From Scratch

[BinkieBaumont]

"Tea and Sympathy"

"Oh Lolly you have inspired me, I am throwing an Afternoon Tea on Boxing day, and I'm going to try that, but with White Chocolate and Craisons Strewn through it"

 

[dnjan]

Apologies to vegetarians ...

I was buying whole chickens before we were married.
Now, 25 years later, it is still whole (fryer) chickens. My wife usually buys three at a time. I cut them up into parts (including taking the skin off the breast, legs and thighs, and taking the breast meat off the bone), and my wife freezes the parts (wings, thighs and legs for frying or baked dishes, and breastmeat for stirfry). The rest of the chicken (back, breast bones, neck) gets boiled for broth, and after it has been cooled and the fat skimmed, I pick the meat off the bones for use in recipes calling for chicken meat.

Definitely cheaper than buying individual parts, and it forces a certain amount of variety in order to use everything up.

 

[Foofoogal]

Supposed to snow today so I am making a big pot of chili. Made Chicken and Rice soup last night. I definitely love cooking more in Winter than in Summertime.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Chicken Stir Fry

 

[rumblefish]

^ Would it be OK with you if I used this for my monitors wallpaper?

 

[rue]

I found this thread way down in the depths and I hope no one minds if I revive it.....

I started cooking from scratch around February this year. I have usually made dinner from scratch, but we had a bunch of processed foods all over the house. So with money getting tight and an expanding waistline (and too many diets that didn't work), I started researching information on processed foods and what about them makes you fat and I decided to stop buying box food and go for it. It didn't happen overnight, but eventually I started losing weight and as of last month I'm down 30 lbs. with 20 left to go. I still eat breakfast, a snack for lunch, a full dinner and a homemade dessert in the evening. Everyone in the family is healthier and it's been a blessing on our wallets.

 

[Puzzicato]

That is an amazing result! Well done you!

 

[23SkidooWithYou]

It didn't happen overnight, but eventually I started losing weight and as of last month I'm down 30 lbs. with 20 left to go. I still eat breakfast, a snack for lunch, a full dinner and a homemade dessert in the evening. Everyone in the family is healthier and it's been a blessing on our wallets.

Good going Miss Rue!

Heart disease runs in my family. When my Mom had a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery last May, I overhauled the food choices here. I got rid of all the jars of sauces and crud and all the boxes of salty, processed just-add-chicken-and-bake stuff and totally eliminated take-out. I lost 34 lbs in the process and never felt deprived. I actually notice now if we haven't had enough veggies and even start to crave them. Sometimes a baked potato, steamed green beans and some mushrooms cooked up in a heart healthy "butter" is all I need. I also sub ground turkey in a lot of recipes we used to make with beef. I will still eat Middlewarth BBQ chips though. Can't give up everything!

I'd also like to lose another 20 but I seem to have hit a wall and it's looking like honest excercise may be my only hope now. I'm just not there yet.

I read where some of you are baking your own bread. I'd love to do that! (but I'm a little intimidated) I'd also love to learn to can.

 

[rue]

Thank you both!

I'd also like to lose another 20 but I seem to have hit a wall and it's looking like honest excercise may be my only hope now. I'm just not there yet.

I read where some of you are baking your own bread. I'd love to do that! (but I'm a little intimidated) I'd also love to learn to can.

I've hit a wall myself... ugh. I hit it about ten pounds ago too and then it started coming off again after about a month, so I think the fat is just hanging on for dear life lol

Yes, I do bake my own bread, but it took a lot of practice to get it right. Once I did though, I couldn't figure out why it was so hard in the first place. I guess practice really does makes perfect

 

[Foofoogal]

Just finished making some yummy Chicken Friccasee. Long story but I am in remission from Graves disease (thryroid) and cannot eat processed foods. I have always cooked homemade food but especially now. I still have my thyroid and plan on keeping it and be healthy.
I have a bread machine but scared to use it for some reason. My mom made bread every day but didn't teach me.
-----------
Skidoo and rue, generally everyone has a harder time in Winter. Nature has it that way IMHO. Congratulations.

 

[rue]

Just finished making some yummy Chicken Friccasee. Long story but I am in remission from Graves disease (thryroid) and cannot eat processed foods. I have always cooked homemade food but especially now. I still have my thyroid and plan on keeping it and be healthy.
I have a bread machine but scared to use it for some reason. My mom made bread every day but didn't teach me.
-----------
Skidoo and rue, generally everyone has a harder time in Winter. Nature has it that way IMHO. Congratulations.

Make it with your hands then! I was scared to death and now I don't know why. Were the bread police going to show up?? lol After 3 months of trying, I can now make a mean white loaf

Thank you for the congratulations! I feel sooooo much better

 

[dnjan]

I like cooking beans. I'll start with about 3-1/2 cup of dry beans (cleaned for rock bits, etc.), soak for 4 hours, and cook for about 45 minutes.
Those get put into 2-cup plastic containers and frozen (yields four, 2-cup containers).
Then the day before I plan on making a bean meal I put one of the containers into the refrigerator to thaw.
I have a number of bean recipes, and occaisionally decide to experiment as well.

Really cheap, and one 2-cup container can stretch a half pound of sausage to feed four.

 

[lolly_loisides]

I made ham & cheese scrolls this morning. They turned out well (but stopping at just one proved a little difficult :essen: )

 

[Puzzicato]

They look really good! I know what you mean though - I made some feta pull-aparts the other day and we ate so many we couldn't eat our dinner.

 

[John in Covina]

I am in the middle of making some home made bread for the first time. My mom was a good baker but I never helped when she made bread o I am in a new place.

 

[Puzzicato]

Once you get the hang of it you will never go back, John!

 

[Lady Day]

Finally perfected my chocolate chip cookie recipe.
YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!

LD

 

[Miss Golightly]

Those cookies look soooooooooooo good LD - nothing like warm cookies straight out of the oven - particularly if they are slightly gooey.

I was going to bake muffins from scratch (more for my daughter than anything) so I got all the ingredients together and went to make them and then discovered that my blender doesn't work with cakes - only pastry - so I had to knock it on the head. I was surprisingly dissapointed I was going to buy the right equipment but our apartment kitchen is too small - really you have to see it - when we move (soon please God) to our own home I will definitely make more things from scratch.

For now though when cooking I tend to make as much as I can from scratch - that way I know exactly what's going in to our dinners......

 

[rue]

Those look delicious LD. Would you mind sharing the recipe?

 

[rumblefish]

Finally perfected my chocolate chip cookie recipe.

LD

Yes you did!


I can just see my hand getting slapped as I reach for one before it's cool.