Question Of The Day, Sunday, October 15, 2017

[micknsnicks2mom]

good morning!

do you like to cook and/or bake? i like to cook, but i love to bake! there are some things that i just don't do well, haven't been able to learn to do from watching videos and then trying. for the most part though, i do well.

so for today's Question of the Day --



What dish, technique, recipe, or etc. have you either not tried but would like to, or have tried but not 'mastered' quite yet?



i'll start!

for me, that would be making breads, rolls, and biscuits by hand -- i mean mixing the ingredients together, kneading, and then moving on from there. i use the bread machine for making breads and rolls now, and when i occasionally make some biscuits i'll use something like Bisquick mix. it's the kneading that i haven't been able to get right, and i *think* i knead too...enthusiastically.

i would really like to learn to make those by hand though.


How about you?

 

[muffy]

I don't cook or bake but I would like to learn to make good bread. The smell of bread baking is heavenly.

Muffy

 

[Winchester]

Puff pastries from scratch. It seems like so much of a hassle, rolling out butter and putting it in the dough, then folding the dough and rolling it back out, more butter, etc. While I'd really like to learn how to do it, I guess it seems too difficult or something. I have never even tried it.

 

[sivyaleah]

I love cooking with a lot of expertise in methods, types of food, etc. I can create my own recipes, both simple and complicated.

However my baking skills aren't as developed although I can manage. I'd love to learn how to make things like perfect sourdough bread from scratch.

 

[denice]

I am not much into cooking or baking anymore since it is now just me. It's more something I do out of necessity now. I used to be really good at baking bread. I actually enjoyed doing it and I too love the smell of yeast bread baking. It has been so long I doubt I could still do it.

One thing I have watched on TV that I would like to try making is Asian noodles. I think it is interesting how they pull the dough apart, start spinning it and it separates into noodles. I guess there is a real art to it, one of those things that have been passed down from generation to generation.

 

[neely]

I never really loved cooking but wanted my family to eat healthy so did it. However, I loved baking maybe because I love desserts a little too much. It was also a nice bonding experience for my children and myself. Both daughters have carried on our tradition. The one dessert I have to admit I've never mastered or even attempted is pie crust. I have made simple pies, e.g. bought pre-made crust and made the filling, but never made the crust from scratch or did a lattice top.

 

[denice]

Even when I was doing a lot of cooking and baking I gave up on pie crust, thank goodness for store bought crusts. My grandmother and mother could make pie crusts. I watched both of them make crust and they seemed to just throw it together and it always turned out right. I never did get the hang of making pie crust from scratch.

 

[bodester413]

I don't cook or bake very much, but I do make some mean buttermilk biscuits and scones. I would like to learn how to make home made bread. I've never tried because it sounds like it takes a fair amount of time, and I'm one of those I WANT IT ALL NOW! types of people. LOL I love good bakery bread. It's definitely one of my downfalls as far as eating too many calories.

 

[kashmir64]

I hate to cook. But after two years I think I've finally got my Swedish Meatball recipe where I want it.

I have mastered Peanut Butter cookies. Yesterday I noticed a honey peanut butter in the store. I thought "this would make good cookies". It did. I baked them last night and the family has eaten almost all of them already. I still have not mastered the Ghiradelli brownies though.

 

[Kat0121]

Puff pastries from scratch. It seems like so much of a hassle, rolling out butter and putting it in the dough, then folding the dough and rolling it back out, more butter, etc. While I'd really like to learn how to do it, I guess it seems too difficult or something. I have never even tried it.

I have made it. It is all the hassle you mention and it is also quite time consuming. The frozen puff pastry in the grocery store is just fine. I would not make it again.

I do like to cook and I do like to bake but don't cook much and bake less these days. It's just DD and me and she is a very picky eater. Cooking for a picky eater takes all the fun out of it.

I may cook more when it's just me. Bread/rolls, etc are also one of the things I have trouble with. I'm not a good kneader either.

I found this video from one of my favorite cooking channels. He makes pizza dough with 2 ingredients. Self rising flour and plain yogurt. Check it out. I haven't tried it but I want to. I can't see why the dough could not be cut into pieces and formed into rolls...


I love this guy. He has a lot of great, simple recipes. He's very engaging and fun.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I have not mastered making a roux. Things turn out fine in the end; but that roux process just doesn't seem to go right for me. I need someone physically present to show me what I'm doing wrong. Or maybe a good youtube video. Everything else I've been able to figure out; but I always make a clump of flour/butter making those roux.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I do enjoy cooking and baking. I never did master biscuits from scratch. They are edible. That is about all I can say.
My sister made ones that would rise "sky high." I remember our grandmother made what she called "clabber biscuits."
We had a cow in the yard at that time and that is where she got the clabber or buttermilk.

 

[foxxycat]

I used to make all kinds of things from scratch in my teen years but not bread. My mom made the best biscuits and deep fried seafood. I did some baking-chocolate cake out of this world but nowadays I can't even remember what ingredients to buy nevermind make a cake...

I too have a picky eater at home so I don't enjoy cooking anymore. I do love Pad Thai and would like to learn exotic dishes. I tried making pad thai once and it came out yucky. Same thing with fried rice. I just can't seem to get my rice to cook correctly in a pan. Thai food is good but looks complicated to make-so many ingredients.
So it would have to be A real Pad Thai. not frozen dinner kind.

 

[Winchester]

I have made it. It is all the hassle you mention and it is also quite time consuming. The frozen puff pastry in the grocery store is just fine. I would not make it again.

I do like to cook and I do like to bake but don't cook much and bake less these days. It's just DD and me and she is a very picky eater. Cooking for a picky eater takes all the fun out of it.

I may cook more when it's just me. Bread/rolls, etc are also one of the things I have trouble with. I'm not a good kneader either.

Kat0121 thanks for that video....I enjoyed watching him and will check him out. He's interesting. As for the puff pastry, as much as I'd like to try it--just because--I'm thinking it's not worth the trouble overall. It might be something for my BIL and I to try to make together; sometimes he and I will get together just to bake bread or spend the day making sauerkraut or home made sausage. I may mention puff pastry to him and see if he's interested. Other than that, while it would be nice to say, "I made this," I don't think it's worth all the trouble. Store-bought puff pastry has always worked well for me.

And as I've gotten older, the DoughBoy makes a good pie crust. While I can make crust, thanks to Rick's mom, it's not something I can quickly throw together and there's a lot of muttering (and downright cussing) sometimes when I make with my own pie crust. The day that Rick's parents had dinner with us and Evelyn threw her hands up and said, "Home made pie crust? Phooey on that!" was the day that I said, "No more!". If my MIL can use the DoughBoy and not feel guilty about it, I see no reason why I can't.

MoochNNoodles Roux? I can do roux, but it took me a while. Graham (our son) used to make fun of my gravy. It had a great taste, but there were lumps. I finally figured out to get the butter (or meat fat) at a good simmer, then throw the flour in and stir, stir, stir the whole time. Let it simmer and keep stirring. When it's as dark as I want, then I pour the stock into the pot and stir, stir, stir. Then I let it simmer for about a minute or so; if it starts to get a little thick, add more stock (or broth or wine) to thin it out a bit. And if you find some lumps? Well, that's what a strainer is for! (The day I finally figured it out, we were sitting at the table, getting ready to eat. Graham looked at the gravy boat, looked at me, and got up and starting looking around the kitchen. I asked him what he was looking for and said, "I'm trying to find the jar the gravy came in!". He was a snot from the time he was born.)

 

[amysuen]

The one where you wiggle your nose and food magically appears.

I hate cooking. I love baking but never have time. Not to mention I can't resist sweets so it's better not to have them in the house.

 

[misty8723]

No to both. I absolutely loathe cooking, and especially cleaning up after cooking. I keep trying to get DH to learn, but he won't, so we either go out or I throw something together. I should also mention I don't particularly like food either, which definitely doesn't make it easier for me to take up cooking.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

I don't cook or bake but I would like to learn to make good bread. The smell of bread baking is heavenly.

Muffy

you'd like to learn to make good bread!!! very nice!!

yes, the smell of bread baking is truly heavenly!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

Puff pastries from scratch. It seems like so much of a hassle, rolling out butter and putting it in the dough, then folding the dough and rolling it back out, more butter, etc. While I'd really like to learn how to do it, I guess it seems too difficult or something. I have never even tried it.

puff pastries from scratch!!! most excellent!!

i'd looked into that several years ago, but have never gotten around to try it. these days, i can't see myself making puff pastry from scratch. it would be an interesting experience , but not a priority -- and not something that i have the time to spend on.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

I love cooking with a lot of expertise in methods, types of food, etc. I can create my own recipes, both simple and complicated.

However my baking skills aren't as developed although I can manage. I'd love to learn how to make things like perfect sourdough bread from scratch.

ahhh, a perfect sourdough bread from scratch!!! that sounds great!!

to be able to create your own recipes, both simple and complicated -- that's a sign of someone who has quite advanced cooking skills! and that's something that i'm not able to do, or comfortable trying.

however, i'm very knowledgeable about using substitutions -- in cooking, and especially in baking. and i can significantly change recipes, kind of create a different version -- like taking a recipe for Cherry Nanaimo Bars, and putting together a recipe to make Mint Nanaimo Bars based on that recipe as well as other details found via the internet.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

I am not much into cooking or baking anymore since it is now just me. It's more something I do out of necessity now. I used to be really good at baking bread. I actually enjoyed doing it and I too love the smell of yeast bread baking. It has been so long I doubt I could still do it.

One thing I have watched on TV that I would like to try making is Asian noodles. I think it is interesting how they pull the dough apart, start spinning it and it separates into noodles. I guess there is a real art to it, one of those things that have been passed down from generation to generation.

mmmmmm......the smell of yeast bread baking!

you'd like to try making Asian noodles!!! very nice!! that does sound like it would be really interesting!!