I've been looking through the recipe board for some new ideas for dinner. 2 questions for you ladies:
>I can't stand cream of mushroom soup. Lots of recipes call for it, I know, and everytime I've made one with it, I just don't like it at all. Is there a standard substitute for it? (I've been wanting to ask that question for a long time!)

>When a recipe calls for white or red wine, it doesn't matter what kind, right? Just red or white?
Thanks!!

By Kittycat_26 on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 01:33 pm:

I have to agree with you on Cream of Mushroom. I'm just anti-fungus in general. I've always substituted either cream of chicken or celery and things have come out just fine.

Sorry can't help about the wine as I don't make many (if any) recipes with wine.

By Mrsheidi on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 01:35 pm:

Yes, the wine matters. I just use a cooking wine I can buy at the regular store, or we use the wine we are having with dinner. There's also a Madeira wine that you can get cheap at the liquor store to use as a red wine.
You might be able to use cream of celery instead of the cream of mushroom. Is it the taste or the texture? If it's the taste, then do that, but if it's the texture, you might be able to put in some beef broth. See if that sounds good with your recipe.

By Sue3 on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 01:37 pm:

I agree with Amanda , though , I like mushrooms and some of my dk`s don`t.
I usually substitute cream of celery.
Same with the wine , I don`t use any recipes that call for it (sorry).

By Hlgmom on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 01:52 pm:

The wine matters to a degree- however- as long as you are using red or white as the recipe calls for it should be fine- It would matter if it was a specific wine it called for such as Marsala in a chix marsala. Beware of any too sweet white wines such as reisling or Guervertrameiner(sp) Never use white zinfandel!
cream of celery is a good sub as is cream of chix-

By Enchens on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 02:24 pm:

I use cream ofs a lot. My dh can't stand cream of mushroom, so I substitute any cream of soup for my recipes. They seem to be fine. Dh doesn't complain.

By Jann on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 02:57 pm:

The wine matters alot. If you don't like the taste of it to drink it, you won't like it in your food. Cooking intensifies the flavor of wine. I always use a wine I like to drink, never that nasty cooking stuff unless I am doing a marsala or madera.
I would substitue any of type of cream soup.

By Reds9298 on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 03:02 pm:

Thank you everyone!!! Hlgmom - we always have white zinfandel and that's what I would have used! I didn't even know there was a difference between drinking wines and 'cooking' wines..yikes! I don't drink it much because it makes me feel weird.
I usually have cr. of ckn. around but not cr. of celery. I'll stock up!!

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 03:36 pm:

Yes, I also heard on tv, that you should be able to drink the wine, you put in your food. My lasagna sauce recipe calls for wine and I can't imagine not putting it in. I know that's why it's so good!

Dawn's Lasagna Recipe

By Colette on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 05:20 pm:

If you won't drink it, don't cook with it. Try a different cream type soup.

By Kaye on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 05:42 pm:

As for wines to cook with. I always buy those little bottles of sutter hill (i think that is what they are called), but they are in little 4 packs, they keep for awhile and taste okay. I would drink them, but I like GOOD wine and those aren't really my taste, but in cooking they are yummy.

By Amecmom on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 05:49 pm:

Well, I can't answer about canned soup because we don't use any. It is way too high in sodium and processed stuff ... The only one I will use is Healthy Valley Low Sodium.

Your second question, a sweet wine will give the food a different flavor from a dry wine. I prefer to use a dry wine unless I'm doing something like chicken with apples - then I'll use a sweeter wine.

You really can't go wrong if you do a chardonnay for white and a decent red table wine.

As far as cooking vs. drinking, they are very different. When you cook with wine, the alchohol is burned of, you are not eating the bouquet, the whole experience is different. I will often use the left over from an open bottle of wine to cook with - wine that's gotten a little too oxidized to drink, but will cook up just fine. Never cook with a really fine wine unless it's over oxidized - it would be a waste.

Ame

Oh BTW - when you add red wine to sauce, add it toward the end or it can give the sauce a bad flavor.

By Pamt on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - 07:41 pm:

Well, I hate wine to drink (or any alcohol for that matter, but esp. wine) and I frequently cook with. I like the flavor it gives chicken and shrimp once the alcohol is burned off.

I hate mushrooms too, but use cream of mushroom soup and just pick the fungus out when I'm eating--LOL.