ChattyCathy said...

> Ah OK. It was just the 'no teeth' thing Lynn mentioned that got me
> wondering. Do they specialize in stuff that's 'mushy'?


Cathy,

Stouffers? Chances are, if it's edible, they've *******ized it! Should be
synonymous with salt. Should also be synonymous with "ultra
additives/processed foods." Sadly, they're not alone in the frozen food biz.

They haven't conquered frozen soup, yet! <G>

I had their creamed chipped beef exactly once. I just about spit it out. Way
too salty.

Best,

Andy

"ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
...
> bulka wrote:
>
>> I chose deligate, but often there is no one else who can cook.
>> Another answer is just do it anyway, but something quick and simple.
>> I guess that's what a lot of us are saying.
>
> So that leads me to another question - does the time something takes to
> cook make it 'not cooking'? e.g. even just making some scrambled eggs
> and bacon is still technically 'cooking', even though it only takes a
> few minutes and is not exactly rocket science. OTOH, does heating up
> leftovers or heating up a can of soup qualify as 'cooking'? I would say
> not...
> --

Not even.

"ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
...
> cybercat wrote:
>
>>
>> Or, lately, a frozen salmon steak slathered in butter with parsley and
>> lemon juice. Takes about seven minutes a side in the toaster oven.
>> With frozen asparagus steamed just a few minutes. Parm cheese
>> sprinkled on the asparagus. Damn, now I'm hungry.
>
> <eg> Hey, that still falls under 'cooking', IMHO. You didn't just 'heat
> something up', or make a sandwich etc.
> --

That's true. But I got the idea from a box of Gorton's salmon, little
square salmon things you nuke. They clearly had butter, lemon juice, and
parsley on them.

cybercat wrote:

>
> "ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> cybercat wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Or, lately, a frozen salmon steak slathered in butter with parsley
>>> and lemon juice. Takes about seven minutes a side in the toaster
>>> oven. With frozen asparagus steamed just a few minutes. Parm cheese
>>> sprinkled on the asparagus. Damn, now I'm hungry.
>>
>> <eg> Hey, that still falls under 'cooking', IMHO. You didn't just
>> 'heat something up', or make a sandwich etc.
>> --
>
> That's true. But I got the idea from a box of Gorton's salmon,
> little square salmon things you nuke. They clearly had butter, lemon
> juice, and parsley on them.

I got nothing against frozen salmon fillets; we buy them here too. (Not
that we see much fresh salmon where we live). I have done them in my
normal electric oven - and of course on the charcoal grill <laugh -
there's not much we won't 'braai' given half the chance>...

If doing them on the grill, I often brush them with olive oil, sprinkle
a little freshly ground black pepper on them - then place them on some
aluminum foil... Then I slice up a lemon or two - and place the lemon
slices on top of the fish fillets before making them into 'foil
parcels'. Very yum - and they don't take long to cook on the grill
either. Oh, sometimes I add a little rosemary too - but salmon has a
nice flavor of it's own - it doesn't need much more 'tarting up' IMHO.
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

"ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
...
> maxine wrote:
>
>> On Aug 9, 3:04 pm, ChattyCathy > wrote:
>>> Lynn from Fargo Ografmorffig wrote:
>>>
>>> > Sixth!!!!! That's the closest I've ever been!
>>> > Yaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!
>>>
>>> <grin>
>>>
>>> > I call my (affluent) friend and beg to go out! That's because I
>>> > don't have a car and we can go "Dutch" or I can treat depending on
>>> > his finances. If he's busy I just walk some where. If I'm feeling
>>> > crappy. I call the pizza place I have on speed dial (doesn't
>>> > everybody have one?) They deliver pretty good fried chicken too.
>>>
>>> If I'm feeling crappy I generally go off my food (and cooking
>>> thereof) - that's usually how my family knows I'm feeling crappy...
>>>
>>> > Now that I have no teeth, I try to keep some emergency Stouffer's
>>> > in the freezer.
>>>
>>> Not familiar with that... what is it?
>>
>> Brand of frozen entree.
>
> Ah OK. It was just the 'no teeth' thing Lynn mentioned that got me
> wondering. Do they specialize in stuff that's 'mushy'?
> --
> Cheers
> Chatty Cathy



LOL you could say that! They make a lot of pastas such as mac & cheese,
fettucinni alfredo (yeah, I know there's "no such thing" so call it pasta in
a parmesan cream sauce) and various other pasta dishes. Also things like
enchiladas which are pretty soft. I love their spinach souffle. Mom loved
that too, along with the stuffed bell peppers.

Jill

On Sun 09 Aug 2009 11:21:06a, Lynn from Fargo Ografmorffig told us...

> On Aug 9, 12:58*pm, ChattyCathy > wrote:
>> http://www.recfoodcooking.com --
>> Cheers
>> Chatty Cathy
>
> Sixth!!!!! That's the closest I've ever been!
> Yaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!
> I call my (affluent) friend and beg to go out! That's because I
> don't have a car and we can go "Dutch" or I can treat depending on his
> finances. If he's busy I just walk some where. If I'm feeling
> crappy. I call the pizza place I have on speed dial (doesn't
> everybody have one?) They deliver pretty good fried chicken too. Now
> that I have no teeth, I try to keep some emergency Stouffer's in the
> freezer.
>
> Lynn in Fargo
>

When did you have your teeth out, Lynn? I had mine out on July 6th and
immediate dentures put in. For the first 7-10 days I kept on soups, mashed
potatoes, and other very soft foods. Now, just over a month later, I'm up
to eating most foods. The only thing I haven't tried yet is steak. The
only remaining challenge is biting into something that has a lot of
resistance. I'm sure that will come in time. David has had dentures since
he was 45 and has no problem biting into anything, or eating anything, for
that matter. The gum tissue has to toughen up.

--
Wayne Boatwright
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and
let the food fight it out inside. Mark Twain

On Aug 10, 3:33*am, ChattyCathy > wrote:
> bulka wrote:
> > I chose deligate, but often there is no one else who can cook.
> > Another answer is just do it anyway, but something quick and simple.
> > I guess that's what a lot of us are saying.
>
> So that leads me to another question - does the time something takes to
> cook make it 'not cooking'? e.g. even just making some scrambled eggs
> and bacon is still technically 'cooking', even though it only takes a
> few minutes and is not exactly rocket science. OTOH, does heating up
> leftovers or heating up a can of soup qualify as 'cooking'? I would say
> not...

From the sorts of responses people are making, most of my dinners
would qualify as "not cooking." I have a host of 20-30 minute dinners
that can be cooked and on the table in that time frame. Most of them
start with raw ingredients, fresh or frozen, and by applying heat and
seasoning, I turn them into dinner. To me, not cooking is defrosting
and heating something that could technically be defrosted and eaten as
is. Or one of those 7-8 minute frozen dinners....

maxine in ri

maxine said...

> On Aug 10, 3:33*am, ChattyCathy > wrote:
>> bulka wrote:
>> > I chose deligate, but often there is no one else who can cook.
>> > Another answer is just do it anyway, but something quick and simple.
>> > I guess that's what a lot of us are saying.
>>
>> So that leads me to another question - does the time something takes to
>> cook make it 'not cooking'? e.g. even just making some scrambled eggs
>> and bacon is still technically 'cooking', even though it only takes a
>> few minutes and is not exactly rocket science. OTOH, does heating up
>> leftovers or heating up a can of soup qualify as 'cooking'? I would say
>> not...
>
> From the sorts of responses people are making, most of my dinners
> would qualify as "not cooking." I have a host of 20-30 minute dinners
> that can be cooked and on the table in that time frame. Most of them
> start with raw ingredients, fresh or frozen, and by applying heat and
> seasoning, I turn them into dinner. To me, not cooking is defrosting
> and heating something that could technically be defrosted and eaten as
> is. Or one of those 7-8 minute frozen dinners....
>
> maxine in ri


maxine in ri,

So when should we all show up for the 20-30 minute dinners??

We wouldn't be caught dead showing up fashionably late! Promise!

The BUM!!! & Friends of Maxine

"Terry" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:58:39 +0200, ChattyCathy
> > wrote:
>
>>http://www.recfoodcooking.com
>
> Actually, I don't feel like cooking tonight. So we're going to the
> fairly-new Japanese restaurant (Shogun, of course, what else would it
> be called?). Just the wife and me, the girls would rather have pizza.
> And they're not invited anyway. Cuz it's our anniversary. 28 years
> and counting... :-)
>
> Terry



Happy belated anniversary! I've always enjoyed those teppanyaki style
retaurants where they cook right in front of you. Good food, good fun

Jill

In article >,
Bob Muncie > wrote:
> Terry - Major congratulations... I hope you have another 28 years of
> happiness together. Kiss her at least once for me :-)
>
> Bob

Where did he say anything about happiness?
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check it out
Lots of new stuff in the last couple days.

In article >,
ChattyCathy > wrote:

> Lynn from Fargo Ografmorffig wrote:
> > Now that I have no teeth, I try to keep some emergency Stouffer's in
> > the freezer.
>
> Not familiar with that... what is it?

A brand of frozen prepared foods. "TV dinners." :-)


--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check it out
Lots of new stuff in the last couple days.

In article >,
ChattyCathy > wrote:
> Ah OK. It was just the 'no teeth' thing Lynn mentioned that got me
> wondering. Do they specialize in stuff that's 'mushy'?

Not intentionally, I think. :-)
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check it out
Lots of new stuff in the last couple days.

In article >,
"jmcquown" > wrote:

> I love their spinach souffle.
> Jill

I think that's the only Stouffer's I've ever bought. Or plan to.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check it out
Lots of new stuff in the last couple days.

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
>> I love their spinach souffle.
>> Jill
>
> I think that's the only Stouffer's I've ever bought. Or plan to.
> --

Their lasagne doesn't suck. I used to buy both the red and the creamy one
for my husband when I was on trips or didn't want to cook. It is very fatty,
though, and as these products go, expensive.

For Delicious Crap That We Should Only Have a Little Of, my current fav is
Michelina's salisbury steak and mashed potatoes. 88 cents last week at
Kroger, and very passable, in a 350-400 calorie portion although still
pretty saturated fatty. The reason for this: there are some foods we will
eat too much of if I make them. By we I mean my husband, who still eats like
a 20-year-old in his 40s, but is rapidly learning the consequences. Portion
control is the first lesson, but I cook like my mother--always too much. I'm
trying to stop, but I kind of share her philisophy--better to have around
too much than too little, and if I am going to spend time cooking, make
enough to justify it.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
>> I love their spinach souffle.
>> Jill
>
> I think that's the only Stouffer's I've ever bought. Or plan to.

Their Macaroni and Cheese (single serving)is quite good and makes a
great lunch at work. Pure comfort food.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
>> I love their spinach souffle.
>> Jill
>
> I think that's the only Stouffer's I've ever bought. Or plan to.

I like Stouffer's. I keep the vegetable lasagna in the freezer, it's
handy as a side dish or just dinner once in a while. They do make
a nice stuffed pepper.

nancy

In article >,
Christine Dabney > wrote:

> On Sun, 9 Aug 2009 11:51:07 -0700 (PDT), aem >
> wrote:
>
>
> >Of any of several additiional alternatives. Given the general tenor
> >of many posts here, the true answer for many will be: heat up
> >leftovers. Here, the answer is: make a sandwich or a salad. -
> >aem
>
> Yep, that is my answer too. I chose MCINL because of that..I tend to
> scrounge around to see what takes no cooking, or make a grilled cheese
> sandwich. Or I check out the freezer to see if there is anything that
> will only take a few minutes to heat up in the microwave. Or I eat
> anything leftover that appeals to me. Or eat a bowl of cereal.
>
> Christine

Post Something or Other with sliced almonds and cranberries if I really
don't want to cook. Anything.

If it involves heating anything, for this purpose I'll consider it
cooking and if I don't feel like cooking, I don't feel like heating
anything. And I don't feel like going out, either. Put something in
front of me and maybe I'll eat it. Or just leave me alone. I try to
keep Marie Callender pot pies in the freezer for HWSRN. He can heat
those. And he'll heat leftovers for himself.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check it out
Lots of new stuff in the last couple days.

"l, not -l" > wrote in message
...
>
> On 10-Aug-2009, "cybercat" > wrote:
>
>> > I think that's the only Stouffer's I've ever bought. Or plan to.
>> > --
>>
>> Their lasagne doesn't suck.
>
> With such an enthusiastic endorsement, I think I'll run out and buy some.
> 8-)

haha! The meat one is really good, for frozen. I don't like the creamy one
my husband loves. The worst thing is, when buying a Stouffers lasagne, one
is tempted to buy the big ones, which is just wayyy too much lasagne. They
come in at least three sizes.

ChattyCathy wrote:
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com

MCINL

1. Delegate - there's no one else to delegate it to except
the cats and they are lousy cooks! I have no stomach for
mouse tartare.

2. Go to restaurant - once in a great while but it wouldn't
be a regular option. Also, can't really afford it very often.

3. Order take out/home delivery - again once in a while but not a
regular option. Also cost issue.

4. Get in car and go get take out - only if I'm already in car
on way home from somewhere - would never do this if already at home
- and not a regular option. Cost again.

5. Send somebody - again no one else to send except the cats
and they can't drive.

6. Go to friend's/relative's - too much trouble and too far to go.
If I don't feel like cooking I sure don't feel like getting dressed
and going somewhere else.

7. Never don't feel like cooking dinner - Never don't not feel like
cooking dinner which is why I make a big batch of something to last a
week or two and just heat up a portion in the mw every night.

8. MCINL - If I don't have something already made that just needs
to be heated up I will heat up some frozen food if I have any or make
scambled eggs or an omelet or just make cheese toast or even oatmeal.
Anything. I just scrounge in the fridge and pantry for something
quick and dirty. Or eat ice cream or candy or anything I don't even
had to heat up in the toaster oven or mw.

Kate



--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Kate Connally wrote:

>
> 5. Send somebody - again no one else to send except the cats
> and they can't drive.

You'd certainly be able to afford to hire your own personal chef or dine
out at fancy restaurants every night if you could teach your cats to
drive... You'd be rich! <laugh>

Thanks for the post - fun read as usual.

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:53:25 +0200, "Giusi" >
wrote:

>
>"ChattyCathy" ha scritto nel messaggio
...
>> http://www.recfoodcooking.com
>> --
>> Cheers
>> Chatty Cathy
>
>If I don't feel like cooking, I won't feel like begging and socializing, I
>won't feel like driving, there is no delivery and my answer is I don't eat.

Not eating won't do you any harm, you fat ****.

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

Nancy Young wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>> In article >,
>> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>>
>>> I love their spinach souffle.
>>> Jill
>>
>> I think that's the only Stouffer's I've ever bought. Or plan to.
>
> I like Stouffer's. I keep the vegetable lasagna in the freezer, it's
> handy as a side dish or just dinner once in a while. They do make
> a nice stuffed pepper.

Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me, even
when I don't feel like cooking. Besides anything like that is *damn*
expensive here - I don't think the average Joe Citizen could afford
them too often. Are they reasonably priced in your neck of the woods?
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

ChattyCathy wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>
>> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>>> In article >,
>>> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I love their spinach souffle.
>>>> Jill
>>> I think that's the only Stouffer's I've ever bought. Or plan to.
>> I like Stouffer's. I keep the vegetable lasagna in the freezer, it's
>> handy as a side dish or just dinner once in a while. They do make
>> a nice stuffed pepper.
>
> Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me, even
> when I don't feel like cooking. Besides anything like that is *damn*
> expensive here - I don't think the average Joe Citizen could afford
> them too often. Are they reasonably priced in your neck of the woods?

Cathy - I rarely buy any of those MW meals. But occasionally, I will if
the price is right (lean cuisine is 50% off right now at the local
store), but I do not eat them as a normal part of my diet. I eat them
when I have zero want to cook. If I did not have them, I would MW part
of a bag of plain veggies, with a bit of soy sauce.

But that is just me.

Bob

On Aug 10, 12:51*pm, ChattyCathy > wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
> > Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> >> In article >,
> >> "jmcquown" > wrote:
>
> >>> I love their spinach souffle.
> >>> Jill
>
> >> I think that's the only Stouffer's I've ever bought. *Or plan to.
>
> > I like Stouffer's. *I keep the vegetable lasagna in the freezer, it's
> > handy as a side dish or just dinner once in a while. *They do make
> > a nice stuffed pepper.
>
> Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me, even
> when I don't feel like cooking.I

I joined a research project for people with food issues (too much).
One of the classes _recommended_ using the frozen meals because they
are portion controlled, something a lot of the members of the class
found difficult to adjust. The class went berserk the week the
supermarket had "Lean Cuisine" meals on sale $2 each. they were all
stocking up on the buggers.

When I was single, and they were relatively new for the microwave, I
used to buy them. Not bad. A portion of protein, vegetable, starch,
and a sauce of some sort or another. Once I realized that, I saved a
dozen of the plates and cooked my own meals, portioned them out, and
froze them. When I first got married, the plan fell apart, since I
would cook what should feed us for the week on a Sunday, and there'd
be enough for me for lunch the next day after my appreciative groom
got done.

maxine in ri

ChattyCathy wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:

>> I like Stouffer's. I keep the vegetable lasagna in the freezer, it's
>> handy as a side dish or just dinner once in a while. They do make
>> a nice stuffed pepper.
>
> Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me,
> even when I don't feel like cooking.

I don't blame you, although Stouffers is a good brand in that regard.
No preservatives. Tasty, but not homemade, they are pretty darned
good for what they are.

> Besides anything like that is
> *damn* expensive here - I don't think the average Joe Citizen could
> afford them too often. Are they reasonably priced in your neck of the
> woods?

Full price, the lasagnas (meat or vegetable) are about $3.75 but they
often have half price sales. I think they're very reasonable.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:

>> Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me,
>> even when I don't feel like cooking.
>
> I don't blame you, although Stouffers is a good brand in that regard.
> No preservatives. Tasty, but not homemade, they are pretty darned
> good for what they are.
>
The tastiest ones I've ever eaten have been "Amy's" brand.

Goomba wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>
>>> Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me,
>>> even when I don't feel like cooking.
>>
>> I don't blame you, although Stouffers is a good brand in that regard.
>> No preservatives. Tasty, but not homemade, they are pretty darned
>> good for what they are.
>>
> The tastiest ones I've ever eaten have been "Amy's" brand.

Amy's tends to get high marks with their products, I think. It's organic,
right? I haven't seen them in the store myself.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:
> Goomba wrote:
>> Nancy Young wrote:
>>
>>>> Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me,
>>>> even when I don't feel like cooking.
>>>
>>> I don't blame you, although Stouffers is a good brand in that regard.
>>> No preservatives. Tasty, but not homemade, they are pretty darned
>>> good for what they are.
>>>
>> The tastiest ones I've ever eaten have been "Amy's" brand.
>
> Amy's tends to get high marks with their products, I think. It's organic,
> right? I haven't seen them in the store myself.
> nancy

Yup, meatless and organic. Which is not my reason for buying them. They
are just very tasty, well seasoned and full of "non traditional" dishes
which appeal to me over the dreaded Swanson's Salisbury Steak dreck.

On Aug 10, 1:16*am, ChattyCathy > wrote
> Ah OK. It was just the 'no teeth' thing Lynn mentioned that got me
> wondering. Do they specialize in stuff that's 'mushy'?
> --
> Cheers
> Chatty Cathy

=========================

Sorry that wasn't clear! Stouffer's is the brand I find most edible
and this is Day 15 after dental surgery. Stouffer's makes a pretty
decent tasting lasagna and if I nuke it long enough it's plenty soft.
Also a spinach souflee that make a decent light entree, Protein is
the hard (literally) requirement to fill. One can only eat so many
eggs. Went out last night to a typical American place. I ordered
mashed potatoes with turkey gravy and stuffing/dressing and some
chicken noodle soup with big soft noodles and not much chicken!
Lynn in Fargo

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >,
> Bob Muncie > wrote:
>> Terry - Major congratulations... I hope you have another 28 years of
>> happiness together. Kiss her at least once for me :-)
>>
>> Bob
>
> Where did he say anything about happiness?


Did you have a point worth making? or are you just bitter?

Goomba wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>> Goomba wrote:

>>> The tastiest ones I've ever eaten have been "Amy's" brand.
>>
>> Amy's tends to get high marks with their products, I think. It's
>> organic, right? I haven't seen them in the store myself.
>
> Yup, meatless and organic.

That's right, meatless. I forgot.

> Which is not my reason for buying them.
> They are just very tasty, well seasoned and full of "non traditional"
> dishes which appeal to me over the dreaded Swanson's Salisbury Steak
> dreck.

Sounds good, I'll look for them.

I used to buy Sczhezuan (sp!) vegetables, I forget what the brand was,
but I haven't seen them in the stores, so I guess they've been discontinued.
Too bad, I liked having that for a meal now and again.

nancy

On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:43:29 -0400, "jmcquown" >
wrote:

>"Terry" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:58:39 +0200, ChattyCathy
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>http://www.recfoodcooking.com
>>
>> Actually, I don't feel like cooking tonight. So we're going to the
>> fairly-new Japanese restaurant (Shogun, of course, what else would it
>> be called?). Just the wife and me, the girls would rather have pizza.
>> And they're not invited anyway. Cuz it's our anniversary. 28 years
>> and counting... :-)
>>
>> Terry
>
>
>
>Happy belated anniversary! I've always enjoyed those teppanyaki style
>retaurants where they cook right in front of you. Good food, good fun
>
>Jill

Thanks to all the well-wishers. Last night's filet was the absolute
best piece of beef that I have ever put in my mouth. The menu said
"Kobe filet"; I don't know if it really was Kobe and I didn't care. It
was perhaps a little tougher than cream cheese :-). Wonderful flavor!
Not too over-seasoned, which some Japanese places tend to do.

The wife ordered filet & chicken (not Kobe). She remarked on the
significant difference between her beef and mine.

The chef was a young skinny fellow who had a bit of a hillbilly accent
but did an excellent job. I sincerely hope this place can stay in
business. Too many restaurants in this town are 'flash in the pan'
places---here today, gone tomorrow.

Best -- Terry

maxine wrote:
> On Aug 9, 2:58*pm, "Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." wrote:
>
>>Serene Vannoy wrote:
>>
>>>ChattyCathy wrote:
>>
>>>><g> I thought about putting in a 'more than one of the above' option -
>>>>but then I realized that's what the MCINL option is for.
>>>
>>>Right, I think the MCINL option is the best thing you could do, because
>>>no one's ever going to anticipate all possible answers to any quiz
>>>that's not a straightforward yes/no/maybe or something.
>>
>>>*> However, I am
>>
>>>>surprised that nobody (so far) has chosen the N/A I never 'don't feel
>>>>like cooking dinner' option...
>>>
>>>I can't imagine always feeling like cooking dinner, and I really love to
>>>cook.
>>
>>>Serene
>>
>>Me mum's definition of good food was anything she did not have to cook.
>>
>>Later on in my adult years i had the pleasure of introducing her to
>>commercially available frozen entrees. *Stouffer's lasagna, swiss steak
>>& such.
>>
>>At one time in my life, when i was a child, she cooked & baked for 20+
>>grown men every day. *She was a very good cook but needless to say she
>>didn't find it the pleasure i do, in cooking as a hobby.
>
>
> What did your Mom do? Who were the 20+ men she cooked for? Were any
> of them your Dad?

Me mum was a wife and mother, she cooked a big breakfast & dinner every
day for my father, grand father, uncles, brothers in laws and some
assorted "hired hands" that lived on the isolated, rural place with us.

And that does not include all the rest of the cooking & preserving
(canning, smoking meats) she did for the rest of the family. It was
also up to her to supervise the production of milk, cheese, butter etc.
tend the kitchen garden and do all the baking, washing, cleaning etc.
And still have the time and energy to create fond memories of that time
for me her youngest child. She did have help, i had 3 married sisters &
a couple of aunts & uncles with their families that lived with us on
"the place" at the time and they of course helped with everything. But
it was all on me mums shoulders to get every thing done correctly and on
time.

I remember those days as idyllic but in my late 20's early 30's it began
to dawn on me how much work she had to do.

Most of the men listed above, including my father would have a very
early but very substantial breakfast, around 4 -5 am, drive miles and
miles to work all day as 'loggers' and then come home to a big dinner
waiting for them.

When she finally had a moment to sit down, usually in the evening before
bed, out came the sewing basket and she would darn and mend socks &
clothing or knit.

When, around the time i was 12 years old, for various reasons, it was
decided by the adults to move off the old place (too complex & sad for
this recounting of it) and i & me mum & dad went to live in a house with
just the 3 of us and the occasionally visitor she still kept her self in
harness, cooking, baking, preserving etc. She just did not know any
different way of living.

So it was a treat for me after spending a year or so in the "Big City"
to come home and rather than let her spend a few hours in the kitchen
cooking for me to purchase some of the aforementioned frozen entrees i
had been exposed to in the 'Big City' and she took to them like manna
from heaven.

I can recall my sister Mary Kay, coming to visit when i was home on
leave and me mum taking a frozen food entree out of the oven and Mary
kay, not realizing i was awake in the next room hearing it all, saying
to our mum, what a bad son i must be to foist such crap on to my mom,
and boy did my mom lay into Kay, one of the very few times i ever recall
my mother getting angry and reproaching some one for their opinion.

And just BTW when we lived at the old place where me mum worked from
before sun up to after sun down year round she did so without indoor
plumbing, electricity or any of the modern conveniences. Wood fired
kitchen stove, oil lamps, out houses, kitchen hand pump etc.

*Sigh* those were the days, my memories of them are very fond, lazy hay
rides at harvest time, sitting on me dads lap when he had to plow a
field with a tractor, the swimming pond we kids could get a penny apiece
for every crawdaddy we caught, tricking a 'city slicker' cousin into
doing what he thought was some macho bravery in petting a bull
(basically tame but he did not know that) which he had to walk past a
chicken coop to do and when he walked past the chicken coop watching him
freak out as the chickens rushed him expecting a feeding. We still
occasionally get a chuckle out of that

One of my sisters convinced my dad to take in an old Clydesdale from
another farm that was going to be put down for lack of anything for it
to do, and that old horse "Clyde" would let a half dozen small kids just
clamber all over it and when it finally got tired of us would walk into
the pond till we all floated off his back. It was just a pet, we did
have cars, trucks, harvesters, tractors and other farm tools but
naturally one of my sisters was horse crazy and indulged to the degree
my parents could. And Clyde did come in handy occasionally, i can
remember a couple of winters when horse drawn sleds were the only way to
get around, and Clyde was a wonder at that, he was originally a working
horse and i can remember my father and uncles commenting on what a good
sled horse he was, nothing stopped him in those situations he could plow
through a 10 foot snow drift like it was water.

Ah well.....memories....
--

Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq.

Domine, dirige nos.
Let the games begin!
http://fredeeky.typepad.com/fredeeky.../sf_anthem.mp3

"Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." > wrote
> Me mum was a wife and mother, she cooked a big breakfast & dinner every
> day for my father, grand father, uncles, brothers in laws and some
> assorted "hired hands" that lived on the isolated, rural place with us.
>
> And that does not include all the rest of the cooking & preserving
> (canning, smoking meats) she did for the rest of the family. It was also
> up to her to supervise the production of milk, cheese, butter etc. tend
> the kitchen garden and do all the baking, washing, cleaning etc. And still
> have the time and energy to create fond memories of that time for me her
> youngest child. She did have help, i had 3 married sisters & a couple of
> aunts & uncles with their families that lived with us on "the place" at
> the time and they of course helped with everything. But it was all on me
> mums shoulders to get every thing done correctly and on time.
>
> I remember those days as idyllic but in my late 20's early 30's it began
> to dawn on me how much work she had to do.
>
> Most of the men listed above, including my father would have a very early
> but very substantial breakfast, around 4 -5 am, drive miles and miles to
> work all day as 'loggers' and then come home to a big dinner waiting for
> them.
>
> When she finally had a moment to sit down, usually in the evening before
> bed, out came the sewing basket and she would darn and mend socks &
> clothing or knit.
>
> When, around the time i was 12 years old, for various reasons, it was
> decided by the adults to move off the old place (too complex & sad for
> this recounting of it) and i & me mum & dad went to live in a house with
> just the 3 of us and the occasionally visitor she still kept her self in
> harness, cooking, baking, preserving etc. She just did not know any
> different way of living.
>
> So it was a treat for me after spending a year or so in the "Big City" to
> come home and rather than let her spend a few hours in the kitchen cooking
> for me to purchase some of the aforementioned frozen entrees i had been
> exposed to in the 'Big City' and she took to them like manna from heaven.
>
> I can recall my sister Mary Kay, coming to visit when i was home on leave
> and me mum taking a frozen food entree out of the oven and Mary kay, not
> realizing i was awake in the next room hearing it all, saying to our mum,
> what a bad son i must be to foist such crap on to my mom, and boy did my
> mom lay into Kay, one of the very few times i ever recall my mother
> getting angry and reproaching some one for their opinion.
>
> And just BTW when we lived at the old place where me mum worked from
> before sun up to after sun down year round she did so without indoor
> plumbing, electricity or any of the modern conveniences. Wood fired
> kitchen stove, oil lamps, out houses, kitchen hand pump etc.
>
> *Sigh* those were the days, my memories of them are very fond, lazy hay
> rides at harvest time, sitting on me dads lap when he had to plow a field
> with a tractor, the swimming pond we kids could get a penny apiece for
> every crawdaddy we caught, tricking a 'city slicker' cousin into doing
> what he thought was some macho bravery in petting a bull (basically tame
> but he did not know that) which he had to walk past a chicken coop to do
> and when he walked past the chicken coop watching him freak out as the
> chickens rushed him expecting a feeding. We still occasionally get a
> chuckle out of that
>
> One of my sisters convinced my dad to take in an old Clydesdale from
> another farm that was going to be put down for lack of anything for it to
> do, and that old horse "Clyde" would let a half dozen small kids just
> clamber all over it and when it finally got tired of us would walk into
> the pond till we all floated off his back. It was just a pet, we did
> have cars, trucks, harvesters, tractors and other farm tools but naturally
> one of my sisters was horse crazy and indulged to the degree my parents
> could. And Clyde did come in handy occasionally, i can remember a couple
> of winters when horse drawn sleds were the only way to get around, and
> Clyde was a wonder at that, he was originally a working horse and i can
> remember my father and uncles commenting on what a good sled horse he was,
> nothing stopped him in those situations he could plow through a 10 foot
> snow drift like it was water.
>
> Ah well.....memories....

And thank you for sharing them! I really enjoyed reading this.

In my youth I spent some time living on a dairy farm in upstate NY with a
wonderful family who treated me as if I were one of their own sons. Among
many other things, I learned to shoe horses there, a skill that I used to
supplement my income while in college.

The food on the farm was simple, but memorable because of the freshness. I
was a city boy when I got there and up until then, eggs came in cartons and
milk came in bottles. I learned a great appreciation for what it takes to
produce food and how much hard work goes into something that most people
take for granted.

Thanks for your memories, Joseph....... both yours and the nudge to remember
mine.

George L

In article >,
ChattyCathy > wrote:

>
> Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me, even
> when I don't feel like cooking. Besides anything like that is *damn*
> expensive here - I don't think the average Joe Citizen could afford
> them too often. Are they reasonably priced in your neck of the woods?

I noticed tonight that the Stouffer's spinach souffle was $2.49. Might
serve two?
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller - Yes, I Can! blog - check it out
Lots of new stuff in the last couple days.

Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq. wrote:

<snipped great story>

> Ah well.....memories....

I just loved that story, JL. Thanks.

nancy

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> In article >,
> ChattyCathy > wrote:
>
>>
>> Those heat 'n eat MW dinners have just never really appealed to me,
>> even when I don't feel like cooking. Besides anything like that is
>> *damn* expensive here - I don't think the average Joe Citizen could
>> afford them too often. Are they reasonably priced in your neck of the
>> woods?
>
> I noticed tonight that the Stouffer's spinach souffle was $2.49.
> Might serve two?

<Cathy does the conversion to local currency>

That's pretty reasonable. We pay almost twice that (for an equivalent
brand) - and that's for a single serving.
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Terry wrote:

> Thanks to all the well-wishers.

Belated Happy Anniversary from me too.

> Last night's filet was the absolute
> best piece of beef that I have ever put in my mouth. The menu said
> "Kobe filet"; I don't know if it really was Kobe and I didn't care. It
> was perhaps a little tougher than cream cheese :-). Wonderful flavor!
> Not too over-seasoned, which some Japanese places tend to do.
>
> The wife ordered filet & chicken (not Kobe). She remarked on the
> significant difference between her beef and mine.

Heh. Our neighbors have cows; I like beef but I decided that cow-napping
one (or three) of them was too much effort. Not to mention illegal. Oh
well, somebody else can massage them with sake and feed them beer and
then (maybe) I can buy the meat... <eg>

But I'm glad you enjoyed it, sounds like you had a great meal.

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Nancy Young wrote:
> Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq. wrote:
>
> <snipped great story>
>
>> Ah well.....memories....
>
>
> I just loved that story, JL. Thanks.
>
> nancy

Thanks, once i get reminiscing...i'll be a terror when i get really
old assuming i remember anything

I remember one time we had to take Clyde and a big sleigh to Church one
Christmas, i was so embarrassed, must have been the early 60's and i had
been going to public school so i knew how 'normal' people lived in
houses with flush toilets and electric light. I can even recall school
friends coming up to the old place with their parents to visit or
purchase various foods we produced but who, at least the kids, basically
mocked our "hillbilly" existence, in school i was cruelly mocked for it.

So when i found out we were going to Church in a sled! well it wasn't
the time i tried to get out of something by claiming i was having my
period, but i thought up every other excuse in the book i could to get
out of going any where in public! much less to church! in a horse drawn
sleigh!

It was too cold and the snows too deep to just run out into the forest
and hide, which was my usual way of getting out of something i did not
want to do. So i & the grandparents, parents & sisters were all bundled
up like gunny sacks full of potatoes, covered in blankets and off we went.

The church was down in the valley we were up in the hills and people
came to the church from the valley and round about in cars and trucks
that could navigate the paved roads and highways running through the
area. But no way to get a truck or car up or down our mountain in that
weather.

All down the road i was plotting with myself how & when & if i could
best jump out of the sled just before it got to the church and then at
least i could sneak in rather than having to endure the mockery i knew
was coming.

Perhaps you can imagine my surprise then when we trot up to the church
with Clyde's harness jingling and people scurrying out of his way. We
were minor celebrities for a day the adults were all very nostalgic
about it, couldn't heap enough praise & admiration on the horse, sleigh
and the family that could and would take the trouble to show up in such
weather. Clyde the Clydesdale pulling the sled came in for an
extravagant share of praise from my Father, "couldn't have done it
without him" i heard him say several times, to the seemingly resentful
looks of the man who gave him to us and thought us fools for taking
Clyde in.

After the couple of hours of church we rode around the local area where
we had friends & relatives for a round of visits and i was the envy of
every other adolescent that had mocked our "hillbilly" ways.

After that, and though it was only a few years later that this little
Walton's fantasy came to an end, but after that Christmas there was a
subtle shift in the way i perceived other people treating not just me
but the rest of the family as well. It was subtle, but in my case i got
a lot less mocking and on one or 2 occasions a kid would try it in
school and not get any reinforcement from his friends and drop it,
unlike previously when i would often get hailed with a chorus of
barnyard sounds or other examples of "hillbilly" humor.

*Chuckle* i remember to this day how shocked i was to find me mums
recipe for boiled meat loaf in Auguste Escoffier's Le Guide Culinaire.
Sou Fassum Provencal. It was a major eye opener for me in my
reassessment of my thoughts about my childhood.

Latter we moved down off the mountain to the foothills, still not all
the way down to the Willamette valley but with paved streets, indoor
plumbing, electrical lights, AND ..... wait for it .... wait for
it......no more trudging through the snow (or mud, or rain & sloppy dirt
road) to get to school a bus would pick me up at the end of the street
we then lived on.

*sigh* ..... give me another ten years and ill be a gawd awful bore
--

Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq.

Domine, dirige nos.
Let the games begin!
http://fredeeky.typepad.com/fredeeky.../sf_anthem.mp3

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> ChattyCathy > wrote:
>
>> Lynn from Fargo Ografmorffig wrote:
>> > Now that I have no teeth, I try to keep some emergency Stouffer's in
>> > the freezer.
>>
>> Not familiar with that... what is it?
>
> A brand of frozen prepared foods. "TV dinners." :-)
>
> --
> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ



Nawwww. "TV Dinners" are a complete meal (although Stouffer's does make
entrees). I think of TV dinners as those goofy Swanson things featuring a
mostly breading meatless chicken thigh and wing or greasy salisbury steak in
gravy accompanied by faux mashed potatoes and peas or corn. Served in one
of those separated plates so none of the food touches

Jill