The Kitchen: 2014 Edition

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The Kitchen: 2014 Edition

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1tymfos
Modifié : Fév 10, 2014, 2:44 pm



In years past, one of my favorite threads in the 75 Challenge has been The Kitchen. There doesn't seem to be one yet this year, and Jim gave me the go-ahead, so here it is.

Welcome to the 75 Challenge 2014 Kitchen! It is new and empty now. I hope you all will gather here and fill it with food, conversation, recipes. cookbook suggestions, and fun.

2tymfos
Modifié : Fév 10, 2014, 3:25 pm

I made a great spicy jambalaya for supper last night, with shrimp and Andouille sausage. I had intended to post a link to the recipe, but the website where I got it was so full of pop-ups (normal offers related to their own promotions and the magazines that sponsor the website, but still . . .) that I'm reluctant to post a link. Drat!

ETA to add Oh, heck. Searching for the recipe, it comes up on a Google search, with an OK from Norton, so here's the link if anyone is interested. When I went directly to it (rather than through the home page of the website) nothing popped up at me.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/jambalaya-with-shrimp-andouille-sausage-10000001...

Or you can do a search via Google for the name of the recipe "Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage" and it comes up, if you want to reach it that way.

3tymfos
Fév 10, 2014, 2:43 pm

This weekend, our library has a fundraiser that is all chocolate, all the time. I'll probably be trying out some recipes for it over the next few days.

4maggie1944
Fév 10, 2014, 4:53 pm

I found some no wheat, no gluten cookies which I am inhaling. Yummy.

5fuzzi
Fév 10, 2014, 4:59 pm

We're expecting another ice storm tomorrow, oh joy and fun.

If the driving conditions are bad, I'll be staying home and making homemade soup again.

6tymfos
Fév 10, 2014, 5:18 pm

There's been a lot of soup weather this winter!

7mckait
Fév 10, 2014, 5:48 pm

A shiny new kitchen.......Thanks Terri!

8thornton37814
Fév 10, 2014, 6:43 pm

Okay - I have it marked, but I'll probably still post food pics to my own thread too. I just can't resist!

9AuntieClio
Fév 10, 2014, 6:50 pm

A question for crock pot users: How do you get your soups/stews/etc. to be less liquidy (wet)? I stopped trying to make stew or chili because the condensation from the lid just makes it soupy.

10thornton37814
Modifié : Fév 10, 2014, 6:57 pm

I was going to say to reduce the liquid. I decided to Google to check and came up with this tip from Lifehacker: http://lifehacker.com/5853859/make-better-soup-in-a-crock-pot-by-using-less-wate.... You will notice they also suggest removing the lid for the last 30 minutes.

11mckait
Fév 12, 2014, 8:09 am

>8 thornton37814: This is like a real kitchen.. a lot goes on here besides cooking!

Stephanie, I thought at first your post said pot users.....I don't add liquid to many things in the crock pot.. I can't think of anything but a bit of broth to stew, but I toss the meat in seasoned flower before cooking it. Sometimes I brown it, too... usually not.

12tymfos
Fév 12, 2014, 2:58 pm

A lot depends on the slow cooker. The old ones didn't hardly use any liquids at all. Then the government got involved and said the temperatures were too low/slow to be safe. So the last crock pot I bought burned everything unless you add more liquid than the old recipes called for -- they had to make them so they don't "seal" like the traditional crock pot. Bummer.

13tymfos
Modifié : Fév 12, 2014, 8:36 pm

Tonight I experimented with a new recipe for supper -- a Polish/German type casserole with kielbasa, sauerkraut, and pasta in a creamy sauce with cheddar cheese. Not too bad.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/uber-braten-kielbasa-and-sauerkraut-casserole/detai...

I didn't have the kluski noodles, so I had to substitute other pasta. I want to try it with the kluski next time! I also made a few substitutions to lower the fat and calories.

14laytonwoman3rd
Modifié : Fév 13, 2014, 10:17 am

YaY! for a new Kitchen Thread. I was missing it too.

My favorite slow-cooker stew recipe calls for adding some tapioca (not the pearl kind). I tried Darryl's wonderful slow-cooker white chicken chili recipe, and found that it did come out a bit too "soupy", so I will reduce the liquid next time. If you cook meat on the bone in the slow-cooker, it will tend to thicken because of the gelatin from the bones.

15maggie1944
Fév 15, 2014, 8:52 am

Stopping by to lurk. Yummy ideas, here!

16fuzzi
Fév 15, 2014, 1:21 pm

I bought turkey necks at the store, so I'm letting them simmer with peppercorns and Rosemary. I'll add some chopped celery leaves shortly. I've read that the best soup comes from bones, so that's what I've been using.

And this soup-making is coming in handy: my dh is sick today, and is able to eat some leftover chicken soup from Wednesday!

17connie53
Fév 15, 2014, 1:23 pm

My dh can make a mean potato soup! and yesterday he made spinach soup. Very delicious!

18fuzzi
Fév 15, 2014, 1:33 pm

Yum...

19SqueakyChu
Modifié : Fév 15, 2014, 4:59 pm

> 17

Could we have hubby's potato soup recipe? My hubby said he'd like potato soup as well...but he doesn't cook. Guess who will be making it?! :)

20mckait
Fév 15, 2014, 5:12 pm

I lovve potato soup. Can't make a good one to save my life #Fail

21AMQS
Fév 15, 2014, 5:50 pm

My favorite potato soup for the past several years has been the Potato Chowder with Green Chiles from Southern Living:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/potato-chowder-with-green-chiles-10000000258088/

Mmmmmm. Good to make in the fall when we can get roasted Hatch chiles. I usually reverse the proportions of half and half to milk (2 cups milk, 1 cup half and half).

Glad to be back in the kitchen!

22SqueakyChu
Fév 15, 2014, 10:21 pm

> 21

Thanks for that recipe! I'm going to try it!

23AMQS
Fév 15, 2014, 11:04 pm

>22 SqueakyChu: Enjoy! I forgot to say that I also add more potato. The recipe calls for one and I think I use three.

24connie53
Fév 16, 2014, 7:39 am

This is not going to be easy to translate so please ignore all the mistakes i make!

---------------------------------

The potato soup: 4-5 persons

needed:
* 30 grams butter
* 600 grams of potatoes (firmcooking ones)
* 2 unions sliced in rings
* 1 big carrot (we call it a wintercarrot)
* Bouquet Garni (twigs of rosemary and thym bound together. But you may use all kind of fresh herbs. We have a lot of them in the garden)
* salt and freshly grounded pepper
* 800 milliliter vegetable broth
* 200 milliliter of full milk
* lots of fresh chive
* dices of bacon about 250 grams, but you can also use fish.

Peel the potatoes.Melt the butter in a large stockpot or other pot until it has a very light color, add the potatoes, the union rings, de sliced carrot and the bouquet garni. Stir often and let the whole thing simmer gently on a low burner until it softens up. Don't let it get brown. Add the broth and some of the salt and pepper. Leave it on the low burner for half an hour. Remove the bouquet garni (it has a rope around so you can get it out easily) and use the blender or your kitchenmachine to make it smooth. Then you add the milk and lots of chive. You can add more salt and pepper arcording to your own taste.

When you want meat in it you add the bacon (or ham) or pieces of fish if you like fish (any kind may do)

Bon appetit!

25maggie1944
Fév 16, 2014, 7:46 am

That sounds absolutely perfect for a winter's soup!

26connie53
Fév 16, 2014, 8:21 am

It is my favorite of this winter. I like the bacon version. We have never tried it with fish!

27SqueakyChu
Modifié : Fév 16, 2014, 10:36 am

> 24

Thanks, connie53!

I also grow rosemary, chives and thyme in my garden. I need to wait for spring for the chives to reappear, though. My rosemary sometimes survives the winter, but sometimes doesn't. I'll have to wait until the snow melt to see is I an locate it (or I'll used dried).

28connie53
Fév 16, 2014, 10:52 am

We can buy twigs in the supermarket, too. Our herb garden is in winter mode right now. No snow, but we have to see if we have to replace some of the plants in the spring.

29AuntieClio
Fév 16, 2014, 3:39 pm

#21 AMQS
I miss Hatch chilies so much! I have to make do with canned Anaheims because it is too expensive for me to have Hatch shipped to me in California.

I also missed stuffed sopapillas.

30thornton37814
Fév 17, 2014, 7:49 pm

I love potato soup, Connie!

31AMQS
Fév 17, 2014, 8:10 pm

>29 AuntieClio: AuntieClio -- oh no! I think we're spoiled here. I've seen them at Costco (not sure if you do Costco, or if they do the Hatch chilies in your location). There's also the 505 Southwestern brand: http://www.505chile.com/ But then again, perhaps they're not available outside CO/NM.

32AuntieClio
Fév 17, 2014, 8:15 pm

#31 AMQS,
Hatch chilis are regional things. *pout*

33jayde1599
Fév 18, 2014, 11:13 am

I was just wondering if there was a kitchen thread this year. Thanks for starting it up!

The potato soup recipe looks great Connie. We love home made soup here - it's how I can get my toddler to eat veggies ;)
Tomorrow will be Tortellini Soup in the crockpot.

But tonight it is leftover chicken pie from scratch.

34tymfos
Fév 18, 2014, 2:03 pm

tonight it is leftover chicken pie from scratch.

Yum!

35tymfos
Fév 18, 2014, 6:34 pm

FYI: Today is National Drink Wine Day. I plan to observe it.

36laytonwoman3rd
Fév 19, 2014, 11:21 am

>35 tymfos: Oh, foo. I missed it. I don't suppose there's a penalty for drinking some today?

37-Cee-
Fév 19, 2014, 11:29 am

Every day is drink wine day in my book... LOL
What else would you have with dinner?

I hear the penalty for not joining in yesterday is you need to drink TWO glasses today - without fail!

38labwriter
Fév 19, 2014, 11:29 am

>24 connie53:. Thank you for the potato soup recipe, Connie. I'm going to copy your recipe and give it a try, because the best potato soup I ever had came from a little Dutch sandwich shop in Pella, Iowa.

39connie53
Fév 20, 2014, 2:19 pm

You go, LW!! And please let us know what you thought of it!!

40SqueakyChu
Fév 21, 2014, 10:13 am

Can anyone recommend a good low fat (not "low cholesterol") cookbook?

My doctor recommended I follow a low fat diet...which means that I either have to amend or give up most of my favorite recipes. It would be so simple to find a good general cook book (preferably of kosher food) that are all low fat, but I wouldn't know where to begin. Well, I guess I could begin in the cookbook section of my local bookstore, but I'd like recommended cookbooks.

In addition, I can use whatever hints you may yourself use to decrease the amount of fat in your diet. I'd like to try those ideas as well. Er, I really wouldn't like to try them, but my health mandates that I do! :)

Thanks in advance.

41Morphidae
Modifié : Fév 21, 2014, 9:36 pm

Using a non-stick wok helps. That way you can cook strips of meat without oil or butter or even cooking spray.

42maggie1944
Fév 21, 2014, 9:57 pm

Remember low fat does not mean no fat. Your body does need a certain amount of fat every day to metabolize vitamins and minerals. Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Olive Oil spray. They can be very tasty and are the best of all the fats. Also, avocado is a good tasty fat which when used in small bits can add good flavor to food.

There are lots of low fat cook books. I agree looking at the bookstore in the cookbook section is a great idea.

43AMQS
Modifié : Fév 22, 2014, 2:00 am

Don't forget the library. The library is my favorite cookbook source -- check out one or five or ten cookbooks, and the one that has the best recipes you can then buy. My library system has a huge cookbook section with many cookbooks for specialized diets, so you'll probably be able to find several low fat cookbooks.

I really like Cooking Light magazine (you can find their recipes online), and they publish an Annual Recipes book every year with all the recipes they publish in a year (you can usually find those at the library as well). Cooking Light often adapts traditional favorites that contain a billion calories/fat grams and lightens them. Cooking Light also publishes specialty cookbooks (Grilling, Slow Cooker, etc.).

One of my go-to cookbooks is The Six O'Clock Scramble which isn't necessarily a low fat cookbook, but focuses on quick, healthy dinners, and the dishes tend to be very lean.

I also like Greek/Mediterranean cookbooks, as they often focus on vegetables, greens, grains, and fish. I like the one published by the St. Paul Greek Orthodox Cathedral: The Complete Book of Greek Cooking, and The Foods of the Greek Islands by Aglaia Kremezi.

Finally, I use "summer" cookbooks all year long, as the recipes tend to be light and focus on fresh ingredients. A favorite is Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer.

44tymfos
Fév 22, 2014, 7:40 am

I'll second the suggestion of trying out cookbooks from the library. Even our little library has a huge section.

45SqueakyChu
Fév 22, 2014, 9:18 am

Thanks for your suggestions, everyone. I'm looking for low fat (good and bad fat) and not low calorie recipes following a frightening episode of severe chest pain, an ambulance trip to the hospital, and a diagnosis of biliary colic. I need to limit my fat intake presently to avoid a repeat episode of chest pain or until I have surgery, if that is indicated.

46connie53
Fév 22, 2014, 10:54 am

Wow, Madeline!! That is scary. I hope surgery is not necessary when you change your eating habits! Go for it!

47SqueakyChu
Fév 22, 2014, 11:00 am

Well, it's a 50/50 proposition. If I have the surgery, I won't have to eliminate so many of the things I love to eat...Zio's pizza, crispy chicken skin, whipped cream topping my hot chocolate on a cold, snowy night, cheesecake, homemade ice cream...well, the good stuff!

*sigh*

48connie53
Fév 22, 2014, 11:20 am

I would go for the no surgery proposition!

49SqueakyChu
Fév 22, 2014, 11:24 am

I'm really undecided. The pain was terrible. I'd hate to go through that ever again.

Actually, my older son (in his thirties) had the laparoscopic surgery last year...and now he eats what he pleases. He has fortunately had no adverse effects after his surgery. I will go by what my doctor recommends after she sees the ER notes and scan.

No half-and-half in my coffee! :(

50PawsforThought
Fév 22, 2014, 11:51 am

I wish I could be more helpful with cooking suggestions but I hate fatty things and so never (or at least incredibly rarely) eat anything like the list you made in #47. "Just skip it" isn't really valuable advice, is it? :/

Generally speaking, I suppose the best advice I could give is to use the oven a lot. Roast/cook things in the oven instead of frying (or, horror of all horrors, deep-frying) them.

Otherwise, these websites seem quite good for recipes:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/low-fat
http://www.skinnykitchen.com/ (low calorie, I think, but seems to focus on cutting down fat)
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20415761,00.html

And one for tips:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/lowfat-cooking-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.htm...

51laytonwoman3rd
Fév 22, 2014, 1:58 pm

I was going to suggest the internet. Try googling your favorite recipes with "low fat" added to the name. You may find lots of variations on the things you ordinarily cook.

As far as the surgery is concerned, I say if it is recommended, do it sooner rather than later. Both my daughter and my husband had terrible experiences with gall bladders gone bad, and each would have been much better off had they addressed the problem earlier. (Of course, neither of them were particularly good at the "low fat" thing either.)

52labwriter
Fév 22, 2014, 4:49 pm

>43 AMQS:. I really like Cooking Light magazine

I love that magazine. I also love their cookbooks. Two of their books I really love and use recipes from all the time: Cooking Light Through the Seasons, which gives you suggestions for using different vegetables & fruits in season, and Cooking Light Comfort Food. I've been cooking light for many years, and at this point it's just second nature. I can honestly say that not only do I not like the heavy stuff, I also simply can't eat it.

53labwriter
Fév 22, 2014, 5:40 pm



I'm making "basic biscuits" from my Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook by Julie & Charles Mayfield. These are gluten-free recipes, for the most part. I didn't start out to be either Paleo or gluten-free, but after losing weight on a diet that was mostly just protein and vegetables (no bread, cheese, nothing), I knew I could survive without the carbs. Not only could I survive without them, but I feel better.

These biscuits are in place of the grilled cheese and ham I usually make to eat with pea soup. The photo in the book looks good, and the Mayfields are encouraging, writing to an audience who may be new to this stuff. They don't recommend that you eat these every day, but as an occasional treat for brunch or a weekend family meal, they're very good. If you eat dairy, you can add some shredded cheddar cheese and/or crispy bacon.

What really interests me is that I found these ingredients in the baking section of the market I go to every day. I didn't have to go to a specialty store to find any of this stuff.

6 large egg whites
1/4 cup (40 g) coconut flour
3/5 cup (120 g) blanched almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp. grass-fed butter (or ghee) or coconut oil
dash of salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Whisk the eggs whites until they are very frothy.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the two flours and baking powder, and then cut in the butter or coconut oil (I do this with my hands). Make a crumbly mixture. Let this sit in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
4. Fold in the egg whites into the flour mixture.
Spoon the biscuit batter onto a greased sheet pan.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

These smell divine when baking. Next time I'll double the recipe and pop extras in the freezer.

Now I'll slice these in half and make ham/cheese biscuits to go with my soup. Good!

Result: If you're hoping for something that tastes like the swoon-delicious greasy cheese biscuits from Red Lobster, then these ain't it. But are they good? Yes.

54SqueakyChu
Fév 22, 2014, 7:44 pm

> 43, 52

I might consider a subscription to Cooking Light. I've browsed through that magazine, and it always seems to have such good recipes.

55streamsong
Fév 23, 2014, 3:17 pm

Crockpots are another good low fat cooking method.

Another website I like is HungryGirl. I made Bacon Chicken Apple Stew from that site in the crockpot yesterday: http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/2549-crock-n-roll-new-slow-cooker-recipe... . I used turkey bacon on top.

And yet one more website. Although you can't access a lot of the Weight Watchers website without being a member, you can access their message boards and I really like the Recipe Review board here: http://www.weightwatchers.com/community/mbd/threads.aspx?board_id=130&forum_...

56tymfos
Modifié : Fév 23, 2014, 6:49 pm

I'm making a low-fat pizza for dinner, using low fat and fat-free cheeses, turkey sausage, and homemade pizza sauce that is fat free. The crust is homemade too, and contains only a limited amount of olive oil. I am liberal with the seasonings, and also top it with mushrooms and red bell pepper and onion. It generally turns out pretty well.

57thornton37814
Fév 23, 2014, 10:18 pm

My lunch was definitely not low-fat today. I had some country style ribs that I wanted to use. I stopped by the grocery store, planning to get red-skin potato salad, until I saw the Gorgonzola potato salad at the same price. I also made garlic bread to go with it from a loaf of freshly made French bread. It was a quite tasty lunch, but not low cal.

58jessibud2
Fév 26, 2014, 6:24 am

@ 40 - Rose Reisman is a household name here in Toronto, maybe even in Canada. She has tons of cookbooks, all low fat recipes. The one I have is called Light Pasta. Another dynamic sister team who write the BEST, funniest cookbooks of fantastic low fat recipes are the Podleskis, Janet and Greta. Their books, and recipes can be found here: Looneyspoons

Toronto is also about to lose a real gem in the indie bookstore/food realm, The Cookbook Store. It is just incredibly sad to see so many indie (independent) bookstores being gobbled up by the big box stores. The cookbook store was fantastic and I don't even cook, but I loved going in there.

:-(

Anyhow, Madeline, check to see if you can find these books locally, in your bookstores or library, maybe even online at used book places, like Abebooks. The Looneyspoon series of books are a delight to just read, too. You will be splitting your sides laughing

59MDGentleReader
Fév 26, 2014, 10:30 am

40>

There is a cookbook store at National Harbor, MD now. We are having a Meetup there tomorrow at 6:30. Just sayin'.

"We'll meet at Salt & Pepper Books, a cook book store at 6:30, it is only open until 7 so if you want to browse longer, you'll probably want to arrive earlier.

The web site for the book store is not yet set up, however, it just moved from Occoquon, VA if you are looking for more information, there are reviews on the web. Salt & Pepper Books 171 American Way, National Harbor, MD 20745, 301-839-1849."

I am sorry to hear about your gall bladder issues and your job loss, SqueakyChu. Gall bladder pain is intense. Job loss stinks. Loss of purpose, loss of income all in one blow.

60SqueakyChu
Fév 26, 2014, 12:09 pm

> 59

Thanks!

Have fun at the National Harbor meet-up. It sounds like fun. Sorry I can't join you.

61MDGentleReader
Fév 26, 2014, 12:32 pm

Any titles you'd like me to look for while I am there?

62SqueakyChu
Fév 26, 2014, 12:58 pm

Nope. I'm out of the book-buying business! Thanks, though!

63labwriter
Modifié : Fév 27, 2014, 1:52 pm

Another cold day, another good day for a crockpot recipe. This one is from the Williams Sonoma version, The New Slow Cooker. These recipes are delicious updates that reflect the ingredients we use today.

Yesterday they had some very nice chicken thighs on sale ($1.39/lb.), bone in, skin on. So I'm making Garlicky Chicken Thighs, a recipe that features lots of whole garlic and dry white wine. My DH is convinced that eating garlic is what propelled both of his grandfathers into their 90's, so we eat a lot of it. Whole garlic cloves that have been sautéed and then cooked in the slow cooker are surprisingly mild and nutty-tasting. I also like them roasted. I'm serving this with oven roasted winter vegetables from a Cooking Light recipe.

ETA changed my mind. Roasted green beans would be perfect with this.

64labwriter
Fév 27, 2014, 1:57 pm



I wish I had pictures of all the kitchens in my life. This one looks a lot like my mom's kitchen, c.1956. I want that stove!

65MDGentleReader
Fév 27, 2014, 2:02 pm

That looks like the kitchen I grew up in. Table had ight blueish-grey mottling on the side instead of red and if there was a leaf, we never used it - it wouldn't have fit. I HATED scrubbing dirt that got caught around the decorative trim on the sides of the table.

66laytonwoman3rd
Fév 27, 2014, 4:30 pm

I always loved that style of kitchen table. And there's my yellow step stool! I tried so hard to get one of those recently; ended up with a white one, but it's just not the same.

67maggie1944
Fév 27, 2014, 4:47 pm

Those are the kitchens of our memories!

68jessibud2
Fév 27, 2014, 5:15 pm

I remember those kitchen tables and chairs! My chair always had a crack in the seat, probably torn because I always sat with one leg folded under me, causing the buckles of sandals to rip the upholstery. I remember the duct tape, too, holding it together... ;-)

69jmaloney17
Fév 27, 2014, 5:51 pm

SqueakyChu: Take a look at www.gallbladderattack.com. They have a list of foods to stay away from. Things I did before I had my gallbladder out include and include none to little fat: spaghetti squash with homemade sauce, ratattoulle made with no oil, homemade salad dressings made with apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, tomatoes, mustards, etc. and no oil, asparagus steamed in veggie broth with rosemary, a bay leaf and garlic, cold water fish baked in the oven with no added oil, for lunch I often ate tomatoes, avocado and tuna with mustard with low fat crackers. Mustard was my go to condiment. Stay away from egg yolks, meat and dairy. They seemed to be the worst for me.

70laytonwoman3rd
Fév 27, 2014, 6:55 pm

>68 jessibud2: If you look closely, a couple of those chairs seem to have splits in the seats.

71Whisper1
Fév 27, 2014, 7:04 pm

The image of the retro kitchen brings back lots of memories, including one of my mother with an apron, permed hair and Donna Reid heels.

My mother was 77 when she died. I'm betting that never, ever in her life did she use a mop to clean a floor. Always, she scrubbed on her hands and knees. Crazy to do this with heels....
I guess that's where the term "crazy clean" comes from....

72SqueakyChu
Modifié : Fév 27, 2014, 7:16 pm

> 69

I'll take a look at those diet plans, but I don't want to stick to them. It eliminates anything that either tastes good or helps other food to taste good.

If I stay away from eggs, meat, and dairy, there's nothing left to eat. I don't want to become a vegan. Fish are fine, but I'm not good at cooking fish. Fish are even more expensive than meat.

My husband doesn't like pasta or vegetarian meals, and I don't want to make different things for myself and him.

What if I only eat "low fat" and not "no fat"? That's a bit easier to do.

Dry tuna?! :( :( :(

I threw away the egg yolks from dry tuna salad yesterday, and my husband complained about the loss of the egg yolks!

The trick is that he's on a low purine diet (due to gout) so he's restricted in what he can eat as well. He should avoid red meat, beans, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms. red wine, etc.

If you happen to see two extremely stick-thin figures walking around in the near future, they will be both of us. That's assuming we'll both have enough strength to remain upright. :)

Then there's one visiting friend who won't eat carbs, another visiting friend who won't eat nightshade veggies or anything containing gluten, and two of my children who are lactose intolerant.

*throws up her hands in utter despair*

73PawsforThought
Fév 27, 2014, 8:14 pm

Fish are even more expensive than meat.

Really? Is this an American thing? I don't think I've ever come across that. I mean sure, fresh salmon is more expensive than minced mest but on average fish is definitely cheaper than meat over here. Cheaper than poultry too.

74Whisper1
Fév 27, 2014, 8:17 pm

Madeline...It is good to see your post. You are very much on my mind. Noting that you have chest pains, I remembered that was the first indication something was amiss. I'm wondering if chest pains are part of the package of the need for gall bladder removal.

Are you better today I hope so.

75SqueakyChu
Fév 27, 2014, 10:09 pm

> 73

Is this an American thing?

I'm not sure if it's an American of a local thing, but fish is much more expensive than meat.

> 74

I feel fine now. I'm waiting to hear back from my doctor (after she sees the medical report) and will do whatever she suggests. I don't care one way or the other about surgery. If she wants me to have surgery, I'll get to eat what I want afterward. If I don't need the surgery now, I'll just be a little more careful about the amount of fat I eat.

76labwriter
Fév 27, 2014, 11:23 pm

>71 Whisper1:. Hi Linda. That's quite an image--your mom scrubbing the floor in heels. My mom did the same thing, scrubbed the floor on her hands and knees. She did all the floors that way, including the wood floors throughout the house. They always looked beautiful, unlike my own.

>73 PawsforThought:. We produce a lot of beef here in the U.S., but the price of beef is going up at a pretty frightening rate. I think I'm spending $1.50 more per pound for ground beef than I was this time last year. That's quite a significant increase, and all of the signs indicate that it's only going to continue to go up. Beef is the #1 selling protein in the U.S., but that may change if the price trend continues.

77AuntieClio
Fév 28, 2014, 12:24 am

I eat a lot of chicken because it's cheaper than any other protein, including beef or fish.

78PawsforThought
Fév 28, 2014, 5:44 am

76. Wow, that's a huge raise in price!

79labwriter
Fév 28, 2014, 7:57 am

>77 AuntieClio:. Me too, AC. I also eat pork, because it's probably the cheapest of anything. I make a mixture of ground pork, beef, and turkey or chicken. I use that mix for things like meatballs and meatloaf. It's very good, and cheaper than straight beef.

>78 PawsforThought:. A lot of factors are driving up the price of beef. An increase in the price of corn has led to a decrease in cattle herds. Many areas of the U.S. are experiencing drought, which is why there's less grain. I buy only what's on sale, and I put it in my freezer. The freezer is one of the best investments I've made in recent years. I also use a vacuum sealer, which preserves the quality of the food.

One of the consequences of the price of beef going up is that I buy more fish, because when fish (like salmon) is on sale, the price is comparable (fish used to be about twice the price of many cuts of beef). I buy frozen salmon from Canada, and it's very good. On sale it's about $8.00/lb. I'm pretty sure that I usually make less salmon per serving than I do beef, so the overall effect is that the fish is actually cheaper than beef. You have to understand, Paws, that many of us in the U.S. live hundreds of miles from any large body of water, so fresh fish from the sea isn't an option.

Ha--this is probably more than anybody really wants to know.

80mckait
Fév 28, 2014, 9:04 am

>77 AuntieClio: ditto Stephanie. W eat mostly chicken. I guess then beef, and then fish. We may go out to eat today, which would please me :) and I would get fish. And cole slaw!

81PawsforThought
Fév 28, 2014, 1:15 pm

79. I can't imagine living without a freezer. I didn't know there were people (in developed countries) who did until a few years ago. It's just beyond me. My family has always had 2-3 freezer all stocked with food.

Most people I know don't eat fresh fish very often, regardless of how close to the sea they live. I live right on the coast and only ever eat fresh fish if there is a special occasion. Frozen fish all the way! Usually from the North Sea or even from the coast of Alaska (so VERY far away). Also, because the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia are so heavily polluted, it isn't advised that you eat fish from there more than a couple of times a year as a woman or child (men get off easier).

I think the subsidies that are in place for American agriculture is probably what's been keeping the beef prices so low for so long.

82maggie1944
Mar 1, 2014, 7:39 am

I love fresh fish. And grass fed beef, and free range chickens. I think that if there is any part of my life where I'm willing to spend the big bucks it is going to be Food! Glorious Food!

I eat a fair amount of fresh fish. I'm willing to spend more money for good beef, and then I use less of it for the meal. I eat small steaks, or make a stir fry type thing with very little really good beef.

It is not my Mother's world any more.

83labwriter
Mar 1, 2014, 8:00 am

>82 maggie1944:. It is not my Mother's world any more.

I'm with you there, except I guess I'm not so willing to spend the big bucks. However, the price of regular ground beef has reached a tipping point for me, so now I find myself willing to pay just a little more and buy grass fed beef when it's available, since it's really not that much more expensive these days than the corn fed, since I think grass fed is more flavorful than corn fed, and if you can believe what they say about it, it's also leaner. I've also started using ground bison, which tastes a lot like the grass fed ground beef and is comparable in price.

84tymfos
Mar 31, 2014, 10:49 pm

I've created my annual "April is Autism Awareness" reading thread:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/172153

85Cynara
Août 2, 2014, 3:35 pm

Hi, all. New 75er PurlPoet and I will be reading Moby Dick here:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/178643#4794643

Feel free to drop by!

86laytonwoman3rd
Oct 8, 2014, 1:37 pm

Much too much pain in this group lately....now it's Morphy who needs us. Please pop over and leave a bit of support if you can.

87connie53
Oct 12, 2014, 2:26 pm

just flying over to Morphy's thread.

88dk_phoenix
Nov 18, 2014, 4:44 pm

*wanders into Kitchen*
*hears only the hum of the refrigerator*

Umm... hello... it's been awhile... I'm sorry and I've missed everyone more than words can say. :(

*starts kettle*

89maggie1944
Nov 18, 2014, 9:46 pm

ah, some hot water for a cup of tea, delighted!

I just received the name of my Christmas Swap person and I'm delighted. This may not be an easy decision as this person has a huge, let me say that again, huge wish list. But so many delightful books to choose from....

ah, I guess this means my official Christmas shopping season has begun.

I'll just have that cup of tea, and write some lists.

90laytonwoman3rd
Modifié : Nov 19, 2014, 8:25 am

Nice to see some gathering in the kitchen again. It's been little used lately. *knocks a cobweb from the ceiling fan* Yes, thank you...I'll take some of that hot water too. I'll bet the milk's gone off, though.

91thornton37814
Nov 19, 2014, 10:15 am

We should have some fun with those Christmas swap lists.

I guess someone should probably clean out that refrigerator.

92maggie1944
Nov 19, 2014, 10:46 am

Oh, let's just make some cookies. The refrigerator can wait.

Anybody read any good books recently? How about Christmas cookie books? Know of any outstanding examples?

93Morphidae
Nov 19, 2014, 12:05 pm

>89 maggie1944: I have a large wish list. I don't know if I would call it huge though. I know that some people don't like ordering from wish lists because they are restrictive. I figure with a large gift list, there is a bigger chance there would be something they would be likely to order anyway.

94nrmay
Modifié : Nov 19, 2014, 5:19 pm

Just discovered this thread and I must say it is delightful. I love to cook and bake and I love to eat so here I am!

It's my week to cook (my husband and I alternate weeks) and I'm making stuffed pumpkins tonight.
I have 2 of the small sugar pie pumpkins and you cut the tops off and scoop out all the seeds and slippery stuff; save tops.
Fill them with your favorite turkey stuffing.
I use seasoned stuffing like Pepperidge Farm and add chicken broth and butter as directed on the pkg.
Add some or all of the following -
browned country sausage (I like Neece's)
sauteed onion and celery
nuts (walnuts, pecans)
dried fruit (raisins or tart dried cherries or snipped apricots)
chopped apple or mushrooms

Replace pumpkin top and bake 350 till done - 1 hr or more?
You can remove pumpkin top near the end of baking to crisp the stuffing up a bit if you like.

This is my first time to try this. My sister served this and it was delicious.
I think her recipe was based on one from the Washington Post food column.

Seems good for a fall supper. We're having a frigid spell here in the Carolinas which is unusual for Nov.

95laytonwoman3rd
Nov 19, 2014, 3:14 pm

>94 nrmay: That does sound good for the body and the soul...

96scaifea
Nov 20, 2014, 6:45 am

>94 nrmay: Whoa, that sounds amazing!

*stocks the fridge with unchunky milk*
I can't have tea without a splash of milk, thankyouverymuch.

97maggie1944
Nov 20, 2014, 10:15 am

Oh! hey, is there any of the stuffing left over? *sticks head into the frig*

98Morphidae
Nov 20, 2014, 10:48 am

*hovers over bowl* Stuffing? What stuffing?

99dk_phoenix
Nov 21, 2014, 8:03 am

I just took my second Indian cooking class last night, so I can make proper chai and some samosas for us! *sets out spice grinder*

100TadAD
Nov 21, 2014, 12:44 pm

Just stopping by to say hello to everyone in the 75 group. It's been a year of some medical challenges and some work challenges and, as a result, a lot of "hobby" stuff got left by the wayside. Unfortunately, that included a lot of reading, let alone talking about reading.

Perhaps next year I'll be able to be back.

101dk_phoenix
Nov 21, 2014, 4:06 pm

I've been in a similar boat this year, Tad... hoping to get back here on a regular basis, and back to my regular reading habits, for 2015.

102tymfos
Nov 21, 2014, 4:31 pm

>88 dk_phoenix: >100 TadAD: Hi! It seems a lot of folks have faced RL challenges that have taken priority over LT and reading. It's good to know LT's still here for us when we can get here.

103laytonwoman3rd
Déc 3, 2014, 8:54 am

Sharing this link to a guide to writing dialogue available for pre-order. I wouldn't be promoting this except that it was written by my brilliant daughter, our own lycomayflower, and there just might be someone in this group who could be interested.

104laytonwoman3rd
Déc 19, 2014, 5:05 pm

Our Morphidae is having a tough time, and has been hospitalized. Please drop by her thread and leave a message if you can.

105laytonwoman3rd
Déc 24, 2014, 3:15 pm

Whatever you celebrate, a wish for peace seems appropriate.

Listening to this will give you a moment or two of it, I hope.

106drneutron
Déc 26, 2014, 7:07 pm

107tresnadr
Mar 27, 2015, 3:15 am

Cet utilisateur a été supprimé en tant que polluposteur.