Christine M
 Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
Home Town: Hopedale, Massachusetts, USA
Living In: Holden, Massachusetts, USA
Member Since: Jun. 2006
Cooking Level: Intermediate
Cooking Interests: Baking, Stir Frying, Asian, Indian, Italian, Healthy, Vegetarian, Dessert, Quick & Easy
Hobbies: Scrapbooking, Gardening, Walking, Photography, Reading Books, Music, Genealogy
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Jun. 17, 2009 7:43 am 
Updated: Jul. 1, 2009 12:42 pm
Well, my spice and herb collection has outgrown the narrow little cabinet it once shared with my vinegars and other condiments, so a while back I moved all those little jars to the middle tier of the lazy susan in my corner cabinet...then I had to find another spot for my vast collection of… MORE
 
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Pumpkin Turkey Chili (with Black Beans)
About this Cook
I'm married and a mom to a three year-old daughter and also work outside the home. I do virtually all the cooking in our house (wouldn't have it any other way! My husband's idea of a vegetable is a potato...) We're putting in a pretty decent vegetable garden this year, and I always grow a good variety of herbs. If only I had enough land for a few fruit trees....well, maybe some day! We also have two big dogs, a Great Pyrenees and brand new Newfoundland, three very confused, angry cats and a 56-gallon fish tank (Um...thanks to the ice storm of Dec 2008 it is now an EMPTY fish tank...). If you're really bored :), come check out my very own, mostly food-based blog, http://marvelouslymundane.blogspot.com.
My favorite things to cook
Thanksgiving dinner has got to top the list - I love incorporating my family's traditions with my husband's family traditions, then adding our own new ones. As far as day to day cooking, I'm happiest when I'm baking! Although I don't mind spending time with complicated assembly every now and then, I prefer dishes where you toss everything together, like stir-fries, pasta dishes, stews and chili.
My favorite family cooking traditions
Holiday baking, Thanksgiving Dinner are my all-time favorite traditions. I love putting together buffets - it gives me an opportunity to try a variety of recipes.
My cooking triumphs
I had always wanted to do an elaborate wedding cake, so when a good friend's daughter got engaged I offered to do her wedding cake. I was not intimidated at first, BUT they were engaged for 3 years... It went from a 50 person do-it-yourself semi-potluck reception to a 140 person elegant, catered event. I worked on it for 3 days, baking, making the two fillings and batch after batch of Italian Meringue Buttercream. My mixer even burnt out and I had to run out and get a new one at 10:30 P.M. The results? Although I saw some flaws, it really looked lovely and tasted great! It was definitely my most challenging feat in the kitchen, and so far my greatest success!
My cooking tragedies
No major tragedies, but there must be something about me that kills yeast, because I have no luck with yeast breads. I make the ugliest pie crust in the world, but it tastes good, so I guess that's not a total failure... Oh, I do tend to burn things...I'm usually multi-tasking, so I always forget about something until the smoke detectors start blaring.
Recipe Reviews 381 reviews
Creamy Vegan Hot Cocoa
This was pretty good - I reduced the sugar by half and used light coconut milk. The result was tasty but seemed a little watered down - maybe a regular coconut milk would have helped make it "creamier". I know I'll make this again, but would probably use soy milk instead of water (or even regular milk, since we are not vegan), but I must say the subtle coconut, vanilla and cinnamon flavors work very well!

0 users found this review helpful
Reviewed On: Nov. 6, 2009
Pumpkin Brownies
These are unbelievably good! I did a horrible job of separating the batter into halves, so I had more pumpkin than chocolate, but that did nothing to take away from the flavor. These are so moist and delicious - I'll never look at a "plain" brownie the same way again! I used fresh pumpkin puree - maybe a bit more than what was called for. They came out a bit on the cake-like side, but I absolutely LOVE these brownies! Thanks for sharing, CroqueMadame!

1 user found this review helpful
Reviewed On: Nov. 4, 2009
Pecan Rice
I liked the pecans in this, but felt this dish needed just a little more flavor. As others mentioned, cooking the rice in chicken stock would definitely have helped, but I used frozen steamed brown rice to start with. Next time I'll definitely add some garlic and use some chicken stock to give it more flavor. Another suggestion I liked from another reviewer was to drizzle a little olive oil on it. Still, I think this is a keeper - just needs a little flavor boost! Thanks Deborah!

0 users found this review helpful
Reviewed On: Nov. 2, 2009
 
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