Click the Food Scrounge News for the weekly update. Sorry no beads till next year.
All posts for the month February, 2012
Baconpocalypse + Frankenfood + Dementia = Food Scrounge News
Posted by scroungelady on February 23, 2012
https://southernfoodscrounge.com/2012/02/23/baconpocalypse-frankenfood-dementia-food-scrounge-news/
Hey Lady! T’row Me Some! All in a Mardi Gras Day
No flood was going to stop me from rollin’ with the Krewes on the coast. We canoed up the drive to the paved road and then rode 50 miles in 50 degree weather to the staging area. The parade route was over 3 miles.

Mississippi Roller Girls and Motor Maids. The Roller Girls' next match is March 24. Tickets are $10. Got yours?
Fifty more cold miles and back to the canoe. Flood water hasn’t dropped a bit. Worry about that Monday.
Posted by scroungelady on February 20, 2012
https://southernfoodscrounge.com/2012/02/20/lets-roll/
It’s the annual Mardi Gras flood! Comfort food needed.
The other night we received 3 inches of rain. The Creek already was high from rain the past week. When I looked out the window after waking it was obvious my work was cut out for me:
The large tree sits on the bank about 8 feet above the creek during normal flow. It was time to move items either up the stairs or to the paved road. Plants, on the stairs. Motorcycles, on the stairs, no wait I’m no stunt rider. So to the pavement they all go. Now it would have been nice if the Mr. was home and all the batteries worked. Not so. The sidecar started, great. The scooters and the Triumph? Up the road I push. And the other two? I’m not fully recovered yet to ride them. So…
This view is looking towards the house. The rest of the drive is not visible. Floodwaters are nearing the drive, left. It was a looong push.
Our neighbors let us park our bikes in front of their house when floods are iminent. I was about ready to drop after all this pushing. How did the other two make it up the drive. Another neighbor and his sons to the rescue. Fortunately they knew how to ride. I drag my butt down the driveway, checking the floodwater level along the drive:
The scene above should have all dry land. Back at the house, I organize some items in case the water reaches the concrete pad below our house. This picture shows the water level downstream from the deck.
By this time I’m needing some comfort food. Now some macaroni & cheese or a burger & fries would do nicely, but I’m too worn out and the scrounge cats refuse to cook anything. Time for refrigerator soup. Just open the fridge and pull out those plastic containers of leftover food. Don’t worry, if it’s in there it will work when you can barely lift a spoon. The soup was made from canned diced tomatoes, cooked spaghetti, garbonzo beans, and collard greens with ham. Heat it up, add your favorite beverage, and be comforted.
And don’t forget the condiments:
Last year we had a flood on Fat Tuesday. Transport was by canoe.
Posted by scroungelady on February 18, 2012
https://southernfoodscrounge.com/2012/02/18/its-the-annual-mardi-gras-flood-comfort-food-needed/
Bacon! Chocolate! Sex! Caffeine! It’s All Good Scrounge News
Posted by scroungelady on February 16, 2012
https://southernfoodscrounge.com/2012/02/16/bacon-chocolate-sex-caffeine-its-all-good-scrounge-news/
Be Afraid, Very Afraid….New Food Scrounge News
The latest news to fret over. Click the Food Scrounge News tab.
Posted by scroungelady on February 7, 2012
https://southernfoodscrounge.com/2012/02/07/be-afraid-very-afraid-new-food-scrounge-news/
Paula Deen vs Scroungelady: cut the fat
Today’s lesson – how to decrease fat content in recipes and still have something worth eating. Back in my recipe gunslinger days, I was tasked with 6-8 recipes/day to make work in a mass quantity setting or not. It was interesting to see ingredient proportions shift over the 10 year period I was involved with recipe development. As a general rule you can decrease the fat content of recipes by 25-30% and not miss it. Some fat is necessary but not as much as you think. Let’s compare Paula Deen’s 2011 blueberry muffin recipe and a 1971 blueberry muffin recipe.
Paula Deen’s Blueberry Muffins (makes 12) 1971 recipe (either from Joy of Cooking or Betty Crocker, not sure which)
2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder 1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/4 cup oil
1 egg 1 egg
3/4 cup milk 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup blueberries 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries
Paula’s has no salt, which really isn’t a good thing. Salt helps control the reaction between the baking powder and the sugar. The leavening power of the baking powder will be compromised. Not inedible, but it will have a dense texture. Anyway, compare nutrients: Paula Deen muffins have 197 calories and 8 grams of total fat, 5 grams saturated fat. The 1971 muffins have 162 calories, 5 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat.
If you want to give it a try, whip out your calculator and multiply the amount of fat in a recipe by .3 Or if you want to be conservative, multiply by .25 For Paula’s recipe above, that’s 8 Tablespoons (1/2 cup) X .3 = 2.4 Tablespoons. You can round up to 3 tablespoons or make the amount 2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons ( approximating one-half tablespoon). The result is a muffin pretty darn close to the old “slightly sweet” muffin of past days, not the cupcake in disguise we have today.
It sounds more complicated than it is. You also can do the math in your head and get a workable answer. I had to be more exacting ‘cuz it was my job.
Let me know if you’ve got questions. Next post, biker chili cook-off. Class dismissed.
Posted by scroungelady on February 6, 2012
https://southernfoodscrounge.com/2012/02/06/paula-deen-vs-scroungelady-cut-the-fat/
Interrupt this Paula Deen PBR moment with a message from Dr. Joe – People are Stupid
Folks, the votes are in. PBR is now the official beer of the Southernfoodscrounge site. Not that I don’t think other beers are good, or that I’m receiving daily deliveries of PBR in a Gran Torino, but….we have to stop a minute for this public service message from Dr. Joe, one of my favorite community columnists. It’s a classic.
His job is tough, unfortunately due to people refusing to take responsibility for their actions. I speak from experience.
October 2009 I was struck by an intoxicated driver while riding my Buell Lightning. Above are just a few of the injuries resulting from the accident. And yes, the metal you see still remains. So please, if you choose to imbibe, stay off the road. Mr. Mike and I enjoy various libations but don’t put other people at risk when we do.
Thanks for the message, Dr. Joe. And now back to Miss Paula and PBR. You can easily cut the fat in her recipes by 30% and not affect the flavor or outcome. Not sure how to do? I’ll explain in a future post, but now it is time to go to PT. Love ya Miss Paula but stick to changing your diet and not hawking drugs as a solution to diabetes.
I think I see the Torino’s headlights coming down the drive….
Posted by scroungelady on February 1, 2012
https://southernfoodscrounge.com/2012/02/01/interrupt-this-paula-deen-pbr-moment-with-a-message-from-dr-joe-people-are-stupid/