Pam R

Michelle - are you using soup/mature chicken or something younger? I have used fryer/broiler/younger legs and had them come out not-so-dry, but I have never used a boiling fowl that didn't get dry while cooking. And yes, the wings will be less dry than the legs/breasts.

Wings have a high bone/fat/skin to meat ratio. I prefer wings - but legs would work too. Wings are also less expensive than legs. If I'm not using the meat, then why spend the money? I'm sure opinions will differ on this. I don't think it would make a significant difference. Yes - to several parts of your question. The meat does get dry - though it is usable for some things. If you prefer, you can simmer the chicken until the meat is just done - then remove it from the bones. Return the bones, skin, fat the the pot and continue simmering. Having said that, the meat is perfectly fine for kreplach filling, and we make chicken pot pies out of it as well. It is usable, just not great to throw back into the soup. No. I do rinse my chicken before adding it to the pot - the scum still rises.

And I thought all Minnesota hot dishes had to have tater tots in them! I'd never heard of a hotdish until I went to university in Northern Minnesota - creamy and starchy casserole is what I think of.

I'm right there with Steven. If I'm using a written recipe, I tend to copy it onto paper and take that into the kitchen.

They must've been nationwide. I remember that bloody jingle on St. Louis radio in the 60s. Just how big were they, I wonder? And what made them go under? ← They're still around in some places. We have several here, and every once in a while a commercial is aired on TV with the jingle. We also have lots of A&W.

They are a Canadian specialty. Currants are used in them - but more often made with raisins now.

I use a knife, unless I'm peeling carrots at the same time. I don't think there's any more waste using a knife (paring, not chef) rather than a peeler.

Oh oh! I hate that too. Good point. During the winter I can use the deck to freeze baking sheets full of stuff. But otherwise I'm out of luck. Also, with no ice maker, I end up pouring 1/2 the water out of the ice tray more often than not - it's hard to find the ice tray shelf, and things are too tight in there.

I regret getting a bottom freezer. Stuff goes in and is never seen again. I was much happier with a top freezer that I could see into.

Folks, I'm afraid I'm calling it a night. It was such a pleasure blogging with Susan and Judith this week - and sharing the week with all of you. Thanks for spending the time with us - happy cooking.

Everything is better with lemon. I'm so glad you posted about the halibut. It sounds delicious . . . I even have a bag of smoked almonds . . . Thanks for the idea!!

It's so nice to hear that so many people are making soup this week. I made a pot of roasted pepper soup tonight - very easy. Simply roast a tray full of bell peppers (I used orange and yellow tonight) at 375 until they were nice and black (well, black and yellow - good colour combo). Into a bowl and covered with plastic to steam for a while . . . Then I peeled them, discarding the skins and reserving the juices. Saute an onion in olive oil until softened - add a couple of potatoes, peeled and sliced; the peppers and their juices and cover with stock. Add some salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are soft - then whiz everything up. I use an immersion blender. You can add a little cream at this point, but I didn't. Served with some garlicky croutons. Sorry there are no pictures.

I tried to carry the 150 lbs. of potatoes to the car - it just didn't work. And wouldn't you know? The one spot that isn't completely flat in Winnipeg is where I parked the Jeep. Pushing the cart up the little hill in the snow almost killed me this morning.

At the wholesale today, I was inexplicably drawn to a box of Kozy Shack rice pudding. Lunch today, a 4 oz. cup of rice pudding and a large cup of Rooibos tea with cinnamon and vanilla.

Back in the day, I ran the food service at a community center/school/office type of place - and at a local university. I'd make huge batches of batter - in different flavours - then package them up in liter deli containers and freeze. Every afternoon, I'd pull an assortment out of the freezer and place in the fridge - in the morning we'd bake off an assortment of fresh muffins (as little as two of each type, or a tray of each type if I had orders). Worked like a charm.

-34 C, -44 C with the wind here. ** The Winnipeg Free Press headline of the day: "It's cold. Deal with it." Sigh. I woke up with the beginnings of a terrible cold. Breakfast was scrambled eggs and tea. Followed that with 2 Advil and so far, about 6 Ricola. On my way to work I went to the wholesale - there are people cooking in our kitchen here (not me, of course) and they needed some supplies. 150 lbs. of potatoes, a few cases of eggs, couple of sacks of flour, couple of boxes of canola oil, tuna, and some vegetables. Schlepping that cart across the parking lot in these temperatures wasn't fun. I need a nap now. ** ETA - actually reading that article now, apparently yesterday was the coldest day in 11 years. Obviously a soup blog couldn't have been timed better.

Bedtime here folks. Good night and stay warm!

BTW - there will be soup tomorrow. I've already done some of the prep for it tonight. Couldn't end the blog without soup, could I?

If we've done nothing else this week, Bruce, at least we've done that! Have no fears, the temperatures tomorrow will make you feel just as balmy!

No soup tonight folks. Sorry. I did cook though. First, everything but the kitchen sink Israeli cous cous. Heat olive oil, add mushrooms, peppers, celery, onion and cook a few minutes. Add couscous to 'toast' (I used toasted cous cous . . .), then stock, s&p. Summer 8-10 minutes, covered. Let it sit and absorb the liquid for another 10 minutes or so. And chicken schnitzel: With some swiss chard sauteed in olive oil with garlic, it's dinner:

My meat supplies are whatever I carry in the store . I do have ground lamb. Interesting, I never would have thought of it. Thanks Rebecca!

Ok. I'll go with the logical questions. Ice cream - today??? Capris and thongs???

Susan- I was thinking the same thing. I could use chicken - do you buy the skins/wrappers?

Susan - they look great. What's in the filling? Do you dip them? In what?

Judith - I hope you're staying warm! Just had lunch. A good tossed salad and some not so good fake chicken nuggets. I don't generally eat these things, but I do sell them - and I was trying a new brand that several people had asked for. I'm not sure why. I'm busy working on orders here (we bring in 99% of the items we sell in our store from Toronto and Montreal - and I spend a lot of time putting together and typing up orders) and trying to warm up. I've been freezing since I left the house this morning.