Jamie Lee

Suzilightening: Your list had me cracking up! I especially like the notation -Workout (followed by a question mark!) Domestic Goddess: The "Nothing Book" rocks! To all, Keep them coming... every list is better than the last one!

This will not likely crack you up, but it did me. As a single adult, with severe eating limitations, I couldn't believe the bounty of coconut milk I discovered in my pantry as I prepared to move! Who, other than Bruce, needs this much coco milk!

Just finished The Tummy Trigology... it's a fabulious read. Trillin is a delightful author, a great read, and full of laughs. He happened to be well versed in a favorite town of mine (Kansas City) and is enamored of several favorite haunts of mine - Arthur Bryant's, Gates, Strouds to name a few. His insight in NYC "small town" spots is legendary. If you haven't read it, you must!

Pics are not so good, but I tried to make the "cover story" from October's Bon Appetit.... Cabernet Braised Short Ribs with Gorgonzola Polenta. It starts with this: And morphs to this : And this: And I can't believe I don't have a final pic! It was beautiful and tasty! Edited to add final pic:

This pic gets my vote for Oscar for Best Pet Picture!! The intensity, the desire, the aggressiveness.... it's so a winner! I love your blog, but with your permission, this will be my new wallpaper, and if you agree, my new avatar. (I think I'd just use the eyes!)

Snowangel: What is that about us humans? My my bro and I seemed to have an inbred adversion to taking the "last" of whatever... even though we just had to eat it and then put it on the list... My mom would just get crazy about two crackers in the Triscuit box, two tablespoons in the milk carton, a quarter cup of cereal in the Crispies box. Why are we/kids so famously afraid of taking the "last" (Probably a new thread in the making!) Damn, I still do that even tho I'm single and living on my own!

Pictures please?

My humble offering... Loved Scallion Pancakes a few weeks ago... so I decided to try pancakes with: Other add-ins. Zucchini, peas (frozen), corn (frozen) and roasted red peppers (jarred). I made the savory p-cake batter, added minced shallots and plenty of garlic.. Made pancakes.. first "entree sized", by pouring batter into heated, greased saute pan, then top with veggies named above. Then made bite sized dollops.. again adorned with veggies on the first side, then browned wonderfully once turned. Hopefully pics aren't too bad! NOPE.. Just saw them again and they SUCK. Entree sized up top, attempted app size on other trays, dipping sauces are a soy/sweet concoction and a yoghurt/cilantro/ginger "try-out"... As usual, they tasted SO much better than they looked, and work at room temp as well.

Mom started by teaching me how to set the table... (For you Canadian friends, we were on a family camping trip, and heard the CA guests next to us... mom asked young daughter, "PLEAASE lay the table!". Bro and I laughed until we cried (we were in primary school at the time) but it really cracked us up! Oh to be young and silly again! Anyway, salads came next, then Hamburger Helper, spaghetti sauce, scrambled eggs. Our deal became she cooks, I clean or I cook, she cleans. No Contest! (I hate cleaning.) My sweetest memory is when mom was hospitalized for a hysterectomy. In those days it was usually a week stay. I was designated "head cook" for Dad and Bro - Men don't cook, don't you know! - and I was sixth grade, I think. Of course, I couldn't drive, and wasn't really good at handling money so the deal was this: I made the list, Dad did the shopping, I cooked and cleaned. The memorable time was when I gave Dad a list... and he saw: It's a re-creation of course, but my lousy handwriting hasn't changed much! So Dad is shopping, and sees this on the list. He thinks, "Lamb? We never have lamb? Where in the world did she come up with this one?" BUT.... he decides I'm working hard and if I want to experiment, he'll play along. He finds some 3# lamb cut (?) and proudly brings it home. You all know it... It was HAMB - short for HAMBURGER, and was supposed to make three Hamburger Helper meals in the next week! I didn't know lamb, never had eaten lamb, didn't know how to cook lamb! We did an "emergency" run for hamburger meat, and I called my Grandma.... a british ex-pat who helped me roast the lamb and serve it with mint jelly (YUCK). The actual meal didn't work, but I'll always remember my Dad shopping and willing to trust his 11 year old daughter in her menu selections!

It's interesting... of list makers, there seem to be some of us, me included, that organize lists roughly according to the layout of the markets we frequent, and those of us who don't. This organization has become increasingly important to me, as medical issues have made getting around more difficult. With the sizes of the markets I go to, if I had to run back and forth, I'd have to use the store-provided scooters. (In my worst days, I did actually have to resort to that, but it made me terribly self-conscious.... ) Anyway, thanks to all for continuing to provide your notes and lists. I study all your lists, and while I don't post all my questions, I find them endlessly fascinating!

Day-Um! Magus, those look AWESOME! Keep turning out those bad boyz, and you're gonna be successful! Annarborfoodie: Thanks for the pics, both of the burgers and Magus!

Thanks for the post, Marlene - I agree with Andie, your writing is beautiful! What are you going to do with the ham hocks and feet? Is this something you can easily get at your "regular" grocery store as opposed to a butcher?

I know it will be shortly after this Herculean effort, but please consider documenting your time with Rancho Gordo - pics and diary! Have you met before?

Made a large vat of homemade chicken stock - it's been portioned in ice cube trays and ziplocks.... I did make a "desparation dinner" one night last week, it turned out only so-so.... Chicken/white bean chili: Chicken from stock-making, canned great northerns, canned tom w/ green chilis, cumin, chili powder. (No onions, I was out at the time...) It was okay, but no prize winner. It's stashed in the freezer, and I'll figure out a way to improve it for next time. And then, I made the CI Beef and Vegetable soup again - Damn, it's a keeper! Full and rich of meaty flavor. I used flank steak this time, although I liked the flat iron meat from the first better time. Picture of it plated up- "Before" And "After" It really is awesome tasting, and just gets better every time it's reheated. Spectacular for breakfast, too! More to come... (And thanks for all the wonderful posts to this thread!)

Andie: That is some list!

Thanks to everyone who has posted! You are all incredible.. I'd love to see "out of the USA" lists: Torakris, Chufi, helenjp, Abra, Peter the Eater... (not inclusive!) Regulars like: Marlene (you promised! ), Kim Shook, annecros, David Ross, Shelby, Percyn, C. Sapidus... (I hang out in "Whats for Dinner" quite a bit!).. also not inclusive! And all past foodbloggers! There are so many more!!! EVERYONE is welcome! Please post!

Fascinating thread... but don't forget to add your lists to this thread... we want to see all! Shopping Lists Thanks, all!

Damn Little Ms Foodie.... that sounds awesome!

Onions.. onions! How can you be out of onions??? I have totally great beef/veg soup, great chicken tortilla soup, great deep chicken stock, but no ONIONS! I'm so out of sorts... no onions! Next up... Onions, beets, lemons, bread, every thing natural, all things real... I have them all on my lists.... give it to me! Just waiting.

OMG, Marlene.. that looks GOOD!

Borscht... damn... borscht. Forget all my other dishes on the "Wish List"... I've got to have BORSCHT! If the gods will it, borscht is next on my list!

Thanks to everyone for their posts... I now have a cut on my left index finger... a sharp knife, a bad veg hold, and I just watched the knife slice into my flesh in almost slow motion. So I now have (all blood free ), three containers of tortilla chicken soup in the freezer, one in the fridge, four smaller containers of beef/veg soup in the freezer, one larger one in the fridge, two ice cube trays of intense chicken stock in the freezer plus two 1-1/2 cup amounts in zip-lock bags (also in the freezer)... My butcher is closed on Sunday and Monday, so I suppose that's a blessing, since I STILL WANT TO COOK! I have enuf stuff in my pantry for other soups, so I will perservere... tomorrow maybe chicken chili, or chunky tomato soup, or ....

Sandy, you're lists are precious! Thanks for posting! Between cat liitter, "moist cat food" and "dry cat food", your cat (s) is well cared for! What, however, is "gravy master"?

I don't know! I just mixed flour, scallions, an egg, some water, lots of garlic... and cooked in a skillet with oil. (S&P, of course.) Wish I would have browned them more... seems to be my culinary impairment... not letting things brown enough. I'm looking for a 12-step program to help me... Dipping sauce was "off the cuff" - soy, fresh lime juice, garlic/chili paste (sambal), fish sauce, hoisin sauce. (Sweet, Salty, Sour and Hot!) YUM. Will do again. A cheap, non-exotic ingredient, dish, which should probably be an app, but for a single gal, makes a meal!

Marcia: If I can post those anemic scallion pancakes, you surely can post whatever you're cooking! This post should be for the everyday cooks amongst us as well as the superstars! (God bless the superstars for all the inspiration! ) Please post. I will too on a regular basis, ok? :wink Edited: Stupid typos.