbo, and if he doesn't like it, they won't serve it, I'm sure.    They're better off with Stouffer's!  I don't see a salad anywhere, but I guess they could be in those plastic bowls. 

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I don't see a salad anywhere, but I guess they could be in those plastic bowls. 

 

That was my guess.

 

Scratch is best of course, but I just keep one in the freezer for when we have "one of those nights" or are low on groceries.  But honestly, aren't holidays supposed to be special?  As in special cooking and not throwing frozen things in the oven?

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(edited)

Has anyone ever figured out what they're doing in that photo? The kids have clean plates, with rolls on them for the littles, and Jim Bob has already been served, which says to me start of the meal. But then there's a single casserole dish, which Jim Bob's food did not come out of, and there's more rolls, and there's a single, nine inch pie for 20+ people. And there doesn't seem to be a place at the table for Michelle.

That really doesn't look like any family dinner I've ever been to.

Scratch is also cheaper, but then this is not a frugal family.

Edited by Julia
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Good Italian sausage (even no meat!),   good cheeses, and fresh basil and garlic would be something lost on Jimbo, and if he doesn't like it, they won't serve it, I'm sure.    They're better off with Stouffer's!  I don't see a salad anywhere, but I guess they could be in those plastic bowls.

True! I'm pretty sure that none of the Duggars have even purchased fresh basil or a nice hunk of aged Parmesan cheese. They are blissfully ignorant of truly good culinary ingredients and the bounty of whole unprocessed foods.

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(edited)

Well, in that pic we got a look of post-scandal Josh.  It's hard to get a good look at him though.  I know we tend to read into things, but why are he and Anna so far away from Jimbo and Michelle?  I've always noted in the past that the Smuggars are usually seated near mom and dad.  Not on Father's Day though. (Sorry Jenniferbug and GeeGolly!)

Edited by zenme
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Holy carbs! Is there at least a salad on that table? All I see is lasagna and bread.

 

Same here, but I was giving the benefit of the doubt since we cannot see what's in those bowls.  Come to think of it, that bowl is shallow and we see no salad on anyone's plate. From what we know of the Duggars, they've probably emptied cans of corn into the bowls.  Fancy!

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Well, I doubt they even know how to fix a nutritious salad. Their concept is most likely iceberg lettuce, which has the nutritional value of water, some saw dusty, store bought tomatoes, and several ladles of blu cheese dressing. Just cause it is called "salad" doesn't make it healthy.

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I think I recall an episode where they were setting the table for dinner and the young boys kept grabbing salad straight from the bowl like it was novel or a special treat. It doesn't seem to be a regularly served item for them. 

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Has anyone ever figured out what they're doing in that photo? The kids have clean plates, with rolls on them for the littles, and Jim Bob has already been served, which says to me start of the meal. But then there's a single casserole dish, which Jim Bob's food did not come out of, and there's more rolls, and there's a single, nine inch pie for 20+ people. And there doesn't seem to be a place at the table for Michelle.

That really doesn't look like any family dinner I've ever been to.

Scratch is also cheaper, but then this is not a frugal family.

In no way is scratch lasagna cheaper than a frozen family size Stouffer's lasagna.  I would say it's at least twice the price.

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Homemade lasagne is about as easy as making spaghetti, I'd be surprised if Anna doesn't know how to make it, unless she's just never attempted it.

(Not putting down those who buy it frozen)

I make homemade lasagne, and it is WAY harder than spaghetti. 

 

I'm surprised Anna doesn't get more adventurous with cooking. With the "best housewife ever" routine, you'd think it was a talent she would want.

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In no way is scratch lasagna cheaper than a frozen family size Stouffer's lasagna.  I would say it's at least twice the price.

The huge (and Duggar-level crappy) On-Cor frozen lasagna's are $4 at my local store. 5 of those would easily feed the whole clan.

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(edited)

Two pans of my daughter's lasagna cost $60 to make.  It's a treat reserved for when a friend has a baby as the ingredients make two so her family gets one.  I don't see the Duggars putting $120 into one meal for one dish nor do I see them spending the time to make homemade lasagna.  I'm sure there are cheaper lasagna recipes to make, but we haven't found one that tastes better. :) 

Edited by Absolom
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Well, the added touch of a plastic table cloth and what appears to be paper plates and plastic forks is delightful as well.

Also, no knives, and apparently no beverages??

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I used to work in a small, independent fast food restaurant.   Mothers' Day was our busiest day of the year, it was all hands on deck. Because men thought buying a takeout bucket of chicken for Mom was a treat.  You know, so she didn't have to cook.

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That Father's Day meal just seemed sad!  The meal seems to be partially served on some plates, bread on some plates, and some empty plates.  Only the dad's plate seems to be completely served.  And I for one wouldn't eat any of it.

 For Father's Day we usually take out my dad to his favorite restaurant or barbecue at home.  We (and by "we", I mean my sisters and sister-in-law!) make everything and my brothers and brothers-in-law man the barbecue. I usually provide drinks and paper goods - honest we usually use real plates on a regular basis!

But maybe the family is just used to processed food or they are allergic to fresh food???  

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I think I recall an episode where they were setting the table for dinner and the young boys kept grabbing salad straight from the bowl like it was novel or a special treat. It doesn't seem to be a regularly served item for them. 

I think they were grabbing "salad" (ie....bagged MSG-sprayed iceberg lettuce) from their cafeteria-type set-up, just so they could douse it with copious amounts of cheap bottled ranch dressing.

 

JB's Father' Day scenario seemed just that..staged in a JimBobbitty way....."Looky here at the dinner on my plate...um, umm. And looky what's for dessert....punkin pie. Yum. The Good Lord has purposed to bless me by reminding me of the two types of punishment should I not follow his plan.....freezer and burn."

 

Never mind that the lasagna looks awful and the pumpkin pie (does look homemade by someone, probably not them, judging by the glass pie dish) has probably been in the freezer since some Fundie brought it over after Jubilee's funeral.

 

Is that Jackson with a napkin over his face, like a bandit in a 1950's western?

 

Oops...this is the Smuggar topic....yup,  Smuggs loves this meal. Great to be back to some home cookin'.

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Every time I check in and see a new posting in this thread I think "Finally, she had M4".

To keep with the food discussion, then her new name would have to be Mozzarella !

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Well, in that pic we got a look of post-scandal Josh.  It's hard to get a good look at him though.  I know we tend to read into things, but why are he and Anna so far away from Jimbo and Michelle?  I've always noted in the past that the Smuggars are usually seated near mom and dad.  Not on Father's Day though. (Sorry Jenniferbug and GeeGolly!)

LOL at "post-scandal Josh'.  

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(edited)

(Wry tone) it certainly wasn't homemade.

I'll admit, I'm pretty good with Italian food for an Appalachian girl (I lived with two Italians in college - I still remember the collective gasp of horror when I broke the spaghetti in two so it would fit in the boiling water!) but I cannot, for the life of me, make a decent lasagna.

Edited by GEML
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Making lasagne is pretty easy now. You can use the "oven ready" noodles instead of buying the kind that needs to be cooked. My two Italian BIL's, who are great cooks, both now use them. You can't tell the difference. Some ricotta and mozzarella, parsley and sauce and your done. The thing that takes the longest is the sauce(gravy).

GEML - Our family also broke the spaghetti in half until we were set straight !

 

The Duggars do not make/eat anything homemade unless it was done by someone else.

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It is easy to make, but it's time consuming.  I like mine "tall", with 5 or 6 layers. On each layer you've got ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and sauce.  I don't think I've ever made one for less than $30.

 

We wrap the leftovers in plastic wrap in individually cut pieces, put all the pieces in a gallon zip lock bag, and freeze them.  We eat them later in the month, when funds get more limited.

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Two pans of my daughter's lasagna cost $60 to make. It's a treat reserved for when a friend has a baby as the ingredients make two so her family gets one. I don't see the Duggars putting $120 into one meal for one dish nor do I see them spending the time to make homemade lasagna. I'm sure there are cheaper lasagna recipes to make, but we haven't found one that tastes better. :)

Is it worth $60? What's in it?
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Why can't these people do dishes???

 

I would have LOVED to have seen this question asked in one of their "viewer mail" episodes. I'm certain it was among the questions sent in, but obviously never chosen by the Duggars to be answered. I mean, what could they have possibly said that would have made any kind of sense? And they couldn't have told the truth - "we're just monumentally lazy..." either. But it would have been great listening to Boob or Me-chelle stumbling over themselves TRYING to explain it.

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(edited)

That they use paper plates bugs me too. Whether the "whole country can fit in AR" or not, they could still reduce their footprint. With that many kids and 2 dishwashers they could have a meal cleaned up in no time.

Edited by GeeGolly
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I always thought Mother's Day was when you took Mom out to a nice restaurant, but for Father's Day you stayed home and Dad grilled steaks and hamburgers.

 

Father's Day around here was for pork chops with mint jelly. Because only my Dad liked them. So he got them one day a year.

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Isn't JB's favorite dish tater tot casserole? You'd think they'd at least eat that.

 

That looks like a sad excuse for a meal. I miss veggies/salad & the amount of food would be good if there were like 5 people there... But with that amount of people, they'd be lucky if they got two bites of lasagna and pie each.

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Isn't JB's favorite dish tater tot casserole? You'd think they'd at least eat that.

That looks like a sad excuse for a meal. I miss veggies/salad & the amount of food would be good if there were like 5 people there... But with that amount of people, they'd be lucky if they got two bites of lasagna and pie each.

a surprising amount of family members admitted they don't like it.
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(edited)

Good Italian sausage (even no meat!),   good cheeses, and fresh basil and garlic would be something lost on Jimbo, and if he doesn't like it, they won't serve it, I'm sure.    They're better off with Stouffer's!  I don't see a salad anywhere, but I guess they could be in those plastic bowls. 

I have a feeling that the only parmesan cheese the Duggars have ever used in cooking came out of the green shaker can.  

 

The dinner was a weird set up.  It's not like you can pass that foil tray of lasagne around to all the littles.  I would assume that a jslave was sent to hand out a serving to everyone.  I think the green bowl with the tongs was the salad bowl.  It looks about 1/4 full and I don't see any on the plates.  Oh well- serve a small salad and save the difference. 

Edited by truthtalk2014
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I make homemade lasagne, and it is WAY harder than spaghetti. 

 

I'm surprised Anna doesn't get more adventurous with cooking. With the "best housewife ever" routine, you'd think it was a talent she would want.

It's pretty easy, although it's a little time consuming with the layering. Start off with sauce and add fresh oregano and basil with 1/2 lb each of Italian sausage and ground beef browned with chopped onions and 4 or 5 cloves of garlic. Pour 1/3 into pan, layer with uncooked lasagna pasta, a layer of mozzarella, a layer of ricotta mixed with whole egg, Parmesan, and oregano, and then repeat the layers 2 more times ending with the meat sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, top with mozzarella and bake for 15 min longer.

If Anna decides to plant a garden she could add zucchini, eggplant, red peppers and forego the meat or eliminate 1/2 the meat for a lighter version.

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(edited)

In no way is scratch lasagna cheaper than a frozen family size Stouffer's lasagna.  I would say it's at least twice the price.

 

Actually, if you're careful about your ingredients, shop sales, and know how to cook, it is, if we're talking about Stouffer's. I priced that claim at my local market (compared to the party-sized Stouffer's lasagna at Walmart) before posting it. I'd imagine if I shopped at a big box store it'd be even more striking.

 

Thanks for the courtesy, though :)

Edited by Julia
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(edited)

Is she EVER going to have this baby? Sheesh does she want to take after her cousin Iz?

Heh, I read that as cousin It.

 

I've had Stouffer's lasagne. Once. It was so awful. Really inedible. But I grew up eating (and making) homemade lasagne. And, yeah, it's time-consuming and messy (you dirty nearly every pan in the kitchen), but it's not a big deal. msblossom's recipe sounds exactly like what we used to make. I only got the Stouffer's because I had a craving and was living away from home for the first time and didn't want to be eating it for a week. I didn't think of making individual portion freezer bags.

 

Edited: stupid typo.

Edited by carrps
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Heh, I read that as cousin It.

 

I've had Stouffer's lasagne. Once. It was so awful. Really inedible. But I grew up eating (and making) homemade lasagne. And, yeah, it's time-consuming and messy (you dirty nearly every pan in the kitchen), but it's not a big deal. msblossom's recipe sounds exaclty like what we used to make. I only got the Stouffer's because I had a craving and was living away from home for the first time and didn't want to be eating it for a week. I didn't think of making individual portion freezer bags.

 

Yeah, that's sort of the thing about it. It's pretty much overcooked pasta soaked in sugary generic red sauce with a few shreds of cheese on top and between the layers 

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