What I cooked today

Well, actually, I answered this on the what I ate today topic. I promise to pay more attention in the future. WER

I popped a couple of French bread pizzas in the wave. No stove here yet. I just moved in.

Today, I cooked fifty-five pounds of meatballs and twenty-two quarts of onions and herbs for a sauce base. Short shift at work.

Today, I made a Marinara sauce with mushrooms for the Clean Water Action charity spaghetti dinner tonight at the Austin Nature Center. Wish me luck. WER

Well, I didn't win, but I did come in fourth, which is one better than I did at Central Market's gumbo contest. WER

Congratulations! What was your prize? What was the recipe?

No prize past third. Don't have the recipe on me, will post next time around. Thanks. WER

As promised, here it is. Sorry it is for bulk, but well, you know. Ingredients: 1/2 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms 3 quarts chopped fresh mushrooms 1 quart Burgundy 1 quart water 1/2 pound golden Italian mushrooms 1 cup minced fresh parsley 1 cup grated carrots 1 bunch chopped green onions 1/4 cup fresh oregano, leaves only 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons dry oregano 1 teaspoon each ground black pepper and dry rosemary 1/2 teaspoon each salt and crushed red pepper 4 quarts prepared Marinara or spaghetti sauce 1 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper 1/4 cup bread crumbs Directions: Soak dried mushrooms for thirty minutes in warm water. Remove, rinse, and mince. Place in large sauce pot along with next 14 ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, reduce heat and simmer for fifteen minutes. Strain, reserve vegetables and return liquid to pot over high heat and reduce by one quarter. Add remaining three ingredients, reduce heat, and simmer for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. Add reserved mushroom mixture to sauce and return to simmer. Serve hot over favorite pasta. Yield: Approximately six quarts. Enjoy! WER

Last night I experimented in the kitchen. I had leftover green chiles and just a little bit of rice and some cheese, but I wanted to make this rice dish. (What an eloquent way of stating it) ANYWAY, I decided to add a few more ingredients and see what happened. I added the green chiles (pureed), sour cream, rice, shredded cheese, tomatos, and several eggs and baked for about 40 minutes ... a delicious casserole.

Well, the usual here at work with the high points being: 13 meat calzones Spaghetti and Meatballs for 123 out at MCI Tiramisu WER

meatballs en masse!

Wow, what was going on out at MCC on a Saturday?

They like to keep their employees on site, so sometimes wese gets ta serves dem lunch. For the true meatballs en masse, every Wednesday we make them starting with 50 lbs o' ground beef. WER

yikes! cooking this a.m. was non-existant. A late start means a cup of yogurt to go!

I grabbed scrambled eggs, hash browns and biscuits w/ gravy for breakfast. Thinking of lunch in 20 minutes.

Well, I had orders to go for 97 today before we got one sit down customer. WER

Tells you something about the pace of life in Austin these days. Not the kind of stats you see in a slacker town.

Sitting down to eat does not imply slackerdom to me. To enjoy a meal, I believe it is imperative that you sit and savor. Relax and eat comfortably... BTW I usually "grab" lunch too -- my bad.

I agree, I like to be in a comfortable setting, if I'm by myself, a newspaper is very comforting, or at least something to read and I like to have my daytimer handy.

Those 97 were only two orders, too! WER

Keeps you on your toes I am sure! Speaking of the dining alone... I've just recently acquired the ability to do so comfortably. In fact, in Boston this summer, I dined at Legal Sea Foods solo. Me, a glass of wine, a cup of clam chowder and "Oysters Legal." I little daunting but I enjoyed the whole affair -- delicious food, excellent company.

I didn't hear about your Boston trip. How was it?

Good. Busy. A bit lonely. I saw the B Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art, MIT museum and (the best) the Science Museum! I wandered around the city, rented a car to Rockport and had lobster on the jetty, took the train to Ipswich to see some relatives... a good trip!

Tonight I'm making vegetable soup! It's about 7 degree with a high of 18 expected... I need some warmth!

Don't ya have a blankie?

Here download some (Austin Warm Air).

Have blankie, have kitties, the man is off on yet another business trip... Up to me to keep myself warm!

What's cookin'?

And here's some online warm thoughts. (yes, the heat is adjustable...)

Cooking: Vegetable soup from the real vegetable section (ie. homemade) and CHEX mix Heater: The heat is not very adjustable in a house built in 1932.

The heat of the online thoughts, stacey.

But my computer is at work!

Maybe, but I bet you can guess what thoughts I was sending at you...

Is that what was making me a little hot around the panty line? Ooops! I forgot, I didn't wear any today!

See, it works, the temperature is much hotter here. I suppose that would change if I took ya up on the guest room...

No, it would surely change. The whole house usually sits at around 60 degrees (heater fully cranked!)

You realize that I'm going to check and see what you're wearing (or not) the first time we meet...

*giggle*

Sorry I'm so clumsy, did that tickle?

yes.

I'll try and keep that in mind for the real check... Yesterday, I made a huge pot of chicken, brisket, and sausage jambalaya. You know us carnivores...

Made a peach/pineapple dump cake. The easiest and one of the yummiest sweet things to make.

Sounds great!

Why, yes, yes it does.

Rutabagas and dressing.

Hiya Katrina. I take it you like rutabagas!

Yep, sure do! Hiya Stacey.

She does.

didn't hafta work today, so the only thing I cooked was the scrambled eggs this morning...

I "cook" oatmeal every day (microwave), but I don't really think that qualifies...

does opening the bag of garden salad count?

'bout as much as nuking oatmeal...

Hey, at least my meal requires firing up a major appliance! (Or do you need to open the fridge door to get out the dressing, Wolf?)

you got it Autumn! Good thing the hubby loves to fix stuff to eat (otherwise, he'd probably starve--just kiddin')

Oh, you got a chef there, eh? Mine doesn't mind once in a great while, but definitely on his terms--omelettes or pancakes is about as fancy as it gets (which are both fine by me).

No one has cooked in awhile... BTW, the changes look groovy WER (I'm connected at home with all the bright shiny colors!) For dinner: hummus couscous w/ garlic, mushrooms and feta fresh veggies (for dipping -- shoveling -- of the hummus) baked WW tortillas (cut into triangles, substituting for pita bread) yummy, quick and easy!

Thanks, Stacey, you are too kind...

yes, i am (lucky for all of you) *smile*

ooohh...

*giggle*

No cooking, lenten supper tonight...

i am craving bad mexican food (which is fortuitous because that's all CO has) and a magarita!

"Lookin' for that long lost shaker o' salt..." Have one on me, stacey!

Mr. C. is acting very strangely. On Monday I made rice and meatballs for din-dins. He loved it. So I made it on Tuesday. He loved it. So I made it last night. Loved it. So I made it tonight, and all of a sudden he doesn't want it!! Men are so unpredictable!

*laugh*

What a cad! I suggest you not cook at all tonight in protest. :-)

I didn't! We had cereal and water melon for supper. I quite like to cook in the winter, but summertime I'm hopeless. But Mr. C. does his share as well, it must be said. Are you a good cook, Autumn?

I am adequate. I view food's role as subsistence, so I make nutritious meals that are tasty enough to eat, but not to overeat. Cereal and watermelon is one of my specialties.

Yeah?! ha-ha! I think your approach is probably the best. I wish I could be like that. I am lucky in that I don't put on weight except when pregnant, but I'm terrible with the kind of things I eat, and am on the whole quite 'fed up' with myself. I want to start eating more healthy foods, but don't know what or how. Have you any tips?

There's about a zillion books at the library just waiting to tell you what to eat and not eat...are you health conscious about your children's food intake (what are the ages again?)

Yes, don't worry, I'm far better with the kids than with myself - otherwise they'll never have survived to the ripe ages of two and three. I have a book with about a hundred menues for kids and how to make it look more attractive so they'll eat it. I'm trying to prevent them from turning into slobs like myself! I'll go to the library and try and find something a little more suitable than the Afrikaner cookbook. A friend of mine once read somewhere about a banana diet, where you eat only bananas for a whole week, and this is supposed to clean out your system. After a week she was bunged up as a stuffed animal, and two kilo's heavier! Think I'll stay away from that particular one . . . .

My list: Diet for a Small Planet Ten Talents The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook And search the web for recipes and advice.

THANKS! You scare me.

More so than I do?

Not quite.

Love "Diet for a Small Planet", and yes, Terry and wer are a little frightening. Here are some great "healthy" websites: http://www.vegsource.com/recipe/ http://206.159.32.111/scripts/webx.dll?13@15.yRTZObiv^54@.ee6d313/134 http://recipes.wenzel.net/

Thanks. I'll dig deep in the garden of courage to read them . . . can't imagine life without disgusting eating habits . . .

more like: what I cooked this week since I gave up all hope that I would get a new stove before we ran out of 'out to eat' money... salmon burgers stuffed mushroom spinach/cheese stuffed shells potato/zucchini cakes falafel oh... can't forget Mac N Cheese night! the stuffed mushrooms were 'the absolute BEST ones you've ever made' according to Brandon. I substituted crushed cracker crumbs for bread crumbs because... I was out of stale bread. I could of changed a few more things around but it's hard to tell... perhaps more garlic. More butter? The freshly dried herbs? One day I'll make my lazy arse write a receipe down.

when you do, post it and I'll go get it framed for posterity...

everyone will probably get a framed (and signed) picture of my posterior before that happens!

you'd just do that so you could say, "You remember that picture I gave you? Yeah, well, kiss my ..."

*laugh* that's a GREAT idea!

knew you'd like it...

if you are so damn perceptive... why'd ya think I was mad a you? (just screwing around, as you probably already know... becuase you're 'so damn perceptive... er, was that perverted... preposterous????)

(I'm not going to say...(paranoid)) I don't know, just a weird couple of weeks on here, and I haven't been able to catch any vibes from your posts, so I just thought I'd ask...

after assuming 'no vibes' and 'bad vibes' were synonomus! Ah HA! I see how you are. You have some nerve assuming things like that... assuming negatives about me... well, well, I'm I'm just... (er joking, if you couldn't tell) I realize freaky stuff going on can set everyone a bit on edge... S'ok. but no I'm not mad. (dogs get mad, women get angry anyway!) good to see Mr. Mike feeling better (good enough to argue with you even!) poetry is, as always, infused with passion I miss postings from Paul and Leplep... they both seem to have wandered away for a bit blah, blah, blah, I seem to have forgotten I was still in a conference and not an email. Oh well!

not assuming...just didn't know...so, I pick the worst case scenarion and start from there...usually less "negative" surprises that way...

yes, Eyeore, I understand... remove the lofty expectations and you shall never fall far.

kinda like crawling around when your drunk instead of walking... (yet another aside...have I been that pissy all around again that everyone has to tell me when they're joking? or is it just coincidence?)

hmmm... a very subjective question!

Weeks like these everyone has to tell everyone when they're pi$$ing around, I think. On the whole it almost seemed like we've all been having our periods at the same time! Whatever the male equivalent of that may be!! Low sperm count, I suppose . . .

low sperm count should never be considered a bad thing (at this point in MY life anyway!)

Not for me either. But the men - they'll probably feel different about it.

perchance they equate it to... (c'mon guys... SHARE!)

not much to share if we hafe a low sperm count...

HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!!!! Wonderful sense of humour, Wer!!

just wait...now, where's my zinc?

thought that kept colds away... does it up the virility too?

yessum...testicles have the greatest concentration of zinc in the human body...up your zinc, up your virility...also helps with healing, which is why zinc supplementation is recommended by body piercers...

guess I'll remove THOSE from someone's vitamin stash!

ha-ha!

tonight i don't really feel like cooking... perhaps out to dinner for hummus, saffron rice and babaganoush!

let's see...I'm in the middle of cooking 60 chicken parmesans 60 raviolis 40 sausage and peppers 25 eggplant parmesans 6 gallons of Alfredo sauce and, um, 8 (or so) tiramisus... good thing today is my day off!

All THAT for dinner??

I didn't cook. But I had a fish sandwich with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce, and a grapefruit juice for lunch. Breakfast was scrambled eggs, white toast w/ butter and potatoes and coffee. I'm trying to figure out a good restaurant to take Kristen to for her birthday tonight.

I took all the surplus tomatoes from my garden and made a fabulous creamy tomato soup. YUM!

Where did ya go for the birthday ?!?! I'm preparing to 'cook' yougurt and fruit for breakfast and go out for the coffee part! Take out Thai for dinner last night... feeling supremely lazy!

Sounds nice. Will be making mock sausages tonight. How do you log in, Stacey? We miss not having you here more often.

Mock sausages? We can't get enough of Stace!

although it is possible to overdose on her...

Old Boer recipe for times of drought, Terry - sausages made of beans. Love it.

Wow, vegetarian sausage. Ever tried soysage?

Yes, but I don't like it so much - I find it dry. The bean sausages are great, but not to have all the time. I still love meat. I think I must be a total omnivore - eat absolutely everything.....I think! Are you vegetarian or vegan, Terry?

I was for about 20 years, now I'm fairly eclectic.

I'm getting Juliette some phony baloney from the co-op this go round--I'm desperate for original lunchbox ideas! I'm also going to try the nori sushi sea vegetable sheets, which are supposed to be very nutritious and high in calcium. Anyone have any ideas on what to do with them?

I've never heard of that, Autumn.

Perhaps I am a bit ignorant on the subject of sushi, but it seems that eating them might be a good idea.

As opposed to...?

Good question. Perhaps using them for a centerpiece.

Ooh, I'll have to remember that one for Thanksgiving when the in-laws come! I'll be sure to leave it out overnight in advance.

That's it!!! Ought to be really ripe by dinner time!!!!

What a marvellous idea! One could also stick them in wardrobes to keep their clothes smelling fresh!

Today (well, yesterday really but I'm having leftovers tonight) I cooked shrimp scampi. Couldn't find pink shrimp and had to settle for brown ones, which I don't like as much. In Texas pink shrimp are imported from other parts of the Gulf. Brown shrimp are native to Texas waters. But the scampi was OK.

Brown shrimp?? I've never heard of that! Is it brown, because it's a fresh water thing? Because that would explain it.

It's brown because that is the color this species of shrimp is.

Know-all!

Oh well, It seemed logical at the time. It Is actually not brown, just looks that way.

ha-ha! How can something look brown, yet not BE brown?

The skin is a very pale peach color. that is translucent. the flesh underneath , in combination with the skin color make it look brown, but no element of it is brown.

Actually, white (pink) and brown are not different species. There's just a variation within the same species. For some reason white ones are found in the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico, and brown ones in the western part, where Texas is.

And what do you think makes it taste different?

Any seafood will pick up some of it's flavor from the surrounding water. Different water = Different flavor. Usually the difference is subtle, however I can tell the difference between fresh water catfish, and farm raised catfish.

Oh, you have a herd at home?

Nope, I really don't like the flavor of farm raised catfish.

I made a tiramisu for twelve today for the wife's family's Thanksgiving meal...

I always like to hear about someone that is willing to dispense with the turkey on Thanksgiving, and eat what they really want to eat. I, on the other hand, ended up eating turkey, primarily because it was cooked by a friend, and it was the first time that he cooked one. He did a good job and It was very good.

I'd go for the tiramisu too - bird meat isn't my favourite. However, I bet anything stuffed to the brim will taste good!

That is the truth, Riette, and with all the fixin's, you really don't need to like the main meat.

Now that I know how that is done, I'm not so sure about that, I tell you!

Riette, you can also cook the stuffing in a separate pan.

Stuffing to UNstuff the turkey with? How very odd....

You usually have to cook some stuffing on the side, because there is usually more damand for stuffing than there is room in the body cavity.

Just like with people then!

Riette, I never quite looked at it like that.

Not even with a magnifying glass?

That could be interesting Riette, Wanna try?

You bet! ha-ha! What did I write THAT for?

I'm hoping it was because you wanted to, Riette

I just can't remember the context in which I said it! What did you eat today, Tim?

I had honey baked ham, candied yams, and cranberry sauce, and you, Riette?

Sounds great! Lots and lots of chocolates, what else?!?!

Riette, It sounds like we should get together, have a meal and dessert!!!

ha-ha!!!! Especially if you're going to be choosing the dessert!

made green curry with crimini and skitake mushrooms last night and a salad (prepakaged coleslaw mix w/out any sauces plus rice vinegar, soy and ginger)

Yum-yum! We had cool, bad weather, so I made the kids' favourite: vegetable soup with lots of pepper and onion. But that was yesterday.

Is pepper = Paprika?

Pepper is Pfeffer. I know it's a little weird, but my kids love spicy things - I craved VERY spicey food when I was pregnant, and maybe that's why.

Maybe it's from coming from a HOT continent, hmh?

steaming....

Steaming hot? That's Texas! At least about the coastal area, and in summer.

Yep. They say climate has alot to do with people's temperaments.

Hmh. Most times, we have stupid climate. This year, nice climate. Do tell, what's my temperament? Stop. Second thought - spare everybody stating the obvious.

*grin* hope you feel better!

Better'n what?

better than salty/grumpy/annoyed

Oh, I never said our weather were SALTY... did I ? ;=}

i implied it!

Oh.

Yep. Sugary doesn't exactly apply...

made vegetable soup last night. I went on a hurried trip around the yard cutting flowers and picking all the vegetables because snow was predicted for last night. We only got a little but more for today... warm vegetable soup with garden tomatos made everything better though oh and quesadillas with monterey jack, mushrooms and chipotle peppers

SNOW??? THIS time of the year?

two inches since this morning... but the ground is so warm only about an inch remains... more tonight then 60 degrees tomorrow ~ Colorado weather!

nuts!

sunny again!!!

crrrrr-azy! Been raining here all day. So we were compelled to read and watch videos and lay in bed all day. It's a tough life!

Yeah, You can't leave the house without getting soaking wet...this weather's depressing me...

sunny and warm today (near 80) but the hard freeze the night before officially did in my tomato plants... they're all wrinkled and look like defrosted frozen spinach

Oh dear - sorry to hear that, Stacey. Isabel, I just wish autumn would come properly now, you know? It is such a gorgeous season once one gets through the drizzle. Actually I love rain (since I come from the desert), but this week has been a bit much, even for me.

All of the rain-lovers should plan a stay in Hilo. We get upwards of 200 inches (508cm) of it a year, and it is never cold and achy...it also does not get leaden and dark for days on end. Our Tomato plants die of old age...but we have the very same season all year round. Boring!

won't be boring for me in December!

This is true. You can plan on leaving your crampons and snowshoes in Colorado unless you like to be in 10% air. In that case, you can snow ski at 14,000' and get a really bad headache while you are doing so. Where you will be running, it will be mostly humidity and sun you will have to battle, element-wise. They start you out pre-dawn so it is cooler for you...but you also just might get rained on gently and briefly. It is considered a blessing in Hawaii!

unless it's the precipitation from the Japanese radiation accident...

Don't even think about that...*sigh* We are far enough south of Japan that the northern jet stream and prevailing winds should carry it up to the Aleutians. Of course, nothing of that nature escapes the Earth's atmosphere and gravitational pull so we just might all be sprinkled with the deadly stuff eventually!

appalling that such things still happen today... Why can't everybody just follow Germany's example and get rid of their nuclear power plants??

I don't believe they will do this....

Neither do I. Ironic, isn't it?

Hey, but we will! Trust us, we're honest folks! We just let the French and Britons run them in their countries, ok? Riette, "I just wish autumn would come properly now, you know?" - I know, and I miss her. Leaves don't even get properly red and yellow without her around.

*sigh*

Autumn wrote this to me this morning: Please tell all our fellow springeurs that I will be back this weekend--technical difficulties kept me from posting early this week (though I could read posts). Obviously, that's been corrected and I'll be back with bells on to see what's going one with all of you.

Waiddaminute again - snow, bells, hey, is it THAT late again in the year?

Are you suggesting that Marcia could possibly be Rudolf in reality????

Roast shoulder of lamb with mint, Roast potatoes Leeks Carrots Mushrooms Meringues with strawberries (tinned), cream and ice cream Liebfraumilch

lima beans for Easter dinner #1 green beans and angel food cake for Easter dinner #2

Salad lunch by the Thames ....frikadelen, lettuce and stuff, yogurt, orang/grapefruit drink.

I've been in Monterey, CA for a month and have only heated things up in the room's microwave. I am so tired of eating out every night. Who knew I'd be so sick of not cooking?

How was that Monterey trip, highlights? Salad by the Thames sounds splendid!

sirloin stake, new potatoes...ran out of salad and forgot to go to Tesco to buy more. c'est la vie!

Jumbo Shrimp on the barbie, sauteed in tin foil with mushrooms and zucchini. And I tossed a couple of whole corn cobs in the husk on the bbq top rack. With some white wine.

Yum!!

I need to do this at least once a week. It was good.

Had a lovely chicken salad on Wednesday night. The first time in my life where I've eaten salad as a main meal - go Mike!!!!! Had a takeaway pizza last night (go on, shoot me) and then a chicken / rice / vegetable stir-fry this evening. Good stuff!

Your first salad as a main meal?! Interesting milestone. Salad bars have been a way of life for me since I was a teenager. I confess that I, too, had carryout pizza last night (but still had a salad on the side!)

Wolfgang Puck frozen pizza (the best), salad, gator aid for din din.

I couldn't bear eating salad when I was younger...I guess I'm changing my tastes!!!

yup! Me, too. Now I make great big ones with all sorts of goodies in them so they are a complete meal. On a hot day they are perfect. We have especially bedacious avocandoes over here (about 2 pounds each and NO strings with a buttery flavor and no bitterness) which I add liberally. If I ever leave Hawaii, I will miss them most of all I think! The one I made last night had white boneless, skinless chicken in it, and small herbed tofu slices along with fresh spinach, tomatoes and other greens. And two kinds of cheeses.

had another salad this evening, along with a good sirloin steak. lovely stuff.

I actually cooked tonight--we had spinach tortellini, couscous w/Old Bay seasoning, and green beans for dinner.

Hi Autumn ....can you think of something to put in food and culture in Cultures conference???? We should be able to get something 'yummy' going onthere!

We already have British, African and ethnic categories here in Food...what did you have in mind, Maggie?

Hi Autumn, there's a topic on cultural aspects of food in the cultures conference (of which for my sins I am now host) created last year on someones suggestion. Bit broader than specific countries/continents food I think ...probably some overlap inevitably. One of the things I hope to think about there for example is customs or rituals surrounding eating.

I will go there and check it out!

Looks like we need another round of salads. It is too hot to cook. Please, there are sensitive people about. No junk pizzas mentioned... we care!

Tri-color egg noodles green beans baked potatoes tossed salad

Friends round to dinner Roast pork with apple and cranberry sauce potatoes snap beans parsnips christmas pudding (flambe) brandy butter double cream followed by an hilarious card game

Two loaves banana bread, scrambled eggs... everything else was just heated up in the microwave!

I heated up last nights pizza.

Homemade or storebought??

storebought.

How do you feel about those new fangled, stuffed crust, self-rising, over-the-top frozen pizzas???

Oh that was off topic, sorry. Today I made a batch of vegetarian chili.

Them new fangled pizzas are purty good, thar' Stace.

Do you have Nick N Willys in Austin? It's a take and bake place and we had some delicious four cheese, tomato and mushroom pizza from there last night! Oh, and I made Chex Mix today...

I haven't heard of that being in Austin.

bagels and english muffins (in the toaster oven)

baked a red velvet cake from scratch *yummy*

Brown rice.