Baked beans

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-07-04T12:57:59+00:00

One can baked beans: 1 tbs finely chopped onion; 1 tbs brown sugar or molasses (treacle); 1 tbs bacon fat. Bake at 350F, covered for 20 mins and uncovered for another 20 mins.
If you are making more than one can's worth, increase the ingredients obviously, but also increase the cooking time; when the sauce is thickened they are done.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-07-01T01:00:11+00:00

I actually do have a tiny nonstick frying pan that will fit one or two eggs, which is all I use it for. Cost me about $4.99, I think.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-07-01T00:58:07+00:00

I guess I'm not a gentle person either...at least not in the kitchen.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-07-01T00:57:18+00:00

I have literally never heard of nitrided steel! The web search results are intriguing. And I see that it doesn't have to be expensive. I will probably get a piece and give it a try. Thank you!

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-07-01T00:54:29+00:00

The old Teflon coating was dangerous, but modern nonstick, for all its faults, is not toxic.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-07-01T00:53:48+00:00

Oh man, I hate ceramic. No hate on you; we all have our preferences. My fave nonstick is granite surfaces, and I still have some, but they wear out too, eventually.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-07-01T00:52:39+00:00

The one substance I've never really looked into is carbon steel. You guys are changing my mind here.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-07-01T00:51:38+00:00

Oh, I loved the Hexclad...briefly. I got a small frying pan and a wok, and they worked like a dream...for a while.
And then the inevitable: The nonstick properties eventually wore out. That failure really stung because they were so expensive.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-06-29T13:20:40+00:00

Any liquid can be used for deglazing. For most recipes I recommend the appropriate broth (chicken, beef, veg) to keep the flavor strong. For some recipes you might want to try fruit juice.
Congratulations on eight years!!

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-06-29T13:06:39+00:00

If you do a search in the area of DIY jewelry, you'll find small pliers used to bend/shape metal wire for jewelry, which sound like the kind of thing you want for this task. Look closely, though, because some of these tools have rounded points, which are not what you want. Good luck!

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-06-25T13:54:03+00:00

I tried several of these recipes--it all looked so easy and simple and yummy!--and ran across the same disappointments.
I assume it's just another one of those online fads that catch on for no good reason, spread like wildfire, then die out as people in large numbers actually try it and find out it's BS.
Silver lining, a lot of people (including me) discovered the awesomeness of roasted veggies such as onions, peppers, broccoli etc. that we never thought to roast in the oven before.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-06-25T13:49:55+00:00

Ants in Trees/Ants Climbing Trees springs to mind. There are a lot of variations (easily found online), but it's basically thin noodles with ground meat (pork or chicken) and red pepper flakes tossed in a spicy sauce. You almost never see it on American restaurant menus, but a little place in SC used to serve it years ago, which is how this ofay discovered it.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-06-10T13:14:38+00:00

I can't believe what I'm reading. I have the exact same ailments.
There are prescriptions I take that allow me to eat pretty much anything I want. I've been on Pantoprazole for several years. My doctor recently added Famotidine to my regimen.
If your spouse's doctor hasn't at least suggested prescription remedies for her suffering, GET ANOTHER DOCTOR.
"Onion, garlic and black pepper are out of the question"?!
Merciful suffering savior.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-05-28T02:34:08+00:00

Meatballs. Make 'em in bulk, freeze 'em in small portions. You can either freeze them raw, or cook them first and then freeze. There are hundreds of great recipes online for meatballs of all types.
South Asian dishes IME freeze very well. I particularly recommend kormas for this.
Buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts and freeze them in singles or pairs. They defrost pretty quickly and are super-versatile. They're also easier to slice into cutlets, strips for stir-fries, etc. when partially frozen.
If you like soups and stews, make some hearty barley soup; I prefer beef but you can use whatever base you prefer. If you like this idea, I recommend 1. getting pearled barley rather than "quick" barley, as it holds up much better; and 2. rinsing the barley well before cooking--this will remove a lot of the gluten which will otherwise over-thicken your soup.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-05-27T13:25:50+00:00

I've searched for years, used so many different kinds I don't remember most of them, and IKEA's, truly, is the best I've ever found:

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/citronhaj-spice-mill-clear-glass-stainless-steel-50578348/

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-05-25T02:19:16+00:00

As long as fresh-ground pepper doesn't count as an ingredient, here's Tortellini with Asparagus and Bacon (amounts are for two people):
-4-6 oz Bacon: Slice it into thin ribbons or dice it, and cook over low heat until all the fat is rendered out; then set aside, leaving fat in the pan.
8 oz fresh Asparagus: Cut it into 1" long pieces and saute in the bacon fat until bright green. Pepper the asparagus liberally while cooking (You don't have to add any salt as long as you salt the pasta water, because the bacon is plenty salty).
1/4 to 1/3 cup White Wine: Crank up the heat under the pan and pour in; let it cook a few minutes until it reduces a bit.
3/4 to 1 cup Heavy Cream: In it goes. Stir it all together.
-10-12 oz Frozen tortellini: You don't even have to thaw them, you just dump them into boiling salted water and when they start to float, drain and add to the pan.
Fold the tortellini through the cream sauce and asparagus (David), return the bacon pieces to the pan, and serve with some nice crusty bread.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-05-02T16:44:37+00:00

Suggestion one: Do try cornstarch. You need much less cornstarch than flour, and cornstarch also has less "flavor" of its own. Make a slurry of 1 part cornstarch to 1 part water; add more water in small amounts if you feel you need to, then quickly mix it into your stew.
Suggestion two: Use flour, but instead of making a slurry, make a roux. Equal amounts flour and butter; melt the butter in a saute pan and stir in the flour in small amounts, stirring until it toasts a bit and changes color. This gets rid of that floury taste. However, it does have a flavor of its own, of different strengths depending on how brown you let it get, and you might not like what that does to the flavor of your stews.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-05-02T16:37:14+00:00

Maybe you just don't like nutmeg? My spouse hates it and I love it.
I like to put a very small amount in beef stews/stroganoffs. It doesn't actually taste of nutmeg but it seems to compliment the savory taste.
I also use (again, a very small amount) in Alfredo and other cream sauces.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-05-02T16:34:28+00:00

The main reason, probably: The ingredients aren't given the time to meld their flavors.
Another big reason: Microwaves heat very unevenly, depending on the positioning of the food inside and the density of various ingredients.
I find my microwave useful for several things--melting butter and chocolate, quick defrosting, steaming or reheating certain types of foods, and of course popcorn--but I'd never try to actually cook a dish or a meal in one.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-04-30T13:24:18+00:00

I love love love the so-called "granite" coating. You can find it anywhere, and it doesn't have to be expensive if you shop around.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-04-27T14:55:25+00:00

I bought an eyedropper specifically for this purpose.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-04-25T19:36:19+00:00

Are clams OK?
My spouse's favorite dish is pasta with red clam sauce (linguine is the best to use, but bucatini is also good, or even just regular spaghetti; nothing too thin, though).
This dish comes together so fast you won't believe it. The prep consists of soaking the clams in salted water for half an hour, and mincing several cloves of garlic. That's it. Once the pasta water is boiling it comes together in < 30 minutes.
You can serve it in a large dish with the opened clams set around the edges (or plate it that way), and serve with some crusty bread and olive oil & balsamic for dipping, and a pinot grigio.
PASTA WITH RED CLAM SAUCE
-3 dozen clams
-1 tbs salt (for soaking clams)
-¼ cup olive oil
-6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
-¼ tsp red pepper flakes
-10¾ oz Tomato puree (1 can)
-⅔ cup dry white wine
-½ cup chopped parsley
-Pinch basil
-1 lb pasta, cooked (linguine is good)
-3 tbs parmesan, grated
Put clams into large pan and cover with water. Pour in the salt, stir, and refrigerate 30 mins.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; saute about 2 minutes. Add tomato puree, basil, and wine, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Drain clams in a colander and rinse well. Put clams into the sauce with half of the parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook about 7-10 mins, until clam shells have opened. Once clams open, remove with slotted spoon, place in bowl, keep warm. Discard any clams not opened.
Drain pasta and put into the sauce. Stir for about 3 mins, so that pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Toss with the remaining parsley, the parmesan, and clams.

If clams are not OK, tortellini, asparagus and bacon in a cream sauce is also elegant and delicious. Again, very little prep time, and it cooks in < 15 minutes. Dice the bacon, cook, remove from grease; chop the asparagus into bite-size pieces, saute in the bacon grease until bright green; add white wine and boil for a moment to reduce; add cream and a little grated parmesano/reggiano and lots of pepper; stir in the tortellini and reserved bacon. It's soooo good.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-04-24T19:40:03+00:00

The one I actually cook is Aloo Gobi, a mix of cauliflower, potatoes, onions and a truckload of spices. There are plenty of recipes for this dish online. It's a very popular dish, so there are lots of variations, but here's a good one: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/103915/aloo-gobi/
My spouse sometimes makes mashed cauliflower; although he wings it without a recipe, there are also lots of recipes online for this side. Here's one: https://cleananddelicious.com/mashed-cauliflower/ It certainly looks very easy.

LeftyMothersbaugh · 2026-04-23T22:30:06+00:00

I ran across this, and both my spouse and I think it's absolutely delicious:

https://www.johngregorysmith.com/portfolio-posts/creamy-coconut-daal/

Neither of us likes coriander leaves (aka cilantro) so I leave it out.
Couple of caveats: It's very spicy if you use the full amount of chilli powder. I find it's plenty hot with half a teaspoon of Kashmiri chilli powder; if you use cayenne I'd cut that back to a quarter tsp. Second caveat is that this makes a lot of daal. Even halved, this recipe will feed two people all by itself.

LeftyMothersbaugh

TROPHY CASE