The Front Porch Swing

[Tomtommom]

I make dressing with buttermilk or yogurt, mayo and onion powder and garlic powder. It's like ghetto ranch.. or tzaziki if you add cucumber. I make lots of ghetto food

cumin + cinnamon + garlic makes things middle eastern. Soy sauce + brown sugar + all spice + garlic makes asian food in my world

I don't buy spice mixes and I don't buy specialty spices I may only use once. Close enough is good enough for me.

 

[perchie.girl]

I make dressing with buttermilk or yogurt, mayo and onion powder and garlic powder. It's like ghetto ranch.. or tzaziki if you add cucumber. I make lots of ghetto food

cumin + cinnamon + garlic makes things middle eastern. Soy sauce + brown sugar + all spice + garlic makes asian food in my world

I don't buy spice mixes and I don't buy specialty spices I may only use once. Close enough is good enough for me.

My go to spice rack is pretty much Salt, Pepper, Granulated garlic, Poultry seasoning, and I do spend the bucks on Hungarian paprika. I don't like mixes either they are often times too salty at the wrong time. Though I did invest in a large container of Adobo spice the red kind. This stuff goes on EVERYTHING.... so far... it does have salt in it but not a lot.

The spices I use occasionally but enough to have on hand
Dill
cinamon
allspice
Bay leaf
Chile powder
Onion flakes
Whole nutmeg
Ground cloves
Sage
Rosemary
Tyme
Basil
Turmeric

Then I buy soy in a gallon jug and it lasts FOREVER... large size because its infinitely cheaper by the ounce. From soy sauce you can make a whole cook book full of different sauces.

Sauces I keep on hand
Mayonnaise the not sweet kind
Worcestershire
A1
Catchup
Ciracha (a smoky Asian hot sauce)
Chalula (a Mexican hot-sauce that is vinegar based interchangeable with Tabasco)
Plain Mustard
Horseradish

deb

 

[dpenning]

I make dressing with buttermilk or yogurt, mayo and onion powder and garlic powder. It's like ghetto ranch.. or tzaziki if you add cucumber. I make lots of ghetto food

cumin + cinnamon + garlic makes things middle eastern. Soy sauce + brown sugar + all spice + garlic makes asian food in my world

I don't buy spice mixes and I don't buy specialty spices I may only use once. Close enough is good enough for me.

My go to spice rack is pretty much Salt, Pepper, Granulated garlic, Poultry seasoning, and I do spend the bucks on Hungarian paprika. I don't like mixes either they are often times too salty at the wrong time. Though I did invest in a large container of Adobo spice the red kind. This stuff goes on EVERYTHING.... so far... it does have salt in it but not a lot.

The spices I use occasionally but enough to have on hand
Dill
cinamon
allspice
Bay leaf
Chile powder
Onion flakes
Whole nutmeg
Ground cloves
Sage
Rosemary
Tyme
Basil
Turmeric

Then I buy soy in a gallon jug and it lasts FOREVER... large size because its infinitely cheaper by the ounce. From soy sauce you can make a whole cook book full of different sauces.

Sauces I keep on hand
Mayonnaise the not sweet kind
Worcestershire
A1
Catchup
Ciracha (a smoky Asian hot sauce)
Chalula (a Mexican hot-sauce that is vinegar based interchangeable with Tabasco)
Plain Mustard
Horseradish


I'm going to have to print both of these. Since moving to the country I actually have to start cooking as we are 15 miles from the closest restaurant and grocery store!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
when i am living at home the closest "real" grocery store is thirty miles away... The local stores are more of an excuse to sell liquor...
The closest store like a Vons or a Safeway or a Walmart is a Sxity mile trip. I used to have to pack a big ice chest to bring frozen food home... And a full on Freezer at home to put it all.

Gone now Brownout killed... So I am going to have to learn to cook from cans for a while.

deb

 

[Cearbhael]

LOL...  Try Tziki sauce  Greek yogurt or yogurt that has been drained of excess liquid.  Shredded cucumber and shredded garlic (to taste).

I am not a feta fan either.  but I do like the milder forms...  but only a little bit.  I can certainly live without it.

Right now lamb is cheaper than beef in the stores. 

deb

Wish I saw lamb in our store! The one time we did it was out of sight expensive (over $10.00 a lb) I do have a shepherd that sells culled baby rams.

 

[LBejaran]

All this talk of food has me hungry!!!

Today, Mom made molé, so I stayed out of her way and avoided the pot she was using.

Molé is one of those Mexican foods you either love or hate. I hated it as a child and I just don't care for it now. The smell of spices, chocolate and peanut butter are incredibly misleading. You expect something spicy and sweet and then you end up with a mouthful of chicken and savory sauce and it's no fun. I imagine loads of people would love it, but I'm not one of those folks. I guess it is the bad memories of it as a kid.

Tomorrow I (hopefully) install the A/C in the garage! I'm so ready to move in there. The lines that I draw to give myself some comfort when surrounded by crazy people has been breached. Nathan enjoys walking into the room without knocking. Often. I'm so done. I need space.

I used to be able to work out in my room by dancing or doing yoga, knowing that no one would walk in without knocking. Now I essentially live in apprehension of this kid walking in without a word.

That being said, I have tried to not get as angry with him. He is a good kid (keep telling yourself that, Laura) and he doesn't realize he is being an unintelligent, insensitive teenage boy. The last thing anyone needs is for me to have a blow up because he's being a total bleep bleep bleep.

I'm tired, guys. Really, really tired. Here are some pics I took today while I was outside relaxing away from the chaos. I had a nice, tall glass of freshly squeezed lemonade, with just a hint of honey and a sprig of chocolate mint.

This last one was from my most recent hatch. My first batch of Lavender Silkied Ameraucanas! I already love them!

 

[perchie.girl]

The first time I ever had Mole Poblano it was made by a then boyfriends mom for Sunday Brunch... Frank Rodriguez whole family was from the state of Guadalajara. Her dish was Chicken with Mole Poblano. The sauce was a very dark red almost black.

After having had hers I have never had comparable sauce in even the best restaurants. I couldn't understand why. Until I found out that Mole varies from state to state city to city and family to family.... I would love to learn how to make it but the selection of chiles is something you have to be taught by someone very familiar with the flavor profile of each chile.... Its a very complicated sauce to make from scratch.

I too expected it to be sweet but the flavor of chocolate goes very very well with Chiles and gives the dish an aromatic note that you can only place if someone tells you what it is.

I have seen the sauces in the store but didn't have a clue as to which one to get so I read and ponder and put it back.

That Sunday Brunch also introduced me to Mescal.... served in Thimble sized crystal glasses. I was about 23 at the time. I touched my tongue to it and Frank started laughing at me because my face turned BEET red... It tasted like a fireplace smells... But it was too strong for me to drink...

I liked it but I had to give it to Frank. And told him to tell his mom thank you.... and a simple Gracias wouldn't do... it was a very fine meal reserved for holidays and special occasions.

Shed been in the US 50 years raised up five kids and didnt speak any English. She and her husband put all five kids through college. Amazing people.

deb

 

[Blooie]

All this talk of food has me hungry!!!

Today, Mom made molé, so I stayed out of her way and avoided the pot she was using.

Molé is one of those Mexican foods you either love or hate. I hated it as a child and I just don't care for it now. The smell of spices, chocolate and peanut butter are incredibly misleading. You expect something spicy and sweet and then you end up with a mouthful of chicken and savory sauce and it's no fun. I imagine loads of people would love it, but I'm not one of those folks. I guess it is the bad memories of it as a kid.

Tomorrow I (hopefully) install the A/C in the garage! I'm so ready to move in there. The lines that I draw to give myself some comfort when surrounded by crazy people has been breached. Nathan enjoys walking into the room without knocking. Often. I'm so done. I need space.

I used to be able to work out in my room by dancing or doing yoga, knowing that no one would walk in without knocking. Now I essentially live in apprehension of this kid walking in without a word.

That being said, I have tried to not get as angry with him. He is a good kid (keep telling yourself that, Laura) and he doesn't realize he is being an unintelligent, insensitive teenage boy. The last thing anyone needs is for me to have a blow up because he's being a total bleep bleep bleep.

I'm tired, guys. Really, really tired. Here are some pics I took today while I was outside relaxing away from the chaos. I had a nice, tall glass of freshly squeezed lemonade, with just a hint of honey and a sprig of chocolate mint.

Even nice, good kids need boundaries. And an occasional blowup has a way of clearing the air if one party can maintain their cool. Demand that he knock before entering. There's never a good reason for a young man to enter a young lady's domain without the courtesy of knocking first and waiting to be invited in.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Even nice, good kids need boundaries. And an occasional blowup has a way of clearing the air if one party can maintain their cool. Demand that he knock before entering. There's never a good reason for a young man to enter a young lady's domain without the courtesy of knocking first and waiting to be invited in.

x2 @Blooie is so much nicer about it than me, lol!

explain to him that he needs to knock, and when he doesn't - you have a good reason to blow-up! He needs to learn to respect others and their boundaries; and you need to be able to expect privacy. If he doesn't learn it now, when will he. Respect for other people is so important, it is something that is dying out in our society.

And what will prevent him from just invading your privacy out in the new space. Are you installing a lock on that door to assist in keeping your privacy? Our attached garage had a keyed lock on the door to keep people out of the house, you may want to check that lock and possibly change it to ensure privacy from people in the house but allow you access. The good kid may find it a funny joke to lock you out otherwise. A bedroom doorknob is not that expensive and is easy to install; you can keep the existing knob incase the garage goes back to being a garage at some point.

 

[lazy gardener]

Ditto what Blooie said. I'd be beyond furious if this kid walked into my private space. One night, shortly after hubby and I had turned in for the night, our bedroom door opened, and in walked one of our son's female friends. He wasn't even home, and she was NOT EVEN his girlfriend! She was out joy riding, and decided that it would be fun to stop and visit him for a bit. (I never did like that girl! She was way too pushy, too forward, lacked social skills!) Any how, it didn't go over well then, and would not go over well now. You need to have it out with this kid, b/c if you don't no one else may. These days, folks are way too worried about causing offense. When it's often the person who needs the correction who is usually the offender!