Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I was telling a friend that it's best to store eggs in their carton because they stay fresher and the carton has the expiration date stamped on it, so you don't forget it. She said, "Eggs EXPIRE?"

Cup of oatmeal and water

I visited the Edible Schoolyard program in New Orleans as part of a culinary volunteer program called Culinary Corps a couple of years ago. This doesn't make me an expert on Edible Schoolyard, by any stretch -- but I can tell you that the program was just starting up there at that time, and those kids had ZERO idea about where their food came from. One kid even referred to different foods by numbers -- and it took me a while before I realized that he was talking about the meal deals at McDonalds. Instead of hamburger, he would say "No. 3" (or whatever the corresponding number was).

I don't know about kids becoming "eco-gastronomes" (though I suspect from Ms. Flanagan's leering tone that it's something I would fully support...), but I do think that the only way we're ever going to get out of this downward spiral -- that is, too many packaged foods leading to obesity leading to packaged diet foods full of chemicals that probably cause some of the horrible diseases we seem to get more than any other culture on the planet -- is by not only educating children about real, whole foods, but getting them excited about it. I can't think of a better way to do that than having them get their hands in it and really participate.

This also cracked me up in the piece: In talking about Chez Panisse, Flanagan writes:
"I’ve had major surgeries in which I was less scrupulously informed about what was about to happen to me, what was happening to me, and what had just happened to me than I’ve been during a dinner there."

Not for nothin', Caitlin, but if you ate more fresh, local, seasonal, and where possible organic foods, maybe you'd have fewer major surgeries. I'm just sayin'...

Sorry - @CookiePie0402

@smiths37 - what a fun project - all the best to you! I'll be interested to hear how it's going.

My first cookbook was published this year and I'm working on a proposal for the next one. So the goal is to finish the proposal, get it sold in the next few months and start working on it!

If you want to indulge a proud mama, here's my baby girl with her lump of dough at day care last week. Yes, that's a baby-size rolling pin!

I've made this savory butternut squash pie dozens of times - everyone loves it, even non-vegetarians.

It has feta and Parmesan, bulgur, mint and of course the squash, all wrapped up in phyllo. It's delicious!! You can double it and make it in a 9x13 pan, and you can make the whole thing a day ahead, cover and chill, and just bake it when you're ready. It's fabulous the next day as leftovers, too. Enjoy!

Eat them all the day you make them - duh! :)

I'm with @PoorOldMama - bring a gift! I had a baby earlier this year and one of the nicest things my husband did for me was get me a prenatal massage. That will get you out of the doghouse!

Oh I love the whole thing! It's by far my favorite meal to cook. My favorite moment is right when everyone's been served, whole family and friends all around the table, and I'm staring down a plate of turkey and beautiful sides (I do different ones every year), and cranberry sauce, and just about to dig in. The best! I also love making all the desserts and presenting them -- everyone says they're too stuffed, but then they magically finish the desserts anyway. I love it!!!!

I love Staubitz Market in Cobble Hill:
http://www.staubitz.com/

I started on Twitter pretty reluctantly, but I (here comes the self-promotion...) wrote a cookbook that just came out and I was advised to be on as many forms of social media as I could stand. What I've found though is that it's fun -- I'm following some of my favorite bloggers on Twitter and I've gotten to know them much better as people, which is really great.

MMMM - love spaghetti squash. Cut it in half, place it cut side down on a baking sheet (I line mine with foil and lightly oil foil), roast at 400ºF for about an hour. Pull out shreds with a fork, add a couple of hunks of unsalted butter, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg, and dive in. YUM. I may just have to make that tonight!

@Garvey - I love your idea, definitely have to try that! Do you need any flour or breadcrumbs in there, or does it hold together with just the egg and onion?