Jilly’s Profile
Recent Comments
Vegetarians, How Do You Do Thanksgiving?
My husband and stepsons are vegetarians and I come from a big meat-eating family. So for the holidays, in addition to all the sides that they can enjoy, I usually do some kind of pasta dish, a canneloni, or a lasagna. This is easy to make ahead and freeze and just heat up on the day. I also do a vegetarian gravy -- from a dry mix. The brown gravy is quite delicious and my niece who is not a vegetarian, prefers my "gravy" to the one from the bird drippings.
We also used to do two stuffings, one in the bird and one not. But after a few years, it was just as easy to just do one in a big pan, not in the bird. I can't really tell the difference now.
This year, I am thinking of making a mushroom streudal. Mushrooms are very 'meaty' and I think this would be delicious with a bit of 'gravy'. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Weekend Cook and Tell: Vintage Recipe Redux
I am remembering a roast my mother used to do that was considered the height of elegance. Some sort of round roast, a can of mushroom soup, a few glops of HP sauce and one whole envelope of Lipton's onion soup mix. All wrapped up in tin foil and cooked within an inch of it's life.
It was delicious.
The Milk in Pumpkin Pie Debate
Always have used evaporated milk like my mom and gramma. Am intrigued by the idea of coconut milk -- but my family hates it when I experiment on the holidays!
See more comments by Jilly »
Recent Posts
See more posts by Jilly »
Recent Favorites
Jilly hasn't favorited a post yet.
Recent Polls
Jilly hasn't answered any polls yet.
Recent Quizzes
Jilly hasn't taken any quizzes yet.
Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
One half square of unsweetened baker's chocolate. MMMMM
Vegetarians, How Do You Do Thanksgiving?
My husband and stepsons are vegetarians and I come from a big meat-eating family. So for the holidays, in addition to all the sides that they can enjoy, I usually do some kind of pasta dish, a canneloni, or a lasagna. This is easy to make ahead and freeze and just heat up on the day. I also do a vegetarian gravy -- from a dry mix. The brown gravy is quite delicious and my niece who is not a vegetarian, prefers my "gravy" to the one from the bird drippings.
We also used to do two stuffings, one in the bird and one not. But after a few years, it was just as easy to just do one in a big pan, not in the bird. I can't really tell the difference now.
This year, I am thinking of making a mushroom streudal. Mushrooms are very 'meaty' and I think this would be delicious with a bit of 'gravy'. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Weekend Cook and Tell: Vintage Recipe Redux
I am remembering a roast my mother used to do that was considered the height of elegance. Some sort of round roast, a can of mushroom soup, a few glops of HP sauce and one whole envelope of Lipton's onion soup mix. All wrapped up in tin foil and cooked within an inch of it's life.
It was delicious.
The Milk in Pumpkin Pie Debate
Always have used evaporated milk like my mom and gramma. Am intrigued by the idea of coconut milk -- but my family hates it when I experiment on the holidays!
Cook the Book: 'New Classic Family Dinners'
Bean burritos with brown rice.
Cook the Book: 'The Pioneer Woman Cooks'
I have been a huge Pioneer Woman Cooks fan and have entered every contest, read every entry and fallen madly in love with her and her family.
Cook the Book: The Southern Italian Table
Fresh pasta with cherry tomatoes, basil, parm, olive oil and garlic. And a big hunk of bread. MMMMMMM
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Pumpkin cheesecake with a ginger snap crust with crystallized ginger in the crust.
Serious Green: A Guide to Keeping City Chickens
Chickens love eggshells, I always crushed them up real fine and added them to their regular food. Grit helps them grind their food -- you can also buy crushed oyster shells which also helps. The only drawback with eggshells is that it can lead to chickens eating their own eggs which is why I mixed it very finely crushed into their food as I did have a problem with that at one point.
Chickens are very friendly and fun and easy to take care of and the eggs are like nothing you can buy at any price in a store. Chickens don't smell, but their poop sure does so you do have to keep it clean! You will be happier and your chickens will be happier.
Recreating the Adult Brownies from Andronico's
Just a tip about melting chocolate. Whenever there is butter in a recipe, I always heat up my butter in the microwave, chop my chocolate into small pieces and put it in the hot butter. The chocolate melts beautifully and no need for a double boiler. Don't make things more complicated than they need to be is my motto.
raising your own chickens: pros & cons
There really is nothing more easy or fun than raising chickens. I have a few acres and over the past several years we've had up to 16 chickens at a time. The number of eggs from that many chickens was a bit unmanageable for the two of us, but I never went anywhere without a dozen eggs as a gift and I sold many dozens to friends.
In the part of Canada I live in, we had a real weasel problem and one summer, lost 8 chickens.
You can certainly buy large water dispensers and food dispensers and chickens can be left for a few days. The cleaner you keep their litter, the happier both of you will be. I would like to say I mucked out the coop every couple of weeks, but it probably wasn't that often, but I know whenever I did it, I was pretty happy with myself and it was a much more pleasant experience getting eggs and dealing with the few chicken chores.
There is no comparison between any store bought egg, no matter how expensive and "organic" and one from your own chickens. Keep in mind that chickens only lay for about two years, but can live much longer, we had one that was almost four years old who died this summer but it had been a long time since she had laid an egg.
You really have nothing to lose. Buy a few chickens and have a good time. And they will eat any scrap of food you send their way...bread, toast, fruit rinds, even yogurt and as a treat, I would often buy a bunch of spinach for the girls....they really loved that.
Good luck.
Food processor feedback needed
I just got the Kitchenaid 7-cup for my birthday. I really like it and have not have the problem that Mrs. Johnson describes. It does have an odd space in the lid where things get stuck and are hard to get out, especially when you are grating cheese, but it is a big improvement over the one I had for 25 years that finally gave out and lots big enough.
Nice Kitchen, Pioneer Woman
I have been a huge fan of Pioneer Woman for a long time and keep entering her contests to try to snag a visit for my sister and I. And we have made many of her recipes -- with great success. Maybe someday we win a visit -- I can dream.
Street Food Profiles: Hong's Chinese Dumplings in Burlington, Vermont
My sister and I just enjoyed these in August. They were delicious and she was the sweetest, loveliest vendor. There are so many options on that Burlington strip, but save room for the dumplings!
Cook the Book: 'Gourmet Today'
My first cookbook was one that was put out by Chatelaine magazine in the early 1970's. There are lots of really dated things in it (a lot of things with jelly and mayonaisse), but also some things that I have cooked so many times that I know the recipe by heart - their version apple crisp and butter tarts are standard in my kitchen
Weekend Cook and Tell: The Temporary Vegetarian
I wish I had taken a picture of what I made last night. It was a potato and leek pizza with a rosemary/parmesan cream sauce on puff pastry. OMG, it was absolutely to die for.
Cook the Book: 'Dishing Up Vermont'
From Toronto, Ontario -- Tim Horton Donuts! Also, every fruit and vegetable you can imagine - I love the fall harvest.
Do You Have a Favorite Cheapish Olive Oil?
Try the Kirkland brand at Costco. Doesn't come in a quart size, but it's cheap and cheerful.
Compiling recipes for a family cookbook - advice?
Good luck everyone with your projects. I would love to see a post when you are done about how it all turned out.
Compiling recipes for a family cookbook - advice?
Sorry, one more thing about Lulu. I created all the recipes in Word and then imported them (cut and paste) then I could choose different fonts etc. in the Lulu program. This made things nice and easy as well.
Compiling recipes for a family cookbook - advice?
The quality of the paper from Lulu was excellent. It has a coating on it so you can wipe off the sticky fingerprints (if you want). It has a stitched binding and I'm not sure long term how durable that will be, but so far, so good.
Compiling recipes for a family cookbook - advice?
Laurelie -- I did have to pick from their templates but since this was my first attempt, it was fine. There were many different options for each page so if I wanted a big picture and a small amount of text or a shorter recipe, that was fine. I could also just to a separater page or a page with just a picture. It is costed by the page so by the time I got to about 26 pages, it was about $25.00 per copy.
Compiling recipes for a family cookbook - advice?
I published myown cookbook this year using a program from Lulu.com. It was incredibly easy, I could add pictures if If wanted, add personal stories about the recipes and the final product was extremely professional. I submitted my final copy online on a Sunday and I had the printed books on Friday of the same week. A great service. It was a hit for Christmas this year.
Martha Stewart's Macaroni and Cheese
I have made this mac and cheese dozens of times. Several times, when I've had fancy dinner parties, I make this for the kids but the adults just can't resist it.
I also use it as a clean out my cheese drawer recipe and I've put up to 8 different kinds of cheese that were getting to the ends of their lives -- even goat cheese. And I totally agree with the nutmeg suggestion - and must add. I'm salivating just writing about this.
Cook the Book: '100 Best Vegetarian Recipes'
I make a killer bean burrito -- tons of flavour and very satisfying for me, a carnivore, and my husband and stepsons who are vegetarians.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
The key is suet. Almost impossible to find in New York these days, but the butchers at Ottomanelli will scoop it out of the porterhouse sides by hand if you ask them nicely. Browning the beef (and pork if you use it) in rendered suet gives an incredible depth of flavor.
Beyond this I use freshly ground anchos, pasillas and especially guajillos, with pequins or birdseyes ground in by hand to taste as the chili cooks. My guide is John Thorne, though I add tomato paste and sometimes beer (to deglaze) or pork belly if I have a taste for it. And... onion powder. So not politically correct all the way. But SUET... if you can find it. Some butchers have openly laughed at me when I asked for it. "We used to feed it to the birds!" said one East Village butcher, otherwise a kingly establishment.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
My company had a Halloween chili cook off. I entered a vegetarian chili (my first time making chili). The base of it was kidney beans, tomatoes, and lentils. To up the savory quotient, I added several things including:
-carmelized onions deglazed w/ red wine
-roasted corn
-salted, dry-fried mushrooms
-stock made with seaweed and corn cobs (both a big source of natural umami flavor)
My chili turned out really well and I honestly liked it 1st or 2nd best of all the chilies there (out of 20). I ended up losing the vegetarian competition to a chili that had lots of fresh veggies but tasted like salsa.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Young's Double Chocolate Stout and beef shortribs, braised Italian style but in proper Mexican chili spices.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
I have a few different ones, but I always use a bit of red wine, pinch of cinnamon, and recently used black refried bean (typically I use kidney beans), added a really killer flavor and texture.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Pickled jalapenos with some juice, either a fresh habanero or chipotle chiles in adobo, or both, crushed pineapple and cilantro.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
I typically use a bit of mole, 50% ground turkey / 50% ground sirloin, and a couple cans of green chili. This trifecta delights and stumps my guests, as well as prompts my wife to do the dishes.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
My go-to chili recipe contains Coca-Cola and always comes out delicious. I recently tried it with beer instead of the Coke and that was also awesome.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
I puree the tin of chipotles in adobo - all the contents - in the blender and add o spoonful of the mix to my bean filled (veggie) chili. Also use 2 jalapenos and a spoonful of dried chili flakes.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
The secrets to my chili depend on what kind of chili I am making, but it almost always involves a really good hunk of beef (think tri tip) cut into 2"x1"x1/2" slices.
I'm a proponent beans in chili. Especially, really good beans like the Rancho Gordo Pinquitos I use in my Chili Con Carne recipe. Tomatoes are less essential - depending.
Some other ingredients I use in my various chilis to give them oomph are:
Red Wine
Cheese - usually Cheddar or Jack
1/2 ground pork, 1/2 ground chuck
1/2 red, 1/2 yellow onions
Plenty of Garlic
Fresh Chili Peppers
Dried Chili Peppers
Really good chili powder, oregano and cumin.
I am not a big fan of chicken chili. But, that's just me.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Oh, and because I think you'll all find it amusing: I got the coffee-in-the-chili tip from....Seventeen magazine, circa 1993. I have no idea why it stuck in my mind, but it did.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
About a half a cup of strong brewed coffee. It adds a great smoky, meatiness to vegetarian chili. Add a chipotle in adobo sauce and who needs the beef?
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
One ripe mango pureed momentarily masks the heat with a gentle touch of sweet.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
I have a fairly straight forward chili recipe to which I add a splash of liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, some cocoa powder and I thicken it with a slurry of cool liquid and masa horina. The latter probably does the most to identify the flavor of my chili creation.
I'm not above spooning it over a bag of Fritos and garnishing with diced onions, shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Guinness. Slainte!
But, actually, most of the above comments all sound great. I never met a chili I didn't like.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
A local farm's spicy italian sausage, a big ol glug of habenero sauce, and right before I serve it I stir in one HUGE diced white onion so it's still raw by the time you eat it.
All over a handful of Fritos.
I have made this literally once a week for the last month and a half. I LOVE FALL!
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Meat is meatloaf mixture (beef, pork and veal); canned pinto beans and a "Three Alarm Chili" kit. And some beer, if I have any handy.
Comes out perfect every time!
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Ancho chiles, Anaheim or poblano chiles, cocoa powder, bacon and a little masa are my twists on the basic.
Bowl of red or with beans.
But honestly, though similar from time to time, I never make it exactly the same way.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Liquid smoke and worcestershire sauce.
I also use fresh New Mexico green chiles, but that's not so much a secret because I cut them in strips and you can see them.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
I use stew meat as well as hamburg to give varing meat textures. I sear stew meat dredged in corn meal and use Sam Adams Boston Lager to deglaze the pot. I also swear by ro-tell and use different peppers, jalepeno, poblanos, etc. Its all one pot(lodge 6 quart dutch oven) in the oven at 275 for 3-4 hrs. One last thing if your using store bought chili powder make sure its fresh, dont use the stuff thats been in you pantry since the dark ages.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
Chunks of Pancetta.
Good unsalted beef stock or demi, preferably homemade.
Toasted whole cumin seed ground in mortar and pestle.
Dried ancho chiles, toasted, pureed with garlic and strained a la Rick Bayless.
Sometimes low-sodium or no sodiuim V8 that I reduce a little bit. Gives it nice body. Be sure to watch your salt if you use V8.
Serious Heat: What's Your Secret Chili Ingredient?
I love a good meat and bean chili, and make it often as the temperature drops. Everything else that goes into my chili is fresh...except for one thing: My 'secret' ingredient is a can (or two, depending on the size batch I'm making) of Manwich sauce. It adds a vinegary flavor that everyone seems to really like. Of course, I have to balance that out by adding several jalapenos (to up the spicy factor) and then we've recently discovered how delicious crushed up Fritos are over the top of the bowl, with a dollop of sour cream. Generally I'd just make cornbread...but now my kids prefer the Fritos.
Vegetarians, How Do You Do Thanksgiving?
I've made this meal for years, and now have a set menu everyone likes. If anyone wants to bring a turkey or anything else that's fine. I sometimes have a quorn roast, but don't bother with it much anymore. Here's the menu:
Cornbread dressing (I use No-Chick Broth, works great)
Mashed Potatoes ( and this year we grew them, along with most of the veg)
Wild Rice with toasted almonds
Acorn Squash with honey, cinnamon and rosemary
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Light Wheat Yeast Rolls
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower Salad with Remoulade
Yellow Squash
Green Beans
Corn
Sweet Potato Pie
Pecan Pie
Vanilla Ice Cream
Iced Tea with the meal, Coffee with dessert
Everything is made from scratch. I have a game plan written down and start 3 days ahead.
I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
Vegetarians, How Do You Do Thanksgiving?
This year is my first vegan Thanksgiving and my aunt, whose house I'm going to for the meal, is sort of put-off by it, I can tell. But, her sides are always amazing and delicious, and I am going to bring some mushroom gravy and maybe some Field Roast for my main dish. She makes an incredible apple pie - made with vegetable shortening and Earth Balance margarine - that is the best I have ever tasted, and I'm not a pie person so that's a saying something.
Recent Posts
Recent Favorites
Jilly hasn't favorited a post yet.
Polls
Jilly hasn't answered any polls yet.
Quizzes
Jilly hasn't taken any quizzes yet.
One half square of unsweetened baker's chocolate. MMMMM