On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:45:23 -0500, Damsel in dis Dress wrote:

> On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:00:17 -0600, "Janet Bostwick"
> > wrote:
>
>>"brooklyn1" > wrote in message
. ..
>>>
>>> "Phyllis Stone" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>
>>>> What is puzzling to me is I will make something, using a recipe, and like
>>>> it. So I write 'this is good' on it and put it in the file, the next time
>>>> I make it, not so good. It is like recipe demons come and mess with it.
>>>>
>>> That's a problem with relying on recipes, one never learns to cook.
>>
>>Does anyone use a recipe for soup?
>
> I do. Once my memory started going, I tried to measure and write down
> everything I normally did by the dump and taste method. I'm glad I
> did, because otherwise, I wouldn't even remember I'd ever made some of
> that stuff in the first place.
>
> Carol

i don't see what's wrong with using a recipe, despite the scorn (in
sheldon's case, the scorn of an idiot) some people have for it. you can
always do something different than what the recipe says once you get into
it.

trying to remember whether it's 1/4 or 1 teaspoon of cayenne seems like
foolishness to me.

your pal,
blake

On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:00:09 -0600, Christine Dabney wrote:

> On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:31:41 -0700 (PDT), maxine >
> wrote:
>
>>I have the book "Soup, a way of life" by Barbara somebody. Full of
>>recipes that will make good jumping off places for a good homemade
>>soup.
> Barbara Kafka. She has written many worthy cookbooks and books on
> food. She was a compatriot of James Beard and often taught with him.
> Her recipes work well.
>
> She also wrote the Microwave Gourmet.
>
> Christine

i did end up buying that for my dad, and a copy for myself. haven't really
looked at it yet.

your pal,
blake

On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 13:11:34 -0700, Dimitri wrote:

> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Yesterday I made beef barley soup. It was so bad, so tasteless, that I
>> threw it out. I have no idea what was wrong. It tasted thin, no flavor
>> at all. Last night I made brownies and ended up with a batch that
>> developed a paper thin floating crust on top that shattered everywhere and
>> over-baked them. I made the brownies again tonight to do them right. I
>> was very methodical about how I made them, I reviewed the recipe before
>> panning them. I even commented to my husband how much different the batter
>> was tonight -- very thick -- which I attributed to some mistake that I
>> had made last night. As I was cleaning the kitchen after putting the
>> brownies into the oven, I found the uncracked eggs sitting on the counter.
>> Bah!!!!! I quit!!! Let someone else do the cooking until my personal
>> kitchen gremlins leave on vacation.
>> Janet
>
> Been there done that.......
>
> :-(
>
> Like everyone else except Sheldon...
>
> Dimitri

since sheldon is superman, he just flies backwards in time and corrects his
mistakes. spooks the shit out of his herd of cats, though.

your pal,
blake

In article
>,
Lynn from Fargo Ografmorffig > wrote:

> > > * * *I use Pastorio's "Cream of anything recipe" for cream soups,
> > > otherwise
> > > I just wing it......Sharon
> >
> > Hey, I have that on file if anyone needs it. :-)
>
> Yes, Om. Post it, please.
> Thank you
> Lynn in Fargo
> always called it "Cream of Whatever".

Here ya go. :-)

Pastorio's Cream of "Anything" soup.

This is a basic formula for any cream soup. It's roux-based and cream
gets added at the end. It can be made with milk, and I've seen it that
way, but the richness of cream just makes it better.

1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery coarsely chopped
6 ounces butter (1 1/2 sticks)
6 ounces flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 gallon chicken stock
1 pound of "anything" (see below)
1 pint heavy cream

Saute the onion and celery in butter in large saucepan or small stockpot
until sweated. Add flour, stir in well and cook for about 5 minutes.
Whisk in stock and simmer for 30 minutes, skimming occasionally. Add
solids, return to boil, reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add
cream, correct/add seasonings. Leave chunky or puree with wand or
countertop blender. Serve.

"Anything" can be mushrooms, diced chicken or turkey, asparagus, onion
or leek, green beans, broccoli, winter squash, tomato pulp, cauliflower,
artichoke hearts, shrimp, carrots, lobster, roasted garlic puree, or
whatever... Or some interesting combination. Also can add rice or pasta
to extend. Cheeses. A little chopped bacon. Substitute part lard or
bacon fat for the butter. Olive oil instead. Yogurt for part of the
cream (in which case, add more butter).

Pastorio
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

On Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:00:09 -0600, Christine Dabney
> fired up random neurons and synapses to
opine:

>Barbara Kafka. She has written many worthy cookbooks and books on
>food. She was a compatriot of James Beard and often taught with him.
>Her recipes work well.

Word up, Christine :-) One of my favorite Barbara Kafka cookbooks is
_The James Beard Celebration Cookbook_, which is also a nostalgia
favorite. It's actually attributed to the James Beard Foundation, but
she edited it. It's a tribute to him, "featuring 225 recipes from his
own kitchen as well as from his students..." It not only has some
really good recipes, but some very nice anecdotes about James Beard
from the contributors.

Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd

--

"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "meatloaf" with "cox"