dannylion
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Post by dannylion on Jun 28, 2019 14:35:01 GMT -5
Polenta is yummy! Especially as a vector for lots of parmesan cheese. Rosemary polenta sounds good. I really want to try making polenta "fries" where you chill a sheet pan of cooked polenta until it is nice and firm, then cut it into "fries" and put olive oil and other seasonings on them and bake them in the oven until the outside is crispy. Giada de Laurentis also makes polenta croutons for salads. So many things to make with polenta. Make polenta (and fries) you will NOT be dissappointed. OK, you might be... here's some tips for better polenta: buy a package of "polenta" corn meal (don't use the corn meal you use to make grits or corn muffins). You want a rough cut corn meal... usually labeled with "polenta" somewhere on the package. Make it with milk (and the other ingredients) and, like rissotto, stir constantly! Milk gives it a nice texture when eating - versus water. You can buy pre-made polenta in a "chub" - but it's bland. Really bland. It needs doctoring up. The "chub" stuff would work if you are making polenta lasagna for example. Thanks, Tiny! That's pretty much how I always make polenta. I have used grits when that's what I had and I was too lazy to go to the store for the right stuff, and you're right, the results are not the same. But if you put enough cheese in it, it's fine. I plan to add parmesan to some of the polenta when I make the fries, just to see which I like better, with or without. It's interesting to watch the fancy Food Network chefs make polenta (or even grits). They all follow the boil-the-water-first method and add the dry polenta or grits to the boiling water and then stir or whisk madly to keep it from turning into a lumpy mess. This never worked for me and always produced lumps. Always. I have much better luck blending the dry ingredients with the cold liquid, then bringing it to a boil while stirring at a reasonable rate of rotation. That always works for me. I'm not coordinated enough to do it the "right" way. It's been a long time since I made shrimp and grits. Maybe I'll try it with polenta next time. That would be delicious!
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Jun 28, 2019 14:39:44 GMT -5
Make polenta (and fries) you will NOT be dissappointed. OK, you might be... here's some tips for better polenta: buy a package of "polenta" corn meal (don't use the corn meal you use to make grits or corn muffins). You want a rough cut corn meal... usually labeled with "polenta" somewhere on the package. Make it with milk (and the other ingredients) and, like rissotto, stir constantly! Milk gives it a nice texture when eating - versus water. You can buy pre-made polenta in a "chub" - but it's bland. Really bland. It needs doctoring up. The "chub" stuff would work if you are making polenta lasagna for example. Thanks, Tiny ! That's pretty much how I always make polenta. I have used grits when that's what I had and I was too lazy to go to the store for the right stuff, and you're right, the results are not the same. But if you put enough cheese in it, it's fine. I plan to add parmesan to some of the polenta when I make the fries, just to see which I like better, with or without. It's interesting to watch the fancy Food Network chefs make polenta (or even grits). They all follow the boil-the-water-first method and add the dry polenta or grits to the boiling water and then stir or whisk madly to keep it from turning into a lumpy mess. This never worked for me and always produced lumps. Always. I have much better luck blending the dry ingredients with the cold liquid, then bringing it to a boil while stirring at a reasonable rate of rotation. That always works for me. I'm not coordinated enough to do it the "right" way. It's been a long time since I made shrimp and grits. Maybe I'll try it with polenta next time. That would be delicious! Woah!! I'm doing something the "right" way!!! Yay me!!
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Jun 28, 2019 16:22:14 GMT -5
I never had grits. I'd like to try it.
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haapai
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Post by haapai on Jun 28, 2019 18:32:19 GMT -5
Our local stores always carried it in the soup section, usually on the top shelf area, mostly in the dried soups area. Tbe brand is Quaker.......I have seen it in the rice/dried beans area too. WMT and Meijer super centers, not sure if they carry it or where they put it. Bob's red mill brand....sometimes in the regular grocery section or in natural/ health food area of the store. Depends whether the store integrates health foods into the regular departments or has a designated specialty area. Where is the Haitian when we have these very important issues? The odds are quite good that your grocery store carries barley, probably the Quaker brand, but it can be hard to find and may be somewhere completely non-intuitive to you. I recommend swallowing your pride and chasing down the most experienced or most conscientious-looking stocker that you can find and asking. If you find the right stocker, you can get a definitive answer, or at least a pretty good assisted search of the four or five places where this staple may be hiding. It's a small box, probably one and a half inches by three or four inches and if you are scanning for the Quaker on a canister, or the characteristic yellow that you find on the corn meal canisters, you're not going to spot it. This bugger hides well and is frequently out of stock because less-experienced stockers can't find the empty place on the shelf where it belongs. If a manager tells you that this product is not carried, I'd recommend disbelieving them, especially if they appear to be under 30. You may benefit from discreetly asking someone else, even another customer, the same question once the youngster in a button-down is out of ear-shot.
Bob's Red Mill has been expanding at a furious rate but also has irritatingly similar packaging for all of its products and appears to purchase different shelf space than the Quaker brand. I've never spotted barley among their offerings but in my part of the world this product is stocked by vendors or merchandisers instead of store personnel. This means that store employees rarely hand BRM products and have a weak understanding of what they carry except that it is all "crunchy".
If all else fails, get in the checkout line that appears to be (wo)manned by the most capable and experienced cashier and ask again. That person may know where the barley is or direct you to the person who can definitively answer the question.
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countrygirl2
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Post by countrygirl2 on Jun 28, 2019 19:37:48 GMT -5
Barley is there I had to find it.
I read polenta, polenta is the same things as corn meal mush, sounds more high toned I guess. Just water, cornmeal, salt, boil, cool. then slice it, fry in bacon grease and serve with butter. Haven't made any in ages, its good, I'm the only one here that likes it though. Had a lot of it growing up.
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Deleted
Joined: Apr 26, 2024 15:01:58 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jun 29, 2019 9:31:02 GMT -5
Polenta sounds good, I'll have to try it.
I try to eat both healthy and inexpensively, so I am always looking for new grains and other things to try.
Having been diagnosed with colitis, I was advised to avoid nuts, popcorn, and everything with seeds in it. So much for my favorite healthy snacks...
One of my best discoveries was that spinach will last for like 2 weeks in my refrigerator. My main staple is now the massive thing of it from the store. I eat salads a lot and I can now eat them for more of the month since I don't shop very often. (Every 2 or 3 weeks)
One "nice" side effect of this infection is I have lost 10 pounds since it started. And, as I am starting to eat actual food again, I have been trying to avoid sugar and get back to eating really healthy.
I'd lost 150 pounds and gained back about 40 since I haven't been able to do a whole lot in the last year or so. I want to lose that 40 plus as much as possible before I move in the spring. To go on an extended rockhounding trip I need to be able to hike a few miles a day again.
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countrygirl2
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Post by countrygirl2 on Jun 29, 2019 10:01:20 GMT -5
If only, I can get this 20 gone, that is marvelous. I am not eating much and healthy, but not able to do much so lack of calorie use is hurting me. I'm always active, this year haven't been in the yard very much at all and hubs won't let me.
I slept better last night but weak this morning, and ears hurting badly. I still have several days of doxy so I'm sure it will clear but hasn't yet. I'm not taking even the half dose of the cholesterol stuff till end of next week, whether I'm better or not. And if it does this again, won't be using that. I am taking my b complex today to give me energy, I have none and I so wish this left ear would unstop, been like that for a week or more. I hate feeling bad and being miserable. All I want to do is sit or lay down.
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Post by twystedsystermi1 on Jun 30, 2019 20:26:54 GMT -5
My family is Italian. My Grandfather would make Polenta with kidney beans. It was poured onto a very long board in the middle of the dining table. He would make a sauce out of chicken backs. He would pour the sauce over the Polenta and grate Parmesan over the whole dish. He said this is what they ate when they first got to America because it was cheap and filling. I cannot find a recipe for this or a board to serve it on.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Jul 1, 2019 10:52:31 GMT -5
@rockhounder, I put a paper towel in my leafy stuff in the fridge and it helps it last so much longer. (I usually store that kind of stuff in a ziploc bag, but it works in the clamshell packages too)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2019 16:55:19 GMT -5
@rockhounder , I put a paper towel in my leafy stuff in the fridge and it helps it last so much longer. (I usually store that kind of stuff in a ziploc bag, but it works in the clamshell packages too) Someone here mentioned how much longer spinach lasts than lettuce. I like spinach, so I bought some to see how it would go. I swear after 2 weeks it barely wilts in my fridge! I only go to the store once every 2-3 weeks and used to have to eat salads the first 4 or so days after shopping. Now I can space it out a bit. When the spinach starts to wilt, I cut it up and put it in eggs and other cooked foods so it isn't wasted.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Jul 2, 2019 14:27:40 GMT -5
@rockhounder , I put a paper towel in my leafy stuff in the fridge and it helps it last so much longer. (I usually store that kind of stuff in a ziploc bag, but it works in the clamshell packages too) Someone here mentioned how much longer spinach lasts than lettuce. I like spinach, so I bought some to see how it would go. I swear after 2 weeks it barely wilts in my fridge! I only go to the store once every 2-3 weeks and used to have to eat salads the first 4 or so days after shopping. Now I can space it out a bit. When the spinach starts to wilt, I cut it up and put it in eggs and other cooked foods so it isn't wasted. I've had iceberg lettuce last a month with my paper towel trick. It was getting brown but not slimy!!
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oped
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Post by oped on Jul 2, 2019 14:30:25 GMT -5
Depends where you are. Venison is a very expensive delicacy some places.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jul 2, 2019 16:11:01 GMT -5
Thanks, Tiny ! That's pretty much how I always make polenta. I have used grits when that's what I had and I was too lazy to go to the store for the right stuff, and you're right, the results are not the same. But if you put enough cheese in it, it's fine. I plan to add parmesan to some of the polenta when I make the fries, just to see which I like better, with or without. It's interesting to watch the fancy Food Network chefs make polenta (or even grits). They all follow the boil-the-water-first method and add the dry polenta or grits to the boiling water and then stir or whisk madly to keep it from turning into a lumpy mess. This never worked for me and always produced lumps. Always. I have much better luck blending the dry ingredients with the cold liquid, then bringing it to a boil while stirring at a reasonable rate of rotation. That always works for me. I'm not coordinated enough to do it the "right" way.
It's been a long time since I made shrimp and grits. Maybe I'll try it with polenta next time. That would be delicious! I'm doing it the wrong way, too. I couldn't get non gloppy/clumpy/icky polenta if the liquid was too hot before adding the corn meal. I add the polenta to the already heating liquid and stir. I don't make risotto right either.
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dannylion
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Post by dannylion on Jul 3, 2019 9:42:03 GMT -5
Thanks, Tiny ! That's pretty much how I always make polenta. I have used grits when that's what I had and I was too lazy to go to the store for the right stuff, and you're right, the results are not the same. But if you put enough cheese in it, it's fine. I plan to add parmesan to some of the polenta when I make the fries, just to see which I like better, with or without. It's interesting to watch the fancy Food Network chefs make polenta (or even grits). They all follow the boil-the-water-first method and add the dry polenta or grits to the boiling water and then stir or whisk madly to keep it from turning into a lumpy mess. This never worked for me and always produced lumps. Always. I have much better luck blending the dry ingredients with the cold liquid, then bringing it to a boil while stirring at a reasonable rate of rotation. That always works for me. I'm not coordinated enough to do it the "right" way.
It's been a long time since I made shrimp and grits. Maybe I'll try it with polenta next time. That would be delicious! I'm doing it the wrong way, too. I couldn't get non gloppy/clumpy/icky polenta if the liquid was too hot before adding the corn meal. I add the polenta to the already heating liquid and stir. I don't make risotto right either. I admire people who complete the process of making risotto, regardless of how they do it. I don't make risotto at all! It requires too much of a commitment. I'm reasonably certain that I will get to the middle of the process, lose interest, and just go out for Chinese food. So any time I think about making risotto, I just skip the middle part and go get Chinese food.
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buystoys
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Post by buystoys on Jul 3, 2019 9:53:53 GMT -5
We have barley in our Walmart super store. It's by the rice and dried beans. I like barley. I make a summer salad (barley cooked in chicken broth, red peppers, onion, celery, basil, parsley, a nice vinegar and olive oil) that several people like. I also use it in soups and stews in the winter months. I've been thinking about adding it to chili. I think that would taste good.
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Jul 3, 2019 9:56:59 GMT -5
I'm doing it the wrong way, too. I couldn't get non gloppy/clumpy/icky polenta if the liquid was too hot before adding the corn meal. I add the polenta to the already heating liquid and stir. I don't make risotto right either. I admire people who complete the process of making risotto, regardless of how they do it. I don't make risotto at all! It requires too much of a commitment. I'm reasonably certain that I will get to the middle of the process, lose interest, and just go out for Chinese food. So any time I think about making risotto, I just skip the middle part and go get Chinese food. I'll completely forget it and then will have to throw risotto and pot in trash since risotto will be welded to pot - I've had that happen before with rice I did get some from a food bar once and it was good. Think it was at WF or FM.
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OldCoyote
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Post by OldCoyote on Jul 3, 2019 9:59:22 GMT -5
Moravian barley, Yes I have hauled truck loads of the stuff.
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