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The Burger Lab: The Fake Shack
The Burger Lab is my new favorite SE column.
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
my own pumpkin muffin recipe
Cook the Book: 'The Craft of Baking'
Homemade pumpkin ice cream cake - made with good vanilla ice cream, pumpkin, and spices - in a gingersnap crust.
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Recent Comments | Response to Comments
Does one need a microwave?
I didn't have one for about a year, then got a free one finally - it was such a relief. It is such a pain to reheat things on the stove, especially when you're really hungry for dinner at the end of a long day of work.
I also like the microwave so I can defrost things like english muffins enough to split them before I toast them - I store them in the freezer because I live alone & go through the package quite slowly.
I certainly wouldn't pay $130 to get it fixed, though. You could buy a new one for $60ish or get a used one for probably $30ish, or even free.
The Burger Lab: The Fake Shack
The Burger Lab is my new favorite SE column.
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
my own pumpkin muffin recipe
Cook the Book: 'The Craft of Baking'
Homemade pumpkin ice cream cake - made with good vanilla ice cream, pumpkin, and spices - in a gingersnap crust.
Weekend Book Giveaway: 'Cake Wrecks'
My Very First Baking Disaster:
Tollhouse cookies, but I misread 1tsp salt as 1Tbsp salt. And had used up all the flour in the house, so couldn't make a second batch.
It was a sad day.
Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 87: Do Weights Help You Lose Weight?
This question has some good advice on weight training: http://ask.metafilter.com/99709/Help-a-novice-with-weight-training
And this website: http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php
is aimed at women but much of the advice is just as applicable to men, and it's an excellent resource, and has a lot of great information for beginning weight lifters.
A Guide to the Best Blueberry Muffins in New York City
great roundup!
"blueberry muffins, like most sweets, are totally objective" - but don't you mean subjective?
Cook the Book: 'L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook'
I live in LA and would absolutely love this book. My favorite LA farmer's market is the hollywood one (sundays), and my favorite vendor sells avocados and passion fruit - it's the passion fruit that does it for me, I absolutely adore it and haven't found anywhere else to buy it outside of HI.
Cook the Book: 'Modern Spice'
Currently, I'm working on Indian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, and and Vietnamese. I'd love to add Nepalese to that list - I've adored the food at the Nepalese restaurants I've been too. I haven't even started exploring Mexican or Central American or South American cuisines, but am definitely interested.
Cook the Book: 'Endangered Recipes' by Lari Robling
dessert! my best friend and i would each get a fruit roll-up or fruit leather, and we'd compete to see who could make it last the longest. i ALWAYS lost.
Illy Espresso Machine Giveaway from 'Edible Brooklyn'
I don't live in NYC so I'm not sure if I'm eligible, but I had a really lovely cup of coffee near little italy. man, i wish i could remember the name of the place!
Cook the Book: 'The Asian Grill'
mmmm, bahn mi. . . .no grilling mishaps though, except for the occasional vegetable falling into the fire.
Cook the Book: ''Wichcraft'
a really perfect bahn mi . . . how i miss those pickled carrots. . .
Secrets of Minetta Tavern's Black Label Burger
oh man, that looks AMAZING
Cook the Book: 'Beyond the Great Wall'
the first time i left north america, age 13, i went to london with my parents. coming from california, i was amazed at how OLD everything was. here, a building 100 years old counts as old. almost all of london is so much older than that!
Cook the Book: 'Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating'
I love Mark Bittman - have two of his cookbooks, fabulous ideas. I like the way he has a basic recipe and variations.
Served: Recession Waitressing
For what it's worth, in CA servers DO get the full minimum wage - $7.50ish an hour, here, plus tips. If I weren't so lazy I'd go look up what other states require that servers get paid min. wage.
Spiced Rum: It's Not All About the Captain
I've made flavored vodka. a couple flavors failed, most were okay - none were great.
Valentine's Day Giveaway: Macarons from Itzy Bitzy Patisserie
cookie: hazelnut
filling: mocha (so, chocolate and coffee - definitely dark chocolate and not too sweet, the coffee flavor predominates)
mmmmmm. wish i lived in nyc!
Fast-Food Oatmeal: The Good, the Bland, and the Goopy
good to know, as there's a jamba juice on my way to class.
still, i think i'd rather just make it at home - even thick-cut oats can be made in the microwave. and my new favorite is thick cut oats soaked in boiling water for a while (usually 30+ minutes, sometimes overnight), stirred into yogurt. the texture is awesome.
Store-Bought Chicken Stocks, Reviewed: Which Are the Best?
Thank you, thank you. This is one of the most useful food articles I've ever read.
Serious Eats City Guide: Los Angeles
oh MAN i would be so excited if there was a Serious Eats LA!
Served: Waitress Fantasy
@daemon, how about being friendly & mildly flirty - but polite, and not too personal - and then leaving your number with a good tip? That avoids any awkwardness, and allows the server to contact you on her terms if she also felt a connection.
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Edible Chocolate Box from Charles Chocolates
hazelnut praline with medium-dark chocolate. yummmmm
The Burger Lab: The Fake Shack
GREAT post!
I tried doing this on Friday night, and got some outstanding results.
Ground up the meat w/ my Cuisinart, and came out just fine. Just gotta make sure you keep an eye out so you don't get beef puree.
Used my trusty cast-iron skillet, and really digging that smash-n'-scrape technique.... thanks!
The Burger Lab: The Fake Shack
This post is awesome. You sir are a sandwich engineer!
Ed Levine's Serious Diet, Week 87: Do Weights Help You Lose Weight?
to those who suggested mark rippetoe and stumptuous - these are great sources for beginning weight lifters! smart, sensible and no-nonsense weightlifting advice with a focus on technique. i haven't read starting strength but i've meant to.
as a sort-of-new weightlifter, i've found rippetoe's youtube videos for basic exercises (squat, deadlift, etc.) invaluable! i also really like the way he talks, incidentally. he has the cadence of a really good, perceptive teacher. it's weirdly soothing to me.
The Burger Lab: The Fake Shack
I love this post. Your efforts are much appreciated.
Does one need a microwave?
Microwaves very effective at blowing up chestnuts. First they spin like tops and then BANG! Awesome fun.
Or eggs, but they don't spin as well.
If you get the thing set high enough, you can make butter foam fountains.
If you have an old microwave, putting in a plate that has a pretty gold rim is pretty entertaining. Zap! Zap!
Flies are smart enough to hide in the corners.
For culinary application that requires a molten center and frozen exterior, then the microwave is perfect.
As a book case, I find it too small for anything but trashy paperbacks.
And it makes a terrible doorstop.
Perhaps I should get a TV?
The Burger Lab: The Fake Shack
How will a Keating Miraclean griddle, Hobart grinder and a APW Wyott toaster improve this recipe over home-made results ?
The Burger Lab: The Fake Shack
Adam, no joke i most definitely must say that JOY Burger blows shake shack!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Does one need a microwave?
Mark Bittman wrote an article on this in April 2008 - you can find it here.
You don't need a microwave, but it sure does make life easier. And it does a bang up job on eggplant - soft, tender, and way less oil than stovetop cooking.
Does one need a microwave?
It's the best thing I've found for steaming a whole fish, Cantonese style. I don't have the BTUs for a wok and a steamer rig, so the microwave is awesome. And since that was my favorite dish growing up (thanks, Dad!), I will assert both to "needing" my microwave, and to maintaining whatever might exist of my foodie credibility (whatever that means).
Does one need a microwave?
So call me "crazy." I melt chocolate on the stove in a make-shift double boiler. And I don't use a food processor either (I enjoy slicing/dicing/dhopping with a knife).
Does one need a microwave?
This topic has cycled through before so let me just reiterate the same points I made a year and a half ago:
We were renting an apartment years ago that had the microwave over the stove. When it died we just did without it, never requesting a replacement from the landlord and I don't recall it being a hardship. When we later bought a place the kitchen of course had a brand spanking new stainless steel microwave over the stove.
We use that baby multiple times a day from breakfast to dinner and I honestly don't know how I was without one for those years way back when. I know I did it and it wasn't a big deal, but I use mine constantly nowadays. We still cook our hot cereal on the stovetop everyday out of habit from those years, but while the cereal is cooking, we make eggs in the microwave. I often defrost something for dinner and I can't imagine roasting spaghetti squash in the oven when cooking a half squash only takes 6 or 7 minutes in the microwave (think about the energy saved!). I keep frozen cubes of homemade stock in a freezer bag and usually melt these in a coffee mug with some water so that I don't have to add "ice" to something cooking on the stove. And all these folks who eschew the microwave and would rather melt chocolate in a double boiler seem crazy to me!
I guess I don't cook many things in the microwave from start to finish, but if the stove is crowded, I certainly don't mind making fresh broccoli or asparagus in the microwave. Plus there is less cleanup as you can usually serve right from the cooking dish. I know that I could do without one, but I just find it too helpful and convenient. Anything done in a food processor or stand mixer could be done by other means as well, but what's the big deal in taking advantage of convenience? I say no big deal either way.
Does one need a microwave?
Buy a new one. Fuses within the equipment usually only blow if there is an internal power problem. If you did not get a surge in the house that took out other devices, there may be a greater issue than the fuse. I came to the conclusion that most small appliances should be treated as disposable as the repairs usually cost more than a new machine, especially electronics like a microwave. Oh, and the screwdriver trick could be fun in another way, if the amperage is too high, or the screwdriver is a cheap metal, you can weld the screwdriver to the frame while discharging the capacitor. If you try it, where rubber gloves to insulate as well as the insulated handle, can't be too safe.
With kids in school and the running around it requires, the quick reheat times make it invaluable for reheating meals to get to conferences, games and other activities when every adult in the house works. Left over arroz con pollo tonight.
Does one need a microwave?
sorry, germane not "germain"..... whew.... I need a beer!
Does one need a microwave?
@dmcavanagh, What @BiereBeer was referring to is called a Capacitor, most all microwaves have one, and It works like this:
The capacitor is an invention that was used to store up an electrical charge (like a battery), and then discharge it into a circuit. This can be used to smooth out electrical impulses, or turn a constant electrical flow into a series of impulses. Capacitors hold electric currents even when not connected to any power source.
So you see, If you do not discharge the capacitor correctly, you may get shocking results when trying to replace a blown fuse in the microwave.
In case @ BiereBeer is interested here's how to discharge a microwave capacitor:
A capacitor is discharged by creating a short circuit between each of the two capacitor terminals, and between each terminal and the chassis. The chassis is the metal mounting (bare metal surface) of the capacitor. Read these directions thoroughly before you proceed.
With your microwave unit unplugged, touch the blade of a well insulated screwdriver to one terminal. Gently slide the screwdriver forward until it reaches the other terminal, holding it there for a few seconds. Be aware that this often results in a loud and startling 'POP'.
Repeat this procedure in order to create a short circuit between each capacitor terminal and the chassis (bare metal mounting plate surface). This same method can be applied to a capacitor having three, and not two, terminals.
Sorry, I know this was a bit off topic, but thought it germain to the discussion.
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Thanks to all who participated, and congratulations to our winners:
hungrylikethewolf
ekenyon
etirv
amylou61
amy_i
Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page.
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
I love ravioli with a pumpkin cream sauce. Great fall comfort food!
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake. A few years ago, we had a two pumpkin desserts at our Thanksgiving dinner -- a pumpkin pie a la Mom, and a pumpkin gooey butter cake made by my daughter. The Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake one hands down. It is decadent, but it is Holiday-worthy!
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Pumpkin Ginger Bread Pudding is my favorite. garrettsambo@aol.com
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Pumpkin gooey butter cakes
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
my mom's pumpkin pie
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
Pumpkin bread with raisins. Very moist and tasty!
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
I love anything pumpkin, but one of my fav's is pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting.
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
I really love turkey pumpkin chili..I think the recipe was featured on here and it is delicious!
Cook the Book: Pumpkin Baking
I didn't like pumpkin pie until I had a piece of one that my stepmom made. YUM!
Recent Posts
emisara hasn't written a post yet.
Recent Favorites
How to Make S'meeps: S'mores Plus Peeps
Posted by Grace Kang, April 6, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Cook the Book: Cucumbers in Black Rice Vinegar
Posted by Grace Kang, March 19, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Bay Area Eats: Silky, Steamed Milk Pudding at San Francisco's Golden Island Cafe
Posted by Wan Yan Ling, March 16, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Cocktails: Belt-Tightening in the Liquor Store
Posted by Paul Clarke, February 18, 2009 at 5:30 PM
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I didn't have one for about a year, then got a free one finally - it was such a relief. It is such a pain to reheat things on the stove, especially when you're really hungry for dinner at the end of a long day of work.
I also like the microwave so I can defrost things like english muffins enough to split them before I toast them - I store them in the freezer because I live alone & go through the package quite slowly.
I certainly wouldn't pay $130 to get it fixed, though. You could buy a new one for $60ish or get a used one for probably $30ish, or even free.