EllenC

I think you should do a croquembouche (sp?) for dessert. Labor intensive but doable by Mother's Day. And dangerous with all that hot sugar work. That should be worth one or two expiation points. I was also the bad child. I wish I had thought of this before my mom passed away. Good Luck! Ellen

On Wednesday, I started a new quart jar with 15 beans split and vodka. The vodka is already almost as dark at the rum and bourbon that have been sitting for almost a month. I took the beans that were in water and checked them carefully. There is nothing but a delicious vanilla smell and no off colors or tastes. So, daring soul that I am, I went to the co-op and bought some crystalized xylitol and added about two tablespoons to the water. Then I heated this concoction and threw it into the food processor. I don't have a food mill. Ths weekend I am planning to run it through the blender to see if I can grind everything up some more. I am thinking I will eventually strain it and make paste out of it. I'll keep you informed.

I keep my towels in a drawer, but I always also have a bunch out. Fat Guy, I bought those shop towels from Costco and they are great. I use them for so much stuff and when they feel gross even after washing, I throw them away. I keep an extra plastic bucket in the corner of the kitchen and throw used towels in that. I use all white towells and I bleach them in the wash.

Fat Guy, I don't think you're neurotic at all. I get dirty looks and grumbles all the time for my policy. I think the next thing I am going to try is going to a medical supply place and buying those things that go over the shoes.

Thank you Andie. I found it at the Co-op. They sell it in bulk. I agitated my jars again. Both the bourbon and the rum look about the same color now. The set in water smells the best, though. I am so looking forward to the Christmas presents I can give. I think I will go buy some vodka and start some of that too. Some of my friends don't like the flavor the others will add.

Greg, That sounds wonderful. I am definitely trying this on Sunday. Thank you, Ellen

Welcome to egullet. I would love to know your recipe for this lamb. I have never cooked lamb and my darling son insists we have to have it because, "It's my last Easter at home." Picture big brown eyes and a huge grin before he moves out. We will be at church for a large part of the day so this sounds perfect. Thank you! Ellen

Andie, I looked at my drug store and the only glycerine there said "For external use only." Are there different kinds of glycerine? Where do you find it? Thanks, Ellen

I started this project too. I used two pint jars with ten beans in each. I split the beans lengthwise and spread them open then folded them into the jar to leave the inside exposed. In one jar I used Bacardi Gold. In the other jar is some kind of Kentucky Bourbon. I also had some old beans that were getting dry. I stuck those in regular water. After reading this thread, I don't think that will do much to flavor the water. I read the link Andiesenji posted, so maybe I will wait until they are plump and boil them in sugar syrup and see how they come out. I'll try to take pictures later.

Ricotta Cheese. Easy. MUCH cheaper than you buy. Definitely tastier.

This is such a great post. I don't have any great answers to any of this stuff, but I do notice that as my son gets older there are tendencies that are not appealing to me. How does he walk through the kitchen and never see the things that need to be put away? What mechanism in his mind allows him to think that once he makes himself a hamburger the lettuce, tomato, mustard and grease splatters disappear? No really, he cannot see them any more. I know he doesn't think it's my job, because I have spent nearly 19 years saying, "Clean that." "Wipe this." "Put that away." "Are you really gonna wear that?" (Oh wait, that's a different post for another board. ) I also tend to make what someone else likes, and rarely what I want. I guess that's why I said earlier that I am excited to live alone and cook just for me. But I can also understand the comments about not cooking anymore when there is no one else to cook for. Will that cause a lack of inspiration? I don't think you are unwomanly or selfish. I think it is a human trait to want to be appreciated. It is a hard thing to continue to do something and hear "yuck". Maybe you and your husband could trade? Ellen

Oh Karen, I can't tell you how much my heart goes out to you. I know this feeling. I chose to give myself, my talents, my time, my heart like this twice. Both times I was shredded by the things I learned about the men I had chosen. And more importantly, by the way they used the gifts I gave them to hurt me and my children. So when I say that I empathize with what you are feeling, I really mean it. I have only recently learned that I don't lose anything by giving a gift - especially a gift as personal and wonderful as food. Now I understand why your starting this thread touched me so much. I had not thought about this aspect. I have to say now that I do it in part as an act of defiance. I am good at this and some people do appreciate it. And I am not responsible for the ones who don't appreciate my cooking or me for that matter. I guess I continue to do it in part because it affirms to me part of who I am. One of the things I enjoy about reading all of your posts is the way you share yourself while we "talk" about food. Thank you. Ellen

This is a great topic and I love the responses. I cook because of love. I have always been taught that what you send out into the world is what you will get out of life. And at the same time, I believe that when you love somebody, you don't do things because you are adding them up on a balance sheet, but just to show you care. I love to cook for my children, my friends, and myself. I would happily cook for a boyfriend or spouse if I had one. It was wonderful to cook for my sister and brother in law and nephew when they stayed with me. So I love to cook. When I have too much, I share with the neighbors or people at church or work. Sometimes I find myself unable to sleep at 3 am and I bake a cake to take to work because I like my job. As I was growing up, my mother and father both cooked. They had different styles, but it was all good. When they got divorced, my mother started teaching me how to cook. I have to admit I wasn't too interested until I got a place of my own. I got much more interested when I got married and started having children. Now that my daughter has moved out, I love that she calls me once a week and asks "what's for dinner?" Sometimes she asks if I will fix her something she particularly likes. It is a great comfort to me that she feels secure in our relationship and wants to come home. She is also starting to learn to cook. My son will go off on a mission for church in a few months, and he already loves to cook. He too sees it as an expression of love. He doesn't expect that his wife will know how to cook when they get married (I tried to prepare him for the realities of today). He looks forward to cooking for her and he wants somebody who sees the idea of domestic skills as a way to grow together by caring for one another. I personally am looking forward to the time when I cook more often just for myself at dinner. I am excited to re-learn and redefine my skills in the kitchen. I am also looking forward to throwing parties where I can cook for friends. Recently, a group of friends and I started a cooking club. Once a month we get together and discuss things we want to know more about. Last night we went to the store and talked about cuts of beef and how to cook them. It was so fun to watch two people who professed not to like meat tell me they want more. I love that they invite me to their houses and then let me cook my way. I think that any time we find something we enjoy and use it to bring joy to the lives' of others, we become better in the process. Thanks you Karen for helping me think all this through. Ellen

I suppose you could say that I cater as a hobby. And I totally agree with Abra. I often have friends that tell me they are getting married and they would like me to do the cake. When I say, "Yes" I always say that my time will be my gift to the happy couple. Some have insisted that if they are not paying, they don't want me to do it. That's no problem for me. I tell them about different companies in town that I think do a pretty good job. No they probably won't use your Grandma's recipe. I have also made food for graduation parties, prom, etc. Always my time is my gift. Generally I don't even let them pay me for the food. If they cover that cost, I give them a shopping list and they pick it up. People keep telling me I should go into the business. After all the work I put into it, I tell them that if I don't love you I won't do it. They can't pay me enough to do this as a job. But that's just me. I definitely think you should test the waters. I also think you should do it the legal way.

Who does the cooking in your home? I cook most of the time. But as the day gets nearer and nearer for my 18 yo son to move out, I force him to cook more and more. I want to ensure he has the skills to feed himself when he's on his own. Do you eat foods from take-out or restaurants or buy ready-made foods often? We rarely go to restaurants. I can cook most things just as well at home for less money and I enjoy it, so why not. We get take out maybe once a month. Maybe not that often. Do you cook absolutely "from-scratch" using unprocessed ingredients often? I cook using ingredients. For the most part we don't like highly processed foods. "Powder is not cheese, mom!" I make our bread once or twice a month. It's usually gone in about an hour. The rest of the time it comes from the store. Sometimes I make noodles. When we have lasagne I make the noodles, the sauce and the ricotta. I don't make the sausage. It just depends on the ingredient. Are you single, married or living with other(s)? Single. Do you have children? Yep. One daughter who comes home for dinner about once a week. One son who is getting ready to fly the nest. What sort of work do you do? Professional non food related. Do you feel you have enough time to cook the sorts of foods you like to eat? For the most part. I'm interested in the questions of time, culture, society, money and class. As they relate to food and how it fits into our lives, of course. I don't make a huge amount of money and I do believe in living within my means. That means that is the cash isn't in the bank, we don't buy it. (With the two notable exceptions of my home and my education.) I believe that good food is good for you. We spend probably a bigger than average percent on food. But I do try not to waste it. As a question for "extra credit" , is the form of your daily cooking/eating/dining different than it was in your family when you were growing up, and if so, how is it different? My mom was a great cook. My dad is a retired chef. We ate pretty good when we could afford it. We also ate some things that had cream of mushroom soup as a base. I can remember as a young girl waking up to a table full of crab parts. We happily cleaned the plates. I don't use much cream of soups. My kids are considered picky eaters because they think that salads should include things like cucumber and avacado. They also think that if cheese is listed in the title of the food, somebody should be using a grater or knife on actual cheese. I think I eat much like my parents did.

I made the Cottage Cheese Puffs last night. I thought I would bring them to work today. Well after sampling by both my son ans I nothing came to work. They were so good. I used black raspberry jam. You have to chill the dough, but it's really fast to put together. I think tonight I will put some more together and make up more of these tomorrow. Definitely a keeper recipe. Thank you Dorie! Ellen

Why couldn't you use wire? Make loops in the wire to hold the cupcakes, that way there is nothing sticking through the cupcake itself and everybody isn't putting their fingers on something my food will slide through. (you know what I mean) That also allows for you to do something that is not absolutely vertical and make it more "artsy". You can suspend it from the ceiling..... ETA: Ooh one of those cupcake holders upside down could be a jumping off point. Just to give you a visual. You could also attach it to a pulley so they can get to all the cupcakes. Okay I'm being way too ambitious for your project.

I keep lots of chicken/beef broth on the shelf. We usually make our own, but the canned stuff lasts ages and some of it isn't terrible. Freeze dried onions and garlic to put in the broth with the dried veggies and some pasta or rice. It gets you through without making people gag. Also canned tomatoes. I figure that the water will be precious so I use other canned stuff to go with pasta/rice/beans to eat. Amazing how many different tastes you really do make with just a few things.

Please don't be sorry. More. More. Tell us the one about how Dave met that cute little girl from France - Wasn't her name Marie? And then she left him because of his habit of eating fois gras over mince meat pies. Any story Karen. Keep going.

Karen - I love your writing. Can I come visit your shop? I think my contribution would be layers and layers of fillo with sauteed spinach, carmelized onions, mushrooms and just a hint of homemade ricotta. Very crisp and flaky on top. We don't have anything "gourmet" here either. **Sigh**

Kerry, I love this course and I really want to try making nougat. Is it possible to make it without the peanut butter? What adjustments would I make? Thank you, Ellen

I'm not a tupperware rep, but here's the website. Cheers. Ellen

Congratulations Annie! The cat's home, the biopsy is benign. The cookies will work out one way or another. Keep us updated. I love your work. Ellen

Hiroyuki, I love your answer. Here is an example of deep fried. And this is a picture of surimi.

Marlene, You totally rock! That all looks wonderful. That was a very nice thing to do for your friend. I hope you enjoy the pizza. Feel free to put your feet up and make somebody else answer the door. Ellen