In which I am not a Chinese sweatshop worker

[AccountingDrone]

We prefer to do popcorn on the stove in a wok - olive oil, sea salt, a shake or so if italian herbs and some dehydrated garlic. Sometimes even some green can parmesan cheese.

Our roomie likes it with the dehydrated lime juice powder, some sea salt and some chili powder.

[Seshat]

I can make bread from scratch myself, but it's worth it to us to have a bread machine: D has arthritis, I tire so easily, and A already ends up doing things neither of us can do.

For the same reason, we're considering pricing an ice cream maker/the ingredients for ice cream, and figuring out whether it's going to be worth making our own (good) ice cream using the maker.

However, any cooking or baking which doesn't require effort I can no longer exert, I can do without recourse to 'convenience machines'. Or at least, without machines more complex than an egg beater or a sweets thermometer.

[Kanalah]

Our home ec was more "reading a box". But I had more fun in sewing class, even though we just sewed clothes from a pattern. We made boxer shorts, and I still hate elastic.

And yeah, still no word from the cheap lady. I've since made 20 pillowcases, already sold 2 and getting other quilts done. So no big loss.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I don't cook much myself, but when I do, you bet your ass I follow the instructions on the box.

Re: the popcorn thing. When I microwave popcorn, I always prefer the full-size bags to the "snack size" bags. The "snack size" ones I can NEVER seem to cook right, so I either end up with a bunch of unpopped kernels or a bag of burned popcorn. The "Popcorn" button on our microwave works perfectly for the full-size bags, though.

[Kanalah]

Oh I guess I should mention that in the deluded world my mother lives in the only way you can cook is by reading a box.

So she things I can't cook because I write my own recipies. *snerk* It's gotten to be an inside joke between hubby and I. When he really likes dinner, he'll say "Wow honey, that's really great. It's a shame you don't know how to cook though."

[auntiem]

For the same reason, we're considering pricing an ice cream maker/the ingredients for ice cream, and figuring out whether it's going to be worth making our own (good) ice cream using the maker.

In my opinion and experience - it isn't worth it. I bought one with the best intentention a couple summers ago and used it exactly once. Don't get me wrong, the ice cream turned out fine (I didn't even get any rock salt in it!) but it was a PITA to make. Just like I've only made baklava once now I will never again complain about the price of baklava.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

My husband and I (also a friend and I, for some reason) are often at odds about my style of cooking vs. others. I was brought up on processed food, I admit it...and while I don't mind cooking fresh meat and seasoning it myself, or following recipes once in a while, I have absolutely no problem with eating foods from mixes, cans, frozen, etc. My husband would prefer to do everything from scratch like his mom did, and that's fine if he's doing it, but I hate prep work and it takes me forever to do anything...plus my timing to get everything done at the same time is lousy.

My friend is the same way as my husband, maybe even more so since she hates it if she "has to" eat out...she says she doesn't like cooking but she wants fresh food from scratch and she has nobody else to cook it. Again, fine by me, but I hate when she whines about how hungry she is because she can't make up her mind about what to make, that she hasn't pulled out anything to thaw, etc. Not my fault she won't eat anything else.

[Pagan]

I can make bread from scratch myself, but it's worth it to us to have a bread machine: D has arthritis, I tire so easily, and A already ends up doing things neither of us can do.

See, I find kneading to be therapeutic. The dough is nice and warm. If I'm feeling particulary pissy, I pull out my recipe for Pain Brié. That translates to "beaten bread", which is exactly what you do to the dough!

For the same reason, we're considering pricing an ice cream maker/the ingredients for ice cream, and figuring out whether it's going to be worth making our own (good) ice cream using the maker.

In my opinion and experience - it isn't worth it. I bought one with the best intentention a couple summers ago and used it exactly once. Don't get me wrong, the ice cream turned out fine (I didn't even get any rock salt in it!) but it was a PITA to make. Just like I've only made baklava once now I will never again complain about the price of baklava.

I thought they meant the counter-top variety where you keep the freezer bowl in the freezer. Those are very much worth it. My parents have the other kind and make ice cream several times over the summer. It takes my dad only about 15 minutes from start to putting the custard into the ice cream maker.

My husband and I (also a friend and I, for some reason) are often at odds about my style of cooking vs. others. I was brought up on processed food, I admit it...and while I don't mind cooking fresh meat and seasoning it myself, or following recipes once in a while, I have absolutely no problem with eating foods from mixes, cans, frozen, etc. My husband would prefer to do everything from scratch like his mom did, and that's fine if he's doing it, but I hate prep work and it takes me forever to do anything...plus my timing to get everything done at the same time is lousy.

My friend is the same way as my husband, maybe even more so since she hates it if she "has to" eat out...she says she doesn't like cooking but she wants fresh food from scratch and she has nobody else to cook it. Again, fine by me, but I hate when she whines about how hungry she is because she can't make up her mind about what to make, that she hasn't pulled out anything to thaw, etc. Not my fault she won't eat anything else.

No offense to your friend, I'm sure she's a lovely person, but that is verging into food snobbery. I love making my own food from scratch, but I also love the canned Frito-Lay jalapeño cheese dip.

Oh I guess I should mention that in the deluded world my mother lives in the only way you can cook is by reading a box.

What? Really? So none of the people on "Iron Chef America" can cook then? Not only is there not a box in sight, but they have to do that on the fly!

[XCashier]

We prefer to do popcorn on the stove in a wok - olive oil, sea salt, a shake or so if italian herbs and some dehydrated garlic. Sometimes even some green can parmesan cheese.

Our roomie likes it with the dehydrated lime juice powder, some sea salt and some chili powder.

A friend once popped some popcorn with peanut oil. That was yummy!

In my opinion and experience - it isn't worth it. I bought one with the best intentention a couple summers ago and used it exactly once. Don't get me wrong, the ice cream turned out fine (I didn't even get any rock salt in it!) but it was a PITA to make. Just like I've only made baklava once now I will never again complain about the price of baklava.

Some things, like chocolate chip cookies, are worth making from scratch. Other things, it's just easier to buy premade. Since there are several good dairies around here that make excellent ice cream, I'm not going to bother to make my own.

[AccountingDrone]

I am not a food snob, though we prefer to make things from scratch as much as possible thanks to a food allergy and several sensitivities.

I admit, if I had the chance to, and the money to get started up with the land we would try to raise as much of our food as possible, which would end up with us needing about 125 acres/50 hectares, well watered, Fresno area with 3 houses, several barns and a couple greenhouses. Raising our own poultry is fun, and we had a blast when we had sheep. Home raised foods do actually have different taste and texture in many cases over store bought. We do not use medicated feeds nor automatically medicate our plants and animals, they get treated only if they are not well.

But then again, nacho dip made from rotella tomatoes and velveeta kicks ass =)

[BeenThereDoneThat]

No offense to your friend, I'm sure she's a lovely person, but that is verging into food snobbery. I love making my own food from scratch, but I also love the canned Frito-Lay jalapeño cheese dip.

Yeah, that's kinda my thought too...lol. There are SOME things that she will eat processed but if she can find a way to make them herself (not too expensively) she will. Whatever floats your boat I guess...

[Syriilord]

Some things, like chocolate chip cookies, are worth making from scratch.

^^^

This.

I love making my own chocolate trio cookies from scratch. (Plain chocolate cookies with milk and white chocolate chunks). They are awesomely yummy.


Also, I'm sew glad that the punning has finished

[EricKei]

Also, I'm sew glad that the punning has finished

AAAAAAAAAAARGH! Now I must respond

The punning did sorta help keep the thread going, at least. I guess this one has now come full sewing circle ^_^

[dalesys]

Well, the yarns were getting kind of frayed, so let's call it a wrap.

Get down, get down!

[thansal]

I'll chip in on the from scratch vs not bit.

I grew up in a house that everything was from scratch (my mum's a fantastic cook), however, as life pressures build and what not even my mum now is happy to use some convenience items. I think the difference is that we can now get very good quality prepared items that stand well on their own or incorporated into a meal.

However, on the subject of ice cream:
Home made really is the way to go I think. I haven't rigorously checked the cost of my home made vs premium ice cream, however I'm fairly sure that it's at least on par, if not cheaper (my icecream runs about $6 a quart on NYC prices). It IS more expensive than store brand or similar, but it's also much better through the simple fact that mine is not overly shelf stable (aka, it's simple), and has much more fat.

The cuisinart ice cream maker is what I have always seen listed as the best for your buck (and is what I own). If you have the freezer space to keep the bowl in there all the time it's dead easy, and you can make it on a moment's notice. If you don't have that freezer space, then it's a bit more of a challenge, though I tend to cook up my ice cream on day one, and let it chill over night, which is enough time for the bowl to set up any way.

If any one cares, my generic recipe 2 cups cream, 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, and flavoring. Everything gets simmered together (heating it is actually really important), chilled over night, and then frozen. It's rich, creamy, delicious, and stupid easy. If you prefer traditional style ice cream (aka, a custard) have at it. I just hate tempering eggs, and generally I find custards to be too eggy for my taste.

The one thing I will say is that low fat just doesn't cut it (unless you are making Gelato). I have tried making ice cream using half and half and it just sucked, it comes out as Ice Milk, and is rather un-palatable.

My next thing to mess with is alternative sweeteners (honey and maple specifically) as I had some really good maple bacon ice cream and my GF had honey lavender when we were in Seattle. I'm thinking of just making a batch of maple ice cream to see how the sugar substitution works in terms of sweetness and consistency (I'm worried about it freezing harder than I want it). In fact, that's the plan for this weekend now