Poll: The Inaugural C&B Project

[hippywife]

Poll question: Poll: The Inaugural C&B Project

Sorry it took so long to get this going but here it is. Suggestions gleaned from the initial discussion thread on this topic. Let me know if I missed anything. :hi:

[Stinky The Clown]

1. I **think** the Pommes Anna discussion was actually about .......

...... "casserole" potato dishes more than just Pommes Anna. For example ... scalloped potatoes. But it would be cool for everyone to try the Pommes Anna ..... but that's a pretty difficult dish that takes a few failures first in order to get the feel and sense of it.

[hippywife]

2. Okay.

I changed it to say potato casserole. I forgot that a madeline might be required for the Pommes Anna.

[susanna]

3. Hmmm...savory dinner crepes.

I picked that one, mostly because I have never made them before and am certainly willing to screw something up for the first (and maybe second) times to get a feel for it. But if it's something else that's fine too. Looking forward to whatever is decided! :-)

[hippywife]

4. I'm really glad

you're going to participate. :hug:

[susanna]

5. Me too!

I can't wait to see the final results. :-)

[troubleinwinter]

8. I voted crepes too.

I LOVE crepes, but don't know very many fillings and would look forward to seeing people's ideas.

Also, I like it because it is BOTH 'general' AND 'specific'! I think we'd end up with a wide variety. One of those things where ya can make a bunch of crepes, put 'em into the freezer, pull some out after work, and use whatever you have on hand as fillings. Economical... might use up the handful of leftovers.

Homey or supremely elegant.

[bicentennial_baby]

6. I voted for potato casserole

Because I'm skeered of things like souffle and quiche. :rofl:

[troubleinwinter]

7. Quiche is a cinch.

I made two of 'em the other day.

Frozen pie crust. Shredded cheese, onions. Milk + eggs. Oven. Put onions & cheese in, pour milk+eggs over. Bake. That's it except for the fun part:

Swiss cheese / bacon / spinach

"Southwest" (invented by my mother) Jack cheese / canned (Ortega) chili peppers / cilantro / chili powder

"Italian" (invented by me) Mozzarella / Italian sausage (crumbled browned) / basil / garlic

Whatever one might invent!

They are best the next day at room temp.

[susanna]

12. You do to quiche what I do to meatloaf.

I do an asian meatloaf with ground turkey and pork, finely grated carrot, ginger, scallions, garlic and (dare I say it?) fish sauce. I also have Italian and southwest variations. That said, your quiches sound yummy. Must try. :-)

[troubleinwinter]

13. That sounds DELICIOUS!!!!

I have trouble finding ground pork sometimes. I like to make Shaomai (Chinese steamed dumplings) with minced shrimp, ground pork, ginger, garlic, scallions, cilantro, etc., but sometimes cannot find the ground pork. I had trouble enough in Calif., but it's nearly impossible in the mountains of Arizona.

[susanna]

14. Yeah, ground pork is hit or miss for me too, unfortunately.

Sometimes my supermarket has it, sometimes I'm out of luck. When they have it and I can fit it in the budget, I buy a few packages and freeze some. Sometimes, if I can find a very mild pork sausage whose flavors I can overpower with the ginger and garlic (and I can certainly use a heavy hand there), I'll substitute that. It's not quite the same, but it gets me by when in a pinch.

The leftovers make great lettuce wraps like you can get in some restaurants. That's where the idea was born, actually. I love those! :hi:

[troubleinwinter]

16. A while ago,

I just NEEDED to have oxtails (sorry, everybody), and I figured if I was gonna go to the trouble, I might as well make plenty. One can only seldom get a small package, usually just the big parts, and I wanted both big & small. I spoke to the Meat dept. dude at the ordinary grocery store, and he said he could order them and they'd be there on the next delivery day (like 4-5 days). By golly!!!! The order was perfect, and didn't cost anything extra.

I suppose I could request some ground pork packages, but I never think ahead!! I usually get an inspiration or a mood in the morning or at the grocery store! Tomorrow it's some other mood or hankering. Maybe I really SHOULD plan some shaomai and talk to the meat dept. dude.

The lettuce wraps are a brilliant idea!!!!!!! I should maybe freeze some extra filling to just stirfry on days when I wouldn't want to bother with steaming. Nice spring/summer dish!!!!

[susanna]

23. I love the lettuce wraps in the summer.

Perfect on hot days. Really refreshing and somehow light with the cool crispness of the lettuce. OK, I officially can't wait for spring/summer. But that's been true since November here in Michigan LOL.

P.S. I like oxtails, too.

[sazemisery]

24. Too bad you don't have a food coop like we do

Hippywife and I belong to a food coop where you can get oxtail all the time. Other "exotic" cuts are also readily available. I have really expanded my palate for things like this since having access to these cuts.

[troubleinwinter]

27. "where you can get oxtail all the time"

Wowee! I would think you are getting better quality, fresh foods, too.

The "exotic" oxtails used to be some of the cheapest meat. Now they are pretty pricey, because people don't want them. I supposed they are now used for processed "beef products". It's a shame, because they have allll the flavor!

Have you cooked them? It's the one and only thing I use the pressure cooker for.

[hippywife]

28. Where do you live?

You might want to check for local farmers' markets and CSA's in your area here:

www.localharvest.org


Nothing beats the excellent meats and other foods we've been getting. They are awesome. :hi:

[sazemisery]

30. Low and slow is how I like them

Mr.sazemisery will eat his weight in oxtail.

[hippywife]

26. Quiche is not hard at all.

If you can make a pie crust, cut veggies and scramble eggs, you've got all the talent and skills it takes. Really.

[cbayer]

9. I voted for the potato casserole, but my second vote would be for the crepes.

I have an aversion to eggs. It is totally in my head (I think my mother force fed me eggs as a baby), but I just can't eat them unless they are mixed in to something and are unrecognizable (like bread or cake).

:hi:

[wryter2000]

10. Ye gods, I've been away too long

What's the project? I'm totally out of the loop.

[susanna]

15. hippywife had a really great idea...

Here's the original thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x58341

And here was the nominating thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=236&topic_id=59112&mesg_id=59112

This one is the voting thread. Hope this helps!

[wryter2000]

17. What a fantastic idea!

I'm in. I voted for crepes, but potato casserole is my second choice. Seems as if we're all on the same two pages here.

I will do better to keep up. I love C&B!

[hippywife]

21. Really glad you checked in

in time to get in on this. I think it's going to be really fun to compare notes and collect the recipes all together for future reference. I think I'll probably start a journal here so everyone knows where to find them. I know there's a recipe file on DU somewhere but I can never remember where it is.

:hi:

[Blues Heron]

11. Crepes!

Second choice potato casserole. Crepes would really take me out of my kitchen comfort zone and Greens Heron craves them, so that would be a nice challenge with a high level of potential payoff!

But I do love potatoes and have been trying to get that scalloped potato holy grail for some time now, without much success, so that would be a nice challenge too!

[hippywife]

18. LOL!

I guess we could do crepes with a potato casserole side. :rofl:

[Stinky The Clown]

19. Maybe what we have are two months' worth of challenge!

[Sentath]

45. Sounds like a good idea

I picked Frittata for the 3rd project.

(grumbles about Italian consonant placement)

[Tesha]

20. Cripes! Crepes!

Since I've never made them, this would be a super experience.

I might even need to get a new pan...

[troubleinwinter]

22. Sorry,

that excuse isn't gonna get ya a new pan. What you've got is fine. (UNLESS you're trying to convince a certain person in the house that you need a new pan, then, OMG YES, you need a new pan!)

[sazemisery]

25. Crepes gets my vote

Mr.sazemisery loves potatoes exponentially to the third power. Which means I have cooked potatoes every which way but loose.

Crepes have great potential 'cause the variations are endless, you can make 'em and freeze 'em and have 'em on hand ready for the filling of choice.

I'm excited.:bounce:

[Lucinda]

29. It's looking verrah crepey in here!

Should be fun!

[hippywife]

31. Kicking this back up.

It's looking like crepes but I wanted to give folks who may not have been around for the weekend a last shot at this poll.

[Lucinda]

32. Nope. It HAS to be crepes now. I've already started researching.

:rofl:

[Inchworm]

33. Me too

I started with "what is a crepe"

:rofl::rofl:

[Lucinda]

34. LMAO

:thumbsup:

[hippywife]

36. Inchie...

you quack me up! :rofl:

[Inchworm]

37. Wait 'til garden season starts

I have all kinds of inventions in my mind just dying to get out :D

:rofl:

:hi:

[troubleinwinter]

38. I have been collecting "inspirations"!

Bacon-wrapped baby clams in mint-infused creme fraiche with stir-fried cantaloupe-potato salsa!! Macaroni stuffed crepes with sardines, cheddar, minced gherkins and sesame seed, drizzled with Grand Marnier!

[Lucinda]

40. What...no head cheese?

:P

[troubleinwinter]

43. Of course there is head cheese.

But it is a secret. I cannot share it yet.

[Lucinda]

47. Cool. Ya had me worried for a minute.

:9

[hippywife]

35. Well, it's looking like

you're pretty safe. I've been researching crepe fillings, too. :D

[troubleinwinter]

39. Yes, it's intriguing.

I am finding some ideas that I would not ordinarily make a whole pot of, but would try that are outside of my usual inclination.

Looking at a dish that is generally done in a pastry. I don't do pastries! But now I think I will try this.

I think I've already learned some things, just thinking about and researching this project.

[Lucinda]

41. I haven't even hit fillings yet.

:rofl:
I'm still selecting the crepe. :eyes:
Buckwheat looks intriguing. :D

[troubleinwinter]

42. I ran across a sour dough starter crepe thingie.

I don't keep starter, but it was interesting: A use for the portion of sour dough starter that one would otherwise dump out and waste! I only recall that it was 3/4 c starter to 1-1/4 c flour in ordinary batter proportions.

Neat idea?

[wryter2000]

44. Wow.

I am so going to try that. I have some starter going. It isn't fully activated, but I'm keeping it alive. I won't need lift for crepes, and the taste is very good.

[Lucinda]

46. Yup! It is.

Thankie for mentioning it. :)