I'm back and have a bit more time to respond! Annie, I haven't seen hooves sold in stores around here. I am taking baby steps in getting past the fear factor...chicken feet first, the world next LOL. Cathy, thanks for the shout-out to Gardengirl/Kathy. Beverly, sorry about your lost book! Does your library carry it? Let me know if I can copy/mail you anything fom mine. Oxtail Recipe below. Can you describe how you cook yours to see how the grease factor works? Since I've seen this as mostly stew/braise/soup? Also, I haven't seen much fat in mine. I guess I should, for our health, since heart disease does run in my family. Teresa - '4-5 hours picking meat off the bones' - I'm sorry. I immediately thought of you passing the time at your Saturday farmers market. Sheesh, LOL Peppi, I shared mine, now you share YOURS. Gina darling come on over and use my PC. I'm still trying to talk AnnT into buying one. I am turning blue waiting for her to do that so we can get her report. HURRY UP AND GET A PC, ANN!!! RachelEllen, I like that Asian version. Then again, I love Asian EVERYTHING. Well....I love everything. Pretty much. therustyone - ((HUGS)) I miss my mom too. Her recipes in her handwriting are cherished. More kudos to Gina for posting that tutorial. WTG! Jessica's Beef Barley Oxtail stew - Pressure cooker 1 large onion 2 large carrots 2 celery stalks 1 lb. beef of your choice - I used diced leftover roast 10 oz small oxtail pieces Two bay leaves, assorted spices ( I threw in a tablespoon of dried savory) S&P to taste 1 cup barley, rinsed 6 cups +/- liquid (beef stock etc.) - may need to add boullion to your taste, mine was too bland Chopped Italian parsley Notes: Use small oxtail pieces if you can to 'match' cooking time with the barley. I did not brown the oxtails first, but I would have to enhance flavor. This was 'gotta get dinner done FAST' mode. Also, mushrooms would be a fabulous addition. My kids haven't graduated to fungus, yet. Chop onions, carrots, celery. Saute in pressure cooker until limp/translucent. Add beef of your choice and oxtails, stir for a few minutes. Add seasonings, rinsed barley, liquid. Those who are comfortable with Pressure cookers can adjust liquid for thicker/thinner stews. Close pressure cooker, bring up to pressure, cook for 23 minutes. When done, place pot in sink and do a 'quick release' (rinse outside of PC with cool water) to reduce pressure. Open carefully, stir, taste for barley 'doneness'. If satisfied, add chopped Italian parsley, stir and allow to sit for ten minutes for flavors to meld. Serve and enjoy!

Sheesh, I'm with you on the winter foods, I really enjoy them so much more. We have more snow here and now another storm on the weekend. When I walk down the very white driveway the snow is up to my shoulders. Beyond amazing. DH took a fall yesterday going in to CVS today we went for xrays. 2 broken bones in his hand plus they found a cyst. We're seeing my hand specialist who operated on me 3 weeks ago. This is going to be fun. He has a bad left hand and I have a bad right. lol.

Haven't been here in, well, forever! Sick, still sick. Strep throat that turned into a cold, and I sound like a kid with croup. Fever, et al. Been sick for 2 weeks and I'm just so over it. DH has a sore throat but to hear him, he's dying. Sleevendog, let's make a pact: Next time your DH goes kimchi coo-coo, and mine gets a little sore throat, let's pack them in boxes and put them in storage. Split the cost? ; ) Jasdip, your tuna casserole looks a zillion times better than mine. Love tuna casserole, and yes, Annie, my mom made the same as yours! I also love the addition of peas. And Penne : ) Your pork chop and slaw sammie looks and sounds good. I know I'd like it! Beautiful snow Annie! Thanks for the share : ) We got some too but I neglected to take photos. I'd still like to make pane bianco someday. Yours is always so pretty. Basil is dead now, and no sundried tomatoes to be found here. I love collard greens, and your butternut squash is such a brilliant yellow... ah, to have such produce from your own garden... : ) Sleevendog, I laughed at the full pot of chili, but that is never a bad thing! Chili eaters here, big time. Still wanting to start micro greens, but still working on the house and no room yet. You've been cooking up a storm! And whenever I look at your dishes, I always feel like I don't eat healthy enough : ) Your chicken is mouthwateringly gorgeous. Neely, that pizza tops my list. What I wouldn't give for a bite. Or several. I like the mustard sauce on your salmon (a little pink inside is perfect). And a shout-out to compumom! Cooking sporadically because of illness (and I need to get to the grocery store, fever or not). But have been cooking... Ah, the ever-present so utterly easy roasted chicken (with the other stuff) Got hungry for a chuck roast after seeing so many of Jasdip's wonderful looking roasts. No rare here, but cooked forever, until falling apart. Of course I had to make yorkshire pudding. Pad Thai Chicken. While re-freshing my herbs and spices, I bought several blends from Penzey's and the Spice House. Been having fun with them. Their taco blend was perfect for my 'quesadilla's'. Shredded pork, red bell pepper, onion, hoisin, and seasonings... topped with cheese, folded into a packet, and fried in the cast iron. Goodies on top. Re-visited Halloween chili with this boule. This is the mystery plant from my garden - half the leaves would have cooked down and been plenty for us. Brought it in, washed it, then lost my nerve. Didn't cook the mystery plant. LOL! More fun with spices - used 3 different blends plus some others that should never have gone together, but the 'fried potatoes' were quite good. DH's favorite. Made a 'mock' pizza to go with them. A hearty cold-night meal. Nothing to write home about though. No more allowed...

Wow so many awesome soup recipes, I’m going to get to some of these. I just bought leeks today to make caramelized leek and mushroom soup. I still subscribe to cooks illustrated but this will be the last time, I find there is to much advertising in it. I love the Food Network, i too used to be a big Epicurious recipe user but not so much now that there are so many other sites. I use allrecipes, Closet Cooking and a few others . I also have a few of Ina’s cook books which I love. I still use cook books and when I find a recipe recipe on line I print it and put it into a book that I have created as my cook book where I can put notes on each recipe. I go through it once in awhile and throw out recipes I don’t think I will use. My recipes are put in plastic sleeves so they don’t get so stained. I like Ina’s Italian wedding soup and I also make a curried ginger coconut carrot soup that my husband won’t eat but my girlfriends love. I start the soup with Frontier Soups ginger carrot soup , this speeds the process up abit. This is such a great topic thank you for starting it.