What are you up to today? This week?

[Syphon79]

Stayed home from work due to illness (made it a rule that if I have a temp of 100 degrees, I stay put in bed), but had to go out an hour ago when I found that I didn't have any ingredients to make my chicken and rice soup with ginger (Bryan called requesting for it -- he started not feeling too swell either). Ended up doing groceries while I was at it, and made a quick pit stop at Lowes and Hancock Fabrics for some mini supplies. Hoping by tomorrow I'll be okay to come into the office...

[woodland_miniatures]

Careful, Daphne - I did my monthly shopping Monday feeling "just fine" after running high fever/chills on the weekend, and apparently overdid it a bit, because I started in again with the chills/fever Wednesday. Have been taking aspirin and staying in bed, and I swear I thought I'd rattle my teeth out this morning because I had the shivers so bad! Just up from sleeping a solid 6 hours, very weak and very sweaty but temp's back where it should be. TRULY hope that's the end of it this time!

Your chicken/rice soup with ginger sounds like the perfect thing, too.

[Syphon79]

Hey Mary -- yeah, think the temp is coming back. First I thought it was because the apartment is warm (our unit is above the building's furnace) so I threw open the windows. When Bryan complained that it was freezing, realized it was because my temp had spiked up again!

Took some tylenol and waiting for Bryan to finish showering. Might take a bath or shower and blowdry my hair before climbing to bed. Hoping I won't feel so hot tomorrow -- don't want to head to work if that's the case.

The chicken and rice soup came out pretty good, but the garlic-shallot oil garnish I made to go with it was too bitter. Guess I burnt the garlic.

But seeing Bryan eat three bowls -- guess that's a success.

[heidiiiii]

Oh Daphne!

Can you post your recipe for that soup on here? Pretty please with sugar on top.

They are starting to feel better thank goodness. It is awfully warm today for November 5th and it is still rainy. I am confined to the house while I wait for the oil delivery. Then I have to do my normal Friday errands.

Fred has the day off today so I wanted to make something different or yummish for dinner tonite. I will have to think about it.

[woodland_miniatures]

Adding my begging to Heidi's for the chicken soup recipe - pretty please??

Still no fever, thank heavens, but now with the sore throat, sniffles and achy sinuses, so I'm grumping back to bed. AGAIN! (but I'll take head cold symptoms over that dreadful shivering/freezing/burning up/drowning in sweat cycle any day!)

This, too, shall pass.

[Syphon79]

Per your requests ladies -- here it is. It's loosely based on the Filipino version of arroz caldo -- I provided a version of that recipe somewhere, but I tweaked it again into something I can quickly prep on a weeknight (Bryan requests for this almost once a week). It makes a pretty big amount for two people, but should serve about 4 people easily.

Note: fish sauce is a Southeast Asian condiment. I will not lie -- it smells awful but it gives a tasty dimension to dishes. You can get it in most Asian markets, but most grocery stores that have a great international aisle will carry this. They're usually pretty inexpensive (one bottle can last a whole year since you don't use alot of it), and pick a bottle where the color is a light tea color (it indicates that it was filtered very well and has a less salty taste). If it's dark like coca-cola, don't use it. Otherwise, if you can't find fish sauce, just season to taste with kosher salt.

Chicken and Rice Soup with Ginger (the Weekday Version)

1 pkg ground chicken or turkey (or you can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs -- just cut them into cubes)

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sherry

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp onion powder (optional if you are using fresh onion)

vegetable oil -- about 2 tbsp

ginger root -- peeled and cut into rough chunks or slices (about 1/4 cup is fine, but can add more if you want additional heat to your soup)

1 chopped onion (optional)

2 cloves garlic, minced (also optional -- if you want to add this, you can add more if you'd like)

fish sauce (see note above)

2 cans of cream of chicken soup (10.75 oz each)

2 quarts of low salt chicken broth (if low salt broth is unavailable, use one box of regular chicken broth and an equal amount of water)

1.5 cups of instant rice

1 cup of frozen peas

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix the chicken or turkey with the soy sauce, sherry, garlic powder, black pepper and onion powder until combined.

2. In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the meat mixture and cook over medium-high heat until the meat is browned.

3. Toss in the ginger root, garlic, and onion into the mixture. Cook the veggies with the meats for about 1-2 minutes until the garlic starts to brown (you don't want them to burn or else the whole thing will be bitter). Sprinkle the fish sauce over the mixture and stir it around for another 2 minutes.

4. Add the broth, the cream of chicken soup, and peas. Bring the mixture to a boil, and season to taste with either a bit more fish sauce if you have it. Otherwise, season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the rice. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low -- let the mixture simmer until the rice and peas are tender. You can add more broth or water to the mixture if you'd like to have more of a soupy texture (the rice will thicken the broth). Season to taste.

Serve pipping hot with either fresh ground pepper, or serve with some Garlic-Shallot Oil (heat about 1/4 cup olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Toss in 1 chopped shallot, a whole head of peeled chopped garlic and a pinch of salt. Allow the mixture to heat until the garlic is golden brown -- once that happens, immediately take it off the heat. Let it cool a bit, then spoon some of the oil over the individual bowls of soup).

That's basically it -- the recipe is pretty flexible so you can tweak it however you want it. You can increase the sherry/soy marinade if you'd like or add additional seasonings to the meat as it marinades or even in the soup. The key ingredient though is the ginger -- a big help when fighting a cold and it heats you up nicely inside. I usually leave the ginger chunks in the soup since we're used to eating. If you don't want to eat them in your bowl, just chop up the ginger into big chunks and fish them out before serving.

The Garlic-Shallot Oil is a pretty tasty addition to other broth based soups as well --- though just make sure you have mints afterwards or you're not planning to smooch someone immediately after eating a bowl!

[woodland_miniatures]

Mmmmmm, wonderful - thank you, Daphne!!

[pdlnpeabody]

I don't know about "Black Friday," but if you're in Florida don't forget to stop by and see the houses on "Dark Gray Saturday" at the Craft Festival!

Holly,

They only used exterior shots of the house, all of the interior shots where either at a different location or on a set (a very common practice in the film industry). I helped work on a student short film a few years ago in Gainesville, and we filmed the lobby at GRU but the office scenes were shot at Central Florida Office Supply's call center over a mile away. There was one building they "built" in Micanopy, but it was only one wall propped up from the back. The one-sided house had painted brick and mortar that was very realistic looking even close-up.

My wife and I are debating whether to go to EPCOT next week or wait until the end of the month. Either date, we'll only have enough money for meals and parking, but its less than 2 hours away and the tickets are paid for. The down side is the thought of going down there and not being able to do at least a little shopping, especially at EPCOT with all of the great imported items at the showcases.

[heidiiiii]

Thank you for the recipe! I saved in on the computer and I will get the ground chicken today. I use fish sauce in a couple recipes. It does smell awful but it lends a certain something to the taste of the food.

I am going to rake up some wet leaves and start bagging a bit today. It is much chillier out there today then in days past. Maybe that soup would do the trick today..huh? I will let you know what the troupe thinks of it!

[Syphon79]

Glad you approve Heidi -- let me know how it goes! Was worried the dish was an acquired taste when I first made it for Bryan (he's not a big fish fan). But seeing him eat an average of three bowls, that's comforting. Plus, I grew up with my mother and later my older sister making a pot of this on the weekends during the fall/winter months!

[Starfire]

The soup sounds wonderful but I don't have all of the ingredients handy and I do not want to go out shopping today. Put them on the list for next week. I may drag out a creamy french onion soup recipe and make a batch of that. I use to make several large batches in the fall and freeze it for use when we had the air crews come in and visit DH overseas. It is real thick and hearty and fills empty stomachs well. I could pull it out and heat it up and the guys always loved it. I made some bread last night and the two would be good together..

[pdlnpeabody]

Daphne,

My wife makes the Filipino version of arroz caldo too (She's Filipino)! She plans to make it sometime next week. There are a few dishes she makes that I can't get used to (anything with bitter mellon) but most of her cooking is amazing.

[heidiiiii]

Daphne, I make something called Pok Pok chicken wings. They are from a restaurant that I think is in Seattle (i saw it on tv). Fish sauce is in the marinade and in the sweet/spicy coating for the wings.

I would LOVE to make Vietnamese Pho but it takes way too many ingredients and time. I think I will just enjoy eating it at the casino (great eatery there)

I raked leaves and washed the french door windows. I just had a late lunch of tomato soup, slice of french bread and some grapes. I do not know what to make for dinner tonite. I am in the middle of cleaning up a huge mess in the kitchen. Chelsea cooks wonderful meals (she fed us last night) but she makes HUGE messes. I am washing in stages. B)

[KathieB]

I am in the middle of cleaning up a huge mess in the kitchen. Chelsea cooks wonderful meals (she fed us last night) but she makes HUGE messes. I am washing in stages. B)

When my sis and I were learning to cook, my mother instituted an unbreakable rule: whoever cooks does the dishes. It was good training. Now, whenever we sit down to eat, the cook pots and utensils are pretty much washed up and air drying in the drainer basket. Lloyd does the dishes, but I still clean up after myself as I cook.

We don't have a dishwasher in Missouri, but we'll have one in New Orleans. My dishwasher rule is: if there's only one of an item, it gets washed by hand; only multiples go into the dishwasher unless it is to be run right then. I hate reaching for a utensil only to find it is dirty and has been sitting in the dishwasher for two days waiting for a full load.

[heidiiiii]

This time I will give her a pass about the dishes. She is still under the weather with this cold that is going around. Usually she washes the dishes she makes.

I bet you are excited to get back to N.O. Kathie. I know I would be if I were you two.

I want to replace our ancient dishwasher. Someday..that is not forefront on my list of things to do.

[Syphon79]

@ Starfire -- ooh, creamy french onion soup! That sounds divine with some hot crusty bread!

@ Jeremy -- think I know the dish(es) you're referring to regarding the bitter melon. B) I can understand why -- not too crazy about it, but my parents adore bitter melon. They claim it's cleansing for the system -- my siblings and I, on the other hand, just make a face and say it's weird tasting!

See you're lucky you have 24/7 access to Filipino food through your wife. With the exception of two dishes, if I want Filipino food, I have to either drive to a restaurant or go visit my parents. For some reason, if I attempt to make a dish, it always fares badly.

@ Heidi -- think you're going to have to share the recipe for the Pok Pok wings. Love love love eating chicken wings on the weekends when all the errands are done. There's something strangely satisfying about eating some chicken wings with a tall icy glass of Ginger Ale mixed with orange juice. And plenty of napkins of course.

@ KathieB -- my mother has that same exact rule when it comes to dishwashers. Of course, the only time my siblings and I see the dishwasher run was after my parents threw a party at home. Mom would put all the glasses and serving dishes and what not and run the machine until everything was done. Otherwise, she'd resort to handwashing (she claims it's a stressbuster after dealing with a full time job and three kids).

As for today -- went to the mini shop to return an item, but came out with more supplies. Then drove home, helped Bryan bring out the garbage and empty our recycle bins before driving into Old Town for a late lunch (we had Thai food). We just got in, but will probably head out around 6 pm to attend a gathering at one of Bryan's friends from his old job. This group tries to do a monthly "game night" -- we bring board games and the Wii and cash to cover the sodas and pizza the host/hostess provides. It's alot of fun -- got to know Bryan's friends through these events, and it's pretty hysterical when we play games like Cranium or Trivial Pursuit with a bunch of federal workers!

[Starfire]

I goofed big time! I am trying to prep the walls in the Montclair prior to painting or wallpapering and I discovered I cannot stand on my head to do the ceilings or some of the walls. I have to figure out a way to turn this behoumath on its side, front side partly down so I can do all the things i need to do. Turned to DH to design a cradle that will allow it but not damage the porch lights or the front columns. Sigh!!!! Will continue to work on the kitchen cabinets and attach the stainless steel pins for the handles. Also doing some little bottles and such for the bathroom sink surround cabinets. Have not decided whether to stain or paint the bookcases for the library and am thinking leather walls, maybe?

[Sherry]

When my sis and I were learning to cook, my mother instituted an unbreakable rule: whoever cooks does the dishes. It was good training. Now, whenever we sit down to eat, the cook pots and utensils are pretty much washed up and air drying in the drainer basket. Lloyd does the dishes, but I still clean up after myself as I cook.

We don't have a dishwasher in Missouri, but we'll have one in New Orleans. My dishwasher rule is: if there's only one of an item, it gets washed by hand; only multiples go into the dishwasher unless it is to be run right then. I hate reaching for a utensil only to find it is dirty and has been sitting in the dishwasher for two days waiting for a full load.

We always had a rule in our house that you rinsed off your own dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, and I rinsed off the cooking stuff-thoroughly. I can't stand dishes with food caked on them in the dishwasher! When my youngest son had room mates in college, he about came to blows with them before they learned to do the same thing..it drove him crazy when they put dirty stuff in the dishwasher, thinking all that crud just vanished or something!

[Sherry]

I goofed big time! I am trying to prep the walls in the Montclair prior to painting or wallpapering and I discovered I cannot stand on my head to do the ceilings or some of the walls. I have to figure out a way to turn this behoumath on its side, front side partly down so I can do all the things i need to do. Turned to DH to design a cradle that will allow it but not damage the porch lights or the front columns. Sigh!!!! Will continue to work on the kitchen cabinets and attach the stainless steel pins for the handles. Also doing some little bottles and such for the bathroom sink surround cabinets. Have not decided whether to stain or paint the bookcases for the library and am thinking leather walls, maybe?

I did the exact same thing, forgot to prime the ceiling before I glued it on. Now I am going to have to stand on my head and do it...maybe that's why I have put off doing the second floor ceilings for so long!

[KathieB]

Last night we saw "Secretariat" ... what a nice movie. B) I wondered what the movie makers could do with a story that's so well known and has a happy ending without treachery, car chases, flowing blood and general mayhem. They did well. It was uplifting to watch a woman stick by the courage of her convictions to such a brilliant end. And all through the movie I kept an eye on the fashions of the late 60s/early 70s, saying to myself: "I had a dress like that. We had one of those in our house."

I especially enjoyed the phones of the time -- the solid thunk of a plastic phone being returned to the cradle, the way the receiver curved around the user's head so comfortably, the sturdy design that gave the user something to grab and hold onto, the way the call was ended with a satisfying "thunk" as the receiver was replaced in the cradle. And pay phones in phone booths -- oh, my!

The staging of the races was brilliant, an amalgam of vintage footage and recreation. I wondered whether the people in the wide-angle crowd scenes at the various racetracks were real or computer generated. I couldn't tell. Although we sat through the entire list of credits at the end, Lloyd was disappointed that the horse playing Secretariat was not named.

If you like feel good movies, this one's a keeper.

[heidiiiii]

Okay Daphne, I will share the Pok Pok Chicken Wings.

First I am going to put up the YouTube video of the restaurant on Diners, Drive ins, and Dives. Fred told me I had to figure out the recipe. After watching the video AND scouring online..I found it.

Triple D-Pok Pok .....*this is the Youtube Url if you do not have fast internet speed.*

*The chicken wings are the last recipe in the segment.*

*I tweaked this recipe after watching the show and reading other people`s variations of the recipe. So it is not exactly like he did it*

Vietnamese Chicken Wings

This could cook half a bag of those frozen wings.

-Take 2 tablespoons of salt and 2 minced garlic cloves and massage them together. Put garlic mixture into some cheese cloth and submerge in 2 cups of water for a 1/2 hour. Squeeze the cheese cloth to get all the garlic goodness into the water. Add 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce. Put prepared chicken wings in marinade and soak overnight in fridge.

Heat oil for deep frying the chicken. You are going to want to use either rice flour or corn starch to coat the wings. I used rice flour.

Make coating liquid in a medium saucepan, 1/2 cup fish sauce, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water. Heat to simmering. In a small bowl mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Add to coating liquid. I also had a teaspoon of Sracha hot chili sauce (rooster on the front of bottle, green lid..you can find in Asian markets) for a bit of heat.

Coat wings in flour, shake off excess, and cook until golden brown. Set aside in warm oven until you have cooked all.

In the video, he does the wings to order so he coats them in a fry pan. I added the cornstarch to thicken the whole pot at once..then I coated all the wings at once in the pan. Make sure all pieces are covered.

I toasted some sesame seeds on a dry fry pan and sprinkled those on top of the sticky wings.

Fred and Natalie are very picky when it comes to some things. They did not notice the fish sauce AND they ate the bones clean! It was a success!

[Syphon79]

Heidi -- omg, am drooling here. Gonna have to run to the grocery store this afternoon to make these!!!

[Merry]

Woke up sick this morning. Ugh. B) Send some soup my way!

[heidiiiii]

Heidi -- omg, am drooling here. Gonna have to run to the grocery store this afternoon to make these!!!

I use whole un frozen chicken wings. This recipe will cover one of those big family packs of chicken wings. I do not section the wings, I leave them intact. You do not have to have them marinate overnight..If you give them a couple hours in the fridge/marinade, that should do the trick!

Enjoy and let me know how they turn out. Oh Rice flour you can find in the Asian market or in co-op. I have never seen it in regular grocery store.

[heidiiiii]

Oh I hope you get better soon Mary. A bad cold has blown through our house the past couple weeks. Not fun!