June 5, 2008

Four Foods on Friday #32

Yeah! I’m posting my answers to Four Food on Friday early enough this week that you’ll see it in time to join us! Yay for me! You do want to join the fun, don’t you? All you have to do is copy the questions below and answer them in a post on your blog. Put a link to your post in the comments for Val’s post, given above. She’ll gather up all of our questions, make some acerbic comments about them and give us all a little linky love sometime soon - probably late tomorrow. It’s very easy to join in - you won’t even need your Papermate pens - just your keyboard and an appetite!

Are you ready for the questions? This week it’s all about movie food:

#1. What snacks do you eat at the movies? Do you buy them there or bring your own?

Hee! The last time I went to the movies was when Star Wars Episode 1 was released. Episode 1 was the one where all of the theaters had to install new sound systems & stuff, right? Anyway. I was in Dallas and took my son and the two nephews to see it. 1999, I think? I watch my movies at home these days and eat … whatever I want. The kitchen is right there and the pause button is so handy, you see!

#2. What’s your favorite food movie, or movie that shows a lot of food?

Soylent Green Actually, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, because isn’t chocolate the whole point in living?

#3. What food or meal do you wish was available at the movies and why?

I don’t plan on going any time soon, so I’ll leave it up to the rest of you.

#4. What’s your most favorite way to make popcorn? Hot, cold, buttered, air, microwave, chocolate, caramel, you get it.

I love old-fashioned, pan-popped with real butter and parmesan cheese, but I usually settle for microwaved stuff with fake butter, or with no topping at all.

Darn! I had to pop a bag for the picture. Guess I’ll have to go take a movie break now!

Technorati Tags: food, movie food, popcorn

May 30, 2008

Four Foods on Friday #31

I wanted to post my Four Food on Friday questions and answers yesterday. I couldn’t. We’re dealing with a very serious subject this week, and that requires some groundwork on my behalf. I haven’t finished my preparations, but I’m far enough along to do what needs to be done. I hope to add a couple of extra pictures after I finish preparing my dinner tonight. Today we’re talking about barbecue. I hope that the subject will encourage some men to join in on the fun, because we all know that men love to grill!

#1. What is your favorite food that is cooked on the barbeque?

Meat. Any kind of meat.

#2. What veggies, if any, do you cook on the barbeque?

I love to roast corn on the cob over a fire. I’ve been known to do kabobs with potatoes, onions and mushrooms sandwiched in between chunks of meat. Oh, and pimentos! I’m not a big tomato fan. The pimentos add color and flavor.

#3. Tell us a little about your barbeque habits. Who grills, how often, what months, etc.

Who? Me, of course! How often? As often as possible! What months? Year-round. Don’t you wish you were me?

#4. Share a barbeque recipe.

I quit using bottled sauces and commercialy-prepared rubs a while back. It’s easy to make your own and you can control the flavor better when you pick and choose the ingredients. I’ll be having spare ribs tonight (with lots of leftovers to get me through the weekend.) Here’s how:

Skeet’s Special Ribs

Put meat in a shallow dish and cover with balsamic vinegar. Turn the over and around a few times to coat evenly. Cover tightly and put in the fridge. You can marinate for a few hours or even a couple of days. Turn every couple of hours.

When you’re ready to cook, mix up a rub. Mine is slightly different each time, depending on what I see when I open the pantry and what mood my stomach is in. I’ve already made my rub for tonight:

Measure out enough brown sugar to coat all of your meat. This time I’m using about a cup. Add your favorite seasonings. Above you see: one tablespoon each of garlic powder, minced onion and onion powder, a half-teaspoon of dry mustard, three or four tablespoons of chili powder and a half teaspoon of hot red pepper. Amounts are approximate because I don’t actually measure. Work it gently with your finger to break up the brown sugar lumps and mix thoroughly. You’ll end up with a grainy rub.

While the fire is getting ready or the grill is pre-heating, rub your seasoning mix all over every surface of the meat. Place the meat on the grill over a medium flame. I try to keep my meat slightly to the side of the fire to avoid flares when juices start dripping. How long the meat needs to cook depends on the temperature of your grill and the type and thickness of the meat. I’ll try to remember to watch the time tonight so I can tell you how long my spare ribs take. Ooops! Forgot, but it was about twenty to thirty minutes, I think. Felt like a few hours because I was really hungry.

Cheat: if the weather is not cooperative and you want to have barbecue flavor year-round like I do, you can use the same preparations to cook in the oven. Drizzle a few drops of liquid smoke in the bottom of your pan, put the ribs in it and cover tightly with foil. Cook at 350 degrees for about an hour or until done. This method will give you very moist meat with lots of sauce.

While my ribs were cooking I picked a few fresh herbs to toss in some pasta for a side dish.

I added a couple of small pieces of garlic bread and my dinner was good to go. It was pretty good, even if I do say so myself!

There’s still time for you to play Four Food on Friday if you hurry. Answer the questions in a post on your blog, then give Val your link in a comment on her post. She’ll do a round-up later and you’ll get some good linky-lovin out of the deal. Join us?

Technorati Tags: barbecue, barbecue recipe, food, grilling, meme, recipe, spare ribs

May 29, 2008

Getting ready for Friday!

It’s been a beautiful day in the neighborhood. The skies were brilliant blue, with enough clouds to keep things from getting too hot. There’s a little vog in the atmosphere, but not so much as we’ve had on a few days recently. So, what was I doing when the sun went down? Here’s a clue:

Okay, that’s your hint. Did you make a guess?

Ha! You got it wrong!

Okay, okay - you got it half right.

I’m cleaning my grill but I’m also getting ready for tomorrow. I’ll be doing a post for Four Foods on Friday some time tomorrow and this one is going to be really special. Val has been doing FFoF with a different theme each week lately. This week the theme is … go ahead and guess. You’ll get this one right, I just know. Yep, this week we’re talking about barbecue! I’m getting hyped up just thinking about all the new recipes I’ll be adding to my collection, because most of the participants will tell us exactly how they prepare their favorite barbecued dishes. One can never have too many good barbecue recipes, can one? I think not!

Why am I posting today to say I’ll be posting about barbecue tomorrow? I have an ulterior motive! See, Four Foods on Friday has become wildly popular, but there’s something missing. There are no men joining the fun. I know it’s hard for most of you guys to admit that you ever do anything in the kitchen, so I’m making it easy for you to join in without feeling like your manhood is in question. Even a guy who wouldn’t be caught dead making cookies likes to talk about his skills on the grill. I know you’re out there. You contribute your comments to other posts on my blog, but you never have a thing to say when I talk about my amazing kitchen skills. Now it’s time for you to step up to the plate. A zesty plate of ribs or a smoky plate of chops and sausage would do nicely for your intoduction to talking in public about cooking. Come on - you can do it! Go to Four Foods on Friday and copy the four questions for this week, then answer them on a post on your blog. Link your post in the comments on Val’s post and she’ll talk about you tomorrow and give you some linky love. I know what she’s going to say. First she’s going to celebrate having a man on board. Then she’s going to comment about how sexy you look in an apron. Yeah, we gals like that! And who knows: once you get your foot in the door you might decide to stick around and tell us about your awesome pancakes next time.

Hee! The sun has finished going down and the termites are swarming! I wouldn’t want my neighbors to need my services, you understand, but swarmers always bring in a few worried calls. I might get a few inspections out of it. I’m probably one of the few people you know who think there’s a postive aspect to a termite swarm, though I’d rather they didn’t get attracted to my desk lamp and end up on my keyboard. Just sayin!

Ew! Need to clean my keyboard, don’t I?!

Technorati Tags: barbecue, blogs, food, memes, termites

May 23, 2008

Four Foods on Friday #30

Last week was brown (chocolate!) and this week is white at Four Foods on Friday. There are still a few hours left for you to join us if you like. Just answer the four questions below in a post on your blog and let Val know by posting a comment at the link above. She’ll expound upon the answers and give us all a little linky-love later.

#1. What’s your favorite white beverage? If you don’t have one, what’s your favorite beverage with something white in it?

No favorite white beverage, but I use cream in my coffee (well, fake cream - who can afford the real stuff?)

#2. What’s your favorite white gravy, sauce, condiment, dressing or topping?

White sauce (butter, flour and milk) is a mainstay in my kitchen. It’s the basis for so many wonderful dishes.

#3. What’s your favorite white item from the refrigerated section?

Hm! Swiss cheese, I think!

#4. Share a recipe for something white.

I used a colorful picture when I posted the recipe for Eggs Goldenrod, but it’s one of my favorite white sauce dishes.

Technorati Tags: food, memes, recipes

May 20, 2008

Jenn Cooks some more!

My pal Jenn is still hanging out in the kitchen and she’s still cooking. She’s gotten quite bold for a gal who couldn’t even make a decent grilled cheese sandwich last fall. I mean really - Miracle Whip on a grilled cheese? Blasphemy! I can forgive that travesty, though, because Jenn’s coming up with some pretty good stuff these days, and you know I’m all about good stuff. Her Monday’s Menu features whatever she’s eating or making on Mondays. No Hamburger Helper for our Jenn! She posted a wonderful Chili Mac recipe that makes it so much better than the junk that comes in a box. She’s as fond of chocolate and peanut butter as I am and has shared several tasty recipes that feature the two in combination. I’m not sure how I missed her Peanut Butter Fingers a while back, but I found them while I was researching this post and just had to copy the recipe.

That’s a peanut butter, brown sugar and oatmeal cookie bar, covered lusciously with chocolate and a peanut butter glaze. I’ll be picking up the ingredients next time I go to the store. Follow the Peanut Butter Finger link above for the full recipe. You’re going to want to try them, too!

Jenn’s become a sophisticated cook in just a few short months. Jenn Cooks is full of main dishes, desserts, quick meals, tips and lovely kitchen toys. Check her out. Be prepared, though. You’ll be saving and trying quite a few of her delicious dishes!

Photo byJenn (froggybluesock)

Technorati Tags: blogs, food, food blogs, recipes

May 16, 2008

Four Foods on Friday #29

Val invites us to come play at her place every Friday. Here are this week’s Four Foods on Friday questions, all about a subject that is dear to my heart!

#1. What’s your favorite beverage containing chocolate or chocolate flavoring?

That’s an easy one. I drink coffee, tea and water - that’s pretty much it. I carry a travel mug of iced tea with me wherever I go. Sometime I run out, so I stop at a convenience store for something to drink. I almost always end up buying myself an ice-cold Starbucks Frappuccino.

#2. What’s your favorite chocolate bar? OR Share a pic of your favorite candy, chocolate or otherwise.

Is there any such a thing as a bad chocolate bar? Hmmm? I think not! I love Hershey’s and Dove and Nestle’s Crunch and Reese’s Peanutbutter Cups and Snickers and Milky Way and Three Muskateers. My favorite depends on my state of mind when I shop.

#3. What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten that had chocolate in it?

I don’t eat unusual things. My mother, however, had a fondness for chocolate-covered ants. I was never tempted.

#4. Share a recipe using chocolate.

Nah! You don’t need a recipe. There’s the ingredients right there in the picture. You figure it out!

Don’t forget to check out Fun, Crafts and Recipes later today. Val will expound on all of our answers and give us all a little linky-love, too. You should join us next time!

Technorati Tags: chocolate, food, desserts, meme

May 2, 2008

Four Foods on Friday #27

It’s time to talk about food again. This week Four Foods on Friday is all about frozen foods. You don’t need a special invitation to play. Just answer the questions below in a post on your own blog, then post the link to your answers as a comment to the FFoF post ablve. Later today Val will give us all a little linklove when she gathers our answers up for discussion. Here are my answers:

#1. What brand of frozen dinners do you think are the best and why?

I don’t eat a lot of frozen dinners, but I buy them when I’m sick and don’t feel like cooking. There’s one frozen entree I really love, though. Alas, I can’t get it anymore. Safeway used to carry Stouffer’s Corn Souffle’. Stouffer’s still makes it, but my Safeway doesn’t stock it anymore, though I’ve asked them to. If you can get it in your neighborhood you should try it. Very tasty!

#2. What is your favorite frozen waffle or breakfast food?

Hee! I ate Eggo Waffles for breakfast for years. Getting un-addicted to them was like going through drug rehab, but now I’m thinking about them and I think I should pick some up while I’m out today.

#3. Frozen appetizers. Which one is your favorite?

Frozen mozzarella sticks! Love them!

#4. Share a recipe or meal made from at least one frozen food.

Arrrrrgh! I don’t have one. I keep my freezer stocked with meat and veggies, but the fact that they’re frozen has nothing to do with the recipes I use them in

Technorati Tags: food, food blogs, meme

May 1, 2008

Three Random Things about Me and Food

Apparently my friend Tarrant forgot that I never tag people because it’s rude and you don’t know if they want to be tagged. She a friend of my heart though, and I like what she did with this meme so I’m going to tag people without asking … this time!

I’m going to follow her lead and turn the meme into three random things about me and food. I hope the folks I tag will do the same:

1. It’s been twenty years since I moved away from New Orleans. Twenty years - wow! A lifetime! I still miss French bread. Louisiana French bread is not the same as stuff that you get in other regions. It’s crusty on the outside and you can’t eat it without some of the crust breaking off and getting on your clothes. It’s somewhat chewy. You cannot make a real po boy with any other bread. I want a roast beef po boy with gravy and mayo squirting out at each bite so that it runs down your hands and makes a delicious, unholy mess!

2. There is no life worth living without sweet tea. I have a quart pitcher with a seal-tight lid that I have been known to carry into restaurants with me when I know ahead of time that they cannot provide proper beverage service.

3. Cold cereal is my favorite late-night snack. Since I can’t eat much at one sitting I’m usually hungry right about the time I should be going to bed, so I have a nice, crunchy bowl of cereal most evenings.

Since I’ve made this meme focus on foods I’m tagging three of my favorite food bloggers. Yes, Tarrant - you’re still my first and have the best food blog ever, but these are pretty wonderful, too! I tag:

Val, who does my favotrite weekly food meme, Four Foods on Friday. If you haven’t joined in yet, what are you waiting for?
Lori, who has a great giveaway going on right now. Check it out!
Chili Queen, a new friend I met through Four Foods on Friday. She’s got some great food-buying tips along with delicious-sounding recipes and other food stuff going on. Definitely check her out, too.

There you have it - now let’s see where this goes!

Technorati Tags: food, food blogs, meme

April 18, 2008

Four Foods on Friday #25

It’s time again for Four Foods on Friday over at Val’s place. If you’d like to play it’s really easy. Copy the four questions below, then answer them in a new post on your blog. Paste a link to your post in the comments to Val’s post. Later today she’ll disect all of our answers and give us all a little link love. Here are my answers:

#1. Cottage cheese. Small curd, large curd, chunk or whipped?

Low fat, small curd, and I add a splash of fresh 2% milk to it to make it a little more liquid. I also prefer it with raisins mixed in.

#2. Burgers. Made fresh, preformed fresh or preformed frozen?

Fresh made. I usually add seasoning to the meat before coooking. Can’t do that with pre-formed patties.

#3. If you could only buy one kind of salad dressing what would it be?

Ranch, hands down. Love the stuff!

#4. Share a crockpot or slow cooker recipe.

I had a crockpot years ago - probably a wedding gift. I’m sure I must have used it, but I don’t remember any recipes at all. I haven’t had one in many years.

I can’t remember if I’ve thanked Val lately for creating this fun meme for us. Have I? Well, just to be sure: Mahalo Val!

Technorati Tags: food, meme

April 2, 2008

Four Foods on Friday #23

Let’s talk about food again. Val asks the questions, we supply the answers, then Val tells us how brilliant our answers are. That’s how we play Four Foods on Friday and you’re welcome to join us. Here are this week’s questions and my answers:

#1. American cheese. Sliced fresh or prepackaged processed cheese product?
I haven’t eaten American cheese in years. I keep cheddar, swiss and/or monteray jack on hand for sandwiches and cooking, and usually a gouda, munster or some other imported cheese for snacking

#2. What is your favorite cracker?

Rye Crisp. Love those things!

#3. What hot breakfast cereal do you like? Think oatmeal, farina, grits, etc.

Oatmeal with honey or brown sugar and butter.

#4. Share a recipe that uses corn.

CornFritters

1 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup whole kernel corn

Cooking oil for deep frying.

Heat the oil in a deep pot or fryer. Mix all of the ingredients together, then drop golf ball-sized dollops into hot cooking oil. Cook until goldren brown - five or six minutes. Drain on paper towel

Technorati Tags: food, meme, recipes