Well, I believe "Plant-based Sachets" is GenZ for plant-based teabags.
*edit*
Found it: https://www.smithtea.com/pages/faq
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Found it: https://www.smithtea.com/pages/faq
Fred Meyer...but they usually have very good meats there.
The place was a madhouse....it could have been damaged, IDK.
I finally had time to watch this vid all the way through and pay attention to every word.
The guy he quoted as saying "Chili was a detestable food passing itself off as Mexican" was either
ignorant or a blowhard shit talker who enjoyed causing controversy. There were immense populations of native Americans populating this region when the explorers arrived (and Texas was still Mexico), who only
ate meat. They were written about extensively. They hunted, moving with the herds rather than domesticating them, and didn't farm at all. Any country with a hot climate will be found to use strong spices, which have the evolutionary function of deterring bacteria in the food and in the person. Spiced meat was the original chili. Anybody who has ever been to Mexico has seen a zillion kinds of chiles
and chile sauces in all kinds of dishes, to wrap tortillas around to make enchiladas and tacos, to spice shredded meats, even to stir boiled eggs into, blended even into chocolate desserts and atole drinks, in street food, in restaurants and on home tables.
The notion that 18th and 19th century chili recipes included beans is WRONG. He does not cite where
he found all of these alleged chili recipes containing beans. Dried beans have a long shelf life, but cooked beans won't stay edible overnight as trail food without refrigeration, or as leftovers on the shelf
for a day, as people often did before refrigeration. Chili was trail food for natives before it was trail food for cowboys and ranchers. In homes they may have stretched a pot of chili by adding cooked beans inside or on the side, but it's very doubtful they were cooked together. For one thing it takes a lot longer to cook a pot of beans than it does to cook a pot of chili. For once wiki seems accurate in saying "A recipe dating back to the 1850s describes dried meat, suet, dried chili peppers and salt, which were pounded together, formed into bricks and left to dry, which could then be boiled in pots..." The Alabama reporter who described a dish of small bits of beef, beans and cayenne pepper, was giving an impression,
and probably not an accurate one. Strangers in a strange land don't always know what they are tasting. A mixture like that may have been served to him as a chalupa or taco, or it may have been what has fallen out of popularity, but was called "guiso" (a stew, not the same as carne guisada), or it may have been a soup.
After watching the narrator's recipe, it looks delicious, but I don't think the onions belong in there, and is probably what gives canned chili that funky unacceptable flavor. Garlic belongs to Texas traditional chili, but the onions are saved to be chopped raw and sprinkled over the bowl of red to add a little freshness, or the onions are chopped and added to the enchilada recipe unless you don't like them there.
Finally, the tallow or lard is authentic, but he's using way too much of it. An 85 percent lean meat will give enough fat to saute the chili pulp and spices before adding the beef stock to simmer. You can always add a little fat if necessary during the saute. His addition of hot water is unfathomable to me, to
dilute the flavors that way. You would use beef stock at that point, and for any further liquid additions.
If making it from pork, I dunno because my family always used beef to make chili. As for those pre-contact natives, of course they used all kinds of wild game. As the narrator says, "stewing meat with chile peppers was a thing for hundreds, if not thousands, of years". I wouldn't doubt that colonizers introduced certain spices though.
The old folks made it best. My mom's version was delicious, but down to hamburger meat and a store bought chili powder, not like the old folks' slow preparations of chile pulp, homemade beef stock, etc.
A thing commonly eaten in Texas but not in Mexico, is the bowl of red with chopped onion and grated cheese on top, with cornbread or tortillas on the side, all good, diner food you might say, but not a habit in Mexico.
That's Texas. New Mexico has different traditions using green chiles. Heck, Cincinatti Chili has cinnamon and cloves in it, and is served over spaghetti and topped with cheese and onions. I've had it. It's goood. I'm not informed on how it goes down in Arizona, but I've had Mexican food in Oklahoma and Arkansas restaurants, and it tasted like it does here.
And time marches on. Ingredients we have now are sometimes more affordable than beef or pork. Beans are cheap. Canned tomato products are plentiful. I'll never criticize a dish someone is making, especially if I'm eating it. It's obviously what they like. I mentioned tomatoes being unnecessary to try and stop Kad from having to do a grocery errand on such a cold day.
I didn't know it was the "health department" that finally banned the Chile Queens altogether. That's why health departments are such a plague, with unfounded authoritarianism, and often with ulterior motives. That kind of continuous street party food fiesta attributed to the Chile Queens still goes on in many a market district in Mexico today, a great part of the charm IMO.
Sorry. Texans think about these things. Chili is in our blood.
BTW, William Gerard Tobin, the Texas Ranger mentioned in that video, is one of my ancestors.
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Looks so good, this is chili weather
FWIW: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polylactic_acid
It's confusing...depending on how made and for what purpose, it can be different...
@Bliss Doubt
This is the one:
Their tea bags, different varieties...note the identical one from my tea is there.
IDK, birth Mum drank Red Rose tea for like 75yrs...I still do. Paper bags.
Living isn't 100% safe, never was.
It's confusing...depending on how made and for what purpose, it can be different...
@Bliss Doubt
This is the one:
Their tea bags, different varieties...note the identical one from my tea is there.
IDK, birth Mum drank Red Rose tea for like 75yrs...I still do. Paper bags.
Living isn't 100% safe, never was.
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Finally got my stupidly hot jerky in from Amazon. Yay! 
That's the package that was stuck during the ice storms...
I did a bit of shopping today too as I had to get meat for Milly before her premade food runs out. Found good locally made organic bread for $2.50 for me, and organic free range boneless chicken breasts with no salt for her for $5.99/lb. Not cheap, but worth it.
So glad the ice and snow is gone now and busses are running again.
That's the package that was stuck during the ice storms...
I did a bit of shopping today too as I had to get meat for Milly before her premade food runs out. Found good locally made organic bread for $2.50 for me, and organic free range boneless chicken breasts with no salt for her for $5.99/lb. Not cheap, but worth it.
So glad the ice and snow is gone now and busses are running again.
Finally got my stupidly hot jerky in from Amazon. Yay!
That's the package that was stuck during the ice storms...
I did a bit of shopping today too as I had to get meat for Milly before her premade food runs out. Found good locally made organic bread for $2.50 for me, and organic free range boneless chicken breasts with no salt for her for $5.99/lb. Not cheap, but worth it.
So glad the ice and snow is gone now and busses are running again.
That full size loaf of locally made organic bread is a stupendous deal. If I saw that I'd want to buy out the shelf, but then I wouldn't have a place to put it since I only have the freezer space at the top of the fridge.
I used a heel of that loaf and two lonely leftover fish sticks, along with Tillamook white medium cheddar and a DIY tartar sauce for a little snack....
P.S.: I got that stuff at Grocery Outlet...love those guys.
I could have gotten all sorts of fancy breads there, but they were more in the $4+ range.
Naked Breads is a regional operation, but we have one of their bakeries in nearby Portland, OR. So its always good.
P.S.: I got that stuff at Grocery Outlet...love those guys.
I could have gotten all sorts of fancy breads there, but they were more in the $4+ range.
Naked Breads is a regional operation, but we have one of their bakeries in nearby Portland, OR. So its always good.
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I reckon this is food-related...and definitely in my interests.
Me, I liked 'hot' foods for a long time, but didn't "go down the rabbit hole" of real chileheadom until the mid-2000s, but it really has changed my life....and diet.
OFC, they make it more of a drama thing...but at least they use the real superhots and chilehead culture.
www.imdb.com
(A 10-part series on Hulu)
Me, I liked 'hot' foods for a long time, but didn't "go down the rabbit hole" of real chileheadom until the mid-2000s, but it really has changed my life....and diet.
OFC, they make it more of a drama thing...but at least they use the real superhots and chilehead culture.
Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People (TV Mini Series 2024) ⭐ 7.1 | Documentary
| TV-MA
www.imdb.com
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Made a fun spinach salad today for lunch.
It's got fresh spinach with a DIY Asian-flavored vinaigrette, cottage cheese, bacon, cauliflower slaw, Serrano chile, a bit of shredded mexi-blend cheese, green olives, onion//shallot, garlic pepper, and sprinkles of cayenne and ginger powders. Bit of Thai Sriracha for the heck of it too.
The 'pretty' version...
The mixed-all-together to grub on version...
It's got fresh spinach with a DIY Asian-flavored vinaigrette, cottage cheese, bacon, cauliflower slaw, Serrano chile, a bit of shredded mexi-blend cheese, green olives, onion//shallot, garlic pepper, and sprinkles of cayenne and ginger powders. Bit of Thai Sriracha for the heck of it too.
The 'pretty' version...
The mixed-all-together to grub on version...
Looks and sounds wonderful, delicious.Made a fun spinach salad today for lunch.
It's got fresh spinach with a DIY Asian-flavored vinaigrette, cottage cheese, bacon, cauliflower slaw, Serrano chile, a bit of shredded mexi-blend cheese, green olives, onion//shallot, garlic pepper, and sprinkles of cayenne and ginger powders. Bit of Thai Sriracha for the heck of it too.
Last night was maybe our best supper club ever, for one reason.
We're all semi-regular attendees of supper club because nobody wants to have 15 people for a dinner party without a once in five years special occasion. So the call goes out, and those who want to attend answer and say what they're planning to bring. Usually we end up being 4-5 people for dinner, sometimes only 3-4. It just happens that way due to various other commitments, so it stays very casual and comfortable.
So last night one of the semi-regulars wanted to bring a friend who was in town visiting. I offered to step aside to make room for her without over burdening the person hosting, but she said no problem, always room for one more.
This visiting person went to the store and bought several packages of basil, washed it all, and plucked the leaves and buds. What a luxury! A big bowl of fresh organic basil bordering on sensory overload, not unlike any other overload that can never be, like a chocolate overload. Basil on the pasta one brought, basil on the salad I made (oranges, romaine, avocado, pecans), basil on the pizza our host made, basil in every mouthful of food. OMG! We've never had anything as stellar as that bowl of fresh, prepped basil. It was the talk of the town. I floated a leaf in my glass of wine.
It shows ya. Our best efforts can never beat what mother nature makes.
This is just a stock photo of what this wonderful visiting angel brought several packages of:
We're all semi-regular attendees of supper club because nobody wants to have 15 people for a dinner party without a once in five years special occasion. So the call goes out, and those who want to attend answer and say what they're planning to bring. Usually we end up being 4-5 people for dinner, sometimes only 3-4. It just happens that way due to various other commitments, so it stays very casual and comfortable.
So last night one of the semi-regulars wanted to bring a friend who was in town visiting. I offered to step aside to make room for her without over burdening the person hosting, but she said no problem, always room for one more.
This visiting person went to the store and bought several packages of basil, washed it all, and plucked the leaves and buds. What a luxury! A big bowl of fresh organic basil bordering on sensory overload, not unlike any other overload that can never be, like a chocolate overload. Basil on the pasta one brought, basil on the salad I made (oranges, romaine, avocado, pecans), basil on the pizza our host made, basil in every mouthful of food. OMG! We've never had anything as stellar as that bowl of fresh, prepped basil. It was the talk of the town. I floated a leaf in my glass of wine.
It shows ya. Our best efforts can never beat what mother nature makes.
This is just a stock photo of what this wonderful visiting angel brought several packages of:
Made an attempt at making a yeasty whole-wheat pan pizza crust...
View attachment 212369
View attachment 212367
View attachment 212368
It's either that or some very odd bread...
Looks like just the right size piece of Texas toast for a quick snack for me
I had a heck of a time trying to log on here...timed out. While ESPN loads fine at 8AM on a Friday...
So, I switched to a VPN connection in the Netherlands, dumped FF's cache & cookies...and used the login at the posting area, not main menu. Then, it worked.
Anyhoo...I had a hankering for a nice ramen, so I made one.
Stir-fry sauce is homemade, lots of chilli oil, etc, etc. Ramen noodles were cooked in a light chicken broth.
I think it's pretty self-explanatory .
So, I switched to a VPN connection in the Netherlands, dumped FF's cache & cookies...and used the login at the posting area, not main menu. Then, it worked.
Anyhoo...I had a hankering for a nice ramen, so I made one.
Stir-fry sauce is homemade, lots of chilli oil, etc, etc. Ramen noodles were cooked in a light chicken broth.
I think it's pretty self-explanatory .
Per earlier conversations about this sort of thing...I had to post THIS.
I'm not even sure where to start on this one...LOL!
OFC, there is the OG of that....the UK version.
If that isn't enough confusion....
That said, my personal fave if not making it myself, is this:
www.hormel.com
I'm not even sure where to start on this one...LOL!
OFC, there is the OG of that....the UK version.
If that isn't enough confusion....
That said, my personal fave if not making it myself, is this:
DYNAMITE HOT® Chili with Beans
STAGG® DYNAMITE HOT® Chili with Beans isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s slow-simmered to volcanic perfection, with tender meats, plump beans, and a jolt of heat from a blend of signature spices. STAGG® Chili is a tasty addition to your pantry or kitchen cabinet, with an easy-to-open design that...
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OK, I gotta make this....I have a huge bag of nice spinach and everything else required too. 
I think I'd have to put pepperoni or bacon and onions on the top though...just because
(PDF of the recipe from the site is attached)
I think I'd have to put pepperoni or bacon and onions on the top though...just because
(PDF of the recipe from the site is attached)
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Per earlier conversations about this sort of thing...I had to post THIS.
I'm not even sure where to start on this one...LOL!
OFC, there is the OG of that....the UK version.
If that isn't enough confusion....
That said, my personal fave if not making it myself, is this:
DYNAMITE HOT® Chili with Beans
STAGG® DYNAMITE HOT® Chili with Beans isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s slow-simmered to volcanic perfection, with tender meats, plump beans, and a jolt of heat from a blend of signature spices. STAGG® Chili is a tasty addition to your pantry or kitchen cabinet, with an easy-to-open design that...
You should eat what you enjoy.
The argument was about terminology. Just as braunschweiger is not foie gras, "superbowl chili" or "vegetarian chili" both which are popular American dishes, not Mexican or even Tex Mex, are not traditional chili.
But I'm willing to concede that we're in the 21st century, and terminology goes with popular tastes, though there still are authentic Mexican food restaurants where they will never put a bean in the chili.
Made yummy Quesadillas....those are folded 8" gordita torts as usual. 
They have sharp cheddar and Mexican blend cheeses, seasoned refried beans, the BBQ pulled pork, Mexican oregano, garlic/onion powder, misc herbs and spices, and Fiesta taco seasoning.
Sometimes, I forget how sharp these knives are. I cut the quesadillas....and the parchment paper under it....
They have sharp cheddar and Mexican blend cheeses, seasoned refried beans, the BBQ pulled pork, Mexican oregano, garlic/onion powder, misc herbs and spices, and Fiesta taco seasoning.
Sometimes, I forget how sharp these knives are. I cut the quesadillas....and the parchment paper under it....
I
IDGAF about regional cookery or how things are 'supposed' to be. I destroy all the rules of cuisine everyday. If I like it, I use it.
I just find it amusing...the plethora and lack of continuity of names used for the same things...beans with chile powder added ain't a chilli. How they got "Chili" out of that is beyond me. In the chilehead community, that doesn't happen.
FWIW, I took two years of Vocabulary in HS....but that's was mostly Euro-based Greek/Latin roots of words. There were no Hispanics around back then...1400 students, 3 blacks...I didn't grow up anywhere near that culture.
That's all.
I do, and I'm not arguing anything. It's not a religion around here.
IDGAF about regional cookery or how things are 'supposed' to be. I destroy all the rules of cuisine everyday. If I like it, I use it.
I just find it amusing...the plethora and lack of continuity of names used for the same things...beans with chile powder added ain't a chilli. How they got "Chili" out of that is beyond me. In the chilehead community, that doesn't happen.
FWIW, I took two years of Vocabulary in HS....but that's was mostly Euro-based Greek/Latin roots of words. There were no Hispanics around back then...1400 students, 3 blacks...I didn't grow up anywhere near that culture.
That's all.
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Getting better! My 2nd sourdough loaf.
Made a nice batch of breakfast hash yesterday, today I did a little shopping at Fred Meyer and found good quality organic Cilantro and really fragrant Curly Parsley for under $2 a bunch.
Not bad at all...I already made and ate a salad made with some of those, rice stuff, shallots, shredded cheese, bacon, Roma tomato, and spinach.
Not bad at all...I already made and ate a salad made with some of those, rice stuff, shallots, shredded cheese, bacon, Roma tomato, and spinach.
Oh yeah
In truth they were probably the mildest jalapenos I've ever had. I had one half that wasn't cut well, figured I'd sample it since it would be hard to stuff, and then just kept on nibbling because they were so mild.
@Bliss Doubt thank you so much for the wonderful idea.
Well, I won't win any plating awards, but my try at zucchini pizza bites. I used a tad too much sauce, I think that contributed to things sliding off. Zuc slices dipped in seasoned olive oil (basil, oregano, garlic) then topped with sauce, mozzarella cheese, some pepperoncini slices, then freshly grated parmesan. Next time, slightly less sauce. Also next time I won't forget to add the spinach leaves I had planned to use.
The brown bits on top of some is parmesan than wound up on the pan rather than the pizza bites, which I then scooped up and added to the top of a couple.
The brown bits on top of some is parmesan than wound up on the pan rather than the pizza bites, which I then scooped up and added to the top of a couple.
Napped after the Pro Bowl Games, which was pretty awesome...the NFC won. Got woke late, but found a way to watch the Clash at The Coliseum NASCAR race I'd missed. They moved it up a day because of crazy weather...ugh!
But....there are ways to find a replay....
So, I drug out the Dale Jr shirt and ready for some 2024 NASCAR action.
Made a nice flatbread pizza ...It has red pepper pesto, Tillamook mozzarella, crimini mushrooms, Greek green olives, pepperoni, etc.
Served with a very spicy Chelada....
But....there are ways to find a replay....
So, I drug out the Dale Jr shirt and ready for some 2024 NASCAR action.
Made a nice flatbread pizza ...It has red pepper pesto, Tillamook mozzarella, crimini mushrooms, Greek green olives, pepperoni, etc.
Served with a very spicy Chelada....
The food boxes we get here have all sorts of fun stuff...and a lot of stuff that is overkill. Like, how many 5lb bags of wheat flour and boxes of pancake mix do I need? Eeep!
I've gotten bags of raisins, dried cherries, date chunks, and now a 2lb bag of roasted almonds. Awesome, except they are really dry, bland, and I can't chew them.
So, I looked for a way to get some seasoning in there plus softening them up.
This worked: https://www.livestrong.com/article/509747-why-do-people-soak-almonds-in-water/
I added a few drops of mesquite smoke and instead of plain salt in the soaking water, I used some Johnny's seasoning salt. Let 'em soak about 6-8hrs, then drained the dark liquid out, picked though them a bit, and re-soaked them.
Finally, I drained them, let air dry awhile, then spread out on parchment paper and put in my convection oven on 300F until just dried...don't want to make them hard again eh?
Worked out rather nicely...they taste better and I can chew them safely.
Plus, if I want to chop them for baking, I can without power tools.
Put them in an old jerky bag I'd washed out...nice and sturdy.
I've gotten bags of raisins, dried cherries, date chunks, and now a 2lb bag of roasted almonds. Awesome, except they are really dry, bland, and I can't chew them.
So, I looked for a way to get some seasoning in there plus softening them up.
This worked: https://www.livestrong.com/article/509747-why-do-people-soak-almonds-in-water/
I added a few drops of mesquite smoke and instead of plain salt in the soaking water, I used some Johnny's seasoning salt. Let 'em soak about 6-8hrs, then drained the dark liquid out, picked though them a bit, and re-soaked them.
Finally, I drained them, let air dry awhile, then spread out on parchment paper and put in my convection oven on 300F until just dried...don't want to make them hard again eh?
Worked out rather nicely...they taste better and I can chew them safely.
Plus, if I want to chop them for baking, I can without power tools.
Put them in an old jerky bag I'd washed out...nice and sturdy.
It looks like you did a fine job wrapping them. Is that final pic before or after baking? If those are after baking, they look a little pale. @CaFF suggested the 400 degree oven temp for my final popper recipe on page 49 of this thread. It made them golden brown, and melted the cheese all through.
Okay, I caught up with you.
Those look perfect. Love the idea of the peach salsa for dippingl.
Those look yummy! I hope we can use that pic for one of our online parties sometime soon. And your popper pies too.
I made broccoli cornbread today, based on something I remembered from an office potluck long ago. I don't think I'll ever do it again because it was too much work, and seems vaguely unhealthy, though arguably a good way to get broccoli into kids. It would just be easier to add the same ingredients to some brown rice, and then you wouldn't have to add the egg and milk, though you could, and bake it in the oven with the cheese on top.
The cornbread mixes are always too sweet, including this one:
Stock photo
I mixed up the cornbread according to the package directions, with egg, melted butter and milk (I used some unsweetened oat milk creamer, it's thicker than oat milk). I added some salt for the broccolini, but not too much because the added cheese is salty. I also added some red pepper flakes and fresh thyme.
Then stirred into the batter about one and three quarters cups grated white cheddar (which is why the cheese doesn't have much visual presence in the finished dish), and the florets of two small bunches of broccolini. Gave it all a good stir up and poured it into the greased pan. I think I baked it about 25 minutes, but I got distracted on the phone and went "OMYGAWD MY CORNBREAD!" but it was okay. Baking time is longer than the cornbread package directions because of the added veg and cheese.
It is undeniably tasty, and broccoli does well with a little sweetness (think of broccoli in chinese food, or in the broc-cranberry salads and so forth), but sweet cornbread makes me mad, especially coming from HEB, a Texas company. It's one of those Texas things, that we say "that damnyankee sweet cornbread is taking over". Not to start another food fight. It's easy enough to make your own savory unsweet cornbread with cornmeal and the other ingredients.
But I'm not a baker. Next time, a packet of fragrant brown basmati rice loosened up and warmed in just enough water on the stove, then buttered, broccolini florets and cheese added, the salt, red pepper flakes and fresh thyme, done. And better for you.
The cornbread mixes are always too sweet, including this one:
Stock photo
I mixed up the cornbread according to the package directions, with egg, melted butter and milk (I used some unsweetened oat milk creamer, it's thicker than oat milk). I added some salt for the broccolini, but not too much because the added cheese is salty. I also added some red pepper flakes and fresh thyme.
Then stirred into the batter about one and three quarters cups grated white cheddar (which is why the cheese doesn't have much visual presence in the finished dish), and the florets of two small bunches of broccolini. Gave it all a good stir up and poured it into the greased pan. I think I baked it about 25 minutes, but I got distracted on the phone and went "OMYGAWD MY CORNBREAD!" but it was okay. Baking time is longer than the cornbread package directions because of the added veg and cheese.
It is undeniably tasty, and broccoli does well with a little sweetness (think of broccoli in chinese food, or in the broc-cranberry salads and so forth), but sweet cornbread makes me mad, especially coming from HEB, a Texas company. It's one of those Texas things, that we say "that damnyankee sweet cornbread is taking over". Not to start another food fight. It's easy enough to make your own savory unsweet cornbread with cornmeal and the other ingredients.
But I'm not a baker. Next time, a packet of fragrant brown basmati rice loosened up and warmed in just enough water on the stove, then buttered, broccolini florets and cheese added, the salt, red pepper flakes and fresh thyme, done. And better for you.
My mom imparted a kitchen secret to me when I was young. "Baking is easy, just remember it isn't cooking. Cooking you can improvise and fly by the seat of your pants, baking you MUST follow a recipe EXACTLY as written, right down to the smallest measurement." That's it, that was her whole secret.
Oddly, despite the fact that she taught me "2 cups to a pint, 2 pints to a quart, 4 quarts to a gallon" when I was probably only 7 or 8, she never could tell me how many teaspoons in a tablespoon.
I think I might try this cornbread recipe sometime soon. Only calls for 1tbsp sugar, and even calls that optional. Hmmm, how does that fit with my mom's advice?
My mom imparted a kitchen secret to me when I was young. "Baking is easy, just remember it isn't cooking. Cooking you can improvise and fly by the seat of your pants, baking you MUST follow a recipe EXACTLY as written, right down to the smallest measurement." That's it, that was her whole secret.
Oddly, despite the fact that she taught me "2 cups to a pint, 2 pints to a quart, 4 quarts to a gallon" when I was probably only 7 or 8, she never could tell me how many teaspoons in a tablespoon.
I think I might try this cornbread recipe sometime soon. Only calls for 1tbsp sugar, and even calls that optional. Hmmm, how does that fit with my mom's advice?
Your mom is probably a great baker, being fearless and confident that way, but to watch the French chefs on TV, they say you don't measure flour. You weigh it, because depending on humidity you might otherwise have too much or too little for the best outcome.
The reason I'm not a baker is I don't have a blender or cuisinart, electric beater, air fryer or microwave, and I just don't have the space to roll out dough. Even if I did I wouldn't want to dust the counter with flour to prevent sticking, have it go between the counter and the stove and attract bugs, or have to sweep up the kitchen afterwards. I decided long ago it just doesn't need to be a priority for me, though I greatly admire those who do it well. Anything I can mix in a bowl, pour into a pan and bake, I'm up for if it's good enough.
But this caught my eye, in the recipe you linked:
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, an ovenproof skillet, baking dish or even a pie dish will work. Just make sure you heat it up first in a hot oven before pouring on your batter.
Okay but if you get a glass or ceramic dish hot enough, then pour batter into it, it will crack or shatter immediately. I found that out the hard way, using a BIA Cordon Bleu baking dish, another reason not to try to be a baker.
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Made some bookie rolls (bulkie/kaiser rolls for those folks outside of New England). Man are they good!
The last of my dinner guests just left. Alone at last, but it was a good supper club session. I like it when I'm the one hosting. I don't have to transport food and worry about it getting wrecked, or going through temperature changes.
These are my salmon pinwheels, store bought, but I put them on a bed of pretty spring mix and added tons of fresh dill.
I made these little devils. Don't look for an even 24 of these because I accidentally ate some when I made them.
Finally, my piece de resistance, and really easy to make, pecan pie brie. In case I couldn't figure out what dish to use, I have this one to instruct me, actually two of these that I've had for years, and have never before used for Brie:
All I did was trim the rind from a high quality French brie and put it in the dish. Then made the topping on the stove top, and poured it hot onto the Brie, which melted the cheese as much as you would want if you baked it in the oven, without having to bake it in the oven. You have to let it cool and set up for a little while before serving.
I put out a plate of soft baguette slices to put everything on, the salmon, the devilled eggs, the brie.
That's more than would have been expected of me. Each person is supposed to bring one thing, maybe two, but I know I'll eat leftovers if I'm the one hosting. If I'm not the one hosting, I leave leftovers with the host.
There were no leftovers tonite, not of my stuff anyway.
Whew. I is roly poly now.
These are my salmon pinwheels, store bought, but I put them on a bed of pretty spring mix and added tons of fresh dill.
I made these little devils. Don't look for an even 24 of these because I accidentally ate some when I made them.
Finally, my piece de resistance, and really easy to make, pecan pie brie. In case I couldn't figure out what dish to use, I have this one to instruct me, actually two of these that I've had for years, and have never before used for Brie:
All I did was trim the rind from a high quality French brie and put it in the dish. Then made the topping on the stove top, and poured it hot onto the Brie, which melted the cheese as much as you would want if you baked it in the oven, without having to bake it in the oven. You have to let it cool and set up for a little while before serving.
I put out a plate of soft baguette slices to put everything on, the salmon, the devilled eggs, the brie.
That's more than would have been expected of me. Each person is supposed to bring one thing, maybe two, but I know I'll eat leftovers if I'm the one hosting. If I'm not the one hosting, I leave leftovers with the host.
There were no leftovers tonite, not of my stuff anyway.
Whew. I is roly poly now.
Made a nice batch of oatmeal with dried cherries, raisins, chopped almonds, and date pieces. Seasoned the pot with a few pats of butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. No sugar needed....just a splash of milk and a spoon. 
Haven't had a good porridge in years....mmmm.
BTW, those almonds I processed cut like celery or maybe radish now...so great.
Haven't had a good porridge in years....mmmm.
BTW, those almonds I processed cut like celery or maybe radish now...so great.
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Well of course you did, sampling is a necessity when cooking isn't it?
Pecan pie brie? I never in a million years would have thought of that, but it does sound good.
You know, every time I think I came up with something original, if I search it, I find others have already done it. That's how I found the pecan topping that's so easy to make.
I would think a typical pecan topping is butter and brown sugar with perhaps some seasoning, I would guess you have a healthier alternative for it?
Went tocheck on Superbowl supplies this morning, discovered my 
Brioche buns had gone moldy....arrghh!!! Right after I'd bought nice THIN Angus burgers....
So, since I'd gotten in my food benefits today....I went to rectify the situation.
May have overdone it at the Grocery Outlet....lol....
Got some staples, neat things I've never seen before, and breads...
Brioche buns had gone moldy....arrghh!!! Right after I'd bought nice THIN Angus burgers....So, since I'd gotten in my food benefits today....I went to rectify the situation.
May have overdone it at the Grocery Outlet....lol....
Got some staples, neat things I've never seen before, and breads...
Now... munching on beef taquitos and crinkle fries with a salsa out of Austin, TX.
It's just ok...too watery and bland for what's in it. We get them for free in the food boxes...so no great loss there. Good ingredients, but not a great sauce, IMHO.
I'll use them as a base for my own versions in the future...hehehe...
It's just ok...too watery and bland for what's in it. We get them for free in the food boxes...so no great loss there. Good ingredients, but not a great sauce, IMHO.
I'll use them as a base for my own versions in the future...hehehe...
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This isn't a particularly healthy recipe. It's a small dessert indulgence. The whole dish isn't enough for 4-5 people to have very much, so in that way it's an improvement over that Karo syrup diabetes pecan pie. There may be ways to make it more healthful, but the dynamic of these ingredients is that they get hot and bubbly even over low heat, which keeps you from having to bake the cheese.
Maybe it's shrinkflation, but there never used to be a small round of Brie. The small round was Camembert, and you bought either the regular size wheel of Brie, 8 or 9" (now 45-50.00 and up), or a wedge of Brie. Now the round whole Brie in most stores is the size of the Camembert round.
This amount is for the small round of Brie, and you'll have some topping left over for the cook's snack
I guess you would double it to put on top of a regular size pie or cheesecake.Butter your Brie dish or mini skillet or other small round baking dish. Trim the rind off the Brie, all of it.
All my life I've watched people eat that nasty rind, and it's considered edible, but it tastes like ammonia to me, and sometimes there are little bits of it inside the cheese too, so just get it off the outside. It's easy to remove it from the sides, but for the top, slit about an inch at a time and use your wire cheese slicer to get underneath that inch, and drag it across. That's the painstaking part of the recipe. Place the trimmed Brie in the dish. Press it down gently a little, to push it to the edges of the dish. That makes it thinner and helps it melt under the hot nut sauce, not really melt like cheese on a pizza, but it gets soft and easier to dip out with the little knife or a spoon.
Pecan topping:
4 T butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 and 3/4 cups pecans
Salt
The cheese is salty, but all those pecans have no salt, so...
Melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring slowly. Too much stirring will make it grainy. It will get bubbly. When well melted and combined, add the cream. It will immediately seize up and make sugar caramel. Immediately add the nuts and salt, stir and turn until the nuts are all well coated.
FAST: pour the mixture over the Brie in the dish.
Let it cool and set up before serving. You will get compliments.
You can of course substitute sliced almonds, walnuts or even pumpkin seeds for the pecans. You can sub cream cheese for the Brie, though I have not tested that.
To make it healthier, I suppose you could use maple syrup or date syrup, vegan butter and unsweetened vegan creamer. I haven't tested that alternative, but I can imagine it would be good, though definitely not low calorie.
Those store bought taquitos tend to be better than fast food tacos, IMO. Very tasty.
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Brisket for the Super Bowl. Put in the smoker around 9PM at 200F. Put into the foil boat after 8 hours and bumped the smoker up to 250F. Waiting for probe tender and then a rest till the game.
Go Niners!!!
Go Niners!!!
It's still very early here on the West coast, not even thinking about football food just yet. I got a ton of stuff either ready to go, or that is quick to cook up. I'm good...
Might make a Z-man burger...this....
Munching half of a breakfast sandwich I'd made yesterday...with strong coffee.
Just a sourdough round swiped with homemade cheesy bean dip, my brekky hash, a slice of cheese, and scrambled egg. Simple and yummy to start the day off with.
(Yes, it's bright and sunny out here...just like Vegas...)
Might make a Z-man burger...this....
Munching half of a breakfast sandwich I'd made yesterday...with strong coffee.
Just a sourdough round swiped with homemade cheesy bean dip, my brekky hash, a slice of cheese, and scrambled egg. Simple and yummy to start the day off with.
(Yes, it's bright and sunny out here...just like Vegas...)
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