The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[ajrwdwgirl]

So all this talk about how we learned to cook got me thinking....most of us learned from our mother or some sort of mother figure in our lives. Here's the question(s): What dish growing up that your mother (or whoever cooked for you) was the worst in your opinion? And what was the best?

Worst: My mom made scalloped potatoes which were normally excellent but when she was trying to include a cheap protein when money was tight she made scalloped potatoes with canned tuna and cheese. Ugh! All of those were fine on their own but not together.

Best: Homemade spaghetti sauce which was actually my great-grandmothers recipe (she had been a private chef for a rich family in Chicago). And if my mom used fresh from the garden tomatoes....even better!!!

Side note: A few years before my mom passed I told her how much I had detested the tuna scalloped potatoes and she was shocked, she thought they weren't bad. But she apologized for sending bacon bit (the cheap artificial ones) sandwiches sometimes to school for my lunch, she thought that was the worst thing she ever made for me. I then gave her a shock by telling her how much I had loved those bacon bit sandwiches and I thought they were a special treat and that I looked forward to them. She had always felt bad for sending them when she didn't have any money left in the budget for lunch meat and then turns out I loved them.

 

[Rista1313]

So all this talk about how we learned to cook got me thinking....most of us learned from our mother or some sort of mother figure in our lives. Here's the question(s): What dish growing up that your mother (or whoever cooked for you) was the worst in your opinion? And what was the best?

Worst: My mom made scalloped potatoes which were normally excellent but when she was trying to include a cheap protein when money was tight she made scalloped potatoes with canned tuna and cheese. Ugh! All of those were fine on their own but not together.

Best: Homemade spaghetti sauce which was actually my great-grandmothers recipe (she had been a private chef for a rich family in Chicago). And if my mom used fresh from the garden tomatoes....even better!!!

Side note: A few years before my mom passed I told her how much I had detested the tuna scalloped potatoes and she was shocked, she thought they weren't bad. But she apologized for sending bacon bit (the cheap artificial ones) sandwiches sometimes to school for my lunch, she thought that was the worst thing she ever made for me. I then gave her a shock by telling her how much I had loved those bacon bit sandwiches and I thought they were a special treat and that I looked forward to them. She had always felt bad for sending them when she didn't have any money left in the budget for lunch meat and then turns out I loved them.

Worst: Liver and Onions... gross

Best: Homemade Pierogi.

I think I ate hot lunch most of the time.. I don't remember my mom ever packing a bag lunch... but I do remember getting "reduced" lunch at one point after my parents divorced.

Worst Hot lunch: Pizza Buns... they were suppose to be like pizza, but they had a really funky flavor, on a hamburger bun.. they were AWFUL!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Worst: Liver and Onions... gross

Best: Homemade Pierogi.

I think I ate hot lunch most of the time.. I don't remember my mom ever packing a bag lunch... but I do remember getting "reduced" lunch at one point after my parents divorced.

Worst Hot lunch: Pizza Buns... they were suppose to be like pizza, but they had a really funky flavor, on a hamburger bun.. they were AWFUL!

My mom usually packed our lunches. I didn't like school lunch at all, I tried a few things but blurg..... My sister liked school lunch so she would have it more than I would.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Oh wonderful.

 

[93boomer]

So all this talk about how we learned to cook got me thinking....most of us learned from our mother or some sort of mother figure in our lives. Here's the question(s): What dish growing up that your mother (or whoever cooked for you) was the worst in your opinion? And what was the best?

Worst: My mom made scalloped potatoes which were normally excellent but when she was trying to include a cheap protein when money was tight she made scalloped potatoes with canned tuna and cheese. Ugh! All of those were fine on their own but not together.

Best: Homemade spaghetti sauce which was actually my great-grandmothers recipe (she had been a private chef for a rich family in Chicago). And if my mom used fresh from the garden tomatoes....even better!!!

Side note: A few years before my mom passed I told her how much I had detested the tuna scalloped potatoes and she was shocked, she thought they weren't bad. But she apologized for sending bacon bit (the cheap artificial ones) sandwiches sometimes to school for my lunch, she thought that was the worst thing she ever made for me. I then gave her a shock by telling her how much I had loved those bacon bit sandwiches and I thought they were a special treat and that I looked forward to them. She had always felt bad for sending them when she didn't have any money left in the budget for lunch meat and then turns out I loved them.

I have to agree with @Rista1313 on my worst dish: liver and onions. Mom would always make it, and I always got sick. She couldn’t figure why it made me sick and continued to cook it! Second was cooked turnips!
Best dish: homemade dressing. She changed her recipe through the years so not as good. I don’t know if she adds something or leaves something out, but not the same. Mine is better.
As for school lunches, took lunch until high school, then only ate when I liked what they had in the cafeteria. It was mostly pizza day!!

 

[Figgy1]

Mid morning snack not mine

 

[Figgy1]

On the subject of my moms cooking the worst was pretty much anything either tried to cook, thank goodness I had relatives within walking distance. The best thing was take out. That being said steak was particularly awful and they both got good ones from the butcher.

 

[MouseDreaming]

So all this talk about how we learned to cook got me thinking....most of us learned from our mother or some sort of mother figure in our lives. Here's the question(s): What dish growing up that your mother (or whoever cooked for you) was the worst in your opinion? And what was the best?

Worst: My mom made scalloped potatoes which were normally excellent but when she was trying to include a cheap protein when money was tight she made scalloped potatoes with canned tuna and cheese. Ugh! All of those were fine on their own but not together.

Best: Homemade spaghetti sauce which was actually my great-grandmothers recipe (she had been a private chef for a rich family in Chicago). And if my mom used fresh from the garden tomatoes....even better!!!

Side note: A few years before my mom passed I told her how much I had detested the tuna scalloped potatoes and she was shocked, she thought they weren't bad. But she apologized for sending bacon bit (the cheap artificial ones) sandwiches sometimes to school for my lunch, she thought that was the worst thing she ever made for me. I then gave her a shock by telling her how much I had loved those bacon bit sandwiches and I thought they were a special treat and that I looked forward to them. She had always felt bad for sending them when she didn't have any money left in the budget for lunch meat and then turns out I loved them.

Mom had a few I hated, like kielbasa with sauerkraut, dad's favorite liver and onions, and Lima beans. But I don't think it was her cooking that made it bad. I think I just don't like those things.

What was bad was fried spaghetti. Leftover spaghetti? Add the sauce, and fry it. Until it was crunchy. No thank you!

My favorite dinner growing up was her meatloaf. Always with mashed potatoes, stewed tomatoes, and homemade biscuits. Luckily, I got that "recipe"from a phone call with Mom. The recipe that is lost is rouladen. Mom only made that once in awhile, and it was always so good. I have looked through all of her cookbooks, and haven't found it. Which means it was another recipe filed in her head.

 

[Rista1313]

So sick of the robo calls today... I got one on my cell phone, and then 2 minutes later I got a different one on my work phone!

 

[93boomer]

So sick of the robo calls today... I got one on my cell phone, and then 2 minutes later I got a different one on my work phone!

I find they go in spurts. Days and days of none then they bombard you for a week!

 

[93boomer]

BYW @Mr Ferret 88 your suggestion worked! Thank you!
And have you and Mrs F finished packing?

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I have to agree with @Rista1313 on my worst dish: liver and onions. Mom would always make it, and I always got sick. She couldn’t figure why it made me sick and continued to cook it! Second was cooked turnips!
Best dish: homemade dressing. She changed her recipe through the years so not as good. I don’t know if she adds something or leaves something out, but not the same. Mine is better. ❤
As for school lunches, took lunch until high school, then only ate when I liked what they had in the cafeteria. It was mostly pizza day!!

Luckily my mom never made liver and onions, although she liked to eat it and would often order it when in a restaurant. My dad hated it, so thanks there dad! Never had cooked turnips either but I'll believe you that they aren't good. I remembered from your comment that I also really disliked pickled beets, luckily there was usually an alternate vegetable to eat, we had to have at least one serving of vegetables with dinner.

Love your best dish, my mom's dressing/stuffing was amazing too. Luckily I was always her helper and taste tester so I can recreate it, although my husband still says that my mom's was the best he has ever tasted and mine is about 99% as close as my mom's.

Mom had a few I hated, like kielbasa with sauerkraut, dad's favorite liver and onions, and Lima beans. But I don't think it was her cooking that made it bad. I think I just don't like those things.

What was bad was fried spaghetti. Leftover spaghetti? Add the sauce, and fry it. Until it was crunchy. No thank you!

My favorite dinner growing up was her meatloaf. Always with mashed potatoes, stewed tomatoes, and homemade biscuits. Luckily, I got that "recipe"from a phone call with Mom. The recipe that is lost is rouladen. Mom only made that once in awhile, and it was always so good. I have looked through all of her cookbooks, and haven't found it. Which means it was another recipe filed in her head.

Kielbasa is good but I don't like the sauerkraut, it is easy to pick off. The fried spaghetti doesn't sound too bad, but then again spaghetti is my favorite. And MEATLOAF!! Yes, it is so tasty, I've had a hankering for meatloaf lately and the side dishes you mentioned sound good too. Rouladen isn't a dish I particularly like mostly because of the pickles, not a pickle fan but I can see why someone would like it.

On the subject of my moms cooking the worst was pretty much anything either tried to cook, thank goodness I had relatives within walking distance. The best thing was take out. That being said steak was particularly awful and they both got good ones from the butcher.

No wonder you were driven to be such a good cook!

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

BYW @Mr Ferret 88 your suggestion worked! Thank you!
And have you and Mrs F finished packing?

Suitcases are done its just the hand luggage with pills /chargers etc. Cant do them until closer to the day.
And

 

[93boomer]

Luckily my mom never made liver and onions, although she liked to eat it and would often order it when in a restaurant. My dad hated it, so thanks there dad! Never had cooked turnips either but I'll believe you that they aren't good. I remembered from your comment that I also really disliked pickled beets, luckily there was usually an alternate vegetable to eat, we had to have at least one serving of vegetables with dinner.

Love your best dish, my mom's dressing/stuffing was amazing too. Luckily I was always her helper and taste tester so I can recreate it, although my husband still says that my mom's was the best he has ever tasted and mine is about 99% as close as my mom's.





Kielbasa is good but I don't like the sauerkraut, it is easy to pick off. The fried spaghetti doesn't sound too bad, but then again spaghetti is my favorite. And MEATLOAF!! Yes, it is so tasty, I've had a hankering for meatloaf lately and the side dishes you mentioned sound good too. Rouladen isn't a dish I particularly like mostly because of the pickles, not a pickle fan but I can see why someone would like it.



No wonder you were driven to be such a good cook!

You missed nothing not eating liver and onions or turnips!!

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

So all this talk about how we learned to cook got me thinking....most of us learned from our mother or some sort of mother figure in our lives. Here's the question(s): What dish growing up that your mother (or whoever cooked for you) was the worst in your opinion? And what was the best?

Worst: My mom made scalloped potatoes which were normally excellent but when she was trying to include a cheap protein when money was tight she made scalloped potatoes with canned tuna and cheese. Ugh! All of those were fine on their own but not together.

Best: Homemade spaghetti sauce which was actually my great-grandmothers recipe (she had been a private chef for a rich family in Chicago). And if my mom used fresh from the garden tomatoes....even better!!!

Side note: A few years before my mom passed I told her how much I had detested the tuna scalloped potatoes and she was shocked, she thought they weren't bad. But she apologized for sending bacon bit (the cheap artificial ones) sandwiches sometimes to school for my lunch, she thought that was the worst thing she ever made for me. I then gave her a shock by telling her how much I had loved those bacon bit sandwiches and I thought they were a special treat and that I looked forward to them. She had always felt bad for sending them when she didn't have any money left in the budget for lunch meat and then turns out I loved them.

I hated when my mom cooked a roasted chicken. I always had problems eating chicken when I saw bones. I never had a problem with cutlets, I just couldn't stomach eating chicken when I saw there were bones. I guess because then it reminded me I was eating an animal. This is probably why I don't have a problem not eating them now I guess.

Some of my favorites were a potato and egg casserole. That was what she called her poor man's meal. They were sliced potatoes and eggs layered with milk and cheese and then baked. I loved her schnitzel, stuffed cabbage, stuffed summer squash, babaganoush, and these meat patties that were sort of like burgers, but better.

She did force me to eat liver once. Yuck!!!

 

[Rista1313]

I also really disliked pickled beets, luckily there was usually an alternate vegetable to eat, we had to have at least one serving of vegetables with dinner.

Oo I love pickled beets... and regular beets! Turnips are great when you pair them with parsnip, celery root, and potato, for the BEST mash potatoes we've ever ate! We only make them at Thanksgiving, because they are kind of expensive comparatively.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/whipped-root-vegetables-3363846

 

[93boomer]

Oo I love pickled beets... and regular beets! Turnips are great when you pair them with parsnip, celery root, and potato, for the BEST mash potatoes we've ever ate! We only make them at Thanksgiving, because they are kind of expensive comparatively.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/whipped-root-vegetables-3363846

Well that leaves me only with potatoes, salt and butter!

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Well that leaves me only with potatoes, salt and butter!

Oh potatoes...

Been binge watching Red Dwarf and have to ask you, are you now King of the Potato people?

 

[Rista1313]

Well that leaves me only with potatoes, salt and butter!

but why?

 

[93boomer]

but why?

Cause I hate turnips and parsnips.