BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 31 Oct 05 - 01:47 PM

Hi, Carol.

The bulgar burgers: I use water and a small amount of oil to mix in with the burger, then I compress it all to get the liquid out before frying (or baking). Use a heavy coating of oil in the fry pan and make sure to turn just once per side. If the burgers are kept fairly thin and about 4" in diameter, the flipping is easy and they tend not to fall apart.

I was a vegetarian for a few years, and even today I eat very little meat/chicken/fish. Eggs I do use, but only about a dozen a month. Mostly because I seldom cook for myself, and because I have no one else to cook for I just end up with a lousy diet--and if it wasn't for vitamin pills I'm sure I'd be dead already.

Of course, we have left out the world of full protein salads. They are a challenge, but fun. The hardest part is the dressing. I'll pop a few ideas here later. (I'm sure none of this stuff is new to you, but sometimes we need to be reminded that some foods we left behind are not only good for us but also good tasting.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 31 Oct 05 - 01:57 PM

Oh yeah. It helps if you let the bulgar mixture sit for a few hours in the fridge, and I like sesame see oil to help both with binding and taste. If you have difficulty making the burger stuff stick together, make a quick paste of flour and water and mix that in. It will help the mixture set and make it easier to handle, but will mean you have to increase the frying time. Keep in mind that most oils begin to burn once ya get past 325 degrees. (The exception is peanut oil, but you can't use that. There is a grape oil on the market, but I can't afford to use it. Quite costly--and I have no idea what its smoke point is.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Nov 05 - 02:54 PM

Susan,

    Just a note about food for folks who have diabetes. It's nice that the church puts fruit out for people who must keep an eye on the sugar intake, HOWEVER, the body does not distinguish between brown sugar and a banana (I'm talking about blood glucose levels). In that kind of situation, sugar is sugar and the blood glucose levels will rise accordingly. Some will burn up more quickly but at the time when it is eaten, the body responds to any kind of sugar in the same way in regards to blood glucose levels.

    I have noticed that at some of the church potlucks that some kind souls make sugar-free deserts and label them as such. That is always helpful.   :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Nov 05 - 03:44 PM

Thanks, LF. I think the assumption with fruit is that it is more nutritious than a regular dessert, and more importantly that the exchanges can be counted better than with a mystery dessert. In this case the idea is that it's meant to follow a full meal where one hopes affected people will have been calculating exchanges. However, I mis-spoke-- it isn't ALL of the parish events where this occurs, but our EFM class in particular.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: LilyFestre
Date: 01 Nov 05 - 04:27 PM

Of course fruit is more nutritious than a regular desert for anyone, not just people with diabetes.

Still, because the topic of discussion has been along the lines of accomodating people with different food allergies and recipes for Mudcat Gatherings, I think it's important to point out that for a person with diabetes, sugar is sugar whether it's an apple or a cookie. The apple does contain more nutrients but sugar wise, it will raise blood sugar levels just as much as a cookie.

I think the thoughts here are good ones. I would also like to suggest that if you are having a dinner that is heavy on the carbs (carbs all end up as sugar) and you know that you have person with diabetes coming to dinner, you might want to let them know of the menu ahead of time so they might adjust their insulin accordingly and be able to enjoy the meal with everyone else and not have to worry. :)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 01 Nov 05 - 04:30 PM

Rapaire:
Serve as an whores de over with toothpicks, or over rice or noodles as a meal.
Sounds interesting, or should that have been hors d'oeuvre

CHEERS
Nigel

Oh, and for my part a couple of flagons of home brewed beer with a full list of ingredients and a note of the original gravity.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Nov 05 - 05:28 PM

LF, yes, I agree.

At our house we also make a point of serving WHOLE grains whenever possible, partly because the glycemic index of these means they convert to sugar more slowly.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Dec 05 - 07:21 PM

Allergy Warning!

OK, I'll spill the word on this recipe. To serve with very rare Prime Rib (mooooo) and Spinach as you like it:

CREAM OF GORGONZOLA SOUP
You will have to estimate quantities. Be brave. Cook with abandon and the rest will work out.

Start by making a roux, and then add some whole milk. Heat that up till it's all nicely thick. Next add the crumbled Gorgonzola and lower the heat. When it's oozy-goozy (as Emeril would surely say if we made this for him), thin it with WHIPPING CREAM. Add black or white pepper to taste. Perhaps a tad of lemon juice if it is not sharp enough to suit. Then fall into it. I suppose a dollop of sour cream couldn't hurt as a garnish, with a few artsy-fartsy chives. A biscuit/scone or two would not be amiss. NOT crackers.

A good red wine with the above meal will make you scream as would one orgasm too many. This meal is definitely in the Rorty section of the Grub Book. Add the leftover spinsch to the leftover soup if you have not consumed it all, and you can have either a dip or another soup. Maybe some chopped cooked potato.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Ferrara
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 03:58 PM

Well as we're going to be going to this here March MudGather at WYSIWYG's, I guess I'll offer my 2 cents. (12 cents?)

IMO there's no point trying to avoid all allergens. As shown by the above lists, you would be pretty much left with water. What we do at the Getaway is ask people to let us know regarding allergies and other food restrictions, and try to have ONE dish they can eat at each meal.

I don't seem to be allergic to corn but am allergic or intolerant of corn syrup, and certain other sweeteners. Also sorbitol and maltitol (ugh!). At home, I keep my own bottle of organic ketchup since Heinz switched from sugar to corn syrup.

Also, because of transplant risk factors, I have to be sparing with saturated fat, salt and sugar. These restrictions aren't life threatening, in the short term at least. Still I frequently have to stop eating something because it's notably fatty and salty, or because a sweetener in it is making my skin burn and my chest ache.

As Carol says, prepared dressings and mixes are almost always a problem in these areas. Sure played hell with my own cooking BTW -- prior to all these restrictions I thought Soy sauce and salad dressings made up one of the four basic food groups. (Chicken basted with Kraft Zesty Italian dressing -- yum.)

However -- people don't need to cook to my requirements. (For one thing, I cheat on my diet a bit, a moderate amount of fat and salt won't stop me.... ) We'll bring potluck, and I will probably also bring lots of salad and fruit, maybe some cheese. Also, when I travel I take a CARE package - low salt Triscuits, Jif peanut butter (no corn syrup), some high protein bars, nuts, whatever. I don't want people to drive themselves nuts trying to fix food for me. I'd rather they fixed whatever is easy and fun, and I can have cheese and salad or whatever if it doesn't work for me.

I may not even be able to eat my own potluck! I made a really tasty meat pie this week and then couldn't eat it. I still don't know where the problem was but it made my chest ache and my skin burn. Sigh.... Bill sure enjoyed it though, he got to eat almost a whole meat pie although not at one sitting. :-D

Rita