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Sorry to say, but this site has been so depressing for a few days. I thought I'd ask an average, everyday question....to make us all feel a little more normal today.


I made Eggplant Lasagna, and my BIL and SIL are coming for dinner. They leave for Cali tomorrow to see their beautiful grand daughter.


Sorry, sometimes we just need some REGULAR conversation.......or at least THIS caregiver does.

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Have not been in the cooking mood this week. There will be enough of that next week , for American Thanksgiving
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Ana - glad you have a handle on it and your dh is trained with the epipen. That's nasty stuff. I'm more sensitive to gluten and dairy now than I was a year ago, so am working out where the problems are. But I only get a very stuffy painful nose/sinuses and some throat involvement but not serious. I am also very sensitive to molds.

cw - no idea unless you partially thaw and separate then refreeze on cookie sheets. That's how I always freeze berries.

Thankfully I made something soft for supper tonight. R went to the dentist (didn't tell me) and related to the accident had 5 teeth prepped for crowns. So tuna chowder, mac cheese fortified with some cauliflower and sausages worked fine. Good snowy weather comfort food.
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Earlier in the year I grabbed a pail of cherries that were marked down in price and I put them in my deep freezer, not noticing that unlike pails I have bought before these were frozen without sugar so they are now frozen into a solid 10 lb lump🤦‍♀, anybody have ideas on how to break this into usable portions?
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Golden, it’s anaphylaxis for all, but to a lesser degree as I go down the list. Molecule of walnut = entire almond. My DH is trained to use my EpiPen. I used to cook commercially so I have a bit more insight about cross contamination risks when eating out, and which bakeries are less dangerous. Keeps me alert!
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Ana Woah - anaphylaxis!!! Scary!!! Glad some of the other ones aren't as serious. I gather you've had a few sessions. Great that you can eat peanuts and other legumes,

I hear you about your mother. SMH ((((((hugs)))))
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Golden, I eat peanuts and other legumes. I scratch tested a minor reaction. Walnuts mean fast anaphylaxis. Then pecans, cashews... hazelnuts aren’t as bad, almonds trigger the most minor reaction. Over the years I’ve accumulated a fair bit of data. And lived! (barely)

Now, a vent: I was born allergic. My relatives didn’t find out until I spoke up for myself. I just kept eating the food at family reunions and reacting. But my mother could tell you every one of my cousins’ food intolerances and aversions. Yeah, I’m still working through my many issues.
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I’m sure you’re right about the sugar, Golden. At least half of the appeal was the presentation - like little speckled candy apples.

I’ve served fresh strawberries with balsamic vinegar on shortcake with whipped cream. Everyone loved it but me. I’m not a huge vinegar fan although it’s absolutely necessary to brighten up some things, like borscht, which can be too….earthy. I usually use half of what’s called for, even in salad dressings, and make up the rest with citrus.
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Psue - Good morning. I would call it a spicy chocolate cake as despite the spices it's still very much a chocolate cake.

We never made it again and I've been wanting to. R is more a pie person and I can't handle many carbs. That may have been the last time I had a piece of cake. Once every few years should be OK. I just don't keep food in the house that I don't want to allow myself to eat. If it's there sooner or later I'll eat it.

Those strawberries sound awesome though I don't think you need the sugar with it.
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Golden, I’m back to being a cake rookie with my new oven and all the moisture in the air over here. Your spice cake is making me want to play!

Strawberries and black pepper - yes! Another party memory: hard frozen whole strawberries on skewers, dipped in a hot, black pepper, sugar syrup that hardened to a crackly crust while the berry thawed inside. I have no idea how she pulled it off with everyone watching but it was exquisite.
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Psue - dark chocolate, chili and tangerine = heaven. I'll pass on the cigars. Obviously those parties had some positives.

R and I actually made the orange spice chocolate cake some years ago. He was the one who urged me to put tbsps of spice rather than tsps into the cake and then add cayenne and black pepper. He likes a bit of cayenne in everything - says it enhances the flavours. My contribution was the ground up orange -peel and all. It really was good. Never thought of a glaze!!! We used to put an orange glaze on the old fashioned orange raisin cake.

Have you ever tried black pepper on fresh strawberries. Yum!!!
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Golden! Your soup sounds amazing as does your adventurous cake idea! I could imagine those oranges in a glaze on your chocolate spice cake - similar to the thin, crackly lemon glaze on Magenbrot.

That combination you’re suggesting brought a memory rushing into my mind of a party where one of the ‘stations’ was little pyramids of very dark chocolate infused with chili and tangerine served with cigars!
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Added a square of 5 chili bullet chocolate to my soup this morning, and, oh my, that did it!!! It rounded out the flavours.The soup had little fat in it and fat is good for flavour.

psue - I must try a gingerbread. I agree it is better on the second day too. Christmas coming up is a good time for a house to smell of gingerbread. Though I may start with a chocolate cake full of spices, including a decent amount of pepper and some cayenne. I have some very tart little oranges that are not the nicest to eat but would give great flavour ground up and added to a cake.

nacy - never been a casserole person though yours sound delicious. Mother never made them so I am not used to them and now I have to be so careful with ingredients b/c allergies. Bet they are great on cold nights and the day after. I can't take many carbs and no cheese so soups work better. Not sure I have ever seen a casserole recipe without cheese. I do make the odd one for R. He loves creamy cheesy dishes.

ana - does your nut allergy extend to peanuts and other legumes?
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Nacy and Golden, I agree, soups and most casseroles are better on Day 2. So is gingerbread!
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Last night D and GD were here so it was universally acceptable turkey and provolone sliders, chopped salad and D and I taste tested a seasonal craft ale. For dessert D brought her latest entry in our Gingerbread War, a dense little blackstrap molasses cake that I loved but she thought lacked sweetness. She’s going back to the Gramercy Park gingerbread Bundt but I’m still playing - mostly because the house smells heavenly when there is gingerbread in the oven.

Ana, have you had the nut allergy since childhood?
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Ana, That peanut allergy, has to horrible hard , to live with , and so scary, and traveling must be difficult. I feel for you.

Golden, your like me but I'm more of a cassorol type person, in the winter. And yup I got left overs tonight and they will taste even better. I am also trying to figure out what my next large dish will be??? 🤔
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Ahh, that's a serious allergy, Ana. Mine are painful and a nuisance but not lethal (so far).

Had some soup and it was good but needs more time to "blend". I usually start my soups earlier in the day to give them time for the flavours to come together. It will be great today. Already thinking about what soup I will make next.
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I lost the will to cook. We went to town for panzerotti.
We’re a nut-free home. Me + nuts = death.
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Sounds excellent - especially the brownies!

Moroccan lentil beef soup worked well. R said he could smell it out on the hallway. I've tasted it so much I don't want to eat any now,
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I cooked, creamy cheesy, chicken, bowtie pasta , with spinach. It was amazing 🤩, and got enough for tomorrow, and a plate of brownies 😁.

Golden , yes I'm lucky with that.
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Worth trying, nacy. Also coconut milk seems pretty harmless. Glad nothing you eat affects you that way.
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Golden Actually lactaid milk is a very good idea, I will try that next. I was just shocked.

I don't normally drink much of anything besides water, coffee with a little half and half. I eat plenty of calcium things, and eating never effects me.
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Nacy - Sorry to hear about your reaction to almonds. No fun.

I've spent much if this year finding out what was causing my IBS- D with cramps and also sinus headaches. Think I have most of it nailed now. Fortunately I am OK with almond milk. I also like hazelnut milk but can't get it everywhere. Coconut milk works for me too.

Would lactaid or lactose free milk help you? Dd has to use it.
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Golden, yeah boys are good and satisfying.

So this morning I tried almond milk and PB2, tasted good 👍, but I found out, I can't drink almond milk either 🫤, same cramps as with Mike, I googled it and it is definitely a thing to people sensitive to almonds.
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PB2 sounds good! Especially with cocoa powder.

I've taken to eating straight nuts - pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts etc as well as straight peanuts. They seem to satisfy me better. and have decent amount of fiber and lots of nutrients.

Soaking some lentils to make a Moroccan beef lentil soup. I can't get enough soup these days.
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Cmom, PB2 is a peanut butter and coco protein powder that actually doesn't sound like it would be good, but it delicious.

I'm looking forward to getting some celery and trying it on that, next.

You can also buy it with out the coco powder, but why would you. 😆 I found it near the olive oil in my grocery store
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I hear that! Id love to have your recipe!!
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Peasuep, this stuff is so good. I'm like how did I get though life without it. 😂.

I'm trying to break my addiction to cheese, for my cholesterol. I'll be busy and don't want to stop to eat so I grab a slice of cheese, also I get tired of counteracting the cheese with extra fiber.

Hopefully it's a healthier alternative, or I changed one bad habit for another one.

And luckily this stuff wouldnt taste good on my cheese, or I'd be eating PB2 on top of cheese. 😂
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Nacy, I tried the PB2 years ago when DH was recovering from surgery. I used it for frozen chocolate banana smoothies to get him some extra calories and protein. It was so good…too good.
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Golden, I bought the PB2 , with peanut and coco powder.

Looking for more alternatives for protein that is not from cheese. ( I love cheese)

So I sprinkled it on a cut up banana yesterday, gotta tell you it was actually delicious. Then I sprinkled it on a small dish of chocolate ice cream, omg that was awesome.

So far I give it a 👍. Going to get some almond milk today , try smoothies.
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nacy -have seen it but never used it. I have used Fatso - maple flavoured.

Made coconut chicken veg soup for me last night and just had some this morning. Soup is my comfort food. R got curried chicken, and carrot/cabbage fritters last night, I've found a few more things that are contributing to the sinus headaches. Been free of them for a few days now.

Going to clean out my "baking cupboard" and organize it better. Maybe I'll bake more then! R is still working on the last batch of PB cookies. He puts them with yogurt in his smoothie and says it tastes like cookies and cream.
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