The "Totally Off Topic" Thread

[Floh]

Then --------> take THIS, Sportslover: In Feb I'm hosting the US Embassies Food Pavillion. I met 3 of USA's chefs, lord, I am embarrassed to say I can't remembe them, but I am SURE fellow posters will know them!

One TEXAS-SIZED tall, dark & handsome Texas Chef. Wonderful guy
One great warm, excellent sense humour shorter True Southern Chef - has a restaurant in New Orleans - and gave me an unsual recipe for ... deep fried onions in batter and GUMBO! I was bug-eyed watching him make this stuff ... and then he threw me a set of those Mardi Gras beads - which are purple, green and yellow and dangling pride of place in my kitchen...

And then the 3rd chap was the leader - he's written books and came from West Coast. He's got a rest the 'stars' go to and for the living embarrassing life of me I cannot remember him or his rest. I was not working with htme - I attended their demos... and there were lotsa other chefs, but I was at the US section alot ... (good food ... the Texas chef did everything in mega proportions. A fillet to DIE for!)

Interesting thing, internet message boards, aren't they? you never know if someone is sincere or LYING THROUGH THEIR TEETH TO IMPRESS!

I'LL BOX YOUR EARS, I WILL. making me sooo jealous! :furious:

i love korean food and haven't had it for simply ages.

 

[Floh]

You and I would come to fist-o-cuffs over mince pies luv !
Total piggy here for mince pies...

You must have some British blood coarsing through your veins, is all i can say about that!

all my 18 mince pies for this season are all my 18 mince pies for this season - get it? :furious:

am i making myself clear, pet?

 

[raisincharlie]

You must have some British blood coarsing through your veins, is all i can say about that!

all my 18 mince pies for this season are all my 18 mince pies for this season - get it? :furious:

am i making myself clear, pet?

For some reason I knew that would get a rise out of you!

Yep, my Dad was American, Mom a Londonner through and through. Spent quite a few years there myself and it seems to me with 18 mince pies you could spare just one...

:truce:

 

[Floh]

By the way ... I never bake; just don't ... I always mess up. My cakes are out of the box :blushing: :blushing: - which is awful, but that way I know they'll stay.

Last year, I decided to try a fruit cake. Yeah. Right. I was the fruitcake - totally cooked.

WOULD LOVE a good recipe for those peanut butter cookies close was offering

... And ... (gulp) I am going to try a pecan pie... Any offers, lol?

My husband CHEATS with savory snacks. :banghead:

His fave fool-proof little Variety-Pack winner is virtually from ready-made products, lol

1 pack frozen puff pastry - thawed and unravelled & egg brushed.
The entire sheet cut into 1 and half inch squares - separated on sheet so they dont join in baking...

On each square, he presses one each of the following to make 3 different snacks:

A mix of olives and chopped/well strained s/dried tomatoes
Chopped salami and literally a couple strands grated cheese on top
Sprinkles of freshly fried but not too brown/crisped onions, sesame seeds a smattering of garlic

He dusts the whole lot with savory spices (garlic & herb and salt)

Bakes till pastry rises and is golden brown ...easy to freeze - easy to eat.

(OK. I'll give up, lol....)

Cheating is good and i give it the thumbs up!

i seldom bake, too, except sometimes i dip into Nigella Lawson's How To Be A Domestic Goddess:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Be-Domestic-Goddess-Comfort/dp/0701168889

Last time i made walnut and apple cake which did come out well but that was around 3 or 4 years ago.

now listen up: you need to visit a Waterstone's book shop which is so superiour to W.H.Smiths. there are loads of Waterstones in London, but i'm not sure about the rest od the UK. hang on, here's the website anyway:

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/home.do

 

[jilly]

British cousin in Las Vegas and i in Hamburg sit and have our pies together - yet 9 hours apart on video chat every year.

That's awesome Floh!!!:dance:

 

[Floh]

For some reason I knew that would get a rise out of you!

Yep, my Dad was American, Mom a Londonner through and through. Spent quite a few years there myself and it seems to me with 18 mince pies you could spare just one...

:truce:

I went to a party last night and as soon as i stepped through the door i was handed a piece of paper with 7 current affairs questions on it. i hate competitions anyway so i said i didn't have my glasses with and couldn't read it, so there. my friend appeared with a pair of off the shelf glasses saying he'd purchased them and 11 others from a friend for €1 for just such stroppy people such as i! so i was lumbered.

i dun the quiz. out of around 100 people i won. i won because i only have a virtual life and spend all seconds not working on the internet reading . . . everything.

i won a bottle of champagne. one of my friends there tried to tell me it would be polite to open it and share it as the runner-up had won a tin of Quality Street and immediately opened it and offered it round. i asked him if he was on drugs because if he thought i was going to share my champagne when i was staying at the party north of the river absolutely sober with the intention of making it home in one piece he was two slates short of a roof.

which leads me to tell you this: i don't share. i'm an only child and i don't play nicely with other children!

 

[Floh]

That's awesome Floh!!!:dance:

Fun, isn't it? around 4 or 5 times a week we have a cup of tea together - english style and talk through the day that's been (mine) and the day to come (hers).

my wonderful significant other organised this as we (my cousin and i) both have apple macs. he made sure we both had an isight camera (he posted hers for her birthday) and we contacted the lady who helps her out with her computer to get it all set up for lift-off.

was a day we'll always cherish. :blowkiss:

we get to share so much. been going on around three years now, this video chat malarky, and so much better than email or phone calls.

 

[PolkSaladAnnie]

Waterstones!!! That's IT .... the 2nd one. Yes, I'll head there, thanks, Floh.

And, lol, definitely not lying (through my dentures not teeth, doll, bwahahahah) - that was a once-in-lifetime opportunity to interview those maestros. And yes, will be working on the Guild's book - with lotsa other people. THEY are the good, experienced cooks - I just write about it and dabble here and there, trust ,me on that one ...

 

[PolkSaladAnnie]

i dun the quiz. out of around 100 people i won. i won because i only have a virtual life and spend all seconds not working on the internet reading . . . everything.


which leads me to tell you this: i don't share. i'm an only child and i don't play nicely with other children!

CONGRATS on the first part :blowkiss: .... fabulous, well done, Floh!

And A huge grin to the 2nd part - hehheheheeee. "Don't play nice", heheee.

 

[Samiya]

which leads me to tell you this: i don't share. i'm an only child and i don't play nicely with other children!

**giggles**

 

[raisincharlie]

<snip>

i won a bottle of champagne. one of my friends there tried to tell me it would be polite to open it and share it as the runner-up had won a tin of Quality Street and immediately opened it and offered it round. i asked him if he was on drugs because if he thought i was going to share my champagne when i was staying at the party north of the river absolutely sober with the intention of making it home in one piece he was two slates short of a roof.

which leads me to tell you this: i don't share. i'm an only child and i don't play nicely with other children!

Love you Floh !!! You best save that champagne, you're going to need it to wash down 18 mince pies ! Very funny ! Quite the visual - I can just see katherine Hepburn in that role with that dialogue...

 

[jilly]

Annie! Been enjoying all your posts this morning! By the way - I love Brusssel sprouts (with Hollandaise sauce) and beet root!! Nothing like a beet root and cream cheese sandwich! :crazy: Grew up with the stuff - mum being an English warbride. My folks celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary this year and mum was so thrilled to get a certificate from the Queen!!

Anyways, I have this recipe for a Pecan Pie which I got off WS last year. Haven't tried it but I may one day! lol. We have some very good cooks on this site.

PECAN PIE

1 - 9" unbaked pie crust
36 individually wrapped caramels
1/4 c butter
1/4 c milk
3/4 c sugar (white)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 c pecan halves

Preheat oven - 350

In saucepan over low heat combind caramels, butter and milk. Cook stirring freuently until smooth. Remove from heat. Set aside.

In large bowl combine sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt.

Grandually mix in the melted caramel mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.

Bake 45-50 min until pastry is gold brown. Allow to cool until filling is firm.

Piece of plate with spoonful real whipping cream and tiny bit of chocolate sauce.

 

[Floh]

Love you Floh !!! You best save that champagne, you're going to need it to wash down 18 mince pies ! Very funny ! Quite the visual - I can just see katherine Hepburn in that role with that dialogue...

As of exactly now, i have 17 mince pies left! :blushing:

 

[raisincharlie]

As of exactly now, i have 17 mince pies left! :blushing:

http://bestsmileys.com/eating1/19.gif

ROTFLMAO : http://bestsmileys.com/eating1/19.gif

Enjoy !

 

[Floh]

For 8 years i have been lucky enough to receive xmas presents from significant other's mother.

this year i intend to get what i actually would like to have as opposed to . . . um. things i chuck out.

this is what i want her to give me this year:

http://www.amazon.com/Feast-Food-Celebrate-Nigella-Lawson/dp/1401301363

she'll be glad to get it for me as i just may invite her to dinner one evening.

 

[PolkSaladAnnie]

Annie! Been enjoying all your posts this morning! By the way - I love Brusssel sprouts (with Hollandaise sauce) and beet root!! Nothing like a beet root and cream cheese sandwich! :crazy: Grew up with the stuff - mum being an English warbride. My folks celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary this year and mum was so thrilled to get a certificate from the Queen!!

Anyways, I have this recipe for a Pecan Pie which I got off WS last year. Haven't tried it but I may one day! lol. We have some very good cooks on this site.

.

:blowkiss: ----> Bless you, jilly. THANKS! Great stuff, I AM going to try it! Will let you know. I'm doing the traditional Xmas pud, fresh fruit and want to do a fruit/nut tart. So thanks - will let you know how it went after Christmas

 

[jilly]

YW Annie! Boy it's lonely here tonite. RC must have found some mince pies or something!!!
We'll miss you when you go Annie!

 

[PolkSaladAnnie]

YW Annie! Boy it's lonely here tonite. RC must have found some mince pies or something!!!
We'll miss you when you go Annie!

Thank you, jilly. That's kind to say ... I'll miss it here! BET I'll miss alot, lol - might be able to link in from the airport, though! Yes, where's charlie? He's such a good stick in this forum - keeps us on our toes - with a good nature, lol! Hugs and bugs to you - must be late where you are!

 

[Floh]

Thank you, jilly. That's kind to say ... I'll miss it here! BET I'll miss alot, lol - might be able to link in from the airport, though! Yes, where's charlie? He's such a good stick in this forum - keeps us on our toes - with a good nature, lol! Hugs and bugs to you - must be late where you are!

I had thought Charlie was she? :blushing:

 

[jilly]

Thank you, jilly. That's kind to say ... I'll miss it here! BET I'll miss alot, lol - might be able to link in from the airport, though! Yes, where's charlie? He's such a good stick in this forum - keeps us on our toes - with a good nature, lol! Hugs and bugs to you - must be late where you are!

10:15 pm.....so I'm on my way to bed - nightie nite!:blowkiss: