MaryIsobel

love aglio e olio for those nights when nothing appeals - also do it with chicken parm - my nephew's favourite meal, so I can always bribe him with that if we need some help around the place!

Same here. One year my daughter said "Dad, can I carve the turkey this year? I really want to learn how to do it." She did and it was grand so she is now the officia turkey carver and she does a wonderful job as she is much more concerened about presentaion than my husband ever was!

My mom (may she also rest in peace) always cooked the turkey to death until the oven died one Christmas. We pulled a chair up to the oven and took turns turning the broiler on and off until the turkey was done. Best turkey we ever had.

The last few years, I just take requests from my daughters and husband and then add something new, so that is four types of cookies and that's as far as I'll go because my daughters and sisters usually contribute baking so we have more than enough but I do like to bake. I've already made a Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake and a Frozen Chocolate Mousse cake, both of which are frozen. The Frozen Chocolate Mousse Cake was a recipe from the back of the TV Guide in the 80's and tastes like Purdy's chocolate. If you are Western Canadian, you'll know what I mean. You basically make a flourless chocolate cake and bake 1/2 the batter in a springform pan, then add whipped cream to the remaining batter, top the baked and cooled cake with it andd freeze the whole shebang. Yes - you are eating uncooked egg in the mousse but you could use pasturized eggs if you are concerned. I never have - I know my audience and the chickens that the eggs come from.

Wow - that is a big ass family for sure - what a spectacular gathering!

Sandwiches are the only reason I ever make meatloaf!

For a few years I have been makinig oven baked chicken wings with the baking powder method. Start them low to render the fat and then crank the heat to get them crispy. Terrific results - you would think they were deep fried. When it is just my husband and I, I toss them in a Franks/butter solution - aka Buffalo wings. I have also done a honey garlic sauce. Now for my question. My son-in-law (T1 diabetic since childhood) eschews anything with sugar in it but doesn't care or Buffalo wings. His go-to is salt and pepper wings. Simple right? Not exactly. At what point would I salt and pepper them and how do I get that mixture to stick to the wings? This is the method I use for cooking the wings: https://www.recipetineats.com/crispy-oven-baked-chicken-wings-honey-garlic-sauce/#wprm-recipe-container-20701

I have used that recipe (from Amy and Jacky) with an eye of round and it was great for beef dip sandwiches when sliced thin. I wouldn't serve it as a stand alone roast but the sandwiches were just fine.

Is salt a spice? If so, salt. If not, then I can't decide!

I'm sorry to hear of your loss @Shel_B When my mother died at 75, my father had never cooked anything more than pork and beans or canned stew or meatballs (yuk!) He was spry and fit but was just eating crap. So one day, I sat down with him and made a list of things that he liked to eat but were simple to cook. We came up with bacon and eggs, shrimp salad, frozen chicken cordon bleu with a baked potato, things like that. While he had no cooking mojo to lose, he started to cook simple things and expanded from there. He would call me every day to tell me what he was having for dinner and I loved to hear it. So what I'm saying, is perhaps drop your standards for a while and concentrate on things that you like that don't take a lot of effort. When my husband was in the hospital for two weeks, I would order takeout (Chinese, Indian, pizza etc) and suppliment with fresh veg or salad. One takeout order would last me two or three days that way and involved very little effort on my part.

I can only imagine @Smithy(my husband loves peas and I don't!) We're going to have to have the hard conversation about getting rid of the 5th wheel due to his health issues and my ortho issuues. We had a dream of months long road trips as @Smithyand her beloved husband did. First Covid got in our way, then health issues and still health issues...I am going to go about it by suggesting that we could rent cabins all over the areas that we love to camp. Wish me luck.

Me too. I have also lost my mojo (long story) - but reading cookbooks makes me feel like there is still hope for me. Our local Salvation Army thrift store has most of their books for .50 or less and with my 25% senior's discount, I consider them disposable but of course I don't dispose of them. I ask my daughters and my sisters if they would like them and if not, I dontate them back.

We've tried the low carb/no carb thing but honestly, I could eat 4 litres of salad but if I don't have carbs with it, still feel like I'm starving.

My hood fan screens are held in with clips - simple to remove and I just spray them with Dawn Powerwash (love that stuff!) leave them for a bit and toss them in the dishwasher.

During Covid when it was just the four of us for Thanksgiving, I did Cornish Game Hens. That worked out well.

it is the lingering smell of shallow or deep frying that prevents me from doing it. I use a splatter screen, put the hood vent on, open windows and doors but I can still smell whatever we have fried two days later. How do you deal with that?

That being said, about once a year my husband makes fish and chips when halibut is in season ,for our immediate family for a treat. He does it outside to accomodate my dislike of things being fried in the house.

I aways look for the baked alternative. I cannot stand oi frying, deep or shallow. I just find that the smell lingers in the house for days.

Your desserts have inspired me to seek out smaller baking pans. I love to bake but goodness knows my husband and I don't need a full size dessert between the two of us and not all things freeze well, so thank you!

Husband is still in hospital - will be 11 days tomorrow, when he is expected to be released (aka discharged.) In the mean time I am gettin my fill of Indian food, which he does not care for. Tried a new place in our little town today. Mango chicken curry, rice, naan, pickled veg and coriader mint chutney (I could drink that stuff) Will likely do me for lunch and dinner today and lunch tomorrow - all for 21.00CDN. 1 0

If you know, you know. Accompanied by a mug of chicken broth and a glass of white cranberry juice.

My Mom made great baking powder biscuits but when I learned the folding method - mine turned out better. Sorry Mom🥰

It all looks lovely and the prices seem very reasonable. The pomegranate negroni is intriguing. I generally don't care for variations on Negronis but I could be persuaded to try try that one. And two short ribs! Most short rib presentations on menus in these parts are one short rib - much to my husband's chagrin.

Interesting - thanks.

I'm curious about your "vanilla baked cream" Can you share just what that is?