Subj : Cookware
To : Ruth Haffly
From : Dave Drum
Date : Fri Mar 29 2024 06:39:00
-=> Ruth Haffly wrote to Dave Drum <=-
RH> Can you call ahead and let them know you're coming but wanting
RH> something other than the usual? Or are there other ways to let them
DD> Hasn't been necessary so far. Yesterday I had breakfast @ Charlie
DD> Parker's Diner (a nationally known place - been on Diners, Drive-
DD> Ins & Dives, won a national food competition put on by a food
DD> supplier, been written up in several cooking magazines and web
RH> I've read your write ups of that place over the years. Glad to hear
RH> that they're keeping it same down home, friendly place.
Well, sure. That's the recipe for success ... "Dance with who brought
you." Something that Steak & Shake hasn't got a grip on. They went from
regular waitress service to a "Quick Serve" model like Panera Bread,
Culver's or Starbucks. The food is the same but the experience is far
different. My local franchisee (the first franchise for S&S) is giving
ditching the brand for a name/look that will make it obvious they are the
same place they used to be but , Won't let the national chain sue their
socks off.
I used to eat at Steak & Shake four or more times per week. Now I don't
go there that many times in a year.
DD> sites - but it's still a friendly, cazy, home-town venue with a
DD> decent menu and reasonable prices. All of the wait-staff know me
DD> and they also point me out to new hires (not many of those, staff
DD> turnover is low). And like my other regular stops they know my
DD> "usual" but always confirm it with me before submitting the order
DD> to the kitchen.
RH> Always good to confirm. Most mornings I have breakfast on the light
RH> side but it can vary from a bagel half with veggie cream cheese and
RH> yougurt to a bowl of cereal to a slice of toast with either a bit of
RH> butter blend or jam & yogurt to (rarely) bacon and eggs with a piece of
RH> toast. All of the above are accompanied by a mug of black tea. I've
RH> given up pancakes and waffles--too tempting to dump on the maple syrup.
Be no temptation for me. I abhor maple syrup. But, I do put jam/jelly or
honey on my panquakes.
RH> asthma. BTW, the fall RV/radio net rally will be in Pigeon Forge, TN so
RH> I've already told Steve that we're going to visit the Lodge outlet.
DD> Been there, done that. At the original in South Pittsburg - just off
DD> of I-24 pn the way to Chatanooga. Scored a really nice 12" ridged
DD> skillet and an oval griddle which sees a lot of use.
RH> We'll be camping at Pigeon Forge but no plans to go to Dollywood.
I'd give it a miss, as well. Amusement parks do not amuse me.
RH> better price. While RH> we were living in Savannah, we got a round
RH> griddle (about 9" diameter) RH> that gets a lot of use. I've got a lot
RH> of other cast iron, including a RH> small pot/cover we found at
RH> ReStore--made in Mexico--that also gets a RH> lot of use.
DD> My round griddle (inherited from my grandparents kitchen) hasn't seen
DD> use for several years. Since I cook just for one (two at most) much of
DD> the time the big guy is sort of overkill and the smaller, oval one
DD> works better and more conveniently.
RH> The round one works well for a lot of things--fits one of the "coils"
RH> or the induction cooker nicely. If we do some sort of grilled cheese or
RH> other grilled sandwich, we can fit both on the griddle at once. Also
RH> good for cooking several eggs or slices of bacon (cut in half, under a
RH> press), all in all, nice for one or two people.
Being single and cooking (mostly) for one .......
DD> I also found that they do enamelled cast iron. so if I need to replace
DD> any of the uber-expensive LeCreuset stuff I bargain shopped on eBay I
DD> can get it at Lodge for much more reasonable (and Made-In-America)
DD> cost.
RH> Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, do I replace the regular cast iron with enamel clad or
RH> not? Tempting, but probably not. May pick up a piece or two but I've a
RH> good variety of pots/pans already so it would have to be something I
RH> don't have but could use.
DD> The LeCruest pieses I have are an oval "French" oven of 9 1/2 qt size
DD> (
https://www.lecreuset.com/oval-dutch-oven/21178US.html) and a small
DD> sauce pan (2 quart) w/composite handle which lets you pick it up w/out
DD> a pot holder or oven mitt. Very convenient.
DD>
https://www.lecreuset.com/traditional-saucepan-cool-mint/2913901849601
DD> .html
RH> We stopped into their outlet in SC along I-95 on our way to/from
RH> Florida a couple of times. Looked, but they didn't have what we wanted
RH> or could afford.
Especially not afford. Some of their prices would give John D. Rockefeller
pause.
DD> And lastly I have a small (6" - 7") skillet which is great for
RH> cooking DD> eggs and sausage or ham for breakfast. But a little small
RH> for bacon. DD> Bv)=
RH>
https://www.lecreuset.com/signature-skillet/20182US.html
DD> All are in the colour LeCreuset calls "Flame" (orange). And all would
DD> be uber-expensive to replace w/new. The little skillet, I see, is
DD> U$136. I paid (IIRC) U$30 for the saucepan and little skillet on eBay
DD> several years ago.
RH> You got a good deal. I like their blue but doubt I'll ever own any
RH> unless gifted it. Bought a number of stainless steel pieces a while ago
RH> that are our main pots, also have a couple of Calphalon pieces. Other
RH> stainless acquired over the years for canning include a 12 qt and 24 qt
RH> stock pots/water bath canners.
I've got a stainless stock pot and a couple sauce pans and a huge (12 pieces)
supply of souffle' trays which are great for making baked spaghetti or pot/
shepherds/cottage pies.
I've made this recipe and had to use all 12 of my trove of souffle dishes
so. I'd say the the author's 8 - 10 servings is low. Bv)= It works
without the ricotta, as well. Just put the pasta in the bottom, then
sauce over, cover w/cheese and into the oven until the cheese begins to
scorch arund the edges.
This recipe will feed a crowd - these days I make the meat sauce and
freeze it in 1 - 2 person portions. Then when I want bakes spaghetti
I pull one out of the freezer, cook a single/double portion of pan
length pasta, assemble in the meatl souffle dish, pre-sliced mozzaella
over the top and into the toaster oven.
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
Title: Baked Spaghetti
Categories: Pasta, Pork, Mushrooms, Vegetables, Cheese
Yield: 9 Servings
3/4 lb Vermicelli or thin spaghetti
1 lb Italian sausage
1/4 lb Shiitake or cremini
- mushrooms; rough chopped
1 md Onion; chopped
2 cl Garlic; minced
1/4 ts Red pepper flakes
3 c Marinara or meatless tomato
- sauce *
1 1/2 c Water
1 tb Italian seasoning
1/4 c Chopped fresh parsley
1 tb Olive oil + more to grease
- the casserole
1 c Grated Parmesan cheese
2 lg Eggs; beaten
1 c Ricotta cheese
2 c (to 3 c) shredded mozzarella
- cheese
* You can make your own or use a good quality jarred
sauce.
Put a large pot of water on the stove on high heat. Add
salt to the water, about 2 Tbsp for 6 quarts of water.
While the pasta water is heating, continue with the next
steps.
Break up the sausage into clumps into a large saute pan.
Turn the heat on, to medium. Slowly cook the sausage,
breaking it up into smaller pieces with the a wooden
spoon. The slow cooking will help the fat render out. Cook
until the sausage is cooked through, no longer pink
anywhere, and lightly browned. Remove the sausage from the
pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain the fat from
the pan (not into your sink or you may clog it!)
Add the chopped onions and mushrooms to the pan. Increase
the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring frequently, until
the onions become translucent and the mushrooms have given
up some of their liquid. Add the minced garlic and red
chile pepper flakes, and cook a minute more.
Add the marinara sauce and the 1 1/2 cups of water to the
pan with the onions and mushrooms. Add the sausage back to
the pan. Add the Italian seasoning and chopped parsley.
Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to a very low simmer
on the lowest simmer setting on your stovetop. Cook for 10
to 15 minutes or so while you make the pasta.
By this time your pasta water in step one should be
boiling. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook,
uncovered, at a rolling boil, for 5 to 6 minutes, al
dente. Note that the pasta will continue to cook and
absorb some of the sauce when it is in the casserole dish
in the oven, so the pasta should be al dente. When ready,
drain the pasta and rinse in cold water.
Place the cooled pasta in a large bowl. Toss with olive
oil, then the Parmesan, then 2 beaten eggs. It's easiest
to do this with your (clean) hands.
Set your oven @ 350oF/175oC.
Rub the inside of a 13" x 9" casserole dish (a Pyrex dish
works great) with olive oil. Spread 1 cup of the sauce
over the bottom of the casserole dish.
Place half of the pasta in an even layer in the casserole
dish.
Cover with half of the sauce. Then dot the sauce with all
of the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle half of the Mozzarella
over the ricotta layer. Layer again with the remaining
pasta, the remaining sauce, and the remaining Mozzarella.
Cover with foil and bake for 40 min at 350oF/175oC.
Remove the foil and bake an additional 20 minutes
uncovered. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 10
minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
RECIPE FROM:
http://www.simplyrecipes.com
Uncle Dirty Dave's Kitchen
MMMMM
... He's so vegan he wouldn't hit a pinata.
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