we need some action

[Heidi3]

We need action in the cooking thread it has been a while since we tried something fun...anyone want a new challange? how about a sauce ??? is anyone getting in a rut and only eating one thing over and over again??? we could have a sauce challange or a lunch box challange? I am all about something new sparking us to push the envelope ...I have been trying all kinds of veggie sandwiches using jicama as bread as someone rec ....let's do something in here to get things going and make this fun? Any ideas???

[Bugaboo]

I like the sauce idea. I've got some asparagus (sp? it looks weird) in the fridge that is just begging for a yummy sauce besides alfredo.

[not2late]

I like the sauce idea. I've got some asparagus (sp? it looks weird) in the fridge that is just begging for a yummy sauce besides alfredo.

Hollandaise!

[Dieselbud]

How about a form of 'egg roll' wrapper that we can stuff with all kinds of stuff and throw in the deep fryer?? Maybe a thin crepe type sort of wrapper, would that crisp up in the fryer?? I would love to do pizza type pops, broccoli/cheese/chicken thingies, or oriental style with sprouts.


Oh, and I was playing around with a mustard dip for the Buffalo Chicken Wings (we love honey mustard in this house)

I mixed 2 parts yellow mustard to 1 part mayo, anf blended in some Atkins Maple Syrup.

It was runny, but really good! my kids licked the bowl and hubby asked for more.

I bet one could make a nice maple sauce for chicken breasts with that syrup too.. hmm.

[not2late]

If you want the mustard sauce less runny, use Coleman's English mustard. It's a mustard powder. It's great stuff. I add a teaspoon to my boiled coleslaw dressing.

In fact, if you like the spicy-hot mustard in Chinese restaurants, all you need to do is buy Coleman's and mix the powder with water.

[not2late]

Wish me luck today. With the looming snow storm/blizzard, I'm going to experiment with a salad dressing recipe today. I got a recipe for a French Dressing, similar to the orange stuff in the bottles. The original recipe is regular carb, using sugar, regular ketchup, etc. I'm going to try to low carb it.

[scott123]

Yes, Coleman's mustard is really good. Just make sure you let it sit for a few minutes after you add the water/pancake syrup in order for the flavors to develop.

And, if you find yourself hooked on the stuff like I am, you can get it in bulk from Penzey's for a fraction of the cost. Exact same stuff.

[Heidi3]

Wish me luck today. With the looming snow storm/blizzard, I'm going to experiment with a salad dressing recipe today. I got a recipe for a French Dressing, similar to the orange stuff in the bottles. The original recipe is regular carb, using sugar, regular ketchup, etc. I'm going to try to low carb it.

May recipe brilliance be with you today!!!!..... :hug :hug :hug ...there is my blessing!!!!

now you have to post the recipe!!!

speaking of dressing I had the perfect Italian dinner last night a huge bowl of fresh greens with lemon sqeezed all over it ...then I took the most amazing olive oil that was left for us to dip bread (and I did not do that be proud be very proud!!! it was soo hard to avoid) ...and I dumped that herby oil all over my salad and it was nirvana!!!.....it makes such a difference using the most wonderful olive oil this was so flavorful..then my Ciopino came there was so much seafood in it ...the freshest most amazing mussels, squid, clams, dungeness crab, scallops, and huge prawns!!! they were NOT farm raised prawns but wild caught and tasted like tiny lobsters....wait I digress what thread am I in anyway!!!.....oh yeah coming up with good ideas for sauces or something to spark up the cooking chat a bit!!!

well I know I love olive oil and consider it medication!!! I am going to get a couple of new kinds today and see what I can do with those to shake up our diet a bit ...I also have some baby greens popping up in pots on the deck and maybe enough for a salad with some good cheese????....

[not2late]

Results of French Dressing (like the red stuff in bottle):

Not bad! I'm going to tinker with the spices, because I think it can use a pinch of cloves or allspice. Otherwise, the texture was good--exactly like the bottled stuff and I didn't have to use any gum thickeners.

When I finish tinkering I'll post the recipe. As the recipe currently stands, it's 9 carbs for about 1 1/3 cups.

:joy

[NulloModo]

well, hollandaise is LC by default, so no reason to play with the JC recipe on that one.

As for other sauces: I made a killer SOS using Carbquick instead of flour the other day, definately one to keep around.

I would be interested in LC alternatives to fruit based sauces, such as asian inspired tamarind or mango based glazes.

[not2late]

well, hollandaise is LC by default, so no reason to play with the JC recipe on that one.

As for other sauces: I made a killer SOS using Carbquick instead of flour the other day, definately one to keep around.

I would be interested in LC alternatives to fruit based sauces, such as asian inspired tamarind or mango based glazes.

In the spring, I'm going to experiment with rhubarb.

[Desertthorn]

Mustard, Get Nurselady to tell you about the time she had us making mustard. Nearly killed us all, but the results were worth the effort. I think we made 10 different kinds that day.

Oh and another fun story is the seaweed pickles. We went to the beach and got one of those 10 foot long seaweed tubes, tied it on the roof of her van and then went home and pickeled it. No one, except my brother who is like Mikey and will eat anything, ate them. I still have a jar and they are 10 years old, but I will never throw them away because they brought me such a happy memory.

Oh the noodle story is funny also.

[Desertthorn]

what is your favorite cuisine

And what do you normally eat.

I love Thai food and Pad Tai is generally my marker for excellence.

[not2late]

Re: what is your favorite cuisine

And what do you normally eat.

I love Thai food and Pad Tai is generally my marker for excellence.

I liked some aspect of every cuisine I've tried (hence my cookbooks :sarcasm ) And I've tried alot! The Coleman's mustard hint about the hot-spicy Chinese mustard is something I got out of a book called Dim Sum by Ellen Leong Bonder. Since I can't eat flour wrappers anymore, I use the fillings recipes in that book and make meatballs or mini burgers instead.

I have a cupboard devoted entirely to Asian ingredients: seaweed, oils, dried mushrooms, dried clouds ears, century eggs, dried shrimp, dried mussels, dried cuttlefish shreds, dried lotus root(pre-Atkins purchase), fermented black beans, mung beans, etc.

I have dried chilis, various spices and herbs, saffron, anchovies in oil, anchovies in salt, jars of brined olives, tahini, etc.

I have blanched grape leaves in the freezer (my boss has a grape vine that produces awful tasting grapes but really nice leaves for stuffing Greek style), frozen mustard greens (grown in my garden), frozen fresh black eyed peas (grown in my garden), frozen tomatoes (my garden again), ham hocks, salt pork, etc.

I guess that's why I don't get bored with my foods---I have alot of different preparation modes.

[Heidi3]

OH my God Lynne remember that big piece of seaweed tied to the hood of the van!!!!...people were looking at us funny....

Lynne and I made pounds and pounds of home made pasta to give away for Xmas one year...and hung them all over my kitchen on coat hangers....I went to sleep that night and was awakened by a popping and crashing ...I ran into the kitchen and all the pasta had snapped off the hangers and was smashed all over the floor!!!.... :no :no :no 8 hours of hard work...ok it was not that hard it was Lynne her daughter my son and I laughing all day ...but the pasta!!! Oh well in retro spect look what we eat now!!!


Nullo I use tamarind to make glazes but in smaller amts than I used to and I mix it with lemon and lime to stretch the flavor... the total carbs when I get done with this sauce adds only 2 carbs per portion so I consider it worth the trade off for a special dish....

for chicken, hen or duck for four people I will use this

in the food processor put
2 tbl tamarind pulp
Boiling water 1 cup
1 inch piece of fresh ginger
Rice wine (unseasoned of course) 2 tablespoons
a couple of packets of splenda if you want ...I leave it out
1 tbl fresh lime juice
1 big habanero minced (or thai chiles)

in a pan heat about 1/2 cup oil and gently brown until deep golden a minced shallot and a seeded peeled tomato (it takes a while but worth it)

then add the stuff you just mixed in the blender and bring to a boil then turn off and cool

I let the poultry marniate in the sauce for a while and then grill over low coals or bake basting regularly with the glaze....it is good...you could just take the tamarind out but a little goes a long way and to me it is worth it!!!....