lcdm

I agree with most of the others simple food done well (especially burgers/hot dogs) some other options with a little twist: Wings w/raspberry chipotle sauce Fish & Chips - w/ special tarter sauce (jalapenos, capers...) Sausage/keilbasa platter w/red cabbage and brown bread served with several types of mustard soup/chili/stew in a bread bowl Pierogies - twist on the fillings Grilled cheese - different bread & cheeses/fillings Panini - tons of options French onion soup Po' Boy's One of our favorites at a local place - rock shrimp - lightly breaded & fried (like tempura) served in a bowl with olive oil, lemon, garlic and crushed red pepper. That and a loaf of bread for sopping up the sauce - yum! If you are trying to cater to families - one place we go to serves the kids meal in a frisbee and ice cream is included in the price (usually an ice cream sandwich). If the kids are happy the parents are happy.

The Le Creuset website states that the knobs are safe up to 450F Phenolic knobs are heat proof to 450°F. Further, it is best to keep phenolic knobs away from the heating elements in an oven as the temperature in this area is generally hotter than the temperature throughout the oven. http://www.lecreuset.com/usa/products/care...meled_Cast_Iron When I had the oven up to 500 I did notice a smell but I didn't know if it was the oven or the knob on the pot. I'm guessing after repeated use at 500 the integrity of the knob may be compromised.

That's how I interpreted the challenge 500 calories - main, side and dessert. They could have served a salad w/no cal dressing, small piece of turkey cutlet and a snickers bar and come in under 500 calories.

I don't know, I sort of liked the challanges. Making something out of a vending machine - some of the dishes were really imaginative; although I didn't like that the last couple people got scraps. I thought the glucose challange was a good one also, it really surprised me that some of the contestants had no idea how many calories were in what. Colicchio bought up an interesting point when he was in the kitchen, he asked one team why would a kid want a fruit drink when they could have fudge cake? One of the team members said because they are watching their weight and they should get used to it (or something like that). Even though the kids are on diets they should have access to things that taste good.

It depends how strict the person is. My girlfriend would not eat chocolate because it had caffeine in it. Let's see I ate just about everything (no raw meat/fish and tried to cut down on caffeine). I craved chicken salad and spicy foods. Even though I love spinach I could not eat it during my pregnancy (don't know why but it really grossed me out).

I have a 36" all gas DCS seen here: http://www.dcs-range.com/indoor/detail.php?id=8 Very pleased with it. The simmer works great very low. To tell you the truth I was so hung up with BTUs when looking at ranges that I have to laugh at myself - I hardly ever use the burners past medium, but I do have "the power" for the rare instances that I do.

Most rehersal dinners that I have attended were only for the parents, bridal party and their guest/spouse, and the cleryman. They have either been at a local restaurant or at someones home. My MIL threw mine (very nice buffet at her house). My mom threw my sisters since the grooms family was from out of town. My mom catered Chinese food. The rehersal dinners I have attended at restaurants have been at all types of places, high end, burger joint, steakhouse..... usually last a few hours and the bride and groom thank the attendants and give out attendant gifts. I guess if you want and can afford to throw basically another wedding (but exclude people who live within commuting distance) thats up to you.

If you don't want to go heavy, how about an onion or mushroom soup. For a little kick add some sherry pepper sauce.

Don't know if this is what you are looking for: I try to buy what's on sale. I know that my supermarket sales go in cycles, pork one week, chicken another, beef another. So I try to buy on sale a freeze, this week skinless boneless chicken breasts were on sale for 1.99 a lb and whole chicken legs for .49. Sometimes I'll get the large family pack and freeze in serving size portions (or cook the whole thing and freeze that way). I use the supermarkets shopping card each time I shop to qualify for discounts & free"stuff". Free turkey or ham for Thanksgiving, one time during the year they have a promo - for each 500 (or was it 250, can't remember) you spend you get a 10% off coupon. During one period I accumulated 5-10% coupons. I saved 50% on a very large shopping order.

Wow what a question. I agree with most of what is written. My husband and I own a wine shop. He manages it, I work a “normal” 9-5 job w/benefits (I worked there part time plus my “normal” job before kids). During college I worked as a waitress at a diner 6pm-6am on the weekends and 1-2 nights a week. IMHO working somewhere and owning are two entirely different things. 1.Benefits – offering benefits may break the bank, if you don’t you have to make sure you are covered personally $$$$$$ (also you get what you pay for). 2.Wait staff, cooks, dishwashers are a transient lot, who will fill in the spaces when someone doesn’t show up (usually during a holiday weekend). Also you have to worry about who is getting along with who, who’s not. What are you going to do if a waitress complains about getting pinched by customers/by the chef, what if the waitress retaliates (like sort of stabbing a cook with a knife)? 3.Don’t plan on a life outside your business, holidays, weekends, sleep, vacations, social engagements, forget them. In fact if you plan a vacation 3 employees will not show up (jail, sick, never coming back, shacked up/drugged out). 4.No one cares about your business the way you would, get over it, it’s just a fact. Maybe you’ll get lucky and hire someone that does, don’t count on it. 5.Some may say look at the guy who is successful and owns three restaurants……. He/She worked like a dog for 10-20 years to just pay their loans and doesn’t know their kids birthdays (if they have kids). 6.Family & friends – how will you handle this, discount/free – they may take up valuable table space from paying customers. 7.Fundraisers – prepare to be bombarded by every school/charity/hospital/town function, yes they are important, but when you are just paying the bills it’s tough and people tend to think “since you own a business”. 8.More importantly – do you like people? I mean really like people, all types. The blue haired ladies that ask for a discount, the people that count their pennies, the people that complain to make themselves seem better/more knowledgeable than you. The people that send stuff back even though it’s fine, the people that complain to receive a comp…… My sister and husband opened a business and came to the conclusion that they were not cut out to serve the people (they liked people just fine, were great at parties, my sister has the patience of a saint, just couldn’t stand the neediness and “special requests”).

I've made pork tenderloin wrapped in pancetta (recipe off the weber website). I't very very good. http://www.weber.com/bbq/pub/recipe/view.aspx?c=pork&r=170

What channel/station is this on?

Home Depot or Faifield Garden Center. Or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/apple-mulberry-hicko...8&s=home-garden

Made the applesauce spice bars last night. There were only 4 left when I left for work this morning. Thumbs up from the whole family. I was getting tired and was going to skip making the topping, I'm glad I didn't ; it really made the bars special. I wonder if there will be any left when I return from work

My "plan" was a 5-pound butt at around 250 for 10 hours or so. It's in the brine already, so for this shot, the best I can do is improve the rub-type thing. I would love to get into a real smoking deal, but this one is sadly down the river too far to be brought back. I will message about a future plan rich. ← I usually smoke outdoors (weber bullet) but on occasion I have made "pulled pork" in the oven. The best recipe/method I have found is from Tyler Florence: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...6_27406,00.html Basically - apply the rub & roast at 300 degrees until it's falling apart (about 6 hours). Enjoy!!!

I usually take a loaf of crusty (Italian or French) bread. Cut lengthwise, smear on both sides a stick of softened salted butter. Spoon on chopped garlic and grated parm. cheese. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. I close it up and cut into serving slices (I don't cut all the way through just enough so it's easier to serve when it's hot). I wrap in AL foil and bake at 350 for approx. 30 minutes. The outside is nice and crusty and the inside is a little mushy.

I also purchased the book at Costco. For my first recipe I made the Cardamom crumb cake. I didn't know how orange, expresso and cardamom would work but it did. It was very nice - not too sweet. I baked it a little longer than the recipe specified (the knife did not come out clean) and the nuts browned too much. Would using a glass pan caused this, maybe I'll use a metal pan next time? Thanks, Lisa

The King Arthur site has a ton of recipes: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/cat...xpand=C1&id=C23 White Bread 101 is pretty basic. The Challah is pretty easy too.

Good idea

This maybe a stupid question, but from looking at the drawings can you stand at the sink and have the dishwasher open to load it? Lisa

If it's being used for soups I'd go with frozen spinach, or use escarole.

We have linoleum and I could not be happier. I didn't want tile because as you said it's hard on the feet (and dropped glasses). Wood would have been OK but I would have obssesed about the scratches. So we got lino with a design around the border. Works for us (family of 5 and 1 dog/2 cats).

I thought everyone gets the same "meat" to prepare and you are judged against each other. Am I wrong? Congrats on the brisket.

I have a 48in built-in Kitchenaid refrig. no problems as of yet (but I have only had it for a year).

I've been thinking about the 5 hour brisket. Maybe it would work better if you didn't wrap in foil but put it in a pot or Al. pan covered w/heavy duty foil. Just a thought.