Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

I just read an article (blog post?) somewhere about using potato flakes instead of real mashed potatoes in gnocchi. The author said it made it easier to roll them because you can control the water content. Sorry I can't link to it, I've completely forgotten where I read it.

I can't imagine that you'd get those lovely crunchy browned bits without at least some oil. I have found that a little bit of oil goes a long way - a tablespoon or less per pound of veggies, maybe. I use a tad more for Brussels sprouts and broccoli and a bit less for things like parsnips.

When I came across that essay, it just about broke my heart. Not only can I not imagine losing the very things that make food pleasurable, I can't even fathom losing those things...and then coming out on the other side of it with a positive attitude. With a temperament like that, we should use this man to broker peace in the Middle East.

"Sammie" is bad, but "nom" (*n), especially when preceded by "om", is so much worse. Yes, even when said by lolcats. Dunno, it just grates.

How about "housemade"? I think there's a blog post about it somewhere on SE, and I tend to agree, it just sounds pretentious.

Usually I use some cocoa powder, sugar, and soy milk (which I what I keep around). It's become a tradition for me to make hot chocolate every year for the kids who come to Thanksgiving, but for some reason, this year I totally botched that three-ingredient recipe. I used chocolate chips in place of the cocoa, but didn't omit the sugar. Like drinking rock candy, I tell you.

I'll have to try some of these suggestions for myself...the cardamom addition sounds fantastic.

Corniest corn muffins

Maple walnut cornbread.

Still the corn muffins. I have a feeling that by the fourth day of this contest, I'm just going to be sitting in front of the computer, scarfing down my sixth batch of those things.

Bravo, Rhetor. Bravo.

My cereal mishaps have never had to do with the liquid (I won't use anything but non-dairy milk) but one time I was out of cereal, so I crumbled up granola bars and popcorn into the milk and ate that instead. Mmmm. Soggy starch.