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lcdm

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Everything posted by lcdm

  1. Vitiellos Bakery in Nutley has some stuffed breads. I don't know if they have varieties by schedule or just what they feel like making. I'm sure you could pre-order. I've had sausage, eggplant, spinach, pepperoni, pizza. All were very good. You could also buy the dough and make them yourself, it's not hard, but it is "one" more thing to do on a busy day.
  2. lcdm

    Smoking a Turkey

    I smoked a turkey yesterday for Thanksgiving. We had 2 oven roasted and 1 smoked, so if there was some kind of disaster was had back up. This time I did not brine, I took the turkey out of the package washed dried and rubbed with an orange and filled the cavity with rosemary, sage and an orange. It came out great, it was the first time many had a smoked turkey and it was a hit. Even though it was cold and windy the temp stayed between 350 and 325. The 11 lb turkey was done in 2.5 hrs.
  3. 3 girls ; dinner menu. 4 year old: Macaroni and Cheese (she loves pasta and would eat it everyday) and ice cream and candy. 10 year old: pierogies, fried fish, pizza 13 year old: 1st thought the question was "if she had to make dinner" and promptly replied "cereal", then I explained and she said fajitas. * I'll have to ask about the other meals.
  4. lcdm

    Smoking a Turkey

    The water pan (filled with water) is to help provide a stable temperature inside the cooker/smoker. That it catches the drippings is just a byproduct of its placement. ← True in low temp smoking the water pan, helps regulate the temp, but since I wanted a high temp I was going to foil the pan and leave it empty. Instead of that (why foil the pan). I used a disposable foil pan to catch the turkey drippings.
  5. lcdm

    Smoking a Turkey

    I did a test run this weekend. I smoked on the Weber Bullet. Brined turkey overnight (11.48 lbs.). Rinsed well and patted dry. Fired up bullet w/2 chimnies full of Kinsford Charcoal and 4 small peices of wood (2 cherry and 2 apple). I placed a cutup orange and a sprig of rosemary in the cavity. Instead of using the water pan I placed a foil pan on the bottom grate to catch the drippings. I placed the tukey on the top grate. The bullet maintained a temp of about 350 (at the dome). The turkey was finished in 2 hours. I wrapped in heavy duty foil and let rest, breat side down for 2 hours in a warm cooler. The turkey was still hot and juicey when I went to carve it. The turkey came out very good, nice smokey flavor and it was very moist.
  6. They have combined their lunch and dinner menu. I have always liked their food and I think the new combo menu has brought in more people for them. They still have some great specials, I just recieved this via email: SOUP DU JOUR BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE APPETIZER MALANGA CORN PANCAKE WITH WILD BOAR SAUSAGE ENTREES PIEDMONTESE SHORT RIBS PIEDMONTESE SIRLOIN SHORT RIBS, BRAISED IN DARK BEER (DOS XX)AND FINISHED WITH PAN GRAVY CARIBBEAN CORAL SNAPPER PINK SKINNED CARIBBEAN SNAPPER WITH SWEET AND SPICY BAJAN MUSTARD SAUCE PAN FRIED SALMON FILET CRISPY PAN FRIED SALMON FILET FINISHED WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BASIL PESTO SAUCE CIOPPINO OUR WAY CLAMS, MUSSELS, SCALLOPS, WOLFISH AND SHRIMP IN BROTH, SERVED WITH SOURDOUGH BREAD DESSERT ESPRESSO MOUSSE CHOCOLATE CRUMB PARFAIT
  7. lcdm

    Announcing Wine 201

    Hi, I have just returned from a family trip to Calif. and was fortunate enough to visit Unti vineyard. I thought it was very interesting how different vineyards used different methods of growing the vines (how they were pruned and trained). I think it would be interesting to learning about how other regions tend to their vines and also the reasoning for it. Lisa
  8. I have been in similar situations many times. You have to learn from them. New Years Eve purchased expensive champagne for the toast, some people made a face and dumped it out asked if we had any Asti or Andre. Brought an expensive bottle to a friend’s party, it gets opened someone proceeds to fill a drinking glass with the stuff. Adding ice cubes, soda, faces being made (if not outright disgust expressed) have all happened. So what have I learned; know your audience. If we have a party where there are not a lot of wine drinkers, we’ll provide moderate priced wines (so if someone fills a drinking glass it’s not that bad) maybe a little more fruit in the wine, and wine coolers and beer. If I go to a party (which does not have a set course) and bring a bottle (that I want opened) I come in saying look at this great bottle I brought to try. I must admit there have been several parties that I have attended where the good stuff was hidden from public consumption.
  9. lcdm

    Yukon Gold Potatoes

    I also do it similar to the way you do it. Peeled for hot (unless I'm serving w/the skins). Unpeeled for cold (like potato salad). You must have gotten a bad batch of Yukon gold. I use them all the time for mashed and have not had a problem. Sometimes regardless of the potato type I do get a few "clunkers" but never the whole bag. Watch the next bag I buy will prove me wrong .
  10. lcdm

    Smoking a Turkey

    I can understand the confusion. There are so many variables. I think the temps of 325 were taken via the top of the Weber Bullet so the grill temp may be a bit lower. The temp is acheived by not filling the water pan (just foiled used to catch the drippings). From what I have read at that temp a 12 lb bird will take 2 to 3 hours for the breast meat temp to get up to approx 160. Some people foil and let rest in a warm cooler until they are ready to carve. I guess I'll see when I smoke it. Oh also the bird is not stuffed or trussed so I think that helps with the reduced cooking time.
  11. lcdm

    Smoking a Turkey

    I'm going to try to have 1 regular and 1 smoked turkey for Thanksgiving. In reading the info on the Virtual Weber Bullet website, it was opinioned that low and slow was not the way to go for turkeys. Brining and smoking at about 325 was the consensus. Using smaller turkeys was also recommended (about 12-14 lbs). I'm going to try to do a test run this weekend using this recipe http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey6.html or this one http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/groupee/forums/a/t...52/m/8540032152 .
  12. Read some of the recent comments. I have three children 13, 10 and 3. I will usually take them the kid friendly places (Applebees, Chilis....). Somewhere if one has a blowout or is speaking too loudly, it doesn't make much difference because other kids are doing the same. I'm not saying I don't try to nip the behaviour in the bud but there are times when it happens. I usually don't bring my kids to "adult" restaurants, but there are times when I have, (when we are having a good day). Some places were great, the waiters paying that little extra attention to the kids, (getting them shirley temples w/extra cherries in a small glass, or bringing their food out right away, or a small plate of nibbles for them) some places have stuck us in the least desirable area like we were lepers, and treated us as such. I guess there is an expectation, at least with me, as to the type of place I'm going to and the mood of the place. I don't expect to have a quiet meal at Chevy's, even if I was there with just my husband, but I would at a local bistro. As for the wedding "no kids" invite. When we got married we did not have children attend the reception. It was from 6-11pm, we were paying for the whole thing. I've been to too many wedding where the kids are screaming to go home by 8:00 because they are tired, or they are sticking their fingers in the cake or rolling around on the dance floor, or they are hungry because there were no chicken fingers.
  13. Review this thread for lots of info. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=66396
  14. Very sad indeed. Here is the official release from the police department: On Saturday evening at approximately 11:30pm, Nutley Police responded to the area of Kingsland and Darling Ave on a report of shots fired. When police arrived they found Wilfredo Garcia, age 38, a Nutley resident slumped over on the drivers side of his vehicle, apparently the victim of a gunshot wound. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office was notified and responded to the scene. Police are investigating and request anyone with information related to this case to contact them at 973-284-4940 or email us at this email address. All information will be kept confidential. - Lt. Steven L. Rogers, Nutley Police Dept.
  15. I use my knife with my left hand, and my fork with my right. No switching - although it is opposite of the European knife/right; fork/left.
  16. If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Joffe Numeroff, Felicia Bond If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff, Felicia Bond The Little Red Hen I found an updated version (although I have not read it) The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Amy Walrod, Philemon Sturges The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka, Lane Smith
  17. I found this on another message board: CRANRAISINS: Saute cranberries in brown sugar and butter until the skins break. Add a little honey and stir. The secret is the broken skin that allows the sweetness from the brown sugar and honey to get inside the cranberry. Then dehydrate. It takes a lot of cranberries to make a little bag of raisins!
  18. I must admit to making those "recipes" at one time or another. I mean they weren't really recipes, more like top the store bought pound cake with fresh berries and whipped cream or add chocolate chips and nuts to the brownie mix. It wasn't to "fool" friends/guests. It was because I was too lazy or didn't have enough time to make something, so I doctored up store bought to make it passable. For the life of me I don't know why anyone would watch or even pay for these "recipies".
  19. I found these on the Dick Blick website http://www.dickblick.com/zz049/82/ Box of 100 for 3.19. If you don't want to order online try AC Moore or Michael's (or whatever craft/art stores are in your area). Have fun with your project. This place has them 1.49 for 100: http://www.wdrake.com/(lsnmyg45ekobyd55xhy...&scid=15050001I
  20. There are hundreds of posts about BlueStar here: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/appl/
  21. I might be wrong here but isn't a martini traditionally gin? So saying you want a vodka martini is correct - but asking for a martini should result in a gin "martini"? Well, here's the thing: A "Martini" is a drink made with gin and dry vermouth, maybe (hopefully?) with a drop of orange bitters. If you change the basic ingredient, it is no longer something that should be called a "Martini." Think about it this way: A Margarita is made with tequila, Cointreau and lime juice. If I mixed up a drink made of bourbon, Cointreau and lime juice, it wouldn't be a "Bourbon Margarita." To us, a drink made with vodka and dry vermouth is so different from one made with gin and dry vermouth that it doesn't make sense to call them by the same name, even if we modify "Martini" by saying "Vodka Martini." But I think it's more than that. When you start calling everything a "Something-tini" or a "Whatever Martini" it starts to take away some of the meaning and value from the word "Martini." It's also not very interesting, and we're missing out on some really interesting and more informative cocktail names. Isn't it much better to have a "Vesper" than a "Vodka and Gin Martini?" I also think there are more interesting ways to indicate in a cocktail's name that it is inspired by another cocktail without just tacking something onto the name. As it so happens, this is something Alchemist and I have been discussing in this thread about swizzles. There is a famous swizzle called the Queens Park Swizzle that Alchemist has been riffing on. The QPS has a rum base. Alchemist came up with an interesting variation using gin instead of rum. Now, he could have called it a "Gin Queens Park Swizzle," but instead had the idea of naming it after a park in London to give a nod to the city of London Gin: the "Hyde Park Swizzle" or something like that. ← Yes a martini is a specific drink with gin as the main ingredient. Anything else should be given a different name, I think the reason people picked up on the whole -tini craze is that they like drinking from a martini glass. So anything served in that glass automatically becomes a -tini. Another pet peeve is when a recipe/person says "use the freshest ingredients you can find". Really, good thing they told me because I was going to use stale/spoiled/wilted ingredients.
  22. We always had a tossed salad with dinner. Iceberg lettuce (later Romaine). During the summer lettuce from the garden. Usually had tomatoes, cucumber, shredded carrots, celery, sometimes bell pepper. My grandmother would have red onion and radishes added to the mix. Salad dressing would be a choice, good seasons, thousand island, russian..... what ever was in fashion, (I remember we were on a tomato bacon ranch kick for a while). At my grandmothers it was always oil and vinegar. Sometimes for a special treat we would garnish with croutons (from a box) or Baco's. During the summer when we had an over abundance of tomatos and cucmbers we would alternate between cucumber salad, and quartered tomatoes with salt & pepper.
  23. lcdm

    Early Thanksgiving...

    My SIL made Curried Buttercup Squash and Apple Soup http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?ty...ue&resultNo=125 not for Thanksgiving but a fall get together (or maybe you could make pumpkin soup). I was surprised to see soup at a buffet but it was great. She served in mugs, so it was very easy to eat. Cornbread might be nice. The make your own turkey sandwiches sounds like a great idea, have a whole bunch of different breads or mini rolls, gravey, cranberry relish, mayo. Maybe some warmed apple cider.
  24. I'm also in the middle of a kitchen remodel. The 501-113-10 Blanco Magnum along with the Hansgrohe Interaktiv S HighArc 2 Spray Pull-Out faucet are sitting in my dining room.
  25. lcdm

    Apple pie

    I'll give that a try next time. I used honeycrisp, as they were the best looking apples I could find, and at least one source I read through recommended them. Presumably the fact that the apples don't cook down as much is the reason less flour is needed? ← I looked up Honeycrisps online since I was not familiar with them, the apple is decribed as very juicey. So maybe that's part of the problem. Even though I've made a lot of apple pies some come out more runny than others. I guess it depends on the fruit and the kind of growing season.
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