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eG Foodblog: lovebenton0, Pam R, snowangel - North of the 30th paralle


snowangel

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sorry, bloggers and blog readers... i really went downhill after the second trip to walgreens today; just too much. trip one was for herb tea and cough drops. trip two was for meds, which haven't taken hold yet.

hmmmm... don't think i would recommend this as quick weight loss method, although it's working.

i'll try to check into the blog in the morning. just can't do any more tonight and didn't manage to make soup today either. i subsisted on herb tea and ice cold soda... sodas and bread flour were brought by my son this evening. we transferred via closed door switch outs.

beddy-bye... quinn says, hopefully tonight we can both sleep.

Judith Love

North of the 30th parallel

One woman very courteously approached me in a grocery store, saying, "Excuse me, but I must ask why you've brought your dog into the store." I told her that Grace is a service dog.... "Excuse me, but you told me that your dog is allowed in the store because she's a service dog. Is she Army or Navy?" Terry Thistlewaite

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Judith - rest and get better. We'll hold down the fort.

Pam--if you'd like to show us another frozen treat from Winnipeg, the gelati at that place next to your store is pretty damn good.  I like it much more than the Italian places, and they have halvah-flavoured gelati!

That's an idea. Conveniently located and everything. It really is pretty damn good. :wink:

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We did not eat soup tonight (it's a long story, and soon to come), but those of us who did eat ate something that often goes with soup! Sounds like Judith and Peter could be in the same place right now!

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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The drive home from work is not long - but it was long enough for me to be chilled to the bone. Well, what's the best thing for to cure that? Soup!

After the rich and meaty soup last night, I thought something lighter was appropriate for tonight. This soup is really easy to make, but I'm on a role with my pictorials, so why stop now? :wink:

Curried Potato Soup - all ingredients and instructions are here.

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OK. That's picture overkill. Sorry. (But look how well lined-up they are tonight!)

Soup's great and all, but I needed something less ... liquidy. Grilled cheese fit the bill. Challah, smoked cheddar, tomato (well, it passed for a tomato) and green onion.

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So Pam, are jonesing for a real tomato, too? Were these those vine on ones that are so available here, and so lame? I'm lusting for those hot, sultry days of August that produce the tomatoes that rea really tomatoes!

So, I have made kao soi (Khao -?- soi) and it will sit in the outdoor fridge for Friday night, I think. It was when Peter horked all over my shoes that I lost any appetite tonight.

But, let's backtrack: thisis afternoon, as he laid on the couch, I started a potholder.

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My knitting bag is cool. It was an Xmas gift from my dad, it it came from some store in Berkeley (where else!) that carries sustainable and "good" things. Its provenance is the Phillippines, and it was made from recycled juice boxes. In case there are any knitters out there, it's a CO 4, K2, YO, k to end of row. Repeat rows until you have enough stitches on the diagonal that you are happy with. Then, do a K1, K2t, YO, K2t, knit to end of the row and repeat.

So, since I wasn't in the mood, after cleaning off my yellow crocs, to get a meal on the table, we did what any family whose mom and caregiver has had a bread epiphany does. Slices, toasts, butters or mustards and salamis:

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All praise to good bread, butter, yellow mustard and supermarket deli sliced salami.

Oh, that bread! More bread tomorrow! Let's hope that dough that I stuck in the fridge yesterday is half as good as this batch was.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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Tomorrow's list. Since Heidi's home message today came via e-mail, I don't have one of those nice colored papers that photos so well, and used an envelope from a renewal notice for Paul's subscription to Outdoor News.

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Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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Realizing that this list didn't photo well:

4' of 4" round duct

sheet metal screws?

disposable paint brush(es)

Drywall

PLASTIC!

(waffle maker?)

Foley quilt shop (yes, this will be food related!)

Yarn?

Trifold for Peter

BARM!

Also a note about eggs/fishy stuff from Costco or Asian market

And, my notes for soups this week: the kao soi, 1 of each and cioppini.

As a note, dinner for tomorrow night has been decided!

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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Good morning all! The kids are gone, and it is a balmy 0 outside, but there's no wind.

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Now, when I cut into this pear, it looked so promising -- there was juice! But, looks can be deceiving and this was one nasty pear. It was mealier than it looked, and it tasted really, really odd. So I pitched it and went for the 1/2 grapefruit in the fridge (Diana had a half this morning). I know I'll be hungry again soon...This is such a hard time of year for fruit. I'm so often disappointed with the stone fruit, and I really only like locally grown apples (I've go a weakness of a crispy tart Haralson.

Peter mentioned the other day that I should get a pineapple. How do you tell if a pineapple is ripe?

And, I just opened a roll of paper towels. We don't use very many of them, but they can be handy. I'm picky about my paper towels and only buy Viva. I'll often buy store or generic brand things, but not with paper products!

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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Peter mentioned the other day that I should get a pineapple.  How do you tell if a pineapple is ripe?

New York Times: Guide to Choosing a Ripe Pineapple

Buying a fully green pineapple is risky. The stem end of the fruit has the highest sugar content and is the ripest portion. The higher up that yellow color goes, the more evenly a pineapple will be flavored. That color, plus a pleasant, mild pineapple aroma at the base are the best guides to ripeness. The surface of the pineapple should be firm and gently yielding to the touch. The ability to pull a leaf from the crown proves nothing about ripeness, despite the enduring popularity of that myth.

I usually sniff the base of the yellowest pineapples, and buy the one with the best aroma. Seems to work pretty well.

And, I just opened a roll of paper towels.  We don't use very many of them, but they can be handy.  I'm picky about  my paper towels and only buy Viva.  I'll often buy store or generic brand things, but not with paper products!

Have you ever tried the half-sheet paper towels? The rolls last a lot longer for us.

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Morning all. It's another cold day here. -20 C, -32 with the windchill. (Sun dogs were out again - with an incredibly bright sun.)

This soup blog couldn't have come at a better time - though I'm sure it's hard to believe, it's been really lovely here this winter. Temperatures hovering at about -10C. Then this cold spell hit a couple of weeks ago and it feels like it'll never end. It's the best time for long simmering, piping hot soup.

Today isn't going to be one of those days, I'm afraid. I'll be gone later this morning for an appointment, then I'm off to a dinner this evening. I'll try to take pictures and get all the facts down - I'm hoping they serve a soup course!

Susan, we're in some weird sync. I also had a pear this morning - mine wasn't too bad, though not the best. I have trouble with winter and fruit. There is nothing grown locally (would you grow locally in -20 weather?). I've been enjoying the Pink Lady apples - crisp and tart. I did break down and buy a pineapple a couple of weeks ago - and it was fantastic. It smelled like a pineapple - and I did the leaf test (though I have no idea if it really means anything). You're supposed to pull at one of the leaves and if it comes out without any resistance, the pineapple is ripe. Whether or not this is true, the pineapple was really ripe, juicy and sweet. But I always hesitate when buying them at $5.99 each.

I also had some corn thins with natural peanut butter and blackcurrant jam.

I'm not sure what lunch will be - I may grab something while I'm out. Or heat up some frozen soup when I get back. We'll see.

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Carrots in stock.  Makes the stock odd tasting to me, and doesn't transform into an Asian soup nearly as well.

Susan, do you think you can elaborate?

My mom's stock always has carrots, and well, the soups she cooks are largely Chinese.

I'm loving this blog. I had watercress soup and rice for dinner today.

Edited by miladyinsanity (log)

May

Totally More-ish: The New and Improved Foodblog

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In an attempt to be a 'better bread baker' I'd like to bake a challah tomorrow. I haven't baked challah in years (and years).

I don't have a family recipe, and I've looked through the 2-3 topics we have in the P&B forum. In one of the topics somebody mentioned that they make a no-knead challah. Since I'm all about the no-knead bread, have little time today and am at work tomorrow, I'm thinking this is my ticket.

Anybody have any experience with no-knead challah? Any hints, tips, suggestions? I'm not opposed to using a regular recipe, but I want something easy and not too time consuming.

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Carrots in stock.  Makes the stock odd tasting to me, and doesn't transform into an Asian soup nearly as well.

Susan, do you think you can elaborate?

My mom's stock always has carrots, and well, the soups she cooks are largely Chinese.

I'm loving this blog. I had watercress soup and rice for dinner today.

I think what I don't like about carrots in stock is that it adds a sweetness that I don't like. That's probably why I don't like root crops in general. And, don't get me going on how much I dislike parsnips!

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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Oh, my. I've had a disastrous couple of days and missed keeping up with the lovely soup blog in real time.

Susan, I salvaged the nasty potato and corn chowder by combining it with leftover kielbasa and sauerkraut (lots of juice), a little beef broth, and making a new soup. Not half bad, and certainly a lot better than its original incarnation, plus I used up even more leftovers. Also, I have lots of cotton yarn and should get to knitting potholders, because I need some. Alas, I have two other projects with Deadlines (aka Gifts) that must be finished first. I think I may have to hit you up for some information on venison; future husband will be deer hunting this year and with any luck we will end up with some meat for the freezer. I am kind of cracked up by our relationship; he works in a manly man profession (gunsmithing) and goes hunting and is very much a guy (but sensitive - huh?) and somehow as a result of my broken foot I have ended up staying home and playing the housewifely roles of cleaning and cooking and baking, and I kind of love it. Weird, but off topic.

Pam, would you make soup in the crock pot again? I wonder if it would be good to start with less liquid, since all the ingredients exude their own liquid into the non-evaporating crock o'stuff. I'm going to be making chili in the crock for Super Bowl Sunday, and I've never done that before - always on the stovetop. It's not a soup, but it is kind of soupy, so I may try reducing the amount of liquid that goes in.

Judith, I am sorry to hear of your ills. Soup is indeed best when you're sick, but if you have to go a-walking in freezing weather and cook it yourself, some of the magic is lost. I wish I could send you some soup from here!

Jennie

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Pam, would you make soup in the crock pot again?  I wonder if it would be good to start with less liquid, since all the ingredients exude their own liquid into the non-evaporating crock o'stuff.  I'm going to be making chili in the crock for Super Bowl Sunday, and I've never done that before - always on the stovetop.  It's not a soup, but it is kind of soupy, so I may try reducing the amount of liquid that goes in.

I would use the crock pot again. I think starting with less liquid is a good idea - but I always fall into the trap of covering everything with water (well, almost) because I think they should be covered in water. I know that they will release liquid, but it doesn't matter. I'm a second-guesser. In the end, I really liked the meaty flavour - and that came from the long, slow cooking.

I've made chili in the crock with great success. I'd reduce the liquid, as you say. If you're home, just check it periodically and add a little liquid if necessary. Take some pictures and let us see :wink:

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great blog all, just getting a chance to get caught up on it. At least I guessed one person right!

Pam did I see that you had tomatoes in your fridge? I have always felt that the taste really goes out of them once they are chilled? maybe I didn't even see them there- it could have been the pink ladies (love those too!)

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I had not intended to leave the house today (hubby offering to get to the hardware place for me), but a call from a friend with an emergency...

But, before I left, I realized that the two bites of pear and half-grapefruit were not going to hold me, so I grabbed a favorite...

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I'm not big on junk food, but I do have a weakness for fritos, so when I opt for them, I opt for those little "school lunch" sized versions, which is just right, and prevents me from sitting down with a big bag, devouring it and feeling sick afterwards.

So, while I was out, I stopped at the strange grocery store -- Mike's Discount Foods. The lady who was attending the store did not want me to take any photos because she didn't have the boss's permission. But, this is a store that carries scratch and dent, and almost expired foods. They also usually have a great selection of very ripe produce (I averted my eyes from the bananas :biggrin: ).

My take today:

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While I am not big on salad kits, we often use them, just for the produce. These expire in three days, and were 3 kits for $1.50. The taco toss is a favorite of the kids and they just might have one of these for an after-school snack. Diana eats lunch very early at school (like 10:45), so she walks in the house hungry. The pineapple smells like a ripe pineapple; the proof will come when I cut it open.

I hate cutting up a pineapple. Any hints?

The half-loaf of bread is for dinner. Anyone want to guess what's on the menu?

So, after my adventures, although I was hungry, I had a hot date with the two newest members of the family:

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We've named the treadmill Chester, and he's very popular. The book on the rack is Diana's AP History textbook. She has such a heavy load of courses this quarter than she's loving the treadmill. She passes at least an hour everynight walking/jogging and reading.

Me, don't read when I'm on the treadmill. I reserve my treadmill for a weakness of mine, which brings us to the second new member of the household.

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The new member seems to simply be called the Big Ass Plasma TV. It was a gift to Paul from his boss this Xmas. And, my weakness is old detective shows. McGarrett has replaced my all time fav -- Jim Rockford. Sadly, Rockford is no longer being rerun.

Then, lunch. One of my favorites. In fact, this is a long time favorite. I ate these almost every day when I got home from school when I was growing up in Thailand.

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I think it's the little packet of grease (which is on the top of the two-fold packeg -- one part with hot peppers, the other with some sort of powdered stock/flavour packet). I have tried all sorts of other brands of ramen noodles, and none compare to Mama brand.

Today, I added fish balls and some bean sprouts (they give little bags of bean sprouts when you check out at my local Asian market).

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Yum! But, missing something, so I added some cilantro and vinegar.

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Little jars of sliced birds and vinegar is a common condiment at Thai noodle wagons/shops. This could perhaps have also used a wedge of lime...

Filling and sinus clearing.

And, now I have a powerful thirst, so I have an afternoon-long date with lots of water. I checked the nutrition labels, and the noddles had 42% of the RDA, and the four fishballs 18%. Yikes!

Oh, and are those fish balls odd. They come frozen, really tightly shrinkwrapped, so they are more geometrical than round, and they have an odd bouncy quality, but I love them. I have never dared to find my reading glasses to read the ingredient list.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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great blog all, just getting a chance to get caught up on it. At least I guessed one person right!

Pam did I see that you had tomatoes in your fridge? I have always felt that the taste really goes out of them once they are chilled? maybe I didn't even see them there- it could have been the pink ladies (love those too!)

I don't keep regular tomatoes in the fridge. I'm not sure if that's what you're referring to. But I sometimes put the strawberry/grape tomatoes in the fridge. I don't notice a difference with them, refrigerated or not. And I like them cold. When I make salads in the morning to have for lunch, I refrigerate them, tomatoes and all. Hmm. Interesting. I have no idea why I do that. :laugh:

Having said that, the tomato I sliced for my sandwich last night, was not refrigerated, and had about 1/10 of the flavour of the strawberry tomatoes.

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I dont have a link for a demo,

but one easy way to take care of a pineapple is to slice it flat across the bottom, then shave the skin off in vertical strips, not worrying about the eyes.

Then lay the naked pineapple down, and go around it in a spiral, from eye to eye, cutting a small v-shaped groove. This removes the eyes. Takes a couple spirals to get em all. The leaves make a good handle for this part.

Then, its time cut into rings, or remove the leaves and cut into wedges as you prefer.

This is a juicy messy job. I usually put a towel under the cutting board to contain the flow and ease cleanup.

Sorry your son's been ill, and I hope no one else catches it!

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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*sigh* It all looks so good. I am now craving soup and bread. Do you dunk your bread in the soup?

Marcia.

absolutely. either toasted or not, i'm a soupy bread sopper. :wub: and a good note to start a catch up post.

yesterday we picked up a couple of essentials from the walgreens. also a couple cans of chicken broth that didn't make it in the pic, because, hey, i'm sick and need some help. :raz:

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and quinn got a well-deserved chewy treat when we came home, which he promptly took to his down comforter in the hallway to devour.

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i promised to post more about quinn. for those of you who don't know, i'm deaf as well as having severe vestibular issues from meniere's disease. so quinn works every day to keep me balanced and to be my ears. i have a cochlear implant [ci], on the right side, but it can't be worn all the time and it does not allow me to hear lots of sounds at all because of range. other sounds not unless i am within 10 to 15 ft of the object. even with the ci hooked up, in my flat that's means unless i'm in the kitchen i can't hear the microwave, the oven timer, if i've left the water running somewhere, if something is sizzling or boiling over. quinn does all that for me. in addition he alerts me to the phone, the door, the smoke alarm, the alarm clock. he also picks up the umpteen things i drop everyday and comes to check on me just because when i leave the room he is in if i'm not using him on harness at home.

so, really and truly, cooking is possible for me because of my superdog, quinn. :wub:

will post more in just a bit. i still feel like hell, but i really need some soup. :laugh: i have some posole going in my 4 qt black chamba. so more pics to come.

Judith Love

North of the 30th parallel

One woman very courteously approached me in a grocery store, saying, "Excuse me, but I must ask why you've brought your dog into the store." I told her that Grace is a service dog.... "Excuse me, but you told me that your dog is allowed in the store because she's a service dog. Is she Army or Navy?" Terry Thistlewaite

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Lunch today, was not something to write home about. I was downtown with my mother today for a meeting, and we parked in the parking structure attached to the The Hudson Bay Companystore. The Bay has a long history in Canada - and in my family. My grandmother used to lunch at the Bay's top floor restaurant, the Paddlewheel at least twice a week when she worked downtown (40-50 years ago). My mother has fond memories of going for lunch with her mother there (though, going to Eaton's Grill Room was better).

So that was her choice for lunch today. It's very much a cafeteria, and I'm sure it was wonderful at some point. It's all about the atmosphere - very weird actually. Once you've gone through the food lines and paid, as you step into the dining room you face a paddlewheel in action.

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(damn cellphone camera. it doesn't show you the action the way my regular camera would)

Apparently, the thing to do back in the day was toss a penny in the water and make a wish. No pennies today.

Lunch was a traditional roast beef, (terrible) mashed potatoes, a huge Yorkshire pudding and (terrible) vegetables. There really is beef under the gravy. And that's what they give you when you ask for them to go light on the gravy! The beef and yorkie were good.

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I was freezing, and hungry, and I enjoyed some of it.

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Pam, parts of that lunch look just horrid, but when a working woman's got to do what she's got to do, you eat stuff (or pretend to eat the stuff).

I have a Hudson's Bay Blanket, thanks to a gift from my great aunt Laura. She and one of her husbands got it in Canada in the 30's. I've been told it's valuable.

Judith! Posole! Add some hot sauce or peppers, and it will help clean out the sinuses. May it provide healing powers. And, hopefully, you're using canned hominy because it is so much less work.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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