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Pretty Sneaky, Sis
I'm with BrooklynBaker...I question whether her motivations were benevolent or financial.
Bouillabaisse in NYC?
Just a thought, but what he may really be saying is, "I don't want to eat French food in the United States."
10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
I freeze caramelized onions without a problem. And the recipe I use (search caramelized onions on LATimes.com) calls for 5# of onions.
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Romantic, upscale New Year's Dinner for 2
Posted by chgoeditor, December 14, 2008 at 12:46 PM
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Minnesota Pizza
Re. item #1: Are you describing a round pizza cut into (mostly) square pieces? It's a Midwest thing. My theory is that it's cut that way because Midwest thin-crust is shorter (i.e., more shortening) than East Coast dough, and you can't fold a Midwest wedge in half like you would an East Coast wedge. I hate it (both the crust and the shape) but it does give the non-crust edge eaters the option of an edgeless piece.
Pretty Sneaky, Sis
I'm with BrooklynBaker...I question whether her motivations were benevolent or financial.
Bouillabaisse in NYC?
Just a thought, but what he may really be saying is, "I don't want to eat French food in the United States."
10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
I freeze caramelized onions without a problem. And the recipe I use (search caramelized onions on LATimes.com) calls for 5# of onions.
Home Remedies for Sore Throats?
Gargle with warm/hot salt water.
Suck on baby aspirin (I think that 8 baby sized=1 adult dose) or other powdered chewable aspirin, like Aspergum or Goodies.
Smoked salmon - how long can it last unrefrigerated?
If it's in your checked luggage, it will stay very cold assuming it isn't a hot day in NY or Seattle, and that the plane doesn't sit on the tarmac for a long time. (As another poster said, you can also pack it in one of the insulated bags that they sell at most grocery stores.)
You can carry solids through security, even if they are frozen. So if you aren't checking luggage, you could pack the salmon in your carry-on bag and include a couple ice packs. The key is that you want to keep the salmon cold, not frozen, so avoid using too many ice packs or putting them next to the salmon.
Lunch with a coworker who you don't like
Ways to avoid clingy co-workers during lunch:
1. Read a book.
2. Close the door to your office.
3. Schedule hair appointments, doctors' appointments, nail appointments, etc., for lunchtime.
4. Make plans with someone else
5. Work out.
6. Take your lunch break at a different time than her.
7. Respond to her lunch invitations with, "Sorry, but I have other plans today."
8. Take pity on her, and have lunch with her once in a while.
hostess gift for a political fundraiser?
No. You're expected to bring money, not gifts.
What to do with Roasted Beets
My roasted beet salad recipe:
Wrap beets individually in tin foil. Roast @ 400' for about an hour or until tender when pierced with a fork.
Peel beets while still warm (skin will usually just slide off) and roughly chop.
Make a viniagrette with good olive oil, good balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard. (Exact proportions will vary depending on the quality of the vinegar & olive oil, but I usually start at 5 T olive oil to 3 T balsamic to 1 T dijon.) Toss beets with viniagrette while the beets are still warm (so they absorb more flavor). Use enough viniagrette to taste.
Add a handful of chopped cilantro leaves and crumbled queso anejo cheese--again, enough to taste.
Sprinkle with a course sea salt such as Maldon and serve.
I need help!!!!
Poaching is healthy, but just to be clear, so is grilling, roasting, etc. if you're not adding additional fats.
Cheap Beer and Wine in Bulk in Chicago (Any Wholesale Shops?)
Some of the Charles Shaw stuff at TJ's is great (and only $3 a bottle). I like particularly like their Sauvigion Blanc.
Headed to Santa Barbara
I really enjoy the brunch at the Four Seasons/Biltmore San Diego. Great selections (including a caviar bar). Sit out on the terrace so you can stare at the sea.
What's the best Moroccan Restaurant in Chicago?
Although I have familial connections to Morocco, I haven't spent much time seeking out Moroccan restaurants in Chicago. That said, a couple things to consider...
Having spent time in Morocco, I can tell you that sitting on cushions and eating with your fingers isn't universal. Morocco's an interesting blend of African, European and Middle Eastern cultures, so depending on where you go in the country, certain cultural aspects are stronger than others. So I hope you won't dismiss a Moroccan restaurant simply because they have tables & silverware.
At least one of the owners of Casbah Cafe at 3151 N Broadway is Moroccan, and the restaurant has some Moroccan dishes on its menu, but I also recall more Lebanese and Greek dishes. Great food & friendly owner.
Tizi Melloul (531 N Wells) has some Moroccan dishes, though they describe themselves as a Mediterranean restaurant. Their crescent room offers something close to the dining experience you're looking for. They used to be much more Moroccan-focused in their cuisine, and I haven't been there since they changed their focus, so I can't comment on the food.
Crepe & Coffee Palace (sometimes known as Cafe Icosium) at 2433 N Clark is an Algerian creperie, so you'll see experience some great crepe-focused dishes with French-N African spin. (If you're not up on your N African geography, Algeria is due east of Morocco and borders the Mediterranean Sea.)
Angel Food Cupcakes?
I did exactly this one time, and it didn't work out as well as I'd hoped. I thought the blueberries would be suspended in the batter, but instead they mainly sunk to the bottom and added a lot of moisture to the cake. It didn't rise sufficiently, and the then-cooked blueberries, which were at the top of the cake when I turned it out of the pan, collapsed the entire cake. It looked horrible, but tasted pretty good.
what's up with the integrated pop-ups?
@duncan1205 ... If you use Firefox and have an ad blocker/script blocker installed, you won't see these ads or others.
Anyone tried fried peanuts yet?
I discovered them about a year ago and they're awesome! I wish that more stores sold them.
Kanikko, Tiny Japanese Crabs
Mitsuwa is in Arlington Heights.
Romantic Chi-Town Spot?
What's your budget?
Spiaggia
Charlie Trotters
Everest
North Pond
Naha
Sweets & Savory
Graham Elliot
If food is a lower priority: Signature Room or Geja's
Kanikko, Tiny Japanese Crabs
Are you looking for them at a restaurant, or do you want to prepare them yourself? I've eaten them at a handful of places. Sushi Wabi used to have them regularly (and maybe still does). Itto Sushi has deep-fried river shrimp, which are equally awesome.
What to give a new freshman at the University of Chicago?
Rather than giving a gift card to a local restaurant or grocery store, I'd suggest giving a prepaid credit card. The fact is, lots of businesses are going out of business, and you're out-of-luck if you're holding one of their gift cards.
www.transitchicago.com takes you to the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) website. If he's going to the U of C, he'll probably take the El to Chinatown for some late-nite meals. You can buy him some prepaid transit cards to get him there and back.
Or consider giving him a gift membership to one of Chicago's great museums. Everyone needs to get away from school every once in a while and enjoy themselves. The Museum of Science & Industry is closest to the U of C.
When i was in college, I enjoyed getting care packages with food items more than anything else. His parents may leave him well-equipped, but come exam time he might appreciate some study food--baked goods, trail mix, power bars, etc.
What is your opinion on Pampered Chef products?
I've found their products to be more expensive than comparable products you'd by elsewhere. If money is an issue, know what you want to buy and how much you'd normally pay for it.
In terms of quality, I have no quibbles, but the only Pampered Chef items I own are a couple silicone spatulas & potholders.
Summer BBQ - How to deal with something tactfully
Q: Can I bring anything?
A: No thanks.
A: On second thought, could you please bring some Mexican brownies?
The OP offered! Why is it so rude to take her up on her offer? I've been asked to bring specific dishes to plenty of events and I've never thought the host rude for making the request. I'm flattered! On the other hand, I don't ask people to bring items to my dinners because I genuinely enjoy cooking myself.
Here's a question: Is it rude if I make an insincere offer then get pissed off when someone actually takes me up on my offer?
WF: Why are the meat guys on a pedestal?
I like being able to make eye contact with the folks who work behind the meat or fish counter. I think it's an elegant design solution given that their job regularly requires them pass things over a 5' tall counter. I wish the bakery people were also raised up. Not all of us are tall...
Summer BBQ - How to deal with something tactfully
I'm amazed at the number of passive-aggressive responses on this thread! Yes, her request is possibly rude. But:
1. You asked if you could bring anything. She has now responded with a request that you bring something specific.
2. You're posting on a food board. You obviously have an interest in cooking. How hard is it to make a pan of brownies with some cinnamon added to the mix? It's not as if she asked you to make something that requires a lot of effort or exotic ingredients.
If you're really pissed off about her request, I'd suggest you politely tell her that you can't attend her BBQ after all. I wouldn't want a guest who was feeling bent out of shape to attend one of my dinner parties.
Minnesota Pizza
Leaning Tower of Pizza (Uptown, Stadium Village - near the U of M campus)
Pizza Luce
Punch Pizza
Papa John's tends to be the most edible among delivery
We also have Papa Murphys - which is take and bake (and mostly located in the suburbs)
There used to be an amazing place on the U campus called Manhattan
Pizza but it's long gone.
Good luck -- finding good pizza in Minn. can be a PAIN!
Minnesota Pizza
I would try going to any of the following:
Cossetta's in Saint Paul (West 7th Street)
Pizzeria Umbria in Eagan (Right off of Cliff and 35E)
Cici's (okay, it's fast food pizza, but they have a decent buffet and you can get them to go), several locations
Minnesota Pizza
When I lived in Minneapolis, I loved Pizza Luce. They have several locations in the city. Very yummy crust, probably more like what you're looking for. Chewy and pliable. Their toppings are great as well.
And you can usually get the places that do the square cutting to have them cut it into normal pieces if you ask them. At least that's what I've found.
Minnesota Pizza
I have fond memories of this cracker thin crust pizza served at Blarney Castle Bar in Rome Illinois. Of course that was when I was just a wee lad, age 0-11. We played little league baseball just across the street. So many wins were celebrated at the bar with good pizza.
Now that I have a bit more knowledge about pizza this childhood memory might not hold up. Most of the food from central Illinois is just crap.
There are some exceptions, fresh sweet corn, pork tenderloin sandwiches, and sausage gravy with biscuits are the ones that pop into my head.
Minnesota Pizza
Pizza cut in small squares is often called a "party cut" to accomodate several people on a pizza. It's a midwest practical thing or some might say a Minn. liberal equal size for all thang.
Minnesota Pizza
I've had pizza like that in Ohio. It was completely odd to me but I consider most pizza chains to have odd pizza. Have you tried making your own? It's surprisingly easy and quick.
Minnesota Pizza
It's weird that I've lived in the mid-west my entire life and I have never had round pizza cut into tiny, uneven squares until I moved to Minnesota.
Minnesota Pizza
I have noticed that thin crust pizzas in MN are very thin and cut into squares. When I asked my boyfriend (who has lived in the twin cities all his life) about it, he kinda looked at me like I was crazy. So probably a regional thing, but if you order a regular hand tossed pizza it should be okay, most places have the two options. With regards to the excessive amounts of cheese, yeah, that's a Midwest thing for sure I mean, it is right next to Wisconsin. However, I would say that toppings under the cheese is totally common in other states and in Canada.
If you are closer to St. Paul, one of my favorite places is Paisanos http://www.pizza651.com/ There are also a few Homemade Pizza Co.s in the area which are relatively pricey but the crust is great http://www.homemadepizza.com/ We also end up eating at Divanni's often http://www.davannis.com/
Good Luck!
Minnesota Pizza
While I understand in The City itself, pizza can vary tremendously from one place to another, here in north central Florida the type of pie you are referring to is called a "New York Pizza." I would suggest calling around and asking if they serve a New York-style pie, instead of or in addition to a Midwestern one. If they have no idea what you are talking about, avoid that pizzeria. If you find several that say they do offer it, then unless you do hear from someone who can recommend places locally, all you can do is take the list and give each of them a try.
You may also want to go over to the boards on chowhound.com and ask your question there. If there is such a place in your locale, someone on Chow Hound will most likely know of it!
Please let us know when you find something desirable, in case any of us head that way.
10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
hmm...
Maybe it is because I am close to Georgia, and we tend to get the southern really sweet onions, like Vidalias. But, as long as they truly are sweet onions, I've never had a problem with tears while peeling and slicing/dicing them.
Now yellow onions, spanish onions, white onions, red onions, etc., they all make me well up terribly and the only thing that works for me, though it looks incredibly silly, is to peel and slice/dice them while holding a fresh whole slice of bread between my teeth and dangling it out of my mouth. Supposedly it traps the gasses that cause the tears from hitting your sinuses.
I don't know. It may all be the power of suggestion, and just thinking it would work prevents me from tearing up. But yeah, for any onion other than sweet onions, you'll find me peeling/slicing/dicing them with a slice of fresh bread hanging out of my mouth.
*blush*
10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
Ok, after all of this I'm dying to know what you finally did with all those onions..
Pretty Sneaky, Sis
Seriously yall, she's freaking Pioneer Woman, if people will buy KATE GOSSELIN'S BOOK, they'll buy Ree's. (And my guess is there's a lot of people who own both.)
I may not be a fan of PW, but I think this was a cute thing for her to do.
Pretty Sneaky, Sis
Love the "Connect Four" reference.
Jerz, maybe for Christmas this year you could forgive PW for her dumb recipe. The goodies far outweigh the baddies.
Bouillabaisse in NYC?
The Poached Red Snapper with Mussels, Calamari and Sauce Bouillabaisse at EMP is wonderful, as is Pearl Oyster Bar's.
I am willing to bet you're friend would never admit it either way, but try EMP!
Bouillabaisse in NYC?
what about going somewhere with a non-traditional take on bouillabaisse? noodle bar in the west village used to do a particularly yummy tom yum bouillabaisse, although i feel like recently it's gotten kind of sad (much less seafood and other stuff in it than there used to be) - so maybe not there, but maybe you could find another place that does a delicious version of bouillabaise that doesn't make your friend feel like it's the same stuff/watered down version of what your friend eats at home.
Bouillabaisse in NYC?
I like Artisanal's, but not sure if it is the best.
Pretty Sneaky, Sis
Oh, Ree! You are just the cutest! And, such a doll in person too! :)
Thank you, Adam, for sharing this cute little piece. I hope Ree does more of the same everywhere she goes. So sweet!
Hopefully other authors will feel free to mimic the gesture. I sure wouldn't mind.
Pretty Sneaky, Sis
You know, she never said she did not ask permission from the bookstore. Just that it was not a publicly announced event like a signing. For heavens sake....
Bouillabaisse in NYC?
If your friend thinks that, and regardless of whether it's true, so what?
Would you like your friend to reciprocate when you visit in Nice by being dragged to the supposedly best hamburger joint in Nice? I would think that you wouldn't want to waste a precious night of your vacation on that. Probably ditto for your friend.
Bouillabaisse in NYC?
I'm a former NYer and now live partly in the south of France. I have to agree with your friend - there is no bouillabaisse to rival what you get in his area here. Steer him to the other great food that he cannot get that NY has to offer. If it has to be fish, go the Asian route.
Pretty Sneaky, Sis
Bunch of buzz kills y'all are!! From the book signing to the rip on the recipe. Lighten the hell up.
Pretty Sneaky, Sis
BrooklynBaker is, of course, right. Several local writers used to do that here. However, I think Pioneer Woman is probably popular enough right now that those will be sold with or without signature. But given royalties, how many books have to be unreturnable (so the author receives royalties) before said author makes $50, say? I am prone to give her the benefit of the doubt, but there are others for whom I would not be so forgiving.
Pretty Sneaky, Sis
I think it is very funny kind of like the cottage cheese, Jimmy Dean Hot Breakfast Sausage and Kraft grated cheese in her lasagne. Amusing is a word.
10lbs of onions in a two person house! What to do?
Thanks for all the great recipes guys!
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Romantic, upscale New Year's Dinner for 2
Posted by chgoeditor, December 14, 2008 at 12:46 PM
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Re. item #1: Are you describing a round pizza cut into (mostly) square pieces? It's a Midwest thing. My theory is that it's cut that way because Midwest thin-crust is shorter (i.e., more shortening) than East Coast dough, and you can't fold a Midwest wedge in half like you would an East Coast wedge. I hate it (both the crust and the shape) but it does give the non-crust edge eaters the option of an edgeless piece.