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Vegetable Steamer
I agree with everyone that cheap is the way to go. My colander just happens to fit in my pot, so I use that.
Also, for some things, you don't even need a steamer. I like to stand up asparagus on their tough ends in an inch of water and steam them that way. When they're done, just cut off the ends. You can also steam corn standing up.
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
I roast a chicken every Sunday and eat chicken sandwiches for lunch all week. You're fine.
Emilia's Pizzeria in Berkeley Opens to the Public; Hours, Offerings Limited for Now
Just got back from my first visit. This is some solid pizza. Won't stay a secret for long...
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Veggie lasagna recipes
As people have mentioned, lasagne is incredibly versatile. It's a good way to clean out the fridge.
A few suggestions for fillings: butternut squash, spinach pureed with bechamel, mushrooms, roasted summer vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers), sundried tomato... In the spring, a pea or fava bean puree would be great too!
Vegetable Steamer
I agree with everyone that cheap is the way to go. My colander just happens to fit in my pot, so I use that.
Also, for some things, you don't even need a steamer. I like to stand up asparagus on their tough ends in an inch of water and steam them that way. When they're done, just cut off the ends. You can also steam corn standing up.
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
I roast a chicken every Sunday and eat chicken sandwiches for lunch all week. You're fine.
Emilia's Pizzeria in Berkeley Opens to the Public; Hours, Offerings Limited for Now
Just got back from my first visit. This is some solid pizza. Won't stay a secret for long...
Pizza on Etsy: Ridiculous 1980s Deadstock Pizza-Themed Sweater Dress
Wow, that's, um, tasteful.
Deadstock is one of my favorite words.
How do you make make edamame?
This might sound weird, but I love to put it into boxed mac and cheese.
I've also used in place of fava beans in a super-easy Mediterranean prep: fill a pot with edamame, chopped red bell pepper, cilantro, a bit of coriander seed, salt, a glug or two of olive oil, and just enough water to barely cover. Cook loosely covered on the stove until everything's tender. If you want to get fancy, you can strain at this point and reduce the sauce, or you can just eat as is. Sometimes I add some corn for color.
How do you plan your meals for the week?
I go to the farmer's market once a week and pick up whatever is in season and looking good at the moment, along with a few staples like salad greens and fruit.
During the day, while I'm at work, I start thinking about the night's meal and usually have a plan by the time I'm on my way home. I try to use whatever vegetables I picked up on the weekend along with the occasional piece of protein that I'll buy fresh that day. I live alone and I usually make enough for two days.
As part of this plan, I try to make sure I'm well stocked with dry goods: pasta, lentils, dried mushrooms, canned tomatoes, etc.
Barcelona and Costa Brava - Need food recommendations
Barcelona is a great city for eating. Remember, however, they eat late over there. Lunch starts at around 2pm, dinner around 10pm!
For cheap, you cannot beat La Boqueria, which is a great outdoor market and destination in its own right. Inside there are a handful of food stalls serving fairly simple, but market-driven cuisine. And you can get a cup of cava at 9 in the morning! My favorite is Bar Pinotxo, which is close to the entrance. Look for this guy, he'll take care of you.
Also, Tapac 24 is great tapas place and Quimet i Quimet is a lot of fun too and one of the few places to over rose cava. Almost everything comes out of a can over there, but they take their cans quite seriously in Spain. Have fun!
Finally, if you want to splurge, I highly recommend Gresca. I had perhaps the best lunch of my life there.
Any 'yall cooking with lard?
I use bacon fat all the time, mostly just to fry things in, although its best use may well be in quiche crust.
Pastrami Burgers: Are They Seriously Delicious?
Top's in Pasadena makes a seriously awesome pastrami burger. The dog I used to live with would go crazy as soon as I walked in the door with it.
I need your go-to tofu curry recipe!
I do what Cassaendra does with a couple caveats.
1. I fry up my tofu first until it's brown and crispy. Then remove the tofu, pour off most of the oil and start the curry.
2. Try and get thick coconut milk, or coconut cream. If you do this, then you can add it first (before the curry paste) and use it to cook in.
2a. Make sure you get curry paste, not curry sauce. Mae Ploy is the best!
3. I would only add thai basil at the very,very end. You can also add mint.
Foodie Spots in San Fran
Bi-Rite Creamery!
Fresh oregano from our sad garden
I love fresh oregano! Yes, you could dry it, but then it wouldn't be fresh anymore. :)
Anyway, the fresh stuff is a lot sweeter and milder than dried, closer to marjoram. I wouldn't say one is better than the other, they're just different. Like you, I have a bunch of it from my small container garden, so I use it a lot. You can mix it with softened butter and smear it on a roast chicken, use it in salad dressing, pound it with some olive oil and rub it on a pork chop, add to summer vegetable stir-fries...
Fresh Garbanzo Beans
Nithya, there's a lot of good ideas on the blog, thanks for the link!
Are All Parties Potlucks Now?
I see where you're coming from Bunnee, but here's how it works in my little circle. My friends and I love to eat and we love to cook. Sure, one weekend I'll host and one weekend someone else will host, but at the end of the day we're all cooking, we're all eating, we're all happy.
Quote of the Morning: 'Why Add Water to Eggs?'
Champagne is best.
Veggie lasagna recipes
I can share two from my blog, but you have to use Google Translate (or similar) because they're not in English...
Lasagna with asparagus and Pecorino cheese
Lasagna with mushrooms and Robiola cheese
Enjoy! :)
Quote of the Morning: 'Why Add Water to Eggs?'
If you watch Julia Child doing a French omlette, she adds a bit of water and uses an extremely hot pan. The omlette cooks is maybe 20-30 seconds with constant shaking. The methods that add milk or cream are low heat methods, and cook much slower. Both are good, just depends on what you like.
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
I have a 7 day limit.
Smell it, try it, and if you're fine after an hour, it's a WIN!
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
Generally speaking, I give everything a week in the fridge. I've never heard anything about a 4 day limit before.
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
For years I rotated foods because of food allergies, not eating the same meat more than once every 5 days. Never, ever, had a problem keeping food 5 days in the fridge. But the other thing you can do is just reheat meat thoroughly around the 4th or 5th day, and then you've bought yourself more time.
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
I agree with therealchiffonade. I give anything a week in the fridge as long as it is fresh when it enters and I am the picture of health. No one is going to publish something that says that, though, because if anything should ever go wrong, they'd be sued for all they're worth.
Vegetable Steamer
I bought a steamer basket, it collapses way easily and I've only ever used it once. If I want to steam something, I put a small amount (less than an inch) of water in a pot, cover and boil. Add veggies, stir maybe once halfway through to get the ones on the bottom out of the water, cook till tender and drain. Works perfectly, require nothing more than a pot and a lid.
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
Rule of thumb for me with cooked food is, correctly wrapped and sealed it's good for 7 days. Be sure to label and date leftovers. I know, easier said than done. Attach a sharpie to the fridge and you'll find it's more convenient to keep up with this very good habit.
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
If it doesn't smell funky and there is no fuzzy growth on it then go for it.
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
My thoughts exactly. We had plenty of stuff in the fridge, but I hate to waste! The empanadas came out great. I chopped the chicken up and mixed it with a diced red onion, a little hot sauce and other leftover ingredients - salsa, chopped baby spinach, chopped grape tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. We had it for lunch and except for that twitch, I feel fine.... ;)
Friday's chicken. Okay or toss?
Eat that stuff... its all good. Dont throw it away. Waste not.
Quote of the Morning: 'Why Add Water to Eggs?'
I think the main problem of the 'water for steam' argument is that by the time we've gotten the temp high enough to generate steam, the egg protein is a rubbery mess. The egg white and yolk both coagulate at different temps (Herve This explanation) but both are done at around 70 C (158 F), long before the 100 C we need to generate steam.
Emilia's Pizzeria in Berkeley Opens to the Public; Hours, Offerings Limited for Now
Arinel down the street is just as good. How you doing Ronnie. Where's Larry?
Emilia's Pizzeria in Berkeley Opens to the Public; Hours, Offerings Limited for Now
I had my first slice sometime during the last week of August. I've gone by every day since hoping to find the place open. One of the top 3 pies I've had outside of the city, without a doubt. So glad you're finally open.
Emilia's Pizzeria in Berkeley Opens to the Public; Hours, Offerings Limited for Now
@f r y / Keith - A local pizzeria has that oven, i've made pizzas in it. At one point my measurement on that particular oven was 775*, this was at 12 noon.
Could never find any more info on it though. Nice oven.
How do you make make edamame?
Thanks for all your great ideas. @Foodie - I am definitely trying the sesame oil and lemon.
How do you make make edamame?
Edamame "pesto" is wonderful...try using manchego cheese and mint...no nuts, tho
How do you make make edamame?
I steam them, then drizzle with sesame oil and lemon juice with a sprinkle of kosher salt, and eat them warm.
This is weird, but I also like them in tuna salad.
How do you make make edamame?
I love Edamame from my local Japanese resturaunt.
I tend to order it with their cold Soba salad with grilled praws (sooooo deadly awesome)
I'm pretty sure they just steam and salt them; which is how I prefer them (in the pod so you can suck the little buggers out)
I once had edamame from the Earls' in my city too: I really liked that they coated it with really really coarse sea salt. T'was perfecto
@rasellers0 - did you use a frier-device? Could you do this in a pan? I love anything bitchin so I'd go for this with the cyanne.
How do you make make edamame?
shelled edamame sauteed in a little bit of butter or duck fat.
How do you make make edamame?
I know this is basic, but I loved cooked (and cooled) edamamae in almost every kind of salad. Their flavor is distinct, but still goes so well with pretty much all salad dressings. And they add nice body to salads.
How do you make make edamame?
I make a quick soup like my italian Mom would- chicken broth, left over pasta, veggies (carrots, broccoli, frozen brussel sprouts are perfect for flavor), and throw the shelled edamame in at the last minute. Great for lunch or a light dinner.
How do you make make edamame?
I've made an edamame dip: edamame, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.
it's also good in soups and salads.
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Sage, Pecorino, and Summer Squash Crostini
Posted by Arjun, June 8, 2009 at 7:55 PM
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About Arjun
Website: http://subnaught.org/cgi/blog
Location: The Beast, CA
About: Chemist by day, cook by night.
Favorite foods: All of them.
Last bite on earth:

As people have mentioned, lasagne is incredibly versatile. It's a good way to clean out the fridge.
A few suggestions for fillings: butternut squash, spinach pureed with bechamel, mushrooms, roasted summer vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers), sundried tomato... In the spring, a pea or fava bean puree would be great too!