Not food related, but kitchen related: wrap a rubber band around the side sprayer on the kitchen faucet so it's essentially always "on". Then point it so it's facing you as you stand at the sink. When the next person comes along and turns on the faucet, they get sprayed right in the chest. Hilarious, especially if you get to see it happen.
I once worked a 22 hr day, got about 2 hrs of sleep, and then woke up to bake my brother in law a birthday cake. I sent it out the door with my husband, and went back to bed. When I woke up again later in the afternoon and wandered into the kitchen I noticed the cornstarch box on the counter. Why is the yellow cornstarch box on the counter?? And why is the yellow baking soda box still in the cupboard?? Oh, sh*t.
I made a frantic call to the in-laws "Don't eat the cake, don't eat the cake!!" But it was too late. They said it was very jello-like.
Currently drinking some ginger ale, splash of grenadine, and a squeeze of lime. So many good ideas here!
Those sound great guys. Thanks!
I desperately want this to be the name of band.
"Chicken Parm and the Fridge"
@mao1213 - hahahahaha!!!
Away for me, over the sink.
@dbcurrie - That actually made me laugh out loud.
I think mine is Xmas day lunch at the in-laws. It consists of sandwiches made of shaved deli ham mixed with sickeningly sweet BBQ sauce, heated on the stove and plopped onto white Wonder bread. Your only other option is a side of the worst deli macaroni salad in existence.
I prefer mine black, made my husband, and brought to me the instant I get out of the shower. I get this amazing service in exchange for a well made dirty martini handed to him as he walks in the door after work.
Absolutely! I made some rosemary almonds for my vet after a difficult month with a stray, an apple cheesecake for a co-worker who helped me with an event, a chocolate cake for the stage manager (and crew) of a local venue who got us free tickets to Paul Simon, our cat sitter (a non-cooking bachelor) gets paid with a home-made dinner... the list goes on and on.
And for the record, I love chocolate milk.
I used to date this guy who drank chocolate milk at every meal, even out at restaurants. Spaghetti, sushi, mexican, chinese, indian. All were washed down with chocolate milk. Maybe I was a bit snotty, but when he did it at a really nice, expensive (like coat and tie required) steak house, I admit to being somewhat embarrassed. I just wanted to tell him to grow up.
I tried turtle soup at a restaurant once. It was so weird tasting I couldn't even finish it, and I can usually get through anything if I have to. I know I should try it again somewhere else, but the thought of how bad it was stops me everytime.
I know I'm way late to this thread, but maybe someone is watching it.
I'm in the same situation. Area used to be bad, not so much anymore. Some of our pizza joints offer a 10% discount because they won't deliver to us. You could ask about that.
Also, there's a local pizza place just a few blocks away and we did ask them about not delivering to their neighbors. Turns out they don't deliver at all because they (at least for now) know they just don't have the capacity to keep up with the demand. I'm hoping they expand soon though cause that pizza is freakin awesome.
There used to be a Wonder Bread factory in town and the smell from there was the most delicious cake baking smell ever. Wonder Bread in real life is disgusting.
Stuffing stuffing stuffing!!!
And the carcass for stock.
Jerzee's right. No boil lasagne noodles are the bomb.
How about a White Monday:
Breakfast - oatmeal with coconut, bananas and almonds
Lunch - clam chowder
Dinner - pan seared tilapia over risotto with white asparagus
I came back to check on this thread and read it as Broccoli Overlord.
Now THAT would be an interesting thread!! (not that this one's not)
Cook down some fresh chopped tomatoes with the wine/broth.
Or add a splash of balsamic vinegar.
For something richer, add a spoonful of sour cream and use a bunch of paprika in the seasoning.
Saffron and cream.
This is fun.
My favorite part of broccoli is the stem. Peel it, cut into strips and eat it. Crispy, crunchy goodness.
My must haves (after the obligatory salt and pepper) would be cumin, paprika and rosemary.
I know this is the opposite of what you're looking for but... Right now I'm listening to the horrendous grinding, grating, squealing sounds coming from my dishwasher. I expect it to blow up any day but it just keeps screeching along. DIE ALREADY!!
I've used it in baked goods quite successfully. The instructions on my container are basically: 1/4C buttermilk = 1 Tbsp powder and 1/4C water.
I add the powder with the dry ingredients and the water with the wet. It works perfectly for me. Plus, I never feel like I'm wasting a bottle of buttermilk because I don't use it all that often.
As far as I'm concerned, the one rule to rule them all is - "If you don't like the thread, don't comment".
Well I'm pregnant, and that means no alcohol for me. No mojitos, no Cape Cods, no Bloody Marys, no Bailey's in my coffee. I'm a big water drinker and not a fan of straight up pop/soda. Without the option of a nice refreshing cocktail or a soothing glass of wine, I'm feeling a little bored.
Do you have any great virgin cocktails? Something more interesting than just juice, or some ginger ale?
Ok, we all know (at least some of us think) that mashed potatoes are the most perfectest food on the planet. From the basics of milk and butter, to the wildest secret recipe you have, what's your favorite way to make them?
In memory of a dear friend's birthday, who we lost to cancer about three months ago, I'm currently having an iced coffee from Tim Horton's and will have a Sam Adams when I get home.
Are there any foods/drinks you have "in memoriam"?
Had too much absinthe last night at my birthday dinner. Please God, what's your best hangover remedy?
I just started making dinner; a spicy shrimp pasta. It started with a pan of sauteed onions. As I was giving a stir, it occurred to me what a beautifully open palette it was. There are endless dishes that start with a pan of sauteed onions.
So here's my question, if you came home to a pan of sauteed onions, what would you make for dinner?
Anyone out there watching Treme? The chef, Janette Desautel, threw a sazerac in a food critic's face and they've been talking about it for two episodes.
"No one throws a sazerac!!"
What's the deal with this drink? Anything special?
I just thought I'd give you guys and update on our trip to Boson/Cape Cod. We had a great time and even better food! Lobster rolls, fried clams, steamers, scallops and the best boiled lobster I've ever had.
Does anyone know what kind of clams are typically used for steamers? They were a bit different from the kind I've had in New Jersey, which I thought were little necks.
Thanks for all the suggestions!
I wasn't sure if I should post this here or in Eating Out. I'm not necessarily looking for specific restaurants, but rather regional specialities. Anyway, I'm a midwest girl flying into Boston, and then driving down to Falmouth, right across from Martha's Vineyard. I love love love seafood of all kinds and can't wait to get it straight from the source. Is there something special that I should look for in that area?
I plan on putting a serious hurt on the lobster population.
Thanks!
So what's the deal with the shiny side of aluminum foil? I've never paid any attention to which side is up or down. Does it really reflect heat? Do any of you use it in a certain way? If so, is it because you actually notice a difference, or is it just out of habit?
I tried the frozen banana ice cream last night and it was excellent! I used a splash of milk and a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup. Unfortunately, we'd used the last of the Bailey's in our coffee that morning so the boozy version will have to wait. But I can only imagine how good it is!
Thanks guys!
I've got a few overripe bananas on my counter just waiting to be turned into something delicious. And while I love banana bread, I'm wondering if there's something else that could be done with these black beauties. Any ideas?
I just can't decide what to make for dinner tonight. I've got some zucchini and mushrooms that I need to use, so that's the major requirement.
For starches I've got white and brown rice, barley, potatoes and endless pasta. Proteins include pork chops, ground beef, sausage, lots of beans and cheese. The pantry and fridge are pretty well stocked too.
What would you do?
Hi everyone,
I thought I'd give you an update on the shiitake mushroom kit that I posted about awhile ago. We've been misting it as often as we can, and it certainly is growing mushrooms! There's not a lot of them, maybe 8 or so, but the ones that are growing are a nice size. The skin on the caps seem to be splitting, which I'm assuming is because we aren't misting it enough. It's hard to keep it continually moist when we're both gone most of the day.
But anyway, I can't wait any longer and have decided to use them for dinner tomorrow. I'm thinking either a risotto, or a simple stir fry. What would you do with a nice batch of fresh shiitake mushrooms?
I'd like to take an edible "thank you" to our vet and his staff. They've gone above and beyond recently with a pet of mine and I'd like to show my appreciation.
I'm looking for something beyond the classic plate of cookies. (not that there's anything wrong with cookies...) Perhaps something savory, or even (gasp) healthy?
Any ideas?
Thanks!
My parents got my husband a shiitake mushroom growing kit for his birthday.
It sounds easy, and the pictures of the mushroom harvests look pretty impressive. (not to mention delicious!)
Has anyone used these? Any tricks?
I've got a friend who's dealing with some health issues right now. He doesn't have much energy, and therefore doesn't cook like he used to, thus he doesn't eat healthily, and therefore doesn't have much energy, and... well, you get the idea.
I'm worried about his nutrition and have been cooking and freezing meals for him. He loves green beans, and since it's really the only vegetable he's willing to eat right now, I'm looking for ways to mix it up.
Any suggestions? Hot or spicy is not really an option.
Thanks in advance.
It's winter and there's nothing better than curling up with a good book, especially one about food. Here are a few of my favorites:
"Nathaniel's Nutmeg" Giles Milton (the history of nutmeg)
"Kitchen Confidential" Anthony Bourdain
"Hungry Planet: What the World Eats" (amazing pictures of what families around the world eat in a week)
"Guns, Germs and Steel" Jared Diamond (history of human societies, and the differences between those who did and did not domesticate plants and animals)
I need some new books. I'm open to fiction, non-fiction, comedy, serious, whatever. What are your favorites?
My husband loves dirty martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives. He's not a fan of the kind that has been packed in oil, as it leaves an oily residue in the drink. He's been stuffing his own simply by removing the pimento from a regular olive, slicing off a hunk of blue cheese and stuffing it into the now empty olive. This, is a pain.
Does anyone know of a brand of blue cheese stuffed olives packed in something other than oil? Or perhaps a better way to stuff them and/or store them.
I recently received an apron as a gift. I've never wore one and didn't think I'd like it, but politely wore it when the gift giver came for a visit. Now, I'm completely hooked! I love it, and feel stangley "exposed" cooking without it.
Are you an apron wearer? Do you have a favorite or special one?
Whenever I make cheesecake, it looks lovely as it comes out of the oven (and tastes divine) but as it cools, it usually cracks or splits across the top. It's purely a cosmetic problem but it bugs me. I cool it on the stove (that's obviously still warm) and I leave the sides of the pan on it. Is it a cooling problem, or am I baking it too long?
I'm making my family's 4th generation traditional "cream cheese nut horn cookies" today. They take two days to make and are quite the labor of love, but it wouldn't be the holidays without them.
Do you have any food traditions that are a must, or do you change it up every year?
I bought some cruddy looking cast iron pans at a thift store recently. They cleaned up really nicely, but I'm having trouble with the seasoning part.
I followed the instructions from Lodge and coated them lightly with vegetable shortening, placed them upside-down in a 350 oven for an hour, then let them cool completely.
The shortening seems to have puddled, or pooled in the bottom and is not even distributed. Did I use too much, not enough, or will this even out over time?
I have some other cast iron pieces that I've used for years, but I've never seasoned one from scratch.
Any suggestions?
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If I feel like working at it, I'll add some sauteed onions, garlic, peppers, and sausage for a "creole" approach. Maybe a dash of paprika.
Other than that, peas get my vote.