sounds yummy, Ric! :-)
Watch'ya got cookin' 2014
Gita those ribs sound awesome and I would stuff my face with them! I just haven't bought ribs yet.
I'll probably wait for a sale. Karns foods sometimes runs a special on country style ribs, like $1.48. Besides I just had a large crock full of Memphis style. We didn't have the chicken tonight, Holly had a class. Maybe tomorrow with smashed potatoes.
JR maybe here tomorrow, school's been cancelled for cold.
Oops! posted as Holly, AGAIN, I gotta' get her laptop fixed.
This message was edited Jan 7, 2014 12:12 AM
Gita, I will CERTAINLY want to try your barbecue sauce recipe, however, it will most likely end up smothering chicken legs or wings, as we don't do ribs here. We're not "rib people". (ducks and runs for cover). Too much messy work for too little payoff. ;)
Last evening I made sloppy Joe's with green beans and... Crashed Potatoes on the side! Mmmmmm Mmmmmmm those potatoes were GOOD!! I spread out a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheet, then used my most awful-looking brush to spread the olive oil on it (well, in the article, she did ask us to do that!!). No sticking problems/issues. Loads of OO on them after they crashed, then I used garlic pepper, onion powder, freshly ground pepper, Kosher salt, Marjoram, Sweet Basil, and Parsley. I can't wait to make these again (and again and again...) with different combinations of spices and herbs, they are terrific!
One note though: I used Russet potatoes, as it was all I had, but I chose the smallest ones from the bag. I don't know how much difference it makes, but.. what could I do, it's the only sort of taters I had on hand. I'll be trying different types in the future though, they are too good not to repeat often. =)
Now, who was it who shared that link to the crashed potatoes? Sally? THANK YOU, whoever you are!!!
speediebean, well see that's why ya get the COUNTRY ribs, all meat, all YUMMMMMMM. I would serve them with coleslaw of course and…applesauce is always good with pork…
I passed along the word on Crash Hot Potatos…have done them with baby reds, and some golds.
One of my favorite bbq sauce recipes is so simple. I found it in one of those little cookbook magazines displayed at grocery store check out lines. They sucker you in while you are waiting - they appeal to me much more than those crazy tabloids LOL. Anyway, it was just equal parts apple butter and bottled honey bbq sauce, simmered with some diced sweet onions.
Ditto what speedie says about the smashed potatoes - definitely will become a favorite and frequent repeat for me. Thanks Sally!
Whoever posted the potato recipe link--please re-post it?
I scrolled up and down on this thread--could not find it...
Thanks...G.
Crashed Hot Potatoes from the pioneer woman
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/
Thank you Sally, I'd meant to save it before but forgot.. and then, like Gita, could not find it. Now it's saved in my "cooking" folder. :)
Are there any bones in Country ribs? They're still messy though, right? ;) (sorta like "finger-lickin' good") =)
No bones, speedy…some good fat, and it all kinda melts into a pile of sweet tangy fat yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
OK, you've sold me; I'm going to HAVE to try them at least once. Something that can be eaten with knife and fork, (I'm not supposed to eat meat of anything straight off the bone -- stupid braces!), no messy hands (DH doesn't particularly enjoy messy eating)... sounds perfect! Now, let me go find and save Gita's barbecue sauce recipe... < =)
Ribs, crash hot potatoes, broccoli... sounds like a winner! =)
EDIT: OK, found Gita's recipes (for the sauce, and how to cook the ribs). This will be added to the next menu. WHEEEE!!! =)
This message was edited Jan 8, 2014 6:10 AM
speedie
Country Spare Ribs come with or w/o bones.
I like the ones with bones--as they add some flavor.
These can be big--with lots of meat on them--so you will not be eating
with your fingers-rather a knife and a fork.
Glad you will try them. get the ones with bones...
Knife and fork sounds good, but will definitely get the ones without bones. Must keep the DH happy, and making him work around bones doesn't do that. (emphasis on the word "working"...) ;)
He doesn't like to eat (in general) to begin with, adding more "work" to the task just makes it much worse. Trust me on this, I've been paying attention these last 20+ years with him. ;)
Interesting though.. have you ever met anyone who literally does not like to eat? I don't mean there's a particular group of foods he doesn't care for; it's the actual act of eating that he despises. Weird!!
Speedie, I wish I had that problem!! :-D My problem is just the opposite... too much enjoyment from eating! Less enjoyment might lead to that thinner me my doctor keeps talking about...
He would give NO meaning to the term "comfort food". LOL
My problem is convincing my body I don't need to eat as much, I still want to eat like I'm doing 10 hour shifts on a very physical job. The number of calories I ate each day would have maintained a small family and I was never very good at portion control. I am having some success in just cooking for 2, so portion control means no leftovers.:-{
Hehehe. Portion control. What's that?
I have difficulty cooking for two without leftovers, so I have embraced the thought that there WILL be leftovers. Sometimes there is enough for another meal, sometimes just enough for Jeff's lunch the next day. Beats having another sandwich. if there is enough for another meal then that's a day I don't cook. However, I really enjoy cooking.
I barter with the girl that does my hair. Last night I brought her dinner and some chicken soup. She is sick. I tried to wash my hands real well and not touch anything while at her house. I do like to share what I've cooked.
That's my problem to Jan, I love to cook. Many times I make enough to take my in-laws a meal, sometimes a couple a week. They are in their 80s, and I'm not sure she every loved to cook although she's very capable in a kitchen. Many times we share leftovers, when Jamie stops, I often send a whole meal home with him. I like cooking for bigger events also. Family reunions, GH club picnics, scout, and 4H dinners. Mostly I just do the main coarse, with the sides brought covered dish style, then again I've done a sit down for 40+. My Gran was a great cook and I lived in her kitchen.I also worked for a while at a Jim Mack's Truck Stop, doing short order, that's where I probably perfected getting multiple dish ready at once. Holly teases that I can usually pull off an unplanned meal for 6-8 just opening the cupboard.
Jan, Ric, and Roses - you guys are my cooking heroes. My friend Cheryl is the same. The only way I can cook is by following a recipe, and even then half the time it doesn't turn out very well. I have a huge interest and love of cooking, but my talent with it just doesn't match up. I now have a chef's kitchen - like having commercial grade appliances and every gadget imaginable will make a difference - humppphhhhh it really is the talent not the tools. Heavy sigh... I won't give up but I sure do envy your natural ability LOL.
I share y'all's pain; I love both cooking and eating. < =/ This is where it's wonderful beyond my dreams to have a Mamma in Law who shares my passions. We can go for hours on the phone about foods and recipes... and DH just wanders away. ;) But it's heck trying to cook for him. DON'T use the imagination, he's a very boring "meat and potatoes" guy. DON'T get too "fancy" or creative, he won't like it. DON'T change anything, he doesn't like change. "Why didn't you make it like the last time you made it!?!? I liked the last time you did it, why did you change it!?!?" **deeeeep sigh** (to keep from exploding).
For the first time day before yesterday I actually cooked for the 2 of us without leftovers. It was cause for celebration!! The Young'un has been out of the house for 8 years now, WHY did it take me so long to learn how to do that!? < =D
Aspen, I get the feeling you're not giving yourself NEARLY enough credit. I've seen pics of your garden and you are very creative; often times that creativity carries over into the kitchen. I bet you're just WONDERFUL at cooking. < =D
Thanks for the compliment, Terri, but I do most of my cooking from recipes. Bear in mind that all recipes are not great so you just have to try them and keep only the ones that turn out well!!
AAAHHHH---FOOD!!!
Many of us have a LOVE/HATE relationship with it.
I LOVE to cook--but have no one to cook for. That adds a negative aspect to it.
Even if I make something--it is, surely, something i will eat for a week--
and then i get tired of it. Roasting a whole chicken is a good example.
I CANNOT ever just cook for one meal. it is not worth the time.
It takes almost as long to make a dinner for two--as for four or six
You still have to chop and dice all the same ingredients---and still have to cook
everything for the same length of time.
SO? Why NOT make more while you are at it? Freeze serving-sized portions.
So nice to have when you do not feel like cooking... Making some kind of soup
is a good example here.
When I make soup--I use my big stock pot--21qts. It is scary to realize that is 4+gallons!
I CANNOT just make a small batch of soup! I have all these saved bones and
meat trimmings taking up space in my freezer--just waiting to be liberated of
all the flavors they will provide. And--ALL the space it will free up. NADA!!!!
Alas!! I need space in my over-crowded freezer to accommodate all the extra stuff
I will have cooked. OUCH!!! It has NO room most of the time...
Since my sisters and friend are now here--I have freed up some "saving space"
and CANNOT wait to make a dish I have been wanting to do for 2 years.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. BIG head of cabbage is sitting in my smaller fridge--
just waiting...Last one sat and sat--and rotted and I threw it out. Never got to it!
Next on the agenda would be my Sauerkraut Soup. Of course--that will use
up too much space....
Next--I am out of Bean Soup.....and also Split Pea Soup---and....an...AND...
How I LONG to make all these!!! Freezer space is all that limits me.
ANYWAY!!!
Terri--
Would it help you to feel more comfortable about cooking if you did NOT try
to cook just strictly by recipes? Be less structured--use your imagination.
If you think something or other will go together nicely--and taste good..DO IT!
Toss this and that in a pot and it will be OK!
Speedie---I have to chuckle at how you spoil your DH. Like a picky 4yr. old--
If he won't eat what's for dinner--there will be NO dinner. Go to bed hungry!
Sooner or later--when he gets hungry enough--he will eat what you have cooked.
I hope so anyway. BUT--L-O-V-E messes things up a bit........I know.
Confession!
I am an obsessive recipe collector--but I seldom cook anything.
Reason is as explained above. I imagine all these wonderful recipes--like the today-
the "Smashed Potatoes". I even bought 4 beautiful, red potatoes to do it...
BUT--my company this week is running around DC looking at all the
historic sights and not here to really cook a meal for. BUMMER!!!!
I was going to do these taters--and run to Gershbecks and get some Crab meat-
(very reasonable there) and make Crabcakes--something they all crave.
Instead--tonight--when they all get back from DC--We will go to the "Mission BQ"
right here. IF you have one of these close-by--GO!!!!!!! Their food is amazing!
Well--I THINK tomorrow--I may have a chance to cook something......
They all leave sat. AM...
AHHHH---FOOD!!! G.
Oh my goodness Gita, I do the same thing with recipes!!! I have TONS of cookbooks, and I think to myself "Ooooh, I HAVE to make that... one day..." Most times, that day never comes. I'm getting better at it though; I go over the books with The Big Guy and we choose together, then I make the menu with those recipes on it, so then I "have to" make it! LOL!!
You're right though, I do spoil him, and I LOVE IT!! =) Fair is fair, he spoils me rotten in so many other ways. =) About 2/3 of the time I cook "for him", but the other 1/3 of the time I cook "for me", and he goes with the flow without a peep. =) (however, I do keep him in mind when I cook "for me"... the rib dinner will be "for me", and he'll just have to like it, like it or not! HA!!) < =D
... you may wonder "Well then, if the rib dinner is for you, why no bones? Well, 'cause I still can't eat meat off the bone, and I am not good at all using a knife and fork on meat with bones, "Grace" is NOT my middle name!! < =0
I was thinking the same thing about Terri -- I bet if she just let her imagination run wild, she'd find some HUGE talent in the kitchen... just let it flow. That's where some of the best cooking comes from, no recipes or measurements, just using the imagination.
I fear I don't have even basic concepts of approximate ratios for ingredients to go together, so outcomes would likely be even worse LOL. I think the other basic concept is knowing how long to cook things - following the temperature and timing from a recipe is one of the things I've noticed that trip me up when the recipe doesn't turn out . I guess those things in the recipe are a general guideline - not an exact thing for anyone's specific stove/oven or taste.
FYI, I did make the Crashed Potato recipe and it turned out great - YAY!!! However, I've only ever baked potatoes, never boiled, so I had to google how to do it to find out approximately how long it could be until they were tender - was it 10 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour??? LOL.
Potatoes are forgiving! That recipe sounds fabulous.
Terri--
Why don't you take a course somewhere in basic cooking techniques?
That will help you a lot. Books are OK--but hands on is a better teacher.
Make mental notes and learn as you go....
Boiling potatoes just takes common sense. They will not have to always be the same.
There are different potatoes.
--The red ones seem to stay more firm--so they are good for potato salad.
The baby red ones are great partially cooked whole and then baked or roasted
with a bit of bacon and herbs--a bit of Rosemary and parsley...yummm.
Save your bacon drippings. They last in the fridge forever....
Use the bacon fat to add flavor to many things--frying or baking taters is one.
I also like a bit of it with green beans abd.....lima beans!!!
--The Russets and baking potatoes are more "mushy" when done. Watch the time!
Poke with a slim, sharp knife to see how far along they are...Err on the firmer side!
These are great for mashed Potatoes--or twice baked Potato skins.
NOT so good for a potato salad--as they will go to smithereens.
--The Yukon Golds are SOOO yummy as mashed taters--as they are butter-colored and tasty.`
--White Potatoes are for general use. like....everything....
If you boil potatoes skin on--they will stay together better--but you will have
to peel them. However--the trend, lately, has been to make mashed taters
leaving the skin on. Add some garlic, S&P, some chives--lots of butter
and you have wonderful garlic mashed taters.
Here's a thought!!!!!!!! I smell smoke......:o)
Why don't we cooks get together and have a basic cooking class for terri or
speedie--Cat...or whomever has issues with cooking.
Cooks.com and Allrecipes.com...etc... There is nothing that you cannot find
with Google nowadays.
How about the Cooking/recipes Forum here???? You can ask anything...learn as U go!
I have a zillion Cook Books I never use....I should look through them and see what I have.
May be some for beginner cooks....or simple recipes...Will do it b/f the Swap.
Never give up!!!! Just..............DO IT!!!
I tend to make what I can without referring to a recipe. And that is very limiting! Cooks Illustrated magazine explains technique, it you're able to spend the time reading through. Sometimes I just HAVE to cook "XX" myself and experience the failure to understand why I cannot do it willy nilly.
I like to have extra chopped veggies in the freezer, helps for throwing together little dishes. Celery, onions, peppers.
Roasted two small chickens Sunday, made stock from bones Sunday night, made soup Tuesday, stock, onions, celery, carrots, frozen peas and carrots, sorrel, turmeric, garlic powder, salt and pepper, pasta and the picked chicken put back in at the end.
Terri you're so brilliant in many ways- you just need the right explanation!
We couldn't live without roast chicken -- and it is the easiest thing in the world to do. Though I'm trying to "trend" towards vegetarian/vegan.
Terri, I understand what you mean about proportions of things to add (a pinch of this spice, or a teaspoon?). The best thing to do in those cases is to start off small, you can always add more a little later. And, it's always better to UNDER-salt something to start with 'cause you can always add a bit more when you taste it and realize it needs more. If you've started out by OVER-salting then often times you're up a creek. "They" say "To compensate for over-salting, add a potato to the dish to soak up the extra salt"... great... but what happens if it's MASHED POTATOES that got over-salted!?!? < =/ Start small and work your way up.
A brief basic cooking course might be a good, and FUN, idea as well. You've got the brilliance and imagination already, perhaps all you feel you're lacking is the basic 'feel' for certain things. And Gita is sooooo right; books are ok, but the best teacher is hands-on experience. That experience is what teaches you the little nuances... like, bruising herbs before tossing them into the sauce releases just a bit more flavour. And, when sauteeing onions and garlic, add the garlic last and only cook it for 1-3 minutes, 'cause much longer will cause it to burn. (I don't know HOW many recipes I see that say "Heat oil and saute garlic for a few minutes; then add this and saute, then add that and saute..." NOOO, the garlic needs to go in LAST, not first!!)... Little stuff like that; it's just the doing of it that teaches ya those little things.
Here's a youtube results page, full of options from which to choose for "basic cooking".
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=basic+cooking&sm=1
I like the first one "Play With Your Food". < =D
Gita, as you can tell from reading ^^ up there, I'm not in much need of help in the "how to" of cooking... more like the "how to -- get motivated to USE the recipes I've got". < =D
I concur; roasted chickens are a really basic staple of our dinner table as well. I make my own "House Blend" of herbs and spices to rub on the chicken to roast it (under the skin as well as on top), and that left-over chicken is GREAT for casseroles!! =)
Not that AspenHill has asked for all this advice, but instead of cooking school (cheaper and less time commitment), I'd just buy a copy of this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0394718542/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=1389357472&sr=8-1. $3.99 from Amazon including shipping. New copies aren't available except for the Kindle. It is very short and has superb recipes. It was first printed in (I think) 1969, but was re-issued in 1993 -- I'd try to get the latter (which I linked to) since it will be more up-to-date. Or try this: http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Food-Way-Jacques-Pepin/dp/0618393129/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1389357657&sr=8-5&keywords=jacques+pepin Quick recipes without being junky. Or http://www.amazon.com/The-York-Times-60-Minute-Gourmet/dp/0812933028/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389357829&sr=8-1&keywords=60+minute+gourmet+cookbook
These very simple recipes will give you a feel for what to do. Once you start learning techniques, you can apply those same techniques to more complicated recipes (if you feel like it).
Videos are a great idea ,or try to get Cheryl to let you cook with her.
LOL, you're right, she didn't ask for all this Mom'ing. ;) I guess we just can't seem to help it; asked or not, when we see someone in need, we just "gotta" jump to the rescue! Sorry if any toes were stepped on. < =/ I was thinking the same thing about the price of cooking school... yeah, if she's got the time and $$ it could be great, but what if she doesn't? Or, what if she doesn't want to? That's why I put that link to the videos up there; It's Free! =)
Those look like some really good books, by the way. Even being "experienced", I think I may have to have them. All. =)
They are wonderful, wonderful books that I highly recommend. Simple and superb recipes. They do use a little more butter than is conventional today, but you can always reduce that a bit. My name is Devon and I am a cookbookaholic.
Not dissing the books, of course...Classes, there's the time and schedule factor for someone who works full time with a long commute, yuck. Nobody should have to work full time LOL
and go ahead use that butter!!! Or sub out with olive oil... there I go adding more confusing details...lol
The older French cookbooks measure butter in cups rather than tablespoons....
well THAT may be a bit much!!!!!! chucklll
Though there is a shad roe recipe we love that "poaches" the roe in butter, just as if it were water. Needless to say, it is tasty....
You guys crack me up. Bring it on - any and all advice is very, very welcome!!! Another confession - I love books and don't even want to admit how many cook books I have. To echo Happy, "Hello, my name is Terri - I am a cookbookaholic and a challenged cook" LOL.
Hello, my name is Susan and I am a butteraholic. < =/ Now I just GOTTA get my hands on some of those older French cookbooks -- measure butter by the cup, not by the tablespoon... now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!! < =D
Terri, do you visit the cooking forums much? If you have questions, I'll try to keep an eye on the forums there to help you out. =) (without stepping on your little toes) :)
I read something somewhere... maybe it was a sampler. Anyway, it said something like:
I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food!
Came back to grab Gita's ribs…did that tickle????
Her ribs recipe !
LOL!! =)