posted on November 21, 2007 10:27:21 PM new
Probably posted too late to help with this Thanksgiving, but I found a great idea for making mashed potatoes before the last minute. After you boil your potatoes and mash them (I use a food mill), mix them with one or two 8 oz cream cheese and 8 oz sour cream and any other seasonings you prefer ( salt, pepper, onion salt, garlic?). You can refrigerate them and then later put in your crock pot for 2-3 hours, adding the butter shortly before serving.
posted on November 22, 2007 08:45:55 AM new
Yep, turkey & broccoli in hot sauce over rice is a lot healthier but wouldn't sit well at our Thanksgiving table. Spit-roasted kid, that's another story. Made my mouth water.
posted on November 23, 2007 05:26:16 PM new
Helen, I made a good living selling microwave ovens in the earliest years but I rely on the crockpot for the easiest hands-off cooking. I love stews and soups and usually have one brewing in the crockpot at least 2-3 days per week. Flavorful dishes are often ignored because of their toughness, which is overcome by slow, stewed cooking.
posted on November 23, 2007 08:44:24 PM new
Pixiamom, I checked out the top 30 crock pot recipes on About.com. and they all sound great but I'm just too accustomed to cooking without a crock pot to learn new tricks. Mine would wind up on a shelf in the basement somewhere covered with dust... in estate sale terminology, a "basement item".
Besides that, I have a micro convection oven and a six burner stove with two ovens and two broilers so I really can't justify buying another piece of cooking equipment. However, if I had one of those outdoor ovens like Profe has mentioned; large enough to cook several animals, I could learn to love that.
The potato recipe that you mentioned was fantastic!
posted on November 23, 2007 08:50:50 PM new
"Flavorful dishes are often ignored because of their toughness, which is overcome by slow, stewed cooking."
OH thank you for the simply LUcious tip! Slow cooking! What a novel idea! I think it may just change my life!
And the mashed potato recipe....I have waited an ETERNITY to have such a delight.
Have I shared my celery/peanutbutter recipe yet??? You'll adore it!!!!
Yesterday I had the most DIvine Cheerios and milk...used the Daffy Duck pattern silver spoon for added pleasure...
But the TRULY LIFE ALTERING event was the lovely boxed cake I baked with the canned frosting!!!
THAT went into my diary along with births, deaths, weddings, birthdays, nuclear holocausts and other big events!!!
Now, here's the world shaking question of the day...
posted on November 23, 2007 10:48:42 PM new
Helen, sounds like you have a Chef's Kitchen Stadium which I would die for. If we ever have a Vendio convention. I vote we do it it in Prof's neighborhood where we would all be invited over for a barbecue.
[ edited by pixiamom on Nov 23, 2007 11:22 PM ]
Mingo, you're almost starting to sound like some of those ladies I'm going to be living near in another week.
Seriously, I packed up my linen closet today and I was marveling at all the beautiful vintage pieces that I've collected over the years and never used. Ive been appreciating my assortment of silver and pretty dishes too as I get it all ready for the movers - maybe after I wipe the Cheeto and paint stains off my fingers and grow my nails back I'll buy a pretty dress and invite those ladies to a tea party........ hahahaha
Mingo, I hope that you now have your dishes color coordinated to symbolize the Christmas season. And of course the food too must blend with reds and greens predominating.
I have some other tips that I'm sure you will appreciate but right now I have to erect several trees throughout the house so that the wonderful aroma of pine will permeate my atmosphere and with every breath serve as a reminder of the generous deductions from my bank account that this glorious season signifies.
posted on November 27, 2007 12:38:55 PM new
I must have done something wrong! I tried your recipe but realized too late to contact you that you don't say how many potatoes!
I dutifully peeled 8 lbs of potatoes (I usually don't peel my mashed potatoes but thought I would seeing as how it's the holiday and all), added two softened 8 oz containers of cream cheese and 8 oz sour cream, and salt, pepper and nutmeg and the potatoes were as heavy as LEAD! I added some milk and got them a little lighter/fluffier. Potatoes were "ok" for thanx dinner but I added more milk on the day after Thanksgiving (had more room in the crock pot) and they were FANTASTIC!
Helen - my crock pot is also a basement (or in my case - porch) item. I realized when I brought my mashed potatoes to my friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner that my crock-pot was VERY 1970s - is there a collectible market for the original ones?
I must have missed the post about profe's kid - have to admit to visions of cannibalism. Assume the "kid" is the goat and not human variety After hearing pixia's story about my nephew's homework, thought she might be ready to roast him over a few coals!
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posted on November 27, 2007 02:58:13 PM new "I must have missed the post about profe's kid - have to admit to visions of cannibalism. Assume the "kid" is the goat and not human variety After hearing pixia's story about my nephew's homework, thought she might be ready to roast him over a few coals! "
LOL!
Neglus, about the crock pots..... I occassionally go to estate sales because I'm interested in collecting good books. My husband usually goes along with me so we are familiar with items that generally wind up in the basement such as crockpots, vases, lava lamps, cuisinarts and other odds and ends covered with dust. So.... when I read pixias's recipe and said to my husband, I think I need a crock pot! he looked at me like I had lost my mind and said, "That's a basement item!"
I suspect that the market that you ask about is too saturated to make a sale worthwhile.
posted on November 27, 2007 07:31:49 PM new
This year I used an old-fashioned potato ricer I got in an auction and the potatoes were almost too fluffy. I use my crockpot at least once a week, finding it even easier than the microwave. My favorite recipe is the first one I learned from my mother. A chuck roast (I don't even bother to brown it first, although most do) with Lipton's beefy onion soup mix and a can of cream of mushroom soup. I often double the the soup and soup mix for extra gravy.
