Foodlovers Foodtalk Forum
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For Foodlovers to talk about recipes, cooking, and everything else foodie!
Re: Just an Xmas Moan - 3 months ago
Griz, I do sympathise with you in dealing with your various family members' dietary limitations. I'm thinking that in a funny way, they are actually paying you a compliment, as they know how capable you are in the kitchen, but I'm not sure that they realise how much pressure it puts on you. That said, I would never impose my "can't haves' (if I had any) on any host - there is always somethinby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: To MSG or not to MSG! - 3 months ago
Interesting article Irene, thank you for the link. I recall when I visited the US in the late 80's,I heard people ordering off restaurant menus specifying 'no MSG" - there was certainly a movement against it in those days. Yes how funny that food 'fashion' changes - remember when eggs were the baddy, no more than one a week, they said (I think they were supposed to be bad for cholesterolby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: The Effects of Technology? - 6 months ago
Yes, the obsession with devices and technology is diminishing our social skills and possibly even our ability to think logically. I am sure that there is research into human cognitive ability going on in this regard so that it can be compared in say 10, 20, 50 years time. Helen, I am reminded of the book on my bookshelf Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps, by Allan & Barbara Peby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Whole Smoked Chickens - Can't buy them now? - 6 months ago
Danube, I've just been looking at New World on-line and it seems that some of their stores still stock the Turks whole butterflied smoked chicken that I referred to earlier - 1.35kg, $14.99. It seems odd that they do not feature on the Turks website, nor do they appear to be available anywhere else. So it might be worth going online and seeing if any New Worlds near you stock them. Regardsby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Whole Smoked Chickens - Can't buy them now? - 6 months ago
Yes I agree with Dawn - a smoked chicken breast now costs about the same as a whole smoked chicken used to, so that would push the cost of a whole chicken up to the point where it would not be viable to produce them. Also, there was a big recall of Turks smoked chickens two or three years ago, because they were potentially under-cooked in the middle. It was at about that time, as I recall, thby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: cheese sauce for lasagne - 8 months ago
Like others, I don't the taste of a cheese sauce made with flour in a lasagne and its often too sloppy. The lasagne recipe that I have made for years has layers of mozzarella, parmesan and ricotta cheese instead of a cheese sauce. That said, I would like to try the sour cream one - thanks for the idea Gran. Regards, Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: SOS 90th Birthday tomorrow! - 8 months ago
Hi Judy, I hope that your blinis turned out well and that you have a lovely birthday celebration for your mother-in-law. Blinis are something that I unashamedly don't make myself, the same as pastry. I always have a pack of Marcel's free-flow frozen blinis on hand - at just under $10 for a pack of 50, the economics seem to stack up better, not to mention the convenience of being able to taby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Favourite sides ideas/recipes? - 9 months ago
I love beans too Irene - himself not so much - and our son when he was little wasn't a fan of peas (despite the Green Drops from Greenland story that I used to trot out). The upshot is that we learned to compromise and have peas and beans mixed together - with their different shapes and textures, it seemed to work. Our son has now left home, but the olds still continue the tradition, and I alby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: How to stop Milo/hot chocolate forming a rock hard block - 9 months ago
Try storing your Milo in the hot water cupboard. Although I don't drink Milo, I keep powdered chicken and beef stock there to stop them absorbing moisture and going hard, so I assume the same would apply. I also keep ice cream cones there to stop them absorbing moisture and going soft. Regards. Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Skinless boneless chicken inspiration please - 9 months ago
Hi Danube - my favourite thing to do with chicken breasts is Chicken Parmigiana - there are plenty of recipes on the internet, some of which suggest making your own tomato sauce but I just use passata which is perfectly adequate. Regards, Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Top Quality Fleece Sheets - 9 months ago
I have just purchased a set of these sheets and received them yesterday - they are beautifully soft and lovely quality. I washed them and dried them in the drier, and I was amazed how little lint came out of them, which is surely a good sign of quality. I bought mine from Linen Boutique and with 10% discount for a first purchase and free delivery, I am very impressed. Thank you J1 for theby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Date Scones - 10 months ago
I have just been reading an article on Stuff about the best date scones in town (Christchurch) at the Sign of the Kiwi Cafe. They say the secret is that they don't chop the dates, but leave them whole and soak them in warm water for 30 mins before adding to the mixture. I hadn't heard of that technique for scones, although for sticky date pudding you always soak the dates with baking soda and boby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: chokos - 10 months ago
I was in a friend's garden today - she has a huge choko vine which is climbing everything that it can find, including the side wall of her house which is plaster, so nice and grippy, and her big olive tree which it is threatening to overtake - no wonder they are called chokos!!. It is fruiting prolifically - I think it must be a good season for them this year with all the rain we've had. Reby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Choice at the supermarket - 10 months ago
Yes, agree J1 - Paseo 3 ply is the one I buy and find it perfectly acceptable. I like the long rolls. Regards, Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: chokos - 10 months ago
Gran, if you google 16 Fabulous Choko Recipes, you'll see a website called Cooking with Nana Ling. You might see something you like there. Regards, Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Colonial goose - 11 months ago
Chris, I am looking at exactly the same edition of the Edmond's cookbook as you - my late mother's 1971 edition. On page 116, the heading says 'stuffings' and in little letters underneath 'or forcemeat'. So all of the recipes on that page can be regarded as forcemeat. - so you're right, the third one down is the one you'd be using for Colonial Goose, which I'd regard as a regular stuffing, althoby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Tried ChatGPT? - 11 months ago
I haven't tried ChatGPT personally, but I have read a bit about it. I know universities are pretty concerned that students are going to 'dial up' essays and assignments - they say their plagiarism detection software will pick it up and I guess not quoting sources is a dead giveaway. I was reading a piece about a someone who, as an experiment, submitted an essay supplied by ChatGPT to a univerby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Saveloys - 11 months ago
...and remember to prick the skins with a fork before immersing in water.. In defence of the humble saveloy, (which we often had at home in the weekend when I was young, slathered with copious quantities of tomato sauce and accompanied by white buttered bread, and I'm still alive), are they not just reminiscent of the current and very trendy 'nose to tail' eating movement, where every part ofby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: sun valley silver cachous - 11 months ago
The only thing I have ever used them for (and don't now), is Christmas shortbread. Can you remember what you bought them for Plates? IMHO, if you haven't needed them for seven years then there is probably something else more worthy of your pantry space. Regards, Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Slow Cooker meat recipes - 11 months ago
That looks nice and super easy J1. It also reminds me of the question - whether or not neat should be browned before putting in a slow cooker - I notice you don't in this recipe.. Some say definitely brown first as it adds flavour, others say it doesn't matter. Let's face it if you have to brown the meat and saute the onions first, you might as well put the casserole in the regular oven. Whaby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Slow Cooker meat recipes - 11 months ago
Hi Sumar - lamb shanks are really nice in the slow cooker. I use Chelsea Winters recipe - Utterly Glorious Lamb Shanks. Corned beef is another cut of meat often cooked in a slow cooker - I personally don't like the resulting mushy texture but try it and see what you think. Any casserole recipe can be used in a slow cooker, just reduce the liquid. Happy slow cooking! Regards, Barbby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Top Quality Fleece Sheets - 1 year ago
Yes, agree, it doesn't seem to matter how much you pay for them, they seem to pill. That said, I have recently become aware that there is a difference between brushed cotton and flannelette sheets - brushed cotton are brushed on one side only and flannelette on both sides. I have always purchased flannelette, so next time I'm going to try brushed cotton, just to see if there is a difference.by Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Non-Foodie Chat
Re: Hummus food recall - possible presence of Salmonella - 1 year ago
Stephanie, I admire your positive attitude in the face of what you've been through down there and a wrecked garden - take care, and I hope that your garden is one day even better than it was before.. I was at a friend's place the other day and spotted a tub of hummus in the fridge in one of the varieties that have been recalled and with a recall BB date. It was nearly finished, so, on the spuby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Hummus food recall - possible presence of Salmonella - 1 year ago
Yes, you're right, TPANDAV - contaminated tahini from Turkey. Have just finished a pot of Lisa's original hummus with garlic and lemon, but looking in the bin, I see that it was not BB one of the dates listed. I am sure that a lot of the product in question has already been consumed given that the BB dates are quite close. Regards, Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Air Fryer0 - 1 year ago
Interesting article J1 - it explains it all very well. I recently bought, on a whim and on special at Harvey Norman, a Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer. I too had been caught up in this air fryer hype and, until then, had resisted buying one, asking myself - do I need more appliances? how much would I use it? where am I going to keep it? etc. The machine that I bought is a bench top combinatiby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Egg supply - 1 year ago
Lyn, I have been hearing about the temperatures down there, in fact I think the word drought is being mentioned, which is ironic considering what is going on in the North Island. Waihola is part of my old stamping ground - lovely lake and the best fish and chips and seafood in that little shop. I was brought up in Outram on the Taieri Plain - my brother and SIL now run the family farm and theby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Egg supply - 1 year ago
I was just reading a piece on the internet about the fire. It remains a mystery as to what caused it to start at 7.20am and investigations are ongoing. Thankfully all workers on site at the time managed to escape safely. Apparently the buildings (two out of Zeagold's 12) are relatively new and were built to compliant specifications with fire retardant walls, so I guess it could have been worse.by Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: cooking string - 1 year ago
I may be wrong but looking at my string in the kitchen drawer, I think it's thicker than normal cotton string. I see Countdown has it - Homeliving brand - Cooking Time - two balls for $5. TPANDAV, I am reminded of my Christmas turkey on the rotisserie a few years back which, he who shall remain nameless, trussed beautifully....using what turned out to be synthetic string.... Regards, Baby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: Homemade ice crem - 1 year ago
That looks nice, Heather - I like Nagi's recipes, always reliable. I have just purchased the summer edition of Mindfood In Season - there is a section on ice cream including recipes and helpful hints. I look forward to trying some. Regards, Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk
Re: NZ Lamb on special price - 1 year ago
$14.50 per kilo this week in Countdown - I wonder why? It's getting a bit like Briscoes - never buy anything at full price as a 'sale' is just around the corner. Regards, Barbara Anneby Barbara Anne - Foodlovers Food Talk