The March Cooking/Baking Project

[hippywife]

Poll question: The March Cooking/Baking Project

Well, it was a little difficult to scroll through the nomination thread to find everything so if I missed something, let me know.

This first poll is to determine what folks really want to do. Do we want to all do one specific dish or baked item, finding or creating our own recipe with our own variations, and then come back to see what everyone did with them?

Or, option two, do we want to keep the category general, i.e. a potato dish or an egg dish, and then see what specific dish everyone comes back with?

I'm thinking we can decide here soon and then that still leaves plenty of time for everyone to make whatever it ends up being by the end of the month. I'm also thinking we would all wait to report back on the same day in a new thread.

Please vote and add your opinion on the last item above. Once this is settled, I can post a poll to decide what we will actually be making.

Thanx! :hi:

[auntAgonist]

1. I voted 'specific'

It's more of a challenge for me doing it that way. There will likely be a dish that I've never made (?) and I like that idea.


kesha

[Shakespeare]

3. I did, too--but there can still be some variation with a specific recipe (if we want it).

Souffles, for example, are a specific dish, but there are many kinds, sweet or savory, that can be made. That way, nobody ends up making a dish they don't like (hopefully).

[Tesha]

2. specific...

I'd love to see the challenge being - here's a specific protein, veg, or carb, here's a specific method of cooking, or cuisine, or spice - come up with a dish

[Lucinda]

4. I'm fine either way...

More people might participate with general categories, such as Eggs, Mexican Food, Chocolate, etc, than they would if it were item specific.

But I also like the idea of collecting 20 different deviled egg recipes. :)

[sazemisery]

5. I voted specific.

but will roll with the flow. We Pisces are like that.

[troubleinwinter]

6. I went General.

Some folks have specific dietary or taste preferences or limited equipment.

I thought General would give us a wider variety of recipes and techniques.

ONIONS! (Since Head Cheese didn't seem to go over real well)

I got so excited about my conversation with Lucinda about eggs, I'm off to the market, determined to make a quiche. That's why I am thinking onions.

[pengillian101]

7. I chose general and here is why.

If it is too specific, I probably wouldn't have 'it' on hand, and we only shop once or twice a month. No big deal though - I'd adapt. :hi:

[susanna]

8. I think either would be good, but I voted specific this time out.

I do see the beauty in general though, so I'm good however it turns out. :thumbsup:

[eleny]

9. General

Just because I'd probably participate more often.

[Callalily]

10. Specific here! n/t

[hippywife]

11. I too can go either way, however,

this is what I had in mind when I suggested this idea.

Just like when America's Test Kitchens has test cooks they enlist through the internet, and then send them specific recipes to prepare, not everyone has to participate in every single project if there is something about one or another that doesn't appeal.

Like I said before, I think they should not be difficult for the newer or intermediate cook or require special equipment or exotic ingredients, but shouldn't be slap together easy, either. Even if we pick a specific recipe, everyone is free to make their own mods to it. For example, depending on what type of baked item I want to make, unless it's pastry, I almost always sub ww pastry flour and use yogurt instead of milk or sour cream. That kind of thing.

The reason I'm leaning more toward specific item is because I think it's very interesting to see how everyone would treat a specific dish.

That's not to say that we couldn't go back and forth and try both ways once in awhile.

[troubleinwinter]

12. "we would all wait to report back on the same day" Yah butttt...

What am I supposed to do when my Krispy Kremes are absorbing the marshmallow sauce too quickly? How will I know whether to just go ahead and add the chocolate, or would a good dollop of caramel sauce help? Does the Grand Marnier go INTO the recipe, or is that for the cook? I might need some hand-holding through the process. The Grand Marnier must be for the cook. It says 1 oz., but is that a mistake? Should it be 10 oz.?

[hippywife]

13. The whole idea is to

make it and report back your recipe and how you put it together, what worked really well and what didn't. We all learn from each other based on the results.

[troubleinwinter]

16. What ever is decided, I look forward to it and know it will be great fun.

Gonna be hard to keep our lips zipped, though, for a coupla weeks or so! We are so used to yacking about what is going on in our kitchens day by day, our successes, questions, advice and failures.

The Ain5 has been really fun... learning together and improving it as we went along. Even got at least one non-DUer into the scene: my dad. He called today all giddy over his latest loaf.

[Lucinda]

14. I think if you just add head cheese to everything it will all balance out.

And I'm pretty sure if the recipe contains Grand Marnier, the automatic rule is that the cook takes a shot of the equal amount.

[troubleinwinter]

15. OK, I'm pretty sure I have it straight now.

10 oz. Grand Marnier goes into the head cheese, 10 oz. goes into me. When do I add the caramel sauce?

[Lucinda]

17. Butter.

:)
Unless you cook with an open flame.
Then avoid caramel sauce all together.

[hippywife]

18. Right after

the lima beans. Duh!

[pengillian101]

19. Hippywife - Let's start with a simple one.

For instance, how does everyone make homemade sloppy joes? Or a simple spaghetti sauce or meatballs? Or the best burger?

Just a thought, hippywife, to get the ball rolling.

[elleng]

21. You DON'T, m'dear!

You're FLAT on the floor/bed!

[ginnyinWI]

20. Oh, specific, yes!

I'd like a dozen people or more people to try the same thing, then rate it and through that we can come up with the best recipes. Like the best recipe for chocolate chip cookies, or macaroni and cheese--something like that. We can post a picture of ours and tell how it turned out. Then post the recipe.