response 184 of 494:

Mar 12 13:20 UTC 2000

A couple of months later:

Was this subject dropped entirely, or taken elsewhere? What an excellent 
idea!!

response 186 of 494:

Oct 9 15:07 UTC 2000

Snickerdoodles 

When I got married, lo these many moons ago (23 years in January), my mother
held a bridal shower for Silvia. For this event, my mother got many of the
attendees to write down on a 3 x 5 card one of their favorite recipes. These
were presented to us as one of the gifts.

While it's a treasured posession, we really don't use many of the recipes, as
they're just not our taste. For example, I don't think I've ever consulted the
recipe for Jello salad. 

This recipe for snickerdoodles, however, is one of the winners. I have always
loved cinnamon, and it's a very easy cookie to make. Here's the recipe exactly
as my mother wrote it down:

Mix thoroughly: 1 c shortening (part butter or oleo), 1-1/2 c sugar, 2 eggs.

Blend: 2-3/4 c flour, 2 t cream of tartar, 1 t soda, 1/4 t salt.

Stir in.

Shape dough into 1" balls. Roll into mixture of 2T sugar and 2t cinnamon.

Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees 8 - 10 minutes.
They puff, flatten, and crack.

My comments:

I generally use a half cup of shortening and a stick of butter or margarine.
Don't skip the cream of tartar--it's the ingredient that gives the cookie it's
distintive look.

response 188 of 494:

Oct 11 21:53 UTC 2000

(So okay, what's the deal with cream of tartar?  I mean, what _is_ it?  Does
it _do_ anything, or what?)

Squash Elimination Gumbo  
(we bought far too many butternut squashes on sale, and subsequently realized
that there's not much you can do with butternut squash.  This was a dense but
tasty attempt at getting rid of some)

Cook a winter squash.  (I just microwaved it for about 20 minutes.  You
could probably bake it or steam it too.)

Combine in a food processor, or otherwise moosh together, 1/4" chopped
fresh ginger, 5 cloves garlic, 1 tsp. chili paste, 1/2 cup peanut butter,
3-1/2 tbsp. sugar, 3-1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 3 tbsp. sesame oil, 3
tbsp. hoisin sauce, and 5 tbsp. water.  (This sauce is a worthwhile recipe
on its own, by the way.  Tweaked differently, it's good on almost
anything.)

Moosh squash and sauce together.  Serve over rice.  

response 190 of 494:

Oct 11 23:41 UTC 2000

Yup...we use squash and liberal amounts of nutmeg to make pumpkin pie...tastes
much better than pumpkin.

response 192 of 494:

Oct 12 00:22 UTC 2000

(for truly disturbing only recipes, check out http://www.twinkies.com for
dozens of recipes involvings Twinkie Snack Cakes.

response 194 of 494:

Oct 13 21:03 UTC 2000

If you're putting this in the "last recipe I cooked" item, Scott, does this
mean you've tried some of these disturbing recipes?

response 196 of 494:

Oct 15 12:30 UTC 2000

Well, I now own Cream of Tartar.  Can Snickerdoodles be
far behind?

response 198 of 494:

Oct 17 05:52 UTC 2000

I just made chili-lime chicken...YUMMY!!!!

response 200 of 494:

Oct 29 17:44 UTC 2000

We are definitely running behind on our shopping, so most of the food in
the house at the moment is bottled condiments that you use very slowly.
Our last few meals have been on the principle that anything tastes like a
meal if you put it on noodles and add sesame oil and soy sauce. 

response 202 of 494:

Oct 30 18:15 UTC 2000

I'd second the request for recipes with cabbage in particular.  Spider brought
home a gargantuan cabbage from her dad's farm, and we're all a little
intimidated by it.  (We thought of making sauerkraut, but it sounds like a
pretty unpleasant process, and none of us are big fans of sauerkraut).

response 204 of 494:

Nov 9 15:32 UTC 2000

My mother makes a faboulous beef barley soup, and adds cabbage to it.

I also really like it steamed.  And stuffed cabbage is always a treat....you
can make a bunch, and then stuff them in the freezer for later!

response 206 of 494:

Nov 10 16:23 UTC 2000

I made a roast chicken last night, with a cornbread and sausage and cranberry
stuffing.  YUMMY!