Text 6806, 152 rader
Skriven 2008-05-10 14:12:04 av Carol Shenkenberger (12848.cooks)
Kommentar till text 6778 av Ruth Haffly (1:396/45.28)
Ärende: Meat Balls, Mamma Mia!
==============================
> CS> My mom made them occasionally. Not very much spice but she'd add a
> CS> packet of brown mushroom gravy and some cooked rice as well as an egg
> CS> to bind them. Not spicy but she had a way of making them that was
> CS> really good. Baked I think but not sure.
>
> That does sound good as an alternative to straight hamburgers. Of
> course the chances of my mom having cooked rice or brown mushroom gravy
> on hand were/are pretty much slim to none. They would definately go
> well with mashed potatoes.
Mom made rice fairly often but not as often as I do. Probably had it once a
week is my guess? I think she made rice-a-roni pretty often too (back before
they changed it to the salty stuff of today). Anyways, if there were
leftovers (she'd make a little extra fairly often and sometimes we didnt eat
up the extras), she'd freeze it and then pull it out later for the meatballs.
Breadcrumbs were not common as she'd have to use up a slice or so of bread
for it.
> CS> Probably had them every 4-5 months, or had a meatloaf fixed very close
> CS> to the same recipe except that one also used bread crumbs and tomato
> CS> paste.
>
> My mom's meat loaf was meat (whatever was cheap or given--she was given
> ground venison once), egg, bread crumbs, milk, worchestshire sauce and
> S&P. She also used oatmeal (straight out of the box or big bag) istead
> of bread crumbs from time to time. Nothing fancy but with 5 kids, no
> left overs. Actually, meat loaf was the first meal I ever cooked by
> myself--with supervision--when I was about 7. Did it with baked
> potatoes and (probably frozen) spinach with chocolate pudding for
> dessert.
Simple. I think my first meal was not far off that. I just recall the main
entree was a meat pocket filled with mushroom gravy and set on a bed of
mashed potatoes. I was about 12 or 13?
> CS> When she'd do meatball version, she'd pick one of us kids to pick the
> CS> size. It would either be little ones (about 1 inch across) or huge
> CS> ones (1/4 lb each). So you either got one big one or several small
> CS> ones <g>. Small ones would be served ontop of spagetti (pasket sauce
> CS> but she'd add onions and green pepper like I do) and big ones in a
> CS> glorious puddle of brown gravy and nestled in mashed potatoes.
>
> That sounds like fun. Were you predicatble with one kid always wanting
> big meat balls, another always the small ones?
Yes, but since we'd trade off chores, Mom never really knew what to expect.
If it was my week to do dishes for example, I might trade that night's chore
to my brother and pick the little ones in exchange (which he liked best).
I always liked the big ones nestled in lightly oven browned mashed potatoes
but Mom's spagetti, though doubtless not as good as anything you and Janis
make, was quite acceptable fodder to me. She'd use only the McCormick
spagetti packets with mushrooms. At that time, they were the best of the
lot. (Jarred spagetti sauces didnt exist then I think).
> > Saturday morning sounds like a great time to do it all. That way Carol
> > will get a good lesson in Italian cooking. (G)
>
> CS> Hehehehe cool! I get to sous-chef! In fact, other than my one dish
> CS> (possibly some second noshe if it seems to fill a gap or someone gets
> CS> curious about something I've mentioned making), I plan to try to
> CS> envegile my way into sous-chef duties often. That way I can watch
> CS> what others do.
>
> Just remember that no 2 of us will do the same thing with the same
> ingredients. I'll have to give you some of the basic Italian recipes my
> MIL gave me. I used them "as is" for a long time, then started using
> them as jumping off points but they are good either way.
Oh definately! Most of us mention over and over how we almost never make
anything excatly the same twice <G>. Thats my main failing with Italian,
other than not growing up with it as a cultural influance. I 'fusion' it too
much so the results though good to excellent, are not at all authentic.
If i made you all a pot of tomato sauce, (not that I will as that market
seems covered), you'd see traces of just about every place I have lived
sneaking in, and a few places i've never been to!
In fact, I have a recipe (will post it later if i remember to type it up)
Charlotte and Don want me to make. It's a meat sauce but of a greek roughly
style with canned tomatoes, and baby octopus. It's vaguely spagetti-style
but would likely be served over linguini or rotini vice thinner spagetti
noodles.
I had something like it at the Black Ship Festival in Japan in an 'italian'
restraunt. Yes, very fusioned sort of food <g> but all very good. In their
case, it was a sort that was very greek and japanese mixed but they had a
sign that lead to it being supposedly italian. About the only thing italian
though was the parmesan cheese <g>.
> CS> Keep in mind I'm totally self taught on cooking so watching others is
> CS> fun for me.
>
> I was taught basics as my dad liked them but self taught on so many more
> things. Don't feel bad about it; I think more of us here are self taught
> vs taught (much) by others. None of us have a CIA degree (or similar)
> but OJT, which is the best teacher.
Yup! I've been enjoying watching the cooking shows now that I have food TV
here, and watching the chefs and how the chop things. I still do it my old
way, but it's neat to see them make shoestrings and such.
> CS> Sure, and we should leave some room for the 'eats' to bring stuff.
> CS> Me, I'd like to watch a real bread making human do it for once! With
> CS> a dough hook perhaps?
>
> Dough hooks are OK but they don't knead it enough for me. That's why I
> always used to do it all by hand; it saved the step of removing the bowl
> from the mixer, etc. Besides, one or two less things to clean up after.
> (G)
True, but it would be interesting to watch if another wants to do the honors.
I know my weak right arm isnt quite up to it.
> CS> Oh and if desired, I can make up that butter roll with a stick and
> CS> some seasonings. It's real simple and something Janice will find easy
> CS> to use up the leftovers of (if there are any!).
>
> That would go well with the bread. We may bring some home grown herbs
> (dried) but probably pick up garlic in western NY.
That would be good! I can make it several ways but we probably want just one
stick unless there a really big crowd (then 2 might be good with different
spicing).
Jim, as you read along the others know this one but you don't. It real
simple. Take a stick of butter and let it soften on the counter for a bit.
Place this in a baggie or a suitable shaped plastic container then add garlic
powder, black pepper, parsley (fresh or dried) and perhaps a sprinkle of
cayenne pepper. Parmesan cheese goes nicely too with it. Roll it around til
you have a sort of 'butter log'. Lots of different seasonings possible here
and done in a heavy garlic, you get garlic bread spread from it <g>.
One of the 'eats' could try making up a second one perhaps just for the fun
of it?
Oh, you can also finely mince up garlic and use that with it.
> CS> Yup! That way also the rest of us get to cook more <g>.
>
> You've got the idea. Even Steve will probably get into the act this
> year.
Cool!
xxcarol
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