Poffertjes

I've used it off an on this past year (mostly when I get a chance to go to Trader Joe's) I enjoy it, it does have a certain.... Different than other olive oils in my cabinet. I like it!

Fantastic Blog. Looking forward to all the future entries. My new years resolution to keep the pounds down is to bring my lunch to work. Such a simple thing, all it requires is a little planning on my part. Thus far I am 4 for 4 in the new year. Yay! CaliPoutine, you mentioned sparkpeople.com I use that site to track my calories and exercise as well. Works much better for me that a handwritten food diary, and the calculate everything up for you, including nutrients and minerals. Good luck to all three of you in your weight loss endevours!!!

Refried beans and cheese, in a quesadilla, in a bowl, on nachos. However it comes. Also spicy spicy spicy. Mexican (to go with the beans), Thai, or just some tobasco on top.

Can you fit a whole cow? I need one transported to my deep freeze.

Isn't he an ass?!?! But still, every 3 months or so we have to go out to dinner with them... Whats worse is last time, when we ate at their house and he ruined a beautiful $70 piece of beef by roasting it to medium rare, which according to him was 155 degrees....

Turkey Tostadas were always a big hit in my family growing up.

Thanks for the past threads. I did a search, but couldn't find anything. Thanks for all the well wishes and support. I have all the guidelines from my doctor, from "what to expect when you're expecting" and other books, the internet, etc. I know not to eat raw fish or sushi, not to eat fish that have a lot of mercury, no caffeine, no (or limited) alcohol, no lunch meats, etc. I know to keep my weight gain to a minimum, 25-35 pounds based on my height, previous weight and fitness level. I have my cravings, Peanut butter and honey on toast during the first trimester, refried beans and cheese now that I'm in my 2nd trimester. My questions are based on the fact that most of the resources out there are not set up for individuals who enjoy cooking and eating. I don't need help incorporating more veggies and fiber into my diet, as my diet currently consists of steel cut oatmeal and consistently buying veggies at my super market where I have to tell the checker what they are. Thanks for all your comments, I look forward to hearing more from you and reading the past threads mentioned upthread. Thanks! Poffertjes

I receive Jerry Seinfeld's wife's new cookbook for Christmas from my brother's girlfriend. You know the one were she hides veggies from her kids in her food. Because god forbid a kid ever confront broccoli and actually like it. I don't think I'll be using that book much.

If you want to thank someone, thank Jose Andres of Washington DC. He worked with the federal government to get it all approved. I believe the first shipment of jamon iberico went directly to his plethora of excellent restaurants in DC for their Jamon celebration. Could you imagine an evening an Jaleo celebrating Jamon Iberico? How I wish I could have been there!!!

Thanks for your well wishes. I think having a daily Vosges chocolate break is a fantastic idea. I guess I'm also kind of inspired by Nigella Lawson's new book, when it talks about feeding children and being pregnant, that what you eat during pregnancy and breast feeding can affect your children's palate. Does anyone have any experience with this? i.e. eating spicy foods, strong flavored foods, etc will give your child a taste for them. Such as eating Cauliflower or broccoli while pregnant or breast feeding will help your child embrace them when they are eating solid foods. Also, allergies, I have absolutely no allergies, same with my husband. Is this just luck of the draw? How do I help my kid have the same experience?

As a first time pregnant lady, I have found a lot of helpful, unhelpful, and down right annoying advice on what to eat and what to avoid. From dirty looks at Japanese/Sushi restaurants (no I wasn't eating anything raw), to a friend who practically had a heart attack when I took a sample of prosciutto from George, my friendly butcher/chef at my neighborhood corner grocery store, to people telling me I can't eat _______ because.....well they don't know why. But I just should not eat it. How can one be pregnant, enjoy it, enjoy eating and raise a child to enjoy food and abhor baloney, spagetti-o's and american cheese? Advice, stories, and ranting all accepted in this pursuit.

Along Pebs's line... My father in law who at a chinese, thai, korean, japanese, or any other asian variety restaurant will say to the wait staff... "NO-MSG, NO-MSG" in made up accent, right out of a bad kung foo movie. And then there's my friend's husband, who will spend the entire dinner telling us about all the money he has, about his wine collection, how the restaurant we took them to has an "okay wine list, but if they got a chance to look at my cellar...", has the waitstaff running back and forth to cover his every demand, question, and extra condiment request, and then leaves 14.5 percent tip.... I have taken to carrying extra bills in my pocket to leave on the table when we go out to dinner with them.

Yes, the list isn't quite up to snuff for the foodie dorks out there. But think how nice it would be, attending a holiday party where they normally serve costco purchases straight from the package, but instead, these non-foodie people read this article and were inspired to try to make something of their own instead. It would be a pleasant relief to my holiday party schedule. Costco and those damn weenies in bbq sauce and grape jelly.

This is fantastic. Its like Pizza Metro here in Chicago, which is a take on roman style street or late night pizza. This style of pizza was available many places in Italy, a little old man vendor sold it outside my university in Siena. The common practice was to get two pieces and make it a sandwich, with the crusts out. The key was two different kinds of pizza, one funghi and the other salsiccia was my favorite. Ah, the Pizza Metro potato and rosemary pizza. I may have to try and recreate this at home. Of course, them being only three blocks away really doesn't help.

Or maybe just have them on new years day, instead of eve. I know, I know ruins the whole tradition. But then you can get them delivered on Tuesday with no worries. Who doesn't like lobster to start off a new year?

Or keep make a lobster tank out of your bathtub. Its how my mom used to terrorize me and my brothers! Kids, its time for a bath!!!

The corn and soybeans being used for bio-fuels are primarily feed grains for cows and pigs. Having grown up in the middle of Iowa, there is a BIG difference between sweet corn and feed corn. I wouldn't eat the feed corn, or feed it to anyone. While we can't feed people with what is being used to create bio-fuels, it does raise the cost of feed for beef and pork producers. And then theres the whole thing about it taking more energy to create a gallon of bio-fuel than created by burning it. Bio-fuel is not the miracle cure it is purported to be. We just need to use less fuel.

I think the rule is, if the host believes they are more important than the food, then the show has something wrong with it. For those (mostly pbs, almost never Food Network) who think the food is the star, the usually are better about technique, logic, and showcasing the food rather than the host. Of course this is subject to some pretty broad generalizations.

Oh to have a CSA in California.... Our CSA in Chicago will contain potatoes, squash, apples, and whatever they can grow in the cold frames, I'm thinking mustard greens, kale, and beets.

La Pasadita on Ashland still has three locations. Each delicious!

Re: Coat. As a former DCer, you should be fine with whatever coat you can deal with the wind off the potomac in January with, However I would augment it with a good scarf, gloves and a hat. Folks in DC just don't wear hats. Its all Kennedy's fault.

← Or add the oats when you first turn out the bread. Thats when I add raisins, when I use this recipe to make raisin bread. Then you don't have to worry about them sucking up water.

Wheat flour does require more water, because it sucks it up. When I've used wheat, I did a mix of wheat and white flour. Usually 1/3 wheat, the rest white. You should make the basic recipe, so you can get used to the feel of the dough before you start getting fancy.

How about a roasted acorn squash stuffed with quinoa stuffing? I like my with cranberries and onions mixed into the quinoa. That way even the veggies get that Ah..... moment, and maybe some of the omnivores will be a little jealous....

Not wanting to start a new thread, but here is the list of things I will miss this thanksgiving, because I'm going to my in-laws to celebrate. Oyster dressing the Cranberry Salads that are my 90 year old grandmother's specialty turkey skin (health nuts, they view eating crispy brown delicious skin up there with treason) Real whipped cream Butter Cream Anything with calories or taste. What I can guarantee we will have.... Food without seasoning - Salt is the enemy! A huge lasagna for no apparent reason other than they are Italianesque Cool Whip Slow churn, low cal, low fat ice cream salad with dressing made from the 4.99 gallon bottle of Costco's "balsamic" vinegar Oh, it will be an experience. Maybe I'll have to host a small friends thanksgiving the weekend before so I can have some turkey skin, etc.