CaliPoutine

I felt exactly the same. When her columns ended, I stopped reading.

That one sounds good. The one above is just a tad labor intensive. I'm still waiting on the other grocery ads. They come out on Friday.

I have this on my list. I spoke to the butcher today at the market. He tells me bone-in center cut pork chops will be on sale next week 2.49lb. I'm hesitant to try these because I know chops tend to dry out. Anyone have a good tried and true recipe?

When does the next blog start?

Thanks, actually today, I was looking at broccoli salad recipes on Allrecipes.com. I found one that uses grapes and celery. Both of those things are on sale( grapes 99cents lb), celery 99 cents until April 25th. I'll know this Friday if broccoli is on sale next week. I'm not sure about the nuts. I'll have to check with the co-ordinator. Keep those salad recipes coming.

Thanks for blogging, its a lot of work, especially with your schedule. I can't wait to see pics of your entire kitchen. I've always wanted to try a cannele. My friend recently moved back to SF after 2yrs away. I'm planning on a trip out in September, I'll definatly stop at your bakery and pick up 1 or two. Oh and Alton Brown's Mac and Cheese is my go-to recipe. I've tried lots of others, but I keep coming back to that stove-top version. Its so easy and good.

I'll get either. The egg mcmuffin( only with a folded egg( not the white yellow puck thing that they normally offer) or, a fruit and fiber muffin or a breakfast burrito. McDonalds or Tim Hortons are the only fast food breakfast options in my town ( unless you get subway, but no thanks).

This is the dessert I'm making for the next meal. Oat and Honey Granola Pie.. Granola bars were on sale for 1.00 a box. I'll be using a Canadian product for the crust(tenderflake frozen crusts). I still have NO clue what the rest of the meal will be. I need some good salad ideas? Anyone?

I am so with you on this one. ← Yeah, but one of those pot pies is supposed to be 2 servings. I can't justify eating 1700 calories for one item. ← Ahh come on , yeah yeah you can..once in a while at least Perhaps after a long, hard, stressful day? As a reward? Or even, just cause your jonesing (sp?) for one? Permission granted - enjoy one (or two or three), we wont tell a soul! ← Well, actually, I'm diabetic, so I can't eat that many carbs. I'd be in a food coma if I did. I could eat one serving, but is 1 cup really going to fill me up? It might, but it would be hard to leave the other half( Plus, I doubt it would reheat well). The ironic thing is that yesterday I was grocery shopping in Michigan( they dont sell Marie Calenders in Canada btw) and I actually picked one of these up and looked at the nutritional information( They were on sale for 2 bucks), but I had to pass it up based soley on what I read about the carbs and fat.

I am so with you on this one. ← Yeah, but one of those pot pies is supposed to be 2 servings. I can't justify eating 1700 calories for one item.

We get great peaches here in Ontario, but it wont happen until around Late July or August.

OMG, I want one of those !!!!! Kris can you please, please, please bring me one when you come to Cleveland. I'll gladly reimburse you whatever it costs. ETA: Sorry, I posted my reply the second I saw those magnets, I think Tracy beat me to it.

Last nights meal was bean salad, ham, scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus, crescent rolls and a spring breeze cheesecake pie for dessert. On Monday, I went to my other job and made the bean salad and the dessert. I got the bean salad recipe from my MIL. Its pretty basic. Canned beans( I used red and white kidney, chick peas, romano beans and green beans), onion, green pepper and celery. The liquid is water, sugar and vinegar. The longer it sits, the better it tastes. I also made the dessert. Its pretty low-brow, but the seniors loved it. I used ready made graham crusts. The filling is cream cheese, coolwhip( I know, I know), sugar, vanilla and sour cream. I made the same dessert for the diabetics using splenda instead of sugar. Each pie was cost around 7 dollars( pricey in terms of what I usually spend on dessert). 2 dollars for the crust, 2 dollars for the cream cheese( that was on sale, a bar of cream cheese is usually 3 dollars), 1 dollar for the sour cream, 1 dollar for the cool whip, 1 dollar for the berries. I bought strawberries( from Plant City, FL) on sale for 1.99quart. I macerated them in some sugar( or splenda) and OJ. I made these two items ahead of time because I knew I'd be tired on Thursday. I wanted to make this meal low-stress for myself. My boss and I took a chocolate class in Ann Arbor, MI on Wednesday and we didnt get home until 1am. Anyway, I'm glad I made these things ahead of time because I could actually sit and relax for about an hour before the meal was served. For the potatoes, I took Snowangels advice and used the recipe in the America's Test Kitchen family cookbook. I multiplied the recipe by 8 and left out the garlic. I used 40 russet potatoes that I sliced with the slicing blade of the cuisinart. First, you saute chopped onion with butter, then add some thyme. Then you add the potatoes, heavy cream and chicken stock. A couple weeks ago, I made stock using those leftover chicken carcassas and I froze the stock at my other job. They cook until almost tender, then you dump everything into a pan and finish in the oven. You're supposed to sprinkle cheese on top for a nice crust, but I ended up stiring it in after it melted so everyone would get a little cheese. The seniors loved these. There wasnt any leftover at the end of the night( after the takeout meals). For a veg, I roasted asparagus. I seasoned with evoo, salt and pepper. I bought 11 bunches( 325grams each) for 1.49 each. I had 4 spears leftover. One table wanted more asparagus, but one table didnt finish theirs. I don't have much experience cooking ham. In fact, before I moved to Ontario, I never cooked a ham( I'm Jewish). Ham is a big thing here, everyone seems to really love it. Ham was on sale for 1.49lb before Easter. I bought 6 of these. I froze 3 for a summer meal( cold salad plate). I'm not familar with the term Toupie, but that is what these are called. These were around 6lbs each. I cooked them in one pan. I poured a 2L bottle of Ginger-ale over them and sealed the pan in foil. I'm not sure that the ginger ale did anything, but my MIL does it so I thought what the hay, I'll do it too. I glazed them with a mixture of brown sugar and mustard. I was manually slicing them when one of the volunteers brought me an electric knife to use. I've never used an electric knife before and I thought it was strange. I didnt like the vibrations in my hand. This is one ham, split in half. This was a very succesful meal. People actually came into the kitchen to tell me how good it was. I don't eat ham, so I'm not sure how it was, but everyone thought it was great. We had almost an entire ham leftover and the coordinator divided it up and sold each chunk for 2 bucks. I'm filling in at another dining program( in my town) the second week in May. I'm going to make the same meal since it was so easy.

Just came back from a chocolate class in Ann Arbor( thats why I'm still awake at this hour). I picked up 1lb of mascarpone from Whole Foods, on sale for 5.00. I want to try a non-coffee version of a tiramasu next week. Any good recipes?

I did this very simple lemon layer cake for a tasting. The frosting was just lemon curd lightened with whipped cream. These are basic butterflies from the dollar store( 3 for 1 dollar).

As Ina Garten( The Barefoot Contessa) says : Tiramasu has been done, done and overdone", but I must say, her Tiramasu rocks!! ( and, I dont even like coffee that much). I made this at work on Friday. My boss made it once before and hated it. I said " Let me make it" and so I did. We had a tasting of many different items for a new catering menu. Everyone raved about it. I made it once before for a dinner I catered last year. Its very simple and not too sweet. I used 30 saviardi lady fingers, 1lb of mascarpone, 6 egg yolks, 1/4 cup of sugar, brewed coffee( we didnt have any espresso), rum and a mocha liquor. I shaved some dark choc. on top.

This is the recipe I recommend as well. Its great made a day ahead and reheated. The flavors really meld!!

I bought some KFP whole wheat matza meal. Do you think I could use that for matza balls or would it be too heavy?

Oh Anne, I wish you would have posted this before we left Hollywood. After a week of restaurant food, I would have loved to fix some crab!! Oh well, next time.

I've made this curried couscous salad many times subbing the quinoa for a client that can't eat wheat. She absolutly raves about it.

The first meal I ever had with my partner was a Tim Horton's turkey sandwich. The first meal I cooked was baked ziti.

The same thing happened to us last week while in Florida( Aventura Mall). We ran into The Cheesecake Factory for dinner( we were at the mall already and hungry, plus I like the BBQ chop salad). We waited 35min for a salad and a burrito. I called the Manager over and he went to check. The food came out and my spouse's burrito was cold. I called the manager back over and he took it back to rewarm. They scraped off all the guac and sour cream and when they brought it back it had new condiments on it. However, this time, Robin pulled out 3 bay leaves and the root end of an onion. My salad sucked too!! It was full of tomatoes( even though I asked for no tomatoes and because it sat for awhile, it was soggy). The manager came back and offered us a piece of cheesecake( which I declined because I hate it, my spouse took the dessert). When it was time for the bill, there was none. The manager comped everything( as he should have). We did tip the waitress as it kind of wasnt her fault, but really she should have checked on us in that 35 minutes we were waiting. Needless to say, we wont eat there again.

Thanks!! Is that from The America's Test Kitchen Family cookbook? I have that book and I checked the recipe. It calls for 1 cup of heavy cream. I wonder if I can sub out half and half. Heavy cream is 5.99L, half and half is 2.99L. I'll have to 7x the recipe too.

We're back from Florida and I'm completely refreshed and ready to cook the next meal for the Seniors. The coordinator called me and said Mr. So and So would like the biscuit recipe. Like I said previously, I thought they sucked, but if he wants it, so be it. She also told me that someone complained about the gravy. They thought it was too greasy and not thick enough. *sigh* Well of course it was, I didnt have time to drain off the grease, I just mixed the drippings in with the broth. The next meal is April 12th. I plan to make Ham and Scallopped potatoes. The coordinator told me the previous cook advised me to cut and boil the spuds first so they wont take as long to cook. I'll have to investigate some recipes. Ham's should be on sale before Easter and I'll pick those up. I'm pretty sure they'll go for 1.49lb. I'm making this meal very easy on myself because I'm heading to Ann Arbor the day before for a truffle making class at Zingerman's. I'll be arriving home really late. I'm making pillsbury cresent rolls( They should be on sale for 99cents and the Seniors love them). I'm also making a dessert that is super easy and everyone loves( well everyone who isnt a foodie). Spring Breeze Cheesecake. 1 ready made graham cracker crust, 1 bar of creamcheese( which costs an insane 3 bucks here), some brown sugar and coolwhip. Top with fresh fruit( probably strawberries). I can make one for the diabetics by using Splenda. I'll probably make these on Tuesday over at my other job. I think I'll do some type of bean salad and roasted asparagus as well.

I started my foodblog as a way to document what I cook. Nothing more, nothing less. If I don't get comments, it doesnt bother me at all. Lately I've started posting pictures from the parties we cater at work( I'm a sous chef). I actually receive less comments on those entries than my personal entries. I've had my blog for almost 2yrs and I think I'll always have it. I enjoy looking back at some of the meals I've prepared and remembering them.