May get slammed for this, but here goes?!? If you were at a gathering/bbq of friend/family, and there were PLENTY of "kid" stuff (hot dogs, burgers, chicken fingers, etc.), would you have a problem with 4-5 yo kids decimating a big bowl of "grown up food"... like shrimp??

Just put my body armor on... I WOULD have a problem with that and would direct LITTLE kids else where. I think it's WONDERFUL when young children try different foods, but frankly don't thiink their taste buds can discern hot dogs from lobster?

Major peeve for me is someone who "hates" something they've never even tasted?? My SIL is a VERY sweet woman & I love her... be she "hates" beets and sweet potatoes tho has NEVER even tasted. IMNSHO... that's just WRONG!

When nephew was about 3 (he's 30+ now), we were at Dad's house for T-Day or Christmas. I made sweet potatoes... just bragging a bit when I say they're GOOD... like candy. SIL tells 3 yo... yu won't like them... DOUBLE wrong, IMO. I was able to coax him to try one little bite... bet his poop was orange after the amount he ate. Now he jokes that I can't come to T-Day dinner without them.

People who "hate" asparagus, mushrooms, peas, and a bunch of other veggies... bet it's cuz they've only had them canned and never fresh (or at least frozen)?!?

Is there something you used to "hate" until you tasted the REAL DEAL?

Not about growing them, but how to start!?!

Last spring/summer grew from seeds in pots hanging off deck railing. Part was out of frugality... seeds are DIRT cheap at big box home stores. BUT think critters were drawn to pots full of tender babies... whole pot of chives and cilantro DISAPPEARED one day?

"They" say that critters (rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, GROUNDHOGS) aren't fans of herbs... UNLESS they're hungry??

Have a place where I'll be able to et herbs in pots... more $$ but nice plants.

Have eaten, but never cooked squid/calamari. Whenever it's featured on a cooking show, chefs often comment that you either have to cook it really quickly OR long and slow... anything in between will be tough.

Would same hold true with shrimp? If cooked more than just a few minutes can be pretty tough and chewy. If over-cooked, could they be salvaged with some LONG cook application?

I keep all my utensils in 3 big crocks on big rolling cart right off edge of counter. One is jam packed with wooden spoons and spatulas/scrapers. ANother is jam packed with large plastic tool that are safe on non-stick and whisks. Third crock hold odd things that I only have 1-2 of... zester/microplane, steel, metal spatulas, etc.

Have a small rack over sink that holds at least 4 sifters, growing collection of restaurant-style ladles and a few other things.

Have 2 sets of Pyrex nesting bowls... one 3 pc and another 4 pc, with a HUGE bowl.

Found a back-up bowl for "vintage" KA stand mixer... crank-up type.

ALL of my surplus tools came in very hand the past few days as I started preparing doughs for Holiday cookies. Did batch for molasses and peanut butter yesterday and just finished up chocolate chip and oatmeal a short time ago.

Was able to get all wet stuff set up for TWO batches of cookies in mixer bowls... and their dry ingredients all measured/sifted and ready to go.

Actually KNOW someone who has ONE baking/cookie sheet... and they make holiday cookies?!?

What do you have MULTIPLES of in your kitchen?

Absolutely my favorite on a tray of Italian cookies... and not ashamed that I'll eat quite a few.

So decided to make them as part of holiday goodie baskets. Had no recipe so did a little googling... Giada's recipe was recommended.

Dry stuff... finely ground almonds and zest of an orange, 3 TABLESPOONS of flour... amybe something else.

In sauce pan, sugar, 2 T each light corn syrup and heavy cream. Simmered for a minute or so to make sure sugar is dissolved... then some vanilla.. and sits till it can be "handled"??

Mixed into dry stuff and let cook. Recipe says scoop and "shape" into balls... unless something miraculous happens, this stuff is NOT gonna be shaped??

So went looking to see if I had a bad recipe and everything I found was pretty similar?? I know they'll spread out when baked... just hoping they're not a total FAIL??

Have ya ever made these cookies?

I'm one who doesn't believe what "they" say about them... keeping no longer than 6 months?!? As long as they still smell good and give off nice aroma when rubbed in palm... no way I'm tossing them.

Made herb/spice blends/rubs for holiday gifts TWO years ago. Bought BIG containers of stuff at farmer's market... it's still fine.

BUT have to say something for fresh-er dried stuff. My grandmother always said you HAD to put a few bay leaves into things like soup or stew. Wasn't until I actually bought bay leaves for myself that I even knew they even did ANYTHING for flavor??

Friend gave me 2 cans of hominy... why, NO idea?? Can says... open, drain and heat? Did a little googling for recipes and most seem to be soups and/or stews. What would you do with a can of hominy that's NOT a soup/stew?

Would LOVE to find a recipe for those dark, crispy, thin, lacey cookies with dark chocolate sandwiched in between. Will TOTALLY admit that I will pick them out of a cookie tray of cookies from REAL Italian bakery.

Anyone have a recipe to share?

I have a LOT of PIG-related stuff in mine... 6 cookie jars that live on top of fridge (empty), lots of pig "linens" (towels, pot holders, etc.), probably easily 25 pig things.

Have growing collection of "vintage" tea balls and don't even drink tea that often?!? If I see one (yard sale or thrift store), they're usually pennies. Best one I have is an acorn shaped on that a spent a "fortune" on... $5 at flea market, but STERLING silver.

Have several molds hanging on wall.. like fish theme, some copper and NOT ones purely meant for decor. A few German-made bundt pans... that are more non-stick than non-stick ones.

Collection os cast iron is always open for additions! Every piece was a yard sale or thrift store find... pretty much dirt cheap. Would LOVE to find pop-over and loaf pans.

What's in your kitchen collections?

As a kid, Dad, AUnt and her neighbor would periodically buy half a steer to stock freezers for household with 3 kids each. Everything was portioned, wrapped and labelled. Ya go half of about EVERYTHIN in a steer. My grandmother liked liver but luckily only subjected us to it 2-3 times a year... she was the boss! Luckily Dad didn't like it either, so only hadda take 1-2 bites more than he did... his mother WAS the boss.

Have tried oysters every which way but loose?? IN oyster stew, fried, etc. Just don't like the taste??

What do you just don't like??

Not me! Niece has MASSIVE set of the china, silver, glassware that was on her bridal registry that never sees the light of day??

I never had any desire for BIG $$ china or glasses. Would probably never use them if I knew would cost more big $$ to replace after eventual accident.

Sister has "silver" (probably plate?) from Dad's house that ONLY came out on T-Day and Christmas... and only if meal was at our house, since it roataed between 3-4 locations.

Have a few items from my crafting stash that have made theire way into the kitchen.

Don't have "pie weights" and know I can use a bag-o beans to get the same result. BUT do have a messa those flat, glass "marbles" that work just fine.

Have something called an embossing "heat" tool. Used to melt embossing power. Resembles a small hair dryer but gets MUCH hotter and doesn't BLOW very hard. Takes a little longer, but will actually BRULEE!?!

What multi-taskers or alternative uses have you come up with?

Have only been coming here a few days. Love to cook/eat, but consider myself a bit of a "mad scientist" in kitchen... we don't need no stinking RECIPE!?! Only baking successes I'm able to have is cookie for the holidays.

I like to start at a new site by sharing kitchen FAILS!?!

When I was about 18-19 yo, my Dad decided we'd have Beef Wellington for Sunday dinner. Pretty sure he probably saw it on Julia or Jeff Smith... one of few cooking shows around WAY back then. I was pretty comfortable in kitchen so just got out cookbook. Seemed simple enough... pastry dough wrapped around BIG $$ hunk beef tenderloin... which Dad definitely wanted on the rare side.

It looked great going into oven and like a cookbook illustration when it acme out!

Well, when Dad tired to carve it... the crust would NOT CUT!! We almost hadda chisel it off. Luckily, the beef inside was PERFECT! Still hear about that dinner from my brother.

Any fails you're willing to share?

Anyone here a BIG fan of cooking in cast iron? I became reunited with it after finding 3 great, but crusty skillets for $1 each at a yard sale. After serious elbow grease and lots of USE... as close to non-stick as you can get and still be able to use metal tools.

EVERY piece in my growing collection came from a yard sale, thrift store, or flea market... and NOTHING cost over $5.

Have to seriously restrain myself from buying something I KNOW I already have! Always looking for unusual items... like a little, diamond-shaped Lodge skillet, marked "egg" on bottom.

On my "wish list'... muffin/pop-over pan(s), bread/loaf pan(s), and a DEEP "chicken" fryer.

Though I have a Lodge Dutch oven... would love to find one that's enamel in and out... doesn't even have to be perfect.

Are you a CI junkie like me?!?

I joined here a few days ago. Have been able to leave comments on other people's posts. Have TRIED to start a post 1-2 times?? Thought I did everything right, but they never showed up?

I'm a serious yard sale junkie and always on the look out for CLEAN (preferably in box with paperwork), things I'd like to try but not willing to pay REAL money for in a store.

FOund a "vintage" KA stand mixer for $19.99 at Goodwill. CLEAN, ran smooth, crank up/down bowl, whisk/paddle/dough hook. After a minimum of cleaning, taped everything off and spray painted it flat-black.

Found a Cuisinart food processor at a thrift store for $8... bought thinking a spare bowl, but ended up being a step up from what I already had.

A square, blue enamel exterior, LeCreuset cast iron grill pan... $5!

Today went looking for replacement coffee maker. One I have is a Gevalia that I've had for YEARS, but heated base part is just peeling away with every pot of coffee. Found a Cuisinart 12-cup that looked VERY clean. Checked on-line and was able to find manual and that it cost something like $90 new.

BEST "used" stuff is my ever growing collection of old cast iron stuff.

Got reunited with cast iron a few years ago when I scored on 3 different size skillets at a yard sale... Lodge and Griswold. They were $1 each and TOTALLY crusted with unknown GUNK. It took a lot of oven cleaner to get them back to usable... and well seasoned.

Since then, I've been a bit of a collector and have to restrain myself when I see a good deal. Everything I have came from a yard sale, flea market or thrift store and never paid more than $5 for any piece.

Bought a 2 burner Lodge grill/griddle for less than $5. Have a large, round griddle that's super slick. Have 3 "cron" pans. A Dutch oven. A cute little diamond shaped pan that makes perfect egg sandwich for square bread.

WOuld LOVE to find a DEEP chicken fryer and muffin pans and bread pans.

Are you a CI fan? My advice is USE IT, USE IT, USE IT... and it can become pretty much as non-stick as non-stick!