snowangel

I want to see a picture of your sandwich. I'm home days, and had to resort to a bowl of Cheerios for lunch. Sob!

I used regular bake, but decided that next time I would try convection and see if it made any difference. I"ll probably get to this fairly soon since Heidi was so taken with the souffles. While we're asking questions, when I made them, I used individual ramekins. I wonder how much difference there would be if I just made one big one?

I'm with you on the sentiment, and I also understand your astonishment at running across a whole bunch o' ready-cut veggies. ← BTW, there is a certain portion of the population who, because of disability or illness, simply don't have the strength or dexterity or sense of balance to chop their own stuff, and for them, this stuff is a god-send. For me, I too find chopping therapeutic! Another vote for Starwich. Are you thinking off the menu or creat-your-own?

Another successful venison meal. Vension braised with rhubarb and honey. I've talked about it here. Nancy, I do see stroganoff on the table soon!

Ronnie, I see smoking in the future this weekend. As soon as my husband fixes the crankshaft seal on my car, I also see picking up some small pieces of belly at the local Asian market (they don't have the big honkers) and sticking them on the smoker in my future. The thought of those bellies...I can barely contain myself. Arne, very nice. Mouthwateringly beautiful!

I also made this dish, and it looked like it was fated not to happen. I started mine last Tuesday and we finally got to it last night! I had noted this recipe last summer, and when I harvested rhubarb, I specifically put aside the right amount in a ziplock in the freezer. Since I don't really like raisins, I opted not to include them. And, instead of using beef brisket, I used vension. Heaven knows, I have enough of it! It looked like a briskety piece, so I figured why not? So, when I started the braise last week, I only added half of the rhubarb, per the instructions. When I thought we were going to eat it last Friday, I added the rest of the rhubarb, but before I could get it into the oven, realized that we weren't eating dinner as a family that night, so out of the deck (outdoor fridge/freezer) it went. When this thing was in the oven yesterday, it quickly became apparent that it does, indeed need the raisins, so I added them (I didn't have any golden ones, so used regular dark ones). Over mashed, with caesar salad and pan roasted asparagus. Count this as another real winner. This is probably my favorite potroasted recipe in the book. And, works with more cuts than just the brisket, as Marlene noted above. The vension (as is the case with most venison) was not very well marbled, but this was tender and succulent. And, as both Marlene and I have proven, this dish is very forgiving of changing plans!

I have a five-pound prime rib I'm thinking of smoking. I know a bit downtopic, it was mentioned that this one was on for about 6-1/2 hours. Any clues as to how long a 5 pounder would take?

Nothing says "I really don't care about you" like paper plates and plastic flatware. Instant turnoff!

Rochelle, can you get to the library and check out a copy of Molly Steven's All About Braising book? Tons of ideas in that book that would work very well. There a whole topic on Braising with Molly!

Megan, you've given us such a tour! And such a beautiful dinner tonight. Tomorrow, how about a typical Sunday. And on Monday, a typical lunch and dinner for you.

Beautiful, Marlene! What did you drink with dinner? With dessert? After dessert? And, you really should change the title of this topic to something that reflects that your entertaining season never really ends!

Rochelle, I think so much depends on the group and the purpose. I entertain a lot, and don't give a second thought to it. I invite various combinations of the same people. Often I don't plate, and do a family style meal, which can be very successful if the food is terrific. I guess my reason for entertaining is that I love spending time with these people. I will often combine fairly labor intenstive apps with a very casual meal, or visa versa. Menu is always dictacted by what's fresh and local, and there are very few that I experiment with. Quite frankly, my most successful dinner parties revolve around smoked butt or brisket (impresses the heck out of guests!). I've also had success with soup, bread, salad and a great dessert. If I have close friends coming, I'll attempt something more ambitious with plated courses -- when I know I'm going to have great company in the kitchen. If someone hasn't had many dinner parties, I'd say start with something that's familiar, and invite people you like, and you know would get along. It's really important that the dinner be fun for all involved, and if the hostess/host is too stressed, it's just not fun. And, clean the house and get the table, dishes, etc. ready well ahead of time, as Heather said. The last "housekeeping" detail is always a quick buff of the counters and fresh handtowels in the bathroom.

Sara talked about her relationship with the Beastie Boys over here.

Oh, sure, she's the Queen of the North-but now I know what the real deal is. Hell, I could probably live up there. It's not so bad, at least not the way that they do it. ← I don't need no stinking house for ice fishing! (Peter is at a birthday party this weekend. On Mille Lacs. Ice fishing. The boys, according to the dad, have landed several nice perch.) Arne, I didn't think you'd have any trouble figuring out what to do with that hock.

Arne, while I typically have a stall somewhere in the 160's, I have had them earlier and later. Don't worry. And, if you fear that all of your thermometer's have broken, go by what I did before I even had a termometer -- the bone wiggle test! And, to the hock. Any of your ideas work. I've also put the meat into omelets and frittatas, but my favorite way to eat them is standing over the sink!

I'm laughing right now, Brad, because tomorrow night will be a venison with rhubarb braise. The venison was a gift, and the rhubarb was from the garden. There was an onion, a smattering of herbs and a little dry vermouth, but this dish will be as inexpensive as they come. But, I think that to a certain degree you are right -- depending on the ingredients, but I also appreciate Mottmott's point. A braised dish, and a hunk of meat that doesn't require braising (be it a steak or a prime rib roast or whatever) are not the same type of dish whatsoever. What I really appreciate about braised dishes, and why I make them so often is that they are so fast to get on the table! I can make the braise ahead of time, reheat it, and the window during which they are good is huge! The braise for tomorrow night is made, and will only require a reheat, which give me a lot of time leeway at which time to serve dinner.

I didn't take a picture of breakfast today, but Heidi and Paul had cheese omelets, and I had a chive omelet. I snipped some frozen chives from the garden! On the side, an obscene amount of bacon.

Marlene, I have a couple of cookbooks that advocate a slow roasting (none as slow as Jack's) and they all say salt and pepper.

I souffled, successfully! Before: After: I used 8 oz ramekins. Bechamel with 1 cup of milk, a mess of odd bits of cheese that were rattling around, 3 eggs. I think I could have beat the egg whites a little longer. 400 oven for about 25 minutes, but could probably have gone another couple of minutes, maybe not. Very successful. It was just Heidi and I tonight, and I got part of one of the souffles, and she inhaled the rest of them! Lori, fear not. Really rather simple!

Friday, February 24, 2006 In the Strib's Taste section: A Tour of Local Supermarkets Sounds like the Byerly's St. Louis Park location remake is quite something! Wonder if they still have the chandaliers above the frozen food? A short interview with Laura Werlin, who's coming to the Twin Cities for the upcoming Food & Wine Experience. There's a listing of Local Wine Schools. In the Strib's Entertainment section: The 10 Best Beer Experiences in the Twin Cities. The annual Bockfest is being held tomorrow at Schell's Brewery in New Ulm. It's one of the oldest family-owned breweries in the country, and if you've never been, go. It's a fun place to visit, and the grounds are really beautiful. There's review of Trocodaros, which sounds like a place with multiple personalities, but the verdict on the food was quite good. Boo Hoo. Counter Intelligence includes news that Hamlin's Cafe (on Nicollet between 5th and 6th) is closing. Back when I started working downtown, before the day and age of food cafeterias, Hamlin's was a mainstay. The food was good, and they always remembered you. In the Pioneer Press's Restaurant section: Another review of Fugaise. This review was not as positive as the ones that have appeared in the Strib or City Pages, but still an excellent review. In Restaurant News a fight over the Kitty Cat Klub has morphed into a lawsuit. Going Global -- news of new French, Italian and Vietnamese restaurants. In CityPages, Jessica Armbruster goes in search of the Best Hot Toddy. <><><><><> Media Digest Notes... Updates from some Twin Cities media outlets, which do not 'go to press' by Friday each week, may be edited into each week's post as they become available. Please do not reply on this thread. For discussion of any stories which are linked here, please feel free to start a new thread or contact the forum host or the "digester" who will be happy to do it for you.

Bravo Tammy! Did the diners appreciate this meal? And, I can't remember what you usually figure per head. Did you go over?

Wendy, count me among the fans of the covered LC method to which Jason linked.

I don't think soaking makes much of a difference in cooking time, Wendy, so unless it's dinner in a hurry, you should be just fine. Canned beans work, however they can mush if you cook them very long (I always make sure and have a couple of cans of Canellini's and black beans on hand.

If I want to make individual souffles, what size ramekins are best? If the ramekins are the 7 oz size, how many eggs per ramekin?

My mission to rid my freezer of the boatload of venison I have continues. I have made a curry (Thai) with some odd bits that were in chunks. I cheated and used canned curry paste, and added a can of bamboo shoots (drained) which had been hanging around, just waiting to be used. No photos, as I was camera-less at the time, but it was a good and worthy use of the venison. Tonight, I made a venison chili (again) Details here Stay tuned for a venison braise, riffed from Molly Steven's All About Braising. Pot-Roasted Brisket with Rhubarb and honey. It's done, and frozen on the deck, awaiting Sunday night. Promises to be divine, if nibbles count as a taste test. I'm just waiting for a night when school activities and girl's hockey high school state tourney doesn't interfere.