daniellewiley

Hmmm... $4 for a jar of crushed garlic or < $0.50 [if that] for a head of garlic. And the fresh clove tastes better. Mincing takes about as much effort as opening a jar. I guess I'll never get the point of these so-called "convenience" goods. ← Not sure where you saw $4 for crushed garlic. The ginger is listed on the website for $3 and I pay even less, since I buy it in a local store. Oh, and get back to me on "convenience" goods when you cook for a family and work full time. I guess it's a good thing that I can afford things that I like that make my life easier. ← I'm quoting NY prices. My mother worked full time AND raised me -- single parent with all of the stress that that entails. no help from a spouse, no help from the government. she may have used convenience products, it's possible, but I seem to remember an overabundance of fresh food. including an insistence that I eat my vegetables. My experience differs from yours obviously. Take a garlic clove, whack at it once with the flat blade of a knife, peel off second skin. Easy. Takes 30 seconds, if that. So you've got arthritis...the vast majority of people who use convenience products don't. That's what my post was directed towards. It's very Rachael Ray/Sandra Lee-ish. Anyway, I'm not here to preach. It was an opinion, not a statement of fact. ← I use the pre-crushed ginger, but not the garlic. I am also a mom of two young kids, and I work full-time. And, though I do rely on convenience foods occasionally, they certainly see an abundance of fresh food, and they are well aware that vegetables are a must. The occasional reliance on some pre-prepared foods doesn't automatically place someone in the Sandra Lee category. We're not talking about cake mix and Hamburger Helper.

Hey all, Due to my son's birthday and other craziness, Michael and I will JUST be joining you all for the Friday night dinner. I just paid five minutes ago. We are very excited! Danielle

Hi - please add me plus one to the Friday night dinner. Thanks!

Wow, thursday sounds awesome. You can put me down for +1 for both events. Thanks Ronnie!

Figure me plus 1 for Saturday's dinner and festivities. I'm excited! (Oh, and I can probably bring a few people up to Evanston in my car from the city.)

OK, CaliPoutine dragged me back over here from the blogosphere to alert me to this planning thread. I'm definitely in. Figure it's me plus 1. I might let my daughter tag along for the entire thing (or my husband - depends who's nicer to me leading up to it, LOL). She loved helping Randi cook when we attended in 2006:

What do you do with all that heavy cream? (especially now that it's not in your coffee)

This will be fun! We also have a kindergartner in the house AND an au pair. Does your au pair cook much food for you guys? (ours has NEVER) Looking forward to Oliver's contributions. My Dylan is currently planning her first cooking vlog, so I can relate to his photography planning.

Well, that show doesn't really represent ANY cross-section of female community - straight or gay. I also love how everyone they encounter (for the most part) ends up being a lesbian. (This is not to say that I don't LOVE the show.) Anyway, sorry to get off topic - it was really interesting reading your take on this issue!!

I was hoping someone would ask about the container. Its a lock and lock container that I bought on Clement Street in San Francisco. Target has a good selection of Lock and Lock's too and you might be able to find the divided container there. QVC also has a great selection, a lot of different items you wont find in the stores. I have a great set of 3 round bowls that nest that I like to use when I make salad for Robin. ← We love them too, especially for my daughter's lunches. We got ours at Target, but when I recently visited the Korean market here in Chicago, they had about 50 different sizes and shapes of Lock and Lock. Perhaps other Asian markets are the same?

2 Calphalon silicone baking mats Pork and Sons cookbook Deceptively Delicious Cookbook (yuck - this one annoyed me)

You're right. That's the culture!

Tina Fey was talking about Kombucha last night on Letterman. She pointed out that there is alcohol in the finished drink. Perhaps that's the cause of the peppy feeling? I knew about the alcohol, but from what I understand, it is a very low amount. You don't get carded buying it after all. Just thought it was funny in light of these conversations.

I hope that it doesn't have to be said that I would let a kid get anywhere NEAR smoking-hot cast iron. ← It is detailed on her blog that Mom did in fact handle the cast iron, though it does bear repeating here I suppose. I think its great that her five year old got to make bread! Nothing but good will come of that. ← She does help make quesadillas at the stove, but I'd have to be pretty damn crazy to let her handle a Le Creuset that was pre-heated to 450 degrees. She was very proud of the bread. I told her that we would try some new variations this week, and she has requested olive.

Has anyone else tried letting their kid make it? That's one of the things that appealed to me from the first recipe; the tease that even a four year old could make it. I didn't have one of those laying around, but I DID have a five year old, and she made a beautiful loaf. I'm eager to try some of the variations - this was a bit too white for my tastes. Here are the details.