LaurieB

Well, I had to experiment with a couple of dishes I have to make in a couple of weeks for a cooking show. So, I made Braised Beef Brunello, which is a tasty kind of beef stew. We had this for dinner along with black pepper spaetzle, which I pan fried. While that was going on, I made a Southwestern chicken lasagna, which we'll have tonight for dinner.

There would be a family uprising if I didn't have my Waldorf salad at Thanksgiving. It consists of: Peeled diced apples Peeled diced pears Red and green grapes, halved Chopped pecans or walnuts (or a mix) Dried cherries Raisins Hellman's mayo and juice from half a lemon Not THE traditional Waldorf, but damn tasty.

Thank you for your recommendations. I got a Brunello for about $9.00, which did an excellent job creating what was essentially a (very very tasty) beef stew. I don't know the vintage of the original -- as I said, I did not make the original of this dish but now have to re-create it. The person who did the original is, however, a wine rep for a distributor who deals with many smaller wineries. Again, thanks! Laurie

To make a long story short, I need to re-create a dish (which I did not originally cook) that uses a Principesco Brunello di Montalcino. I haven't been able to get in touch with the individual who made it (the dish, that is). So I have a couple of questions. 1. How much should I expect to pay for a bottle of this, assuming I can find it? 2. If I can't lay my hands on a bottle in the next day or so, what can I substitute? I need to test the recipe this weekend -- I do have some time to track this person down before I have to make the final product, but I still need to do a run-through on it now. Thanks in advance for your help! Laurie

Piece of frozen cookie dough. Why is cookie dough so much better than baked cookies? Cheese tortellini with marinara. Little bit of Italian sausage. Later tonight I'll snack on the nibbles for my husband's post-theatre reception for his opening night crowd -- strawberries with honey walnut cream cheese; cheese & crackers; chips & dip and adult beverages.

I do just what Redsugar does, too. At the end, add a bit of sherry -- it finishes it off very nicely. Laurie

Pure salt Tellicherry pepper garlic cumin roasted peppers

Blue Cheese stuffed olives = Yum Beets = Yuck

For the vegan, you could do a ratatouille stuffed into pita bread -- perhaps with some type of rice pilaf. (For those non-vegans, this is tasty topped with some cheddar cheese). Someone who doesn't eat veggies has me a bit stumped (how do you refer to someone like that? A meatatarian?) If she does eat pasta and dairy, a cheese lasagna or stuffed shell would be great. You could do a pesto sauce or alfredo type sauce or even tomato -- tomatoes are fruits, not vegetables as we know. I like all the ideas about "make your own" bars.

Bad news: cheese and crackers Good news: Only had to work a half a day -- so I'm off to make husband's "staff meal" for tomorrow -- tuna salad for sandwhiches for him and his staff.

So having read all the threads about this paragon preparation of cauliflower, I finally last night decided to try it. I also made a roasted pork tenderloin and some spinach ravioli filled with 4 cheeses in a creamy tomato sauce. I put the plate in front of my husband. He eyed the cauliflower dubiously. He took a Boy Scout taste. He then ate all of it, his pork and the ravs. Then he had a second helping -- of the cauliflower. Then he just stood at the stove and ate the remaining cauliflower off the pan. It's the definite New Year's Eve vegetable for our annual NYE dinner party.

Bleudauvergne, those books are BEAUTIFUL!! Mine is just a little brown notebook. Something, tho, that I've picked up from what all have replied to this -- while many here keep computer records of recipes (me included) -- there is great joy for everyone who can pull out a recipe in the handwriting of someone loved who is now gone. I have all my mom and grandmother's recipe cards (complete with splotches of food ) and each time I use them it reconnects me to them. So I know someday someone will be thinking of me when they use my notebook. At least they better.

Well, I've just looked through the replies, and am glad that there are others who utilize not only a notebook, but other "recipe/planning/note devices". I, too, have: 1. A tiny notebook that I make notes on wines, meals, etc. we have when we eat out. 2. A folder of "Recipes from. . ." which get entered into a computer recipe file. 3. A folder of "Scraps of paper" which are just lists of ingredients in search of a coherently written recipe. 4. Notes written in cookbook margins. 5. And a large, beautifully handmade wooden recipe box, which I got for an engagement gift. (I remember at the time thinking "how in the world would anyone ever have enough recipe cards to fill this thing?" Now I'm wondering what I'm going to get when it's full. ) Laurie

I'm with you on the chocolate tips.

You know, I'm not really sure exactly what my notebook is. All the recipes are ones I don't have in cookbooks or in my recipe file. If I'm doing something without a recipe, I make notes and then record it in the notebook. All notations are not successes. Some contain notes such as ''this sucked", "need to add more lemon", "try to fix this", etc. But then I go back and make notations when I do it again. In the past year I've also started to add occasional notes on very special meals I've cooked for friends or family (one friend, who could pretty much go anywhere in the world for his birthday dinner, asked me to cook him his 60th birthday dinner) so that's where it becomes almost like a diary. In my recipe box (and it's huge) I am lucky to have my mom's, grandmothers, aunts and other relatives' recipes, in their own handwriting. The notebook, though, is all me. Laurie

Prolly. Taste the mango and the papaya before you mix it all in. See how sweet both are. I spent last summer making tons of mango salsa -- mostly for salmon -- it had jalapenos, lime juice, cilantro (sometimes a bit of finely diced red onion). It took me to late this summer before I could process another mango! Laurie

I've seen a couple of references to folks keeping kitchen notebooks, to document what and how they've cooked something when not using a specific recipe. I started doing this myself a couple of years ago, when I got tired of people asking me for a recipe and having to reply "Uh, I really don't have one written down". Or, worst yet, trying to re-create something I cooked that came out really wel and then trying to later remember just what I put in it. So I began my notebook. I love it. Not only can I go back and see just what I did, but it's almost like a little diary, reminding me when I look back for something, of what I cooked, and when, and for whom. Who else has their own personal kitchen notebook? More than one? If more than one, how long have you been making notes? Laurie

I've done these a couple of times and people love them. I also do an Italian "BLT" -- Croute spread with basil pesto mayo, topped with a very ripe tomato slice, topped with a piece of bacon or prosciutto or capicola. Especially good on a hot summer day. You can also hollow out cherry tomatoes and fill with a mix of mayo, finely shredded lettuce and finely chopped bacon. Laurie

Blissfully, had Sunday AND Monday off!! Made Marcella Hazan's Lemon Roasted Chicken for dinner Sunday with mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans. Monday made tomato basil soup and also some roasted garlic soup. Today, leftover pasta with Italian sausage at work. Tomorrow, I will move back into the kitchen from my FOH job to do prep and cook for the weekend. At least I know I'll be able to eat. Well. Laurie

Yes, you can rinse the papaya slices, pat them dry on paper towels and use them. Also, please know that henceforth the phrase "taste bugs" has replaced "taste buds" in my vocabulary. Good blog. Laurie

Long day. Got pulled into the kitchen to help prep, so no real time to actually eat a meal. Ya know how it goes. Just little tastes of what you're prepping. Half a ham & cheese croissant Choco chip cookie dough Piece of provolone & piece of cheddar Taste of goat cheese mix for tomorrow's hors d. Piece of chicken, onion & smoked gouda strudel Asparagus spear with Gorgonzola wrapped in prosciutto Taste of the chicken salad Taste of Dijon dill potato salad Some fruit I find it hard to touch, smell, taste all that food all day and then want to eat. Laurie PS, Cherry Dum-Dum Lolipop

I, too, add unsweetened chocolate to my chili. But not as a condiment, as a seasoning while it's cooking. Laurie

As I mentioned, off on Monday. Made Mediterranean tomato sauce and pasta for dinner. Tuesday at work, leftover pasta. Duh, Tuesday night at home had pasta with pesto and a nice bottle of wine. Today at work, "look more pasta". Caesar salad for dinner. Tomorrow is all-staff orientation and we're feeding everyone, so we'll see what that brings. Will be in early tomorrow, as I learned at 4:45pm today we are to feed the Presidential Press Corps on Saturday, and I need to write the menu. Laurie

Saturday: early am: bagel and cream cheese that our event captain brought to job site late afternoon: pizza from pizzas ordered to feed the crew evening: stuff from the buffet dinner: here's the menu. It was delish. Grilled summer veggies with walnut gorgonzola butter Roasted corn on the cob Oven roasted herbed potatoes Red cabbage slaw Deep fried turkey with cinnamon apple chutney Grilled marinated flank steak (this seriously rocked) Yesterday: Wine event for a distributor. It was a tasting with heavy "snacks". These are my kind of snacks. Assorted sausages (fav was chicken/pesto) Pates Breads and crackers Proscuitto, capicola and Genoa salami Cheeses: Cabrales, Jarlsberg, Wisconsin cheddar and Pepato Cheese torta Brie in puff with almonds and dried cherries Tortellini in lemon oregano sauce Bowtie with wild mushroom ragout Penne with grilled chicken in rosa marina Finger pastries Was not at all hungry when I got home. Got to taste some yummy wines, too. Today, I have off.

If I'm making something I've never made before, yes, I follow the recipe exactly. But, I make notes along the way. Then, if I want to, I can make it into something of my own.