Overall, it's very busy, but without photos or illustrations, I'm not compelled to click on a link and the few I clicked on...again, without photos, why bother?

http://tinyurl.com/3tj7bzk

According to my account, I am not subscribed to any newsletters or compilations, yet I receive daily updates and a weekly newsletter. How do I stop these? I have started uncluttering my email boxes by subscribing to an RSS feed.

How do I determine the Model #, serial # and/or age of the KitchenAid stand mixer that I just inherited? There are no numbers anywhere and it really doesn't look like a KitchenAid, more like a Sunbeam, but says KitchenAid in several places. It's probably from 1950-1970.

I use 8 small paper loaf pans, but this works well in any 1.5 to 2 cup shaped pans.

3/4 c raisins
1/2 c dried apples, chopped
3/4 c dried apricots, chopped
3/4 c dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 c dried figs, chopped
1 c mincemeat
2 c nuts, chopped (I use pecans and walnuts)
1/4 c rum
1/4 c whiskey
2 tsp instant espresso or 4 tsp instant coffee
1/4 c molasses
1/4 tsp EACH ground cloves, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and mace
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 c butter
1 1/4 c brown sugar
1 TB vanilla
3 lg eggs

Place the chopped fruit in a large bowl and pour 6 cups boiling water over it, stir and let stand 2 minutes. Drain and stir in mincemeat, alcohol, spices, nuts and salt. Stir well, cover and let sit 12-24 hours at room temperature.

Oven 275. Grease and flour pans of choice, set aside. Sift flour with baking powder and stir into fruit mixture, set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light, add vanilla and then beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in floured fruit mixture 1 cup at a time, until all is smooth.

Bake about 1 hour; cakes will rise only slightly and crack. Remove from oven and let cool. From now until ready to serve*, pour a little rum, brandy or whiskey on the tops once a week and store in a cool dry place or freeze.

*these are ready to serve immediately, but taste better after a week or so.

My last piece of 20+ yr old CalphaIon is now living with someone else. Being poor and not in need of an entire set, I purchased a couple of Revere skillets - which I have found have to be soaked, scoured and scrubbed every time I use them. Everything sticks!

Maybe I just need to use more fat - which seems to just makes the food greasier rather than easier to saute? Higher heat? I don't know. Is there a secret I'm missing? How do I cook without everything sticking and breaking up?

BTW, not in the market to buy cast iron or any new pans, just want to be able to use what I already have.

Is Chichi on vacation? MIA?

For years, I have thought my trees were passive aggressive - pollinating everyone else's, no fruit for me. Well, this year was a bumper crop and I have more peaches, nectarines and figs than I know what to do with. I also have more jars of peach butter and nectarine preserves so I really don't want to make more using the figs. I'd like to dry them. Does anyone have any experience? Use the oven? A dehydrator?

My peaches are ripe so I am making peach butter. The recipe I am using says to slowcook them in a crockpot for 6-12 hours on low with the lid half off. Well, after 12 hours, they still haven't reduced by much so I have cranked it up to high, removed the lid and am impatiently waiting for this incredibly good tasting soupy mixture to thicken. Any advice? Please?

I don't understand portion control of vegetables - am I measuring precooking or post cooking? And what's a portion if I am only eating vegetables? I'm not concerned about salad dressing/oils added, just the amount of vegetables.

When I cook shredded cabbage, it weighs one thing pre-cooked, but weighs more after cooking. When I oven roast vegetables, there are multiple cups of slices, but afterward, they have shrunk by 1 or 2 cups.

http://www.leenks.com/link274061.html

http://www.leenks.com/link274061.html">www.leenks.com - harmful drinks in America

Haven't found one I drink...yet.

Hi all, my Nespresso finally bit the dust. Not even fixable. While I enjoyed the machine, they have tripled in price, I only enjoyed one or 2 of their seasonal coffees and I'd really like an automatic machine. Mine was a manual one that I had to bend over and eyeball to see when to stop. I tried a Bialetti - not what I am looking for. Does anyone have a good espresso machine or brand they can recommend?

On my recent foodie expedition, I purchased a 4 oz container of Cherry Paste. Other than simply diving in (with or without a jar of pb) or serving it with the suggested cheese, has anyone else bought a fruit paste and what did you do with it?

Recently I went with a group to an Indian restaurant that was offering a lunch buffet. They loaded up their plates, once, and didn't go back for another trip. I put a bit of a few things on my plate to try and intended to go back for more of what I liked, but one person stopped me and asked, "Really? Seconds?" It was a buffet! And I realized that the few times I go to buffets, I put a little on my plate, eat it and go back, sometimes several times.

How does everyone else handle all-you-can-eat places?

I made some short ribs in mine the other day (recipe recommended from another seriouseats talk question on gourmet crockpot cooking). The recipe called for 8-hours-on-low or 6 on high; I did the 8 as I started it early. That evening, when we tried some, it was more than well-done, dry and leathery. Not at all like when I braise them for an hour or so in the oven with 1/3 the liquid.

This is a common occurance for me - crockpot beef and pork being dried out despite the broth and amount of marbeling. Is it just me? As with any new recipe, I followed it to the letter, there were 3 cups broth/wine added and these were fatty short ribs.