Had it with the Food Channel...

[pomtzu]

POM,

What do you do for sides?

I personally like roasted potatoes with the lamb. Don't peel them - just dice them up and throw them in the same pan with the meat. Also - anything apple is good - such as spiced apples, or maybe a baked stuffing with apple, onions and celery. Just about anything goes good with lamb IMO.

[pomtzu]

Ok - now I'm hungry for lamb! Since I seldom use my oven in the summer even tho I have central air, I'm thinking of another way to fix it.

How about cooking it with indirect heat on the gas grill? Throw on some fresh corn on the cob when it's almost done, and serve with some nice homemade potato salad, and a salad of fresh tomatoes and onions in olive oil.

Who wants to join me???

[RICHARD]

I watched parts of last night's TVFN show.

I really think that these shows do not pick the best people for the shows.

Why do they pick the mentally defective? I have to laugh when people get emotional over a salad? A pea? An imperfect egg?

I guess you could, in theory, season a dish with tears?

[Daisy and Delilah]

Thanks for all the lamb info everybody. Mint jelly sounds like something I wouldn't like for any reason and certainly not with a meat I'm not even accustomed to yet. Yuck! I'm so happy all of you don't like it either. I just couldn't see the connection.

Richard, what does TVFN stand for? I know I'm having a senior moment here. Are you talking about NFNS? I can't believe how those people are supposed to be chefs but they can't cook food until it's done?? This has to be done on purpose for the drama.

Then we had the incident of Debbie being hit in the head by Michael with the oven door. C'mon....are we stupid? Neither of them saw that coming? If she was hit as hard as she pretended to be, she couldn't have pulled herself together so quick. Did anybody notice there were no marks on her face at all? I was thinking a black eye would have been a given. I guess that entire incident was to take the happy attitude from Michael for awhile so we all won't think he stays ecstatic. Not to mention the drama involved when Debbie got whacked.

I can't forget to mention Jeffrey and the lousy dish he cooked. Did he have a brain freeze? How can he be so savvy every week and all of a sudden, he can't think of anything? That's his job, his life, etc. I was getting sick watching him cut up those lobsters. That was brutal and it could have been left out of the show.

I expected they would oust the healthy girl-Katie? Instead, they got rid of Teddy. Teddy was sorta forgettable.

I made my mahi mahi yesterday but I had to cook it inside because of a grill incident(long story). I marinated it in orange juice, lime and lemon juice. I also sliced fresh lime and lemon for the foil packets I made. Garlic, onions, peppers(assorted), smoked paprika, basil, sea salt, peppercorns ground. I wrapped the fish in foil after marinating for about 30 minutes. I precooked some sliced potatoes and added those and baked the packets for about 15 minutes at 425 degrees. It was delicious.

I haven't done the lamb yet but I'm dying for it now. Ellie, I'll join you too!!

[RICHARD]

Richard, what does TVFN stand for? I know I'm having a senior moment here. Are you talking about NFNS? I can't believe how those people are supposed to be chefs but they can't cook food until it's done?? This has to be done on purpose for the drama.

TV Food Network.

I meant NFNS.

The contestants can cook, but making them pair stupid ingredients and giving them time limits is the problem.


Here's the rub.

I would not pair Captain Crunch with tuna, nor put grapefruit with lobster.

The idea that someone would plan a meal with ghastly combos like that has no bearing on what people can cook.

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

Steamed fish is the absolute best.

If I cook fish I like to grab a piece of hard bread, butter it up and use it to sop up the 'fish juice'! that you get!

OR

(Again, this is a make as you go recipe!)

Gather up all the packets, drain the broth and place into a saucepan. Add milk and butter, a little cornstarch and heat. A splash of white wine and you are there!

You can leave it rough or run a boat motor thru it, strain the solids out for a smooth sauce.

[pomtzu]

Terry - if you have lamb chops - I'd recommend broiling rather than pan frying. Much more tasty that way IMO. My Mom used to fix them like that all the time. Geeze - I can remember when lamb was cheap and we had it often. Same with scallops - they were always on the dinner table.

What happened????? I love them both, but only rarely buy either because of the price.

[Daisy and Delilah]

I thought about broiling them. I'll try that, Ellie. Thanks.

[Karen]

Same with scallops - they were always on the dinner table.

What happened????? I love them both, but only rarely buy either because of the price.

The health of the Chesapeake Bay has been negatively effected by various things. Also, now people can get scallops shipped to places like Colorado, so there is a broader market for a smaller quantity, that's why your scallop prices have gone up so much! The people in states in the middle of the country, though, probably are glad to at least have the chance to buy them at any price, which before the days of overnight shipping, wasn't a very good idea!

[pomtzu]

The health of the Chesapeake Bay has been negatively effected by various things. Also, now people can get scallops shipped to places like Colorado, so there is a broader market for a smaller quantity, that's why your scallop prices have gone up so much! The people in states in the middle of the country, though, probably are glad to at least have the chance to buy them at any price, which before the days of overnight shipping, wasn't a very good idea!

I lived on the Narragansett Bay growing up! Dad had a boat, and we were always going out fishing and clamming in the nice weather. No clam rakes for us tho - we did it the old fashioned way - with our toes at low tide. Those were the good old days!

[Daisy and Delilah]

When I visited Maine about 5 years ago, we ate at a restaurant that served all kinds of seafood. I ordered a platter, all fried. Don't usually order fried but I was on vacation. I was served these gigantic sea scallops, fried to perfection and some unbelievable tartar sauce. That was probably the best seafood meal I have ever eaten in my life!!! It was in a small town. I can't remember the name of it. I will never forget it.

There is no point to this story except for the fact that the talk about scallops brought back those memories. Thanks ladies.

[pomtzu]

Terry - did you have to mention Maine?? Now you've got me thinking of a nice big Maine lobster. Thinking is the key word here - since they are definitely not in my food budget.

Around here we have Chesapeake Bay crabs - which are really delicious - but a whole lot of work for just a little meat. There's a knack to picking crabs that I have never mastered, and all I end up doing is cutting my fingers up on the sharp shells, and getting the Old Bay seasoning in the cuts, which stings like the devil. If someone picks them for me, I'm only too happy to pig out on them!

[Daisy and Delilah]

Terry - did you have to mention Maine?? Now you've got me thinking of a nice big Maine lobster. Thinking is the key word here - since they are definitely not in my food budget.

Around here we have Chesapeake Bay crabs - which are really delicious - but a whole lot of work for just a little meat. There's a knack to picking crabs that I have never mastered, and all I end up doing is cutting my fingers up on the sharp shells, and getting the Old Bay seasoning in the cuts, which stings like the devil. If someone picks them for me, I'm only too happy to pig out on them!

Yummy!!! I'm with you, Ellie. Maine lobster sounds so good!! I don't know anybody than can afford lobster. I always look at the lobsters in the store and know they are the same ones I saw last week.

I love crab too!!! Love it!! We have blue crabs here and they're just like your's. Alot of work for a little meat. I really enjoy making crab cakes when the big can of Phillips crab meat goes on sale.

[blue]

I had East Coast crab at the family reunion a few years back, Ill stick to Alaskan King Crab legs.

I love the lobster tails. Lobster used to be a bycatch or a trash catch only fit for prisoners, when/how did it become a luxery?

[Medusa]

Terry - did you have to mention Maine?? Now you've got me thinking of a nice big Maine lobster. Thinking is the key word here - since they are definitely not in my food budget.

Around here we have Chesapeake Bay crabs - which are really delicious - but a whole lot of work for just a little meat. There's a knack to picking crabs that I have never mastered, and all I end up doing is cutting my fingers up on the sharp shells, and getting the Old Bay seasoning in the cuts, which stings like the devil. If someone picks them for me, I'm only too happy to pig out on them!

Can you believe that I had crab legs for the first time just a couple of months ago? They were good but too much work, definitely not the meal to have when you're really hungry and my friend had to keep helping me w/removing the crab from the legs. That was really adult. LOL When my son was home, we went to a special restaurant for his birthday and I ordered lobster, which I hadn't had in probably 20 years. It was delicious but too rich for my aging tummy and I paid the price the next day. I'm the same way w/shrimp, though; I can only eat a little.

[Pinot's Mom]

Terry - did you have to mention Maine?? Now you've got me thinking of a nice big Maine lobster. Thinking is the key word here - since they are definitely not in my food budget.

Around here we have Chesapeake Bay crabs - which are really delicious - but a whole lot of work for just a little meat. There's a knack to picking crabs that I have never mastered, and all I end up doing is cutting my fingers up on the sharp shells, and getting the Old Bay seasoning in the cuts, which stings like the devil. If someone picks them for me, I'm only too happy to pig out on them!

I'm in the same boat, Ellie! Raised on fresh lobster (you don't want to know how we got it when we were kids!), I came to Maryland, got introduced to the blue crab, and said - you want me to get MEAT out of that thing? You're kidding! My husband spoils me; on the occasion we're at a crab feast, he'll share. He knows I hate picking them, but I do love the meat!