[falconbrother]

I know that for many of you that's like saying one has graduated to the big boy pottie. But, since I have traditionally not been a cook, unless you consider pulling the plastic off of the top of a fruit cup cooking, this is a landmark. Turning a bag of potatoes into a real, delicious, scrumptious, entree. Hot damn..

Since I'm growing my organic garden this coming spring/summer I figure I need to learn to cook. Since I don't really have a teacher I'm using the internet. The theme for my future is occasionally off the grid, hippie in training. Hippie's need to know how to cook one would imagine.

 

[vMaryv]

lmao
congratulations!

 

[karenlovessnow]

Congratulations!! I love mashed potatoes!!

 

[karenlovessnow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconbrother

I know that for many of you that's like saying one has graduated to the big boy pottie.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vMaryv

lmao

Seriously, lol.

 

[Tom]

I like potatoes. I usually don't bother peeling them- I just give them a scrubbing, cut them in evenly-sized pieces, and boil them. I also like to grate them, shape them into a sort of pancake shape, and cook them on a non-stick griddle. (I don't know if you have birds- I don't- but I've heard that teflon can give off traces of fumes that can kill birds, at least if it overheats.)

ETA: Congratulations on your first home-cooked-by-you meal!

 

[River]

Lol good job

Maybe add a little chives next time!

 

[kazyeeqen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconbrother

I know that for many of you that's like saying one has graduated to the big boy pottie. But, since I have traditionally not been a cook, unless you consider pulling the plastic off of the top of a fruit cup cooking, this is a landmark. Turning a bag of potatoes into a real, delicious, scrumptious, entree. Hot damn..

Since I'm growing my organic garden this coming spring/summer I figure I need to learn to cook. Since I don't really have a teacher I'm using the internet. The theme for my future is occasionally off the grid, hippie in training. Hippie's need to know how to cook one would imagine.

Good job!

Hey that's my theme too.

Sounds like your next trick should be gravy to go on those potatoes.

Also if you steam some kale/chard/spinach and chop it up fine and through it in with the spuds it makes it full of health and awesome.

 

[kazyeeqen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom

I like potatoes. I usually don't bother peeling them- I just give them a scrubbing, cut them in evenly-sized pieces, and boil them. I also like to grate them, shape them into a sort of pancake shape, and cook them on a non-stick griddle. (I don't know if you have birds- I don't- but I've heard that teflon can give off traces of fumes that can kill birds, at least if it overheats.)

ETA: Congratulations on your first home-cooked-by-you meal!

Cast iron, baby! Non-stick, safe for all and lasts forever and ever.

 

[falconbrother]

Quote:

Originally Posted by River

Lol good job

Maybe add a little chives next time!

Chives -- that sounds good, almost has a gourmet ring to it. I can see it now: "What's that wonderful ingredient that I can't quite put my finger on?" "It's Chives."

 

[Ira]

nice! congrats! i like the ideas about chives! i also like to add peas and garlic into mine

 

[falconbrother]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazyeeqen

Good job!

Hey that's my theme too.

Sounds like your next trick should be gravy to go on those potatoes.

Also if you steam some kale/chard/spinach and chop it up fine and through it in with the spuds it makes it full of health and awesome.

How do I make vegetarian gravy? I love gravy. I'm from the South. We love to have something to "sop" with a biscuit. When I was a kid I hung out with my grandpa a lot. He cooked grits with red-eye gravy all the time. For those of you from other non-southern planets, red-eye gravy is bacon grease and coffee. It was an acquired taste. Of course, I don't eat it now nor am I tempted to. But, we had gravy with all kinds of things, white sausage gravy, brown gravy of all descriptions.. I would love to have some vegan/vegetarian recipes for gravy. BTW, I love mushrooms and I have had a mushroom based vegan gravy from Earthfare. It was so good I considered just rubbing it all over my body..

 

[Envy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazyeeqen

Cast iron, baby! Non-stick, safe for all and lasts forever and ever.

http://ask.metafilter.com/62726/Help...n-pan-properly

meh

 

[kazyeeqen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Envy

http://ask.metafilter.com/62726/Help...n-pan-properly

meh

I like the request for help "I realized I don't know what the hell I'm doing with it."

Anyhoo, it's not that hard. I suck at taking care of things and I can deal, anyone can in theory.

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconbrother

How do I make vegetarian gravy? I love gravy. I'm from the South. We love to have something to "sop" with a biscuit. When I was a kid I hung out with my grandpa a lot. He cooked grits with red-eye gravy all the time. For those of you from other non-southern planets, red-eye gravy is bacon grease and coffee. It was an acquired taste. Of course, I don't eat it now nor am I tempted to. But, we had gravy with all kinds of things, white sausage gravy, brown gravy of all descriptions.. I would love to have some vegan/vegetarian recipes for gravy. BTW, I love mushrooms and I have had a mushroom based vegan gravy from Earthfare. It was so good I considered just rubbing it all over my body..

Mushroom or tempeh is what I use. Cut that **** up, and fry it in crap loads of buttery spread or oil, add soy sauce if it's tempeh, don't if it's mushrooms. Then add white flour until it absorbs all the oil and you can't add anymore (for two people it usually ends up a couple tablespoons oil and a couple of flour). You want to put as much flour as possible into the oil without leaving unoiled flour in the pan. Fry for a 30 seconds or so, and start adding milk alternatives (are you vegan? whatever, anything milk-like will do, don't use vanilla milks, it's like gravy cookies.

) a little at a time, until it thickens, then add more, and keep going until it's a nice amount and thickness. Add salt (less if you used soy sauce) and pepper. Lots and lots of pepper, if you're like me.

My daddy's a Iowa farm boy who claimed gravy couldn't be made without meat, but I showed him!

 

[Envy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazyeeqen

I like the request for help "I realized I don't know what the hell I'm doing with it."

Anyhoo, it's not that hard. I suck at taking care of things and I can deal, anyone can in theory.

seems that you can't cook acidic food in it.

no tomatoes means no go.

 

[falconbrother]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazyeeqen

Mushroom or tempeh is what I use. Cut that **** up, and fry it in crap loads of buttery spread or oil, add soy sauce if it's tempeh, don't if it's mushrooms.

See, now that's a recipe!

 

[kazyeeqen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Envy

seems that you can't cook acidic food in it.

no tomatoes means no go.

Sure you can. You can do anything you want with it. Some people are purists about it, but it's a very forgiving piece of cook ware. It might lessen the seasoning, but you just cook something oil after, or re-season. If it's well seasoned already it won't do a damn thing to it.

 

[jentlytread]

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconbrother

How do I make vegetarian gravy? I love gravy.

Brown some flour in a dry skillet, add veggie broth and a bit of oil, gradually, stir and simmer until perfect consistency, adding broth as needed. It will thicken as it cooks. Also salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper are good seasonings. If u want to add fresh onion or mushroom, saute those first in a bit of oil and then add your flour to brown.

 

[PTree15]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazyeeqen

Sure you can. You can do anything you want with it. Some people are purists about it, but it's a very forgiving piece of cook ware. It might lessen the seasoning, but you just cook something oil after, or re-season. If it's well seasoned already it won't do a damn thing to it.

This.
Hey, falconbrother, congrats! For something different next time, roast some garlic in a non-stick pan (medium heat, whole cloves. four or five, with the paper still on) until the paper gets a little brown. Peel off the paper; the garlic will be very soft. Mash it up and add it to the potatoes before you mash 'em. Delicious!

 

[Beetlejuice]

deleted

 

[River]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RabbitLuvr

Congrats. Mashed potatoes may well be my favorite thing to eat, ever.

I like to make them with red potatoes, I scrub them and leave the skin on.

I mix the reds and yukon golds to make mashed tatoes, and add garlic and chives NOM NOM NOM.