Profile

lisatyc

Candy a Day: Airheads

is it just me or did white ones all taste the same...?? with a tart artificial-peachy flavor??

Crystal/Cellophane/Mung-Bean Noodles TOO AL-DENTE

That could be case. I'll try again with fresh noodles and see if I get better results. Thanks!

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Southside Market Sausage

Luling City Market in Luling, TX

Conventional Oven Pizza-Baking Tips for Clumsy People??

Ok, so I did a little experiment today with my two remaining rounds of dough. I topped both with a simple tomato sauce and grated mozz only to keep them comparable. The first I went with a pizza stone and the second I tried baking it on a cookie sheet. The results were definitely surprising (at least to me).

For the first round, I heated my oven to 550 (with pizza stone inside). I made the pizza on my cutting board with flour underneath (ran out of cornmeal, I know flour probably isn't ideal :/). The transfer was a little shaky, but I managed to get the pizza on the stone without losing any fingers. 5 minutes at 550, 2 minutes broil (2nd rack from top), 3 minutes rest time with pizza IN oven, but oven turned off (temperature was probably still around 450 at least). I was pretty pleased with this pizza. The spotting could have been more intense but I didn't want to risk having too dry of a pizza.

For the second round, I heated my oven again to 550. I made this pizza on my dark-coated rimmed cookie sheet (had to go with a long oval pizza). Simply stuck the whole sheet w/pizza in once my oven was ready and let it bake for 7 minutes at 550. Then I turned off the oven and let it sit again for 3 minutes. I like this pizza better than the first. The crust was very crispy and chewy and more browned than the first pizza.

So... will I be using my pizza stone anymore in the future? Maybe. I'll probably try this experiment again sometime.

Also, I have pictures, but they're on my phone (the lens of which is probably dirty and greasy). But I'll send one to My Pie Monday anyway!

Conventional Oven Pizza-Baking Tips for Clumsy People??

i've been putting it on the 3rd rack from the top. i think i'm going to move it up to the top rack today and try a combo of 550 and broil for no more than 10 minutes (probably less). will let everyone know how that turns out.

Conventional Oven Pizza-Baking Tips for Clumsy People??

@Adam Kuban: i have an electric coil. does that make for non-even spotting on my pizza? as of right now, i'd be happy with any spotting before the pizza gets too dry.

Conventional Oven Pizza-Baking Tips for Clumsy People??

@salpico: really?? i'm definitely going to have to try this one. cause stones are mostly used for drawing out moisture and my problem has been dry, not moist pizza, so it would make sense to try it without a stone. how long do you bake it for at 550?

Conventional Oven Pizza-Baking Tips for Clumsy People??

@KimmieD: the cutting board idea with cornmeal sounds like it should do the trick. i'll give it a shot on my next pie. and i HAVE been preheating my stone (although i've been tempted not to because it would be so easy). but don't worry, i won't do that, i don't think i've ever heard of a pizza coming out fine with a non-preheated stone.

@jamesws: yeah, i'm seriously thinking about investing in some science lab-grade elbow length hot hands.

What's Your Favorite Gas Station Convenience Store for Snacks?


As someone who just moved from Texas to Erie, PA, I feel like the things that makes Buc-cees stand out are all the homemade jams, preserves, sauces, and candies that they stock their shelves with, not to mention their fresh-made assorted jerky. There are ICEE machines and made-to-order sandwiches and kolaches, but those can probably be found in other places.

@ Texans: has anyone ever been to Prasek's on Highway 59?? I like their kolaches better than Buc-cees kolaches... The bread is soft and fluffy and the jalapeno and cheese kolache is amazing.

Crystal/Cellophane/Mung-Bean Noodles TOO AL-DENTE

I recently moved to a god-forsaken place that does not have a decent Thai restaurant and where it snows heavily 6 months out of the year. Which is why I was cooking with cellophane noodles (but failed).

I soaked the noodles for HOURS in warm water. Then boiled for six minutes, then added to a medium-high heat stir fry for close to 10 minutes (with extra chicken broth). The noodles were still fairly crunchy, having a consistency closer to cartilage than angel-hair.

Are there any ideas for trouble-shooting my cellophane noodles?

3 Unemployed Recent Graduates, 3 Days, Vendors/Cheap Eats

Basically, the situation is outlined in the title. My two friends and I have recently graduated from college and are currently unemployed, holding sketchy part-time job, and in grad-school debt respectively. We have all asked for trips to New York as Christmas presents and will hopefully be there from January 14th to 17th.

What are some good vendors and/or cheap eats you guys like? Any suggestions are helpful!

PS: we like pizza, greasy spoon, mexican, greek, thai; pretty much open to anything tasty (except one of us doesn't like sushi)

Conventional Oven Pizza-Baking Tips for Clumsy People??

I have a hunk of pizza dough that's been cold-fermenting in my fridge (for a little more than 3 days). I've made 2 baby pizzas today and both had some sort of problem. I am loving the flavor of the crust, sauce, and toppings (recipe on Kenji's cold-ferment post, simple tomato, low-moisture mozz w/basil & sausage), but am having big problems with the execution

I am an inexperienced pizza maker who is deathly afraid of burning my hands; I own a pizza stone, but no paddle. Does anyone have any tips for baking a decent pie in a conventional oven, or am I UP A CREEK WITHOUT A (pizza) PADDLE????

Pie #1:
I made this one without enough of a cornichon, baked it at 400 degrees for 10 minutes (which I realize is too low of a temperature) and then hi-Broil for 5 minutes. The cheese developed a crust and everything seemed too dry. The cornichon did not rise but I was happy with the thin center and slight tip-sag.

Pie #2:
I left a huge puffy edge on one side of this pie (accidentally squished the other side). Baked 450 degrees for 10 minutes, hi-Broil for 5 minutes. The cornichon came out poufy but still seemed too dry while undercooked at the same time.

What temperature should I be baking my pies at? I think my oven maxes out at 550, but have been too scared to go past 450 degrees because I'm so clumsy and already have numerous burns on my hands. (I know I need to get a pizza paddle and I probably will soon, but probably not before all this dough in my fridge is done rising.) Any advice is much appreciated!

Pizza in Erie, PA?

My boyfriend and I just moved to Erie, Pennsylvania for school. We've been trying to find good pizza... haven't been very successful. I read on an old post on Serious Eats that traditional Erie pizza is made with a frozen pie-shell crust??! (A couple of accidental "forgot-to-say-fresh-dough" pizzas we ordered seemed to affirm the frozen crust theory.)

We've specified fresh dough a couple of times, but its still nothing like the pizzas we're used to (brick oven, thin crust). Anyone out there who can recommend some good pizza around here, or just some good Erie eats?

lisatyc hasn't favorited a post yet.