Mary M blogged.

[OkToBeTakei]

Yeah, that looks more like corn flakes on the top (rather than orange cheese). Something like this probably: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/potato-casserole/

I am wondering about Anna Marie's dress more than her hair. It looks like an FLDS dress. Could she be more fundie than the Maxwells?

I'm not sure cornflakes is any better than orange cheese :lol: but I am intrigued by the recipe. But if it has cream'o' crap soup it will need t go on my list like TTC. Things to try on a rainy day.

Tater tots not easy to get here. Also not sure frozen hash browns would be easy to get either. :/

[yewchapel]

I'm not sure cornflakes is any better than orange cheese :lol: but I am intrigued by the recipe. But if it has cream'o' crap soup it will need t go on my list like TTC. Things to try on a rainy day.

Tater tots not easy to get here. Also not sure frozen hash browns would be easy to get either. :/

You can get frozen hash browns in pretty much all the supermarkets, by the chips/potato wedges etc. Also tator tots are usually called something like 'potato crunchies'. I know Lidl sells them, but also try Iceland and Farmfoods. Lidl's potatoes and chips are really nice though, their potato wedges are yummy and something like 60p a bag.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

I'm not sure cornflakes is any better than orange cheese :lol: but I am intrigued by the recipe. But if it has cream'o' crap soup it will need t go on my list like TTC. Things to try on a rainy day.

Tater tots not easy to get here. Also not sure frozen hash browns would be easy to get either. :/

General possibly threadjacky question - there are tons and tons of recipes out there that require a can of cream o' crap soup, or possibly even a can of CONDENSED cream o' crap soup.

Not going to deny that some of them look like they'd make pretty good comfort food. So my question is - is there an accepted "from scratch" stand in for cream o' crap soup? Particularly, say, cream o' chicken soup? I make food (mac and cheese, with stuff in it) which starts off with a white sauce (melt butter, whisk in flour/mustard powder/pepper, add milk and simmer) and I suspect that's the trick, but is there some certain conversion factor? Or if it's chicken then you also put in chicken broth with the milk, or?

Sorry I'm clueless when it comes to casseroles but I'm interested in 'em.

Second similar question - all those crockpot recipes and whatnot that require "onion soup mix." Any good "2 parts this to 1 part that to 3 parts this other thing" mix for that? It should be a powder, after all. Surely onion power/garlic/pepper plus... what else?

I need to google this...

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Hash browns I'm not sure about, but similar breakfast potatoes of the "cut up little squares" style are trivial to do, you just cut the potato into little cubes, then boil the cubes for five minutes (so they're NOT actually done) and from there, you fry 'em in the pan the same as you would the prepackaged frozen/fridge ones. (Or you can broil 'em at that point.)

My first attempt at hash browns then would be to do similar with grated potatoes, maybe boil them for just a moment first? The idea is to get the outside slightly roughed up and soft but the inside isn't done.

Also maybe look into latke recipes? Seems latkes don't do any boiling but they do purposely let the potatoes soak for a few minutes in water before then draining them and doing the frying, possibly similar idea to get the outsides soft a bit (but boiling would overdo on such tiny grated bits).

I'm usually just eating cubed potatoes but now I am interested in the casserole... hm. Surely there's some version of the recipe that starts with just raw regular potatoes?

Recipes that require some half-made processed item can be really annoying if you live somewhere that thing isn't available...

Edit: Looking for recipes to MAKE hash browns (that you're going to eat as a breakfast food) it's pretty much just grated potatoes, raw, soaked (sometimes) and then all the water squeezed back OUT, then fried. Perhaps then all you need is grated potatoes, raw, to put into this casserole?

[WonderingInWA]

Edit: Looking for recipes to MAKE hash browns (that you're going to eat as a breakfast food) it's pretty much just grated potatoes, raw, soaked (sometimes) and then all the water squeezed back OUT, then fried. Perhaps then all you need is grated potatoes, raw, to put into this casserole?

I make my own shredded hashbrowns and finally learned the secret to not having them turn out mushy. Bake the potatoes first (I do mine in a covered casserole dish, poking them with a knife so they don't explode during cooking). Then once they cool, I shred them and at that point either cook them in a skillet in some butter 5 minutes or so per side (or until they are done like you like 'em) or spread them on a cookie sheet on some parchment and freeze them in a layer for later use. Easy peasy and good to have on hand.

[yewchapel]

General possibly threadjacky question - there are tons and tons of recipes out there that require a can of cream o' crap soup, or possibly even a can of CONDENSED cream o' crap soup.

Not going to deny that some of them look like they'd make pretty good comfort food. So my question is - is there an accepted "from scratch" stand in for cream o' crap soup? Particularly, say, cream o' chicken soup? I make food (mac and cheese, with stuff in it) which starts off with a white sauce (melt butter, whisk in flour/mustard powder/pepper, add milk and simmer) and I suspect that's the trick, but is there some certain conversion factor? Or if it's chicken then you also put in chicken broth with the milk, or?

Sorry I'm clueless when it comes to casseroles but I'm interested in 'em.

Second similar question - all those crockpot recipes and whatnot that require "onion soup mix." Any good "2 parts this to 1 part that to 3 parts this other thing" mix for that? It should be a powder, after all. Surely onion power/garlic/pepper plus... what else?

I need to google this...

Cream o' crap soup is basically a thinner white sauce made from a roux, but I have seen homemade cream soup mix using dried milk powder, boullion powder and herbs/seasonings which would probably come in handy. For the onion soup mix, I am never very exact with my quantities but I use beef boullion powder with pepper, onion powder, herbs and a pinch of brown sugar - and also add Worcestershire sauce to the dish in question.

[YPestis]

I didn't even notice it was Mary blogging. With the exception of the parents and possibly Nathan, the other Maxwell writers have all been bland and awkward. Their Easter looks mildly interesting. I bet it's one of the highlights of their year. The actual food looks interesting. The crepes looks good. The ham delicious. I'm not sure about the casserole but it could be good. I hope they had more veggies than the leaves they were tearing through. Layered salad is barely salad the way I've seen people make them so I hope they had other sources of veggies as well. There was another thread that mentioned that they saw a pic of Melanie and the kids with Melanie's family doing Easter activities including an egg hunt. It makes me feel better knowing that the Maxwell can't prevent every aspect of FUN from the little kids.

[Jenny]

Never tried that myself. What kind of dressing?

The dressing is 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and 1/4 cup sugar. Mix together and spoon over first four layers. You can add more sugar if you like.

[FloraDoraDolly]

NR-Anna makes most of her own clothes and the Peter Pan collar is a repeated theme. Hey, when you're good at something, do it over and over and over again.

If she and Christopher ever have daughters, we may see some, uh, interesting outfits.

[VodouDoll]

There was another thread that mentioned that they saw a pic of Melanie and the kids with Melanie's family doing Easter activities including an egg hunt.

Seriously? Wow, that puts Steve's railing against his brother's egg hunts as tools of Satan into a whole new light. Uncomfortable!

[WonderingInWA]

Seriously? Wow, that puts Steve's railing against his brother's egg hunts as tools of Satan into a whole new light. Uncomfortable!

I'll second the "Seriously?". I'd love to have a link to that. Well, good for them, letting their kids experience some of the frivolity of Easter. I hope they also put up a Christmas tree. That kind of stuff must make Stevie's blood boil.

[danvillebelle]

The scariest thing about Christopher's crazy-eyed dishwasher shot is that rack full of knives in front of him.

[Dru]

For clarification, since I was the one who started the other thread, I am not entirely sure they were doing an egg hunt. Mel's parents have a pretty good plot of land so they may have just been going off to play with the kids or something. Regardless, the pic was definitely taken on Easter and Mel and the girls got some time with her family.

[kaetrin]

Cream o' crap soup is basically a thinner white sauce made from a roux, but I have seen homemade cream soup mix using dried milk powder, boullion powder and herbs/seasonings which would probably come in handy. For the onion soup mix, I am never very exact with my quantities but I use beef boullion powder with pepper, onion powder, herbs and a pinch of brown sugar - and also add Worcestershire sauce to the dish in question.

I've done cream of chicken just like you describe your white sauce, but with half chicken stock and half milk.

[YPestis]

I'll second the "Seriously?". I'd love to have a link to that. Well, good for them, letting their kids experience some of the frivolity of Easter. I hope they also put up a Christmas tree. That kind of stuff must make Stevie's blood boil.

[johnhugh]

The Maxwells seem very quiet at the moment, no comments on the blog published even though its been up 3 or 4 days. I wonder if something is going on?

[jeansonly]

For clarification, since I was the one who started the other thread, I am not entirely sure they were doing an egg hunt. Mel's parents have a pretty good plot of land so they may have just been going off to play with the kids or something. Regardless, the pic was definitely taken on Easter and Mel and the girls got some time with her family.

Very true. However it does appear that there are a couple of plastic Easter eggs on the corner of the deck behind them. So even if there was not a hunt, there were Easter eggs there for the girls to see and play with (if Nathan didn't freak out about it).

[Justme]

The Maxwells seem very quiet at the moment, no comments on the blog published even though its been up 3 or 4 days. I wonder if something is going on?

They are just back from their big "trip". I sure the house was a mess with dirt and cobwebs everywhere. I bet they are cleaning everything from top to bottom. :shock:

[WonderingInWA]

They are just back from their big "trip". I sure the house was a mess with dirt and cobwebs everywhere. I bet they are cleaning everything from top to bottom. :shock:

And polishing the cabinets.

[Dru]

Very true. However it does appear that there are a couple of plastic Easter eggs on the corner of the deck behind them. So even if there was not a hunt, there were Easter eggs there for the girls to see and play with (if Nathan didn't freak out about it).

Yeah, that was one of the things that made me lean toward an Easter egg hunt.

[divadivine]

And polishing the cabinets.

And cleaning the ceiling fans.

And praying. :pray:

[WonderingInWA]

And cleaning the ceiling fans.

And praying. :pray:

Wait, stop! It's Bible Time! Everyone to their stations!

[YPestis]

I kind of went ? when I saw Mary and her mom cleaning behind the furnitures. Is that a common part of cleaning? I know there is dust and cobwebs in nooks and crannies but I never thought it necessary to clean them as part of some regular regimen. The Maxwells are either super-neat freaks or they really have too much time on their hands. Or maybe I'm not much of a housewife. I do dust and wipe but usually only to places I can reach without moving anything and usually only if I think people can see the dust. Perhaps it's time I employ a maid service.......

[WonderingInWA]

I kind of went ? when I saw Mary and her mom cleaning behind the furnitures. Is that a common part of cleaning? I know there is dust and cobwebs in nooks and crannies but I never thought it necessary to clean them as part of some regular regimen. The Maxwells are either super-neat freaks or they really have too much time on their hands. Or maybe I'm not much of a housewife. I do dust and wipe but usually only to places I can reach without moving anything and usually only if I think people can see the dust. Perhaps it's time I employ a maid service.......

I think it's just part of normal "Spring Cleaning". Not something that has to be done often but definitely to be done once or twice/year. They moved the furniture around. I can't say there's really any improvement there. It's still one big room full of puffy furniture for Bible Time.

[OkToBeTakei]

Those sofa's are fairly ugly. At least they look comfy . Surely proper bible time should be on hard wooden stools though.

I'd be kicking back and tuning out sitting in one of those :lol: