"Mike Pearce" > wrote in message
news:gZYJd.95755$Jk5.75001@lakeread01...
> "Dee Randall" wrote in message ...
>
>> "Mike Pearce" wrote in message
>
>>> Interestingly, Whole Foods Market is closing the store in my
>>> neighborhood in a couple of months. It's the smallest store in the chain
>>> and they've opened a store on the other side of town so I figured this
>>> day would come. I'm very disappointed. I've really enjoyed have good
>>> quality ingredients a block and a half away from my house, even if it is
>>> on the expensive side. The funny thing is that when I hear my neighbors
>>> talking about the closing they almost always mention that they will miss
>>> the prepared foods. All this time I've been wishing they'd take the
>>> space that they use for prepared foods and expand the produce or meat
>>> departments.
>>>
>>
>> I would sorely miss the availability of Whole Foods if I had had one and
>> then it vanished. I have to travel probably 75+ miles to shop at a
>> FreshFields/Whole Foods store. I don't know what city you live in, but
>> there is a Whole Foods in Baltimore in "Little Italy" that has one of the
>> top rated wine stores in the U.S. on its premises. All price ranges. A
>> jewel of a store.
>
> I'm in New Orleans. Up until a year or so ago the WFM near me was the only
> one in the city. WFM opened a new store (at least three or four time
> bigger than mine) on the other side of town in an area that is a total
> pain in the butt for me to get to. Now they are getting ready to open
> another new store in the suburbs which will be close to twice as big as
> the one on the other side of town. The new one in the burbs will be easier
> for me to get to. It will still only be about 20 minutes for me to get to
> the new store, but that's a lot longer than the minute or so it takes me
> to walk to the current location.
>
> I've gotten really bad, I use Whole Foods almost like my extended pantry.
> I decide what I'm going to make for dinner, sometimes I even start making
> dinner, and then walk over to Whole Foods to pick up the ingredients I
> need.
>
> A few years ago I spent about six months working in Baltimore. I really
> enjoyed my time there. I was surprised at how many good restaurants there
> were. I've got to get back there one of these days.
>
> -Mike
Mike,
I've been in your neck of the woods before, and may return again after mardi
gras. I have been jonesing lately for some gumbo, and Texans just don't make
it right!
lucy

Lucy wrote:
> ...I have been jonesing lately for some gumbo, and Texans just don't
> make it right!
> lucy
>
>

In East Texas they do. Well, some of us anyway.

Best regards,
Bob

Thank you to everyone for your recipes, instructions and advice. Much
appreciated.
Also thank you to those of you for pointing out that newsgroups are not the
same as several people sitting around the table after lunch, and
bullshitting with one another.
Even if I make the exact same remarks I would to a face to face group, the
inflection of my voice, the raised eyebrow and grin, the various other
mannerisms/expressions people use to convey they are gently teasing...none
of these can be perceived on here. So apologies for my assumptions that
people would know my meaning, especially right off the bat.

I have a lot of notes to sort through, and several new recipes to try now.
Thanks!
lucy

"zxcvbob" > wrote in message
...
> Lucy wrote:
>> ...I have been jonesing lately for some gumbo, and Texans just don't
>> make it right!
>> lucy
>>
>>
>
> In East Texas they do. Well, some of us anyway.
>
> Best regards,
> Bob

Agreed there, Bob. I had some good jambalaya in or near Nacogdoches <sp>
once.
lucy

Lucy wrote:
> Thank you to everyone for your recipes, instructions and advice. Much
> appreciated.
> Also thank you to those of you for pointing out that newsgroups are not the
> same as several people sitting around the table after lunch, and
> bullshitting with one another.
> Even if I make the exact same remarks I would to a face to face group, the
> inflection of my voice, the raised eyebrow and grin, the various other
> mannerisms/expressions people use to convey they are gently teasing...none
> of these can be perceived on here. So apologies for my assumptions that
> people would know my meaning, especially right off the bat.
>
> I have a lot of notes to sort through, and several new recipes to try now.
> Thanks!
> lucy
>
>
>
>
Hey, we all go through it. Actually it is kind of like sitting around
bullshitting 'cept the inflections don't always come through. Don't take
it personally.

--
Steve

Ever wonder about those people who spend $2.00 apiece on those little
bottles of Evian water? Try spelling Evian backwards...

On Wed 26 Jan 2005 02:37:30p, Lucy wrote in rec.food.cooking:

>
> "Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Wed 26 Jan 2005 06:16:00a, T wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>>
>>> Yup,those 'prepared foods',loaded with fat,salt and strange
>>> chemicals.Perhaps that's why one in three Americans is obese.A boon
>>> for the medical profession and the mortician.
>>
>> LOL! Someday we may see combination establishments like "Mayfair's
>> Family Restaurant, Internist, and Mortuary".
>>
>> Wayne
> Wayne,
> That made me think of a funeral home in my area and a barbeque joint
> that have the same name.. Dickie's. I've always wondered if they were in
> cahoots. LOL!
> lucy

Yikes! Perish the thought! <no pun intended>

Wayne

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 22:15:53 GMT, "Lucy" > wrote:

>
>Saerah,
>Wow, you are a professional cook! I have SO many questions I would love to
>ask you. But for now, can you recommend even just a couple meals that are
>kid friendly, and simple enough to prepare that I could memorize the steps
>after making it a few times?

I'm not Saerah, but one of the things that we've been doing a bit of
lately is chicken and veggies in foil packets.
They take very little time to prep, less time to bake, and the kids
love opening their "presents" at dinner. There are a zillion
different varieties at http://www.reynoldswrap.com . Select "packet
cooking" in the cooking method.

Jeanne

Melba's Jammin' > wrote in
:

> In article > ,
> "Lucy" > wrote:
>
> > I do LOVE rice. Ok.. confession time. I have only made rice one
> > time, that wasn't minute rice. It boiled over, but now I'm ready
> > to try it again. Mental note.. this time use a larger pan.
>
> One of my most-used cooking pots is a 2-quart glass Pyrex mixing
> pitcher. I made rice last night. For the two of us, I put 1-1/2
> cups water in the 2-quart pitcher, added 3/4 cup rinsed medium-grain
> rice, about 1/2 tsp of salt, and maybe a tablespoon of vegetable oil
> (to keep the foaming down). Covered it with plastic wrap (vented so
> steam could escape and nuked it for 10 minutes at full power, then
> about 10 -12 minutes at 20% power. Pretty good. No, darn good. No
> stirring, no nada. FWIW.

Pre rice cooker days I'd make rice in the microwave almost every night.

I would just nuke on high for 18 minutes (new nuker) or 22 minutes (old
nuker) in the 8 cup pyrex measuring cup, using no cover of any sort. But
I used a coffee mug of rice (best guess 10 fluid oz of rice) and 2 coffee
cugs of water with a scant tbsp of chicken stock granules. I used Uncle
Ben's converted long grain rice (par boiled is the generic name). It also
works well with basmati rice (tastier than the converted rice).

Being low carb now...I miss or crave rice a great deal.

--
No Bread Crumbs were hurt in the making of this Meal.
Type 2 Diabetic 1AC 5.6mmol or 101mg/dl

Dave Smith wrote:

> I have a friend who has a very demanding job and works long hours in the
> office and at home. She doesn't cook much. She often goes out for dinner,
> which probably takes more time than cooking something at home. However,
> she is a neat freak. While she doesn't have time to cook she finds time to
> wipe off clean counters and mop clean floors and to dust dust free
> shelves.

Is she single?

Bob

Saerah wrote:

> i do not think you should beat yourself up for using some prepared foods
> in your cooking. a can of cream of muchroom soup is much easier , and with
> the exception of added salt and preservatives, not too much different
> nutritionally than making your own cream based sauces.

Maybe you're looking at different cans than I am. I've pretty much sworn off
canned cream of mushroom soup because the last time I looked it had lots of
trans-fats or something like that. (It's been so long that I don't even
remember what was objectionable! But it was something I *really* didn't want
to consume.)

Bob

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 04:01:52 GMT, "Lucy"
> wrote:

> I don't cook because I never learned.. but am learning now. Does this make
> me better than those who choose to not cook? Of course not.

That puts you in the same league as Julia Child.

<w>

sf

Melba's Jammin' > wrote in
:

> Heh! My local three-year-old was right there with me (under my
> watchful eye) pouring the ingredients into the mixer bowl. "MY do it,
> Baba!" I've learned to not quash a kid's interest. As I said, I was
> there and alert. "MY turn i' on." "OK, darling, but just a tiny bit
> so it doesn't go too fast."

My sister doesn't bake a lot - it's not really an interest of hers (I
think especially since she lost a lot of weight and has kept it off -
the less temptation the better) But she does make the odd cake or
muffins or biscuits (low fat recipes as much as possible) and she has
involved her boys in this since they were big enough to help stir a
batter, and while they're not budding chefs they do still have an
interest and can follow a baking recipe.

Both boys baked items to enter into the junior cooking section at
Penrith Show in 2002 and again last year. I think it's great that
they're interested and can follow a recipe - they made their entries all
on their own (under supervision) apart from lifting items into and out
of a hot oven. Interestingly when I visited the show to see how their
entries (and mine) went, I noticed that in the scones class in the
junior section 1st through to 3rd prize all went to boys.

Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Steve Calvin > wrote in
:

> Rhonda Anderson wrote:
>
>>
>> Really? 50 years ago? I wouldn't have thought there were a lot of
>> people with maids and cooks in the 1950s. Not that I have experience
>> of other countries, so I could well be wrong (often occurs! I'm
>> pretty positive this didn't apply in Australia. Most certainly none
>> of my family had maids or cooks within any of the history that I know
>> of, and that's a bit longer than 50 years (I've just turned 40).
>
> I never met anyone in the 50's, 60's or 70' who had a maid or outside
> cook. Guess I just knew a lot of poor folks. ;-)
>

Yep - beginning to think I must descend from, and have associated with a
lot of poor people. I know we weren't really well off, but I didn't realise
we were poverty stricken <g>

Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Melba's Jammin' > wrote in
:

> And that's admirable. What I'm seeing, though, is that children's
> eating habits and tastes are developed at a younger age than I'd like
> to think and it's hard to think about forming good habits for them now
> so that in 20 or 30 years from now they'll want healthful food vs fast
> food that's loaded with all the chemical extras. Their habit -- what
> they will do without thinking twice -- will be to go for the junk.

My sister got lucky with one of her boys. The younger one (he'll be 9 at
the end of March) is more likely to go for the healthy stuff. He loves
fruit and salad. When asked what he wanted for his birthday lunch last
year, the reply was "salad sandwiches"! In October we went away for a
week with my sister and her family to the Central Coast - stayed in a
cabin at a big holiday park (lovely place - lots of walks on the beach).
On the last morning as everything was being packed up, my sister said
that the kids could buy breakfast at the park store - her husband and
older son came back with bacon and egg rolls, Nathan came back with a
small box of cereal! It's not that he doesn't like chips or lollies etc
(mind you, if it's chocolate it has to be Cadburys or he won't eat it
<g>) or won't ever eat junk food - just that he really likes the good
stuff so it's easy to have him eating a more balanced diet. He's also
very sporty.

However, my older nephew (11 in May) - as sis put it - "if it even looks
as if it may at some time, have had something to do with a vegetable, he
doesn't want anything to do with it". I don't envy her task getting him
to eat more fruits and vegetables. However, if she can manage to fix
that, if he marries in the future his wife won't have the hassles I do
<g> Rob is verrry picky/fussy/pain in the neck with vegies.

Rhonda Anderson
Cranebrook, NSW, Australia

Dave;
To grow great tomatoes/peppers,add ONE level teaspoon of
epsom salts to the planting hole and mix in well.We start all our own
tomato/pepper plants in a small greenhouse,about 200
plants.Remember,tomatoes are sun lovers.

Quite true,Dee.

I was just referring to what some people did years ago.Sour mash is
'cooked' in a still to bring forth its goodness(?). i'm told uncle was a
marvelous 'cook'.

I received one of those bread machines for Christmas.Went Waldens
Book Store to buy a book of recipes for this gadget,Guess what,they
didn't even have one book on this subject.I'm in quest of a good raisin
bread recipe for a bread machine,the manual included with the machine
had just about everything else----but.

T wrote:
> I received one of those bread machines for Christmas.Went Waldens
> Book Store to buy a book of recipes for this gadget,Guess what,they
> didn't even have one book on this subject.I'm in quest of a good raisin
> bread recipe for a bread machine,the manual included with the machine
> had just about everything else----but.
>
>
>
>
>
>
As others have asked, *please* quote the relevant portion of the post
that you're replying to. Otherwise people don't have a clue what or who
you're responding to.

--
Steve

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it.
Autograph your work with excellence.

"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
> In article > ,
> "Ophelia" > wrote:
>
>> I am back here after a long break. I am enjoying your posts Lucy)
>>
>> Ophelia
>
> Well, ainchu a sight for sore eyes! I hope you've been well!

Hi sweetie) No, which is why I have been away for so long.. but I am
getting there now)

"Ophelia" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article > ,
>> "Ophelia" > wrote:
>>
>>> I am back here after a long break. I am enjoying your posts Lucy)
>>>
>>> Ophelia
>>
>> Well, ainchu a sight for sore eyes! I hope you've been well!
>
> Hi sweetie) No, which is why I have been away for so long.. but I am
> getting there now)
>
Great to see you back again. You've been missed at the bread groups--stop
by and say hello if you can.
Janet

Surgeon, huh? One of my surgeons told me that surgeons are "control
freaks." If this resembles you, maybe you get stressed out in the
kitchen because you want it all perfect, every time?

We want our surgeons and airplane pilots to be perfectionists, but the
person cooking dinner has a lot more leeway.

If you're having trouble getting three things to come out together on
time, then edit. As Barb said, pre-cook one item. Or make one item a
cold salad or appetizer that can hold in the fridge.

If two is too many, then edit again. Cook a one pot meal (beef stew
with veg, why not?) and serve bought artisan bread and salad. Cheese
and fruit for dessert.

Like I said, I'm reassured when my reconstructive surgeon says he's a
perfectionist control freak. But if I were his kid, waiting for supper,
I'd want him to loosen up a little.

Just my $.02

Leila

"> 50 years ago a lot more people had maids and cooks. Even in houses
where
> food was made from scratch it was done by the cook.

50 years ago, this was true? Where?

>I don't think it has EVER been the case that the majority of
>Americans, at least, had either a maid or a cook working
>for them.

Bob M."

60-70 years ago in the Depression era South, my poor-as-a-church-mouse
grandmother, a minister's wife, had a cook. Grandmama Edith was white,
the cooks African-American. My grandparents were poor enough to take
produce donations from churchgoers to supplement their income, but they
could still afford a cook/housekeeper. Benefits included "toting",
which meant she took home leftovers.

Grandmama could cook, naturally, and did. She also canned like crazy
(paging Barb). This was the only way they could have fruit and veg year
round - can it when it was in season. They ate what was grown around
them in Virginia. Oranges and bananas appeared in the Christmas
stockings once a year.

So middle class white people in the South had cooks - whether you want
to call them "most people" is up to you.

Leila
ps - I like groups-beta.google but can't figure out how to do quoting
on it - manual copying to quote is a pain.

Lucy - you're the surgeon, aren't you? Heck, why do you need to "pass
them off."

Here in California's Bay Area, I notice people bring Safeway boxes full
of pastries to the school bake sale. I don't know why they bother.
There was a cakewalk at the Halloween carnival, and they had about 8
times as much baked product as they could give away in prizes. 2/3 of
it came directly from Safeway next door, still in the wrappers.

Meanwhile, I oohed and ahhed over the inventive ideas for Halloween
cake decorations on the home-made goods - gummy spiders on cupcakes,
icing spiderwebs - I'll have to take notes next year because I can't
remember it all.

With what we know about trans fats, I just don't like to buy commercial
frosted cakes. We bake our kids' cakes every year. The first year I was
out of practice, not having done it for 20 years, and the cake was
flat. We've made progress each year, and now turn out reasonably tasty
birthday cakes that look all right too. Last summer during a health
emergency, we had a very simple cake for the three year old, which I
insisted on baking- Marion Cunningham's chocolate cake made with cocoa,
two layers, with jam between the layers and no icing on top, only
dinosaur shaped candy confetti and powdered sugar. It looked great, and
the pre-schoolers loved it. It had a candle, what more do you want?
Leila

On Long Island (NY), they add a dead fish to the hole. A Genoese bus
driver on the way to Fire Island told me his neighbor taught him to do
this. Direct line from the native Americans, I'm sure.

Leila

Ophelia wrote:
> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>In article > ,
>>"Ophelia" > wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I am back here after a long break. I am enjoying your posts Lucy)
>>>
>>>Ophelia
>>
>>Well, ainchu a sight for sore eyes! I hope you've been well!
>
>
> Hi sweetie) No, which is why I have been away for so long.. but I am
> getting there now)
>
>

Good to see you back. I hope that the illness wasn't serious and that
you're getting back to "normal".

--
Steve

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it.
Autograph your work with excellence.

Woops, sorry if I've contributed to this perception. Here's some solid
info for a working parent/cook:

Get "How to Cook Without a Book" by Pamela Anderson. No, not the Bay
Watch babe, a different lady, long time cooking writer and editor.

The premise of her book is to provide a bunch of recipes, structured as
formulas, all of which can be prepared in 30 minutes or less (ok, the
roast chicken takes a little longer). Further, she sets up the recipes
as formulas, with little corn ball rhymes to help you remember them,
and rules of thumb for variations. Most recipes are laid out the
traditional way, but they all are also infinitely variable, and she
tells you how to do it. She teaches you how to cook out of your pantry
and fridge.

The idea is, you get the formula memorized for say, pasta and sauces,
and you just look in your cupboards to see what to make for dinner
tonight. This is the way I cook half the time, anyway.

She covers frittatas, pasta, sauteed proteins (meat, chicken and fish),
roasted chicken, vegetables, salads, and "supper soups." I especially
like the supper soup concept - A quart of chicken broth, pound of meat
or other protein, an onion, a pound of veg, a small amount of a starch,
different aromatics and seasonings depending on the ingredients. I
havent' looked at the book for a year, but I make kale and white bean
soup with sausages (a fave), pork and hominy soup, chicken and veg
soup, etc. All without checking the book.

I've also adapted her vegetable methods - she taught me to "steam
sautee" - add a pound of cut veg to a sauce pot, a couple of spoons of
water, a couple of spoons of butter or olive oil, salt. Cook covered
for four minutes, then uncover when the water has boiled off and sautee
the veg in the fat for another few minutes; add appropriate
seasoning/herb, stir, and serve. This is a great way to cook butternut
squash (use butter for the fat, add cinnamon at the end, and maybe
maple syrup if you're feeling decadent). More work to peel and cube it
at the front end, but it takes a tenth of the time I used to spend
baking the halves in the oven, and less butter goes a longer way to
flavor the cubes.

Every working parent (including those who work at home caring for
children and the house) ought to have a copy of this book.
Hope this helps

Leila

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> Another tip. Don't say "I don't have time". Say "I have time but I
spend it
> doing other things." :-)

My friend who doesn't have time to cook keeps an incredible garden.
(She gives away designer produce to her friends who do cook). It's a
trade off. She just doesn't like to cook, or doesn't feel comfortable
with it. Meanwhile, my large (for Oakland) garden is somewhat unkempt
and scraggly, because I don't have the skill or the interest to keep at
it. A fellow comes 2x a month to "mow, blow and go" but a yard needs
more than that. I used to trim the roses but doctor says lay off that
for a while. (You can get nasty infections from the thorns, which I
don't need these days) Sometimes I dump fertilizer and/or compost
around the perennials. My theory of gardening is survival of the
fittest - if it dies, it wasn't supposed to be there anyway. I do try
to water, or get somebody else to, during the dry season.

So our garden is a little scruffy, but we eat home cooked meals. It's
all a question of priorities. Everybody has their strengths, cooking is
mine, gardening is hers. Some people do both! Not me. But I do my own
taxes.

I wouldn't go on a gardening newsgroup saying "I don't garden and don't
care to spend the time" and then complain when they jumped all over me.
Ya takes yer lumps. It does work, however, to ask for tips (AFTER
reading the FAQ)

Leila

Around here (Bay Area) we call it Whole Paycheck. Many yuppie moms I
know shop there religiously. I don't. There's a terrific market near
WFM with the best selection in the state (Berkeley Bowl) - great
prices, too. Since I live several miles from Whole Paycheck, I don't
bother with either Berkeley Bowl or WFM - I'm lucky enough to have a
decent produce/proteins market half a mile from my house. Great
selection on produce at prices that beat Safeway hands down; meat,
seafood, and staples including a decent bulk section. This market is
doing so well that Niman Ranch, the Bay Area natural beef and pork
company, is putting in a dedicated cold case.

If I lived in a town without such resources but with a WFM, I can see
going there. Luckily it's not my only option. It is a terrific store,
but the prices! I can usually do better elsewhere for the same or
better quality.

Leila

Bob wrote:

> > I have a friend who has a very demanding job and works long hours in the
> > office and at home. She doesn't cook much. She often goes out for dinner,
> > which probably takes more time than cooking something at home. However,
> > she is a neat freak. While she doesn't have time to cook she finds time to
> > wipe off clean counters and mop clean floors and to dust dust free
> > shelves.
>
> Is she single?
>

On and off, several times now :-)

Leila wrote with no context:

> On Long Island (NY), they add a dead fish to the hole. A Genoese bus
> driver on the way to Fire Island told me his neighbor taught him to do
> this. Direct line from the native Americans, I'm sure.

....but enough about deviant sex practices in New York...

Bob

Leila wrote:

> Woops, sorry if I've contributed to this perception.

WHAT perception?


> she taught me to "steam sautee" - add a pound of cut veg to a sauce
> pot, a couple of spoons of water, a couple of spoons of butter or
> olive oil, salt. Cook covered for four minutes, then uncover when
> the water has boiled off and sautee the veg in the fat for another
> few minutes; add appropriate seasoning/herb, stir, and serve.

That's the way I cook salmon steaks; it also works well for potstickers.

Bob

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Ophelia" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> In article > ,
>>> "Ophelia" > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I am back here after a long break. I am enjoying your posts Lucy)
>>>>
>>>> Ophelia
>>>
>>> Well, ainchu a sight for sore eyes! I hope you've been well!
>>
>> Hi sweetie) No, which is why I have been away for so long.. but I am
>> getting there now)
>>
> Great to see you back again. You've been missed at the bread groups--stop
> by and say hello if you can.

Hi Janet) Lovely to see you again

"Steve Calvin" > wrote in message
...
> Ophelia wrote:
>> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>>In article > ,
>>>"Ophelia" > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am back here after a long break. I am enjoying your posts Lucy)
>>>>
>>>>Ophelia
>>>
>>>Well, ainchu a sight for sore eyes! I hope you've been well!
>>
>>
>> Hi sweetie) No, which is why I have been away for so long.. but I am
>> getting there now)
>
> Good to see you back. I hope that the illness wasn't serious and that
> you're getting back to "normal".

Thank you Steve. I had surgery after which I got a serious infection
Damn thing near killed me. I have to have more surgery this summer and am
dreading it.

But.... right now I am good))

On Thu 27 Jan 2005 07:25:33a, Leila wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> On Long Island (NY), they add a dead fish to the hole. A Genoese bus
> driver on the way to Fire Island told me his neighbor taught him to do
> this. Direct line from the native Americans, I'm sure.
>
> Leila

My dad always grew a variety of tomatoes in his garden. For a few years he
used "fish fertilizer" to fertilize them. I always thought the tomatoes had
a "fishy" taste. Not kidding. They tasted terrible.

Wayne

> >> Really? 50 years ago? I wouldn't have thought there were a lot of
people
> >> with maids and cooks in the 1950s. Not that I have experience of other
> >> countries, so I could well be wrong (often occurs! I'm pretty positive
> >> this didn't apply in Australia. Most certainly none of my family had
> >> maids or cooks within any of the history that I know of, and that's a
bit
> >> longer than 50 years (I've just turned 40).
> >
> > I never met anyone in the 50's, 60's or 70' who had a maid or outside
> > cook. Guess I just knew a lot of poor folks. ;-)

Fifty years ago every family I knew (in the US midwest) had a husband with a
job and a wife at home. I didn't know any maids or nannies, but moms cooked,
did laundry, watched kids, and cleaned house. I remember reading in one of
those 70's "how to succeed in business" books that a woman couldn't be
successful (according to the author) without a paid "wife" - that is,
someone to do all the home chores.

I have Dad's career and Mom's chores. I make everything from bread to dinner
from scratch. But I'm no Supermom. I skipped the kids. You've either got to
skip the kids, skip the two-earner budget, skip home cooking and spotless
house, or race around doing it all but never having any breathing room. Some
of us choose one, some another. It takes all kinds.

Kathy

OBFood: Ever try using masa (tamale flour) for a chicken coating? Mix masa,
garlic, salt, and maybe some oregano in a bag. Drop sliced chicken breast
into the bag and shake, then saute the chicken in olive oil. It makes yummy
lightly-fried chicken strips.

I wasn't responding (bread machine),i was asking.

Bob wrote in message >...
>Saerah wrote:
>
>> i do not think you should beat yourself up for using some prepared foods
>> in your cooking. a can of cream of muchroom soup is much easier , and
with
>> the exception of added salt and preservatives, not too much different
>> nutritionally than making your own cream based sauces.
>
>Maybe you're looking at different cans than I am. I've pretty much sworn
off
>canned cream of mushroom soup because the last time I looked it had lots of
>trans-fats or something like that. (It's been so long that I don't even
>remember what was objectionable! But it was something I *really* didn't
want
>to consume.)
>

i agree. but there is a natural brand of "semi condensed" mushroom soup that
works for most of those recipes.

--
saerah

TANSTAAFL

CrzyBitch (3:25:06 AM): I'm a secret agent, and a princess
>




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"Lucy" wrote in message
. com...
>
> Mike,
> I've been in your neck of the woods before, and may return again after
> mardi gras. I have been jonesing lately for some gumbo, and Texans just
> don't make it right!
> lucy

I had a hard time getting the hang of gumbo. It wasn't until I moved to New
Orleans and started eating good gumbo on a regular basis that I could even
make a passable gumbo.

My favorite gumbo in town is at Liuzza's By The Track. Let me know if you go
there, I'll invite myself and let you buy me a bowl.

Thanks,
-Mike

Lucy wrote:

> "Bob Myers" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>"Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
...
>>
>>>>I agree with you. Cooking from scratch not only provides tastier and
>>>>more wholesome results, but it is also therapeutic.
>>>
>>>CAN be therapeutic, Sam. :-) For others, it's downright
>>>stress-inducing.
>>
>>Exactly - and I think it's a BAD thing when those of us
>>who DO find in therapeutic (or "fun" or "relaxing" or whatever
>>else it is that keeps us cooking) try to force that opinion
>>onto those others (which, let's face it, happens all too often).
>>We need to just acknowledge the fact that not everyone cooks,
>>not everyone LIKES to cook, and not everyone is GOING
>>to cook.
>>
>>Bob M.
>
> Melba and Bob.. Thanks for those supportive words. It is very stressful for
> me, but I am determined to learn. At this point however, I still feel like
> an imbecile in the kitchen. It is really quite pathetic that a gal with a
> post graduate degree cannot seem to get three simple dishes all done at the
> same time!
> HOW do people do this? LOL
> lucy
>
>
Practice, practice and more practice. I got a hold on timing when I was
a senior in high school. My mom spent most of there year 2200 miles
away caring for her dying mother. Leaving me, my father and my two
younger brothers 13 & 11 to survive on our own. I'd previously enjoyed
cooking for fun, but never because I had to, and was more up on baking
desserts to die for from recipes in Chocolatier than something as boring
as dinner every night. Life was hectic to say the least, mom was gone,
I was in school, working in a coffee shop and pitching in in Dad's
office as well, Dad was running three businesses, and the little
brothers had homework, little league, scouts and the like. For the
first few weeks we had lots of pizza, Chinese take-out and Italian
Sandwiches (ham, cheese, tomatoe, onion, green pepper, pickles and
olives on a long sub roll). Got old fast. So I took over, dad makes a
great breakfast but who want's breakfast for dinner every night?

At first there were nights when the potatoes or rice or green beans were
done half an hour before the main dish. So we ate in an odd order so
that the food wouldn't be cold. Learning that timing mattered I started
preparing meals that were somewhat forgiving to timing...salad, corn
bread, chilli, or soup, salad, & bread. Eventually I got a feel for it
should take x amount of time for whatever to finish cooking put the rice
on now.

More than a decade later I still screw up the timing once in a while.
Especially when I'm trying a recipe for a new side dish that always
seems to take longer to cook than the recipe states. Most of the time
it's fine now. If timing is scaring you go for simple sides that won't
suffer from a delay or some one dish meals like hearty soups or stews.
We've all had disasters, we just pray they don't happen when we're
hosting a dinner party.

Jessica