Readers & Writers discussion

It's cold this evening, so it will be Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup.

Does anyone else have Egg Noodles as a side dish with Christmas Dinner? We always have, maybe it’s just a Missouri thing.

Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are always better with noodles. Our grandparents taught my wife and I both that tradition.

Lots of good healthy food! But decided to do chicken instead of turkey. Everything else will be of the healthy type.

Speaking of which, I just purchased Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking two volume set. But, I am overwhelmed at where to begin. Does anyone have any favorite recipes from these cookbooks?

Robert, I wouldn't be opposed to learning of people's favorite cookbooks as a topic.

Will do!

Mostly I reheat frozen processed food from the grocery or else order Uber eats from the local restaurants. There are lots of good ones in Naples. Hate to say it, but I am not a good cook or very good or willing to clean up after myself. I’m lazy that way

A month ago when I was sick, I took a good look at what I was eating. It was mostly junk food and takeout. I thought about food being fuel for my body and how that wasn't very good fuel, so I've started cooking at home more, vegetables mainly with chicken and steak. Also eating more blueberries, blackberries, strawberries. And baked sweet potatoes. It's hard going to the grocery store more often and taking the time to cook and clean up. I don't know if I can stick with it. Maybe it's not worth it. Any thoughts on this? How and what do you eat? Any tips?

Preparing your own food is one of the essentials of life. You make what you like and make what you can. I grill almost everything outside even if it’s snowing. We eat mostly salads and protein: meat, fish, shellfish, and chicken. Sausage and eggs for breakfast, minimal carbs. Everyone has their own issues, so take my witness with a grain of salt. Find what works and do that. I have no special insight other than to share my experience and opinion. God bless.

I ate that way for a year and lost 25 pounds without the junky carbs. After reading your post, I may try it again. Do you eat fruit at all? I've read that berries are okay, and I can't give up fruit. And do you eat veggies other than salads? I get tired of salads with every meal.

I eat peppers, onions, tomatoes, and a variety of other vegetables. While I don’t eat as much fruit as I used to. I just had a lovely salad with tomatoes, pears, and fois gras. It was delicious.

Fois gras? I wouldn't even know where to buy that. Is it like chicken liver? The other day, I sauted onions, peppers, and a fresh tomato, and it was tasty. Added some fresh garlic. But I do need meat. Sometimes chicken cooked in the oven or crock pot, sometimes a steak fried on the stove. I'm thinking you go mainly low carb. Do you ever cheat with a dessert?

Fois gras? Depends where you live. It’s illegal to ship to California and probably other states. It’s duck or goose liver that’s so rich it tastes sweet. PETA wants it banned, thus its illegality. My wife sears it on a skillet over high heat and garnishes it with a port reduction sauce with a rich balsamic vinegar. I find it irresistible.

I think I’ll just stick to my chili dogs and onion rings!

Do you eat any sweets, Randall?

I just ate a small plate of Popcornopolis Zebra Popcorn, so the answer is yes. Normally desert is another slice of beef, but I do succumb to the sweeter side from time to time.

Nice to know :-)

Christie, I've made Julia's Beef Bourguignon. After looking online, I see that most people make a few changes, and I did, too. I used bacon; I browned the meat on the stove; I used sweet onions and white mushrooms. I thought it was going to involve complicated cooking methods and exotic ingredients, but it was actually pretty easy to do - and tasted terrific. I also tried her roasted chicken. She massages the outside with butter. I mixed some thyme and rosemary with the cold butter and massaged the skin, then put some under the skin. Heavenly!

Have you tried any of the other recipes? You can actually find videos of her cooking online.

Anyone have a favorite one-pot meal? Easy to prepare and nutritious?

Scout wrote: "Christie, I've made Julia's Beef Bourguignon. After looking online, I see that most people make a few changes, and..."
I just saw an actress interviewed on one of the morning shows, and she said that she makes Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon for Christmas. She also said that it was surprisingly easy.

Scout wrote: "Anyone have a favorite one-pot meal? Easy to prepare and nutritious?"

Chicken with rice and avocado on the side.

Interesting that you mention that dish. I've been making it lately for myself and my dog:-) She was taking some medication that was causing digestive problems, so I went online and this was suggested as something that would help. I cook brown rice on the stove and chicken in the crock pot and mix them together. Problem solved - and I enjoy it, too. She's not up for avocado, though :-)

Whole chicken, dry brined in kosher salt inside and out for three days. Taken out of the fridge, coated inside and out with poultry seasoning, hickory smoked for 90 minutes, then grilled over indirect heat for forty-five minutes or until the thigh reaches 160 degrees and the breast 180. Succulent and mouthwateringly delicious.

That sounds delicious! I have brined a whole chicken before roasting a couple of times, and it does make a difference. It's just time-consuming, but worth it. I added some sugar to the salt brine, a suggestion I found online. I don't have a smoker, just roast in the oven, but I have a friend who uses a smoker, and that makes it something special.

Any tips on cooking ribs on the grill?

Found this idea on the internet. You have a box cake mix in your pantry, but no eggs or oil to make it. Just add 12 ounces of soda pop to the cake mix and mix up for 2 minutes. Then bake as directions on the box. The carbonation of the pop acts as a leavening agent. I just made a yellow cake mix with 7up. You can use a cola or Dr. Pepper for chocolate cake.

My yellow cake ended up more of a white cake. Okay in a pinch, but not as good with the eggs and oil.

hi everyone, I'm new to the group. I recently made penne pasta the mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and pesto. delicious, even my picky husband loved it.

It depends on what it is. Some things you can only stomach just once.

It's hard cutting down recipes for two people. When my husband makes the green bean casserole he tried cutting it down, and it wasn't good. So we end up with lots of leftovers.

Robert, I always have a Pepsi around the house. That's a cool idea for substitution.

I have a few things that I make in batches and freeze. It's impossible to cook for one. I make big pots of chili, spaghetti sauce, and different kinds of soup, then freeze portions in quart freezer bags for a quick supper without the work.

After two heart attacks in two days, my cardiologist put me on a strict diet. I did it. I brought my cholesterol down from the 200s to 76, and he wants me to keep trying for 50.

Without canned goods, boxed mixes, ham, pork, veal, lamb, deli meats, deep fried anything, salt, sugar, butter, cheese, or any of their substitutes, I rely on herbs, fresh vegetables, and fruits for taste.

Eating out is a challenge, but I make the best choices I can and ask the kitchen for modifications where possible.

I just decided that my life and family, and my work, are more important than cheese.

Ruth, the reason I dropped to 76 and not to 50 might be gingerbread cookies.

Frances wrote: "After two heart attacks in two days, my cardiologist put me on a strict diet. I did it. I brought my cholesterol down from the 200s to 76, and he wants me to keep trying for 50.

Without canned goo..."

Good for you Frances!!

I've been on Carnivore. No sugar, no dairy, No Wheat.

All my inflammatory markers dropped. Lost about 20 lbs. in a year.

E wrote: "I've been on Carnivore. No sugar, no dairy, No Wheat.

All my inflammatory markers dropped. Lost about 20 lbs. in a year."

That's awesome E!!

Hey if you like popcorn like I do, you have to try Brim’s Movie Theater Butter Flavored Popcorn at The Dollar Store. It’s already pooped Lol I meant popped and in a big bag. Heat some up in the micro for a few seconds and it’s even better. It’s made in Tennessee!

If we want something sweet, most of the time, I'll get the cookbook out & make some brownies or chocolate chip cookies. You should see our table around Christmas time! I make all sorts of cookies, but I have to keep an eye on them or the cookie monster (my dad) will be into them. It gets crazy!

That's true. If you don't use the right ingridients, it doesn't taste right. If it says milk, you use whole milk, not that watered down 2% stuff. It just doesn't come out right.

Ruth what do you bring home when you’re really pissed, Half&Half?

I don’t mean to be Debbie Downer, but I recently cracked a molar in popcorn. I’m in process of getting a crown. My dentist said they see about one person a week due to popcorn. I guess just be cautious!

Re the question that began this thread, we had Middle Eastern food for dinner tonight at a friend’s home. It was the Woodward Dream Cruise in Michigan near their home. Many cool cars. This is what happens when you live near the Motor City.

I hope it goes good.
As for 2%, my dad used to be that way. We found out it wasn't helping so we went back to whole milk. Sometimes when we cook we use heavy whipping cream. If there was some left over, I would put a little in the 2% in my glass so I could choke it down. It helped.

I told my mom we are going to have to start making our own as well, butter is so expensive, anymore. We have my great grandma's old butter churn, we just need to get the cream & do it. I'll bet if you brought home whole milk & put it in a 2 % jug he probably wouldn't notice the difference.

As for milk, I'm a little spoiled. When I was little my grandparents had a cow. So we always had fresh whole milk & made butter. It was so good! About the only milk my sister uses is almond milk. It's too sweet for me & the texture seems odd.

That's a good way to make butter, I never thought about.
Yeah, almond milk, yuck. But everyone has their own tastes, I guess.

The wife makes her protein shakes with almond milk, protein powder, frozen fruit and plain greek yogurt.

Protein shakes I can see. Ice cream shakes... I dunno. Sometimes even ice cream can get too sweet. I have to say I guess try it & see what you think.

more power to ya! Not my kind of thing but I'd rather just have plain veggies. Plus normal meats. My grandpa was a hunter & butchered his own meat. He'd try to sneak stuff by us. It got to where if he was fixing something, I would say "I don't trust you, what is it?" I think that was part of his fun, trying to trick us.

The weather finally cooled down. Ham and beans, cornbread and fried taters.

Rice. Basmati rice. My husband is Iranian. Not a friend of the mulla regime.

Ham & beans sound so good! Chicken & noodles are good too! I just haven't had the time to make noodles for a while. Or egg rolls, but I only eat my own. I can't stand cabbage, that seems to be in any egg rolls you buy. I only put sausage & veggies in mine.