NulloModo

How funny is this, I cooked my first whole chicken ever last night too. I ended up putting mine in the smoker for two hours with some hickory wood, then finishing it up in the oven at 450 degrees to crisp up the skin. I just used a basic spice rub, cayenne, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika, but wow, what a flavorful bird. I have to say, I never got why people said that boneless skinless breasts were flavorless before, but now it makes a little more sense, the chicken just tasted so much more 'chickeny' when cooked whole. Congrats on your first attempt, I might try one entirely in the oven with some rosemary sometime... I love rosemary. I just need to wait for the little beasties to go on sale again...

I don't see a problem with eating horse, in fact, I would like to try it sometime. Obviously if I rode horses I wouldn't want to dine on one I had raised up or anything like that, but 'farmed' horse meat wouldn't seem any different than beef, pork, or any other farm raised meat. Then again, I wouldn't be against trying dog either, provided it wasn't _my_ dog, but some farm raised dog with that purpose in mind.

Fat is fat, so use the stuff that tastes good. I agree, people are way too worried over saturated vs. unsaturated and etc. The only thing I really worry about is trans-fats, other than that, anything is fair game. I deep fry in peanut oil, it holds up well, has a good smoke point,a nd if you buy in bulk, it isn't too expensive. I recently tried soybean oil as well, and the results were good, it is also very cheap.

I figure since several people have popped in I can put my views down too. I love food, all food. Of all of the things I have eaten in my life, I have enjoyed at least 90% of it. Whether it is dinner at a fine restaurant, a meal that I spent several days preparing each step from scratch, something quick I throw together after work, fast food, dinner at TGI Friday's, or a microwave burrito, if it tastes good, it leaves me with a smile on my face. Each meal is an opportunity to have something be sublime, I'm sure, but I'm hardly a perfectionist in anything. I love food made with the freshest ingredients, the most perfect technique, and that special kick of originality as much as the next guy, but that doesn't mean I also don't love a frozen dinner on occasion. For me, if I were to obsess over eating only things that are perfect, dining would become so stressfull that I wouldn't enjoy it. I love to cook, and I find great enjoyment in talking and learning about food, but you know, I am just easy to please. So, bring it on, dinner at Per Se or chili from a can, I will feel just as pleasant after either.

I have tried this before. It isn't as good as stewing them to death in chicken stock with a ham hock, but it isn't bad.

So as is often the case on eG the Pre-prepared grocery store thread took a very interesting divergence which sparked a pretty cool conversation, but since it apparently was a little bit too off-base, it needed its on thread, this is it. Being an eG member pretty much means that you are a bit obsessed with food/cooking. Check out the dinner thread and it is easy to see the hard work many people here put into their daily meals, as well as some of the super-high quality dishes many of us are accustomed to eating. However, look around a bit more and it is also easy to see many here enjoy things not made from scratch, such as tater tots, frozen vidalia onion rings, and ramen noodles. The question that came up in the earlier thread was why would anyone who considers themselves into food want to eat something pre-made and frozen. Does knowing how to make a perfect cassoulet disqualify you from enjoying dinty moore? Does the ability to make a perfect burger mean that whoppers are forevermore verboten? Take either side and let's bang this one out till we have an eG consensus.

I don't dispute that I have an iron stomach, I can chow down on a bowl of habaneros in hot sauce and blue cheese and not feel it in my gut later, but the ham and turkey in question still smelled fine. Generally I go by the smell/feel taste. If it smells funny or is unacceptably slimy (and isn't supposed to be slimy) I toss it, if not, it is still fair game. Only thing I ever got sick from food-wise was some Italian sausage I cooked up over a year ago that I didn't manage to cook very thoroughly. Oh well, live and learn, I still love Italian sausage and do my best to make sure I don't leave it medium-rare now ;). I thought of another odd food-quirk my roomate has: he won't eat any pizza that has any vegetable on it.

Existing sandwhiches I adore: Classic Reuben plus mayo and extra carraway seed Liverwurst, soy nut butter, harsh onion, spicey mustard, swiss, and spicey mustard on rye Da Bomb (local deli specialty): buffalo chicken strips, french fries, mozzerella sticks, hot sauce, blue cheese dressing, and marinara on a hoagie roll (haven't had one in forever though, I miss these) The Bear Burger (another local deli sandwhich): Ground beef, chopped pepperoni, chopped sausage, jalepenos, cheddar and american cheese, fried onions, mayo, mustard, and this super duper hot sauce on a sub-roll Fantasy Sandwich: Lobster, bacon, gruyere, broccoli rabe, crushed red pepper, melted butter, mayo, fried onions, roasted garlic, and a little dill on a sub roll.

I still consider it cooking. Opening a box, putting something on a cookie sheet and baking it till crispy is cooking. It isn't advanced cooking, but you are preparing dinner from an unacceptable state to an acceptable state none-the-less. I have a feeling there is a lot of personal preference in these type of items. Everyone's pallette is different, and everyone clues into different flavors, textures, etc that they like or they don't. I don't cook to eat well. I could be perfectly happy eating only cheap eats mom and pop joints, fast food, and ready-to-eat or frozen stuff from the grocery store. However, I wouldn't be happy if I were not cooking. I cook because I love cooking, I have fun working with my hands, and I have pride in the finished product. Someone can enjoy cooking, have good taste in food, be able to appreciate fine food, and still enjoy something whose main taste notes are fat and salt.

Oh come now, ten days is perfectly safe for ham. Heck, I was still eating ham and turkey from Thanksgiving a week before christmas...

I think this dish is properly known as 'Impossible Pie' not sure why though. It can be tasty, but true, it isn't Quiche.

Hmm, I don't have a significant other, but my roomate has three food peeves that I personally find rather annoying: 1. He won't eat mushrooms (isn't allergic, says he doesn't like them, but when he eats a dish where they are cut up too tiny and he doesn't see them he likes it just fine as long as I don't tell him they are there...) 2. He won't eat beans of any variety, won't even try them, says he finds something about them disgusting, although I can't tell how he would know if he never tries to eat the damn things... 3. Refuses to eat any curries because he says he doesn't like 'curry' and doesn't seem to understand that curry isn't one spice and that my thai green curry might be very different from some Indian one he disliked at a restuarant a long time ago. Now, none of this is really all that awful, as I still cook whatever I want and if it happens to contain something he doesn't like he will just not raid the fridge of it overnight. I don't even know why I care, I just wish he would take some more risks culinarily, and figure he would enjoy a lot more foods if he did.

I Actually made a Quiche the other night after watching an Alton Brown episode on egg custards. Something about the way explained it made it so blissfully clear and easy sounding, that I just had to do it. Cup of cream, several eggs, and your filling, and just toss it into the oven, what could be simpler? I made mine with bacon, mushrooms, gruyere, and carmelized onion.

Oh yes, definately add some bacon to the chowder, bacon and crawfish are perfect together. Perhaps something for a little texture as well? I'm thinking peanuts added late in the cooking just so they soften up a little might be great.

How does calves liver compare in taste to full grown cow liver? I am assuming that what I usually get at diners is full grown cow liver, which I like quite a bit, the strong taste doesn't turn me off. I never thought to ask for it to be prepared medium or rarer, actually, they have never asked, I always just assumed liver had to be well done. Is there any safety issue with cow or chicken liver being done anything less than fully cooked? Is it safer or more dangerous than the other parts of the animal?

From Bombay Sapphire to Hendricks? They seem so very different to me, the Bombay being "bigger" and "hotter". ← They are different, but that doesn't mean they both aren't very good. I enjoy Booker's Bourbon, I also enjoy Maker's Mark, and they are completely different animals as well, sometimes variety is the spice of life. I show virtually no brand loyalty when it comes to liquor, I certainly have my favorites and all, but I want to try everything there is out there.

I don't really dig on most mixed drinks, about as fancy as I go is a martini or a bit of soda water. So, I would recommend: 1. Booker's Bourbon (just serve it up neat or with a light splash of spring water) 2. Bombay Sapphire or Hendrick's Gin for Martinis 3. Some sort of Vodka for mixing with juices and etc.

Err, did I somehow pick a controversial avatar? Where does everyone find this Latin American market Mayo? Do you only see it in the south or can you find it in Mexican groceries in other parts of the country? I am going to have to be on a hunt for this stuff now, it sounds really good.

I well echo the love for the Indian frozen dinners mentioned above. A local Indian grocery carries Djeet brand, and their Panak Paneer frozen dinner is pretty darn good, and surprisingly healthy. Some others I forgot: Texas Toast (by some brand that had Texas in the name, I think, and some convoluted story on the back about why the toast is authentic even though the recipe it from somewhere else and it is made in another state, still though, great Texas Toast especially if you can toss it on a grill a bit, especially the garlic version). TGI Friday's Buffalo Wings - Though not nearly as good as ones you can order or make yourself, they will do in a pinch, and take hardly any time at all.

Thanks to getting better with alternative breadings and batters and rediscovering my deep-fryer I have been eating more deep fried foods lately. Buffalo wings are around once a week during football season, sometimes more. I like to make chicken parm by coating the chicken cutlets in an egg wash, then rolling in grated parmesan cheese, then deep frying that. The cheese forms a nice brown crispy crust that gives texture plus a lot of flavor. I have been wondering what would happen if I tried to deep fry chunks of sausage... I might do that this week. I also attempted to make my own corn chips. The dough I made from corn bran actually tasted very good, but I haven't gotten the recipe right to fry up to the correct consistency, too much like tamale dough, which is a great thing, but not corn chips.

At least the nice thing about sodium is that it is a very temporary issue. Just drink lots of water within the next couple days and it is all flushed away.

Bacon and mayo is a match made in heaven! Crispy fried fat with emulsified salty fat... just yum ;) Hehe, hey, my love for mayo is a major reason I chose LC for a method of weight-loss!

ah, bleachboy, someone after my own heart. Really, no other condiment has the same fatty richness as mayo. I am going to have to find some ways to use it in other dishes as well. It would seem a natural for casseroles, but seems to take on an odd texture when baked... EDIT: But really, what beats that first bite into a way too big rare hamburger? The beef juices/blood, mayo, melted cheese, tomato juices, mustard, mayo,, horseradish, etc, all running down your chin ? Ahhh, I'm in heaven at that moment.

So when is the next round going to be announced? Gumbo, though wonderful, has been going on for over a week. Come on now, give us something new to cook!

Wow, unfortunately I haven't been able to indulge in many of these items in quite a while, but I used to really like: Frozen pierogies, really, just as good as fresh made, and all it takes is a quick trip to the skillet or deep fryer and a date with a jar of sour cream to make an awesome dinner. Red Baron Breakfast Pizzas: The regular red baron pizzas are utter crap, but the breakfast pizzas, especially the bacon, egg, cheese, and gravey, are utter bliss. Goya brand beef empanadas are also really good, although IMO defrosting and deep frying is a must for the proper texture.