For IALU

[falvegas]

Can everyone please start labeling their recipes with Easy, Intermediate, or wayinoverialushead?

We've been putting in translations, explanations, and phonetic pronunciations.
You know, like pot-au-feu was explained as a Boiled Dinner, and dozens of places we not only did the translations but we provided explanations of what it is, where it came from, at times the history of it.

Point to some things so we can change the errors of our ways.

[Fatherducque]

Can everyone please start labeling their recipes with Easy, Intermediate, or wayinoverialushead?

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
(Intermediate)


IALU....just do it! So what if it doesn't turn out the first time???????? That is what Mac 'n' cheese is all about!

Go try the chicken and sausage gumbo! Once you get past the roux, you are home free! And everyone will think you are a master Chef!

Ask Abbi if the Jambalaya was hard? She got it on the first try ( I think).

Both of those are really cheap to make. Only a pound of the cheapest smoked sausage is really needed to make a gallon or so. You can even use less in a jam.

Stop doubting yourself!!!!!

[falvegas]

Man does not live by Cajun alone.................

[Pixie]

Can everyone please start labeling their recipes with Easy, Intermediate, or wayinoverialushead?

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
(Intermediate)


IALU....just do it! So what if it doesn't turn out the first time???????? That is what Mac 'n' cheese is all about!

Go try the chicken and sausage gumbo! Once you get past the roux, you are home free! And everyone will think you are a master Chef!

Ask Abbi if the Jambalaya was hard? She got it on the first try ( I think).

Both of those are really cheap to make. Only a pound of the cheapest smoked sausage is really needed to make a gallon or so. You can even use less in a jam.

Stop doubting yourself!!!!!

:clap2:

[Pixie]

Can everyone please start labeling their recipes with Easy, Intermediate, or wayinoverialushead?

Of course I will!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[falvegas]

Can everyone please start labeling their recipes with Easy, Intermediate, or wayinoverialushead?

Well, on a scale of 10 (10 being a Pro) where woukld you say you are?

1 to 2 very inexperienced
3 to 4 occassional cook
5 to 6 Cook most of the time
7 to 8 Accomplished Cook
9 to 10 Professional

[Fatherducque]

Man does not live by Cajun alone.................

Still testing that theory...

Actually we enjoy a lot of southeast Asian (Nonya) style and Indian meals too.

It is just that (non-gourmet) Cajun and Creole style cooking is sooooooooooooooo cheap and easy, but it seems that a lot of folks are intimidated by it. When you whip up a couple of gallons of gumbo on a rainy Saturday, you can feast that night, set some aside for later in the week, and freeze up the rest in butter dishes for quick meals later.

I was also thinking the novelty of a gumbo or jambalaya might appeal to IALU's youngsters.

[Johnny 99]

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
(Intermediate)

You spelled that wrong.

It's SANGwhich.

[DSMBaptist]

Can everyone please start labeling their recipes with Easy, Intermediate, or wayinoverialushead?

But all of those terms are relative. What I might call "Easy" might be considered by others as "wayinoverialushead", and vice versa.

[falvegas]

Can everyone please start labeling their recipes with Easy, Intermediate, or wayinoverialushead?

But all of those terms are relative. What I might call "Easy" might be considered by others as "wayinoverialushead", and vice versa.

phpBB [video]

I know that, DSM...but you know, many cooking websites do rate their recipes that way for novices like me.


But even so...I really was just being a smart aleck.

Here's the point iamlookingup ...
Everyone in here is an 'Amateur'. What this is about is sharing information and methods through which we all gain from each other. This isn't an 'I'm smarter than you' confrontation like the 'political posts' in here where the 'predators' want to impress everyone with what they think they know, and 'Trash' those that don't know or don't agree with them.

The only requirements here are that we want to learn about cooking and share recipes, and that we care enough about each other to give what we can, responding to our needs, never putting anyone down.

[falvegas]

Oh, I've NEVER felt like any of you would put people down! No way!

The problem is on my end. As I've said...I get overwhelmed easily.

For example...tonight I made a potato recipe that called for the potatoes to be pared and sliced. Well...I know what sliced
means, but I had to guess that "pared" means "skinned"? Stuff like that.

I never set foot in the kitchen before I was married, and have always kinda winged it (I only have one more pan in
my closet today than I did the day I got married, and that's really sad!) so when a recipe says anything beyond "boil water"
or "open a can", I get nervous.

I certainly wasn't implying anything otherwise...I'm sorry if I was misunderstood.

Go back to your regularly scheduled programs...

Its OK. Use us Girl, use us to death. Ask away, ask what you think may be stupid any time you want. We may not have the answer but there's enough experience in here where we can band together and find it. That's really what this post should be about.

[College Boy]

So...does "pared" mean "peeled"?

I want to know the same thing.

-Mike

[falvegas]

So...does "pared" mean "peeled"?

You're not the first to be confused by these two phrases. Most say there is absolutely no difference. I'll give you my take on it for whatever it's worth, and others in here can likely expand on it or correct it,

Paring, as I recall, was really related to Apples or a like fruit, like those hired to Pare and Core Apples. Peeling it seems applies more to thin skinned vegetables and fruits. In the end it's semantics, you have to take the skin off.

I like the French. When they say make a Mirapois or a Beurre blanc, it's always the same. When Latins say make a Sofrito, there's a zillion different ones. The English language is extensive but it has a host of Colloquialisms and double meanings.

I'd say what you're confused about is well founded...but they're the same thing.

[falvegas]

Well, obviously a dictionary could come in handy, but when you're in the kitchen, and your hands are
busy, you don't usually go looking for the dictionary!

I know, been there, done that. I bake bread often and my lap top is usually on the counter. But the last thing I want to do is weld the Keys together with bread dough on my fingers.

But the New Better Homes cookbook has a 'Terms' section in the front. It defines Peeling & Paring both as removing the outer skin or covering. However 'Peel' is also the name for the outer covering.

As you gain experience you won't have to refer to recipes quite as often, you'll just know what to do

[falvegas]

... New Better Homes cookbook has a 'Terms' section in the front...

I'm probably going to need to get some kind of "how to" book.

One of the things I absolutely know about myself, is that I'm a very "visual" learner. I have to see things before I can replicate them.

For example...I got my degree in Math (concentration in C.S.), yet I can't add two numbers in my head. I MUST write problems down
before I can solve them.

That's why I love youtube...that's how I learned how to tie a necktie for my son.

I sent 12 DVD's to my Niece, all recipes from video... She's in the same position you're in...
I amassed over 200 Recipes in a little over a year, Copied them to my DVD recorder from broadcast TV. I edited them and put them on 12 DVD's, commercials n'stuff edited out. All were from the very best Chefs and test Kitchens, some recipes, some methods, some whole menus. She used them to learn the terms, develop method skills, and for recipes.

I gave her a master index so she knew what was on what DVD and where.

[falvegas]

Braising is cooking the meat (covered) at low temperature (like 250 to 325) for a very long time in water about 1/4 to 1/3 the way up the Roast or piece of meat. It can also be done on the Stove-Top. This is usually done for Tough Cuts of meat. Examples of this in here are the Oso Bucco, and the Braised Short Ribs posted in here recently.

Poaching is simmering the food 'fully' or 'partially' covered in water or a liquid.

Someone in here will jump on me for this but I'll tell you how I poach a Chicken
** I throw the unfrozen Chicken (wrapping cover and all), right from the market, into a Stock Pot 3/4 full of Water. Bring it to a Simmer, and cook about 1 Hour. It's done when a meat thermometer shoved into the center cavity (right through the package) reads 155 to 160 F Degrees. Remove it, cool it to the touch, pull the meat off in chunks, and shred the chicken into a storage container or use.

Throw the carcass back into the pot, giblets and all, with stock vegetables, and simmer low for 2 to 3 hours. You now have a Chicken Stock. Freeze it in jars for soup, gravy, sauces ect....

Really? You can do that?

Yup! I do rinse the package off first. After all, if something works and saves time, use it.
Sometimes I'll wrap the packaged chicken in an additional plastic bag (the ones I steal from the market), suck the air from it, and tie it off with a tie wrap before putting it in the pot. The original package will likely fill with air and split. No big deal.

Sometimes if I'm going to use the chicken for say, Enchiladas or Soft Tacos, I'll put a bunch of Cilantro and Chilies inside the Bag and Poach it...to flavor the chicken.

[falvegas]

...Yup! I do rinse the package off first. After all, if something works and saves time, use it.
Sometimes I'll wrap the packaged chicken in an additional plastic bag (the ones I steal from the market), suck the air from it, and tie it off with a tie wrap before putting it in the pot. The original package will likely fill with air and split. No big deal.

Sometimes if I'm going to use the chicken for say, Enchiladas or Soft Tacos, I'll put a bunch of Cilantro and Chilies inside the Bag and Poach it...to flavor the chicken.

So, let me get this straight...do you open the bag first? Or do you leave it sealed? Obviously, if you're gonna add cilantro and chilies, you need to open it, right? And if you do open it, is that when you put it in the grocery store bag?

Nope, I never open the original package, it'll leak anyway, and it'll split about half way through poaching. I put the herbs in the second bag, and seal it. Must suck the air out, as much as possible.

Recommend you tell your Hubby you want a book for valentines day. There's a zillion out there but this one would be excellent for you:
"Better Homes and Gardens" New Cook Book. The one I have is the 75th Anniversary Edition 2005. There are newer editions of that book, I've seen them all over the place. Why: because it has Cooking Methods clearly defined with pictures. Cooking Terms described. It describes and shows pictures of all the fruits & vegetables, cuts of meat, herbs and when to use them. It tells you and provides pictures of all the utensils and pans you'll need (over time), how to set a table, how to entertain. And there's 500 pages of recipes most of what you'll likely need for the next 10 years. many of the recipes describe complex methods and show pictures of 'How'.

[falvegas]

I'm sure my DH would LOVE to buy me a cookbook for my birthday. It had better be wrapped
in diamonds!


Actually, I got that book as a wedding gift (20 years ago), but alas, can't find it.

Hey, go for it....tell him 'F Clarity', 3 to 4 carrots.

[DSMBaptist]

But even so...I really was just being a smart aleck.

Relax...I know you were, my dear Queen!

But...I gotta cover all the bases, all the same!

[Pixie]

It's a big heavy casserole dish that you can use on the stove or in the oven. You can make stews, soups, chilis, breads, casseroles. etc. in it.

These are cast iron pots with an enamel coating... my favorite!!!!!!

I posted a couple of pictures for you! It's a great pot to have!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pixie]

Hmmmmm, I can't see the pictures... can you??????

[ConsrvYank1]

Hmmmmm, I can't see the pictures... can you??????

No

[Pixie]

Okay, I'll try again!

[Pixie]

I posted two... one oval that's in yellow and one round that's in red!

[ConsrvYank1]

I posted two... one oval that's in yellow and one round that's in red!

Okay, I can see them. My mother used to have one back in the 50's. It was oval, gray, and I seem to remember it had kind of a bumpy outer surface.

[Pixie]

I posted two... one oval that's in yellow and one round that's in red!

Okay, I can see them. My mother used to have one back in the 50's. It was oval, gray, and I seem to remember it had kind of a bumpy outer surface.

Yep, that's exactly what it was! My mom had a big cast iron one that wasn't coated and had to be seasoned and it had a handle!!!!!!!!! The one my mom had and the two pictured are very heavy! They last generations!!!!!!!!!!

You can use them for so many things they are wonderful pots!!!!!!!!

[falvegas]

I posted two... one oval that's in yellow and one round that's in red!

Okay, I can see them. My mother used to have one back in the 50's. It was oval, gray, and I seem to remember it had kind of a bumpy outer surface.

Yep, that's exactly what it was! My mom had a big cast iron one that wasn't coated and had to be seasoned and it had a handle!!!!!!!!! The one my mom had and the two pictured are very heavy! They last generations!!!!!!!!!!

You can use them for so many things they are wonderful pots!!!!!!!!

The best. Iron has excellent heat retentivity, and distribution.

[Fatherducque]

What's a dutch oven?

Lodge is less expensive than the ones Pixie posted. Not as good, but likely good enough. Enamel is nice, but can chip if you drop the lid on the pot hard. Cast Iron is indestructable.

http://www.lodgemfg.com/Logic-dutch-oven.asp

http://www.lodgemfg.com/enamel_dutch_oven.asp

They run $40-$70 from Cabelas.

[Pixie]

What's a dutch oven?

Lodge is less expensive than the ones Pixie posted. Not as good, but likely good enough. Enamel is nice, but can chip if you drop the lid on the pot hard. Cast Iron is indestructable.

http://www.lodgemfg.com/Logic-dutch-oven.asp

http://www.lodgemfg.com/enamel_dutch_oven.asp

They run $40-$70 from Cabelas.

Fatherducque!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lodge is VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's what my mother had and my sister now has it!!!!!!!!!!! It has a handle and it will be handed down to my niece!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The only thing is you have to season them and that can be a bit of work. That's all!!!!!!!!!!!! But it's a wonderful brand! And, for cast iron you can't find better!!!!!!!!!!

[Fatherducque]

Maybe I did it wrong, but if I recall, seasoning was really easy. All my cast iron was seasoned at least ten years ago, so I forget the details.