Does ANYONE have a small batch hot/sour soup recipe? I have tried
every brand in the grocery and none are remotely good. When I see a
recipe, it always starts out with a ten gallon pot.

I have resorted to driving into town to a local restaurant and buying
four orders of takeout!

On Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:11:32 -0600, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

>I am not trying to be facetious or sarcastic here, but you do know
>that you can adjust recipes to make a lesser amount? Maybe you could
>halve or even quarter whatever recipe that you want to try.

Yes...very aware of what you are saying..... BUT,
what do you do with the other three quarter pound of tofu? The other
half pound of tiger lily buds..... etc. etc. There are just so
many ingredients that won't be used in tomorrow, the next day or the
next month?

I am not a Chinese cooking expert by any means...but there are so many
ingredients you need to even think about starting the recipe. Then
you are left with a bountiful collection of ingredients you might not
be able to consume in a month.

Right now, I have egg roll wrapers that are molding in the
refrigerator and will be in the trash Saturday. I only needed six but
had to buy a package of twenty.

"Mr. Bill" > wrote in message
...
>
> Does ANYONE have a small batch hot/sour soup recipe? I have tried
> every brand in the grocery and none are remotely good. When I see a
> recipe, it always starts out with a ten gallon pot.
>
> I have resorted to driving into town to a local restaurant and buying
> four orders of takeout!
>
Oh, FFS. Reduce a large batch recipe, will you?

Christine Dabney wrote:
> Use the tofu in something else. There are a lot of tofu recipes out
> there... It doesn't have to be a main dish... Just do a search on
> some recipe site, or on a food blog search like this one:
>
> http://foodblogsearch.com/
> Another good site:
> http://www.cookthink.com/home/get_all_tags

The OP is no cook. A recipe follower, yes, but not a cook. When one is
so rigid that he or she can only follow a recipe without the flexibility
to make the dish his or her own, that person may as well just eat out.



> And the tiger lily buds I have are dried. So it is no problem to just
> use what you want, and store the rest til the next time you need them
> in a recipe.

Like, the next time the OP makes hot and sour soup... D'oh! Bet Mr. Bill
hadn't thought of that!



>> I am not a Chinese cooking expert by any means...

Well obviously.



>> but there are so many
>> ingredients you need to even think about starting the recipe. Then
>> you are left with a bountiful collection of ingredients you might not
>> be able to consume in a month.
>
> Many chinese ingredients you don't have to use up right away: they
> keep perfectly fine for eons. Many are dried, such as the tiger lily
> buds: I keep mine in a glass jar and just use what I need when I need
> them. Same for dried mushrooms.

Many Chinese dishes are made with rather ordinary ingredients which are
easily consumed in a month or less when used in for other meals. Flex
your brain a little, Mr. Bill.



>> Right now, I have egg roll wrapers that are molding in the
>> refrigerator and will be in the trash Saturday. I only needed six but
>> had to buy a package of twenty.
>
> They freeze well. Use what you need, and freeze the rest.

Or make something from the egg roll wrappers that might not be egg
rolls. Stretch!



> It's really not that hard to adapt all this..

It is when you don't really want to, Christine.

Mr. Bill wrote:

> what do you do with the other three quarter pound of tofu? The other
> half pound of tiger lily buds..... etc. etc.

Only a few of the ingredients are perishable. The lily buds, for example,
will keep indefinitely if you keep them in a dry place.

As for the tofu, you can cut that into cubes, dredge it in seasoned rice
flour, deep-fry it, and serve it with a dipping sauce. You can cut it into
large rectangles, cut a slit in each one, fill the slit with cooked beef in
a black bean sauce, and pan-fry until crisp on the outside. You can press it
with a spice blend of your choice. You can scramble it with turmeric and
other spices for breakfast. You can make a mock egg salad. You can make ma
po tofu. Or you can just shove it up your ass.

Are you really that clueless, or are you just being a whiny little bitch?

Bob

On Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:48:03 -0600, Pennyaline
> wrote:

>The OP is no cook. A recipe follower, yes, but not a cook. When one is
>so rigid that he or she can only follow a recipe without the flexibility
>to make the dish his or her own, that person may as well just eat out.

A recipe follower is usually a "beginner" cook. Everyone has to start
somewhere. Some people need to be told explicitly that it's possible
to split or multiply a recipe and they won't need a calculator because
ingredient amounts don't have to be absolutely exact.


--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

"Gregory Morrow" > wrote in message
...
>
> cybercat wrote:
>
>> "Mr. Bill" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > Does ANYONE have a small batch hot/sour soup recipe? I have tried
>> > every brand in the grocery and none are remotely good. When I see a
>> > recipe, it always starts out with a ten gallon pot.
>> >
>> > I have resorted to driving into town to a local restaurant and buying
>> > four orders of takeout!
>> >
>> Oh, FFS. Reduce a large batch recipe, will you?
>
>
> Ya know, cyberkittie, I have a *sneeking* suspicion that this "Mr. Bill"
> is
> actually Steve Sqwertz...
>

Nah, Stebie is not that creative.

"Mr. Bill" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:11:32 -0600, Christine Dabney
> > wrote:
>
>>I am not trying to be facetious or sarcastic here, but you do know
>>that you can adjust recipes to make a lesser amount? Maybe you could
>>halve or even quarter whatever recipe that you want to try.
>
> Yes...very aware of what you are saying..... BUT,
> what do you do with the other three quarter pound of tofu? The other
> half pound of tiger lily buds..... etc. etc. There are just so
> many ingredients that won't be used in tomorrow, the next day or the
> next month?
>
> I am not a Chinese cooking expert by any means...but there are so many
> ingredients you need to even think about starting the recipe. Then
> you are left with a bountiful collection of ingredients you might not
> be able to consume in a month.
>
> Right now, I have egg roll wrapers that are molding in the
> refrigerator and will be in the trash Saturday. I only needed six but
> had to buy a package of twenty.
>

So make a big batch a share with friends and relatives. Life is short.

Greg wrote:

> I have a *sneeking* suspicion that this "Mr. Bill" is
> actually Steve Sqwertz...

Which one were you intending to insult with that? :-)

But come to think of it: How do we know you're not really Andrew Chung? Or
~patches~? Or even Sheryl Rosen?

Bob

Gregory Morrow wrote:

> Ya know, cyberkittie, I have a *sneeking* suspicion that this "Mr. Bill" is
> actually Steve Sqwertz...

Nah. Different style.

It's "Billy" from the Carla's Macaroni Salad thread. Billy is ALL
written recipe and NO style. No points for personal interpretation.
Improvisation is definitely not in his vocabulary.

--Lin (seriously wonders if Billy has ever tried any of the recipes he's
posted -- we never get his own cooking reviews)

In article >,
Mr. Bill > wrote:

>
> Does ANYONE have a small batch hot/sour soup recipe? I have tried
> every brand in the grocery and none are remotely good. When I see a
> recipe, it always starts out with a ten gallon pot.
>
> I have resorted to driving into town to a local restaurant and buying
> four orders of takeout!

I do the same thing. ;-) Their H&S soup is so GOOD! I get the large
take out servings. Our local place delivers too.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

In article >,
Mr. Bill > wrote:

> On Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:11:32 -0600, Christine Dabney
> > wrote:
>
> >I am not trying to be facetious or sarcastic here, but you do know
> >that you can adjust recipes to make a lesser amount? Maybe you could
> >halve or even quarter whatever recipe that you want to try.
>
> Yes...very aware of what you are saying..... BUT,
> what do you do with the other three quarter pound of tofu? The other
> half pound of tiger lily buds..... etc. etc. There are just so
> many ingredients that won't be used in tomorrow, the next day or the
> next month?
>
> I am not a Chinese cooking expert by any means...but there are so many
> ingredients you need to even think about starting the recipe. Then
> you are left with a bountiful collection of ingredients you might not
> be able to consume in a month.
>
> Right now, I have egg roll wrapers that are molding in the
> refrigerator and will be in the trash Saturday. I only needed six but
> had to buy a package of twenty.

Egg roll wrappers freeze just fine.

I generally buy packages of 4 frozen egg rolls tho' at the grocery store
rather than getting them from the restaurant. They are less expensive
and quite good.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

"Lin" > wrote in message
.. .
> Gregory Morrow wrote:
>
>> Ya know, cyberkittie, I have a *sneeking* suspicion that this "Mr. Bill"
>> is
>> actually Steve Sqwertz...
>
> Nah. Different style.
>
> It's "Billy" from the Carla's Macaroni Salad thread. Billy is ALL written
> recipe and NO style. No points for personal interpretation. Improvisation
> is definitely not in his vocabulary.
>
> --Lin (seriously wonders if Billy has ever tried any of the recipes he's
> posted -- we never get his own cooking reviews)

At least he is posting more than "menu cards."

cybercat wrote:

> "Mr. Bill" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > Does ANYONE have a small batch hot/sour soup recipe? I have tried
> > every brand in the grocery and none are remotely good. When I see a
> > recipe, it always starts out with a ten gallon pot.
> >
> > I have resorted to driving into town to a local restaurant and buying
> > four orders of takeout!
> >
> Oh, FFS. Reduce a large batch recipe, will you?


Ya know, cyberkittie, I have a *sneeking* suspicion that this "Mr. Bill" is
actually Steve Sqwertz...

--
Best
Greg

"The trouble with socialism is that you eventually run out of other
people's money."~~~~Margaret Thatcher

On Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:48:03 -0600, Pennyaline
> wrote:

>Many Chinese dishes are made with rather ordinary ingredients which are
>easily consumed in a month or less when used in for other meals. Flex
>your brain a little, Mr. Bill.

Penny!! YOU forgot to post YOUR recipe so I can expand my little
brain!! Help me please as it appears you are the expert. I want
to learn from the master chefs.

On Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:30:14 -0700, Lin >
wrote:

>It's "Billy" from the Carla's Macaroni Salad thread. Billy is ALL
>written recipe and NO style. No points for personal interpretation.

Lin...that recipe just works your LAST nerve. Why? Never have
understood your rigid stand, bless your little heart.

This has to be tried and true southern recipe. Reviewed my many
other people that really enjoy the recipe!! Most current review
posted below.


@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Carla's Macaroni Salad

pasta, salads

1 16 oz macaroni cooked
1 pint mayonnaise
1 can eagle condensed milk
1 cup vinegar
4 carrots, grated
1 onion, chopped
1 pepper, chopped

Mix all ingredients and chill overnight.

Yield: 6 servings


** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v5.84 **


(...from an unsolicited web review.....

From: ~Nimz~ On Mar 29, 2009
****
I had no idea what to expect out of this recipe. The eagle condensed
milk really made this sweet and with the vinegar tartness made for a
nice combination, although a little too sweet for us. I used rice wine
vinegar, which is what I had, red bell pepper and halved the recipe
for lunches next week. I also used light mayo and fat free eagle
condensed milk to cut some of the calories and fat. Thanks for
sharing. Made for PAC Spring 2009)

All the best to you and hubby!!

Mr. Bill was still a ****ing idiot:

>> Many Chinese dishes are made with rather ordinary ingredients which are
>> easily consumed in a month or less when used in for other meals. Flex
>> your brain a little, Mr. Bill.
>
> Penny!! YOU forgot to post YOUR recipe so I can expand my little
> brain!! Help me please as it appears you are the expert. I want
> to learn from the master chefs.


I think maybe you better just stick with the takeout you've been getting. We
all know how much you hate change.

Bob

Mr. Bill wrote:

>> It's "Billy" from the Carla's Macaroni Salad thread. Billy is ALL
>> written recipe and NO style. No points for personal interpretation.
>
> Lin...that recipe just works your LAST nerve. Why? Never have
> understood your rigid stand, bless your little heart.

It's beyond your comprehension, much like recipe-halving. It wasn't so much
that the macaroni salad recipe was BAD, but your reaction was _PRICELESS_.
You sulked like a teenage girl whose daddy just told her she can't go to the
prom! You even changed your nym in the hopes that people wouldn't associate
you with that recipe!

Bob

"Pennyaline" > wrote in message
...
>> They freeze well. Use what you need, and freeze the rest.
>
> Or make something from the egg roll wrappers that might not be egg rolls.
> Stretch!

I've made cheesesteak/chickensteak egg rolls, sausage egg and cheese egg
rolls, pizza rolls....

"Omelet" > wrote in message
news
> In article >,
> Mr. Bill > wrote:
>
>>
>> Does ANYONE have a small batch hot/sour soup recipe? I have tried
>> every brand in the grocery and none are remotely good. When I see a
>> recipe, it always starts out with a ten gallon pot.
>>
>> I have resorted to driving into town to a local restaurant and buying
>> four orders of takeout!
>
> I do the same thing. ;-) Their H&S soup is so GOOD! I get the large
> take out servings. Our local place delivers too.
> --
>
Right, doesn't pay to make a small batch, not of any kind of from scratch
soup.

But there is no reason one couldn't make say an 8 quart pot of sweet n' sour
soup and freeze the LOs.

In article >,
"brooklyn1" > wrote:

> "Omelet" > wrote in message
> news
> > In article >,
> > Mr. Bill > wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Does ANYONE have a small batch hot/sour soup recipe? I have tried
> >> every brand in the grocery and none are remotely good. When I see a
> >> recipe, it always starts out with a ten gallon pot.
> >>
> >> I have resorted to driving into town to a local restaurant and buying
> >> four orders of takeout!
> >
> > I do the same thing. ;-) Their H&S soup is so GOOD! I get the large
> > take out servings. Our local place delivers too.
> > --
> >
> Right, doesn't pay to make a small batch, not of any kind of from scratch
> soup.
>
> But there is no reason one couldn't make say an 8 quart pot of sweet n' sour
> soup and freeze the LOs.

That's very true. Most soup freezes well and I've done that more than
once.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

On Fri, 3 Apr 2009 09:43:36 -0400, "dejablues" >
wrote:

>I've made cheesesteak/chickensteak egg rolls, sausage egg and cheese egg
>rolls, pizza rolls....

Thanks to everyone for all your helpful suggestions.

After doing a bit of internet research, I stumbled across cookbook
author, Rhonda Parkinson. She has published a handful of how to type
cookbooks and offered good ideas about Hot Sour Soup.

I have chosen this recipe since the serving amount was 4 to 6
servings. She also suggested in freezing the extra and adding the
tofu, egg, etc upon reheating. Sounds like it will work for me!!

@@@@@ Now You're Cooking! Export Format

Hot And Sour Soup

Oriental

1 cake tofu (fresh, if possible)
2 ounces pork tenderloin
marinade:
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon tapioca starch
other:
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
2 tablespoons wood ear
1 small handful dried lily buds
6 cups water; or
6 c water w/ chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tb cornstarch dissolved in; quarter cup water
1 egg, beaten
1 green onion, finely chopped
white pepper to taste (no more than; 1 tablespoon)
hot chili oil, to taste, optional

Shred pork. Mix marinade ingredients and marinate pork for 20 minutes.

Cut tofu into small squares. Cut bamboo shoots into thin strips and
then
into fine slices. To reconstitute the fungus, soak in warm water for
20
minutes. Rinse, and cut into thin pieces. (If substituting Chinese
dried
mushrooms, soak to soften, then cut off the stems and cut into thin
strips.
If using fresh mushrooms, wipe clean with a damp cloth and slice.)

To reconstitute the dried lily buds, soak in hot water for 20 minutes
or
until softened. Cut off the hard ends.

Bring the water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the bamboo shoots,
fungus or mushrooms, and the lily buds. Stir. Add the tofu. Bring back
to a
boil and add the marinated pork. Stir in the salt, sugar, soy sauce
and
vinegar and sesame oil. Test the broth and adjust the taste if
desired. (If
using chicken broth, you may want to add a bit more rice vinegar).

Mix the cornstarch and water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into
the
soup, stirring while it is being added. Let the broth come back to a
boil.
As soon as it is boiling, remove the broth from the stove.

Slowly drop in the beaten egg, stirring in one direction at the same
time.
Add the green onion and the white pepper to taste. Drizzle with chili
oil
if desired. Serve hot.

(Hot and Sour Soup can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. When
making
the soup, leave out the tofu. When ready to serve, thaw, add the tofu
and
bring to boiling. When the soup is boiling, add the egg.)

Adjust the ratio of water to chicken stock as desired.



The red color in this Hot and Sour Soup comes from the addition of hot
chili oil.

Hot and sour soup is reputed to be good for colds. To increase the
health
benefits, feel free to add 2 or 3 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger.

For a vegetarian version of Hot and Sour Soup, leave out the pork.

Notes: Rhonda Parkinson

Yield: 4 servings


** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v5.84 **

Mr. Bill was still a ****ing idiot (with thanks to Bob Terwilliger) when
he replied:

>> Penny!! YOU forgot to post YOUR recipe so I can expand my little
>> brain!! Help me please as it appears you are the expert. I want
>> to learn from the master chefs.

The variety of things that can be learned while waiting to be told what
to do is limited. You could learn that:

-- you hate being told what to do

-- you hate waiting to be told what to do

-- you love being told what to do

-- you love waiting to be told what to do


But no matter which one describes you best, it has nothing to do with us.

On Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:52:49 -0600, Pennyaline
> wrote:


>But no matter which one describes you best, it has nothing to do with us.

Thanks...you are a sweetie...I appreciate your comments. Did you
find YOUR recipe...love to have you share it!!

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> As for the tofu, you can cut that into cubes, dredge it in seasoned
rice
> flour, deep-fry it, and serve it with a dipping sauce. You can cut it
> into large rectangles, cut a slit in each one, fill the slit with cooked
> beef in a black bean sauce, and pan-fry until crisp on the outside. You
> can press it with a spice blend of your choice. You can scramble it with
> turmeric and other spices for breakfast. You can make a mock egg salad.
> You can make ma po tofu. Or you can just shove it up your ass.

You didn't give him the recipe for that last one, Bob.

brooklyn1 wrote:

> "Omelet" > wrote in message
> news
> > In article >,
> > Mr. Bill > wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Does ANYONE have a small batch hot/sour soup recipe? I have tried
> >> every brand in the grocery and none are remotely good. When I see a
> >> recipe, it always starts out with a ten gallon pot.
> >>
> >> I have resorted to driving into town to a local restaurant and buying
> >> four orders of takeout!
> >
> > I do the same thing. ;-) Their H&S soup is so GOOD! I get the large
> > take out servings. Our local place delivers too.
> > --
> >
> Right, doesn't pay to make a small batch, not of any kind of from scratch
> soup.


Yup, a big waste of effort, it's no biggie to make a larger amount...


> But there is no reason one couldn't make say an 8 quart pot of sweet n'
sour
> soup and freeze the LOs.


I make a big crock of soup most every week, I eat some, freeze some, but end
up giving most of it away, peeps appreciate it. I never spend a huge amount
on ingredients, I generally make it with what I've got on hand...very
nutritious and economical, not to mention FAR superior to anything canned.
I generally cannot abide canned soups anymore, the amount of salt makes me
gag. A coupla weeks ago I opened a can of Campbells' "Select" Clam Chowder,
it had been in the pantry for awhiles. UGH! I didn't recall that
Campbell's clams are fed a diet solely consisting of old tin cans, lol...


--
Best
Greg

"The trouble with socialism is that you eventually run out of other
people's money."~~~~Margaret Thatcher