Tuesday, June 7, 2011

I Know What You 'THINK' It Is...But You're Wrong!!

     I've been meaning to talk to you about this for a while. Not 'this' photo, but 'this' book I got in the mail a little while back...
      It's a little book....Well, a magazine....a Martha Stewart magazine, called everyday FOOD. Somebody sent it to me. I don't know who, but THANK YOU!! It has 56 recipes of 'ready to eat' food! Well...not exactly ready to eat, because 'YOU' have to make it 'ready to eat'! Ha! Ha!
    When I was flipping through it initially, the header photo was what caught my eye. What do you think it is?!...If you're me, the ever-loving food, potato-loving girl that I am, you immediately think: "YUM!!! 'Ready to eat' mashed potatoes with lots of butter!!" :-)
      But when you look closer you find out that it's NOT mashed potatoes! It's creamy artichoke dip!!!...Really?....Yep! And therein lies my problem...I've never eaten an artichoke, nor would I know how to prep one for eating!!
     That got me to thinking about other foods that I've heard about, but never eaten...nor would I know how to fix or eat...And don't you be laughing either! ^_^ Just because I know how to fix pig ears, but artichokes baffle me! You 'MUST' have something that baffles you in the food world...don't you?!
       Before I get started, let me just say: "To each his own". So this is not a critique on whether these foods are 'worthy' of eating. They are just foods that baffle 'ME'! And here is my short list: Artichokes...obviously! But then there's oysters {Why!...I mean, WHY would you eat that....yechk!! They look like something that comes out of your nose when you have a bad cold!! O_0}; Starfruit {I'm not even sure how to cut it!}; brains {I have enough problem 'using' mine!}; beef tongue {something you eat, trying to eat you back, is how I think of this! LOL}; and Octopus or Calamari.
    Don't get me wrong....being baffled by them doesn't mean I would 'NEVER' try them!I just haven't, or haven't been compelled to, eat them yet! I mean, I'm a girl that has eaten some strange foods in my day, so I don't take a 'never-gonna-do-that' attitude about most things food-wise...I've eaten rattlesnake, squirrel, red dirt, tripe, Chitlins, and pig tail and ears!...and that's my short list! ^_^
      There were some other foods in this everyday FOOD magazine that I'd never heard of before too. Like Spanakopita...
      It looks REALLY good, but I knew I was in trouble when I was reading the recipe and it started out by saying: "Crisp phyllo tops a fresh-tasting spinach-and-feta filling..." Uhhh...'Phyllo'? What's that?!...*sigh*...So, I probably wouldn't even be able to fix it because I wouldn't know where to go in the store to pick up the ingredients even!!! O_0
     I do know Spinach....and Mac and Cheese! So this....
      ...I'm good with it! :-]
     And say no more when you show me a picture of sauteed collards with Bacon!
      Just point me to the kitchen, and get out of my way!!! :-)) 
    I won't bore you with all of  the photos, but there are some things in this magazine that I'm looking forward to getting my lips on...like 'Pistachio-Apricot Granola', 'Buttery Shrimp and Radish Pasta', 'Spring Vegetable Pizzas', and a 'Sausage and Swiss Chard Strata'. Okay....so I don't know what a Strata is either! Ha! Ha! But I see the picture, and some things are just worth going outside of your comfort zone to try....NOW!! ^_^
        Are you drooling too?! ^_^
     Also in this magazine....'Simple Lemon Cake', 'Fudgy Rocky Road Bars', 'Gooey Layered Everything Bars' (with Oats, chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and coconut, people!!!), 'Citrus Bars', 'Lacy Almond-Orange Cookies', and 'Apple Matzo Cake'!!!...I think I'm good with these! :-)
    So...are there foods that you've never eaten? Foods that baffle you?! Wanna share?! :-] ... Time for me to do some cooking!....This old poem is very appropriate! :-)


Cooking

Flipping, Frying,
Flambeing, Filleting,
Burning, Browning,
Paring, Pureeing.

Boiling, Baking,
Mixing, Making,
Simmering, Scaling,
Sifting, Shaking.

Cooking, Crackling,
Cutting, Coring,
Sprinkling, Spattering,
Patting, Pouring,

Broiling, Battering,
Steeping, Steaming,
Timing, Tossing,
Cubing, Creaming,

Slicing, Scrambling,
Turning, Toasting,
Melting, Measuring,
Rinsing, Roasting.

Dipping, Dicing,
Skimming, Sauteing,
Poaching, Peeling,
Mincing, Microwaving.

Gathering, Grilling
Basting, Barbecuing,
Hacking, Heating,
Scoring, Skewering.

Standing, Stirring,
Rough, Tough,
Kitchen, Ditching,
Had Enough! 

16 comments:

  1. Go to Pizza D'Action on Lyman Street in Holyoke (tell Scott or Fran that Maggie sent you) and order their Spanikopeta and a small salad. Perfect summer meal! YUM. MEE.

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  2. Holyoke Home, Ooooo! Really?! Gotcha! I'll let you know how it goes! ;-)...And thanks!

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  3. haha! i love it! i like eating artichokes, but i have no idea how to prepare them, either! and i was sure that top photo was mashed potatoes, crazy!

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  4. s + b, WOW! You know how to eat artichokes!! LOL I need a lesson! Sounds like you're already in better shape than me! ^_^

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  5. I love artichoke dip!! It's to die for with fresh rye bread!! My mouth is watering. But I have to say, I would never have thought that since artichoke dip is usually chunkier than that. I thought it was hummus! LOL
    I love a lot of different foods! I love Tabbouleh! I crave it! My mouth waters as I write this!! I love anything with feta cheese and phyllo dough! Yummy!
    I don't like lobster. I know...what's wrong with me! I just don't like it! I don't like asparagus. My husband loves it! I make it for him, but I'm not a fan.
    I love peas! Do you?
    Anyway...it IS good to widen out your tastebuds from time to time. I try everything I said I don't like from time to time. Sorry...I still don't like it! LOL
    Thanks for the post!

    ENTER ME

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  6. Deb, uhmmm.... where do I start? I have eaten tongue, artichokes, frog legs, alligator,
    tripe,and cow brains for my short list. I guess I would try some new things every now and then. As to the Phyllo it is used for making Baklava and is actually called filo pastery. Baklava is Greek and it is really good. Good luck if you try some of those new things. Have a good evening!!!!!

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  7. CinLynn, Soooo...You're an artichoke dip girl! :-) I guess I better put that on my list of things to try then...And what exactly is Tabbouleh? Something else new to me!...And Phyllo is dough?! I'm learning a whole lot from your comment! LOL...Now, you and I are the same with the lobster. I've had it many times...Not a fan. It doesn't have any taste to me...not even with all of the butter, and right out of the ocean. {Yeah! Had it that way too!} But asparagus? I LOVE IT!!!! :-) Well...with stuff. Not by itself. And I like peas too, black eyed peas more than green peas. I'm really more of a beans girl. Pinto beans, lima beans, kidney beans, etc...And you're right about widening out the palate. I'd be game for just about anything...at least once! :-))

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  8. SnowflakeDreams1, WOW! Your short list is pretty good! And you reminded me about the frogs legs. I've had those too..once! Also rabbit. I forgot that earlier. :-)) But 'Whoa Nellie'!! Alligator?!! You are brave AND adventurous!!...Thanks for the info about the Phyllo dough. And I've heard of Baklava, but I thought it was some kind of custardy dessert. I've got some other things to try now! :-) Thanks!...And you have a good evening too!

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  9. First off, phyllo comes in sheets in a box, in the freezer section. When thawed, you can take each individual sheet, butter it, add another sheet, etc. till as many as you like. I use it sometimes for the crust on my pot pies! It's crispy and flaky! They make baklava with it.
    The other thing...Tabbouleh is a Lebanese salad, made with cracked wheat, cucumbers, garlic, tomatoes, green onions, fresh parsley and mint and fresh lemon juice! It may not sound that great (and I may have left something out), but it IS delicious!!

    Oh, and I love beans too! All kinds! Glad I'm not alone about not liking lobster. I always thought I was the only one! LOL

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  10. Ohhh! So Phyllo is sort of like pie dough, not bread dough!!...And I must confess, the Tabbouleh doesn't sound that good to me. I don't like the idea of the cracked wheat and the mint in my salad...but I'd try it. Who knows. Maybe I'd like it!...At least we're 'simpatico' about the lobster!! LOL

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  11. The images are delicious. Yummy. I bet this book is amazing!

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  12. It all looks amazing! you can find philo dough in the freezer section and you don't have to do a thing with it! easy peasy! you should start your adventure there, you'll freak out at how good it is! oh and i thought that top pic was hummus, haha! artichoke dip sounds sooo good though! nommmmmmm! xo ps. pig's tail? really? ewwwwww.

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  13. Thank goodness I had breakfast before reading this post or I would've been awfully hungry after seeing all of those photos. That food looks awfully tasty!

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  14. Priscila, Thank you! And the book really is amazing!! I have 2 of them now. I guess someone subscribed me...THANKS TO THEM!!! :-)

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  15. OttosMom, You and a lot of people are touting the marvels of Philo dough! I'm gonna have to check that out for sure!...And yes! Pig's tail, pig's feet, pig's ears, pig's intestines (chitlins), etc. What can I say....I had an interesting childhood that made all of that wonderful tasting goodness possible! :-))

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  16. Jo-anne, Ha! Ha! It sure does look tasty...and I'm hoping to taste most of it at some time or the other...'most' of it I say! LOL

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