CaliPoutine

Kim: Great looking desserts. I've made both of those before, so I know they taste fabulous!! eta: I love that you're not *ashamed* to use coolwhip!!

Thanks!! The next time I make coleslaw for the seniors, I'll try this one.

Thanks! I really love that coleslaw. We can eat a whole head of cabbage between the two of us. I figured any coleslaw in a meat cookbook had to be pretty darn good! It's from the Complete Meat Cookbook, by Aidells and Kelly. Your pics are great! ← Can you add it to recipe gullet or post it here?

I cooked last night. Cook really is a misnomer, since it was a " cold supper" except I had to heat up the ham. I feel very defeated though. I only made 1 item from scratch( Ambrosia) and they just raved on and on about the meal. I made veggie plates with disgusting bottled no name ranch dressing. purchased red potato salad( Reeser's brand from Food Basics, 5.00 for 1.18kg). store bought mini croissants I cut up a seedless watermelon. Dessert was purchased cherry pie( frozen) that I baked off and vanilla ice cream. I only had 23 diners. I cook next week for the program in my town and a neighboring town. I'd planned to make the pork paprikash for my town's program, but I'd defrosted 3 hams and only needed 1. They'll have ham and scalloped potatoes, ambrosia, fresh veg, Jiffy corn muffins( my donation) and trifle. Wednesdays meal in neighboring town will probably only be 20ppl. They'll have the chicken dumpling meal with the dumpling aka biscuits on the side. Potato salad, veggie plates and/or ambrosia and the ice cream tort for dessert. I have lots of odds and ends leftover so I dont want to waste anything.

Temp is also reduced. I got a GE profile dual fuel convection last October. My oven automatically reduces the convection temp by 25F. My problem is, I never know when to use convection vs. regular. I pretty much bake everything with convection and I use the regular feature for lasagna, to reheat pizza, etc.

Kerry Beal, Prasantrin and I made a visit to the Spice House in Evanston last Saturday. To say I was like a kid in a candy store would be an understatement. Kerry and I love it so much, we had to make another visit on Monday to the Chicago location. A few years ago, I placed a mail order and then when Penzey's opened in Detroit I went there. I actually prefer the Spice House to Penzey's. I love being able to see the spices in the jars and to have someone package them up for me. It was just so exciting, I swear I was giddy walking around inside. Everytime I go to Florida, I look for salt-free adobo and can never find it. I'm glad I got some at The Spice House. I dont know what I'll use it for, but I'm still excited

I remember that thread and your event. You did a great job!!

I have the same Jewish ancestors so I'll agree. I always make more as I'd rather have too much than too little. 6 sounds right!!

Yes, send her a pic. I have an old Cuis classic that I just love. Kerry gave me a bowl/blade last year.

I wish I'd known you were stopping at a NY bagel shop. I really really wanted to bring some back to the culinary wasteland in which I reside. I had an Einstein bagel( not toasted, scooped) on Monday, but it just didnt cut it.

IIRC, it was cock fighting or something like that.

Here are some pics from the Maxwell Street Market Tour This tamale was excellent. Dare I say I liked it better than the tamale I had at Frontera Grill on Tuesday? fat guy and edsel These were great too. I can't remember the last time I had a homeade tortilla. They used it to make a corn fungus( formal name is?)taco. That was a bit strange for me. Corn fungus A whole lotta chilies.

For my table, clockwise from the far left: Toby - nyokie6 Ron - Toby's spouse Maggie (aka Margaret) - maggiethecat Lou - Maggie's spouse Ann - Alex's spouse Richard - Alex a friend of the family whose name I forgot -- help! Randi - CaliPoutine Kerry - Kerry Beal Steve - Fresser Please let me know if I got any of this wrong; I'll correct it ASAP. ← The woman between Richard and myself is Cathy2( on LTH forum). I'm not sure if thats her Eg name too.

Take no backwards steps, and watch the sidewalk on maxwell street. Good news - Cle Dr. says i'll be out of this sling in one week! ← I also learned its nice to be in a group with not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 doctors. There wasnt too much they could do, but it was comforting ( to me anyway) to know they were there!!

A few more.... shrimp creme brulee chocholates. I think these were my favorite dessert. I love them!! assorted desserts nxstasty's dessert(what was this called?) frying away stacy,( santo- grace's friend). Kerry beal

Are you talking about restaurants? I know of no restaurant other than Momofuku Ko that bans photography (as opposed to banning just flash), so I'd be interested in other examples. ← Before I wrote my first foodblog on eG, I had planned to visit a restaurant in London, ON. I asked if I could take pics of the food and I was told no( unless I was a food stylist). I chose not to eat there at the time, but I've eaten there since. The food is nothing to write home about( and I've heard this opinion from people who arent as obsessed with food as I am). I dont know what they were so up in arms about. Here is the exact quote from my blog "First, when I got home I checked my vm and was dismayed to hear a message from the owner of Bertoldi's in London. I had called this morning to let them know I was going to be taking pictures for my blog. We had planned to eat there on Saturday night. They didnt think it would be a problem. However, the owner informed me that unless I was a professional food stylist, my pictures couldnt do the food justice."

Here are a few pics to start. Kerry and Rona We loved the Spice House. So much so that Kerry and I went a second time because we forgot a few things. CI's Peach Blueberry Crisp before baking. NYokie6's husband( Ron) fresser, lucky girl, nyokie6 This was the best cheese plate I've ever eaten. We need to convince NyOkie6 to visit Paris again next year before the gathering. She also bought some amazing butter made with the whey leftover from making Parmesean Reggiano. I went to Fox and Obel so I could bring some back to Canada. Kris frying away, Gary, Fat Guy Pigs in the blanket made by Gary.

I always avoided it because I hate dark meat chicken.

Ok, well since you asked..... I took the picture before I realized I'd forgotten to add the olives. Once the platters hit the tables, I ran around with the olive container and added them. I chose to make this because I knew the produce from the farmers market would be top notch( and expensive!!). I used baby arugula for the base. I saw those gorgeous french breakfast radishes and decided to use those instead of tomatoes ( cause I dont like raw tomatoes). I also bought heirloom fingerling potatoes( an assortment). There was this one stand that had great potatoes, I wish I'd taken a pic of the stand. I brought homeade tarragon vinegar( white wine) from home and used that along with a shallot( thanks Kerry), dijon vinegar and 365 brand EVOO from Whole Foods. The biggest departure from a traditional nicoise was my use of swordfish. I dont care for raw tuna and I LOVE swordfish( and its pretty scarce where I live). I used McCormick's seafood spice( it came with its own grinder)( thanks to Hwa for bringing all those great spices) and some oil. I grilled it along with Fresser's help and let it sit at room temp until it was ready to plate. I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. I'm not sure how I'll top that next year.

I learned that you dont need a microplane to grate lemon zest. All these years, I always avoided the small holes on the box grater because I never saw the zest. Little did I know, that It does come out underneath the grater. Kerry told me to put some plastic wrap on the side where the small holes were, but I never saw the zest. I turned it over and voila, it was all there. Wow, that was a total revelation to me. Btw, I just got home from MI. Kerry and I showed up for our train on Tuesday afternoon and we were told there were NO trains running as all the tracks in MI were being worked on. They put us on a charter bus for the ride back. We spent the night in Port Huron today, did some shopping and now we're home. I'm going to work on my pics on Friday as I have to work tomorrow.

The annual recipe books are great. They're actually all 6 issues of the magazine that is in a hardbound volume. eta: I have a promo code for 19.95 a year if anyone wants it. Just PM me.

← Well the street across from me had their side cleaned at 930am. Three cars got ticketed. Hopefully my side will also have a 930 cleaning. Then there will be plenty of room at 12 noon. ← When I lived in Cali, cars could get tickets for street cleaning up until it was over, even if the streets were cleaned early on.

Thanks!!

I've bagged up the ingredients( except the flour) for my dessert. I'm out of nutmeg. If someone local can bring some( and a microplane if the nutmeg is whole), I'd appreciate it. I'd hate to have to buy an entire jar, when I only need a teaspoon. Thanks!!

Would I be able to squeeze in, as well? I have CTA directions if you're already full, but I swear I don't take up too much room! ← I was including you in the plan as well. Just meet in the lobby at 1! I'm hitting the road now. If anyone needs to get in touch with me, my cell phone number is listed on my website (link below). See you all at Blackbird tonight! ← Drive Safely!!