 
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 4139
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 02, 2008 - 10:31 pm: |    |
Zarks - try a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the grounds.
Have you run the coffee maker through a cleaning cycle lately? That might have something to do with it. Every once in a while I'll put 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the water basket and fill it the rest of the way with cold water. Run it through the cycle, empty the pot and repeat. Then I run through two cycles with just fresh cold water. Just a suggestion. |
Gazhekwe
Member
Username: Gazhekwe
Post Number: 2762
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 02, 2008 - 11:05 pm: | |
I've started making a little pot of espresso so I can make my Shot in the Dark, regular coffee with a shot or two of espresso. I got so spoiled at my brother's coffee shop over Thanksgiving, regular coffee just needs something to help it along. |
Bigb23
Member
Username: Bigb23
Post Number: 3073
Registered: 11-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 02, 2008 - 11:41 pm: | |
Gaz - up for a little bachelor chow recipe? I'm about sick of Hunters Skillet/breakfast.
Love the biscuits though. |
Oldredfordette
Member
Username: Oldredfordette
Post Number: 5693
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 8:02 am: | |
Bitter coffee might mean you're not using enough.
Eried's suggestion is good, give your pot a nice strong douche, rinse it really well, then go with more coffee in the basket. |
Kathinozarks
Member
Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 1730
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 9:56 am: | |
Yup, I'm going to clean the thing. I don't think I've done it for a year or so. I'll try more coffee too. Thanks you guys - oh and by the way Oldred, YUCK! You made me laugh and go "gross!" at the same time  You said douche |
Carolcb
Member
Username: Carolcb
Post Number: 4827
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 10:01 am: | |
ErieDearie:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Crisco
4-8 tablespoons ice cold water
Blend flour and salt in bowl. Cut cubed chilled Crisco into flour mix using pastry blender or fork until pea sized. Sprinkle half of water into flour mixture. Add more water (but don't go over the 8 tablespoons). Divide dough into two, and roll into ball, and cover with plastic wrap. Put into fridge for 30 minutes.
I put a tablespoon or so of flour between either parchment paper or wax paper and roll out the pie crust having the dough completely between wax paper or parchment. Sometimes it looks beautiful, a wonderful little round thing, sometimes it is not so pretty. But it is always flaky and tastes great. I would never use a purchased pie crust. Don't worry if you have to do a patchwork to get it completely covering your pie pan.
I have also had good results using Barefoot Contessa's recipe using just 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 of a cup of Crisco with 3 cups of flour. She also puts in a tablespoon of sugar. But the rest of the directions are basically the same. You can also use your food processor instead of a fork or a pastry blender, just don't turn it on for more than a few seconds. And remember cold cold cold, and try not to handle your dough. |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 4144
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 10:05 am: | |
Yeah! Douche the coffee maker!
I almost spit a mouthful of coffee at my monitor! ORF - you do have a way with words that totally endear you to us! |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 4145
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 10:10 am: | |
Carol - I will use your recipe and hints. I never thought of parchment paper - I usually use waxed paper but that seems to go flimsy on me. Parchment may be a little more sturdy. I have not made a pie from scratch in a long time, because I'm so terrible with crust. To me that's the best part of a pie! Thank you! |
Pam
Member
Username: Pam
Post Number: 4913
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 10:17 am: | |
Douche is the French word for shower, nothing gross there. |
Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome
Post Number: 2192
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 11:52 am: | |
Erie & Carolcb, that's a good solid pie crust recipe, but I discovered something a while ago that is a bit different.
This is for a Double Crusted 10" Apple pie
- 2-1/2 cups all purpose double sifted flour
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon if desired
- 2/3 cup lard - cold and cubed -(about 1/3rd of a block of that ugly stuff that you find at the grocery store next to the bacon.)
WET INGREDIENTS:
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
Whisk together and place in an ice bath
The amt of liquid depends on the time of year, the hunmidity in the house, and how dry your hands are. Yep. all true. A summer crust is compeltely different from a winter crust. Chapped hands will dry out dough.
The end result is a short-bread cookie crust, with a tangy sweet sourness from the cider vinegar and sugar.
Make sure you pre-cook the bottom crust (and let it completely cool) before putting in your filling. I prick the bottom crust with a fork about a million times, then I coat it with an egg-white wash, you can dust the bottom with white sugar. Pop it in the oven for 15 minutes or until it's light tan.
The pricking and the egg-wash firms up the bottom, because afterall, no likes a sogging bottom.
If you pre-cook your apples, don't put hot filling into a hot bottom crust. You'll get soggy crust. Put room temp filling into a room temp shell. The result: a flakey, sweet, tangy compliment to your filling.
I'll be making that crust for the Georgia Street holiday dinner. You can sample it there. |
Carolcb
Member
Username: Carolcb
Post Number: 4831
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 1:17 pm: | |
You get an A, that is for sure. WOW, really. Lately I have just been pondering cookies, in terms of putting in big time on baking. But my kids only really want basic cookies, so the husband and I end up eating to excess on the fancy stuff (like rugelach). |
Gazhekwe
Member
Username: Gazhekwe
Post Number: 2764
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 4:15 pm: | |
This is some good bachelor chow. For some reason, I had this yen for Spam last night. We never eat Spam, but I really wanted some. So, here's what I made. No measurements really, just make enough for however many people will be eating. It took about 20 minutes to get from heating the pans to the table.
Spam and Spinach Pasta Dinner
Boil some water and cook some pasta (I used little whole wheat bowties, about 1 1/2 cup dry).
Heat up some olive oil in your skillet, and add minced garlic to taste. I used about a tablespoon for the two of us. Stir that up and get it fragrant.
Now add your julienned Spam to taste (for us it was about 1/3 of the can). Get that nice and brown. Add some basil, fresh or dried. For us, dried, about 1 Tablespoon. Add 1-2 c frozen chopped spinach per person (whatever you like), and some sliced mushrooms would be nice, too. Turn the heat down and let it cook a bit till the spinach thaws.
Now add some milk or cream, up to a cup or so for my batch. Let it heat up. Add about 1/4 cup or so of parmesan and stir it in. Lastly, stir in your pasta and serve it up. |
Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome
Post Number: 2195
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 4:51 pm: | |
Gosh Gazhekwe, that spam really sounds tasty ... but I'll never get Mrs. Gnome to go for it. She is religously anti-spam.
BigB23...This is my 10 minute dinner that any bachelor would be proud to make for a date.
1 can minced clams
enough pasta for two, bow-ties are festive
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
chives, red pepper flakes, romano cheese
1.Put water in pan, turn on high
2.Slice onion, peel and crush garlic
3.Open can of minced clams
4.In separate pan, heat oil, toss in onion
5.by this time the water is boiling
6.throw in pasta, a pinch salt, a splash of oil
7.Empty clams and clam juice into onions, stir
8.Open beer, big sip
9.Toss garlic in with onions and clams, stir
10.Test pasta
11. More beer
12.Drain pasta
13.throw the pasta in with the clams, stir together
14. Put in bowls or plates. Sprinkle with chives, pepper flakes and cheese.
10 minutes from prep to table. A meal that will almost guarantee you a sleep over. Buy some eggs for breakfast. |
Gazhekwe
Member
Username: Gazhekwe
Post Number: 2765
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 5:40 pm: | |
Mrs. Gnome might like the dish with chicken or ham. That's the great thing about stir fry, just about anything works. Spam is just spiced ham, anyway. |
Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome
Post Number: 2196
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 6:34 pm: | |
Gazhekwe, I'll give it a try, and blame you if it doesn't work out. |
Kathinozarks
Member
Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 1731
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, December 04, 2008 - 9:43 am: | |
Hey guys, this morning I made our coffee with maybe an extra scoop and a dash of cinnamon and used hot water (on a tv show someone suggested using hot water because some heating elements in coffee makers might not heat the water enough).
The coffee (Dunkin Donuts original blend ground myself) was very good, but my husband didn't like the cinnamon at all. Dang it, now I can't use the cinnamon again. I liked it alot. Thanks for the tips. Today I'll clean the thing.
I'm also going to do the Spam recipe and see if anyone knows it's Spam. |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 4152
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, December 04, 2008 - 11:41 am: | |
I feel some pies coming into my family's near future.
Gnome I'll give your recipe a try too. Hummm...apple cider vinegar. Can't say that I have ever tried a pie crust recipe that calls for that. |
Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome
Post Number: 2200
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, December 04, 2008 - 12:51 pm: | |
The cider vinegar is a Gnome secret. Discovered while living in a place with exceedingly questionable water supply.
On the PBS show "America's Test Kitchen" you can see their "No Fear Pie Crust" recipe. Sign-up is free. Their recipe is real easy.
The trick to a double-crust pie is transfering the top to the pie itself. Rolling the dough out between sheets of saran wrap or parchment paper will help with this little gymnastic feat. I prefer saran wrap becuase you can see what you're doing. Parchment is great because the dough doesn't stick, but it is a trick to see through.
Once you've rolled out the dough to the proper size, remove the top sheet, throw it out. Lift up the bottom sheet and slide your rolling pin underneath. Move your pie close, and gently fold the dough over the top. You might ask Mr. Dearie to help with this process. He can slide the pie while you fold over the top crust.
Once the top is on, crimp the edges, with the extra dough, roll it out into some snakey looking ropes. Lay the dough ropes out like vines. Next with some extra dough, roll it out flat and using a sharp knife cut out some shapes that look like footballs. These footballs will turn into leafs. With the back of your knife draw veins on the footballs. Lift them off and place the leafs onto the vines.
Next, remember that egg-white wash you used to firm up the bottom crust? Good. I make two egg washes: one an egg-white wash, one a egg-yoke wash. Use the egg-white wash and with a paint brush, "paint" the edges and the main crust. With the egg-yoke wash "paint" the vines and the leaves. Dust with sugar. The result will be the leaves and vines will darken to a deeper color. The sugar will melt and form a cripsy shell.
It is quite attractive.
If all of that seems daunting. Just create a crumple top. Cold butter, flour,brown sugar and cinnamon ... mix together with a fork until chunky. Sprinkle over top of filling. |
Carolcb
Member
Username: Carolcb
Post Number: 4856
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 - 8:56 am: | |
OK another of my boring posts......I made seafood chowder on a whim on Sunday after watching Lydia Bastianich (sp?!) talking about clams on PBS....and I decided most restaurants were probably using canned seafood. So I used 2 cans of USA clams and one can of crabmeat (Bumblebee) from China. With potato and carrot and onion and celery and about 3/4 fat free milk to 1/4 half and half. Oh and some clam juice from a bottle, I strained the clams and crab. Some Paul Prudhomme seafood seasoning and a bunch of salt and pepper. It was really good, husband has decided I am a keeper, only kidding about deciding. |
Kathinozarks
Member
Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 1743
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 - 9:51 am: | |
We had chowder on Sunday also. Ours used full cream and only clams, not crabmeat. Man was it good. Your post isn't boring - and thanks for bumping this up.
I had a chicken pot pie for dinner last night so I had nothing to say. I will say this: For some reason I like the Swanson's pot pies better than the others. Marie Callender's last night was good and had real chicken and not that mystery piece that's always in the Swanson's. It just wasn't, I don't know, as good?
Here's something I've done: Use Stouffer's creamed spinach as a base for a white pizza. |
Oldredfordette
Member
Username: Oldredfordette
Post Number: 5709
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 - 1:24 pm: | |
That chowder sounds good. I'll try it this weekend.
I wanted to make chicken and sweet potato stew last night but I didn't get to the market till late, and they were out of the boneless thighs I use. So I used pork tenderloin (on sale!), cubes and cooked with onion, garlic, sweet potatoes, big can of tomatoes, small can of green chilis, can of chick peas and enough chicken broth to cover the whole mess. Poured over hot cooked rice. It almost made me forget my aching head and coughing sneezing self.
OH, and cumin, coriander, hot pepper, salt and pepper. |
Kathinozarks
Member
Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 1748
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 - 9:26 pm: | |
Oldred, you did all that chopping, cooking whilst sick? You are such a trouper! |
Kathinozarks
Member
Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 1749
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 - 9:27 pm: | |
Or, is that trooper? |
Oldredfordette
Member
Username: Oldredfordette
Post Number: 5715
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 - 11:30 pm: | |
Food doesn't chop itself. I washed my hands, a lot, so nobody else would be sick. |
Gazhekwe
Member
Username: Gazhekwe
Post Number: 2769
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 - 9:24 am: | |
Oh, boy, that stew sounds perfect for tonight when we have serial dinner (a little before the gym) and a little more after). I made a pork roast last night, so I will use some of that for the stew. Perfect! I hope you feel better, ORF. |
Kathinozarks
Member
Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 1753
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 - 10:53 pm: | |
No, I totally didn't mean to infer that you shouldn't have cooked because you would spread germs!
I meant that standing over the counter chopping would be tiring if you have a cold. |
Oldredfordette
Member
Username: Oldredfordette
Post Number: 5718
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, December 11, 2008 - 7:50 am: | |
I'm better, thank you. Through the worst of the cold, my beloved fetched me food from various places (Mr. Kabob, I love you too!). That stew wasn't much trouble, cutting up the sweet potatoes takes the longest.
Dinner at the new Woodbridge Pub last night, very good. |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 3182
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 1:44 pm: | |
Okay - been digging through my recipe folder, cause it's time to start baking for Christmas.
Black Walnut Snowballs
1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped black walnuts
powdered sugar - for coating
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Sift together the flour and salt.
Cream butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the vanilla.
Mix in the flour and nuts.
Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Do not allow cookies to get too brown. It is better to under bake them than to over bake. Remove from oven and while still hot, roll in powdered sugar. When cool, roll in powdered sugar again.
Store flat - do not stack on top of each other.
Enjoy - I usually get about 4 dozen from this recipe.
You can use regular walnuts or pecans - but now that I have black walnuts I'll be using them. |
Cub
Member
Username: Cub
Post Number: 1005
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 1:59 pm: | |
Gnome's pie crust was AWSOME!! as was the pie itself. |
Kathinozarks
Member
Username: Kathinozarks
Post Number: 1740
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, December 13, 2008 - 5:24 pm: | |
Made a Reuben Dip today:
1/2 pound thick slice corned beef
6 slices (square) swiss cheese
about 1/4 of an 8oz cream cheese
1/3 cup thousand Island dressing (or more if you like)
sauerkraut
squirt Gulden's Brown mustard
sprinkle caraway seeds
Place in food processor the corned beef, 3 torn up swiss cheese slices, cream cheese, some caraway seeds, thousand island dressing, mustard. Pulse and scrape sides (swiss sticks), pulse again until its mixed.
Place in oven proof dish. Cover with sauerkraut and sprinkles of caraway seeds. Cover with more sliced swiss. Warm in 375 degree oven til cheese is bubbly. Put under broiler for a few minutes if you like the cheese to brown (I love that part!)
Omg, this was delicious with Big Wheat Thins (hub doesn't like rye bread) and totally easy.
Also, not fattening AT ALL. |