Author |
Message |
Karen
Member
09-06-2004
| Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 12:19 am
Tishala, try this? http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=fennel+frond&x=0&y=0 Funny, I just bought some organic fennel for the first time last week, eager to try it. I tasted the fronds and got excited. It sat in my fridge fore a few days and eventually wilted before I got to it. Lucky for me it doesn't cost a small fortune here. I think my bulb was only about $2.
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Goddessatlaw
Member
07-19-2002
| Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 4:18 am
Gumby, it sounds like you're going to have a lot of fun at Thanksgiving. Wonderful of you to invite the student guests, I'm sure it's something they will always remember.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 8:41 am
Gumby, make sure to take lots of pix. It might even be fun for you to buy those little disposable cams for the students, so they can take their own pix. (You know like the kind that are on all the tables at wedding receptions?) Sounds like you're going to have lots of fun, and help!
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 3:32 pm
Gumby that sounds so fun, I think the best part of thanksgiving is everyone in the kitchen helping chop stuff and cook. Can't wait to hear the students thoughts on the event.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 4:49 pm
The best part of Thanksgiving is everyone in the kitchen cleaning up!!! And me sitting out cuz I cooked! 
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Gumby
Member
08-14-2004
| Monday, November 30, 2009 - 2:38 pm
Thanks for all the great suggestions for Thanksgiving. I took your advise and just did a traditional dinner. We had such a wonderful day and the students were just the nicest young men you could ask for. It was a privilege to have them. They wanted to know what time they should be over for Christmas, so it looks like we have new family members, which is just fine with me! Thanks again for all the help.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Monday, November 30, 2009 - 4:15 pm
Congrats on a successful event, Gumby! I'm sure the students enjoyed the traditional dinner and I'm sure they are definitely looking forward to the next holiday! 
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Escapee
Member
06-15-2004
| Tuesday, December 01, 2009 - 11:28 am
For Christmas dinner this year I am making stroganoff over mashed potatoes with buttered yeast rolls and steamed vegetables. I need ideas for additional side dishes that go with this meal.
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Karen
Member
09-06-2004
| Friday, December 11, 2009 - 2:25 am
Escapee, the first thing that came to my mind was simple steamed green and yellow beans. I don't know what you already have in your steamed veg. Maybe some caramelized brussels sprouts? Cut 'em in half and fry in butter and a pinch of sugar until they're browned and soft. A roasted beet salad would make a nice side, too. You can find many different variations, with everything from oranges to walnuts to goats cheese. Do a search and see what you see. Stroganoff always makes me think mushrooms. Something stuffed? Or a pasta with a mushroom cream sauce? I'm here with my own question. My baby sister just enrolled in culinary school and lives in a place where she cant' get access to exotic ingredients. For Christmas, I want to send her a basket of a whole bunch of goodies to play with. Here's a bit of a list I'm working on (all just ideas, I'm in no means buying all of the items). I'd like to focus on exotic spices/peppers/flavours, oils and vinegars, and strange grains. I plan to include recipes for their use. I've already purchased a few cruets to include for the wine and vinegar. Any ideas to add? - sesame oil - olive oil, walnut oil, avocado oil, - citrus vinegar, aged balsamic, - black truffles, maybe truffle oil - different colour peppercorns - kafir lime leaves - saffron - red jasmine rice - dried peppers (ancho, poblano, habanero?) - fleur de sel
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Friday, December 11, 2009 - 5:10 am
Escapee, how about a big toss salad with mixed greens, romaine, tomatoes, avocado, artichoke hearts, and crasins? creamed spinach is good too. also lance's mushrooms.
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 5:06 pm
I am making my first pot pie tomorrow - I am doing two 6in individual ones, one chicken and mushroom, one veg and mushroom, both in a creamy auce. I have bought premade pastry but I'm not sure whether I need to bake the pastry and the pie dish before I put the filling in, as I'm worried about it going soggy. And if I back the bottom, should I then bake the circle tops beforehand too? And if I do then how do I get them to stick onto the bases and form a pie? Any ideas?
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Beekindpleez
Member
07-18-2006
| Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 5:39 pm
Kitt...you don't bake the crust ahead of time. You bake it all together. Also, when you put the top crust on, you cut a few vents into it. The pre-made pie crusts are fine.
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 6:20 pm
Ah, thanks Bee . I didn't want it to be soggy... I don't cook "proper" things much so wasn't sure!
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Beekindpleez
Member
07-18-2006
| Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 6:27 pm
You're welcome...and be sure to pinch the crusts together, too.

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Rslover
Member
11-19-2002
| Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 8:09 pm
Kitt, I would partially pre-bake the crusts and then brush egg white over to seal. Fill when it seems dry. This will prevent a soggy crust.
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Aurora
Member
11-24-2006
| Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 8:29 am
Kitt, I know you're making this today, but next time you make a pot pie try a phyllo top crust. Not difficult at all, and the broken up phyllo tastes amazing with the chicken/veggie filling.
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 1:23 pm
I'm trying to emulate - believe it or not - the pie my husband had for his school dinners! He says it was the best pie he'd ever had, which I find very hard to believe! So I'm trying to make it as traditional as possible for him to compare. I might be asking for disappointment, but I suspect he says it's the best pie he's had because he's never had another one! I love Phyllo pastry, if he does like the filling I would definitely use that another time. I know pastry is nice but I prefer just having a top layer rather than the whole enclosed pie.
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Sunday, December 13, 2009 - 6:33 pm
The pies were a success! What I didn't appreciate was that a 6in individual pie dish actually served four not one, but other than that he loved it! And he hasn't spotted the Betty Crocker pastry mix box in the recycling . Thanks all for your help!
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 10:25 am
FWIW I always ALWAYS parbake the crust when making a quiche, pot pie, or fruit filling. It prevents the crust from getting soggy, and it doesn't matter whether you are using puff pastry or pie pastry. (And I personally prefer using a puff pastry over a premade Betty Crocker because of the taste and texture.)
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Scooterrific
Member
07-08-2005
| Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 10:54 am
WTH is Parbake? Sheesh!!!! 
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 11:14 am
I'm with Scooter!
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 11:24 am
To be honest it could have done with parbaking the base for a few minutes, if was a little soggy in the middle, not enough to spoil it, but a little. If I did parbake the base, then how would I have stuck the pastry lid on? Would they still have stuck together even if the bottom was parbaked?
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Scooterrific
Member
07-08-2005
| Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 11:31 am
Oh thanks Kitt that cleared it right up! LOL!
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 11:38 am
Scooter, I'm beginning to think that the crust needs to be put on the barbaque grill for a few minutes before using it. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - 11:46 am
Sorry guys, I thought you were being silly about never bothering to parbake. Parbake is when you bake something that will need to be baked for a long time, just for a little while to kind of set it. For example if you were making an open pie with a wet filling, you can bake the empty pastry pie base for three minutes. Then you put the filling in and bake it the extra 10 or so minutes to complete the cooking. Otherwise the filling makes the pastry wetter and it doesn't dry during cooking to become more pastry like. Those bread rolls you can buy that need five more minutes in the over are "parbaked" too. Now if you did know what parbaked meant and were just teasing me then I'll feel bad, so just play along .
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