Potboiler’s Profile

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From Talk

food containers -- need to upgrade

I also use Pyrex containers with plastic lids. I stopped using the plastic variety about a year ago because I was concerned about chemicals transferring to our food. I especially like the way the Pyrex stack in the fridge. I haven't had the exploding problem but I don't microwave them very often. I also like the price of the Pyrex.

From Talk

Define your comfort food

Pasta with marinara. And I'm not Italian. Go figure.

From Talk

Favorite New Recipes

I love this posting! Almost 20 years ago, a simple pork chop recipe really made me fall in love with cooking. But, before that, my first fine meal really made me fall in love with food. It was veal (gasp!) with a calvados sauce and dessert was a chocolate tranche (translated as "slice"). I remember where, who, and what we talked about, too. Good food can be magical but I know I'm preaching to the choir on this site.

From Talk

stuffing-- eggs or not?

I followed (more or less) Jerzee's grandmother's recipe and used eggs. I beat them and mixed them in with the broth. The dressing will cook another hour in the oven with the bird. The kitchen smelled great while I was putting it together.

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Recent Posts

From Talk

What's your stuffing / dressing recipe?

From Talk

How to have a more healthy, varied diet???

From Talk

What to do with a bunch of dill?

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From Recipes

Cook the Book: Pumpkin Walnut Cranberry Quickbread

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Recent Comments | Response to Comments

From Talk

food containers -- need to upgrade

I also use Pyrex containers with plastic lids. I stopped using the plastic variety about a year ago because I was concerned about chemicals transferring to our food. I especially like the way the Pyrex stack in the fridge. I haven't had the exploding problem but I don't microwave them very often. I also like the price of the Pyrex.

From Talk

Define your comfort food

Pasta with marinara. And I'm not Italian. Go figure.

From Talk

Favorite New Recipes

I love this posting! Almost 20 years ago, a simple pork chop recipe really made me fall in love with cooking. But, before that, my first fine meal really made me fall in love with food. It was veal (gasp!) with a calvados sauce and dessert was a chocolate tranche (translated as "slice"). I remember where, who, and what we talked about, too. Good food can be magical but I know I'm preaching to the choir on this site.

From Talk

stuffing-- eggs or not?

I followed (more or less) Jerzee's grandmother's recipe and used eggs. I beat them and mixed them in with the broth. The dressing will cook another hour in the oven with the bird. The kitchen smelled great while I was putting it together.

From Serious Eats

Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters

Thank you - ALL Serious Eaters. Gobble gobble!

From Talk

Turkey roaster vs oven?

One of my neighbors swears by her roaster. Also leaves her oven free for everything else.

From Talk

Pumpkin: *Way* or *No Way*

Way! Warm pumpkin pie with whipped cream melting on top - I wait for it all year. Also, LOVE pumpkin cheesecake. Soooo good!

From Talk

Eating a Fried Fish that's Still Alive

I'm with Foodie: it's just plain wrong not to mention creepy.

From Talk

recipes using buttermilk

I second the Ranch Dressing and scone ideas. I got the salad dressing recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I'll post it here if you want it!

From Serious Eats: New York

Where Does Your Thanksgiving Loyalty Lie?

Sides - dressing is number one but pumpkin pie (cooks illustrated recipe) is a close second.

From Talk

And now the cake dilemma...c'est finalement l'ennui gateau

Also, have you seen the pumpkin and chocolate layer cake on Baking Bites? That didn't tempt you? I am thinking about making it tonight - just to test it out for Thanksgiving, of course.

From Talk

And now the cake dilemma...c'est finalement l'ennui gateau

OK, a wonderful old standby is the banana cake from the original Silver Palate cookbook.

If you want something chocolate, I made the brownie cake from Baking with Julia for my oldest boy's bday in September. It's not a simple chocolate cake but rich and complex and delicious!

From Talk

What's your stuffing / dressing recipe?

So many wonderful ideas! I may have to make two or three different kinds. Darn. Did I mention, dressing is my favorite thing at Thanksgiving?

From Talk

What's your stuffing / dressing recipe?

Thank you guys!

@Jerzee - Since I've loved reading you posts here for a couple of years, I may have to make your grandmother's recipe. But what is locatelli? Cheese?

From Talk

Potted Fruit Trees?

@gourmetgal - I've had a lot more lemons when I fertilize the plant - I use Peace of Mind - it's an organic plant food and comes in a citrus version. Also, I have found that thoroughly watering the plant once a week is the best way to go. Finally, my lemons ripen in January - takes a looooong time. Hope this helps!

From Serious Eats

Do You Like Eating Pie Crust By Itself?

@ Heart - I'm with you. Like the crust the best unless it's a not-too-sweet pumpkin or pecan.

Lately I've realized how little I like sugar. Keep making cookies (for my kids) and thinking they are too sweet - too much sweet and not enough other/real flavor.

From Talk

Potted Fruit Trees?

I have had a meyer lemon tree in a pot by the front door for 7 or 8 years. Got 31 lemons from it last year and it's only about 4 feet tall. Its flowers smell wonderful and it's always green. Just be sure you can bring it indoors in the winter!

From Talk

How to have a more healthy, varied diet???

I love you guys! Thank you for the recommendations and I will check out the Bittman books - have been wondering about How to Cook Everything for a while.

@SEAto NYC Yes, I do have the MBA guide - will dig it out and start using it again. Thanks!

@redfish - where do you buy keta?

From Talk

What would you eat for 30 days?

At first, I thought my answer would be Nothing! Then I read @finewinedine - I'm with you! and @ JenCWalker re salad - Right on. We eat it almost every night anyway.

From Talk

Pumpkin Pie Ideas Needed

I make the Cooks Illustrated pumpkin pie. It's sooo good, especially warm with whipped cream melting on it!

From Talk

Thanksgiving Vegetable Sides

Jerzee - how do you make chili glazed sweet potatoes? Sounds soooo good.

From Talk

What strange things are in the door of your fridge?

I have a bottle of HP sauce - something Brits are supposed to like - only used it once.

@Jerzee - those cherries in brandy sound wonderful!

From Talk

The family that eats together...What's for dinner 10/25 Sunday??

Chicken soup - two of the four of us are sick (yep, H1N1) and I felt pretty heroic making the soup from scratch even I feel like @#$%. Also, am hoping the cooking process killed any germs so no one else gets sick.

From Talk

What's your spice aversion?

Dill and Chinese 5-Spice - I swear there is something that gives me a migraine in the latter.

From Talk

Pumpkin: *Way* or *No Way*

ha! i almost said, and by the way, the two cups of oil is correct in my original post.

the two cups of oil is NOT a typo. it's a very moist cake.

From Talk

stuffing-- eggs or not?

update: I reheated both today together with some chicken broth, on a frying pan with a lid, and it was surprisingly good! Now it's almost gone.

if I had to analyze what went wrong, I'd say I didn't use enough broth; but also I think the bread cubes I used were not good to start with. I used Pepperidge Farm herb flavor cubed dressing, and won't be doing that again. I'll cube good bread next time.

But no resolution yet as to eggs or not!

Thanks everybody in any case!

From Talk

Favorite New Recipes

The food that changed my life (and cooking) forever was when I stepped up and started making my own broth. There are so many dishes that are good when made with canned broth but become extraordinary when made with homemade broth.

From Talk

Pumpkin: *Way* or *No Way*

Way! Love pumpkin in pretty much any form. And not that I dislike pumpkin pie, but there are other way yummier pumpkin desserts to be had - pumpkin roll with the cream cheese filling, pumpkin cheesecake, etc.

From Talk

Pumpkin: *Way* or *No Way*

I you don't like pumpkin pie do you count as a Real American?

It's like wanting Old Yeller to die ...

From Talk

stuffing-- eggs or not?

Save your eggs for breakfast, they're great with toast but unnecessary in dressing.

From Talk

Pumpkin: *Way* or *No Way*

@cybercita ~ thanks so much for posting this. I'll take a wild guess that 2 cups of vegetable oil is a typo?

@angelfood ~ my hands-down favorite ice cream is pumpkin and I didn't have a recipe, even though I own an ice cream maker. Thanks for sharing.

Tip: If you have an ice cream maker like mine where you store the cylinder in the freezer ~ it makes a perfect wine/champagne chiller for the larger bottles. So yes Alton, it does multiple tasks.

From Talk

Define your comfort food

Huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, enchiladas, tortellini soup, stuffed shells, cottage cheese pancakes, french toast, pierogies, pork roast in sauerkraut with mashed potatoes and gravy, mushroom bourguignon, cabbage and noodles, hell pretty much anything good is comforting to me!

From Talk

Pumpkin: *Way* or *No Way*

here is the cake recipe as i got it originally. i up the spices considerably, using about a tablespoon each of the cinnamon and nutmeg, and two teaspoons of cloves. i also use a teaspoon of cardamom and include a thumbs worth of fresh ginger as well. it can be frosted with an orange glaze -- orange zest, juice, butter, and confectioner's sugar -- frosted with cream cheese frosting, or left plain.

it's a dump cake -- just dump all of the ingredients into a big bowl and beat.


pumpkin spice cake
3 c flour
2c sugar
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1 t ground ginger
1 t freshly ground nutmeg
1 t ground cloves
2 c vegetable oil
1 15 oz can pumpkin
4 eggs
combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat at medium speed for 4 minutes. pour into greased and floured 12 cup bundt pan. bake at 325 for 1 hour or until done {there should not be any wet spots under the top cracks and a tester should come out clean}.
cool 20 min and turn out on rack.

From Talk

stuffing-- eggs or not?

thanks again everyone.
here is the report. I tried both, and both were flops. They were equally bad. I think I was afraid of putting too much broth in the dishes and they turned out too dry for me. couldn't tell the difference in taste or in consistency.
Might have to try it again next year.
Although I am thinking of giving the leftovers a go again today!

From Serious Eats

Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters

Belated Thanksgiving wishes to everyone in the SE Community.

From Talk

Define your comfort food

My Mac & Cheese it's so good I never make it. Can't control myself. Ditto noodle kugel. Veggie pot pie but it's so much work I rarely make it. Broccoli pasta. Hard boiled eggs mashed with butter and salt and pepper with potato rye rolls slathered in butter and some sauteed spinach. I bake a double batch of rolls and keep them in the freezer for a quick fix. A pot of Yorkshire Gold tea with cinnamon toast. And when I'm ill I always want potato soup and custard in little cups with nutmeg on top. Many's the time I've staggered delirious with fever, sneezing and coughing in the kitchen to fix it. lol

From Talk

Pumpkin: *Way* or *No Way*

WAY in a big way but not the canned stuff. Use sweet potatoes instead. Or better yet, grow your own sugar pumpkins or kabocha squash, hopi blue or other heirloom varieties until you find the one you like best. They are easy to grow and so easy to cook and freeze. New rules against canning it so can't recommend that. I made this years pie with kabocha. I'm having a slice right now for breakfast and nibbling candied pecans on the side. Whole Foods sells them and farmer's markets have them. I use them in everything both sweet and savory. Old Uncle Gaylord's recipe for pumpkin raisin ice cream is divine! Safer to make cooked custard than use raw egg though.
PUMPKIN RAISIN ICE CREAM
4 cups half&half
1egg
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, nutmeg, ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins (you could soak them in rum or brandy)
Mix, chill, freeze in machine

From Talk

Define your comfort food

My pot of tea in the morning. Can't live without it. Breakfast is my favorite comfort meal, sausage, eggs over easy, fried potatoes, toast with a glass of cold milk. Of course not often!! Potatoes in any way, shape or form. Lastly, spaghetti with my homemade sauce that I've been making since age 13.

From Serious Eats

Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters

Happy Thanksgiving!! Thanks to you guys my Turkey tasted great.

From Serious Eats

Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters

thanks guys, love ya, keep up the great work!

From Talk

stuffing-- eggs or not?

I've mixed my eggs with about a cup and a half of cool broth and mixed it well into the bread mixture and just before cooking I add the balance of the needed boiling broth to attain the consistency I'm looking for. For decades I've stuffed my bird but I've finally converted to baking the dressing separately. This year I may exclude the eggs and see what happens... never too old to learn new tricks. My biggest problem is oven space when cooking items separately and I'm not sure how long to heat/cook the dressing. Leaving out the eggs may relieve some anxiety on this issue for me...

From Serious Eats

Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters

All my portion of the cooking is done (except a stuffed pumpkin still in the oven) and I am sitting down to a cup of tea with bourbon, so I am feeling very thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

From Serious Eats

Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters

Happy Thanksgiving to all at Serious Eats (my favorite web site).

From Serious Eats

Happy Thanksgiving, Serious Eaters

Happy Turkey day Americans!

I'm thankful for Serious eats;
SE staff/community;
Food in general;
My health and yours!

Cheers to being forever thankful!
:D hungrychristel

From Talk

Define your comfort food

American--mac and cheese (gives me a wicked hurt belly but I love it), Italian--risotto, Vietnamese--pho bo, Polish--pierogis, Ghanian--red red, Puerto Rican--rice and beans, Mexican--chilaquiles....I love comfort food in any language!!

Recent Posts

From Talk

What's your stuffing / dressing recipe?

From Talk

How to have a more healthy, varied diet???

From Talk

What to do with a bunch of dill?

Recent Favorites

From Recipes

Cook the Book: Pumpkin Walnut Cranberry Quickbread

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About Potboiler

Website:

Location: Davis CA

About: I believe healthy food can be delicious. I grow a lot of thing in my backyard. I have 2 little boys whom I try to introduce to many different flavors and am grateful that they have broad palates.

Favorite foods:

Last bite on earth: