Susie Q

My mother's recipe notebooks. The first one, a larger notebook, started in the late 40's when she was learning to cook as a teenager which she kept adding to until the early 60's. Then there is the set of 6 each two inches thick. The first one filled with generations of family favorites and the other 5 are filled of recipes culled from other sources. They are part of what I would grab if a fire were to break out.

I think we should all send Fat Guy our extra bags so that he can turn from his life of crime.

Last Fall I bought a Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker, model #WWM200PC. $50 at Costco, it's more at other places. It works great. Pros: Rotates 180 degrees. After you fill it you flip over and it makes for very light waffles. It's easy to clean. Just wipe it down. LED and Audio signal when they are done. Browning Selector- Can make waffles that are just barely baked, good if you want to make extra for "toaster waffles", up to a well done VERY crispy waffle which my dad prefers. I leave them in a bit longer after the Done Signals go off to get the super brown that my dad likes. Possible Cons (Some may think so but I do not): Much easier to clean up if you use Pam spray instead of oil and brush. One surface is tilted up so the oil will drip down. Not a small unit. It's big and can take up alot of space if space is at a premium for you. I keep mine in it's box in the garage and get it out when I use it about twice a month. The recipie I like best so far, and I'm still searching, is the one from Christopher Kimball's The Cook's Bible, page 350. I add some sugar to the buttermilk recipe and leave out the cornmeal. The Sweet Milk Variation he offers is way to bitter for my taste. But as I said I'm still searching for an A-1 recipe. Nancy HM, Would you post the recipe for those Oh Boy Waffles? I'd sure appreciate it. I have the old red and white 1950's Betty Crocker Cookbook but not the BH&G one.

...to have one's french fries STOLEN! A Capital Offense at my table unless I'm the one doing it.

Toe-fug Toe-Phew - Tofu that has gone off.

Peeking [insert name of animal here] - Anything presented and served with it's head still attached.

Love these! I griningly noticed that most of these are questioned by spell-check as I save them. For me I Baffle, Thwap, and Splodge. Baffle - To whip. Thwap - To beat. Splodge - To drop and smear as best and neatly as one can...for example spreading ricotta for lasagna. Fludge - Flopped fudge that didn't measure up.... as in... Spoon Fludge - Runny fudge, best scooped up and eaten with a spoon. Fludge Crunch - Hard fudge, best crumbled into or over ice cream.

I wrote Applbee's off when I ordered some quasi-asian dish on two different locations . Both times I asked for some extra soy and both times I was told that the kitchen didn't have any. WTH? How can you have asian food on the menu and not have soy in the kitchen?

Cracklin' Oat Bran is just this side of a cookie. So some nights I do have "Cookies" and milk.

Supertasters "Usually don't like coffee, grapefruit, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and spinach." mmmm..... for a supposed supertaster I like all of the above. However the ink test looked normal.

What was your family food culture when you were growing up? Southern and Mid-western. with Arizona and California influences. Both parents worked but meals were mostly from scratch. When young, I and my brother grew up with "No Thank You Servings" which meant that a bit of everything was to be put on our plate and honestly tried. Food was important. When my grandfather would come to visit us from Missouri, his clothes were in a small duffel bag, but in his giant suitcase was produce from his farm and home canned goods from my grandmother's pantry. We also grew up with everyone who came home from an event or some place else talking about the food which seemed to always be described in detail. Was meal time important? Yes. The evenings were really the only time we could all gather together. Was cooking important? Yes, and when my brother and I were old enough she spent a summer teaching us how to cook. It became our responsibility to start the evening meal after school. She would put the finishing touches on it when she got home. What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table? Mama taught us manners very early so I don't remember any penalty. Friends parents were impressed with my table manners. Who cooked in the family? Mama, then my brother and I. My dad would only cook at Scout Camp. Were restaurant meals common, or for special occassions? More common when I was younger. Because both of my parents were working we at out maybe twice during the weekdays. As my brother and I got older we became responsible for starting meals each week night. Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over? no. When did you get that first sip of wine? I was about 4 or 5. Was there a pre-meal prayer? Only if my dad's side of the family were visiting. Was there a rotating menu (e.g., meatloaf every Thursday)? No. On holidays we had certain things. How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life? My mama left 5 notebooks of hand written recipes she had collected since high school. One just of family recipes alone. Some going back to my great great great grandmother. I cook from those books. I've always enjoyed making "family food" but now it's a way of still feeling connected to family as my mother and grandmothers are gone. Having certain holiday foods, knowing that I'm making the same Applesauce Cake that my great grandmother did it roots me. And I make kids who visit have "No Thank You Servings" too.

What was your family food culture when you were growing up? Southern and Mid-western. with Arizona and California influences. Both parents worked but meals were mostly from scratch. When young, I and my brother grew up with "No Thank You Servings" which meant that a bit of everything was to be put on our plate and honestly tried. Food was important. When my grandfather would come to visit us from Missouri, his clothes were in a small duffel bag, but in his giant suitcase was produce from his farm and home canned goods from my grandmother's pantry. We also grew up with everyone who came home from an event or some place else talking about the food which seemed to always be described in detail. Was meal time important? Yes. The evenings were really the only time we could all gather together. Was cooking important? Yes, and when my brother and I were old enough she spent a summer teaching us how to cook. It became our responsibility to start the evening meal after school. She would put the finishing touches on it when she got home. What were the penalties for putting elbows on the table? Mama taught us manners very early so I don't remember any penalty. Friends parents were impressed with my table manners. Who cooked in the family? Mama, then my brother and I. My dad would only cook at Scout Camp. Were restaurant meals common, or for special occassions? More common when I was younger. Because both of my parents were working we at out maybe twice during the weekdays. As my brother and I got older we became responsible for starting meals each week night. Did children have a "kiddy table" when guests were over? no. When did you get that first sip of wine? I was about 4 or 5. Was there a pre-meal prayer? Only if my dad's side of the family were visiting. Was there a rotating menu (e.g., meatloaf every Thursday)? No. On holidays we had certain things. How much of your family culture is being replicated in your present-day family life? My mama left 5 notebooks of hand written recipes she had collected since high school. One just of family recipes alone. Some going back to my great great great grandmother. I cook from those books. I've always enjoyed making "family food" but now it's a way of still feeling connected to family as my mother and grandmothers are gone. Having certain holiday foods, knowing that I'm making the same Applesauce Cake that my great grandmother did it roots me. And I make kids who visit have "No Thank You Servings" too.

Growing up I didn't drink much milk except with cereal nor did I eat cheese. I wasn't allergic. I just didn't care for it. I did like a bit of heavy cream poured over hot peach pie, yogurt and oddly I liked leftover cornbread crumbled in buttermilk. About 7 years ago I started drinking milk more often. Don't really remember why I starte but now I average a cup a day ( FULL FAT baby!) and I'll even drive the extra 4 miles to buy it in a glass bottle.

I have my mama's wooden spoon. It has the shape of a regular tablespoon but it's much much bigger. For some reason it split right up the middle of the bowl. I've kept it hoping to find some one to carve me another. I may have to do it myself but it's been 3 decades since I made a wooden spoon in jr. high woodshop class.

Korean japchae. Finally found the potato/glass noodles the recipe called for. Man it was good but I'm surprised by the huge amount of hidden salt and sugar in the dish.

I've pulled it back and up ever since I was a kid and was responsible for making my dad's lunches. The fourth time he found a hair in his sandwich he brought home a bunch of rubberbands.

Most days it's soft goat cheese topped with cherry preserves or orange marmalade. Other days it's soft goat cheese topped with sundried or fresh tomato, fresh basil, sweet onion and a grind of black pepper.

I grew up with a Swing-Away in the kitchen drawer and I'll die with a Swing-Away in the kitchen drawer. Smooth action, fast, $7, lasts for years. I like their jar opener too.

Thanks for the tips from your experience. I just may try your suggestions to retest my comments above and see how a mix tastes when using a better brand, buttermilk, etc. Welcome to eGullet by the way, also! ← You're very welcome and thanks. I agree about canned and "lard" frostings, and bakery cakes that taste like they came from a mix.... YUCK!

I've got two lemon trees (one is a meyer) and a clementine tree. It got down into the high 30's where I am. They seem to be ok. Prices are still the same this week but people are already asking if I am going to use all my fruit... "Sorry, but I sure am."

Tried this twice last week in a small dutch oven with mixed results. The first turned out wonderful but not as high as some of ones in the pictures. The second was flavorful but flat. I may have let it rise too long the second time and it caught on the dishtowel when I flipped it. Yes, I did dust the towel with flour but maybe not enough. It was dense but with the great flavor and crust it was gone by the end of our meal.

I mainly bake cakes from scratch but I will also use boxed on a rare occasion, a spur of the moment emergency. I stick to Duncan Hines for mixes because I feel they taste better and I don't taste the levening as I do in the others. To improve the texture and flavor I substitute buttermilk for the water, always add extra vanilla, add extra spices or zest, add cocoa powder to the chocolate mixes along with a scoop of instant coffee.

While I thought the movie lacking in many things I loved the sets, food props and costumes so much so that I saw it again at the dollar movies.

Wow, My first post. My favorites...Babette's Feast, Big Night, Tampopo . Delicatessen was so funny.