andiesenji

The probe has the sensor at the very tip - and I have picked out individual cloves and speared them with a separate Thermapen just to be certain. The cloves actually "fry" and it is making sure it reaches 205° F. and is held at that temp for a MINIMUM of 5 minutes. As my process holds it at well above that temp for much longer, I am sure I am safe.

I too have the Cadco countertop 1/2 sheet pan size which I have had for years and I love it. My first food processor was a Cuisinart, made by Robot Coupe in France and converted to U.S. current in the 1970s before they were sold for home use here. I still have it. I also had a pasta machine - mixer/extruder and I would probably still be using it but I loaned it to someone who needed it a lot more than I did. I was never totally satisfied with the results. And it was a bitch to clean if one left it for even half an hour the dough turned into concrete!!! On the other hand, I still have a 40-year-old Atlas pasta machine - hand-cranked - that I use quite often so it is always handy. Sometimes I use one of the Cuisinarts to make the dough (I have a 14 cup and the big 20 cup) but lately I have been working the dough in the bread machine. Works great.

I am yet another who is not found of Keurig. I was given one because a visitor thought my Senseo machine was "not versatile enough" and I found it a nuisance because it sputterd a lot and the counter was constantly messy. Also I didn't care for the coffees on offer. I grind my own coffee and fill my own pods for the Senseo because I like the extra dark - or French roast stuff. I gave the Keurig away just a few weeks later and have stuck with my Senseos (I bought extras when I learned the machines were to be discontinued in the U.S. - something about which I am still incensed.) I did have a rather elaborate espresso "superautomatic" machine - a high-end Saeco - which I gave away because I really wasn't using it - even though it was plumbed in and was very simple to use. The guys to whom I gifted it gave me a small Dolce Gusto machine in return and I use it all the time - mostly in the evening because I have it in my family room handy to my desk and where I sit to watch TV. I do love small appliances and have an extensive collection of "vintage" toasters, waffle irons, coffee brewers, tea brewers &etc. I have a few of the "gimicky" ones that appeared briefly and did not catch on because they were simply unworkable - I have them for the novelty factor. Sometimes it is just a matter of finding a satisfying purpose for some of the "niche" appliances, some of which may be resurrected and put to regular use when outside forces change. A neighbor tried to give me a bread machine (I have several) she had received as a gift, a couple of years ago because she said she just "didn't have time" to fool with it, measure out ingredients, etc., and it was taking up room in her kitchen. I told her about - in fact I gifted her with - some of the boxed bread machine mixes which are absolutely foolproof and convinced her to give them a try. She became an enthusiastic user and bakes bread for her family at least three times a week, sometimes more often. The original machine developed a problem so she immediately replaced it with a newer machine with a larger capacity. The same thing happened with my daughter several years ago. She said she "would never use" a bread machine but I convinced her to give one a try and sent her one. Now she wouldn't be without it, uses it almost daily.

I have been cooking a lot of pasta, different varieties, "flavors" and shapes, but have been dressing them all with the same aglio et olio - using some very fruity olive oil given me by a friend (gallon jug) from a vineyard on the central coast that is not yet doing the commercial thing but is producing some just for friends and family. ( I was asked to keep the name secret - it's near Cambria) Anyway, there are times that I get a craving for garlic and I find that this application gives me the most satisfaction. I have also cut way back on meat. I have also been advised to cut way back on highly acidic foods so tomato-based sauces are verboten at this time.

With me it is the "seasonal" thing - some appliances get a workout during part of the year and then get shuffled into an out of the way spot for the remainder. Recently I shunted my ice cream machine (self-contained) away from the area of immediate use because I will not be needing it for some time. Meanwhile the cocoa machine was retrieved from a back shelf, dusted and readied for making cocoa and other hot milky beverages that are desirable at this time of the year. (West Bend Cocoa Grande) I have a griddler too and it sees use only sporadically, mostly for grilled cheese - I have another panini press that gets much hotter that I prefer for that type of thicker sandwich on artisan bread or rolls - and for a griddle I prefer my ancient stove top cast iron piece that has developed a perfect non-stick surface over the nearly 100 years it has been in constant use. There are a few appliance I bought on a whim, used several times a week for a while and then retired permanently for one reason or another. One is a pressure skillet which was quite expensive but simply didn't work the way I wanted - I was disappointed in the results. I actually gave that one away. The soft-serve ice cream machine was another bust. I don't know how many batches I tried and could never get the right texture/consistency. It finally went back in the box and is on a top shelf out of the way.

Put the fresh leaves in a wire colander on the counter. Toss them every couple of days until they are dry enough that they snap when bent. Store in an air-tight jar for 6-8 months. I grow my own Laurel Nobilis - "true" sweet bay - and have been drying and using them this way for years - as the dry leaves work better in soups and stews - most savory dishes. Some dry leaves are de-stemmed and ground in a spice grinder and SIFTED so that only the powder is used in spice and herb mixtures, rubs, etc. You can freeze the fresh leaves but only after vacuum sealing in a bag - otherwise they lose much of their flavor. Use caution in putting the leaves in a liquid and blending. There can be tiny flakes of the leaves which will harden and become quite sharp and should not be consumed. If you filter the oil or vinegar or use a fine mesh strainer, you will be okay.

I know some people are hesitant about using the pepper. It should be freshly ground. I have several varities of peppercorns and some are more aromatic and "sweeter" with a "fruty" flavor - one of my favorites to use in baking - in fruit pies and etc., is the Comet's Tail peppercorn - you can really taste the difference. One of my friends is making chocolate truffles with this pepper in the dark chocolate filling. I can't eat chocolate but every batch me makes sells out early in the day.

I should have noted that you might not need all the flour. Sometimes the dough is workable with a little more than 6 cups of flour, other times it takes the full amount - humidity in the air seems to be the reason.

I got this recipe from my stepdad's sister back in the '50s. - an old family recipe and I have modified it slightly (the original made 400 cookies!) I've made them many times - They are quite spicy. I have substituted cardamom for some of the spice and once used allspice instead of the nutmeg and cinnamon. They were fine. Auntie Vera's Pfeffernusse Makes about 100 cookies using a #60 disher (about 1 tablespoon) 1 cup butter - softened 1 1/2 cups brown sugar - packed 1 cup molasses - (honey can also be used I made a batch with Lyle's black treacle and they were lovely) 2 eggs 2 Tablespoon Anisette or other licorice- flavored spirits 6 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose) 2 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 2/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2/3 teaspoon finely ground black pepper Powdered sugar in a shallow pan - Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment Use a large bowl. This can be made without a mixer but it requires a strong arm... Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add molasses or honey, beat till well blended Add the eggs and Anisette and beat till blended. Mix dry ingredients together. Add gradually while mixer is on low - add 1/3 of the dry ingredients at a time, blending well before adding the next batch. Use a disher (# 60 works for me) - or a tablespoon - and portion into balls slightly smaller than a walnut. Place on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake about 12 - 15 minutes - less time needed in a convection oven or reduce heat to 325°F. Pull the parchment off the baking sheets right onto cooling racks. Wait about 4 minutes and transfer to the shallow pan with the powdered sugar and shake to coat completely. Return to cooling racks and allow to cool completely - several hours - before storing in a cookie tin. DO NOT STORE IN PLASTIC CONTAINERS OR BAGS! P.S. If the cookies get hard, put them in a plastic container with two or three slices of bread and leave for 24 hours. They should return to their orignal softness.

I have several electric pizelle irons and the one I use most is the Cucina pro piccolo - which makes 4 small cookies - a bit more than 3 inches in diameter. I also have one that makes three oval cookies, long and narrow but all of mine are a few years old. I do have a stove top iron that produces a 6 inch cookie with cross ribs that break nicely into quarters but I haven't used it for years. I bought it at an Italian grocery back in the '70s so I don't know if they still make them. I roll mine too but I use a wooden spoon handle to make the "cigarette" shapes - work nicely for dipping in chocolate.

I spoke to Ed on the phone last evening and asked him about his chest freezer to fridge problems. He said there have been some more effective conversions since he tried his and he wishes he had been able to tap this wealth of info when he tried it (in 1999). He then sent me an email with this link - one of his neighbors has gone totally solar and did three, large (25 cf) freezer conversions using this technique and controllers with great success. (raises game birds as well as chickens and needed cold storage for eggs for sale) His aim was to cut the electricity use dramatically and commercial refrigeration units do draw a lot of power.

I just remembered "stuffed" pecans (or walnuts also work). 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened. 4 ounces caramelized onions - or shallots (I prefer the latter) and if they are a bit "scorched" the flavor is even better. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 60 large pecan halves (50 walnut halves because they are larger) Toasted lightly to crisp in a preheated oven at 350°F. for FIVE minutes. Mash the first three ingredients together until well blended. apply a teaspoon of the mixture to the flat half of 30 pecans - add the top half to make a mini "sandwich" - chill until ready to serve. Another "filling" can be finely minced dates with cream cheese. also "Burnt" fig jam with cheddar. Blue cheese with quince jam.

I infuse garlic in oil in the oven at 350° F. The process usually takes three hours, start to finish. I use the same process whether the garlic is fresh and peeled by me or is the peeled stuff that one can buy at Costco in the big container. I stick a remote probe into the biggest garlic clove - usually do a pound of peeled cloves at a time - two liters of oil - doesn't have to be "extra virgin" olive oil - but I prefer one of the "greener" types that has some of the peppery flavor. I use a 4-quart "Visions" roaster. The temp signal is set for 250°F. and when it reaches this temp I set the timer for 20 minutes. At the end of that time I turn the oven off and allow the stuff to cool in the oven. My entire house smells like garlic but it does dissipate in a day or so - I like the aroma so it doesn't bother me. I store it in sterilized jars with the wire snap closures at room temp and have done so for decades. I originally got the "recipe" or process from one of the profs at Pierce college, Woodland Hills, CA. They were doing some soil testing at the time (horticutural studies) which was why I made the initial inquiry. This was back in the '70s when I lived nearby.

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The problem with a chest freezer that is converted to a refrigerator temp is that the air circulation is not optimal - or even passable if you come right down to it. There will be areas of low temp and areas with much higher than desirable temps if you are storing things that need to be below a certain temp. A friend tried this for storing wines several years ago and had some difficulties and ruined some pricey stuff. If you have room for an upright, consider one of the commercial units that you can find used at restaurant supply places for the same cost as a home type fridge and they are built to last for decades, not years. My friend now has two units, similar to this that he fitted with wood racks to hold wine bottles - and with the bottom reserved for upright beer bottles. He has them in the garage because the compressors are somewhat noiser than home fridges.

I have written in other threads about my accidentally oversugaring quince paste one year and "tempering" it with a strong brew of Lapsang Souchong to add a smoky flavor which effectively cut the sweetness dramatically. This made it perfect to serve with cheeses, particularly the ones that are strongly flavored. Since then I have done the same with fig jam, mimicking the commercial "burnt fig jam" -- also some others. I make little empanadas with various fillings and they can be made ahead, frozen and baked when needed.

Do you have a Bundt cake pan - any cake in one of these molds looks festive and can be decorated with removable fruits - red and green cherries, etc., or candies and with dark cakes you don't even need to ice them, simply sprinkle with powdered sugar "snow" ... You might also make an apple cake with fresh apples which are very festive - I recently tried an apple upside-down cake which turned out beautifully and was highly praised. Apple upside-down cake I actually doubled the recipe and baked it in an 11 x 15 glass baking dish (Anchor Hocking) rather than bake in two pans.

Or you can add a little acid - buttermilk or milk with a tiny bit of vinegar or lemon juice.

I grow my own and they are the true Laurel Nobilis. I know some people use California bay but I can't stand the smell which to me is like kerosene and I can certainly detect it in food and to me it ruins the entire meal because once I taste it, it takes hours to get rid of it.

My favorite for baked beans done Boston style - are cranberry beans. I have used many types and if I don't have cranberry beans, I use whatever is on hand. I have used everything from navy beans to butter beans and they all taste good. It's just some, to my taste, are better than others. One "trick" to keep the skins intact whle allowing the interior to become creamy is to add a tablespoon of baking soda to the soaking water and then rinse very well with lukewarm water after draining.

I've never found a mid-century Lodge that had the slick surface of the Griswold and Wagner skillets. Decades ago I bought one of the huge footed skillets for camping and ground the inner surfaces smooth with carbide discs and finished with a wet "crocus" disc. I got a very smooth finish that took seasoning nicely. The original surface was like sandstone, felt gritty.

I simmer fresh bay leaves in the milk I am going to use for custards - the fresh leaves are "sweeter" and have some flavor elements that are not apparent in the dried leaves. Perhaps you will take the time to read through this article, which has some great suggestions.

Exactly what I have always contended. I prepare dulce de leche in a slow cooker (once made a huge 12-quart batch in an electric roaster for canning the stuff for holiday gifts) from a recipe from a Mexican neighbor. It takes longer but requires only occasional stirring because the heat source surrounds the cooking vessel instead of causing hot spots on the bottom. I usually use a combination of cow and goat milk but sometimes use just goat milk. Frankly, the stuff made with condensed milk always has a metallic, "tinny" flavor that I do not like. I have a Thermomix, purchased in November 2009, but have never used it for dulce de leche - although I have used it numerous times for reducing sauces, making small batches of jams, jellies and custards that require constant stirring. It was expensive but for me well worth it for the tasks for which I needed it.

I just use my plain biscuit recipe - sometimes toss in some toasted onion or some finely chopped chives and a tiny bit of rosemary. Self-rising flour and heavy cream. (2 cups flour 1 cup cream) Nothing else. Roll out and cut the biscuits and allow them to rest while the casserole is cooking. I cook the chicken and vegetables, covered with foil until nearly done and the broth is thickened and bubbling. I top the dish with the biscuits, return to the oven for about 20-22 minutes at 375°F. or until they are nicely browned. Same process with beef, pork etc.

All of the skillets and other cast iron pieces I inherited were seasoned with lard. Once the fat is polymerized it is also stabilized, it does not become rancid. I have two skillets, a Dutch oven and a griddle that I stripped clean and seasoned with vegetable fats and I store them separately because I sometimes cook for friends who observe the kosher and halal dietary laws or are strict vegans and I don't want to offend them. The best results have been with grapeseed oil - you don't want an oil with a super high smoke point for seasoning. One of my friends who lived in India for many years - seasons her pans with ghee, especiall the steel pans she useds for frying breads, spices, etc. All of her steel pans look like they have a non-stick coating, charcoal gray and it is very stable. I personally have never tried ghee for this (though I do use it in cooking quite often) but think her method would work well for certain applications.