Emma

Suzanne F: I made the plum torte last night - it took all of 15 minutes to prepare. Delicious, as usual. I haven't had it since I was a kid and my mom used to make it all the time, just like her mom used to. Who knew that the Times also had the recipe :) *I used a 9x9 pan and it baked in 25 minutes.

I've never tried their brats, but Piast Meats on River Dr in Garfield makes incredible pierogi. There is always a very long line for the homemade sausages and the like, so you might want to give them a try. And let me know.... Their clientele seems to be almost exclusively Polish if that matters.

bacon? did someone say bacon? i cooked a pound of it over christmas. got this tip from some heartland website: rinse each strip under water. dry. bake in 350 oven for 15 minutes, flip, continue baking until it reaches desired crispy-ness. apparently, rinsing prevents the bacon from curling. it works. i had perfectly flat, crispy bacon. so, if you're not into the curliness, try rinsing.

Sam's Maple Grove! Ah, yes. The place to go for prime rib in the 70s....

I also love buckwheat honey. It's great for baking pumpkin bread. Whole Foods carries cranberry and blueberry honeys....

Other like-minded coworkers and I get together to share lunch responsibilities. We try to trade off days so we're not bringing (and eating) our own food too many times a week. Lunch is midtown gets so expensive and it feels a little more special to know someone has prepared something just for you! Although lugging in all the containers gets a bit annoying.

I've finally dragged out my slow cooker, as well. Mine is a 5 qt Corning-Ware (I just brown food right in the insert and then the next day put on low while I'm at work). I have the best luck with adapting my favorite slow-cooking recipes by reducing the amount of liquid by half. Similarly to posters above, I made a great pork stew with green chile sauce that was perfect for eating with tortillas. I've also made marinara sauces, curries, and today I've got shortribs cooking away. I'm falling in love......with my slow cooker. It doesn't have to be all cream of mushroom soup!

I agree, I've always thought London Broil was for a cooking method. But, indeed, it's how it was labeled on the package. It kind of looked like top round or a big, rectangular sirloin, about 2 inches thick. When I get flank steak it is a thinner cut. Altho I did cook mine like I would a flank steak. If someone told me they were serving london broil for dinner, I would think it would be a tough piece of meat....I guess it has a bad rap. I would never picture the delicious meal I created.

So last night, inspired, I found at my local King's (NJ supermarket) a 2-pound london broil on sale for $3.96. I went for it. And it was delicious coated with s&p and chili seasonings....I broiled for 5 minutes a side to just medium rare, sliced thin, and topped with a quick salsa. It easily served 5 people and I felt very economical. I've always avoided this cut before.....

Forgive me for jumping to conclusions, but does everyone here have a dishwasher except me!? Yikes. I confess that my table is most often set with that "rinse and reuse" heavy-duty type of paper product that I use and then throw away. If I were going to rinse it, I'd just use my regular dishes. Altho I do try to plate each paperplate as if it were the finest of fine china. And I do feel guilt over the landfills.....