The General Chat Thread

pampootie · 15-04-2014 08:47PM

I love our veg box! Def eating more veg than I used to and a better variety, and the avocados we get are the best I've ever eaten. Organic republic for any Cork based boardsies!

Faith · 16-04-2014 09:51AM

I went out last night. It was only supposed to be an early night, couple of glasses of wine and home. That did not happen. Many, many glasses of wine were consumed, and a random shot of sambuca bought by a guy we were chatting to. I am a sick puppy today

. I can't even eat, which is a real sign of how sick I am!

StripedBoxers · 16-04-2014 11:34AM

I got some venison steaks in Aldi yesterday, hoping to cook them at the weekend.

Any suggestions/ideas on what to have them with? Salads, slaws etc are out as himself won't eat them or anything salad-y.

Normally have mash, veg etc but it's getting boring at this stage.......

IvyTheTerrible · 16-04-2014 11:39AM

I want to make the quinoa pizza base this week but it seemed the universe was against me finding quinoa! Went to my normal Carrefour (the normal sized one, not the giant one) and they only had "instant" quinoa which has oil and other stuff in it. The giant carrefour didn't have it either (only quinoa/bulgour "gourmet" mixes). Then I went to an organic shop, and it seemed they were out of stock of ordinary quinoa, I actually found red and black quinoa, I took that and will give it a whirl.

EDIT but the big plus, I finally found wholewheat flour (in the organic shop) so I can make real brown soda bread!

Moody_mona · 16-04-2014 11:41AM

I got the quinoa for that recipe in my local Tesco!

IvyTheTerrible · 16-04-2014 11:44AM

Moody_mona wrote: »

I got the quinoa for that recipe in my local Tesco!

For certain things, I find Ireland has better choice than France. You go into these giant hypermarkets and you've lots and lots of brands of the same thing, but not much real variety in a lot of areas (The baking section I find particularly poor, unless you think using cake mixes is baking)

Merkin · 16-04-2014 11:55AM

I think people are so wholly dependent on the boulangerie that it wouldn't even occur to them to bake anything themselves!

IvyTheTerrible · 16-04-2014 11:57AM

Merkin wrote: »

I think people are so wholly dependent on the boulangerie that it wouldn't even occur to them to bake anything themselves!

True. Sometimes I just want a nice victoria sponge, or apple tart and not something full of crème patisserie!

Moody_mona · 16-04-2014 12:09PM

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

For certain things, I find Ireland has better choice than France. You go into these giant hypermarkets and you've lots and lots of brands of the same thing, but not much real variety in a lot of areas (The baking section I find particularly poor, unless you think using cake mixes is baking)

If I'd paid more attention in Leaving Cert I might have recognised Carrefour as being the French store, my bad!

Loire · 16-04-2014 08:24PM

MissF, sorry to hear about the ants! We had some weird type of flying ants a few years ago...outside but couldn't open the patio. Anyway my Dad got this special poison stuff from a mate of his (he has some interesting friends!). Basically we located the nest and poured this stuff and haven't seen the buggers since. I'll try and get the name of the stuff.

re couch/telly, we rarely eat on the couch...think it would drive me mad....I'm always dying for the chat and don't think I could taste the food. Herself would loves to eat in front of the telly I'm sure, but as I make all the food it's my rules!!

Making the sea bass with lime, chilli and ginger from the Cooking Club tonight and can't wait. a nice bottle of wine breathing too!

Loire

16-04-2014 08:29PM

Found a recipe for garlic potatoes. Small tub of cream, same amount of milk. 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped. One small onion chopped. Combine in a pyrex dish and pop in microwave for 2 mins, while peeling potatoes. Allow one decent sized potato per person. peel and slice. Add to milk. Cover dish and put in oven 150 degrees for 60 to 75 mins. Delicious!

Padraig Mor · 17-04-2014 08:27AM

StripedBoxers wrote: »

I got some venison steaks in Aldi yesterday, hoping to cook them at the weekend.

Any suggestions/ideas on what to have them with? Salads, slaws etc are out as himself won't eat them or anything salad-y.

Normally have mash, veg etc but it's getting boring at this stage.......

I'll leave the veg to someone else, but venison is good with a black fruit sauce - blackberries etc.

Neyite · 17-04-2014 02:38PM

Padraig Mor wrote: »

I'll leave the veg to someone else, but venison is good with a black fruit sauce - blackberries etc.

I did venision with a blackberry-cognac sauce (Darina Allen grey book) and it was delish.

beertons · 18-04-2014 02:00PM

I have to ask what the smoked salmon pizza was like Gloomtastic? What else did you have on it?

Makood · 18-04-2014 04:09PM

Can anyone help me with cooking and more importantly shelling Irish Prawns-the shell looks very tough and hard.
Thanks.

Gloomtastic! · 18-04-2014 08:43PM

beertons wrote: »

I have to ask what the smoked salmon pizza was like Gloomtastic? What else did you have on it?

All very plain and simple.....

Jamie Oliver's pizza dough.

Passata reduced with some crushed garlic and dried basil. Smoked salmon, dried dill and grated mozzarella.

Baked on an oiled pizza tray on top of a pizza stone in the hottest oven possible. When the rim starts to brown transfer with a frying slice or palate knife directly from tray on to pizza stone.

I added some chilli flakes and rocket but not necessary. Drizzled with extra virgin olive oil - very necessary!

Salmon and dill - a marriage made in heaven.

Mrs Fox · 19-04-2014 09:14AM

Wondering what's everyone cooking for Easter lunch/dinner?
I was going to go down the route of making a big pot of casserole today in advance and leave to sit for flavours, but weather man says its gonna be sunny tomorrow, so I am thinking of Poulet Bonne Femme in Avoca style chicken Caesar salad. Heavily herbed and marinated spatchcock chicken in the barbie grill, quarters of gem lettuce and giant croutons, homemade Caesar dressing. I'm planning to keep it simple and fresh. I have a funny feeling someone is going to ask if there's any burger or sausage they can throw on the grill while it's on.

The Black Oil · 19-04-2014 10:29AM

I'm convinced 75% of US mainstream TV shows feature a scene involving pastrami.

ChewChew · 21-04-2014 10:06AM

My meals this weekend have been take away and crap so I'm a tally looking forward to cooking later. I have 2 lemon sole fillets marinating and I made a bowl of spicy couscous and a spicy salsa. It's gonna be a feast and a half!!! Yum!!

Merkin · 22-04-2014 11:08PM

I appreciate that the link is from the Daily Fail but I love the pictures, I want this woman to make ME a packed lunch, some great ideas here!:)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2610244/Packed-lunches-look-good-eat-Creative-mother-turns-picky-sons-lunchboxes-works-art.html

Gloomtastic! · 23-04-2014 05:52AM

Merkin wrote: »

I appreciate that the link is from the Daily Fail but I love the pictures, I want this woman to make ME a packed lunch, some great ideas here!:)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2610244/Packed-lunches-look-good-eat-Creative-mother-turns-picky-sons-lunchboxes-works-art.html

I just want to punch Grace on the nose - she needs to get a life!

My kids get the same things in their lunch boxes everyday, with the exception of Friday, when you are allowed to add sugar.

Loire · 23-04-2014 08:14AM

Makood wrote: »

Can anyone help me with cooking and more importantly shelling Irish Prawns-the shell looks very tough and hard.
Thanks.

Only seeing this now and I'm guessing you've cooked them by now!

Shelling prawns: Squeeze the spikey bits together (across the belly) with your index fingers and thumbs ie pinch them together. Then pull them apart.

Loire · 23-04-2014 08:17AM

Score in Tesco last night - was looking for spaghetti for our dinner. Their cheap stuff @1.49 is muck and then they had other stuff in the 2-3 euro range. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a box of their Organic spaghetti. I wasn't even going to check the price but I did for the craic. Lo and Behold is was 89c!! A mistake surely, but I bought a dozen packets in any case!

the beer revolu · 23-04-2014 08:22AM

Loire wrote: »

Score in Tesco last night - was looking for spaghetti for our dinner. Their cheap stuff @1.49 is muck and then they had other stuff in the 2-3 euro range. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a box of their Organic spaghetti. I wasn't even going to check the price but I did for the craic. Lo and Behold is was 89c!! A mistake surely, but I bought a dozen packets in any case!

But is it any good?

Loire · 23-04-2014 08:27AM

the beer revolu wrote: »

But is it any good?

It was really nice as it turns out.

Neyite · 23-04-2014 08:39AM

Merkin wrote: »

I appreciate that the link is from the Daily Fail but I love the pictures, I want this woman to make ME a packed lunch, some great ideas here!:)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2610244/Packed-lunches-look-good-eat-Creative-mother-turns-picky-sons-lunchboxes-works-art.html

Very creative. I might try a few for my fussy eater.

Though I did wonder what the lunch looked like after the schoolbag being thrown into a heap at the bus stop, or kicked down the bus like mine was.

MissFlitworth · 23-04-2014 08:44AM

Love lunchbox bento, had serious notions that I was going to be the kind of person who made myself decorative lunches every day so I did what I do best in these situations, bought all the kit (ongiri moulds, miniature soy sauce bottles shaped like tomatoes & bears, soy sushi wrappers in rainow colours, bunny tin foil, sauce tubs I now use to ferry ibuprofen around in etc. etc.) then made a couple of fancy lunches and never used any of it again. It is adorable though.

IvyTheTerrible · 23-04-2014 11:38AM

Is there something wrong with me that I think there is much more handling of the food involved in the lunches in that article than I am comfortable with? ("mauling" as my mother would call it).

Ann Landers · 23-04-2014 12:55PM

Ooh, I love Mammy visits!

I am now in receipt of The Best Home-baked Soda Bread EverTM and homemade rhubarb and ginger jam (not actually made by Mammykins but someone local to her).

Rhubarb is one of those foods that makes me salivate as soon as I think about it. I don't actually like putting rhubarb jam on bread, it's a little weird to me, but I'm thinking a spoon of rhubarb jam in greek or natural yoghurt for breakfast? Oooh, maybe with a few crushed hazlenuts. Drool.

The Hill Billy · 23-04-2014 01:18PM

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Is there something wrong with me that I think there is much more handling of the food involved in the lunches in that article than I am comfortable with? ("mauling" as my mother would call it).

Agreed. I don't generally get to make the school lunches for The Kids, but I know that Mrs Billy has better things to be doing than fancying their sambos up.

Never mind the other school kids ripping the almighty p*ss out of them.

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