Katie Nell

Oh, I am right there with you. My darling hubby, who I love and would walk the ends of the earth at his direction, somehow thinks it is cute to feel me up while I am in the middle of some critical point of putting the dinner together. I don't know if it turns him on watching me stir the roux and waiting to pounce with the broth when it is absolutely perfect, or what. That is when he gets the wooden spoon treatment. Don't get frisky while I'm making the gravy please dear. That's for AFTER dinner. He still does it, and giggles when I get mad. Oh well, I love him anyway, but boy is it infuriating. I guess he knows I am too distracted to stay mad for long, and he'll have time to make it up to me. And he always does. And then he does it AGAIN. ← Me too !! I feel the same way, I don't know if it gets him all worked up watching all the stirring and chopping or what. But it can be so maddening when I pause for a second to think of something and he will sneak up behind me and goose me. Of course I don't stay mad for too long either, too busy cooking. He will sometimes do this 3-4 times in a night, if I didn't love him so much..... ← Me three! (Probably TMI at this point!) Must be the apron!

My mom says salads always taste better when someone else makes it, and I'm beginning to believe that! (I really hate to grate cheese... I will give that job away in a heartbeat! To me, having someone in the kitchen with me, helping me, (now, it does depend on who though ) is completely different! I really enjoy cooking with my boyfriend and my parents, but when someone else brings something, that's when I start to get territorial!

Does anyone have any good salad dressing recipes? And I mean recipes... I'm a little clueless when it comes to proportions! I've been trying to make salad dressings more often so my boyfriend won't eat ranch dressing on everything, but I haven't been that successful. Last night, I made a dressing of white wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, s & p, and a little bit of mustard. It was a little too tart for me, so I added some honey, but it didn't make that big of difference. The dressing was okay, but not fantastic. I always have good salad dressings in restaurants... what do they use? It always seems simple... maybe just really good balsamic and olive oil? Maybe I just didn't like the white wine vinegar? But, I tried a dressing with balsamic vinegar last week, and it was even worse! Ideas?

And I usually don't feel like eating after I've slaved all day either!

Mostly, I have a really hard time letting other people help me. I usually give in after a long struggle, either with myself, or my boyfriend, or my mom. I have a future mother-in-law that insists on helping, and if I insist on her not helping, she usually brings something or lots of things anyway! I'm getting to the point where I just assign something to whomever is doing the insisting... it's usually something I don't care as much about. I do take help from the grocery store, from time to time. This comes from me being a really, really, really slow cook! It doesn't matter how often I cook or what I cook, I just am slow. I think I just enjoy the process so much, that I take my time doing everything, and it just goes downhill from there! If I did everything that I wanted to do, we would be eating dinner at 10 pm or later! And if I did the same for entertaining, I would have to prepare 10 hours in advance, or probably even more! So, I will buy the occasional lemon curd, salsa, etc... I have to! I can't do it all, and you certainly can't either... it would be different if it were your job!

I still have eight dinner plates with stickers on the bottom of them that I got a year ago that still haven't come off! Oh, wait... I think one of them has come off! I've scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed, and used all kinds of products to no avail! VERY FRUSTRATING INDEED!!!

So... what are your definitions?

Thank you, Sara, for coming to "stay" with us for a while! I asked you what inspired you on an "off" day, and you truly have inspired me on many an off day, so thank you for that. I can't wait to see you on PBS! We'll be watching!

And I will never understand why one would spend $1000 on an xbox and games to go with it.

We are a rarity, but there are a few of us! YES!!! What is that?!? I told this one girl I work with when she said that I was picky that I just had higher standards than her, and then felt bad for being so snotty about it! But, I'm not picky... I'll try anything once, perhaps even 2 or 3 times!

I haven't but we have decided we need to start sending someone from our competition team to the training at least annually, to ensure we know what the judges are being instructed to look for. An article in the KC Star on the day before the Open judging last year (at the Royal) reported that they were dismissing the smoke ring on ribs, for example, as being easily 'faked' and they also somewhat redefined what 'perfectly done' was (again, in the rib category). And, yes, there is a calendar of all the sanctioned events online. You could do one every weekend, I bet, if you were willing and able. I should also call attention to a new-ish BBQ event in KC-Metro area...it's held over Memorial Day and this will be the second year. It's called The Great American BBQ and they drew 180 entries to the innaugural event. It's run by some veterans of the Royal and there are some fun 'side' events in tandem with it (e.g. hot air balloon rally). ← Judy, You'll have to let me know what your team is called! We went to the Lenexa BBQ this year because my boyfriend's co-workers have two teams from their office, and the food was terrible! I kept seeing other people's BBQ that looked better, but wasn't sure how to get an invite to their booths! Guess I need to work harder on looking pathetic!

Whenever people comment about my size, I just tell them, "good things come in small packages!" and they usually laugh and shut up after that!

I still have a wooden round box that my brie came in that I will use some day for something interesting! And while not food related, I kept my Target prescription bottle for just that same reason... it really is cool! (And my boyfriend wonders why we need a two-bedroom apartment?!?) I love tomate paste in a tube... what took them so long?!? And I don't know if it's a decent brand or not, but I love the bottles of Pompeian brand of Olive Oil and Vinegars http://www.pompeian.com/. Consorzio does cool packaging as well... in fact, I bought their Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar Dressing yesterday just for that reason... I hope it's good! http://www.consorzio.com/ I adore the aisle of olive oils, vinegars, etc. at Whole Foods... if only I could afford some of them! They really are gorgeous! Super Target also has some fun products in the marinade aisle. You know that saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover"... I do, and it usually works! And secret confession coming: I get great joy out of being the first to dig into that creamy peanut butter after that seal comes off! I hate, hate, hate what they've done to the Cherry Coke can... it started to go downhill when they brought out the red can with the black pseudo-Japanese style writing on it! It's never tasted the same to me since then! And don't even get me started on the waste of cardboard in tampon packaging!

And when will they not look at you like you are an idiot for sharing with your partner? I believe Applebee's and Ruby Tuesday's both offer a tasting menu, according to the commercials, but I'm sure it's all corporate chosen.

It's a good thing it wasn't foods that start with the letter S, or you'd all be covered in spit by the end of the evening just from saying the menu! Sufferin' Succotash!

Sara, There are some days where I just don't feel like cooking (and I adore cooking.) Or last week, for instance, everything just seemed to be going wrong... none of my meals turned out the way I wanted them to. Assuming that you, too, have an off day every once in a blue moon, what do you turn to for inspiration? Is there something that will just bring you out of a cooking funk everytime? Thanks, Katie P.S. I really enjoyed meeting you at the Culinary Center here in Kansas City! Your picture is hanging in my kitchen framed! http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=78039&hl=

I guess I'm in the minority here. I am 25 and I still watch Food Network. (Why do I feel like I should stand up and say "Hi, my name is Katie and I watch Food Network"?!?) I guess I just feel like, at this stage of my life, I still have something to learn from almost everyone.... whether it be a new ingredient, a new technique, an old forgotten favorite, or just inspiration. There are still people I like to watch on FN... Ina Garten, Michael Chiarello, and of course, Sara. I also feel like I have to take what I can get. We don't get near the amount of cooking shows on PBS that everyone else seems to, and I've tried writing PBS, but alas, I'm only one little person! I am really looking forward to your new show Sara. What I look for in a tv food show from that other demographic... I want to learn techniques... I love in "Fine Cooking" magazine, for instance, how they take one thing and really break it down step by step, and show you what something is supposed to look like, i.e. their article on caramels.

I couldn't help but wonder what kind of clientele he has! I can't imagine any one of the fussy brides that I've known putting up with him for an over-priced wedding cake! Imagine him being around on the actual wedding day putting last minute touches on the cake... he would drive everyone nuts! Forget about Bridezillas... what about Cakezillas?!? Amen to that!

This is my favorite response! Classic! And there are so some people I work with who I would love to chuck a bagel at... but I probably would spread it with jelly first!

Either that or have to have been a cashier! I completely believe this!

I make pretty good fried chicken, and I too "love that chicken from Popeyes." I'd say they're one of the best national fast-food chains, hands down. (Though I groan whenever I see that slogan on their signs: "We Do Good Ba-You.") ← Ooh... I completely forgot about Popeye's in my "chains that I like" list! It is my guilty, guilty pleasure! Too bad my office is moving to Corporate Woods in April... I will be that much closer!

NO! don't do that!! i agree with your definition. u.e. ← GOOD! I feel better now that I can eat at Yia Yia's without guilt!

Katie, here's an exercise to help you build-up your "chain detection" skills. I just noticed this list of 9 new tenants announced for the already-over-the-top Legends at Village West. Some are not restos, so they're "gimmes," but let's see how you do on the rest. From the KC Business Journal: Hash House a Go Go, Margarita Mama's, Harry and David, Cantina #1, Panera Bread, Estee Lauder, The Buckle, Ultra Diamonds and Culver's And I am sure that Ronnie, our ever-suffering moderator, will be delighted that we have some new horses to flog. I have to do some research but I think we're getting close to "longest thread not counting Alinea" and such a worthy topic! ← Ooh... a test... I like this! Okay, here goes nothing, (and I'm not going to cheat and use the internet!) Hash House a Go Go- I'm going to say not chain, b/c a name that absurb surely couldn't survive as a chain! Margarita Mama's- I'm going to go with chain, though I've never heard of it, but it reminds me of Fuddrucker's or Emerson Biggins for some reason! Harry and David- obviously a chain Cantina #1- going to go with chain again, lame name Panera- obviously one of my favorite chains Estee Lauder- chain The Buckle- chain Ultra Diamonds- uhh... not a chain? Culver's- chain/ franchise? Okay, I hope that wasn't a trick question and you're not going to go into a big long tangent on franchise, corporately owned, blah, blah, blah... just kidding!! Learn me teach!

Okay, okay... poor choice of words, but you know what I mean... I think!

Katie, You slipped this under my radar. So now the tables have turned and I'm abnormal because I won't eat at chains? LOL. I guess it's true...the best defense is a good offense. ← I wondered if I was going to get caught there for a while! No, I guess not abnormal, I just wish I could afford to and had the time to eat at all the wonderful places you guys eat... I guess it's just jealousy! Some day! (where's the daydreaming smiley?!?)