05/09/08 CS's Chat

my good morning came through but where if is what I wrote? and this was the third try to get it to go through.  this site is trying to drive me nuts and it is working.lol

we are having rain and some thunder so will try to post later on .

hope this goes through

Good morning, Everyone –

ZORA, I don’t have to celebrate Lost Sock Day, because I buy same brand & style black and white socks (too hard to discern colors), but when laundering socks for family of 6, matching and folding socks was nearly a nightmare!  I wasn’t smart enough to buy small mesh laundry bags & teach anyone to put their socks in their own bags (they quite often didn’t even hit the laundry hamper!).  Hmmm……did they even have mesh laundry bags ‘back in the day’???  J

PEG, I sneak flax seed into baked goods for its nutritional value- - - “Flax promotes cardiovascular health. The ultra-high levels of omega-3 fatty acids lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels”, etc.  I find it doesn’t add any distinctive flavor, & people don’t know it’s in their brownies or coffee cake.  (But it does kind of ‘lax’ me, so don’t use too much.  BTW, there’s nothing wrong with a coconut & pineapple flavor blend, so go for it!  For the coconut, I buy unsweetened  c. at a local health food store, since I’ve never seen the frozen bags in this area.

MABEL, yea! For DS coming up in June, and a Boo Hiss! for the trash scavengers who leave a mess.

I’m making BBQ beef for sandwiches for tomorrow, so will get the crock pot going in a little while.

Big wishes, waves, and smiles for each of you - Helen

Good morning from a cool Indiana, it's only 53 out there & the heat has been kicking on.  DH out hauling last seasons corn, so he's busy.

Zora..........this neighbor farms 3500 acres, some in corn & some in soy beans, now you see why he needs seasonal help, can't do it all by himself, that's a lot of acres.

Just got the bathrooms cleaned & a load of towels in the washer.  Have talked to DD #1 this morning, she's still waiting on a plasma center for a job, hope it gets here soon, am getting concerned.

Don't know what I'll have for dinner this evening, nothing sounds good right now, will think about it this afternoon.  Will curl up on the couch & read the afternoon away.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Pennybrown

TIPPY, you sure know how to turn my eyes green, with your description of the birds you serve at your backyard restaurant!  Beautiful vision!

BTW, I just can't face editing my prior post, so please forgive me for font changes as well as unclosed parentheses.  I'm trying to wean myself off them entirely, since I so often forget to close them.  What did SANDY used to say?  Bad Helen!

 Here is JP's bread recipe.  She sent it to me yesterday to try to post!!

Zora

                     
* Exported from MasterCook *

                            Basic Bread Recipe

Recipe By     :
Serving Size  : 0     Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    :

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  4               cups  very warm tap water (I use hot)
     1/4          c.  sugar
     1/2          cup  canola oil
  1               tbsp  salt
  1               tbsp  lemon juice (don't always use)
                   a handful whole flax
     1/4          cup  ground flax
  2               eggs -- slightly beaten
  2               generous tbsp Fermipan (instant) yeast
                   about 10 c. flour (I use about 6c. whole wheat + 4 c. Unbleached

In my water I add the oil, sugar and salt, stir in lemon juice and egg. Begin adding flour, about  3-4 cups. Then add yeast. Add more flour until you have a soft, pliable dough, not too sticky...I wait until my dough leaves the sides of my machine. Then I knead it for about 4 minutes on the lowest speed.

Take dough out of machine and put into well greased bowl. Cover with clean towel and let rise until double. Punch down, turn over, and let rise again.

Grease 5-4 1/2" x 8 1/2" loaf tins, or 4-9"x5" tins.

On greased cookie sheet, or clean counter surface, cut bread dough into evenly sized pieces and form into loaves. *** tops with fork to help air bubbles escape. Let rise in pan till doubled or nicely rounded above top. Bake at 350*F for 30-35 minutes or if you have convection, like I do, bake at 325*F for about 26-28 minutes. Take loaves out of pan onto cooling racks and cover until cooled.

Variation:

For Raisin Bread, use all enriched or unbleached flour, or use 1-2 c. whole wheat flour. I don't measure, but use at least 2-3 c. raisin and a pkg. of currants. Cut back on the flax, if desired.

For Onion, Garlic and Cheese Bread, use basic recipe adding a finely chopped onion and an envelope onion soup mix, several cloves garlic, finely minced, and about 2 c. grated cheddar cheese. Add 1-2 tbsp. Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning (Club House).Just put it into the water at the beginning. You can cut back on the flax.

If you feel adventurous, add a good handful cut up carrots, celery, a chunk of cabbage, onions and garlic which have been put into the blender with some of the hot water. Again, add some Spicy Spaghetti Seasoning.

Enjoy!

Source:
  "JP-Cookin' Seniors"
S(Internet Address):
  ""
                                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : As I have a Bosch Universal this method works well for
me. Makes 5 4.5"x 8.5" loaves or 4-9"x5" loaves

Sunny and cold here. Tomorrow we expect more snow. Oh, well, what can you do? The joys of living in the north. But, my irises are poking out. They’re only about an inch tall but every little bit counts.

I’m fine, Zora, thanks for asking. The 24-hour bug was just that – 24 hours. Seems like everyone I know has had it.

Tippy, I’m so envious of the spring show going on in your yard. And love your description of all the activity!

Hugs and doggie kisses to Rosie and Daisy. Thank you for letting us know, Beverly. Hope both get better quickly.

Off to do some more work around this place then I can sit and relax and play.

(((Anne)))          (((Sally)))      (((Rosie)))       (((Daisy)))     and a lot of extras for everyone else who needs them.

Have a wonderful afternoon and evening, everyone.

Grace

I haven't had internet since Monday when I had a cable systemput in and they made mistakes - had to have a technician come this morning and fix it.  I am mechanically impaired and can't try anything myself.

Went to the spine doc, whotold memy back is a mess and will getworse.  At my age surgery is not an option.  He has referred me to a new pain doc to see if he can help that.  I doubt it as I have had 3 unsuccessful shots, elec stim wires for $26,000.  Meds will make me groggy so I take darvocet to take the edge off, but not often.  I can feel the aging process going on all too well.  Fortunately my mind is fine, and I do prefer that than the reverse.

I bo't 3 tomato plants, a few onion sets, lettuce, arugula seeds, and wonder beans, which will be my garden.  Oh, yes; I got 4 pots of geraniums, too.  My son will implant them!  I forgot the marigolds to prevent tomato worms.

Last nite my fridge started making noise every time the motor comes on - sounds like a cross between a cat and a mouse.  I'll get help and hope the compressor can be replaced if that should be the problem. 

I haven't been warm since I got home- the temp set at 79 isn't enuf!  I have a sweat shirt on again, and still shiver.  Wish I were still in Fla.!!!!  Nancy B

Hello ALL:   We had rain last night but the sun is out in full force today.

Mother's day has already started++++++received an overnight card this morning from DS#!

He was here last weekend and will not be able to be here for Mothers Day and a dozen

purple roses from DD#1 in TX++she will not be able to come to Ga, the roses are really

beautiful.++you would not believe I had a vase that matched them. She is in organic "stuff"

and these were raised a special way.

Liza is waiting for her lunch (me too) so I will check back later.

I know for a fact that the coconut cake is a "keeper".. I have made it many times. As for the

frozen coconut,,, you have to really hunt it in the grocery store (if  they carry it) not in the

usual place for coconut. I have two pkgs in my freezer (Tropic Isle) is the brand name.

(((((HUGS))))) for ALL again

Merle

Roast Beef Poor Boys

The poor boy sandwich is one of the essential flavors of New Orleans, and the roast beef is the king of the poor boys. The sandwich was invented in the mid-1920s during a streetcar strike. Bennie and Clovis Martin, owners of a busy restaurant on the corner of Touro and St. Claude, helped the "poor boys" on the picket lines by making a sandwich on French bread of roast beef gravy and all the little bits of beef that came with it. It was filling and delicious, and at a nickel apiece affordable. After the strike was over, sliced beef was added to the gravy and the price went up to a lofty dime. All that was left was for the John Gendusa Bakery to devise an extra-long loaf of French bread, uniform in cross section, specifically for making poor boys. The sandwich--soon stuffed not only with roast beef but about anything else you can imagine--became so popular that the restaurant renamed itself "Martin's Poor Boy Restaurant" (not po-boy, although that has become the more common spelling).

Making roast beef for poor boys is more about making gravy than roasting beef. Inside round seems to taste best, but some cooks like eye of round or even ribeyes. It's best to cook the beef the day before, because it will throw off lots of good juices for the gravy, and the cold beef will be easier to slice. You can keep the gravy in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator for a few weeks, or freeze it for even longer storage.

The most critical step in making a roast beef poor boy is to put the whole, assembled sandwich into a hot oven for two or three minutes before serving it. The flavor and aroma of the toasted french bread doubles the goodness.

1. Season the beef round with salt and pepper. Put it in a Dutch oven or kettle filled about a third of the way up with water. Add the onion, celery, garlic, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, and peppercorns. Roast it, uncovered, at 350 degrees for four to six hours, turning the roast and adding water every hour or so. The water level should slowly drop, but don't let it get less than about two inches deep. The beef is ready when a meat thermometer pushed into the center of the beef read 160 degrees.

2. Remove the roast from the pot and place in a pan that will catch all the juices that come out as it cools. If you're cooking a day ahead (recommended), wrap the beef and refrigerate it as soon as it's cooled to room temperature.  In any case, wait at least an hour before slicing.

3. Strain the solids from the stock in the pot. Bring the stock to a simmer. After removing excess fat, add all the juices that come from the roast, as well as the crumbs of beef that fall off as you slice it. Skim off the fat that rises to the surface. Cook to a light gravy consistency. (This also benefits from being made a day ahead, and cooling in the refrigerator.)

4. When you're ready to make sandwiches, bring the gravy to a simmer and whisk in the flour (but only if the gravy appears to need thickening). Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire to taste. (It's a common practice in New Orleans to add Kitchen Bouquet to darken the sauce, but I never do.)

5. Slice the roast beef as thin as possible and put as much as you want on fresh French bread with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and dill pickles. Spoon on all the gravy the sandwich can hold. After assembling the sandwich, put the whole thing into a 400-degree oven for about a minute to toast the bread.

Makes twelve to eighteen poor boys.

Hi Y'all -

Lotsa Sock Puppets?!!!!!!

Zora & Lois - thanks for the frozen coconut info.  Must be a regional thing - have never seen it.  When the coconuts fall (neighbor has trees) I usually grate some fresh & freeze my own.  But when I have to I resort to the "bagged stuff", I usually toast lightly before using.

Zora - love oyster po-boys.  In New England they make a pseudo one using lobster meat.

Rosie - you & that lil fur baby take care - y'all hear

Grace - thanks so much for the update on (((Anne))).

Nancy Z -how encouraging that Russell is doing better day by day

Beth - glad you're "up" again.  I woulda been sitting out w/you in those temps.

Nancy B - guess I must have missed it - where in FL were you?  I'd be wearing sweats too.

Helen - that's what I've been trying with my flax seeds - also added to meatloaf.  Haven't had that "lax" sensation yet, but will have to watch out lol

Used to have a great po-boy recipe - but haven't made it in years.  If I find it, will post.

Hugs & Prayers to all - Peg

• Hi all,
•  First, thank God for the good news on Russell and Anne...
• I've been trying to read a little each day but haven't really done well with it.  Walt drove Mom and I into town for our hair cuts this morning and that has totally zapped me.
• Did get to talk to Beverly for a few before we went, thanks for the call.  Hopefully will see you in a couple of weeks.
• Anywhoo, we are fine for a couple of old women.  Sammie said she would send Emily the nurse's hat back early next week and thanks her for the loan.
• Wish I lived closer, Mabel, I haunt the thrift shops for jigsaw puzzles.  Can't the VA use them?
• Hugs and prayers to everyone because YOU are loved.

I just typed this really long message and it went up in smoke. Reiman denied access because of a security violation, I wish they would tell me what kind of violation.

I am off to get the mail and then I am just going to crash on the couch and watch Ghost Whispers. Tomorrow we go grocery shopping and then back home.

Sending hugs and prayers for all those that need them. Will try to stop in after shopping tomorrow.