Ian and Larissa ~ Where are they now?

[Georgiana]

I'm not a big sweet person, so I brought all my holiday treats to my boyfriend's house so he could help me with them. There was a family size box of chocolate truffles, enough cookies and fudge for 4, etc. I told him to help himself since some of the things would probably spoil before I would get to them.

He finished them in a night. ALL of them. There were 3 layers of chocolate truffles in a large box! HOW did he do that?!?

Im honestly just impressed.

[Mela99]

@Destiny I think you're talking about Montreal Steak Seasoning. Good choice. Versatile.

[EowynW]

13 minutes ago, Quiver Full of Kittens said:

I’m finishing my Australian Tim Tams. Love them. They are so much better than the American version that are sold in mainstream stores. 

I adore tim tams. And vegemite

[Destiny]

Just now, Mela99 said:

@Destiny I think you're talking about Montreal Steak Seasoning. Good choice. Versatile.

That sounds right. Mister loves it. I am mostly flying blind with meat cooking b/c I don't eat it.

[Joplin4206]

I’m going to roast cut up butternut squash with a large chopped onion until they’re browned and soft. Then I’m going to toss it with some cooked rigatoni and goat cheese, maybe some basil. It doesn’t disappoint. 

[bea]

I got an InstantPot for Christmas and I swear to the FSM it’s changing my life. Pressure cookers are AMAZING. sautéed onion and garlic (you can sauté right in it), 1.5lb FROZEN SOLID stew meat, broth, pressure cook for 35 min, put in potatoes and veggies, pressure cook for another 15, and voila - beef stew. It takes a bit to build up enough steam to pressure cook, but frozen meat, people. I don’t have to pull something out in the morning or mess with the microwave to defrost. Made frozen chicken breasts and sweet potatoes at the same time last night.

[EmainMacha]

The thing I struggle with when it comes to butternut squash is cutting it. First time I tried to prepare it I nearly severed a fingertip. Any tips on easier prep for it? I'd like to start using it for the kids to try.

[Joplin4206]

1 minute ago, EmainMacha said:

The thing I struggle with when it comes to butternut squash is cutting it. First time I tried to prepare it I nearly severed a fingertip. Any tips on easier prep for it? I'd like to start using it for the kids to try.

The key is a really sharp knife. 

[Mela99]

2 minutes ago, EmainMacha said:

The thing I struggle with when it comes to butternut squash is cutting it. First time I tried to prepare it I nearly severed a fingertip. Any tips on easier prep for it? I'd like to start using it for the kids to try.

Have you tried baking it a bit first? That's what I do with sweet potatoes as well. 

[Destiny]

10 minutes ago, Joplin4206 said:

I’m going to roast cut up butternut squash with a large chopped onion until they’re browned and soft. Then I’m going to toss it with some cooked rigatoni and goat cheese, maybe some basil. It doesn’t disappoint. 

That sounds quite delightful actually. Do you spice the squash? Do you coat it in anything? Olive oil etc?

[Jellybean]

I buy it ready cut (my hands are rubbish!) which helps a lot. It comes in wedges or dice. We make pappardelle with squash, pine nuts and blue cheese, or sometimes a risotto with the same. Mr Bean likes it roasted like chips (seasoned wedges with paprika, salt and pepper and thyme or sage, roasted in a medium oven for about 30 mins). Yum! Mr makes a wonderful soup with butternut squash, and coriander. So nice. Ooh and parsnip purée with bourbon and cream (somewhat out of left field!)

[Joplin4206]

1 minute ago, Destiny said:

That sounds quite delightful actually. Do you spice the squash? Do you coat it in anything? Olive oil etc?

Yes. Olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

[Destiny]

I don't think i have any goat cheese, but that's going on the shopping list. Thanks. I'll report the news.

FWIW, if you like cooking, you may want to look at the cooking club. I think we also have a food forum.

2 minutes ago, Jellybean said:

I buy it ready cut (my hands are rubbish!) which helps a lot. It comes in wedges or dice. We make pappardelle with squash, pine nuts and blue cheese, or sometimes a risotto with the same.

I buy it cut too b/c i'm lazy lol.

I LOVE pine nuts. Why are they so fucking expensive? I live in a pine forest ffs!

[Jellybean]

All the suggestions I posted above would be good with a mild goats cheese instead of blue cheese. Good thinking, batpeople!

It's (butternut squash) very nice diced and sautéed in a shallow pan with a little bit of oil, salt and pepper, and Marsala. Works equally well with sweet potato instead of, or as well as the squash. 

We eat it in a salad (cos or romaine lettuce, hard boiled eggs, pancetta and diced squash/sweet potato) in the summer or roasted whole and then scraped out and mixed with rice, dried cranberries, pine nuts, fresh parsley, lemon juice and onion and then stuffed back into the empty squash shell. That's more of an autumn dish for us and we often substitute acorn squash (my favourite) or onion squash (Mr B's favourite). 

Followed by a sorbet made from plums roasted with sugar and star anise. So delicious!

[laPapessaGiovanna]

We just had pumpkin and black cabbage (I think it's what you call kale) risotto with prosciutto and leftover veggies as second course. Baci di Langa as dessert. I'm fuller than an egg, may need to wait a bit before moving  so maybe I won't roll instead of walking. That last bacio was a bit too much maybe, but I'm not regretting it.

[Jellybean]

Mmm baci di dama! 

I forgot to tell you ( @laPapessaGiovanna) how much I appreciated your beautiful torta di mimosa - my birthday is the day before women's day so I have happy memories of the flower and the cake! 

I was so tempted to make one but I think my husband needs a little break from the crème patissiere - I made Danish pastries for New Year (pain au raisin and pinwheel shaped ones with raspberries and crème patissiere). Maybe next week. Thank you for the inspiration!

[laPapessaGiovanna]

Just now, Jellybean said:

Mmm baci di dama! 

I forgot to tell you ( @laPapessaGiovanna) how much I appreciated your beautiful torta di mimosa - my birthday is the day before women's day so I have happy memories of the flower and the cake! 

I was so tempted to make one but I think my husband needs a little break from the crème patissiere - I made Danish pastries for New Year (pain au raisin and pinwheel shaped ones with raspberries and crème patissiere). Maybe next week. Thank you for the inspiration!

Baci di Langa, they taste different from baci di dama (don't worry I ignored their existence till two days ago) but the shape is the same. Heavenly delicious, highly recommended if you ever come across them.

I love the torta mimosa, I always make it for 8th March. This time I made it for my daughter bday because her best friend is lactose intolerant and it's easy to convert it into a no lactose cake preserving its wonderful taste. I have to say it came out better than usual aesthetically speaking (cake decoration is NOT my forte).

[Mela99]

@laPapessaGiovanna You have a good classic risotto recipe? I've been unhappy with the way mine has turned out lately.

[Curious]

1 hour ago, Quiver Full of Kittens said:

I put it in the crock pot with a can of beefy mushroom soup, baby carrots, onions, mushrooms, and those tiny potatoes

This sounds delicious.  What temp on the crockpot do you use?

[Quiver Full of Kittens]

Just now, Curious said:

This sounds delicious.  What temp on the crockpot do you use?

Mine doesn’t have temps — just keep warm, low, and high. I use low for nearly everything though. Sorry I can’t be more specific! 

[Curious]

8 minutes ago, Quiver Full of Kittens said:

Mine doesn’t have temps — just keep warm, low, and high. I use low for nearly everything though. Sorry I can’t be more specific! 

That's good enough.  Thanks.   We have a rotisserie (the as seen on tv one from ronco from a million years ago) and usually do a roast in there and use the steamer on the top for some sort of veggie (usually asparagus spears) but being able to add all the veggies in the crockpot may entice to make it a little more often.  I like to have the leftovers for a couple lunches.

[Lurky]

The secret I have learned with squashes and sweet potatoes in things like chili and stew is to roast the squash/SP separately to the rest of the cooking, and stir it in at the end, as that stops them dissolving into mush during the cooking.  

[SilverBeach]

Just finished a pot of turkey noodle soup (it was so good), shrimp scampi tonight.

[Gobsmacked]

3 hours ago, Joplin4206 said:

And people will always be out to defend their friends, something you don’t seem to get. You saying they chose to seek public attention, again shows how little this group knows about them. 

YOU and YOU alone are the reason they are being spoken about right now. NOT FJ. YOU. Please go away and stop spoiling the new year for us. 

Find something else to do in your own personal little swamp. 

We live on clean dry land. Disappear.

[Joplin4206]

Just now, Gobsmacked said:

YOU and YOU alone are the reason they are being spoken about right now. NOT FJ. YOU. Please go away and stop spoiling the new year for us. 

Find something else to do in your own personal little swamp. 

We live on clean dry land. Disappear.

Hush. This conversation has moved on to food. Please don’t try to resurrect it. Understood?