Four years ago I bought myself an air popper for Christmas. Used it four times, then switched back to the microwave. Three years ago I asked for a panini maker. Got a cheap one. It caught fire a year ago, and I threw it in the snow ala Balthasaar's head in Jingle all the Way. Two years ago I bought the exact same panini maker (ok, it was a cheap one) the day after Christmas. I left it in my dorm when I graduated college. A year ago for Christmas I got an ice cream maker and waffle maker for my family. We used the ice cream maker twice before realizing it was easier/cheaper for us to buy Turkey Hill.

This year my sister got me Star wars waffle molds for my birthday. I'm much more interested in Waffle Crisp, though I love Star Wars. Yikes, what will it be this December 25th?

Anyone else have a habit of blowing money on cheap, potentially beneath you cookware? Anyone buy or get really high end stuff they never use?

So my birthday's coming up, and again I'm confronted with the question of what to eat. I'm sure my fellow Serious Eaters have found themselves in a similar position before. Do we cook our favorites, engaging our shared loved of the food itself with the act of preparing it and preparing it amongst friends? Now I'm thinking a homemade pizza of figs, ricotta, and pistachios...But wait, maybe we want to live adventurously and try something new. That "Best of" restaurant 30 minutes away with the designer burger of Foie Gras and some fancy cheese I've never heard of. ..But will I really, truly enjoy it, or just the idea of it? Maybe what I really want is a trip down memory lane, to my 8th birthday and a Happy Meal at McDonald's. Crap, would my family be down for chicken nuggets and fries?



Too much thought, I'm sure, but I'm interested in what others do for their birthdays, and what part of their Seriouse Eater they like to engage on their own "Big Day?"

Has anyone every experimented with adding different cheeses to oatmeal? The other night I was looking to jazz up a bowl of oatmeal with some juicy and ripe cherries, and instead of adding butter I added about an once of Brie. A really nice change of pace flavor wise, although the texture came out a big runnier than I would have liked. I've got some crumbled goat cheese and blue cheese in the fridge, not to mention some pears and dried figs, as well as several different kinds of nuts. I'm thinking the combinations are endless. Anyone ever experimented with adding cheese to oatmeal? If so, any tips, techniques, or favorite combos?

I grew up eating a lot of low fat ricotta loaded with stabilizers, and often had it in desserts. Yesterday I was looking to expand my horizons a bit and bought some whole milk fresh ricotta at a Farmers Market in Southwestern VA. Obviously I noticed a different taste and texture from what I'm used to (actually, the label doesn't list pasteurized whey - just milk). My question is what they best way to feature the ricotta would be? What are some of your favorite no cook or at least no-fuss ways to use it? Also, is it something that could lend itself to some Panini and or pizzas applications that you would suggest?
Thanks all!

Kind of a two pronged question here. I've sent in many emails to SE in the past. Everything from emails to individual writers to submitting ideas for burger reviews for AHT. Only once gotten a response, and when it came, is was about a month after I sent the email. The writer actually explained to me that my email had been marked as "spam" and she never saw it. So I was just wondering...is there anything I can do to not have emails marked as spam, is in fact this is the case? Should I be using a certain email address (currently using Gmail)

Realize everyone here gets flooded with emails, and have no problem not receiving responses, but I just hate to think my emails are never being seen because of spam filtering.

On the same note, what exactly is the protocal for submitting sandwiches for A Sandwich a Day or burger reviews for AHT? Do SEers just give tips to places, or, if we'd like to contribute a review, should we just go, type up a blurb, and email it in?

Thanks all.

Long story short: Early 20s, likes cooking and flavors, lacks baking equipment and blender, looking to put on weight. Also: cheap browser of supermarket reduced aisles, comes across Bob's Red Mill Hemp Protein Powder for .99 cents as a markdown, and figures "what the hey."

First experiment: morning oatmeal, what doesn't go well with oatmeal and sugar and cinnamon? Lets just dump a whole bunch of brown sugar on there. First impressions: wow, this stuff came from earth? and dang, I'm going to need a lot more sugar

Obviously, I should have done some research, but SEers have never failed me, so I was wondering if anyone from the "natural crowd" (and I say this in the most loving way possible that a child of 1990s cartoon character cereal can) can help me out here. Does Hemp have an affinity for any savory flavors, spices, or mix-ins? I guess I'd love to work it into oatmeal or some other quick cooking grain some way just because it's part of my morning routine, but open to all suggestions that are not overly labor intensive.

Thanks
Adam

So yea. Basically I'm one of those people who spends six out of seven days a week with my pretentious bowl of oats, cooked with skim milk, a sliced banana, and some nuts. You know the spiel - healthy fat, protein, complex carbs, blah blah blah. I even get really creative at times, adding savory herbs, veggies, low fat cheeses, heck, even bacon (one of my favorite combos is bacon + dried figs + black pepper + balsamic vinegar). But I really have no experience making oatmeal, well, rich. I want to taste the earthiness of the grain and richness of an addition - not a conglomeration of flavors which some columnist is getting paid to tell me is of ideal health value. So my question is what's the best way to go? I've never had oatmeal with even 2%, much less added butter or half-and-half or what have you. What are some of the more sophisticated ways to add richness and intensity to oatmeal that don't overwhelm the natural flavor of the oats with other elements? Many thanks in advance.

My apologies if this doesn't come across as "serious," but I need some advice. I love extensive, exotic and expensive menus as much as the next guy, but there are times in which I'm out at a restaurant and I want to order off the kids menu.

Sometimes this happens when I'm at a chain that doesn't have any worthwhile menu items to offer. Sometimes this happens because I'm a sucker for portion control. Other times, because I'm a monetarily challenged college student. But in most cases it happens because I believe that one of the main attachments we have to food is that nostalgic "x" factor, and because the allure of chicken fingers is just too damn strong.

It's not a problem at fast food restaurants, of course, but I've never actually ordered off the kids menu at a "real" restaurant (or even major chain for that matter). It's not that I haven't looked or even discreetly inquired, but so often I'm deterred from actually ordering off it because of the "Under 12" clause.

My question to you all is whether or not anyone has ever really pressed the issue with this apparent "rule." I understand there are reasons for it (someone once explained to me that kids menu's aren't meant to incur profit for restaurants), but is there anyway a restaurant can actually preclude you from ordering off a kids menu other than to frown at you and pretentiously bash you for not ponying up to the big table?

For what its worth I'm smart enough to understand that there are many a social and professional situations where even making this inquisition wouldn't fly. But what can I say? I'm a very nostalgic eater at times...

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