eG Foodblog Tag Team: slkinsey and Marlene - A tale of two kitchens..

[Marlene]

Most of my leftovers are going to the hospital to be gobbled down by my brother.

My brother cringes at the thought of vegetables. (kinda runs in the family).

So just remember, you'll be starving my brother if y'all insist on vegetarian.

On the other hand, I'm always up for champagne.

[Marlene]

And just remember what we've already got on the menus to come:

chicken and spring veggies tonight

Italian restaurant tomorrow

pasta and meatballs (your ground beef component) on Friday. Sat's sort of open, because I'm having a housewarming party that is being catered. Speaking of which I finalized the menu today and will post details on that later.

[jsolomon]

You are my new best friend, both for the compliment and the tofu.  If you're rich, I'll even marry you.

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I feel so jilted!

Edited May 31, 2005 by jsolomon (log)

[Genny]

Hey, if Genny marries Bergerka, can I marry Sam?  I'd even wash dishes happily (please don't mention that to my husband, who I have convinced to do all the dishes at our house) to eat Sam's cooking every night.

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CLEARLY I'm doing something wrong here. How the hell does anyone get their 'other' to clean up after them???? I get all gushy if he drys and puts away! Oh well, I guess I'd rather take dishes than taxes, bills, the damn pool maintanence, the yard maintanence, what else....oh bringing home the bacon. Hmmm. I guess I'll have to keep dishes.

Marlene, just be careful. We all care about your safety here. OTOH, you are taking one, I mean two (so far) for the team and that says something about your will to win! (And the crowd stands and cheers for Marlene, playing injured with the "Falling UP The Stairs Injury" and the "Exploding Hot Soup In The Blender Injury"...so far all Sam has is "Hangover" even though that can be serious too.

I love that you are stretching your skills for this though, seriously. It is awesome to see you trying new recipes, tools, cooking methods, etc. Inspirational!

[bergerka]

You are my new best friend, both for the compliment and the tofu.  If you're rich, I'll even marry you.

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I feel so jilted!

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I'm not actually AVERSE to polygamy. You just both have to be rich. And I have to have my own bathroom - in my next life, that one's going to be a dealbreaker.

oh and I have to be able to continue to live with Sam and my ferrets. Did I mention that part?

Oh, thank you, thank you, lurking hordes, for sparing me from TOFU. TOFU IS MADE OF PEOPLE...OH, THE BEANMANITY! (with a nod to Sluggy Freelance for that one).

To get sort of back on topic, a lot of people have asked how it is that I end up merrily cleaning the kitchen (ok, semi-merrily) every night. When I moved in, we made a deal. Every time he cooks and I benefit from it, I clean up, and vice versa. As a result, I think I've cooked five times in nine years - and he was out of town for four of them. Probably best, that, as while I'm not a TERRIBLE cook, I'm a very inexperienced and nervous one, I can't keep recipes in my head, and I had to call my mother to figure out how to boil an egg. Not kidding. She laughed at me, too.

I actually PREFER cleaning to cooking, though I'll chop veggies anytime. Thank goodness Sam likes to cook.

I get leftover chicken & spring veggies tonight, as I have an aria sing-through tonight in preparation for an upcoming audition.

K

[Jinmyo]

Meatloaf?

Must we?

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I'm a bit surprised you don't know a meatloaf recipe you like, but no-one's forcing you.

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Oh I could probably find one. I haven't made meatloaf in years though.

Morning all. Time for coffee while I contemplate the day. It's a beautiful sunny day here. I'll be off to the volunteer tea in a little while so I won't eat anything until I get there, so reports of breakfast when I return.

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Minced lamb, veal, and beef with minced onion, garlic, green chiles and mint, roll in panko. Cook to medium rare. Makes great sandwiches.

[Priscilla]

I vote for eggs, as Snowangel suggested up there.

And not only because they are, (along with soup, which has already been covered), my favorite food, although that selfish interest cannot be denied.

Besides, eggs go very well with meat of all sorts.

Will be interested to see the two takes on chicken & spring veg!

[crinoidgirl]

You are my new best friend, both for the compliment and the tofu.  If you're rich, I'll even marry you.

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I feel so jilted!

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I'm not actually AVERSE to polygamy. You just both have to be rich. And I have to have my own bathroom - in my next life, that one's going to be a dealbreaker.

oh and I have to be able to continue to live with Sam and my ferrets. Did I mention that part?

Oh, thank you, thank you, lurking hordes, for sparing me from TOFU. TOFU IS MADE OF PEOPLE...OH, THE BEANMANITY! (with a nod to Sluggy Freelance for that one).

To get sort of back on topic, a lot of people have asked how it is that I end up merrily cleaning the kitchen (ok, semi-merrily) every night. When I moved in, we made a deal. Every time he cooks and I benefit from it, I clean up, and vice versa. As a result, I think I've cooked five times in nine years - and he was out of town for four of them. Probably best, that, as while I'm not a TERRIBLE cook, I'm a very inexperienced and nervous one, I can't keep recipes in my head, and I had to call my mother to figure out how to boil an egg. Not kidding. She laughed at me, too.

I actually PREFER cleaning to cooking, though I'll chop veggies anytime. Thank goodness Sam likes to cook.

I get leftover chicken & spring veggies tonight, as I have an aria sing-through tonight in preparation for an upcoming audition.

K

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Good luck on the audition!

And the division of labor is quite wonderful. It means that you're perfect partners (at least as far as this goes ).

Thanks for the blog, you guys!

(edited for crappy spelling)

Edited May 31, 2005 by crinoidgirl (log)

[docsconz]

I suggest chocolate as the mystery ingredient to be used in all courses.

[Marlene]

Well, well. The fun just never stops in this house! I've been wanting to make Texas Sheet Cake for some time now. I liked lovebenton0's take on making it in a bundt pan and I wanted something pretty to take to the hospital. I happen to have several bundt pans so off I set to make the cake.

Today is the day my sifter decided to stick. Fill sifter with flour mixture, pull back on handle, watch handle stick and not release. Pull again, handle releases with a "snap" and flour dust rises up all around me, on my clothes, in my hair. Forge on!

I divided the cakes evenly between these two cute little pans:

The first cake:

Look pretty huh?

The second cake:

Obviously did not release from the pan, although both pans were greased. Now, what's a mom to do? The first little cake will go to the hospital, but that leaves no dessert for my family tonight. Not that I really care, but I'll be Momma non grata to Ryan if he finds out I made his Uncle a cake and not him. Sooooooooo.

Wash up all my pans and measuring implements and try this one more time. I'll use the big bundt pan this time

Right after I get this flour out of my hair.

[Marlene]

By the way, I should add, Ryan is actually at his father's this week except for today. His dad had to go out of town on business so Ryan is spending the night with us, which is partly what prompted me to make dessert in the first place.

[msfurious1]

Obviously did not release from the pan, although both pans were greased?  Now, what's a mom to do?  The first little cake will go to the hospital, but that leaves no dessert for my family tonight. 

Right after I get this flour out of my hair.

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You're starting to sound like an I Love Lucy episode in the kitchen (without Ethel).

As for dessert for Ryan. How about a trifle with those cake pieces?

Do you have some fruit, jam, custard or heavy cream?

[Marlene]

Trifle! You're brilliant! I have heavy cream. I have several jams. I doubt if I have fruit. Excuse me. I have to go hunt down a simple trifle recipe.

Edited May 31, 2005 by Marlene (log)

[Smithy]

Marlene, which version of the Texas Sheet Cake did you make? Low-fat, full-fat, other variations?

[msfurious1]

Trifle!  You're brilliant!  I  have heavy cream.  I have several jams.  I doubt if I have fruit.  Excuse me.  I have to go hunt down a simple trifle recipe.

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Atta girl. When life gives you broken cake--make a trifle.

Now just pretend that's what you planned for dessert anyhow.

We'll never tell.

[Marlene]

I made the one fifi showed from the Houston Chronicle.

The cake is actually very good. I just need a very simple trifle recipe as I'm kinda running out of time here.

You're starting to sound like an I Love Lucy episode in the kitchen (without Ethel).

I swear. This stuff only happens when I blog. Or at least less often. I wonder why that is?

[Smithy]

I made the one fifi showed from the Houston Chronicle.

I'm glad I asked that question! The other night when I tried to get at that sheet cake recipe, I got tangled up in their registration process. Now, mysteriously, there's no problem. My life would have been simpler if I'd realized it's from The Joy of Cooking, but at least, now I have it!

<Good luck on the trifle. Never made it, can't help you hurry. >

You're starting to sound like an I Love Lucy episode in the kitchen (without Ethel).

I swear. This stuff only happens when I blog. Or at least less often. I wonder why that is?

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Welll, does it have to do with trying to type and operate cooking equipment at the same time?

[ruthcooks]

No recipe necessary for trifle. Pastry cream, whipped cream, cake, fresh raspberries..and a sprinkle of Chambord or other liqueur, unless Ryan would complain. Well, maybe a recipe for the pastry cream.

[Marlene]

Ok, so I could make up some pudding, chocolate or butterscotch. Pick up some fresh raspberries at the store, maybe drizzle the cake with a little raspberry liqueur or something like that. Make up some fresh sweet whipping cream, layer and I'm done?

[msfurious1]

Although not a proper trifle, I'm sure that if you just layered the cake pieces with some jam and softly whipped cream it would be delicious. (My family would like it with some sliced bananas layered in as well. )

You said that you didn't have any fresh fruit. I'm thinking that if you had some canned peaches, pears or even pineapple, that would be nice with the layered chocolate cake and cream.

[ruthcooks]

Yes...that's all there is to it. But I think butterscotch plus chocolate plus raspberries might be a bit much.

[Marlene]

You're probably right. How about a just a touch of chocolate sauce drizzled over the cake, whipped cream, raspberries and maybe banana slices?

[ruthcooks]

Would work, but might be a bit sweet. Just don't sweeten the cream very much and use lots of it. Personally, though, I'd prefer some not-too-sweet vanilla pudding or pastry cream to provide a foil.

Good luck, gotta go now.

Edited May 31, 2005 by ruthcooks (log)

[jsolomon]

How about ice cream and flaming cherries?

[Marlene]

You want me to flame cherries? Do you really think that's wise?

Edited May 31, 2005 by Marlene (log)