[Feeding People with Special Dietary Needs and Challenging Personalities]

1 hour ago, patti said:

One lady in the group called me over and said she wanted a biscuit. I told her the kitchen was out of biscuits. 

 

“I want my biscuit.”

 

Her friend nervously offered to share her biscuit.

 

“I want my own biscuit.”

 

The friend offered her the entire biscuit, insisting that she have it. Nope.

 

The server walked up and apologized. “Ma’am, I’m so sorry. We had an unexpected group who came in for lunch earlier, and we’re out of biscuits.”

 

“I. WANT. MY. BISCUIT!”

 

This made me laugh (I'm sure it wasn't funny when it was happening). Wow, sounds like people really do revert back to childhood behavior.

 

 

[Feeding People with Special Dietary Needs and Challenging Personalities]

14 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

My youth had been scarred by Salisbury steak.  Never heard of it called hamburger steak.

 

 

I liked it - must have gravy, though! I saw my grandmother make it, once. (She "retired" early from cooking.)

 

[Fruit]

15 hours ago, KennethT said:

BTW - for anyone with green mango eating experience ( @liuzhou )... I want to keep some green and would like to try to ripen some.  Is that a good idea?  Will they ripen well if picked green?  Also, where's the best place to keep the ones I want to ripen, on the countertop?  It's about 75degF in my kitchen at all times.  Thank you!

 

IME, some types of mangoes are just better for eating green. Other types are better for eating ripe.

 

Even if that mango were to ripen on your counter, not sure it would be very sweet and delicious. But, might be worth it to experiment with a couple of them.

 

I would just put them on the countertop to ripen. (That has worked for me, but not with mangoes super-under-ripe like what you have.)

 

Looks delicious with those seasonings, BTW.

 

[Lunch 2021]

55 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

Yesterday a bunch of them were trashing American Cheese - Velveeta in particular.

 

@Kim Shook, I grew up eating (and liking) Velveeta. Have you noticed any change in the flavor? IMO, it's different now. I used to make stovetop mac and cheese with it and it's just not the same, IMO.

 

To stay on topic, your Jamaican patties look good. Haven't had a chance to try them yet.

 

[Feeding People with Special Dietary Needs and Challenging Personalities]

3 hours ago, patti said:

@heidih“Mask of neutrality,” is a term I learned from one of my participants. Occasionally, my mask was in danger of melting from the heat buildup.😜

 

That's a good skill (mask of neutrality), even if you feel different on the inside.

 

[Potato Chip Flavors]

I have a hard time veering from the Pringles sour cream & onion flavor.

[Heirloom Beans by Rancho Gordo (Steve_Sando)]

I like the Costco quinoa salad. It reminds me of a Greek salad. This is supposed to be an "authentic copycat" recipe of the Costco quinoa salad. (Not sure why the URL has the word chickpea in it; no chickpeas.)

 

https://www.cleaneatingkitchen.com/quinoa-chickpea-salad/

 

Anyway, maybe you can get some ideas from the ingredients list.

[The Soup Topic (2013–)]

Made more split pea soup. Sounds basic, but it helps to pre-soak the split peas. Used some canned diced tomatoes this time and left out the soyrizo.

 

 

[Salad 2016 –]

 

 

Garbanzo beans, feta cheese, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Vinegar / Tabasco dressing.

 

 

[How much plastic packaging do your area's grocery stores and supermarkets use?]

9 hours ago, cteavin said:

This is me coming back from the supermarket a little while ago. 

 

(I'm not trying to bash any country, I'm just curious how deeply envioronmentalism is impacting the every day.)

 

 

That looks like cut squash (kabocha?) in the foreground. IMO, it's understandable that pre-cut vegetables / fruits would be plastic-wrapped. I'm horrible at picking out stuff like watermelon, so I buy the cut fruit (so I can see the inside). That's always plastic-wrapped.

 

I've seen worse use of plastic, e.g., apples from Costco (packed in those multiple clamshell plastic containers).

 

[Favorite Cookie That's Not Homemade?]

24 minutes ago, Eatmywords said:

Not too many left that have the balls to use nuts. 

 

That's hilarious.

 

[Mining Meals - Pickaxe Not Included]

IMO, a lot of the meals looked good / tasty enough. I've eaten a lot of cafeteria-type food in my day, so, my expectations are dialed according to that.

 

Maybe @CantCookStillTry's husband is just used to the high quality of what he eats at home.

 

Maybe pack him more shelf-stable snacks? Can he bring in a hot water kettle (for ramen, etc.)?

[Confessions of a Novelty Confection Fiend]

The strawberry KitKat is supposed to be good. A friend of mine really likes that one.

[All About H Mart and Asian Groceries in the U.S.]

1 hour ago, Paul Bacino said:

I usually see tons of fish on ice in these markets...  I have yet to pull the tab.

 

I mean u can get mackerel, Butterfish ,Pompano, carp and a whole lot of other whole fish varieties ..that I have know idea.

Curious on thoughts of sea food from these markets.  

 

Why not give it a try? Lots of fish-eating cultures in Asia (e.g., Japan & Korea). I'm guessing the prices are reasonable as well.

 

[Your Daily Sweets: What Are You Making and Baking? (2017 – )]

@Kim Shook seems like she might have a good recipe for peanut butter cookies ...

[What is your favorite dessert to make?]

Probably carrot cake w/cream cheese frosting. Also, creme brûlée, but I've only made it once.

[Coconut milk vs. coconut cream vs. coconut water]

Reporting back on canned coconut "creams."

 

I tried two different kinds of canned coconut "creams," including the Whole Foods / 365 brand. I didn't notice any difference between these canned coconut creams and the various canned coconut milks I've used in the past.

 

I'm not saying that "coconut cream" and "coconut milk" are the same thing.

 

My conclusion: there's no regulation on what these products are called. It seems like marketing.

[Chicken Salad - Shredded or Sliced, Diced, Cubed?]

I'm more likely making / eating turkey salad sandwich (rather than chicken). I like small dice (maybe 1/4 inch), mixture of white & brown meat (more white), mayo, S&P, celery & onion.

[Camping, Princess Style]

7 hours ago, Smithy said:

Anna and rotuts have convinced me. This pork is flavorful but bland (who knows about the chiles) and probably needs something other than cheese to offset it, either in texture or flavor. A drizzle of barbecue sauce, topped by seasoned, buttered bread crumbs? I don't want to overdo the sauce because that's more a table condiment for us, but a little might be good.

 

Enchilada sauce and cheese? (I like cheese with pretty much everything.)

 

[Cooked salad dressing]

5 hours ago, lmarshal1 said:

I often make a bean salad with canallini beans, sliced celery, and green onions.  I use a dressing recipe written originally for a pasta salad:  sugar, dry mustard, cornstarch, and rice vinegar and a little water, cooked till thickened a bit.  I have family members who are pre-diabetic, so I tried this dressing with a little artificial sweetener instead of sugar, and it turned out pretty well, but still not quite what I had in mind.  Ideas/additions to make this more tasty?

 

I like rice vinegar, but it can be too mild, IME. Maybe use just the plain white vinegar & don't add water?

 

[A room, and a tailgate, for one.]

42 minutes ago, Spork said:

I’ve made a challenge to myself on this trip to only stop, other than the motel/hotel room, for fuel for the truck and ice for the cooler. 

 

OK, that answers another question I had. I was wondering whether you were staying at motels / hotels, but didn't want to ask. Maybe some of those places give you some breakfast-type foods in the morning (hard-boiled eggs, bananas, etc.).

 

[Kentucky Derby...How do you celebrate?]

20 hours ago, Shelby said:

I've tried and tried to like mint juleps.  I haven't had one for a few years....maybe I should try again.  They are so festive and pretty.  And the ones they make at the KD--the ones that are like 1000$ a cup --super pretty, but I'll save my money for betting lol.

 

I don't really like minty drinks that much. Maybe Bloody Marys with lots of horseradish & nice garnishes (shrimp)?

 

[Camping, Princess Style]

@Smithy, what did you stuff your peppers with? Pulled pork and something else? It looks like tuna & mayo.

 

I like your jalapeño coring tool.

[A room, and a tailgate, for one.]

@Spork, I love road trips. Is your goal to be cooking or assembling your own meals on the road? If it's not too much trouble, can you post photos of what kind of equipment (stove, etc.) you're working with? TIA.

[Kentucky Derby...How do you celebrate?]

27 minutes ago, Shelby said:

Deviled eggs for sure.  What else?

 

Hot brown sandwiches?