Not So Much Work

"aem" wrote

Quoted message said:

make. As we grow in cooking experience we sometimes try something we
thought was too much work and it turns out to be easy, or if not easy,
then do-able and worth the effort.

Dashi. Very easy but sounded finicky from the recipe at first.
Chicken stock, til I started makig it in a crockpot

aem said:

Okay, there's a discussion about foods that are too much trouble to
make. As we grow in cooking experience we sometimes try something we
thought was too much work and it turns out to be easy, or if not easy,
then do-able and worth the effort.

For a long time, I assumed that homemade egg noodles were something
only grandmothers and people with all day to cook could do. Then I
tried it, and it turned out to be dead easy and well worth the
trouble. I used to think that Chinese cha siu, usually called
barbecued pork, was something you could only get at Chinese delis or
restaurants. Then circumstances forced me to try it and again it
turned out to be easy. I'd be interested in hearing what others have
first avoided and now find routine...... -aem

Would you be willing to post the cha siu recipe? I've always though it
would be impossible to duplicate at home.

gloria p

Dave Smith said:

Calamari is easy. I buy squid that are already cleaned. I rip off the
tentacles and pull out that stiff plastic looking thing and poke my finger
inside to remove any gunk. Slice then them into rings and leave the

If you have to do that, in what sense are they
already cleaned?

Quoted message said:

tentacles whole and then soak them in milk for about an hour. Drain them
completely and toss them in a bag with a mixture of three parts flout and
one part corn meal. Deep fry them for 2 minute.... no more. If you cook
them more than two minutes they turn into rubber.

That sounds like a good method. Different from mine,
but good. My major gripe about squid is that we get
a lot of imports of Asian squid that are distinctly
inferior to California squid. The squid off the
California coast, _Loligo_opalescens_ is some of the
best squid in the world. Excellent flavor, excellent
texture, and a mantle which is neither too thin
(which is a major objection to Asian squid) nor
too thick (problem with certain larger squid species,
especially from Mexico and Central and South America).

In article <Dgq0j.7721$B21.3448@trndny07>,

Julie Bove said:

"Serene" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

aem said:

Okay, there's a discussion about foods that are too much trouble to
make. As we grow in cooking experience we sometimes try something we
thought was too much work and it turns out to be easy, or if not easy,
then do-able and worth the effort.

<snip>
I'd be interested in hearing what others have
first avoided and now find routine...... -aem

Yeast bread (and, consequently, cinnamon rolls and things like Pandora's
angel bread)

Candy (especially toffee)

Indian food starting with whole spices

Pie crust

Buttermilk bisquits

I still haven't tried some things that people have told me are easier than
they sound: souffle and popovers come to mind. Some day I will.

Popovers are easy! They are one of the first things I learned to make as a
kid.

Ice cream is easy. Really easy.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 11:27:09 -0800 (PST), aem <[email hidden]>
fired up random neurons and synapses to opine:

Quoted message said:

Okay, there's a discussion about foods that are too much trouble to
make. As we grow in cooking experience we sometimes try something we
thought was too much work and it turns out to be easy, or if not easy,
then do-able and worth the effort.

<snip>

I make a Bittersweet Chocolate Marquise which is a formidable looking
recipe, and while not an easy recipe, is certainly worth the effort.
In spades. And a Strawberry And Grand Marnier Sabayon Trifle that is
ditto.Unfortunately, the one dish I can recall having made that was
waaaay too much work for such a mediocre result I deleted from my
recipe database. Wish I had held onto it as an example of a recipe
that "read" well, but stunk.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
--
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "meatloaf" with "cox"

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:45:33 -0600, "jmcquown"
<[email hidden]> fired up random neurons and synapses to
opine:

Quoted message said:

And *looks* like the can, too! LOL Mom always served this. She'd chill
the can, open it and dump it on a plate... and there it sat, looking like a
can-shaped jell-O mold. I never ate cranberry sauce until I had the stuff
made from scratch. I like it with a little grated orange peel added.

Yup - I didn't realize that cranberry sauce could actually be shaped
in any way other than a can (complete with ridges) until I discovered
an actual Real Bag Of Cranberries at the market as a young bride.
Curiosity drove me to follow the directions on the back of the bag.
This was when I was in my new-bride-learns-to-cook stage. I think that
may have actually been one of the discoveries that triggered my
passion for cooking: there is food out there that doesn't taste like a
can! (And I put a little orange juice in my cranberry sauce! I've
always wanted to try a soupcon of chambord, but been too chicken to
try it. Maybe this year...)

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
--
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "meatloaf" with "cox"

Puester said:

Would you be willing to post the cha siu recipe? I've always though it
would be impossible to duplicate at home.

Here's the one I used when I didn't have easy access to good Chinese
delis. Garlic can be added, and you can vary the proportions. The
result will not be as red as that you buy because it lacks food
coloring. A lot of store-bought cha siu also has a more glazed
finish. You can get that by adding more honey when you baste it. -
aem

CHA SIU

3 lbs. pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon salt

Trim any excess fat from the pork. Cut pork lengthwise (with the
grain) into 2-inch wide strips 5 to 6 inches long. Put into a large
glass dish.

Combine soy sauces, sugar, honey, hoisin, ginger, wine and salt. Pour
over meat and rub it in well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator
at least 2 hours, but overnight is better and up to 3 days is
possible, turning several times.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the pork strips on a rack over a pan containing at least 1/2" of
hot water. Roast for 30 minutes, turning and basting with the
marinade once halfway through. Lower the heat to 375F, turn and baste
again and roast 15 minutes longer. Let cool before slicing.

To serve, slice thinly across the grain.

Terry Pulliam Burd said:

Yup - I didn't realize that cranberry sauce could actually be shaped
in any way other than a can (complete with ridges) until I discovered
an actual Real Bag Of Cranberries at the market as a young bride.
Curiosity drove me to follow the directions on the back of the bag.
This was when I was in my new-bride-learns-to-cook stage. I think that
may have actually been one of the discoveries that triggered my
passion for cooking: there is food out there that doesn't taste like a
can! (And I put a little orange juice in my cranberry sauce! I've
always wanted to try a soupcon of chambord, but been too chicken to
try it. Maybe this year...)

Sounds good, give it a try!

I was brought up on both kinds, but I lean toward the can shaped
cranberry (jelly). I'm not alone either. I have a friend who likes
it too, so if we have Thanksgiving together we make sure the "molded"
one is on the table. Sure, there's usually a fancier homemade
cranberry sauce too (gotta try Chambord someday)... but we go straight
for the can shaped stuff and we're happy.

This year, I will try the idea I saw here of mixing jalapeno jelly in
with cranberry sauce (was it your idea?). Sounds delish.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

sf said:

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:53:16 -0800, Terry Pulliam Burd
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Curiosity drove me to follow the directions on the back of the bag.
This was when I was in my new-bride-learns-to-cook stage. I think that
may have actually been one of the discoveries that triggered my
passion for cooking: there is food out there that doesn't taste like a
can! (And I put a little orange juice in my cranberry sauce! I've
always wanted to try a soupcon of chambord, but been too chicken to
try it. Maybe this year...)

Quoted message said:

This year, I will try the idea I saw here of mixing jalapeno jelly in
with cranberry sauce (was it your idea?). Sounds delish.

This is what I have been making these past few years....and it is so
darn good!! I have a hard time not eating straight from the pan once
it has cooled down a bit. And it has a hard time making it to the
table,it is that good. And divine on a turkey sandwich!

This comes from food columnist and author Russ Parsons of the Los
Angeles Times.

Christine

Mom Parsons' Cranberries
Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 1 to 3 days
chilling time

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

3 cloves

3 allspice berries

2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries

Grated zest of 1 orange

Bring sugar, water, cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks to boil in
4-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring, until syrup is clear, about 3
minutes. Add cranberries and cook just until they begin to pop, about
5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add grated orange zest and cool. Refrigerate 1 to 3
days before serving. Remove cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks
before serving.

2 1/2 cups relish. 1/4-cup serving: 132 calories; 1 mg sodium; 0
cholesterol; 0 fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.41 gram
fiber.

Dan Abel said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Sqwertz said:

Char sui, the pork, has never been duplicated at my home even

Always worked for me, although maybe I don't have high standards.

You probably feed from the bottom of barrel, Dan.

I smoke and grill everything, but I can't do char sui correctly
without a small smokehous/oven.

-sw

In article <[email hidden]>,

Dave Smith said:

A year or to ago I was at the check counter of the grocery store and the
woman behind me noticed my bag of cranberries and said that she would like
to make cranberry sauce but didn't know how.

Now this is interesting to me. How old was she?
There's usually a recipe for making cranberry sauce on the bag of raw
berries.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

In article <[email hidden]>,

Puester said:

aem said:

Okay, there's a discussion about foods that are too much trouble to
make. As we grow in cooking experience we sometimes try something we
thought was too much work and it turns out to be easy, or if not easy,
then do-able and worth the effort.

For a long time, I assumed that homemade egg noodles were something
only grandmothers and people with all day to cook could do. Then I
tried it, and it turned out to be dead easy and well worth the
trouble. I used to think that Chinese cha siu, usually called
barbecued pork, was something you could only get at Chinese delis or
restaurants. Then circumstances forced me to try it and again it
turned out to be easy. I'd be interested in hearing what others have
first avoided and now find routine...... -aem

Would you be willing to post the cha siu recipe? I've always though it
would be impossible to duplicate at home.

Pretty simple. Go to the Asian store. Buy a pack of BBQ pork mix.
Follow the directions on the packet. I use pork sirloin steaks. I did
this once. After that, I just found a recipe in a cookbook and did
that. Note that if you do a Google search, it is called cha siu, char
sui and char siu.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Puester said:

aem said:

Okay, there's a discussion about foods that are too much trouble to
make. As we grow in cooking experience we sometimes try something we
thought was too much work and it turns out to be easy, or if not easy,
then do-able and worth the effort.

For a long time, I assumed that homemade egg noodles were something
only grandmothers and people with all day to cook could do. Then I
tried it, and it turned out to be dead easy and well worth the
trouble. I used to think that Chinese cha siu, usually called
barbecued pork, was something you could only get at Chinese delis or
restaurants. Then circumstances forced me to try it and again it
turned out to be easy. I'd be interested in hearing what others have
first avoided and now find routine...... -aem

Would you be willing to post the cha siu recipe? I've always though it
would be impossible to duplicate at home.

Pretty simple. Go to the Asian store. Buy a pack of BBQ pork mix.
Follow the directions on the packet. I use pork sirloin steaks. I did
this once. After that, I just found a recipe in a cookbook and did
that. Note that if you do a Google search, it is called cha siu, char
sui and char siu.

Christine Dabney said:

Mom Parsons' Cranberries
Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 1 to 3 days
chilling time

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

3 cloves

3 allspice berries

2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries

Grated zest of 1 orange

Bring sugar, water, cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks to boil in
4-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring, until syrup is clear, about 3
minutes. Add cranberries and cook just until they begin to pop, about
5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add grated orange zest and cool. Refrigerate 1 to 3
days before serving. Remove cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks
before serving.

2 1/2 cups relish.

That sounds like the one our friend makes. He said the recipe is on
the bag of cranberries.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

Christine Dabney said:

Mom Parsons' Cranberries
Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 1 to 3 days
chilling time

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

3 cloves

3 allspice berries

2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries

Grated zest of 1 orange

Bring sugar, water, cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks to boil in
4-quart saucepan. Cook, stirring, until syrup is clear, about 3
minutes. Add cranberries and cook just until they begin to pop, about
5 minutes.

Remove from heat, add grated orange zest and cool. Refrigerate 1 to 3
days before serving. Remove cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks
before serving.

2 1/2 cups relish.

That sounds like the one our friend makes. He said the recipe is on
the bag of cranberries.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

aem said:

Okay, there's a discussion about foods that are too much trouble to
make. As we grow in cooking experience we sometimes try something we
thought was too much work and it turns out to be easy, or if not easy,
then do-able and worth the effort.

For a long time, I assumed that homemade egg noodles were something
only grandmothers and people with all day to cook could do. Then I
tried it, and it turned out to be dead easy and well worth the
trouble. I used to think that Chinese cha siu, usually called
barbecued pork, was something you could only get at Chinese delis or
restaurants. Then circumstances forced me to try it and again it
turned out to be easy. I'd be interested in hearing what others have
first avoided and now find routine...... -aem

Pot stickers are really easy to make - and get easier the more you make
them.
I have more difficult time with fresh rolls though. The rice paper rolls
drive me crazy!

Also, making hand rolled couscous is much easier than I thought it was.

-Tracy

aem said:

Okay, there's a discussion about foods that are too much trouble to
make. As we grow in cooking experience we sometimes try something we
thought was too much work and it turns out to be easy, or if not easy,
then do-able and worth the effort.

For a long time, I assumed that homemade egg noodles were something
only grandmothers and people with all day to cook could do. Then I
tried it, and it turned out to be dead easy and well worth the
trouble. I used to think that Chinese cha siu, usually called
barbecued pork, was something you could only get at Chinese delis or
restaurants. Then circumstances forced me to try it and again it
turned out to be easy. I'd be interested in hearing what others have
first avoided and now find routine...... -aem

Pot stickers are really easy to make - and get easier the more you make
them.
I have more difficult time with fresh rolls though. The rice paper rolls
drive me crazy!

Also, making hand rolled couscous is much easier than I thought it was.

-Tracy

Mark Thorson said:

Quoted message said:

Calamari is easy. I buy squid that are already cleaned. I rip off the
tentacles and pull out that stiff plastic looking thing and poke my finger
inside to remove any gunk. Slice then them into rings and leave the

If you have to do that, in what sense are they
already cleaned?

They come in flat transparent plastic pack with about 20 squid and there is
no skin one them.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

tentacles whole and then soak them in milk for about an hour. Drain them
completely and toss them in a bag with a mixture of three parts flout and
one part corn meal. Deep fry them for 2 minute.... no more. If you cook
them more than two minutes they turn into rubber.

That sounds like a good method. Different from mine,
but good.

It's the best I have found, quick, easy and delicious.

Mark Thorson said:

Quoted message said:

Calamari is easy. I buy squid that are already cleaned. I rip off the
tentacles and pull out that stiff plastic looking thing and poke my finger
inside to remove any gunk. Slice then them into rings and leave the

If you have to do that, in what sense are they
already cleaned?

They come in flat transparent plastic pack with about 20 squid and there is
no skin one them.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

tentacles whole and then soak them in milk for about an hour. Drain them
completely and toss them in a bag with a mixture of three parts flout and
one part corn meal. Deep fry them for 2 minute.... no more. If you cook
them more than two minutes they turn into rubber.

That sounds like a good method. Different from mine,
but good.

It's the best I have found, quick, easy and delicious.

Melba's Jammin said:

I

Quoted message said:

A year or to ago I was at the check counter of the grocery store and the
woman behind me noticed my bag of cranberries and said that she would like
to make cranberry sauce but didn't know how.

Now this is interesting to me. How old was she?
There's usually a recipe for making cranberry sauce on the bag of raw
berries.

I would say that she was in here late 20's or early 30s. Maybe she was
raised on the canned stuff. Both my mother's family and my father's always
made theirs, but most other people I knew used canned, which tastes more
like a thin. sweet jam than a nice [censored] condiment.