Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[beethoven]

Jamestown....I’m sorry to hear about your vacation plans needing to be altered due to your back...I hope you’re feeling better. 🐔🍽

[Ellendra]

If your back problems are muscle-related, try an herb called scullcap. It’s a natural muscle relaxer, good for cramps, spasm, knots, and RLS.

[Liz]

From Southern Living August 2004 issue. Seasonal fresh figs and
chopped fresh mint combine in unique, no-cook, egg-free homemade ice
cream. Southern cook used Black Mission Figs but any seasonal fresh figs
work, including green figs.

No-Cook Fig Ice Cream

METHOD Whisk in 2 qt pitcher 14 oz can sweet/cond/milk, 5 oz can
evap/milk, 2 tb sugar, 2 tea vanilla, 2 c whole milk. Cover/chill 30 min.
Pour into qt container electric ice-cream maker; freeze as per mfg; then
hold in freezer container 15 min.

FINAL Stir in combined 2 c coarse-chp peeled fresh figs, 1/4 c l/juice, 2 tb
sugar, 2 tea chp fresh mint. Freeze firm in airtight container 1-1 1/2 hours.

[Jamestown1630]

Thank you all. I had planned major ‘KonMari’ and purging of my packrat house - had gotten everything out of my biggest closet, when the back went South. But I managed to fill several bags of *stuff* for Goodwill, and several more for the dumpster - so it wasn’t a total loss ;-)

Will look into Scullcap, Ellendra; thanks for the tip.

[outofsalt]

I combined your ideas and made owl croquettes! It was a hoot! Hope your feeling better.

[Jamestown1630]

That’s art!

[Jamestown1630]

LOL!

[pugmama]

Made this for a Southern dinner last week. Everyone liked it.

http://12tomatoes.com/sugar-cream-pie/

[pugmama]

Halloween treats here. I plan to make some this year for the trick and treaters.

https://food52.com/contests/178-your-best-halloween-treat

[Jamestown1630]

LOL! I love the candy corn ‘stonehenge’:

https://food52.com/recipes/7168-candycornhenge

[pugmama]

Lots of great food blogs here as “winners”.

http://www.saveur.com/blog-awards-2017-winners

[pugmama]

This looks like a great recipe. I am going to try it tonight.

http://www.acozykitchen.com/harissa-chicken-fluffy-couscous/

[Jamestown1630]

The ‘Strangertalk’ blog is really interesting:

http://www.strangertalk.co/faces

[Nuocmam]

My sourdough adventures started some 53 years ago when I was stationed in California. I bought a starter and book “Sourdough Jack’s Cookery” in San Francisco. To say that my first attempts were a disaster would be kind. The book is available online as are various strains of dried starter-I use the San Francisco strain. My current starter has been going since about 1974. To get a more sour taste, the starter is combined with most of the recipe ingredients: flour, water, sugar and salt, 6-12 or more hours before you plan to bake. The longer it sits the more sour the flavor. When ready to bake add the rest of your ingredients, stir, knead, shape, allow to rise until double and then bake.
If you would like the complete recipe I use mail me.

[Liz]

You almost hate to eat the food in a Japanese restaurant.....it’s so artfully presented.

But its so good, you “force” yourself to eat.

[MomwithHope]

Hope you are feeling better soon. I’ve been doing a clean out since the spring. Made many trips to Goodwill and to a local thrift donation center and store. It feels good. have a bit more to go and I will really have some room to work without things piling up. You call it KonMari, I call it - I’m in a sh!tcanning mood.

[MomwithHope]

Hope you are feeling better soon. I’ve been doing a clean out since the spring. Made many trips to Goodwill and to a local thrift donation center and store. It feels good. have a bit more to go and I will really have some room to work without things piling up. You call it KonMari, I call it - I’m in a sh!tcanning mood.

[Aliska]

Thank you, CottonBall. I finally made my jello pear salad; it was lovely. I found a recipe how to get the cream cheese blended with the jello (didn't feel like dirtying my food processor or digging out my hand mixer). I still got a few little tiny balls of cream cheese but barely noticeable.

Found this:

Google books - lime pear salad

I like it just the way I decided to do it, chunks of pears and doesn't need any whip cream imo. They also puree the pears and use the smaller pack of jello which might cut the intensity of the lime flavor. If I did that, I might use a packet of unflavored gelatin as I like a nice, firm jello but not like knox blocks.

I sure had to whisk for awhile though to get it smooth enough to suit me, always used my mixer before.

[Liz]

An easy healthy lunch on a busy day. Created by a chef after enjoying a
similar dish in Arizona. Chef says "key" is to use flavored basil-tomato
tortilla (or chili-tomato tortilla). It makes a difference......and you'll love
the creamy kick of pepperjack.

Tucson Vegetable Wrap

METHOD Layer on 10" flavored flour tortilla, combined tb ea sour
cream/salsa, 1/4 cup shredded Pepper Jack, 2 slices tomato, 1/4 cup ea
cilantro leaves, shredded spinach or lettuce leaves, shredded carrots.
Fold in both sides; roll up tightly. Grill or not. Cut in half. SERVE.

[MightyMama]

That sounds tasty! My attention span is...probably not the best for keeping up with a sourdough starter. :) When I have spare time, I’ve been making pizza dough in the bread machine and freezing them for later consumption. They defrost in five minutes, and there is nothing like having a margherita pizza RIGHT the way I want it right WHEN I want it.

At least, until the frost hits and I go into my yearly basil deprivation...