eG Foodblog Tag Team IV: Marlene, Dave, snowangel - Cold Turkey, Three Ways

[Marlene]

I'm liking the steak thing. Of course burgers could work. Peanut butter burgers! Let me sleep on this. (great, now I'll be chased by giant burgers in my sleep)

[fifi]

. . .  (great, now I'll be chased by giant burgers in my sleep)

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Now you are getting into my kind of dreams. Perhaps I will dream of stainless steel mushrooms.

[rjwong]

Chilli again for late breakfast.  With tons of hot sauce.  I'm really craving spicy food.

So far, so good.    I'm finding that keeping busy is the best thing.

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If you want spicy food, I just started this thread: Some Like It Hot by Clifford Wright: spicy foods worldwide. I took a cooking demo earlier this week and it was great! The author himself was right there cooking these spicy dishes.

Like Marlene, I need advice on what to cook on Friday evening.  I need to fix venison.  I have almost 2 deers (cut up) in the freezer and I need to make a dent in it.  I did check out every venison cookbook my library has, but suggested are gratefully accepted.

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I found two venison recipes in a German cookbook I have: Venison casserole (Rehschmortopf) & Venison party rolls (Rebfleisch-Partyrolle).

The first recipe needs 3 lbs. venison, cut into bite-size pieces. The second , 2-2 1/2 lbs. lean venison steak (1/2 inch thick). Are you still interested?

I have some packages of chewy ginger candy (Ting Ting Jahe) and some Chinese preserved plums (Chan Pei Mui). The plums are preserved with salt. Will this help?

[snowangel]

I'm going to roast venison on Saturday, but that doesn't preclude venison tomorrow night also!

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I recommend home-made venison chili. You can make it nice and spicy, and it won't seem too similar to Saturday's roast venison.

April

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I'd do chili, but I just made chili. But as to venison chili. Just before Xmas, I made a killer batch of venison chili in preparation for going away for Xmas. What made this batch so killer, which is something I picked up on at the Chili Cook-Off topic was to combine ground and cubed venison. The cubes were small -- 1/4" to 1/2" dice. This was outstanding. I made 2 gallons of the stuff. Sure made for a great, easy to put on the table meal when we arrived at our Xmas destination, and like chili, it just got better with age.

[snowangel]

Chilli again for late breakfast.  With tons of hot sauce.  I'm really craving spicy food.

So far, so good.    I'm finding that keeping busy is the best thing.

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If you want spicy food, I just started this thread: Some Like It Hot by Clifford Wright: spicy foods worldwide. I took a cooking demo earlier this week and it was great! The author himself was right there cooking these spicy dishes.

Like Marlene, I need advice on what to cook on Friday evening.  I need to fix venison.  I have almost 2 deers (cut up) in the freezer and I need to make a dent in it.  I did check out every venison cookbook my library has, but suggested are gratefully accepted.

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I found two venison recipes in a German cookbook I have: Venison casserole (Rehschmortopf) & Venison party rolls (Rebfleisch-Partyrolle).

The first recipe needs 3 lbs. venison, cut into bite-size pieces. The second , 2-2 1/2 lbs. lean venison steak (1/2 inch thick). Are you still interested?

I have some packages of chewy ginger candy (Ting Ting Jahe) and some Chinese preserved plums (Chan Pei Mui). The plums are preserved with salt. Will this help?

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Thanks for the spicy cookbook recommendation!

And, yes, can you give me some more general information on the venison recipes? I think I've decided on burgers tomorrow night (to cut down risk of cook injuring herself), but venison will be featured next week, as well.

[fifi]

On the venison . . . My sister has had great luck recently with a venison rendition of Aggie Brisket. Basically, you brew up some really strong coffee, at least double strength. Then you season up a hunk-o-bambi. She has used shoulder and leg. The seasoning can be anything, but the classic is lemon pepper, more pepper and a bit of granulated garlic. You get one of the big Reynolds cooking bags and put it in there. Add about 4 or 5 cups of the really strong coffee and braise at 225 or 250F for several hours. (6 or 8?) It comes out great every time.

[M.X.Hassett]

I'm liking the steak thing.  Of course burgers could work. Peanut butter burgers!  Let me sleep on this. 

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Great I say you repeat the dinner I had tonight 2 inch thick ribeye bone-in seared off and oven finished (130), top with roasted marrow. Potatos through the food mill using a 2:1 potato to black truffle butter ratio. Sprinkle plate with fresh teli. pepper, sea salt, and fried parsley. Man it was hard not smoking after this.

(great, now I'll be chased by giant burgers in my sleep)

Just eat them

But, I have ground venison. I have ground elk.

You could always do a venison and elk sausage. The elk burger sounds good though how would you dress it cheese etc...?

Edited February 3, 2006 by M.X.Hassett (log)

[snowangel]

Another question.  When I was digging in the freezer, I spotted some pork.  Then, when I was rummaging in the cupboard, I found some char sui sauce.  So, the pork strips are marinating.  How long should they marinate?  I know I bake the strips.  Should I wipe of the marinate (it's pretty "gloppy" stuff).  Did I read somewhere about baking these strips on racks?  Temp?

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If the strips aren't too long, I usually put a foil covered insulated cookie sheet on the bottom-most shelf and using coathangar "S" hooks, hang the pork from the top rack at the highest position. I leave the "goop" on and although about half of it slithers off to hit the foil--- what remains is a great crust. I prefer to do this in a low slow oven for a long time, rather than jet thru it an have a chance of burning it. Besides, what's better than char-shu sliced with fresh veggies in steamed rice paper wraps? Or left over and crepe-ed in the morning with a bowl of jook?

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I forgot I had this stuff marinating in the fridge. And, I don't have any S hooks that aren't in use. Should I go to the hardware store? Is there a way that requires less equipment (and less chance of the cook impaling herself on someting)?

[fifi]

I thought the S hook idea was inspired. I suggest that you go to the hardware store and get some S hooks. On the way, stop at the drugstore and get the patch. We don't want to have to report any injuries on this venture.

[fifi]

On the venison . . . My sister has had great luck recently with a venison rendition of Aggie Brisket. Basically, you brew up some really strong coffee, at least double strength. Then you season up a hunk-o-bambi. She has used shoulder and leg. The seasoning can be anything, but the classic is lemon pepper, more pepper and a bit of granulated garlic. You get one of the big Reynolds cooking bags and put it in there. Add about 4 or 5 cups of the really strong coffee and braise at 225 or 250F for several hours. (6 or 8?) It comes out great every time.

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I forgot to add that she drapes the venison with bacon.

[racheld]

I just say to all of Y'all: Bravo. Bravo!!!!! BRAVISSIMO!!!!!

[snowangel]

I forgot to add that she drapes the venison with bacon.

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That's another thing. I really want bacon. Really want it.

I was near the meat market to day that sells my favorite bacon. I kept telling myself to stop and get it. Did I stop and get The Bacon? No.....

I know I'm in trouble when I forget the bacon.

[Pan]

A bedtime converstation with Ryan on dinner tomorrow.

Ryan:  What's for dinner tomorrow?

Me:  I'm not sure yet. 

Ryan:  KFC?

Me: During a blog?  I think not!

Ryan:  Why, don't the people on your website eat KFC?

Me:  Not so's they'd admit it. 

So what should we have for dinner?

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If you'd rather do something other than steak, you are so good at frying chicken, so you could do your own chicken nuggets, right?

[Pan]

[...]I do have the ingredients for a beef stir fry (there's snow peas in it, can I consider that a green veggie?).[...]

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Sure is! Though you could also add some leafy green vegetable like bok choy with good effect. Do you use fresh ginger in your stir fry?

[BettyK]

I forgot I had this stuff marinating in the fridge.  And, I don't have any S hooks that aren't in use.  Should I go to the hardware store?  Is there a way that requires less equipment (and less chance of the cook impaling herself on someting)?

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I've never used S hooks for char siu. I use a rack on a baking sheet lined with alu. foil.

Add some water in the pan for moisture.

[Dejah]

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I forgot I had this stuff marinating in the fridge. And, I don't have any S hooks that aren't in use. Should I go to the hardware store? Is there a way that requires less equipment (and less chance of the cook impaling herself on someting)?

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I use thin poultry skewers bent into S hooks when I do char siu. While roasting, I place a pan with water under the strips, to catch the dripping goo and to keep the meat moist.

[gini]

.  Besides, just think, you'll be able to have an extra drink at Pegu, instead of running out for a smoke. 

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That I fear will be the biggest problem I tend to chain smoke when drinking WILLPOWER

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Me too! That was the hardest part of quitting for me. It was actually my friends who finally did it for me since I was one of the few smokers in the group. They would just refuse to let me step out of the bar. Try to get the support of your non-smoker friends and maybe you can get a free drink out of it? Or a chocolate cake shot?

[Marlene]

Molrning everyone. It's a lazy rainy morning here. Rain. Its the beginning of February and it's raining in Southern Ontario. This has been the strangest winter. Not that I am complaining since I"m not a skier.

Ryan is still asleep and depending on what time he decides to roll out of bed (teenage boy + sleep = noon usually), we'll decide what to have for breakfast/brunch then. In the meantime, coffee for me, and ooooh, possibly a bagel. I'm rapidly becoming addicted to those.

I'm liking the patch too. Yeah, it's not cold turkey, but I was pretty much ready to toss in th towel yesterday. I had a couple of cigarettes and was ready to tell Snowangel and Dave that I couldn't do it. Even though I'd picked up Zyban weeks ago in preparation for this, I had a real aversion to taking it nor did I want to use the patch. I had been adamant that I was going to do this on my own with no crutches. Ha. By yesterday it was too late to start taking Zyban because it takes a week or so to kick in which wasn't going to help. My husband suggested the patch and offered to find me a hypnotist. (I may yet take him up on that one)

The mornings have been the worst for me. I woke up the past two mornings desperately wanting a cigarette. This morning, I don't. As I said last night, it's true that I am getting some nicotine in my body, but I think this is a mind thing as much as anything else.

Down the line I'll have to deal with the nictoine issue, but as Dave notes, the actual addition to nicotine is small. So right now, I'm getting a second chance to get a handle on all the other issues that come with smoking and while I might be getting nicotine, I'm not getting the tar and all the other chemcials they put in cigarettes. So while Dave and Snowangel are ahead of me in terms of total abstinance (yea team!) I'm still in the game. Yesterday I thought I'd struck out.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I feel pretty good this morning and a lot more confident. It helps that we are going into the weekend and I'll have my family around to help me keep busy.

As for dinner? I think I'll keep it simple with steak, baked potatoes and maybe a ceasar salad. Ryan's been asking for ceasar salad and I haven't made one in ages. It means a trip to the store, but I think we can manage that.

[Marlene]

. . .  (great, now I'll be chased by giant burgers in my sleep)

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Now you are getting into my kind of dreams. Perhaps I will dream of stainless steel mushrooms.

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You are an evil woman.

By the way folks, I still need recipes for broccoli gratin. I'm going shopping, and I'd rather not go twice if I can help it.

[snowangel]

Morning. And, not a particulary good one at that. It's very grey, snowy and the roads are slicker than snot. As I mentioned, I've been having trouble sleeping. So, last night, it must have been 3:00 am. I was thirsty. So, off I trotted to get a glass of water. And, noticed those cigarettes on Paul's dresser. Yep. You got it. Not just one, but two!

Following this lapse, I brushed my teeth and went back to bed and felt even worse. I gave myself a pretty good beating up, which made it so I couldn't fall back to sleep. Then I started fretting because I wasn't getting back to sleep which just made everything worse.

I did so well day number 1. The novelty of that sure wore off in a hurry, didn't it?

I think I need to curl up on the couch with the remote control; watch The Rockford Files, and hope for a nap. Then, it's time to get on-line with my health insurance company (who keeps advertising all sorts of help for quitting smoking). And contemplate the patch. Like Marlene, I have no trouble not smoking if I can't (restaurants, bars, airplanes, etc.) and maybe that will help.

[Marlene]

Don't beat yourself up partner. I did that yesterday and it just feeds the rationale to smoke more. The thing to remember is that you're not giving up. We slipped. It happens. . We're human trying to do one of the hardest things known to man.

Have some comfort food and get thee to a drug store. I only bought a week's supply of the patch because I don't really want to be on a 10 week program of the stuff, but obviously I can't do this by myself right now. As Dave said, "whatever works".

[snowangel]

Have some comfort food and get thee to a drug store.  I only bought a week's supply of the patch because I don't really want to be on a 10 week program of the stuff, but obviously I can't do this by myself right now.  As  Dave said, "whatever works".

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I just ate a bar of some dark organic chocolate. I don't even eat sweets before evening!

A nap and then the drug store.

Thanks for the support, pal.

[Abra]

Hurray for you guys for getting right back up after a hard time. As Weight Watchers tend to say "just because you fell half way down the stairs, are you going to throw yourself the rest of the way down?" Starting over is half the game.

[lancastermike]

Following this lapse, I brushed my teeth and went back to bed and felt even worse. I gave myself a pretty good beating up, which made it so I couldn't fall back to sleep. Then I started fretting because I wasn't getting back to sleep which just made everything worse.

Susan,

You cannot let two smokes end this for you. You must not beat yourself up! I went through the same thing when I cheated and you just have to move forward and start again. This does not mean you are weak, or that you can't do this. Start again, keep trying. I think it was a couple of weeks till I finally stopped having one ot two. Some days I had none, some days I'd bum one. But after a while the days without were fine and there were no more bumming. It is really tough if you another smoker in the house. Ask Paul to lock them up somewere for a while.

You can do this! Anyone who can smoke pork in sub zero temps and act like it is nothing is tough enough.

Edited February 3, 2006 by lancastermike (log)

[BarbaraY]

Morning.  And, not a particulary good one at that.  It's very grey, snowy and the roads are slicker than snot.  As I mentioned, I've been having trouble sleeping.  So, last night, it must have been 3:00 am.  I was thirsty.  So, off I trotted to get a glass of water.  And, noticed those cigarettes on Paul's dresser.  Yep.  You got it.  Not just one, but two!

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It is very hard to quit when you live with a smoker. Do have him put them away so they won't be so easily available.

I didn't quit until after my divorce and remarriage to a non-smoker.