American cookbooks are crazy! (Warning: rant, contains excessive italics and possibly the phrase... - Page 4

[leanbh]

Originally Posted by Smokering

America... doesn't have fish and chips shops? Little takeaway shops where you order a scoop of chips, a piece of gurnard and they throw a potato fritter in for free, and hand it over wrapped in white paper and then in newspaper like a square package?

Well now, that makes me want to cry--and I of all people should not be accused of over-romanticising fish and chip shops, given that I worked at one when I was 14. But heck, I wouldn't have made it through my first trimester without our local fish and chip shop!

By 'refrigerator cookies' I mean the kind where you shape the dough into a log, chill it, and then cut it into slices and bake (or eat raw, as the mood strikes you; another thing you can't get in NZ is salmonella from egg yolks!).

i feel your pain having lived in ireland and then moving to the states. then i got pregnant, and all i wanted in the world was some decent chips and garlic sauce. we went back to visit when i was five months, and i kid you not, i ate chips and garlic sauce with EVERY meal, even breakfast.

i loved fridge cookies when i was little. and my mom, when i got married, gave me this immense kit of cookie recipes, cookie cutters, and decorative things to use with my kids. i can't wait to make them with my kids for the holidays.

[saintmom]

Ah yes,real food real recipies,made by real people.Quite a concept,don't you think.I'm sure they'll find a way to market that one next.

I learned to cook from old cookbooks,Better homes and gardens,Pillsbury,Mrs.Beeton"s and old church cookbooks I'd find at yard sales.
http://www.bytecellar.com/archives/000102.php This site has some basic recipies.

www.waltonfeed.com has some basic recipes
http://always-in-my-kitchen.blogspot.com/ I posted my piecrust recipe on my blog.I kept thinking I should take my "secret" recipe with me to the grave but oh well it's probably better to leave something to humanity LOl so I guess thats my contribution

Reeses pieces work fine in recipies calling for chips,choclate butterscotch or whatever.I've also unwrapped piles of leftover christmas and easter choclate kisses or eggs and thrown them in cookies.

Basic cookie dough:

3 cups flour- can use half whole wheat pastry

1 cup buter- can use half peanut butter

2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar- can use 1 cup sucanat,let it melt with the eggs and butter
1/2 white sugar
2 tsp soda

1 tsp salt
1-2 cups whatever,chips , nuts coconut,
Mix after each ingredient,bake 375 oven 10-12 min

I usually double this recipe,If the dough seems to thin add more flour.

[boadhagh]

Originally Posted by Smokering

America... doesn't have fish and chips shops? Little takeaway shops where you order a scoop of chips, a piece of gurnard and they throw a potato fritter in for free, and hand it over wrapped in white paper and then in newspaper like a square package?

I'm in Oregon, and there's a fish and chips window 3 blocks from my house -- the newsprint is blank, though.

Do you have the meat pies floating in pea soup in NZ? I used to see people eating that in Australia -- Americans aren't the only ones who eat strange food .

[a(TM)?Star]

I'm with a PP. I'm a professional chef, and when I needed a baking recipe (I don't bake well) I always check out Martha Stewart's cook books.

[~Yola]

Lol, my Dh and I were just discussing the pre-packaged food recipies phenomenon last night, he was looking for a biscuit recipe and whent to cooks.com, and thought it rather ridiculous they all seemed to call for bisquick Why the heck would you be looking for a biscuit recipe if you had bisquick in the cupboard??? And who in their right mind would be satisfied with bisquick tasting biscuits if the were going to bother looking for a recipe? Besides...last I checked they don't make whole wheat mix


Oh and we serve our fish & chips in newspaper here too! Though the chips come in a paper cone so you don't have to sit and unwrap them to eat 'em At least, the takout stands on the docks do, they come in paper-lined baskets at pubs and restaurants.

THis is what I think of when I think fish n' chips...http://www.barbsplace.ca/index.htm



I can't for the life of me find the file that has my recipies in it, I think Dh must have burned them to disk on me :
But I did a google search and found the first one that looked similar...just add chocolate chips (about 1 cup?)


Peanut Butter Refrigerator Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
PREPARATION:
Cream shortening and butter with sugars until light. Add peanut butter and eggs; blend well. Sift together the flour and baking soda; stir into creamed mixture. Shape into 2 rolls about 2 inches in diameter.
Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Slice rolls about 1/8-inch thick; bake at 350° on ungreased baking sheets for 8 to 10 minutes.
Makes about 8 dozen cookies.

[Smokering]

Hehe. Calm down, people; the chips aren't lying directly on the printed newspaper. There's a layer of newsprint--the white, non-inky stuff--on which they are placed, and the layers of newspaper are just for wrapping/insulation. The smell of hot grease and newspaper is just divine...

Meat pies in pea soup? That IS crazy. Never heard of such a thing.

Datura: Yes indeed, we must get together! You're having prodromal labor? How exciting, in a gah-make-it-stop way of course...

onlyzombiecat: Nope, that fudge has all available-in-NZ ingredients. Thanks! I know there are 'real' fudge recipes out there with cocoa, sugar and butter, but I'm ashamed to admit I suck at fudge-making, so I need an easier version; just not one that contains marshmallow creme. I have a delicious caramel fudge recipe which uses sweetened condensed milk, so that's promising! (Although, 3 cups of chocolate? I suspect my husband would rather just eat the chocolate! He does like fudge though...).

Shortening is available in NZ, but nobody uses it. *shrugs* My sister subs coconut oil; seems to work OK. Nobody uses molasses much here either, although it's available (presumably because molasses is foul and ghastly stuff, unfit for human consumption). It's funny how cultural tastes differ. Cherry and Vanilla Coke never really took off here either, and they never even bothered trying out Lemon Coke as far as I know. Then again, we eat Vegemite and Marmite over here, which is just too staunch and manly for you lot.

[annamama]

Opportunity to post pictures of us eating fish and chips on the pier shamelessly exploited.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2..._0697Small.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2..._0688Small.jpg
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...i/IMG_0694.jpg

[onlyzombiecat]

Originally Posted by annamama

Opportunity to post pictures of us eating fish and chips on the pier shamelessly exploited.

[onlyzombiecat]

Originally Posted by Smokering

onlyzombiecat: Nope, that fudge has all available-in-NZ ingredients. Thanks! I know there are 'real' fudge recipes out there with cocoa, sugar and butter, but I'm ashamed to admit I suck at fudge-making, so I need an easier version; just not one that contains marshmallow creme. I have a delicious caramel fudge recipe which uses sweetened condensed milk, so that's promising! (Although, 3 cups of chocolate? I suspect my husband would rather just eat the chocolate! He does like fudge though...).

Shortening is available in NZ, but nobody uses it. *shrugs* My sister subs coconut oil; seems to work OK. Nobody uses molasses much here either, although it's available (presumably because molasses is foul and ghastly stuff, unfit for human consumption). It's funny how cultural tastes differ. Cherry and Vanilla Coke never really took off here either, and they never even bothered trying out Lemon Coke as far as I know. Then again, we eat Vegemite and Marmite over here, which is just too staunch and manly for you lot.

We got Vegemite once but weren't really sure what to do with it. How do you like to eat it?

The fudge recipe I use is idiot proof because I could never get it quite right either. No odd ingredients but it does use the microwave.

Microwave Fudge
3 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar (1 pound)
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Combine cocoa and sugar in a 2 quart microwave-safe bowl.
Place the stick of butter on top of mixture. Pour milk over all. DO NOT STIR!!!
Microwave on High for 3 minutes
Stir well and add vanilla and chopped nuts.
Pour into greased 8"x8" pan. Cool 20 minutes. Cut into squares.

[Ziggysmama]

Originally Posted by onlyzombiecat

We got Vegemite once but weren't really sure what to do with it. How do you like to eat it?

Get a piece of toast, spread butter on it, then spread an even, light amount of vegemite over the top mmmmmmm add cheese or tomato for a real treat Whatever you do, do NOT use Vegemite/Marmite as a dip, glaze or filling Although Vegemite sucks, we only have Marmite in this house

But I have yet to meet an American who like Marmite/Vegemite. I used to get all my friends when they came to my house to try it and watch their reaction. My partner can tolerate it now, but just barely

[Smokering]

I like Vegemite spread on toast. Spread it thinly though; if you slather it on like peanut butter you'll regret it. You just need the merest scraping.

Last time I made an American try Vegemite he gagged and choked and accused me of trying to kill him. So you have been warned. It's very nutritious though...

[Laggie]

I think hot dogs from the street cart might be the equivalent of your fish and chips. We call them "dirty water dogs"!

I think you mean "street meat."

But I have a huge craving for fish and chips now. huge. I might have to stop and get some on the way home, even though DH is allergic. I don't think it will come wrapped in newspaper though, but we'll see. I have had it like that but it's not common. The place on my way home also sells Chinese food so I wouldn't be surprised if it came in one of those round foil containers.

To stay mildly on topic, my mom gave the recipe for a yummy pumpkin dessert she made... it involved canned pumpkin, a few other things and... a package of cake mix sprinkled over the top. It didn't seem quite so tasty once I knew that!

[Benji'sMom]

Originally Posted by Smokering

You know, as in fish and chips? Fish and chips do come wrapped in newspaper in America, right??

No. Well, there was this one restruant we used to go to when I was in college and they did have the fish and chips wrapped up in paper, like a paper cone with the fish and chips sticking out. You have to find a casual resturant that sells fried seafood, but it's not like you can find them everywhere. And they aren't called fish and chips anyway, it's called fried fish and french fries. But generally, no they don't come wrapped in anything.

So, what are butterscotch chips exactly? Are they like hard little pieces of toffee, or softer? Can you eat them by themselves, or are they strictly for baking? What about vanilla chips?

I have no idea! I know they make butterscotch candies that are like hard caramels except they taste like butterscotch. I don't know if that's a "chip" or not. I don't know what a vanilla chip is. Never seen that before.

Also: you can buy roux? That's disgusting. I learned how to make roux when I was, like, eight... it ain't rocket surgery, people!

Okay I admit I sometimes buy roux because when I need a large amount, like for a gumbo or something, I really don't know how much to make, but I can judge how much to use when scooping it out of the jar. Now you know my secret! It's really not that bad because it's commercially made but it's local (for me, where I live, it's locally made) My mom never taught me to cook, okay!!!!

[mouso]

Originally Posted by Smokering

Hehe. Calm down, people; the chips aren't lying directly on the printed newspaper. There's a layer of newsprint--the white, non-inky stuff--on which they are placed, and the layers of newspaper are just for wrapping/insulation. The smell of hot grease and newspaper is just divine...

From http://www.axelspringer.com/inhalte/...rvice/faq.html :

Is newspaper sterile?
Almost. Because of the high temperatures (up to 130 degrees Celcius) in the paper machine, most germs are killed off.

My dad always said newspaper was sterile or close to it. According that site he was right.

DH and I are addicted to real French Fries. We used to live by this place:
http://www.chipshopnyc.com/
And we always search out Pommes Frites shops. Yummmmmmmm...:


And I hear you on the people not having and cooking the basics. Roux in a jar!? Yuck.
It feels so wrong to me to not have baking supplies in my pantry. Like I'm naked or terribly unprepared for emergencies or something. Although I will admit to using boxed cake mix- there is one flavor that I luurve.

[Laggie]

Is a mcdonald's cardboard french fry box sterile? Bizarre that people would eat out of that without even thinking, but are afraid of newspaper!

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by Laggie

Is a mcdonald's cardboard french fry box sterile? Bizarre that people would eat out of that without even thinking, but are afraid of newspaper!

Inside of the cardboard is waxed, not ink.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by aussiemum

Every Thanksgiving I make from scratch pumpkin pies- we don't have canned pumpkin here . I basically follow the Joy of Cooking recipe & use fresh roasted pumpkin instead of canned, cup for cup- as long as the fresh is well roasted & mashed.

OT here, but...roasted? How exactly do you prepare it? I cut up all my Halloween pumpkins, cook them, mash them and freeze them for pies, cookies and muffins. I cook the pumpkin in a saucepan, with just a little bit of water, though - I've never heard of roasting it before.

[mamaley]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

Why?

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-...ks/Detail.aspx

There are also a number of fudge recipes that start from cocoa powder, butter, and milk.

I like allrecipes, too. You have to pick and choose, but then again, when don't you?

[boadhagh]

nak

not sure what aussiemom does, but i just cut my pumpkins in half, turn them cut side down on a buttered cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for an hour or so. then i scrape out the pumpkin and use it from there. also, you should try to get some small, pie pumpkins -- jack'o'lantern type ones can be really watery and bland in comparison

[Stinkerbell]

OP, you made me laugh out loud. That was an excellent rant.

For the record, I'd much rather spend my time doing other things so yeah, I DO use premade mixes to achieve "homemade" things. THings like cake mixes, IMO, are already perfectly blended amounts of the ingredients so it saves me lotsa time!

Go to FoodTV.com. They usually have very bare bones recipes.