Food column

[PinkGirl]

Thank you LilyE and Sheila,

I just realized that in my "ordinary, slightly isolated" life, I have never been to a Mexican restaurant. I will put that on my list of things to do in the big city.

I believe that I once saw guacamole when I was about 10 years old and wouldn't taste it. Would it seem right that a kid would say that it looks like barf? Anyway, now that I know they are the green, bumpy things that aren't cucumbers, I might make some guacamole for Christmas. After that I might tackle articokes..........hmmmm.......don't think I know what they look like either.

[Sheila]

Pink Girl
I wouldn't eat artichokes or avacados if there wasn't other things with them...I can see that you thought guac was disgusting...kind of what I thought with the spinach artichoke dip...but them I tasted it and loved it.....also with homemade tortilla chips!

[lilyecuadorian]

Do somebody try tamarind juice ? in my country, we belivie that tamarind clean the liver ...is a fruit from a big tree ....normaly we used for jucies ...I love it and now because I'm on Trial Trastuzumab-MCC-DM1 and I hear that suppose to be toxid to the liver .....so from now on I going to drink tamarind and papaya, both have the same effect cleaning the liver ...

[Kathy S in Tokyo]

This is timely Lily, I was just looking around for liver cleaning foods to try to stay healthy while on Taxol. I will look around Tokyo to see if I can find any tamarinds (I can get papayas fairly easily.)

[lilyecuadorian]

Kathy dont worry ..for sure you will find out easy overthere because asian used a lot the tamarind for make dishes and overhere you can find tamarind on asian grocery store and just a note the papaya is great but is expencie. overhere is a luxury

[hutchibk]

Hey all who are using the Ritz Crackers in recipes - read the ingredients and you will find at least two of the yuckiest things that are often found in the boxed foods... Partially Hydrogenated Oil (wretched for a healthy body and should be avoided at all costs) and High Fructose Corn Syrup (also wretched and should be avoided at all costs). Just FYI.

Joan - you and I are dietary sistas. And I love my organics (including meats and dairy), whole and ancient grains and brown rice, fresh veggies/salads, and deep water fish. I try and afford as many organics as possible when shopping. I often err towards locally grown at the farmer's market, too - often a little cheaper...

[juanita]

Anyone know of a way to make a warm spot for bread to rise? I started a sourdough starter a few months ago. While it was warm outside I had no problem. But now that it's gotten colder it doesn't rise very well. I live in an OLD farm house and it is never really that warm in here during the winter. So how do I make a warm place for it to rise?

[Believe51]

Try using a heating pad but do not let it touch the dough. Place it on top of the bowl after first covering it with think dish towel (it will NOT get soggy if it is a towel, not Saran Wrap). When I do holiday baking I use a HEATED BLANKET that I place on top of Rubbermaid totes and I have a special bread blanket to cover it with first!! Wow that is a lotta bread!! Tehehe!>>Believe51

[PinkGirl]

Hi Juanita

When I make bread, I preheat my oven (on low) and then
shut if off. That's where I put the dough to rise - covered
with a towel. I also put a small bowl of warm water in the
oven with it.

You can also sit the dough on top of the stove, covered with a towel. Then put your oven on low, and leave the oven door open.

[lilyecuadorian]

oh Pink Girl thank u for many secrets ..now I'm block w/ideas what to eat ...this is one of the hard part of all this ...what to eat everyday ....

[juanita]

Thanks for the hints! I make it again on Thursday so I'll let you know what works.

[SoCalGal]

Flori’s Brisket Recipe – best prepared 2 days in advance

• (1) 4-5 pound whole brisket
• (6 - 7) yellow onions

• One can beer – regular size

• Misc. seasoning (rub lightly with olive oil, then salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, Lawry’s seasoned salt, or whatever seasoning mix you like for meat)
• (6) White potatoes
• (6) Large carrots

• 1 large (turkey size) baking pan – oval or rectangle aluminum foil type okay

Preheat oven to 350

• peel onions and cut each into 6 wedges
• put all onions in bottom of pan
• heavily season both sides of the brisket
• lightly season the onion wedges and toss around the pan
• put the brisket in the pan – cover with a thin layer of the onions
• pour the beer in the pan – pour down the side (not on top of the brisket) so it doesn’t wash away all the seasoning
• cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 oven for 3-4 hours (depending on size of brisket)
• cut the potatoes & carrots into chunks and add them 1 hour before the brisket will be done
• take the brisket out of the oven and let sit uncovered for 15 minutes.
• slice a piece and TASTE A PIECE OF THE MEAT AND GRAVY. Adjust any seasonings now (add salt or garlic maybe). Cover the meat only with foil, tightly and put it in the refrigerator
• put the carrots and potatoes in a separate dish, cover tightly and refrigerate.
• put the gravy in another Tupperware, refrigerate. IF YOU USED A BAY LEAF, REMOVE AND DISCARD IT.

The next day the gravy will have an orange hard layer on the top. This is all fat and you should remove and discard it. Then, reassemble the meat, the potatoes, and carrots into a large glass Pyrex, or another square foil pan and dump all the gravy & onions on top. Cover tightly with tin foil and Reheat it on a low light (325 – 350 degrees) for about one hour or so, until it is hot and juice is boiling lightly. Then serve. Put the brisket on a platter, surrounded by carrots, onions and potatoes. Serve the gravy in a gravy boat on the side. ENJOY!

[lilyecuadorian]

If you have a BJ's close ...they sale a "crab meat gourmet Dip" really good ..deliccios is not a imitation ...and is soo creamy ...smell good ..with bagel's cracker's etc ...I' going to my country Ecuador for 7 days ..so I will eat some of "ceviche" fish ...shrimp, etc ...just fish and vitamin D3 ...if I get lucky with the sun ....

[Bill]

A few splashes of soy sauce, lemon juice, dill weed, garlic, onion powder, celery salt in a big skillet, and some butter, if you want. Simmer it until it looks and smells right, then throw in some salmon (or cod, or haddock) and coat both sides. Flip the fish all around with a spatula like you know what you're doing and once in awhile grind a small amount of black pepper into it, saying, "oh yeah, there we go". Once you think the fish is done, turn down the heat and throw in twice as much fresh spinach as you think you'll need, cover it then check it in five minutes, and then toss the mixture and add some shredded swiss cheese while saying," oh, yeah, that's what I'm talking about" , and remember, as you serve your guests, it's all in the presentation. Love, Bill

[BonnieR]

Bill, you should have your own cooking show!!

[Bill]

That's funny, Bonnie! Nicola used to call me "cookie", and said I was a natural chef, lol.

[Bill]

Wow, Hucklebuck, that sounds great. I've gotta try that.

[Bill]

Toss a little Smart Balance oil into a pyrex pan, (woke you up, didn't it, RB?) slice a little onion into it, grind in some black pepper, and then dice some fresh garlic into it and stir it up. Set the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit (8 and a half million degrees Centigrade) and then stroll onto the back porch and clip a little Greek oregano from your balcony garden which I TOLD YOU TO PLANT LAST YEAR. Drift back into the house at your leisure, plop onto the couch and munch a few hot wings, crank up your favorite Jack Johnson CD, and then whenever the mood strikes you, slip back into the kitchen and chop up some carrots and radishes, and 'taters, and throw 'em into the pan and cook them until they're done. Throw in a little of that fresh oregano halfway through and maybe another drop of oil, and get back to the couch as quick as you can, nibbling hot wings.

[BonnieR]

Summer's here. Time for CANTALOPE SOUP!

2 cantalopes, chilled
1/4 C. OJ
i tsp chopped gingerroot
1/2 C. Buttermilk

Scoop melon and place meat in blender. Add rest. Blend. If melon was cold, serve immediatly. Else, chill.
80 calories, no fat.