DIATRIBE4.TXT - 11/02/98 More cooking and other stuff.. By SwampRat (cl) 1998 Gay Furry Association If all this is Old hat, skip down a ways - There are some who Didn't watch Mother make things, and Home Ec. was for 'Girls and Sissies.' =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Some tips - A tablespoon makes a Great place to mix things you are not sure of. Does Mustard taste good with tuna? A little bit of each on a tablespoon will tell you Without ruining the entire bowlful. Same with whatever you are mixing and don't know what will happen if you dump half a jar of Tabasco into pancake batter - I tablespoonful of batter, 1 drop of Tabasco. Put in hot skillet, turn, taste. One person's breakfast is another's tortilla. * * * * Measurements 3 teaspoons is the same as 1 tablespoon. A tablespoon is the Big one - T or tbsp. The little one is a teaspoon - t or tsp. From the littlest to the Most - Pinch - How much can you pinch between thumb and finger. Dash - A Few Pinches, or how much comes out when you shake the bottle with the tiny holes in the top. 1/8th tsp - Supposed to also be a dash. 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp - Get yourself one of those funky spoon sets with a ring holding them together. Again - Mom, Yard Sale, X-Mart. Also get a Measuring Cup. The clear Glass ones are best - You Don't want to try and figure out how much 6 ounces of Boiling water is by holding onto the cup. When measuring dry and wet things, Remember - Dry sticks to Wet. Get a Dry, Clean Bowl. Make sure the Cup is Dry. Measure out the dry stuff, and put it in the bowl. Then measure water, milk, whatever.. While using that cup remember mixing things is like a broken calculator - You can Add, but you can't Subtract. Whatever is there is there - if it is wrong, you will have to Add something else to it. Spice, Flour, Oil, Liquid.. And don't go overboard or you will be back where you were before - Too Salty, Too Thin, Too Yucky for Words. One last note - If you are confused between what is a dough and what is a batter - You can't Pour Dough, and you can't Knead Batter (unless you want a Mess all over ). The only real difference between a Biscuit and a Pancake is how much milk got put in the bowl. * * * * Spices - Put in to Your taste. You taste it and decide if you want more.. You Are cooking for You remember. Want an Italian Flavor? Oregano, Garlic and a little Tomato sauce, or soup. For Greek, Use Basil instead of Oregano. Don't Buy Flavored Salt or Pepper with One exception, Seasoned Salt. Add the spice separately from the salt/pepper - maybe you want more, maybe you want less. if they are in the same bottle, you don't have much of a choice. if you don't know What to get, buy a Spice Rack with the spices included or a Spice Set. Always buy the Smallest jar/bottle you can until you decide you like it.. Then buy in bulk. if you don't like it you have not spent that much and if you Do like it, you found a new treasure. Also be careful when mixing things.. Spices may harmonize or clash. Try a little Before you make the neighbor's dog fatter.. * * * * Hamburger - The poor man's steak The best kind is the In-House Hamburger. Lucky's, Raley's, Safeway.. Try and avoid Ptomaine 'R' Us. Buy it in bulk - 5 lbs or more at a time. These are usually called Family Packs. When you get home, wash your hands ( you are going to be handling food ), take out the aluminum foil, and divide the package evenly - They usually come in 4 squares per package. Cut or pull each big square in half, wrap in foil and stick it in the freezer. 8 blocks = 8 sheets in case you want to do it all at once. Just make sure each piece of meat is completely covered but not a Christmas package.. Leave 1 out for dinner if you like. Remember that case of Mac & Cheese you got - They usually have recipes on the side to make cheeseburger Mac. Add salsa, or chili powder for a more southwest taste. Leave the cheese out ( Put the packet someplace for shaking over a baked potato, adding to some soup for a little extra flavor or making a creamy cheese sauce ) and put something else in - Spaghetti sauce ( Nobody said you Had to use Spaghetti noodles ). A can of soup, made with half a can of water instead of a whole one. You know what you like - make it. * * * * Ok - Here is a Recipe.. Again, this is the way I made it, Change to suit your tastes. Mediterranean Tuna: 1 Can Tuna 2 T Mayonnaise or Salad Dressing ( Tablespoon, remember? ) 1/4 t Basil ( From a jar, 1/2 t if using dry ) Garlic, Salt, Pepper to taste Mix ingredients in a bowl. Eat. * * * * This one is more complex, but very good. Larry's Double-cooked Turkey 4 Turkey wings or legs - or 2 of each 1 Large red onion 4 Cans Tomato sauce ( 8 oz - the Little ones ) 2 Cubes Butter or Spread + 6 T, cut into 1 T 'pats' 4 C Rice Garlic, Salt, Pepper to taste Cut up onion. Put turkey, onion, spices in large pot. Boil Turkey uncovered until tender. Remove meat and let cool. Measure out 8 C of stock ( 4 if you are using 'instant' rice ), saving the onions ( You can save the rest as Turkey Stock or just pour it out ). Return stock/onions to pot and bring to a boil. Add rice, and stir. Turn fire off and let steam for 30 minutes ( Again, 5 to 10 if using Instant ) While rice is cooking, de-bone Turkey. When rice is done, add meat, tomato sauce, butter, spices to pot. Stir well. Butter or Spray a large baking dish. Pour rice mixture in. Top with butter pats. Bake at 350 degree's for 20 to 30 minutes, until top is crusty and most of the liquid is gone. Any mixture left can be baked in smaller pans or frozen to be used later. * * * * Variation: After taking turkey out of the pot, let liquid reduce to about half the size of the pot. Debone turkey, add all ingredients as before, adjusting rice amount for liquid amount. Turn fire off and let sit until Rice is Done. Stir, season if necessary, and serve.