Hello To the Night Owls

[jazzcat]

Just saying hello!

[Peggy]

Hi Beth!

I am doing my end of the evening check of the bulletin board. It certainly is late for you. Are you off of work tomorrow?

Peggy

[laughsandlaughs]

Hi there...it's only 11pm here, but what are you doing up so late?

[jazzcat]

I work evenings every once in a while. Probably 15 days out of a 3 month schedule. It's my turn this week, and of course with my "12 track" mind these days I'm still up.

Thanks for the company.

Beth

[laughsandlaughs]

Finding any good recipes?

I just planned our menu for the next week, though my DH isn't feeling well so it might throw things all out of wack.

I'm searching for reviews of some of the recent polenta recipes.

Other than that, we've got the Roasted Butternut Squash Pasta and the Moo Shu Wraps on schedule. Lots of great vegetarian recipes this month. Hurrah for me!

[jazzcat]

Hope your Dh feels well soon!!!!!!!

[Peggy]

laughsandlaughs,

I really enjoyed the Creamy Polenta with Warm Tomato Compote from the September issue. The Moo Shu Vegetable Wraps are really easy and good.

If it weren't so late and I didn't have to work tomorrow morning, I would suggest switching over to the MSN "We're Cooking" site for chatting!:D Maybe some other time.

Take care and sweet dreams!

Peggy

[jazzcat]

I don't know if you know siamese cats, but mine is a love yet a nut, besides she's still young, just 16 months. She's playing with a golf ball right now. Hopefully she is not bothering the tenants downstairs. I pray they are sound sleepers.

[laughsandlaughs]

Now I just have to decide between the Sept. Polenta and Tomatoes or the Oct. POLENTA AND TOMATOES. Why do they do this to us???

[jazzcat]

I really have to start thinking about cooking for myself. I've always found it hard to eat by myself. Much of the joy of cooking is the feedback. Again I feel myself feeling like a "downer". Sorry
Anyway, even if I can't eat much myself here at home I could "cook" and bring things to work for "review". They'd love it!!!!!!! We eat well at work.

[Terri-Lynn2]

Jazzcat,

You should cook if you love it, even if you are just bringing it to work. It is very therapeutic, maybe you should knead some bread or something.

You need to take care of yourself right now.

Terri

[jazzcat]

Terri, It's "fuuny" you said that about kneading bread. When I got a divorce 11 years ago I drank tons of tea and made bread from scratch to avoid drinking too much. It would be so easy to to at such a time as this. I think I'll have to concentrate on really reviewing more of these CL recipes. If I don't eat it all, I'll just stick it in the freezer. Mike enjoyed most of what I cooked but he usually made a sandwich out of whatever I made. He was so sweet as not too "offend me". He liked the food but just wanted to make some kind of sandwich out of it.

[Terri-Lynn2]

He sounds like he was a real sweetie!!

Maybe you could bake or cook and stock your freezer that way you wont have to worry about when you dont feel like cooking, but you know that you should eat. You can just pull something out and who know maybe make a sandwich out of it. :D Maybe Mike was onto something that us foodies havent figured out yet!!

Terri

[Ed]

Hi Jazzcat,

I see you're in New London, CT. I think that is a fine place. I really like Connecticut, and have had some fine times there.

Sharon and I ate a restaurant downtown New London, the last time we were there, that was rebuilt after the fire - burned by Benedict Arnold during the revolutionary war - in the 1700's. We had some great Lobster, (I prefer mine baked and stuffed,) if I remember right it was 2 - 1 1/2 Lobsters for $25. A real deal.

We met some nice people dining at the tables near us who were going to Choir practice at the Congregational Church in the Downtown area. We had a fine time visiting with them over supper, and they told us about the history of the church, (very Old,) and invited us to comewith them for the practice.

A real nice part of the world you live in, I had hoped to go back to CT this Oct. for a meeting at Cromwell, but it just didn't work out for this Autumn. Maybe next year.

Ed

[laughsandlaughs]

Jazzcat, the sandwich stuff made me smile. My DH doesn't understand why I think it's weird that everything I make he tries to put on a hotdog bun!! I'm not kidding about the hotdog bun, he get's one out of the fridge and starts piling my hardwork right on top. If it's not that, it's ketchup on top. But he seems so pleased with his creations, I guess I won't worry about it.

This is a man to whom tater tots are a delicacy!

[Terri-Lynn2]

So Ed,

It looks like you have to be a night owl to find you lurking around our mitts! If I had known I might run into you around here at this time of night, maybe I would have stayed up after my bed time long before this.

I adore your posts, and I always look forward to your warmth and sharing.

Glad to have bumped into you.

Take care

Terri

[jazzcat]

Thanks for your post Ed,

I've always enjoyed your posts as well. It's funny, my Dad, who I've recently reconnected with, (thank god) said he worked down here in New London at one of the churches making church pews back in the 1960's. I have to ask him for the name of the church so I can go see it. He's a beautiful carpenter, craftsman. I started rebuilding my "estranged" relationship with him in April after he had fallen out of a cherry-picker triming a tree limb which did not co-operate. In fact, I may go see him in the next week or so down in Kentucky (never have been there). I need a Dad hug!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[laughsandlaughs]

I am off for a bubble bath....this bulletin board is fantastic company but it makes me hungry!! Since I'm trying to cut out late night eating, this is a bad combo, but TOUGH! I like it here!

Does anyone else find you crave weird stuff late at night that you wouldn't normally want during the day? I have been craving garlic. How weird is that? So I just had a piece of sourdough bread with leftover roasted garlic smeared on top. I know this is not normal.

[Terri-Lynn2]

After dinner I can only eat comfort food and fruit. I dont like any food that I may have eaten for dinner or lunch. I am not one to get up and eat leftovers in the middle of the night. But lock up the ice cream or cookies thats what I want in the wee hours.

[Terri-Lynn2]

Well it looks like we are down to the magnificent three, I think it is time for me to get to bed. I am not going to be able to function tommorrow morning. Good thing I went to bed at 9:30 last night, it must have been instinct.

Take care Jazzcat and I hope you and Kitty have a peaceful night.

Happy bubbling laughsandlaughs, if you had the new supplement you would be set for a long hot bath. I love to read in the tub by candlelight. At least I did before kids now I bath with sesame street caracters.

Goodnight.

Terri

[jazzcat]

Goodnight!

[BosunsWife]

Take care and goodnight Jazzcat. Crunch through some leaves for me - its about the only thing I miss about the East Coast. My inlaws live down 95 from you in Pawcatuck! We lived in Newport, RI up until a year ago today!

[jazzcat]

Bosunswife, Do you want to "trade places" for 10 days or so? I love the fall, it's my favorite season here. I'll definately crunch in the leaves for you.:)

[Ed]

Hi,

Terri-Lynn & Jazzcat, thanks for your nice words.

Jazzcat, we Dads love hugs from our Daughters, and we need them too.

Terri-Lynn, you mentioned comfort food.

How about Popcorn?

I really like Popcorn for a snack, and it's not too high in calories and the like if a person doesn't put a bunch of stuff on it. However, I like the Popcorn with some good stuff on it, but it's still better as a snack than a couple of pieces of cake or pie.

I make Kettle corn, have you ever had it?

I just found out about it recently at a local Harvest Festival in a town about 40 miles from here. I bought some that a vendor was making and selling and thought it was the best Popcorn I ever tasted, so when i got home I tried making some. I have been experimenting with it for a few weeks now, and I have a pretty good recipe for it now.

I use a "Detonator" Popcorn Popper on top of the stove, and "Original Orville Redenbacher" Popcorn.

Here's how I make it:

1/3 cup un-popped Popcorn
2 Tablespoons Oil (I use Canola oil)
1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt

I put the Oil in the Popper with a few Kernels of unpopped Popcorn, slowly turn the crank.

I have stove on medium heat (about 6 on an electric range)

When those few Kernels pop I add the 1/3 cup of Popcorn and turn the crank a few times. Well more than a few times. It will take about 20 seconds or so before the rest of the Popcorn starts to Pop.

Then I pour in the Sugar and Salt, (just before the rest of the Popcorn starts to Pop,) and keep turning the crank until there is only a Pop or two every few seconds

Then I remove from the heat, and pour the Popcorn in a large bowl, turn off the stove and enjoy.

I always use oven mitts because I need to remove the top of the Popper as it gets too full to pour, and I need to repeat quickly if there are others who are ready to enjoy the Kettle Corn, and the Mitts make it easier to handle a hot Popcorn Popper.

If you have had Kettle Corn you know how good it is, and this is a very good home recipe for doing it in the kitchen. If you haven't had Kettle Corn you're in for a treat if you make this recipe.

Happy Cooking,

Ed

[tammy/MN]

Originally posted by Ed


I make Kettle corn, have you ever had it?


Ed

i, too, tried kettle corn for the first time at an arts festival in MN, it is delicious. i noticed that they sell a micro version now at sam's club, have been tempted to try it.

tammy

[BlueMoose]

Mmmmmmmm....

Kettle corn is Soooo good (and I'm not even a big popcorn fan)! I've tried the microwave stuff, and it's not as good as the stuff you get at festivals, but I thought it was still pretty good. Too tempting for me to have in the house all the time, anyway.