Becoming domesticated

Tonichelle · Jan 13, 2012

Now that I've been living at home for nearly six months I've decided I should do some of the cooking. Which I think scares my family because I'm the "baker" in the family. I'm great with an oven... on top of the stove, I'm very much hit or miss. Unless it comes in a box. I can do hamburger helper, and I do add extra goodies to it... but cooking from scratch, or nearly so? Nope, not that great.

So I'm going to fix that. It's a new goal I've set for myself. Starting tomorrow! I am doing a "game day" theme as our family's team (the 49ers) are playing the first game of the second week of playoffs. Going to do "Arena Style" Nachos (with made from scratch plastic cheese!) and then for the second game/dinner we're having bbq pulled pork sandwiches! I get to learn how to use a pressure cooker and a crockpot all in one day!

dorispulaski · Jan 13, 2012

Good luck! If you can bake, you can cook; I'm sure of it.

Are you making coleslaw for the pulled port sandwiches?
I hope so. It makes all the difference!.

jcoates · Jan 13, 2012

Doris is right, it's just a matter of taking your time and pre-planning if it's a recipe you're unfamiliar with. If you have everything laid out and pre-measured, it makes it easier to manage cooking multiple things at once.

I'm sure you'll be fine.

BTW, check out both Giada De Laurentis and Dave Lieberman's recipes and video tutorials on foodnetwork.com. They are great at distilling recipes down to simple steps.

Good luck.

Tonichelle · Jan 13, 2012

dorispulaski said:
Good luck! If you can bake, you can cook; I'm sure of it.

Are you making coleslaw for the pulled port sandwiches?
I hope so. It makes all the difference!.

We're not a big coleslaw family... but I wondered if I should... I don't eat my pulled pork with coleslaw... don't think I've ever been offered it actually even when I'm in the south where this is supposedly a staple lol

seniorita · Jan 13, 2012

Oh I ve been staying with my parents for the last 4 months (and I m not seeing a bright future in greece with my salary shrinking everymonth, it is like a surprise what money i will get!) and I decided to be brave so I did your project for Christmas dinner , I said them I ll cook myself today, my mum was worried, my sister was laughing and needless to say my father was ready to order pizza. But I opened a book and followed the recipies and did all the turquey stuff and what is supposed to be on christmas table. It went well but I dont think I will do it again soon, I thought it was exsausting!
what is arena style nachos?

Tonichelle · Jan 13, 2012

SEniorita - arena style nachos is my fancy name for nachos you might get at a football game (or figure skating event) in an arena over here. It's chips and chilli/taco seasoned beef and what I like to call "plastic cheese" which is this soupy cheese tasting like substance... it's not healthy, and it's not gormet, but it's my MUST HAVE whenever I go to a football game (or figure skating!)

like this - http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/622674/nachos.jpg

seniorita · Jan 13, 2012

wow, that looks goooood! I only knew nachos with cheese at the cinema! Where do they sell this? i mean in competitions or SOI? I havent seen it in any competition. The most junk food I saw at Worlds was a small hotdog.
I ll be the nerd now and ask if people can eat in fs arenas? because I m not sure but I havent seen people eating either inside the arena. In Euros 2010 the control ticket bodyguard threw our brand new box of crackers befre we entered the building..

Olympia · Jan 13, 2012

It's been my experience that if you can bake, you can cook. Baking is a delicate operation that depends on exact measurements and the right heating. Cooking has leeway. You can do without or adjust some ingredients without ruining the dish. The challenge, as jcoates says, is time management, because several items that require different cooking or preparing time all need to be done at once. But even that can be fudged, because short of burning things, times can be adjusted, or you can keep one thing warm on the stove while another is finishing.

Seniorita, I'm impressed! Cooking for just one or two people as a first-time feast maker is tough enough, but you presented everything for your whole family. I can just imagine how exhausted you were.

Tonichelle · Jan 13, 2012

SEniorita - when I went to nationals all the arenas had nachos (as well as chicken strips and fries, yum!) and you could eat them in your seat. for the US at least that's all part of the arena experience

heyang · Jan 13, 2012

As others have said, cooking is easier because you don't have to be as precise with regards to measuring. As with baking, read the recipe over a few times before you start. I also highly recommend chopping and measuring everything out before you start cooking. I don't know how many times I find myself rushing because I thought I 'd have enough time to prep the 2nd part while the 1st part starts and find myself panicing when the alloted time has come and I'm not ready yet!!!

Also, it's better to slightly undercook meat because it will continue to cook a little bit while it's resting....besides, you can always cook it some more, while you can't 'uncook' food.

Good luck!

dorispulaski · Jan 14, 2012

Toni, BBQ is very variable across the country, and coleslaw is used in LA, the Carolinas, and in the Pulaski household

So topping the sandwich with coleslaw is authentic in the Carolinas. It's also just better.

Key to it for a sandwich is chopping the cabbage very fine. Coleslaw is also very variable across the country. Here's Mr. Ski's family's recipe:

Coleslaw

1/2 head of cabbage, cut very, very fine. This is key.
2 carrots, chopped very fine
1/2 green pepper, chopped very fine
1 whole ripe tomato, cut about 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch
1/4 medium onion, chopped very fine

salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
3 to 4 Tbsp Cain's mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. garlic juice from the chopped garlic bottle
little oregano (optional)

We leave the tomato in for pork, but that's not authentic.
If you can't get Cain's or Seidner's mayonnaise (New England regional brands), Hellman's is OK, but not as good.

Olympia · Jan 14, 2012

I had a sudden image of Toni trying to obtain New England mayonnaise....

How do you chop the cabbage, Doris? Do you use a knife, a grater, or something electric like a Cuisinart?

dorispulaski · Jan 14, 2012

You never know what is going to turn up where

However, when I lived in Alaska over 40 years ago, the only available mayonnaises were Kraft (vile) and Best Foods (which I believe was the West Coast version of Hellmann's?) Nowadays it is all so different, I wouldn't rule out anything being able to be found there.

We chop it with a large knife. The pieces end up very tiny specks. I have used one of those chip chop gadgets to get it finer, but really, a knife and elbow grease works well and has simple clean up.

Another use of coleslaw (but the vinegar based type, also chopped very fine) that I like is on hotdogs instead of relish with mustard). I first saw this in Quebec many years ago.

Tonichelle · Jan 14, 2012

dorispulaski said:
You never know what is going to turn up where

However, when I lived in Alaska over 40 years ago, the only available mayonnaises were Kraft (vile) and Best Foods (which I believe was the West Coast version of Hellmann's?) Nowadays it is all so different, I wouldn't rule out anything being able to be found there.

Best foods is the best mayo EVERYWHERE! I refuse to eat any other brand lol (and I wonder why I have no $$)

Olympia · Jan 14, 2012

I know what you mean. When I eat chocolate ice cream, I only get a brand like Haagen-Dazs, because everything else tastes like vanilla to me. Fortunately, they selll a dixie-cup size, so it's not a huge splurge. But I've seen economy brands in quart size on special for about the same amount as I pay for a Haagen-Dazs dixie cup. I just eat ice cream less often.

Tonichelle · Jan 14, 2012

well the nachos were a success... pulled pork is slow cooking! and I'm never going to eat it because this freaking football game (Saints at Niners) is going to KILL ME.

COME ON, NINERS!

seniorita · Jan 14, 2012

dorispulaski said:
Here's Mr. Ski's family's recipe:

Interesting , reading your posts I thought coleslaw would be sth like the sauerkraut they use in german sandwishes and hotdogs.
Now I see the recipie it is the very same salad we eat but as a salad in a big bowl, especially on winter. They only difference I see is that we dont put mayonaise and we add fresh little onions and not always but often very little celeri

dorispulaski · Jan 14, 2012

The oil & vinegar (no mayonnaise) version goes on the hotdogs (YUM). Sauerkraut is good on hotdogs too.

Sauerkraut is quite easy to make. All you need is a big crock, a good slicer, cabbage, salt, a weight, and time. Mr. Ski makes it.

Go NINERS!

Tonichelle · Jan 14, 2012

my mom makes an amazing sauerkraut soup... eat it with fresh sour dough bread and OMG... it's almost a religious experience.

jcoates · Jan 14, 2012

Toni, that is the best game I have seen in a long time. Congratulations.

Becoming domesticated

Tonichelle

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dorispulaski

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jcoates

Tonichelle

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seniorita

Tonichelle

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seniorita

Olympia

Tonichelle

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heyang

dorispulaski

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Olympia

dorispulaski

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Tonichelle

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Olympia

Tonichelle

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seniorita

dorispulaski

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Tonichelle

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jcoates

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