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MGLloyd

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Everything posted by MGLloyd

  1. MGLloyd

    Crisp my hash

    I was going to say that I am a fan of hash in all forms, but it occurred to me that this could be subject to misinterpretation. I first brown the potatoes (I generally use frozen hash brown cubes or shreds as the case may be) and remove them from the pan. I then add the meat, spices and other ingredients and brown them until crispy. I then add the potatoes for a final browning and reheat and add a little bit of fat to make the pan sizzle. This usually results in a nice crispy product. Hash is at its best when crispy, so I strive to make it that way. Soggy, gluey or barely heated hash is worthless in my view.
  2. To give an update, I did buy a Solaire portable infrared grill. I found one for $300 delivered. Due to all the rain and wind up here lately, I have only been able to use it twice. On the pro side, it is very durable and robust construction. It really does reach a much higher temp then my gas Weber grill. I have used it thus far for steak and chicken, and it does an excellent job of searing and keeping the meat more moist than on the conventional grill. I have not yet used it for more delicate items such as fish, so I will have to see if it can be used low enough to not incinerate these items. On the con side, the infrared burner seems far more susceptible to wind than does a flame burner. The first time I used it, it was blowing about 15-20 miles per hour, and the burner kept blowing out. Even though the instructions speak of keeping the lid open while grilling, I was only able to keep the burner lit by closing the lid. The second use was during no wind, and the burner had no problems. All in all, I am pleased with the unit so far. The size works out very well when grilling for just my wife and I.
  3. I sometimes make 'Irish nachos': a bed of potato chips, crumbled bacon, chopped green onions and a cheddar-ale sauce over the top. Garnish with some grated sharp cheddar and run under the broiler. The cheddar-ale sauce is simply a rarebit sauce made with a roux, sharp cheddar and some Guinness or another nice stout or porter. Add a dash of Tabasco or cayenne pepper to taste, and you are good to go! This gets rave reviews whenever I make it.
  4. Somewhat related, but I think Doritos taste better when I zap them in the microwave for 45 seconds. I will have to try this with potato chips.
  5. In Ellensburg, I can recommend the Valley Cafe, Pearl's on Pearl and the Yellow Church cafe.
  6. I live in the Everett area, and I am pretty darn sure that there are no stand-alone culinary schools up here in Snohomish county. I have also heard good things about the local community colleges in Seattle and the Art Institute. Everett and Edmonds community colleges do not have much in the way of any culinary arts programs.
  7. I use it all the time in creating various orange sauces for Asian cooking.
  8. I have been pondering the possibility of buying a stainless steel portable gas grill with an infrared burner to maximize my searing capability. I have heard about the Solaire and the Turbo Sport. What do people think of these brands, or do you have any other brand recommendations? Now that is it just two of us, I hardly ever use the big Weber anymore, and it never got hot enough to sear anyway. PS: Edited to add: price is not necessarily an important criteria. Quality is. I would rather spend the money and get the right item the first time and be able to pass it on to my children.
  9. It looks like the only thing Pacific Northwest about it is the name.
  10. I have been to virtually all the Costco stores in the greater Seattle area, and not once have encountered a bag of any sort at checkout. All we get are the leftover cardboard boxes.
  11. The Marcus Whitman Hotel, 26 Brix, Waterhouse-Crawford and the Petit Creek restaurant in Dayton.
  12. I have actually wondered about freezing a small dollop of lemon curd and using that as the center of a molten lemon cake.
  13. Or you could buy a can of the Contadina sweet and sour sauce, sold at your finer Safeway stores.
  14. MGLloyd

    E-Cloth

    Interesting. There are different microfiber cloths made with different yarn/fiber configurations for things such as polishing, dusting, glass, and general cleaning. One source to find microfiber cloths for various purposes is in the auto section of your local Target in the USA. They have microfiber cloths for polishing, glass cleaning and scrubbing.
  15. MGLloyd

    E-Cloth

    I second the comments above. These E-Cloths are the same microfiber cloths sold by many different vendors. I use microfiber cloths for cleaning all the time and am very pleased with their performance.
  16. The cannoli is not a bad idea, and has the advantage of being easily served and eaten as a discrete unit. The only problem is trying to find pre-made cannoli shells north of Seattle. I can probably find them if I go downtown to DeLaurenti's. I am going to have to look into this.
  17. I, too, have gotten rid of my mis-matched Tupperware/Rubbermaid products and have gone exclusively over to the Gladware containers. My selection was based on looking at, squeezing and otherwise manipulating several different brands at the local Target. The Gladware seemed to be among the most sturdy, and the interlocking lid feature sold me.
  18. I will be attending a potluck with an Italian theme, and I signed up to bring a dessert. I don't want to make the usual tiramisu, cheesecake or zabaglione. It has to be something that I make in advance and can be easily self-served on a buffet line, so this rules out individual servings of something in a martini glass, for example. Any ideas or pointers to recipes? Thanks for any suggestions.
  19. I tried both of the new bars with the dried fruit (cranberries and blueberries) and was somewhat underwhelmed. I guess I was hoping for a more pronounced flavor profile of the fruit.
  20. So I am looking for a more modular style of wine rack, and particularly one that can be disassembled and moved as need be. Esthetics are not a concern. In doing some Googling, I came across the Vacu Vin Click wine racks: Vacu Vin rack Does anyone have any experience with this? If so, did you find it reasonably sturdy and stable?
  21. MGLloyd

    Meat Juice

    Unless the juice was thoroughly cooked, I could see it as a rich source of bacterial contamination.
  22. Or it could just be the moisture from the cheesecake batter.
  23. Some time ago, either on the Food Network or the History Channel, a commercial mushroom farm was shown. It was located underground in a former mine of some kind. The mushrooms were grown in long rectangular wood-framed planter beds. The main organic component of the growth medium was 'well-rotted horse manure'. They quoted the workers that 'after the first few days on the job, you don't even notice the smell'.
  24. I have often fretted over how to treat my Nervous Langours, and now I know.
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