Please help JD cook (2 parts)

[Ensign Steve]

Part One: Dinner tonight.

Okay, hell has not frozen over, AFAIK, but I am attempting to make myself a little bit more heathy (or is it healthful?). I am neither drinking nor smoking, and I thought I'd give fresh food a try. Unfortunately, cooking fresh food is a lot more complicated than nuking a lean cuisine, so I'm kinda at a loss here. Please help! I want chicken tonight.

I have:
boneless, skinless breasts
a potato
frozen brussels sprouts
ketchup, mustard, lite mayo
orange juice, diet tropicana twister
salt, pepper
sweet n' low
skim milk
pickles
lite margarine
electric range, oven, microwave
saucepans, griddle, cookie sheet
limited utensils
colander and mixing bowl
aluminum foil

I don't have:
oil, vinegar, nonstick cooking spray
spices other than salt and pepper
barbecue sauce, worchestershire sauce
eggs
butter

I am not going to the store today. Any ideas? If I can't come up with anything better, I am going to pretend the ketchup is barbecue sauce, coat the chicken with it and bake it. And hope it doesn't taste as gross as it sounds. I should have bought the dijon mustard instead of the yellow. That would work better, I think.

--------------------------------------------------

Part Two: Kitchen Staples.

Next time I go to the market, I am going to try to load up on some more staples, so that I won't be in this fix again. But again I am helpless.

Oil. Vegetable or olive? Virgin or extra virgin?
Vinegar. Rice, cider, or wine? Red or white?
Nonstick cooking spray. Easy enough.
Spices. Totally at a loss!
Condiments. Any must-haves besides dijon mustard, worchestershire sauce and bbq sauce?

Am I missing anything else?


TIA!

[wei yau]

Before I attempt a detailed reply, do you have salad dressings? Ideally, a vinegrette?

[TomJoe]

Same here...

There are three things I think you need in your kitchen...

1. A George Foreman grill. These things kick ass! You can take a frozen chicken breast right out of the freezer and in 8 minutes, grilled chicken. Freakin rawks!

2. Balsamic Vinegar.

3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

[Ensign Steve]

I have a sweet onion (starts with V?) dressing. It's lite/lowfat though, so I'm not sure how well it would do for cooking. I had about 5 dressings before I moved, including at least 2 vinegarettes, but I left them for my roommate. That's the reason I have no staples, I just moved in and I was in a dorm with no kitchen for 9 months before that. :)

[Ensign Steve]

1. A George Foreman grill. These things kick ass! You can take a frozen chicken breast right out of the freezer and in 8 minutes, grilled chicken. Freakin rawks!

I used to have one of those, too, but I left it for my other roommate last year, before I moved in with Lauri. Because she was such a fine cook and always cooked for me, I figured she deserved it. But, yes, I really need to pick up a new one. Even though I have almost no counter space. :(

[TomJoe]

I wouldn't worry about buying salad dressings. If you want a vinegrette, you can just mix some balsamic vinegar and olive oil together, whisk and then pour over your salad. You don't want to drown your salad, and a thorough mixing of between four and five tablespoons of salad dressing is enough to cover a full dish of lettuce.

Also, if you're going to eat lettuce, splurge for romaine lettuce. It has a higher nutrient content than iceberg lettuce, and has a better flavor too. It also is multi-purpose, going well in summer soups.

As for condiments: I'd suggest you get a set of the following dried herbs/spices: paprika (goes great on grilled chicken), basil/oregano (some places have what is called "Italian Seasoning"... this goes great with spaghetti sauces and chicken/fish), crushed red pepper (don't know how keen you are on "hot 'n spicy food") and garlic salt (though I would recommend you just get the real deal, alongside a great garlic press).

[TomJoe]

Do you have bread? A Toaster?

[wei yau]

boneless, skinless breasts
a potato
frozen brussels sprouts
ketchup, mustard, lite mayo
orange juice, diet tropicana twister
salt, pepper
sweet n' low
skim milk
pickles
lite margarine


I don't have:
oil, vinegar, nonstick cooking spray
spices other than salt and pepper
barbecue sauce, worchestershire sauce
eggs
butter


Hmm, this is going to be interesting. I feel like the Iron Chefs on that one episode of Doorknock Dinners.

I'd first suggest marinating the chicken in the Sweet Onion salad dressing, even if lite, as long as it is oil-based, it should help with some of the flavor. You might want to add a little of the OJ, for a citrus flavor. Although, that might be overkill.

If you have any wine, that'd be nice, too.

After marinating for about two-hours, I'd just bake the chicken.

For the potato, I'd recommend cutting it up into slices. Not potato chip-thin, but close. I'd nuke some of the margarine, to get it liquid-y (actually, I don't know if that will happen with margarine, usually I'd use melted butter). Mix with salt and pepper and toss the potato slices. Lay out the sliced potato on foil in the cookie sheet and bake with the chicken. If you'd had any cheese, you could do a little au-gratin thingee.

The brussel sprouts are easy. Nuke, salt and add margarine. Mix and eat.

It's really the lack of cooking oil that makes this one so tough. I'd keep some ketchup on the side as a condiment, as it might help cover some of the flaws in the seasoning.

[TomJoe]

We duel!

I'd suggest you cook the chicken, you can use some of the butter and pan fry it, dice it into small cubes. Mix with a dollop of your lite-mayo. Also, finely chop a pickle or two (to your liking) and mix into the chicken/mayo. Add pepper to taste. Voila! Chicken salad.

In the offchance that you didn't mention any fruit you may have on hand, if you have an apple and/or grapes, that too would go well in that salad. The apple would be diced, the grapes cut into halves. Also mixed into the mayo.

With the potato, you can microwave it, skin it and then mash it with a fork, add a touch of skim-milk and butter along with salt/pepper to taste. Mashed potatos.

Your dinner should be done in about 15-20 minutes.

[wei yau]

Part Two: Kitchen Staples.

Next time I go to the market, I am going to try to load up on some more staples, so that I won't be in this fix again. But again I am helpless.

Oil. Vegetable or olive? Virgin or extra virgin?
Vinegar. Rice, cider, or wine? Red or white?
Nonstick cooking spray. Easy enough.
Spices. Totally at a loss!
Condiments. Any must-haves besides dijon mustard, worchestershire sauce and bbq sauce?

Am I missing anything else?


Oil: If you have to stick to one oil, then extra virgin oil. It's good enough for cooking, drizzling and dipping. I'd suggest also having vegetable oil (corn, canola, whatever) for a general purpose cooking oil. Olive oil is strongly flavored and works well for many things, but would not do for others (fried rice, for example)

Vinegar. The aforementioned balsamic is a necessity. Although, from what I understand there's "true balsamic" and then there's caramel-added red wine. I don't know how to tell the difference, although I suspect true balsamic is pricier. That would be my "red" choice. I'm not a big fan of generic white, I prefer white wine, rice wine or cider vinegars. I also use Chinese black vinegars, but their use is very localized and not an all-purpose kinda thing.

Cooking Spray: I prefer butter or oil. Though, this does have it's uses and is very convenient.

Spices: I probably shouldn't answer this one. I have a spice rack that's way too full and confusing. I don't use 2/3 of it, I'm guessing.

Condiments: Those pretty much do it for me. Although, I do like having various types of hot sauces handy.

[wei yau]

We duel!

I'd suggest you cook the chicken, you can use some of the butter and pan fry it, dice it into small cubes. Mix with a dollop of your lite-mayo. Also, finely chop a pickle or two (to your liking) and mix into the chicken/mayo. Add pepper to taste. Voila! Chicken salad.

In the offchance that you didn't mention any fruit you may have on hand, if you have an apple and/or grapes, that too would go well in that salad. The apple would be diced, the grapes cut into halves. Also mixed into the mayo.

With the potato, you can microwave it, add a touch of skim-milk and butter along with salt/pepper to taste. Mashed potatos.

Your dinner should be done in about 15-20 minutes.

I like the chicken salad idea, not my usual dinner fare, but it definitely works. You can always just boil the chicken, but I like the pan-frying suggestion better. I've never really fried with maragarine, so I don't know how well that will work. If I'm not mistaken, JD has margarine, but no butter.

The fruit additions is also a nice touch.

Good suggestion on the potato, I didn't think of it because I usually don't mash a single potato. But, speed and ease of preparation here beats my suggestion.

[TomJoe]

I've never really fried with maragarine, so I don't know how well that will work. If I'm not mistaken, JD has margarine, but no butter.


Oh... you're right. :cry:

I dunno, I've never fried with margarine either. I have no idea what would happen.

[Ensign Steve]

Wow, what a bunch of great ideas. An Iron Chef competition in my own kitchen. I promise I'll let you know what I decided and how it came out! :D:D Wow I'm actually looking forward to cooking. (and eating!) :hungry: I think I'll do this every weekend.

I do have an orange, and I can't believe I forgot to mention salsa! Of course I have salsa! I'm from California. :) If there was any wine in my house, I'd be drunk, that's just the way I am. And for the sake of total honesty, I also have Lucky Charms and Puppy Chow. But that's my entire kitchen inventory, I swear!

FYI: One can melt lite margarine in the microwave (I had my doubts but I tried it the other day to make dippin' sauce for my artichoke and it worked out) but it evaporates far to quickly in the skillet to be any good for frying.

[wei yau]

Wow, what a bunch of great ideas. An Iron Chef competition in my own kitchen. I promise I'll let you know what I decided and how it came out! :D:D Wow I'm actually looking forward to cooking. (and eating!) :hungry: I think I'll do this every weekend.

I hope it comes out well for you, I'll eagerly await the results.

I love helping out with this sort of thing, but realize that I'm not good with "healthy" cooking. I'm way too fat for that sort of thing.

Allez Cuisine!

[Ensign Steve]

I have a toaster, but no bread.

[wildernesse]

Part One: Dinner tonight.

Okay, hell has not frozen over, AFAIK, but I am attempting to make myself a little bit more heathy (or is it healthful?). I am neither drinking nor smoking, and I thought I'd give fresh food a try. Unfortunately, cooking fresh food is a lot more complicated than nuking a lean cuisine, so I'm kinda at a loss here. Please help! I want chicken tonight.

I have:
boneless, skinless breasts
a potato
frozen brussels sprouts
ketchup, mustard, lite mayo
orange juice, diet tropicana twister
salt, pepper
sweet n' low
skim milk
pickles
lite margarine
electric range, oven, microwave
saucepans, griddle, cookie sheet
limited utensils
colander and mixing bowl
aluminum foil

I don't have:
oil, vinegar, nonstick cooking spray
spices other than salt and pepper
barbecue sauce, worchestershire sauce
eggs
butter

I am not going to the store today. Any ideas? If I can't come up with anything better, I am going to pretend the ketchup is barbecue sauce, coat the chicken with it and bake it. And hope it doesn't taste as gross as it sounds. I should have bought the dijon mustard instead of the yellow. That would work better, I think.

--------------------------------------------------

If I were you, I would probably just season the chicken with salt and pepper, make a foil packet and toss it in the oven. Serve with salsa. Or perhaps squeeze the orange juice over the seasoned chickend and toss it in the oven. Baked potato in the microwave, then add the margarine and season. You could probably nuke the brussel sprouts too, accd'g to the package. I'm a plain jane kind of cook without a recipe.


Part Two: Kitchen Staples.

Next time I go to the market, I am going to try to load up on some more staples, so that I won't be in this fix again. But again I am helpless.

Oil. Vegetable or olive? Virgin or extra virgin?
Vinegar. Rice, cider, or wine? Red or white?
Nonstick cooking spray. Easy enough.
Spices. Totally at a loss!
Condiments. Any must-haves besides dijon mustard, worchestershire sauce and bbq sauce?

Am I missing anything else?


TIA![/QUOTE]

We use EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) for just about everything. If I were the only cook, we'd never buy any other oil. IMO, there's no point in buying olive oil if it's not extra virgin--it's just no fun. It's either that or butter to cook with. Cooking spray is for eggs and baking! (Yeah, I'm no help with lite cooking either.)

Vinegar--if I had to pick, I would agree with balsamic. That and red wine are the only ones I use for much of anything.

Spices--the ones that I can't do without are: crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, dried oregano, and a curry powder. We have a lot of spices, but they have mostly accumulated because we try new recipes often. Other staple-like spices might be: ground cinnamon, sage/thyme/tarragon (pick one), bay leaves, ground cumin.

Condiments--maybe soy sauce?

Other things to think about: lemons, broth/stock, a good cheese for grating, and onions/carrots.

That's me stocking my kitchen--ymmv!

[Ensign Steve]

I'm a plain jane kind of cook without a recipe.

Plain jane is great for me. I find recipes intimidating, but at the same time I can't boil water without instructions. :)


We use EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) for just about everything. If I were the only cook, we'd never buy any other oil. IMO, there's no point in buying olive oil if it's not extra virgin--it's just no fun. It's either that or butter to cook with. Cooking spray is for eggs and baking! (Yeah, I'm no help with lite cooking either.)

I eat eggs! :) I probably wouldn't need it at all except my egg substitute sticks to my non-stick pan. Weirdness.

Vinegar--if I had to pick, I would agree with balsamic. That and red wine are the only ones I use for much of anything.

I don't even know what balsamic vinegar is, but I'm glad I asked since it is unanimous!

The winner of the Iron Chef is ... eldar!

I'd first suggest marinating the chicken in the Sweet Onion salad dressing, even if lite, as long as it is oil-based, it should help with some of the flavor. You might want to add a little of the OJ, for a citrus flavor. Although, that might be overkill.

If you have any wine, that'd be nice, too.

After marinating for about two-hours, I'd just bake the chicken.



I coated the chicken with the salad dressing and baked it. By the time I got around to starting, it was too late to marinate, and as such most of it slid off instead of soaking in, and it didn't have much effect. Fortunately the chicken was tasty enough in itself, so I wasn't hurting.

For the potato, I'd recommend cutting it up into slices. Not potato chip-thin, but close. I'd nuke some of the margarine, to get it liquid-y (actually, I don't know if that will happen with margarine, usually I'd use melted butter). Mix with salt and pepper and toss the potato slices. Lay out the sliced potato on foil in the cookie sheet and bake with the chicken. If you'd had any cheese, you could do a little au-gratin thingee.

I did exactly that. I thought about parmesan, but then I forgot. Covered them with ketchup, like french fries. Yum! I was wishing I'd had some onion, though, it would be like breakfast home fries. (adds onion to shopping list)

The brussel sprouts are easy. Nuke, salt and add margarine. Mix and eat.

done and done

Thanks for your help, guys! Let's do it again next weekend, and I promise I'll have a better set of ingredients! :)

[Ex-zombie]

I would suggest rosemary as a good spice to buy. It adds a nice flavor to any sort of potato or chicken dish that is baked.

[Ensign Steve]

Thanks, EZ. I am trapped indoors today by this storm (not that I needed an excuse to stay in), but I intend to consult this thread when I make my next grocery list. Rosemary has a pretty name. :)

[Beth]

I don't have:
oil, vinegar, nonstick cooking spray
spices other than salt and pepper
barbecue sauce, worchestershire sauce
eggs
butter

I am not going to the store today. Any ideas? If I can't come up with anything better, I am going to pretend the ketchup is barbecue sauce, coat the chicken with it and bake it. And hope it doesn't taste as gross as it sounds. I should have bought the dijon mustard instead of the yellow. That would work better, I think.

--------------------------------------------------

Part Two: Kitchen Staples.

Next time I go to the market, I am going to try to load up on some more staples, so that I won't be in this fix again. But again I am helpless.

Oil. Vegetable or olive? Virgin or extra virgin?
Vinegar. Rice, cider, or wine? Red or white?
Nonstick cooking spray. Easy enough.
Spices. Totally at a loss!
Condiments. Any must-haves besides dijon mustard, worchestershire sauce and bbq sauce?

Am I missing anything else?


TIA!If you plan on baking sweets, I suggest you buy canola oil, baking brownies or cakes with olive oil is quite gross; I know from experience. Otherwise, olive oil is a pretty good staple for every other type of baking/cooking.

Non stick cooking sprays are great. You can also get a spray bottle and add real oil to it so you can use your own oils instead of the commercial sprays. My staples include ketchup, mustard, soy, curry, various asian sauces, worchesteshire, white vinegar, gosh, I cannot remember the rest. The white vinegar is really good for adding to marinades for chicken, but only a small amount. I also use it to make this hawiian chicken dish that uses onion, soy, and vinegar...I'll see if I can find the recipe in one of my books. White vinegar is also really great for souring milk when a recipe calls for buttermilk and you have no buttermilk. Hot sauce is also great; it perks up all sorts of bland dishes. Sometimes when I feel a bad food binge coming on or a really bad headache, I'll drink some of it...yummy-serious, I love it.

Spices, well, I have nearly all of them, I have two cupboard shelves designated for spices, but I use lemon pepper the very most. I use it for chicken, pork, sauteed potatoes (I use both the lemon pepper and dill, yum) in olive oil.

I prefer basmati rice in a lot of dishes, it is so fluffy and great. I just discovered that it is a wonderful rice to serve under chili. Jasmine is great with curries. I also use parboiled rice in soups that use rice because it remains reasonably firm. Yello rice packages (if you do not mind the sodium) are great and easy for a multitude of chicken dishes and stews and roasts. Add a couple or more bay leaves and some extra saffron to perk up the flavor.

Cannot think of anything else right now.

[Ensign Steve]

If you plan on baking sweets, I suggest you buy canola oil, baking brownies or cakes with olive oil is quite gross; I know from experience. Otherwise, olive oil is a pretty good staple for every other type of baking/cooking.

Anybody interested in low-fat cooking might be pleased to know that you can also subsitute applesauce for oil when baking. Seriously! LOL

Sometimes when I feel a bad food binge coming on or a really bad headache, I'll drink some of it...yummy-serious, I love it.

I learned that at nutrisystem. If you are just starving and you think you're going to go nuts, have something with hot sauce in it, like a bit of tuna or hard boiled egg. Don't know why it works, but it does!

I prefer basmati rice in a lot of dishes, it is so fluffy and great. I just discovered that it is a wonderful rice to serve under chili. Jasmine is great with curries. I also use parboiled rice in soups that use rice because it remains reasonably firm. Yello rice packages (if you do not mind the sodium) are great and easy for a multitude of chicken dishes and stews and roasts. Add a couple or more bay leaves and some extra saffron to perk up the flavor.


mmmm... I love basmati rice (*adds to list*). Thanks for the help!

[Brimshack]

Step 1, through away the mayo.


Throw away the Mayo, clean the spot in the refrigerator where you had it, and have a Shaman come into your home and burn some sweet grass in the kitchen.

Then you must never speak of it again.

[Ensign Steve]

mmmm....... mayo. :homdrool:

don't make me get eldar in here!

[livius drusus]

:brooding:

[Beth]

Anybody interested in low-fat cooking might be pleased to know that you can also subsitute applesauce for oil when baking. Seriously! LOLI know, but it adds a different texture and flavor to the food. I only add it to things like spice cakes and sometime nutty cakes, the courser texture and moistness better matches the cake.


I learned that at nutrisystem. If you are just starving and you think you're going to go nuts, have something with hot sauce in it, like a bit of tuna or hard boiled egg. Don't know why it works, but it does!
Hmmm...I never knew it was a diet tip, I just discovered that drinking it straight was a great thing. I discovered that one day while I was starving and desperately was looking for something low-cal to eat. I took a swig of the stuff and ended up drinking a fourth of the bottle and craving was gone.
Thanks for the help!
Wish I could have offered more help.

[Shaguar]

Left over Brussel spouts and potato, you can make "Bubble and Squeak"

Althoug I absolutely refuse to get into a diet thread, PROPER dieticians (not ones with a degree in daytime television) will tell you that a lot of the time you think you sre hungry you are actually thirsty, drink water.

[Beth]

I drink tons of water. When I am trippy, I get these urges to piggout, the hot sauce calms it, plus gives me a little zing. :D

[Ensign Steve]

Althoug I absolutely refuse to get into a diet thread, PROPER dieticians (not ones with a degree in daytime television) will tell you that a lot of the time you think you sre hungry you are actually thirsty, drink water.

True dat!

[livius drusus]

What is this "Bubble and Squeak" you speak of? Please sir, may I have a recipe?

[Skep]

Bubble and Squeak is an old British dish using leftover potatoes, cabbage and beef, although the beef is optional. The potatoes are usually mashed, and the cabbage and beef are coarsely chopped. Heat in a skillet with butter, lard, or bacon drippings, and salt and pepper until potatoes are browned. You can also chop some onion and saute a bit before adding the other ingredients. :hungry:

[RevDahlia]

Althoug I absolutely refuse to get into a diet thread, PROPER dieticians (not ones with a degree in daytime television) will tell you that a lot of the time you think you sre hungry you are actually thirsty, drink water.

True dat!
It is even more true if the water is fancy and fizzy. I've discovered that having lots of nice mineral water around inspires me to stay hydrated. Our tap water is pretty decent, but still water is boring.

My favorite brands of fizzy water are Apollonaris, Gerolsteiner, and good old Pellegrino. My cat is crazy about them too.

[Beth]

Althoug I absolutely refuse to get into a diet thread, PROPER dieticians (not ones with a degree in daytime television) will tell you that a lot of the time you think you sre hungry you are actually thirsty, drink water.

True dat!
It is even more true if the water is fancy and fizzy. I've discovered that having lots of nice mineral water around inspires me to stay hydrated. Our tap water is pretty decent, but still water is boring.

My favorite brands of fizzy water are Apollonaris, Gerolsteiner, and good old Pellegrino. My cat is crazy about them too.
I like Perrier sometimes, but I prefer plain, cold spring water. Sometimes if I want a twist, I add lemon, it adds flavor and also acts as a natural diuretic.

[livius drusus]

Bubble and Squeak is an old British dish using leftover potatoes, cabbage and beef, although the beef is optional. The potatoes are usually mashed, and the cabbage and beef are coarsely chopped. Heat in a skillet with butter, lard, or bacon drippings, and salt and pepper until potatoes are browned. You can also chop some onion and saute a bit before adding the other ingredients. :hungry:

Damn, that sounds gooood. So do we replace the cabbage with Brussel sprouts or just add them?

[Ensign Steve]

Bubble and Squeak is an old British dish using leftover potatoes, cabbage and beef, although the beef is optional. The potatoes are usually mashed, and the cabbage and beef are coarsely chopped. Heat in a skillet with butter, lard, or bacon drippings, and salt and pepper until potatoes are browned. You can also chop some onion and saute a bit before adding the other ingredients. :hungry:

Damn, that sounds gooood. So do we replace the cabbage with Brussel sprouts or just add them?

Dunno about Britain, but in Germany, Brussels Sprouts are cabbages. Their name, Rosenkohl, translates into English as "Rose Cabbage." Cute, huh? Broccoli ore some other kinds of vegetables are called something-cabbage, but rose cabbage is the only one I can think of at the moment.

[Skep]

Damn, that sounds gooood. So do we replace the cabbage with Brussel sprouts or just add them?
If you have leftover cabbage, you use cabbage. If you have leftover sprouts, you use sprouts. If you have leftover ham, you use ham instead of beef. Bubble and Squeak is basically a way of using your leftovers to make a meal, although I saw the Two Fat Ladies make it from scratch once. They used bacon in their version, which I know you don't like.

[livius drusus]

Oh sure they're in the cabbage family, but I wouldn't therefore assume you can substitute Brussel Sprouts for any cabbage in a recipe. They don't cook at all the same, for instance, just because they're so much smaller and softer than full-size cabbages.

Sidenote: Ever had Brussel Sprouts go bad on you? They taste like vinegar.

[Ensign Steve]

Oh, I just meant it read as though he was using the words interchangeably, not necessarily the foods themselves. Anyway, I liked the excuse to mention rose cabbage. I love roses. :) :bloom:

[livius drusus]

Damn, that sounds gooood. So do we replace the cabbage with Brussel sprouts or just add them?
If you have leftover cabbage, you use cabbage. If you have leftover sprouts, you use sprouts. If you have leftover ham, you use ham instead of beef. Bubble and Squeak is basically a way of using your leftovers to make a meal, although I saw the Two Fat Ladies make it from scratch once. They used bacon in their version, which I know you don't like.

You're very kind to remember my bacon aversion. Thank you. See, the thing about these leftover meals is that I seriously have never had such leftovers to make. Every time I've made shepherd's pie it's been with fresh stuff. I can't recall a time I had leftover cabbage lying around.

Actually, now that I think of it, I'm generally very bad with making new things out of old. I pretty much just reheat the old. :blush:

[Shaguar]

Skeptoid, on the money, but for me it has to be brussels and they have to be a day old, Cold roast potatoes are the best and got to be deef dripping for cooking.
I did not know you could get Two Fat Ladies in the USA, poor old Jennifer is dead now bless her but I have a couple of their recipe books, most of the recipes start with "Take a whole deer" etc.

Clarissa is still going strong and appears now and again, do you know of Gordon Ramsay ?

[Skep]

Skeptoid, on the money, but for me it has to be brussels and they have to be a day old, Cold roast potatoes are the best and got to be deef dripping for cooking.
I'm not a big fan of Brussels sprouts as I find them too bitter when they get too big but I'm sure they go well with B&S. Yeah, traditionally the beef drippings are used but in the US they're usually drained off and discarded.

I did not know you could get Two Fat Ladies in the USA, poor old Jennifer is dead now bless her but I have a couple of their recipe books, most of the recipes start with "Take a whole deer" etc.

Clarissa is still going strong and appears now and again, do you know of Gordon Ramsay ?
TV Food Network used to broadcast Two Fat Ladies way back when; before TVFN got Emeril Liveized, Iron Chefized, and Alton Brownized. I think PBS carried the fat ladies as well. IIRC, they cooked for a large group of Boy Scouts when they cooked the B&S. I really enjoyed their show; those ladies were funny and boy, could they cook!

Can't say that I'm familiar with Gordon Ramsay. Care to clue me in? I do like that guy that does Naked Chef though, Oliver something.

:)

[Ensign Steve]

I'd suggest you cook the chicken, you can use some of the butter and pan fry it, dice it into small cubes. Mix with a dollop of your lite-mayo. Also, finely chop a pickle or two (to your liking) and mix into the chicken/mayo. Add pepper to taste. Voila! Chicken salad.

I did this today for lunch. I baked a chicken breast, then cubed it and mixed it with mayonaise and pickle relish. Yum yum! :) Thanks, TJ.

[Shaguar]

Jamie Oliver the "New Boy" of English cooking. Not a bad chef but actually owes it all to the two ladies at the Ruver Cafe in London who trained him.
Ramsay is a foul mouthed (and I mean foul mouthed) ex proffessional soccer player who is now a zillion starred chef. Actually I think he has 4 michelin stars between 3 restaurants, there must be stuff on him in google some where. He made a series called "hells Kitchen"
I suppose he is the Brit equivalent of the God I know as Anthony Bourdain.