Shel_B

Hi ... Thanks for the ideas. I like the chicken salad concept especially well. Adding it to soup will work just fine, too. If we had a dog, it would probably enjoy such a treat, however, neither GF nor I like to waste food, so it's nice to get some ideas from y'all.

My GF brought some leftover chicken home from a "rubber chicken" dinner. Last night we wanted to have it for dinner, but the chicken (breast meat) was a bit dry and hard. Is there a good way to make such chicken, and perhaps other meats and leftovers, more palatable. I cooked it in a sauce of lemon, garlic, wine, and some herbs, and it wasn't awful, but perhaps there's some other treatment that can be done to ot. Thanks!

Various nutritional guidelines suggest eating X-number of portions or servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. What, or how much, is a portion or serving size? Are the portions diferent for different foods? Thanks!

Yes! I also tried adding some freshly-made salsa, and that was pretty good. Had to be sure to drain the salsa well, though ...

Yes, I found that there is a real defference between brands. I tried draining some through a sieve and it reduced the "soupiness" quite a bit. I prefer the 4% fat but some 2% gave me the results I like.

I just finished a half-loaf a few days ago. The bread is very flavorful and crisps up nicely. I'll get it again ....

That mango peeling and cutting trick is GREAT! It eliminates my biggest objections to trimming mangos and probably the need or desire for a gadget to do the job. Thanks!!!

We eat mangos about three times a week, and it's getting to the point that I'd like to get a mango pitter. We usually eschew such gadgets, but it seems that this may be worthwhile for us. So, are all mango pitters the same? What should I look for when selecting a pitter? Do some get closer to the pit than others? What's a good price for such a gadget? Thanks!

Lately I've been thinking about Grandma Bessie's split pea soup, which she made with flanken. I'd love to get some ideas for making this comforting soup in a traditional manner ... Thanks!

I usually drink my coffee black and without sugar, making it at home in a French press. However, I sometimes want cream, and when I do it's manufacturer's cream, or heavy cream. What a difference from milk or half-and-half, or even the typical whipping cream. Talk about mouth feel!

I like a variety of beers, and there are times when Budweiser does the trick for me. When it's a hot day, and I want something refreshing and quenching, I'll often choose Bud over any number of other beers. Yet, at other times, there are many beers that I'd prefer over Bud ...

http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=649345&storeId=10052&langId=-1 http://www.meijer.com/s/meijer-white-baking-chips-vanilla-flavored-1-bag-11-oz/_/R-131582

I came across a few recipes for "Jerusalem Kugel," which is made with caramelized sugar. The sugar in all the recipes is made by cooking it in vegetable oil. That's something new to me. Why oil? What does it bring to the party when making kugel? Is there another or better option for this type of kugel? Thanks!

Yes to the additional cheese. I'm going to start with Trader Joe's parmesan - I like the flavor even though it's not a Reggiano. Sweet might be a nice flavor profile, but I'm not a big fan of sweet things (except chocolate!) Thanks!

I love caramelized onions - make 'em several times a year. I thought about mushrooms but perhaps they may add too "earthy" a taste to the dish. Thanks!

I've tried the dish with small curd cottage cheese, and it doesn't hold together well (for my taste, anyway). I've never observed a taste difference between small and large curd cottage cheese of the same brand and fat content, although I have observed that some small curd cheese is more watery than some large curd cheese. The green onions, like other suggestions of adding herbs and spinach, seems like something to try. We just got some beautiful green onions at the Farmers' Market yesterday ... Thanks!

Three people have suggested using butter, which I use butter when making this dish, as noted in the recipe. I think nutmeg was on my short list of additions to try, along with red peppers. A little bit of blue cheese (thanks, Jaymes!) sounds like a good choice, as does a little parmesan sprinkled on top. I don't think I'd try all of these at the same time, though.

Here's an old family recipe that Mom used to make for us kids. I sometimes make it for my own enjoyment, both of the taste and for nostalgia. However, I'd like to kick it up a notch, although without creating something complicated or too different. So, here's the challenge: What one or two ingredients can be added to this recipe to give it a little more interest? Thanks for any ideas. Mom's Noodles and Cheese 1 pkg Goodman's wide egg noodles (or comparable brand) Cottage cheese (large curd, full fat) margarine (or butter) fresh ground black pepper (optional, not in Mom's repertoire) Cook noodles according to directions on package, drain. Put some margarine in the warm pot while noodles are draining, add the noodles back to the pot, turn heat up to med or so, and add a little more margarine if needed. Add as much cottage cheese as you like, stir to mix with noodles and margarine enough to warm the cheese to your preference, season to taste with some pepper and serve on pastel colored Melmac plates or in bowls.

What about eggs? Many (Most?) of the recipes I've read include eggs, although I was wondering how the cheesecake may turn out if only egg yolks were used. Thanks!

Long ago I learned that hands are of different sizes <LOL>. My GF's hand and my hand can hold substantially different amounts. Is Thompson a big guy, small, tiny? How big are his hands? OTOH, many early recipes that I have don't define ingredient amounts very precisely. When did precision start showing up in recipes?

For many dishes in numerous situations you're right. But, if the size of the cut adds something to a dish, such as maintaining a certain texture, or appearance, then the size may matter. It could also matter for cooking time. Just a couple of quick thoughts.

True, however, a recent example I came across was for mac 'n' cheese. The ingredient list called for a "package" of pasta. Well, packages come in various sizes, and over the past couple-three years, have been downsized. A 1-lb box of spaghetti looks the same today as one from a few years ago, bit the contents can be as little as 12-oz. On a similar note, what is semi-sweet and bitter-sweet chocolate? What is the cocoa or chocolate content? Sugar content? Thanks!

Thanks! Is there some place where these definitions can be found?

This morning I was reviewing some recipes and realized that there are a number of terms and descriptions that are not clear to me. Perhaps someone can help define them. How big is a "small," "medium," and "large" saucepan? What is the difference between mince, dice, and chop? How large are the pieces of a fine, medium, and rough or coarse chop or dice? When a vegetable is made into matchstick-sized pieces, how big are the pieces? Maybe there are others with similar questions. Thanks!

Thanks! As it turns out, Toots has a few springform pans - I should have asked her first. So, that issue is solved. I am going to try a goat cheese version next week, after gathering the ingredients. I'll let everyone know how it turns out. Thanks!