JustPeachy Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 On 8/22/2019 at 5:39 PM, katrinka said: OMG, I think I have it figured out from that. I know it was something really simple, she never pulled a recipe out to do it, and the basic recipe seems to be half as much sugar as figs, half as much water as sugar, simmer for 2 hours. So if you have 6 cups of figs, you use 3 cups of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of water. And it looks like you get syrup left over that can also be canned, and is doubtless ambrosia on waffles. I want to play with it now. Basic version, less sugar version, version with a thin lemon slice or two, etc. I only planted my fig tree a couple of years ago and it's not bearing yet, but I'll get some at the store. 😄 Thank you! I decided to try the whole figs instead of the jam after our chat, so today I used the figs in the above post and reduced them down for about 3hrs on a low simmer. I did straight up sugar and water and nothing else. Needless to say, my entire house smells like sugared figs right now! Anyway, here's what I ended up with... 4 pints of whole figs in syrup. Stuff like this makes me excited for winter nights in front of a wood burning fire with a bowl of ice cream. 🤤 I also use select jars for gold star points with friends/neighbors or bribes, whichever the case may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katrinka Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 That's exactly what my grandma's looked like! Minus the fancy jars, of course. I can't wait to get some figs and try this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPeachy Posted August 26, 2019 Share Posted August 26, 2019 23 hours ago, katrinka said: That's exactly what my grandma's looked like! Minus the fancy jars, of course. I can't wait to get some figs and try this! You better go look for them. I saw figs at my grocery this morning for $2.99 for 8oz.! 😲 $6.00 per pound is a lot especially when I have been getting 2-3lbs every other day of my trees and they are still coming. My neighbors are going to be sick of me soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saturn Celeste Posted September 9, 2019 Author Share Posted September 9, 2019 The food that has appeared on this thread looks so delicious!! I was reading @Grizabella Tippy Teahouse thread and she mentions low income cooking. I too am a low income cook but we've been doing pretty good. So I thought I'd discuss this some more. Some weeks we can buy a few selections of produce at a shot or other weeks we can only get one fresh vegetable a week but we strive to keep working on that. There only 2 of us, myself and my son so we can make a piece of meat last 3 - 4 servings. On really poor weeks we might eat chicken legs because a bag of legs is pretty cheap. My main vegetables are fresh onion and celery. They will keep fairly long in the fridge. Well and potatoes. I make a lot of chicken soup with carrots, onions, celery and egg noodles. That's the best way to get our vegetables is in soup, we will get many servings of soup and vegetables. With some kind of a meat (often chicken legs picked of course) I have tossed some leg meat, onion, celery and a very little bit of seasoning (it's so salty) from ramen noodles, cooked that together then add enough water for 2 ramen cubes, add the cubes and cook that down (simmer). It's really good! Add a little no salt no msg soy sauce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizabella Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 (edited) Ramen noodles! These can actually be a very good and low-budget stretcher! I take a package of inexpensive frozen stir-fry vegetables, cook and drain the ramen, sometimes not using the seasoning packet for sodium considerations but if I do cook the noodles in it, I drain that off anyway and then I add the cooked and drained ramen once the veggies are done. I like to use Bragg's liquid aminos so I then take some Braggs, a little water, and a little cornstarch mixed together and stir into the stir fry at the last minute. Not a whole bunch but just some to kind of "sauce it up" some. My youngest daughter likes to put some red pepper flakes on hers at the table. I like to save green onion tops (don't like wasting) and I sprinkle freshly chopped green onion tops on mine. Could maybe add some crunch with some chopped almonds. I save everything and sometimes I'll find a little packet of almonds from some kind of mix I've not used them for or something. If I don't use the seasoning packet from a ramen, I save it because sometime down the road, it might be just the thing to use in something that needs flavor but is going to spread the sodium content over a greater area of food than just a packet of ramen noodles. I don't think ramen noodles are especially nutritious by the way, but they do help fill a tummy so I don't figure them into overall nutritional value, necessarily. Does anyone else like tofu? I take tofu and marinate it with some fresh chopped garlic, a little Bragg's seasoning, maybe a bit of nutritional yeast (although no yeast in my new self-made diet) and marinate that overnight. Press out some of the liquid before use and then put that into the "gourmet" ramen stir fry. Nutritious and good tasting, you get veggies, protein and some carbs from the ramen but I don't completely eliminate carbs myself. Onions and fresh garlic are absolutely staple items every month for me. They're so good for you and I really can't do without them. I chop up fresh yellow onions into my salads and I put fresh garlic into my homemade tartar sauce, too. (People say they could eat it with a spoon. Want the recipe?) Edited September 10, 2019 by Grizabella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saturn Celeste Posted September 10, 2019 Author Share Posted September 10, 2019 13 minutes ago, Grizabella said: (People say they could eat it with a spoon. Want the recipe?) Please!! Sounds great!!! Yup, we went so long just eating ramen noodles without the extras that now we have fun with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizabella Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 (edited) Okay, this recipe is for the homemade tartar sauce but I've also got Dirty Refrigerator Stew, Baked Stolen Apples, Lazy Woman's Apple Butter and some others if anyone wants those. Tartar sauce: I wait till my quart mayo is about half full and then mix this right in the jar. Actually, nowadays I buy a great big jar of mayo and mix it in a quart mayo jar I saved for the purpose because I make all my own salad dressings also. I don't buy them. So on to the tartar sauce. You can adjust amounts to your own needs and tastes but I recommend making more than normal tartar sauce jars hold but there won't be any left. Quart jar size: Half or so jar of mayo Juice of one fresh lemon or you can use liquid lemon juice 5 or 6 finely chopped segments of fresh garlic A generous pinch of fresh dill weed A cheap small jar of dill relish (so you don't have to chop the pickles but I chop a couple if I have no relish) Switch to sweet relish if you prefer or use both About 1/4 of a finely chopped yellow onion---about medium sized or half of one if the onion is small About 1/4 cup of cream, canned milk, or sour cream. If you use the liquid milk let it stand so the lemon will thicken it up more. I use leftover sour cream if I've got some from something else but I don't shop for that specifically for this recipe. I like it best, though. Put the lid on and shake it up really well. I like to let it stand for awhile to blend flavors. You can whisk it a little if the shaking doesn't make it smooth enough. Edited September 10, 2019 by Grizabella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizabella Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 We should compile a Tarot, Tea and Me cookbook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizabella Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 Just reading back over the thread, I wanted to comment about polenta and corn meal mush. I cook corn meal mush and then what's left over, I put into a greased pan or bowl and refrigerate that. Or a loaf pan works the best for me, really. But then the next day I turn out the mush, which will have solidified, and slice it. Heat up a pan with some oil or if you ever have bacon and save the grease like I do, I like to use that to fry it in. (Bacon has too much salt, but my daughter likes it sometimes to crumble into potato soup or salad or something) Anyway, the bacon grease seems to make it crispier on the outside. Then I like it with just a little bit of butter and some pepper on top but some people like it with syrup or honey. It makes a good breakfast in the next day or two from the mush. Sometimes I just make it for the purpose of chilling and frying it. It also makes a good snack sometimes. I'm not big on snack foods other than just popcorn or leftovers. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizabella Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 Oh On 6/2/2019 at 3:15 AM, DownUnderNZer said: Polenta Tried it as plain porridge for brekkie and tonight sliced up some of what was leftover and baked it in the oven with crushed garlic, Himalayan salt and cracked pepper on the top. In a dash of olive oil. Served it with chicken meatballs in an Italian tomato sauce. What did I think? Didnt mind it as porridge. The chicken meatball and sauce was excellent with it although it was hard adjusting to it not being rice or pasta. I think it will take a bit of getting use to, but what is a winner is that it is low in fat and has no cholesterol. Would like to make something sweet next weekend, so will see how that goes then. Am fine using it as a substitute or healthy alternative. DND 🙂 These sound great. Especially the meatballs and tomato sauce. I'd throw in sauteed carmelized onions and mushrooms with mine. I'll let you know if I ever get to try this. And reading ahead, your idea of using crispy polenta as a quiche crust is definitely a winner. Did you try it and if so, how did it turn out? Where the cholesterol is concerned, I'm sure you know that there's both good and bad cholesterol. And lecithin helps the bad cholesterol get processed out of the body, so a lecithin supplement in cooking can help. Eggs are professed to be high in fat and cholesterol, but eggs contain their very own dose of lecithin, so they're not as bad as one might think. One needs some fats in their diet and eggs are a cheap source of protein. I use more eggs than the average person because I don't eat very much meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katrinka Posted September 10, 2019 Share Posted September 10, 2019 (edited) It's always a good idea to eat less meat, for a lot of reasons. I don't eat any - but even leaving it alone for a couple of days a week is beneficial in a lot of ways. This is a recipe for veggie burgers that I got from another reader about 8-10 years ago, and it's a staple at my house, especially in the fall when there's pecans just falling everywhere. Try it when you want something from scratch instead of those frozen Bocas.2 tablespoons ground pecans or cashews (or both) 3/4 cups seasoned (or plain) bread crumbs enough virgin olive oil to saute the burgers 1/2 small onion (minced) 1 clove garlic (minced) ½ red or orange sweet bell pepper 1/4 cup minced mushrooms 1 hot chili (totally optional unless you're in Texas like me, lol) 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce ½ cup cooked rice (regular white, brown, basmati - whatever you like) salt & black pepper to taste One beaten egg to bind it together - vegans can substitute 2 tablespoons of potato flakesMix it all up, add salt and pepper if you like, shape into patties and saute in olive oil. After you've made it a time or two, you can play around with it and tweak the spices. But this is the basic recipe. Edited September 10, 2019 by katrinka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 Just a few home cooked meals: The first one is a salad with one of my favourite dressings from Japan. Toasted sesame seed dressing. Simply the BEST! There are some recipes I have seen on the internet done by Japanese food lovers and I think I have seen one or two in English. 🌹 The other is poached chicken breast in lemon juice, garlic and seasoning like freshly cracked pepper and salt. Au naturel and hormone free. 🐔 The sweet potato is roasted and it is full cream butter not margarine or any artificial anything on it. Sometimes I will do a bit of nutmeg to bring it up a notch or two... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPeachy Posted September 11, 2019 Share Posted September 11, 2019 We do a lot of eggs here too. I use the Fritatta Equation Recipe that I found in the new paper several years ago. It always turns out great and uses up the bits and pieces of leftover cheese and veggies. #1 Eggs.... Beat 8 eggs in a large container and add salt and pepper #2 Pick 1 or 2 Veggies.... Add up to 1.5 cups of your favorite cooked veggies, like sauteed mushrooms or onions and/or roasted potatoes or broccoli #3 Pick a protein (or not, because the eggs themselves are protein too).... Add up to 1 cup of cooked sausage or bacon, ham or beans #4 Pick a cheese....Add 1 or 2 about 1 cup total of shredded cheddar or crumbled blue or grated parmesan, etc. (sometimes I just use up all the bits and pcs. in the fridge) #5 Pick an Herb..... Add 1 and use about 3/4 cup of fresh, mild herbs like basil, chives, cilantro or use 2tbs of fresh stronger herbs like chopped dill or rosemary #6 Extra Flavor Booster..... Add 1 tbs. Dijon mustard, lemon zest, Sriracha or pesto Preheat the oven to 350F. On med-high, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in an oven proof 10" skillet. Add your egg mixture and pull the edges of the outside towards the center to let the uncooked egg run underneath. Do this a couple of times then let the eggs set again for about 1 min. Remove skillet to the oven and bake for about 15mins until the top is just set. Don't over bake. Remove and let it stand for about 5mins before inverting onto a plate to serve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted September 15, 2019 Share Posted September 15, 2019 SUNDAY DINNER Just finished cooking this - my first time using a pressure cooker. Corned Silverside 45 minutes flat! The meat is so tender and cooked to perfection. Also, I have made cheese sauce from scratch using whole butter, whole milk, hi fi flour and freshly ground Himalayan salt and black pepper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashwsh Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 (edited) On 9/15/2019 at 2:29 AM, DownUnderNZer said: SUNDAY DINNER Just finished cooking this - my first time using a pressure cooker. Corned Silverside 45 minutes flat! The meat is so tender and cooked to perfection. Also, I have made cheese sauce from scratch using whole butter, whole milk, hi fi flour and freshly ground Himalayan salt and black pepper. Pressure cooker does make cooking easy. My Indian style of cooking is incomplete without one. As @Grizabella mentioned Ramen noodles are my cheap and go to food. There is an Indian version called Maggi noodles (by Nestle), can literally dive into it..super yummy. If you like Masala, maybe worth trying. Pic for reference Edited September 21, 2019 by ashwsh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizabella Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 4 hours ago, ashwsh said: Pressure cooker does make cooking easy. My Indian style of cooking is incomplete without one. As @Grizabella mentioned Ramen noodles are my cheap and go to food. There is an Indian version called Maggi noodles (by Nestle), can literally dive into it..super yummy. If you like Masala, maybe worth trying. Pic for reference I saved that package picture into a file in the computer. I'll definitely see if I can find it when I shop. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 BUTTER CHICKEN From scratch... Made this midweek last week only I made a few adjustments to the recipe I found to make it how I thought it should taste. Creamy and not too tomato soup like. Beats many places hands down I have tried, but still not quite like the UK.... or the "ONE!". Will master it yet until it is perfection. Don't get me wrong. What is below is how it is made in India and it is delicious, moreish and will be made again in a minute. But I want the one I had years ago... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 RAW FISH Long weekend This is made with limes or lemons and coconut milk or cream. Salt and pepper. Usually it is done with raw onion, diced tomatoes and sometimes cucumbers. Best to use fish like red snapper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Potato Salad & Egg. Long weekend Not the creamy kind, but tangy. Red or purple skinned potatoes are the best as they are waxy so keep rather well in potato salads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted November 13, 2019 Share Posted November 13, 2019 Brekkie Today - This Very Minute! Smoked Salmon on sour dough toast with poached free range barn laid eggs. There were two! Made it now on the spur of the moment as I wanted to have breakfast before leaving for the day. Had to share as the yolk is just so, well - it takes work to perfect poached eggs. It really does!. Simply delicious and beautiful. Food at its best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 "BAKING QUEENS BIRTHDAY WEEKEND" No one has posted on here for a while. Plan to do some baking over this coming long weekend if up to the challenge. I think two of these are my very first time! American style chocolate chip cookies 😁😁😁 and NZ style Cream Puffs😁😁😁. Cream Puffs are very similar to Chocolate Eclairs. If I remember to take photos I will post them here. I will also be baking a Peach Crumble to have with homemade custard and possibly another NZ delight - Ginger Crunch. Below is a classic style Cream Puff recipe - NZ does them this way too, but sometimes with a banana cream filling just to make it that bit scrumptious. And that is what I am thinking of doing... Link: https://onelittleproject.com/classic-cream-puffs/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
53rdspirit Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 Yum!!!!! I had to look up New Zealand ginger crunch, and what's the difference between American and New Zealand chocolate chip cookies? I looked that up, too, and it seems that New Zealand chocolate chip cookies are the chewy kind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) On 6/5/2020 at 1:32 AM, 53rdspirit said: Yum!!!!! I had to look up New Zealand ginger crunch, and what's the difference between American and New Zealand chocolate chip cookies? I looked that up, too, and it seems that New Zealand chocolate chip cookies are the chewy kind? @53rdspirit NZers don't usually make them although they sell in supermarkets from one company called Arnotts also Schrewsberry(?) which I think is British. Hard, small, chunky and they taste somewhat different. Not thin either. My US mum use to bake them all the time so I am hoping to get them like how she made them - crispy on the outside and a little chewy in the middle and loaded with chocolate chips. Also on the thin side but not too thin. 😊😄🙃 Edited June 6, 2020 by DownUnderNZer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) On 6/5/2020 at 1:06 PM, DownUnderNZer said: @53rdspirit NZers don't usually make them although they sell in supermarkets from one company called Arnotts also Schewsberry(?) which I think is British. Hard, small, chunky and they taste somewhat different. Not thin either. My US mum use to bake them all the time so I am hoping to get them like how she made them - crispy on the outside and a little chewy in the middle and loaded with chocolate chips. Also on the thin side but not too thin. 😊😄🙃 NOTE: In my time the most common baked things in NZ were Scones, Afghans, Louise cake, Ginger crunch, Pavlova, Cream Puffs, Caramel slice and a number of others, but not chocolate chip cookies. ADDING: Toffee and home made fudge as well. 😁 Nowadays maybe it is, but not back in my time nor my parents or grandparents. DND 🌟 Edited June 6, 2020 by DownUnderNZer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownUnderNZer Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 CREAM PUFFS MY FIRST ATTEMPT Tried a small batch for this because if I failed - all good. They didn't puff up high high high like what I was watching and one part was trickier than anticipated. Plus... I may have overdone it trying to get any lumps out. The icing and cream turned out perfect and the puffs as well only not as high as I would have liked. What else? As I'm not too keen on loads and loads of cream I didn't want to overfill them either. No problems with the icing and I could have eaten that alone quite happily! Ended up messy as I probably should have iced them first. Some photos of my humble cream puffs. Everything combined except the eggs. Got the egg shell out just in time so none in the final product...wouldn't want that! Mixed to a batter... In the oven. Out of the oven. The outcome. Very DELICIOUS and better than store bought ones or bakeries. DND 🌟 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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