turkey

Since I've nothing I want to do, I will now describe my one turkey cooking experience.

I had a coupon for a free grocery store turkey. I cooked it. It tasted of chemicals - really awful. I then realized that a whole turkey for me was pointless. I don't like the dark meat except in Ala King (helpful hint: add about 1/4 cup of dry sherry - it really makes a big, tasty difference. Fab, really) There's no point in cooking any more turkeys.

I pretty much quick cooking, well, for a couple of reasons, but mostly cause I kept burning up pots. I just started forgetting things were on the stove. Busy net surfing, falling asleep, whatever.

But then I heard about brining. Wanted to try it especially since my meat cooking skills are lacking (although that chicken I roased was really good. I combined a couple of recipes and it was great. Do I remember how? No.)

Very tasty results. I forgot one and it over cooked, but still was great for sandwiches. The other I over cooked because I read the directions wrong. It still tasted better than Mom's in a way. The meat was seasoned. I really recommending brining.

I saw a method for skipping the water part and salting steaks for awhile that produces the same effect. Blue Kitchen mentions it. He got it from another site. I don't remember which.

And Worcestershire Sauce? My dad always called it Lee and Perins. I know it says 'Lea', but don't find that relevant no matter how that's pronounced. The British say, "Wooster" (I think) which is a lot easier to pronounce. I think it's the name of a county, or titled family or something familiar to them. It's an English sauce, but the way, in case you don't know and are wondering why this matters. I've heard several people stumble and laugh. It's a tough one. I have to sound it out in sections and even then, I don't know if I need an 'r' or a 's' sound at times.

I've made 2 meatloafs. I don't like meatloaf. One was very involved, 30 minutes of chopping, tons of ingredients Amish recipe. It sucked real bad. The second was a simple recipe that came with a microwave. It was really good. Even I liked it.

So open that jar of sauce and live life. I recommend putanisca. No one adds enough olives, so I always add more black and green ones. It gives a comforting chew factor and makes a nice meat substitue. I liked Emerils' sauce best for taste, but it really teeny, tiny bits of olive I could barely see. Does he still make it? See? I need a better grocery.

The olive thing surprised me before. I've an olive pasta recipe that uses black and green, oil based that I really like. I'n not that fond of olives, but they're sure good in sauces. They add a lot of flavor, salt and vinegar probably, that gives a specialness to sauces. Try it and see what you think. That one's no meat, too.

Mom used to have a meatless meal once a week as she could. Spanish rice, no relation to authentic recipes but better, a cheese/canned chile spread heated on french bread, can't think of anything else - might not have been anything else...no, nothing's comming back. It was for bugeting reasons, not health especially, although she was a naturally healthy eater mostly. She wouldn't give up her mayonnaise and neither will I.

Ya, I know Rachel Ray hates it, but I hate arugala. Am I alone with this? I've never seen or heard anyone else mention it. It tastes so overwhelming nasty that I can't eat it all all, and I can eat a lot of things I don't like very much. Really. It's true. I got a bag of mixed lettuce that must have included it and I threw it out. I just can't eat it. Does everybody love it? I like the peppery end note but not enough to gag down the rest of it first. I learned to eat cilantro even though I wasn't fond of it at first. I never had to throw it out.

I have an excellent salsa recipe from the Frugal Gormet. Dad used one of his books. When he tried one of the recipes even he couldn't eat it. He used others successfully enough, but Dad ate everything. Literally. Limburger, head cheese, liverworst, scrapple. He loved and often relived his memories of (what's that raw beef with a raw egg and other condiments called?) He said they used scrapped steak, not hamburger. But that was 1925 San Fransisco and recipes and processes change. Did they use ground beef then? Doesn't matter - just curious.

A German woman had a fit when I said that cause her Mother makes it with ground meat so that's the only way. Did she mean hamburger or ground steak or what? I don't know, but fat content and which parts used are the only probably differences. She was easily threatened by differences.

a favorite recipe:

From Peg Bracken's "I hate to cook" book

In this order spread cheese spread (I've always used the Pimento Cheese and usually about 1 1/2 jars for my preference, but pick your flavor) on each half of a long french loaf. Cut horizontally, sweet works best for me. Sour toasts too hard.

I suppose you can remove some bread innards if you'd like. I never have and it's a pretty messy treat.

about 1- 1/2 lbs browned, seasoned hamburger, cooking some chopped onion with it helps

1 can sliced mushrooms, drained

some well chopped green onions, up to one bunch

1 1/2 cans tomato sauce, 8 oz size.

drizzel some oil on top 1-2 tbls? I dropped this step long ago.

Warning - part of the bread end and sides usually gets sogy. The cheese is supposed to prevent that, but never does for me.

Mom started making it when I was young. Think it's called 'Let 'er Buck' and was a suggestion for left over roast beef which I've never tried. The idea doesn't appeal to me, but live large and prosper. Try it with lamb if you'd like.