Snow and Cooking

[Jafo232]

Here I am staring out the window today, watching the snow come down, almost a foot so far. The kids are at their friends, and are now staying the night because it is too slick to drive back.. The wife, who is an EMT calls and says she can't make it back, so will work an extra shift until the roads get better. Myself, my work for the day is done so I ponder out the window..

The snow brings back a lot of memories, and many of them involve food. Remembering when I was a child and coming in on a snowy day with my mother waiting with a cup of hot chocolate, followed by a dinner of hot chicken soup to scare away the remaining cold.

Moving on to my adult life, I remember many a time in college, walking back from school during a miserable snow storm to get home and find my roommates concocting hot toddies and other such liquid delights.

I then think about my current life. Watching the kids come in the house applecheeked from the snow, sitting down and repeating the ritual I enjoyed: sipping hot chocolate.

Kind of gives you a nice warm feeling, which is good because now, I am off to shovel...

Happy Winter.

 

[KYHeirloomer]

Oh, yeah, Jafo. I remember those days.

Which is why I now live in a place that has a county ordnance against snow!

 

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

I must admit to being a wee bit envious of snow memories! Having grown up in Miami FL I can only remember cold as 40 degrees every now & then and we wore sweaters, never owned a coat, no central heat and one solitary kerosene heater to warm by on those cold days.
But....the tomato soup and tuna sandwiches we feasted on during our cold days were simply the best, and my mother made a goulash that was simply to die for! I still keep in touch with several of my childhood friends and they all fondly remember her goulash, the only problem: try as we might none of us have been able to make it exactly like she did so.......I wonder did our taste buds change or did we leave out some certain ingredient, or is it just one of those things we will never again feast upon in this lietime? I believe a little of all! Or hey....maybe we are just making it at the wrong time of the year .
Mom will not give up her secret and just says I don't remember what all I put in there, today is her 72nd Birthday, when I call her today I am going to once again ask her....knowing her response I will smile once again and say O.K. Mom!
Happy Winter Back at ya'!
CCCathy

 

[supercooker28]

this thread reminds me of when my mom would make us dessert from fresh snow.

it was like a snow cone, she would grab a bowl of snow then pour vanilla extract over it ... thats all

 

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

We got snow!

Hi Jafo,

We actually got snow here twice last week!!! How is the snow up your way? I feel sorry for my sister in Vermont, I could never survive the cold! EEKKKKK

The one good thing that I see about it though is that it makes you want to cook some nice hearty meals to fight the chill, and I love having the oven on when it's freezing outside!

I made some homemade pita bread and hummus the other night, along with a dip made of refried beans (used a smoked chipolte sauce in this dish YUM) and crawfish, with steamed asparagus. It kept getting colder outside and warmer in, I loved it .

Keep warm, CCCathy

 

[Jafo232]

I posted this originally back in Dec 13th. Most of the snow is gone, but it is just bitter cold now. It has been down in the single digits lately. Not as bad as some years where below zero was all too common.

I think I am going to buy some old fashion spray deodorant so as to help out global warming a bit...

 

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

COOL! Just use Right Guard and you'll be fine.

Speaking of Right Guard, that reminds me of football, are you going to have a Big Super Bowl party? If so you must start a thread and let us know what foods you'll be "Throwing Down" for the big event! I am not a fan of football but I still like to "act" the part and cook all kinds of goodies and have fun with it!

 

[Jafo232]

COOL! Just use Right Guard and you'll be fine.

Speaking of Right Guard, that reminds me of football, are you going to have a Big Super Bowl party? If so you must start a thread and let us know what foods you'll be "Throwing Down" for the big event! I am not a fan of football but I still like to "act" the part and cook all kinds of goodies and have fun with it!

You know, thanks for reminding me. I do need to get that started.. I usually make up some chili, and some sort of steak sandwiches. Occasionally I throw in a batch of Golumpkis too.

My good friend who owns a tavern next door to me always has a super bowl party and I usually end up cooking much of the food. I guess I have to go withdraw some beer money from the ATM and go have a chat with him this week.

 

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Yeah the planning can be just as fun as the actual event Steak sandwiches mmmm those sound good! (that's one I never thought of)

I must confess that is the one party each year I allow myself true over-indulgence. I feel terrible the next day, but it is so much fun I don't mind.
Some of my favorites over the years are as you said Chili, then Hormel's Little Smokies done in BBQ Sauce & grape jelly in a small crockpot, Baby-back ribs, Hot Artichoke Dip, and on and on the list goes. Then of-course there are all the drinks and yelling and cheering for "MY" team and by the end of the night............forget it "stick a fork in me I'm done"!

I do miss the good old Howard Cosell days of football, I was a huge Miami Dolphins fan. I don't know if you remember him or not, but he made football into a "pop cult icon" status in his days of football broadcasting. He was the guy you could "love to hate", but grew on you and you did not even realize until he was gone how dear he had become to you (like Julia Child).

Jafo here's wishing you alot of fun planning and throwing your own version of an incredible super bowl extravaganza, CCCathy

P.S. Your Golumpkis are on my list for this Saturday. I will let ya' know how they come out! On Sun. I am baking a Cuban Stuffed Pork Shoulder "a lo caja china" I saw on Bobby Flay's Throwdown last weekend, I am having to improvise just a little as I can not get Guava Shells here and am simply going to reduce down some guava nectar and use that. If it turns out good and is worth the effort I will post the recipe on a thread here.

 

[Jafo232]

Good luck on that stuffed shoulder. I saw that episode too, and thought about making it, but I don't have that wooden box to cook it in.

As for the steak sandwiches, here is what I made last year:

Jeffs Recipes » Cheesy Steak Sandwiches

I remember Howard well. I watched him more when it came to boxing. I remember many of the fun him and Ali (Casius Clay) used to have.

 

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Hello Jafo,

Your Golumpkis recipe made an awesome meal, they were delicious! I did use the crockpot and used 1 entire head of cabbage as I followed your directions and placed spare leaves around the bottom of the pot to place the rolls on.

We have decided upon Baby Back Ribs and Hot Wings as our meats for the super bowl party! But I tell you those steak sandwiches you make are definitely on my list for an upcoming weekend. But we have lots of wings in the freezer and need to use them up

Since my fiance is NY City born and raised we are of-course pulling for the Giants! And Tom Petty will be an added bonus at half-time!

Still freezing here, so had to heat up the oven last night and make a nice peach cobbler, I think I am going to post my recipe on the dessert forum.

Never got around to doing the Pork Roast so that is also in the near future. I like the idea of the box that he cooks them in but a hole in the yard works just as well, my Cuban neighbors always used that method. But who wants a big ole' hole in their yard? My landlord would evict me.

Thanks again for the great recipes, CCCathy

 

[Jafo232]

As a Ny'er we are definitely rooting for the Giants. I am naturally a Jets fan, so that also adds the "Anyone but New England" factor.

You know, ribs is a great idea! My wife just bought me a smoker, and that would be perfect for the superbowl party! In fact, I think I will go buy a rack today and get working on a recipe. Never used a smoker much in my life so I am still getting the hang of it. Need to get some more hickory chips.