When you need a little comfort -

Upbeat · Apr 26, 2008

Make a big pot of chicken stock! It's so easy that anyone can do it.
What's more, chicken stock can give you the strength to face life's challenges.
In 1926 American Gertrude Ederle swam the English Channel sustained by seven chicken stock feedings as she floated on her back.
Chicken stock's history goes back for centuries. recognized early on for its restorative comforting power.
It's simple to throw together ingredients and let them simmer while you write, blog, or do whatever you do.
The wonderful cooking aroma, for starters, is comforting, calming - as it wafts through your home.
If you've never made this stuff, check web for simple recipes and get started.

Silver King · Apr 26, 2008

It also makes a great base for many soups. I used to make beef stock as well and freeze gallons of it for future use. Nowadays, I find some store-bought brands are pretty good and inexpensive.

I've got a big pot of marinara sauce simmering on the stove right now, along with twenty or so meatballs. We'll be eatin' good tonight!

(Man, I wish we had a cooking forum...)

Cranky · Apr 26, 2008

I always bake my chicken in chicken stock. It comes out tender and juicy every single time.

Yum.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Apr 26, 2008

Silver King said:
It also makes a great base for many soups. I used to make beef stock as well and freeze gallons of it for future use. Nowadays, I find some store-bought brands are pretty good and inexpensive.

I've got a big pot of marinara sauce simmering on the stove right now, along with twenty or so meatballs. We'll be eatin' good tonight!

(Man, I wish we had a cooking forum...)

Man... I wish we had a cooking forum, too. What do you suppose the chances are... and that you and I would end up moddin' it?

rhymegirl · Apr 26, 2008

Silver King said:
It also makes a great base for many soups. I used to make beef stock as well and freeze gallons of it for future use. Nowadays, I find some store-bought brands are pretty good and inexpensive.

I've got a big pot of marinara sauce simmering on the stove right now, along with twenty or so meatballs. We'll be eatin' good tonight!

(Man, I wish we had a cooking forum...)

Save me some meatballs.

CDarklock · Apr 26, 2008

When I need comfort, I generally prefer the Southern variety.

nerds · Apr 27, 2008

CDarklock said:
When I need comfort, I generally prefer the Southern variety.

Sip it slow and the world stays sweet.

Maryn · Apr 27, 2008

Damn, SilverKing, I was available for dinner! (I made something that came out great once and never again. We ate it anyway. It was what we had.)

Is there a suggestion box? I'd sure visit a cooking forum, since I have to do it about 350 nights a year.

Maryn, wondering about dinner already

WittyandorIronic · Apr 27, 2008

Mmmm......meatballs.

choppersmom · Apr 27, 2008

Yesterday I made a slow-cooker potroast that seriously got up off the plate and kicked everybody's ass for them. Gotta love my Crockpot!

Choppersdad does most of the cooking around here, only because he gets home from work a little earlier than I do, so he does whatever shopping and starts up dinner. But I enjoy cooking too. Another writers' board I belong to has a recipes forum. Makes us more than just writers, y'know?

Little Earthquake · Apr 27, 2008

CDarklock said:
When I need comfort, I generally prefer the Southern variety.

LOLZ. I appreciate savory foods AND liquid refreshment when in need of comfort.

Oh, and shopping. Oh, and kitty snuggles. Oh, and mind-numbing internet surfing.

TerzaRima · Apr 27, 2008

Sara Moulton says to make your chicken stock with wings, but I've never tried it.

Upbeat · Apr 27, 2008

TerzaRima said:
Sara Moulton says to make your chicken stock with wings, but I've never tried it.

Although you can make it with a whole chicken or just parts, chicken wings have the most conentrated number of bones - an especially good thing for stock.
Today, though, it's hard to find just wings at a meat counter.
I've heard that restaurants grab them up first.

CDarklock · Apr 27, 2008

Little Earthquake said:
LOLZ. I appreciate savory foods AND liquid refreshment when in need of comfort.

Oh, and shopping. Oh, and kitty snuggles. Oh, and mind-numbing internet surfing.

Replace "shopping" with "loud-ass metal music" and I'm right there with you.

Silver King · Apr 27, 2008

Ol' Fashioned Girl said:
Man... I wish we had a cooking forum, too. What do you suppose the chances are... and that you and I would end up moddin' it?

It would be great to have as a sub-forum here. Of course we wouldn't mind the extra "work," and I feel it would be a popular place to discuss all manner of cooking related subjects.

Maryn said:
...Is there a suggestion box? I'd sure visit a cooking forum, since I have to do it about 350 nights a year.

Duly noted and forwarded as part of my ongoing assault upon the decision makers. So far, my efforts haven't paid off, but I'm not through bugging them just yet; and with Jen on my side, we can double team 'em.

The spaghetti marinara and meatballs last night turned out very well. We fed eight people and have enough left over for tonight's meal.

Silver King · Apr 27, 2008

choppersmom said:
Yesterday I made a slow-cooker potroast that seriously got up off the plate and kicked everybody's ass for them. Gotta love my Crockpot!

Slow cooking is one of my favorite ways to prepare meals. And it's easy, too. You simply toss the ingredients into the cooker and let it do the work. You can be gone all day and arrive home to a perfectly cooked dinner.

(By the way, "Crock-Pot" is the name of the original model sold by The Rival Company, though many people refer to any slow cooker as their "Crock-Pot.")

If you like pea soup, here's a simple yet delicious slow cooker recipe:

I/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cans (14.5 ozs each) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 pound package of dried split peas
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1 bay leaf

Saute sausage for a few minutes until browned. Rinse and sort peas. Add all of the ingredients into the cooker, cover and cook on high for four hours. Serve and add salt and pepper to taste.

One thing to keep in mind when slow cooking is that if you lift the lid, allow an extra twenty minutes of cooking time for the heat to build back up. With most recipes, the cooker will do its job without any need for stirring or checking on the meal.

Cranky · Apr 27, 2008

Gawd, I'm so hungry now!

astonwest · Apr 27, 2008

When I need comfort, I usually just watch episodes of Cops...there's something very soothing knowing at least your day isn't turning out like the people getting arrested on that show...

nerds · Apr 27, 2008

astonwest said:
When I need comfort, I usually just watch episodes of Cops...there's something very soothing knowing at least your day isn't turning out like the people getting arrested on that show...

Agree! We watch COPS every Saturday night. It's the loveliest thing to be all tucked in and law-abiding, avoiding Saturday night Out There, whilst nationwide mayhem is swirling around you being taped for the next episodes of . . . COPS.

My new favorite is the Vegas homeless guy who robs the fountains, gets caught, is let go and goes right back to do it again in hopes of 3 hots and a cot. Which he got.

soleary · Apr 27, 2008

Chicken stock. Is that traded on the NASDAQ?

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

nerds · Apr 27, 2008

soleary said:
Chicken stock. Is that traded on the NASDAQ?

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

Yes, and it's taking wing. Soaring. Get that Chicken Stock NOW.

There's also Chicken Stock Car Racing, soon to overtake NASCAR in popularity.

Soccer Mom · Apr 27, 2008

I'll be cooking black-eyed peas in my slow cooker this week. I cook the peas in chicken stock with bacon, onions, and potatos.

Nom.

Yeshanu · Apr 28, 2008

Ol' Fashioned Girl said:
Man... I wish we had a cooking forum, too. What do you suppose the chances are... and that you and I would end up moddin' it?

I'll mod it! Especially if it means I have to test out all the recipes.

Mini-me, aka Ally or Kida Adelyne, has recently taken up cooking as a hobby. She says it's the best hobby she's ever had, because her dad and I pay for all the materials.

And that slow cooker recipe makes my want to go out and buy a slow cooker, which wouldn't be a bad investment anyhow. Thanks, SK!

Oh, and anyone have any favourite recipes for lake trout? They were on sale today for $1 a pound, so we bought one.

DWSTXS · Apr 28, 2008

soleary said:
Chicken stock. Is that traded on the NASDAQ?

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

No. It's traded on the quackdaq

Silver King · Apr 28, 2008

Yeshanu said:
...And that slow cooker recipe makes my want to go out and buy a slow cooker, which wouldn't be a bad investment anyhow. Thanks, SK!

I went back and looked at the soup recipe and realized a mistake: It should be cooked on high for four hours, not on low. I fixed the error and hope no one tries the recipe using the lower setting.

You can buy a decent slow cooker for about fifty dollars. Mine is a Rival "Smart Pot" with four settings. High includes four and six hour selections, and low eight and ten hours.

You can prepare just about any meal in a slow cooker, from soups and stews and chilies, to main dishes such as chicken and beef and pork. You can even "bake" breads and create desserts also.

Once the food is in the cooker, it won't need constant attention or frequent stirring. It often beats using an oven, as it requires far less energy to operate; and you won't have a sink full of pots and pans to clean after dinner.

To get started, you could buy a cook book that focuses on slow cooking or even find just about any recipe you can think of online. You'll be amazed at how simple some recipes are, and how delicious the food will turn out.

When you need a little comfort -

Megalops Erectus

Hand? What hand?

It's a New Year!

Yes!

of all the gin joints

Baaa!

---

I'm melting!

Absinthe O'Malice

Yes!

Megalops Erectus

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of all the gin joints

of all the gin joints

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Mr Mojo Risin...

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