dockhl

I am trying, desparately, to reduce the amount of food I make. I grew up with two little brothers in a family where food=love and have ALWAYS been the laughingstock of all for the huge amounts of food I make (but what do they take home to eat tomorrow, eh?) I still have some with the orzo, good for a lunch or maybe a breakfast I'll make it again when my husband and daughter are here. They'll like it and I can make a good amount (and send them home with leftovers )

My favorite kinda soup, sounds delicious.

*URK*

Along the same lines, don't forget Cookin' with Google Put in your ingredients and............voila!

Check out Solana Beach for the Belly Up Tavern It has a restaurant called the Wild NoteCafe, very good. Lots of cool little shops in that area Solana Beach, called the Cedros Design District. I like Leaping Lotus

So, how do you dig through the health food website hype about coconut oil and find out if it is good or bad? The pro guys say it helps metabolism/cholesterol; the con guys say it clogs arteries. I love the taste and smell. Expensive but worth it, if it dossn't kill me Input? Users, can you tell me what you've found?

Now this is really interesting: I'll be first up. When I looked at this recipe, PROVENCAL CHICKEN BREASTS WITH ROSEMARY ORZO, I thought it was too basic and would be boring. And, God help me, I am gonna turn into one of those Epicurious reviewers that p**s me off to no end by changing everything and then saying, "*WHINE* I really didn't LIKE it" With ONE exception.......I LOVED it ! I doubt that I ever would have tried this recipe, and I am so glad I did. Easy and delicious. Here is what I changed: 1. reduced proportions dramatically (one chicken breast) since I am cooking for me alone 2. no leeks, used a big shallot 3. at the rec of the other reviewers, dropped the amount of chicken broth to 1/2 c (remember, one chicken breast) 4. I really like orange/tomato so I took the peel from an entire orange in one strip and used it, rather than the orange zest. Fished it out at the end. 5. sauteed in coconut oil......the MOST intoxicating fragrance (and flavor) I may never use anything else ever again.............. be careful w/ salt & pepper since the olives add a lot of salt (yummy) SO good !

Oh, Sweetpea, we gotta get you into the G.R.I.T.S.!! You just have to let it know who's boss. Lay it on the counter (on a tray if you worry about spillage), on a wet towel for traction. Hold the knife, a good long one, like Norman Bates. Yes, you're gonna stab that melon, but gently---you don't want a ricochet or a projectile. Stick it right in the middle of the top---I usually cut them lengthwise, but you're the boss of this team. Let the knife go in pretty deep, THEN rock it a bit, slicing toward the end the blade faces. Lots of times, the melons will give a great, surrendering sound, a deep, rich, satisfying noise between a "crack" and a "thud" and split of their own accord, too eager to give up their ripe redness. Turn it around and slice toward the other end, and if it's a big one, you may have to turn it over and try to make the cuts meet, like two highway-line painters coming from opposite directions. There you are. Make quarters, or half-moons, or quarter it lengthwise, slide the knife all the way from one end to the other right where the white meets the red, then slice that into neat one inch slices, right in the shell. If you're fancy and it's a party, slide each slice out a bit, alternating sides---pretty presentation. Enough for once. Next time: A Baby Carriage!! ← What SHE said..................

Amen, brother !

Arkansas ?!? Southwest ?!? WTF ?

First, stick the knife INTO the watermelon, and then push it down. Don't try to put the knife edge on the round watermelon surface and push, it'll roll.

And what sorts of things do you cook? (braised lower cost meats as opposed to well-marbled steaks? foie gras and caviar weekly?) What, in other words, do you think you spend too much $$$ on? Take out? I think there has been a similar thread in the not -too-distant past. I'll see if I cna hunt it down.............

OK, I just went to my "Recipes" folder on my desktop (where I keep all of my 'clippings'), closed my eyes and chose: "Epicurious's Top 20 Quick and Easy Recipes"...something I hadn't even realized that I'd saved ! Opened it up, and it is divided into dinners, lunches, sandwiches, desserts. Found dinners, closed my eyes again and picked: Provencal Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Orzo Huh. Didn't know I was in the mood for chicken tonight but I guess I am ! BTW, I'll be happy to email this 20 Q&E recipes pdf to anyone who wants it. Looks like some yummy things............

OK, I'll play ! Any categories? Dinner? Beef? Dessert? or just totally random........? (BTW, Daniel, what kind of work do you do?) Kathy ETA: just got this from a different thread.............here would be another fun game....... Cookin' with Google

GG~ I am so pleased that you liked it. I love the tiny dessert idea (not at all a big dessert lover) and the rest sounded very encouraging. Re: Melting Pot Went to one in VA 2 weeks ago to celebrate my Mom's birthday and everyone loved it. The kids got a big kick out the the concept and we old folks reminisced about college fondue parties The ingredients were varied (pork, chicken, beef, shrimp and LOTS of vegetables,; we also had two types of cheese fondues), well seasoned and high quality. Re: Magic Pan Another oldie but goody ! There is a crepe restaurant in San Luis Obispo that is quite popular with the college students. I think a Magic Pan would certainly be busy here !

I LOVE the concept.will hold off on the evaluation until you report back ! If done well, I think it is what most restaurants should be, with a little bit of "This isn't your everyday food, indulge a little !" too. however, I think healthy desserts are the wrong idea. People might be health conscious on their entree' but I think they go crazy with dessert !

How about Dukkah ? (good bread, olive oil, dip in dukkah..mmmmm)

merstar~ that one looks really yummy. I made a basil/walnut/parmesan on tonight that was OK but needed salt and more basil. The recipe callled for dried and I used a huge handful of fresh. Texture is excellent but I need to tweak the flavor. My husband thought it needed olives..I'll show him your recipe !

I am looking for some savory biscotti recipes for munching with wine....... does anyone have one that has worked well for them? I hate to just leave out the sugar in a sweet one....

Cool ! I live in Paso and didn't know. We'll need to try it this weekend; looks good.

Yes, good. Don't forget Four Vines. My daughter pours in their tasting room on weekends. Good stuff !

In 1979 I used to bring back Barbancourt from Haiti for $5/ bottle by the 6 pack. *sigh*

"Thanks. Stay tuned. It just gets checkereder." Great read...............and I LOVE that word !

Do you perhaps mean B'stilla ? This recipe looks pretty much like what I've made in the past. Yum. I've never made it as an appetizer, just main course.

I had lunch today at a new place in Petaluma, Grafitti. Excellent food. I had the crab cakes. http://www.graffitipetaluma.com/ ← I miss Bruce.