lovebenton0

Megaroo, spiced pears are beautiful -- and delicious in quart jars. I'll have to rummage through my handwritten sheets to find my recipe. I'll try to post in a day or so. Also a couple of pear conserve/chutney/chow chow recipes in that bunch. A friend gave me about 40 lbs of pears one week several years ago and I had to think fast! So I have a few ideas floating around on paper that worked out very well. These are a bit outside what you're asking for but other good options for quart jars -- not everything is good in quarts -- are hot, sweet or spiced pickled peppers and and other vegs such as cauliflower with red pepper in curry mix, or whole red jalapenoes with pearl onions and garlic. Also green olives with a sliced red jalapeno/pearl onion mix in vinegar and EVOO is pretty and tasty. Chutney and jelly can be OK in large jars such as quarts but it's not the best way to pack it. Jelly especially just doesn't set as well in that large a volume.

.... Texas.... Do you make slippery dumplings or the puffy drop dumplings? ← Turkey and dumplings, I also fruity cole slaw earlier, then we shared a mini pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. I have really started to make smaller dumplings in the past couple of years -- although whether they are more bready (rounder) or more noodly (thinner and in strips) depends on my food mood and what I'm cooking them with. Recently I have really enjoyed forming them into about silver dollar sized patties about 1/4 thick. They puff up nicely to be roundish and satisfying dumplings with more surface area coated with the soup/stew. I guess you could say these in particular were little puffy slippery dumps. BTW, Susan, that gumbo looks great! Must be the okra! Gumbo is on my serious meal list for the weekend.

I'm getting an error message on the lard link, fifi. How can I get around that? Those sound good for sure, fifi! I would also like to try the holiday or Xmas tamales. I have had them many times before with the pork, etc. (and the spices you mentioned, fifi), but with the addition of cooked and ground raisins. Is this hitting a memory note with anyone? The cheese and roasted chili sounds good too, rancho gordo. Good tips on the fat for lard procurement also everyone, thanks. We have a big Fiesta Mart in town (Austin) and quite a few Mexican markets. In fact, the other day when I got out with company over the holiday we were looking for the Asian markets that have always been in the section of town where we were -- they're gone! But several Mexican markets have replaced them. And even the local HEB should have most of what I need -- or Central Market (which I can manage to get to on my own on Thursdays). If I can convince mi amiga to tamalada with me we can do the shopping together also, and that gives me more options. Plus her Kitchen Aid and company.

Oh, Susan! How I would be loving some of those oysters about now. Gumbo with oysters sounds so good! I'm missing something here -- like okra, which I require in mine -- or it would be turkey ' sausage gumbo here tonight. Next best thing is simmering on the stove right now -- turkey and dumplings.

I got one just before Thanksgiving -- my mr saved us and brought one home from a store trip. OMG! the oven was acting so weird I knew I needed it. I didn't realize it had gotten as bad as it was! It was 50-75 degrees off -- too cold -- depending on what it was set at. I'm much happier now! The old oven has a longer stay of execution. Another Thanksgiving goodie I got -- gift from brother who knows I love this -- Vietnamese coffee maker for single cup pleasure. Usually readily available at local Asian markets too. $3.99 So many good ideas on this thread for others -- and ourselves. Thanks, fifi, for starting this rampage through kitchen gadgetry.

A little more extreme seasonal change today for us in Central TX -- not above 45 on my front porch, in the sun! After 80 yesterday I am feeling the need for some soupiness in my life tonight. I have my deep stockpot with the turkey carcass simmering now. (Hey, it's fresh -- I froze it right after dinner on Thursday so I could wait for the weather to back off again. ) Bird flesh to be pulled off the bones for some turkey and dumplings to keep us warm tonight.

I would think you are right about the masa and lard being an important difference, speaking only as a tamale eater and still virgin tamale maker. I have been able to tell the difference myself in taste and texture, knowing where/how the tamales were made. And hopefully we'll get enough interest here that the Forum hosts will think it's a good idea to move this thread to Cooking. I started it here since this is where our discussion began . . . and it was after 1:00AM my time on a night I should have been in bed. Dana and fifi both -- those tamales sound delicious -- this going to have to be a project! Any and all eG cyber amiga/amigo help and participation is more than welcome. For this virgin needs the tamale temple lights lit upon the way!

Damn, Brooks! I was just thinking you clean up pretty good! They could have gotten hold of your old avatar pic! Nice article -- and we're lucky you're not psychic too!

Stick food thermometers with the little case with pen-clip. Pan handle holders -- great for cast iron skillets -- and for holding hot SS utensils like spoons or spatulas when they get uncomfortably warm. Cooks aprons, full body -- we found some (in various colors) at ACE Restaurant supply for under $8 -- got myself a denim apron (the perfect mask a stain fabric ). One cup liquid measures that measure down to one ounce. Locking tongs.

White beans, smoked pork chop or loin, stock, onions and a good splash of apple cider and/or beer with roasted red peppers, and cinnamon basil simmered in oven or crocked.

For pics -- did you enlarge the pic in your album then "click for actual URL" ? No matter -- still looks good! Also, for the skin -- we always removed the skin right away and set aside to serve crisp when doing a large pig under ground. Maybe same with this. When I do little piggies (smaller than this) the skin stays crisp from the smoker or oven. But at this size the skin may be resorbing moisture/steam from the hot pig.

After cooking the greens with two whole turkey legs, we took the legs out and picked at them (those of us who were cooking anyway). The first dish that popped into everyone's mind was split pea soup! You could rename that soup with those two legs in mind-- Split Pea Standing Up??? ← I like it!

I've decided that the thing to do with the left over sweet potatoes with plantains and pecans is to pie it. I pureed it this evening -- will add some more brown sugar, some cream and eggs tomorrow and bake in deep dish shell.

I have been wanting to make tamales, but I'm a virgin in this territory. What's your fav recipe? Pork? Xmas tamales? Beef? I'm craving them all! edited to add: Chicken? I wasn't excluding the birds!

I'm gonna have to do it without a KA as I don't have one -- unless I can talk my dear friend into us doing them at her house . . . that's a better idea! Get tamales and amiga time all all in one swell foop!

Me, too, fifi! And I do the same as bloviatrix -- pot of soup every week, serve up one or two full meals for two or three people (we often have a third, mr's buddy half lives in my kitchen ). Then the rest goes into the freezer to enjoy later when I'm craving it again. Tortilla soup is in there right now, as well as gulyas (soup). It's about time for Hearty Bay Scallop Chowder, and of course the turkey soup of choice for tomorrow (cold front coming in!) will either be turkey and dumplings or coconut curry turkey with rice on the side of the bowl. Gumbo is always a favorite -- and some of the turkey will have to go for that too. Creamed cauliflower soup with curry oil -- a la slkinsey's Thanksgiving is now a fav -- I made it early last week. So easy and just flat addictive! Broccoli cheese soup . Cream of potato soup with butter drizzled on top and and long cuts of fresh garlic chives. Just good stock and chicken with baby carrots, shallots and egg noodles.

Do you have the recipe? Please o' Please ← Jaymes brought the soup and the Ugandan Peanut Chicken -- I was planning to ask her for those anyway so I'll be glad to pass it on if I'm able to get that, handmc. It was luscious! Tonight we did not have turkey! My mr brought home a pack of beautiful NY strips and all the makings for a grill out burger with mushrooms/onions sauteed in butter/soy and Beaujolais Noveau (from Friday's dinner) on toasted onion buns with melted Swiss, dijon mustard. I ground two of the steaks for burgers and kept the third for beef larb sometime this week. Nothing like home ground meat. And he just wanted to grill burgers, not have a steak -- so with an 80 degree afternoon that hit the spot. Tater tots and Romaine salad on the side with crumbled gorgonzola, scallions and apple/pear slices, splash of basalmic.

Yes, if you have the room, the whole leg would yield more flavor then de-bone and return the "kosher hock" meat to soups or beans, etc. I often do greens, lentils, various beans (love the baby limas this way!), blackeye peas, or split pea soup with smoked turkey -- the flavor is wonderful and the aroma will make you believe you are eatin' the real thing! Going a bit beyond the ham hocks question -- but smoked turkey leg or thigh (just so it's the dark meat) is also good to sub for other ham/bacon uses -- such as in quiche or frittatas. Just saute first to give it a bit more of a firm slightly crisp texture.

I can assure you, it tastes anything but revolting. Its probably one of the best uses for leftover turkey and thanksgiving accoutriments you can possibly have. ← I thought it was a give-me-some-now-good-looking sandwich myself! But then mine didn't look that much different earlier. We've never called it anything but turkey sandwich -- or maybe "the turkey sandwich!" If gravy goes on the outside then it's an open-face turkey sandwich, to us, with turkey, dressing, cranberry in the middle and gravy ladled all around the relish pile on top of a piece of toasted bread.

Wow, it's been family and eG gatherings for days! Family was at our house, as usual. T-day: Starters: Gorgonzola/garlic chive/cream cheese spread with crudites almond and jalapeno stuffed olives pickled peppers from the garden cornichon pickles deviled eggs (first food contribution by step-daughter home from college ) Turkey roasted LA style with bacon strips across the breasts, in a cheesecloth shroud soaked with EVOO, and onion, celery parsley in cavity. First time to do this and it was fantastic! Baked lots of breads/rolls, meal and sweet, as you can see here. Cornbread dressing with pork mincemeat (pork, dried apples, dried pears, golden raisins, onion, sage, thyme, allspice, pepper, bourbon -- put up for a week to set in flavors and mix with cornbread for dressing. Giblet gravy Acorn Squash with Apricot Wild Rice Stuffing White soft rolls and mixed grain hard rolls Cranberry/orange relish with Grand Marnier (from brother) Mix veg salad in vinaigrette -- and cole slaw () (both from Mom) White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake (divinely sinful by brother) Friday: Sour cream turkey enchiladas topped with sliced red jalapenoes Romaine, scallion salad with avocado salsa verde to dress Sweet Potatoes with Plantains and Pecans (which were made for Thursday but I left them in the warmer so we had Mexican/Southern fusion meal Friday night with the turkey makeovers. Actually a good match, I think it was the plantains that pulled it off. Saturday: Out, cold, from, holiday, week, guests. Sunday: Austin eG gathering in the afternoon, with assortment of strange and unusual foods -- including fried pickles/oreos/and tea sandwiches. However there was also a great home-cured gravelox with sour cream and capers to pile on party pump bread, cold Senegalese Blender Soup with toasted coconut and Ugandan Peanut Chicken and Rice that were all delicious. Just picked at salad and had small turkey sandwiches later in the evening. Not nearly as big as Jason's -- but still with dressing and cranberry relish, then smeared with cranberry relish/mayo/horseradish sauce on home made white/egg bread. New avatar is from the sweet potato bread big loaf (about 16"x8") filled with golden raisins and pecans I baked Thursday very early in the morning.

Positively stunning! Great team work, Sam and Kathleen, and Ed! It was delectable right through the screen. Thanks again for opening your kitchen and dining room to us.

That isn't a problem. That is a collateral market. Everyone will have to get new dishes. ← Fifi! How big are these suckers if they won't fit into an escargot dish? Do we have to rope 'em to bring 'em down? Sea horse brigade? Whole new line of BIG TX Snail BBQ utensils? We need to try these out!

Tamales! Yes! I was so hungry for some I picked up a few in the local HEB deli the other day when shopping, and they were pretty good. Not like Rosies's just out the road a bit, but my ride (my sweet mr on his day off) wasn't making another stop in the suddenly pouring down rain! I want to make some tamales this season myself -- sounds like you're already going, Mabelline! Is there a tamale thread? Certainly I would think so! Can't take the credit for all of the pics -- some were taken by visiting brother -- with a soupy-dupier digi-cam than mine! But glad you enjoyed them anyway! I keep practicing -- mr is about resigned to me clicking before serving or eating these days. Even if I don't post most of them, the practice is good for me. Best thing about those -- you don't like it? Dump it! Not even any film to be wasting.

And the weekend was . . . fabulous?!!! Hope you took the digi cam and have some pics to share with us! Those of us not going to Blue Fin Bay anytime soon would love to live vicariously. You deserved this break time with the girls so much, Susan, for all you have done this year -- and all that's coming up for you now! Ugh! Still have to design Xmas cards and get them out myself! Shamed me good -- now I have to start them today!

I like some veggies in my turkey soup. One fav is: Carrots and onions, definitely, another good addition is the eG infamous roasted cauliflower. Orange-flesh squash is also good for adding some dimension. Saute the carrots and onions in butter first (or roast all vegs in the oven with cauliflower, mmm! and add the vegs with turkey at the last). If sauteing vegs add to the stock, heat through while you throw in some thick egg noodles or rice, add your turkey. Stir in a roux of butter and flour and some cream or milk into the soup. Good stuff! Another comment is go with the momentary mood -- what do you want serve with it? I'm with fifi on the whatever feels good at the time. I do like turkey soup more robust, rather than delicate as chicken soup may be. A good amount of pepper and some rosemary or thyme is good. Toss a bay leaf in there for a while during the veg in stock cooking stage. Ber sure to add your turkey near the end -- it's been cooked and doesn't need to cook again.