Kim Shook

Don't just out and out diss teen palates. My high school group was positively gourmet (we preferred Greek and French ) and we cooked often. One girl had a grandmother who was Slovak and would come down to visit and cook these ethnic feasts. We were all over that - and this was in the soulless '70's! My daughter's HS group contained some very adventuresome eaters, too. One who wavered between the foreign service and the CIA when it came time for college. I lean towards not making assumptions, like fiftydollars said - just because that's what they feed themselves doesn't mean they won't appreciate the good stuff. Of course, if you know already that they can't taste the difference do Busboy's nachos - but if you aren't entertaining vegetarians, add a 1/2 lb. each of cooked hamburger and sausage - trashily fabulous (my non-foodie friends actually request this from me all the time ). Kim

Randi, it is beautiful. I am so envious, but very happy for you and Robin! I just love those stainless appliances - they look professional even when they are for everyday home use. Congratulations! Kim

Sunny, thank you so much. I am going to make both of these really soon! You are in Powhatan and I am sitting in my office on Monument. Nice to think of an egullet buddy being so nearby ! You can go here to the Breakfast section of my webpage to find some good recipes. They are all tried and true. Kim

Ok, Sunny - no fair! You get me all hungry and drooly and give me enough details to excite me, but I need more info !! How long do you cook the Breakfast Platter Muffins? And how many of them does it make? And at what temperature? And regarding the Hash Brown Casserole - well, I'd just like an actual recipe for that one please - I am always looking for breakfast recipes!!

Is anyone else's brain having a hard time with Nina's interrupted blog - i.e. confusing it with Stephanie's? I keep looking at Nina's food and saying "Pasta, why is she eating pasta? What's that bread doing beside the eggs? Oh, wait, it's Stephanie who is doing low carb." I am so enjoying the restart! The pies are gorgeous! You probably have tried this, but to prevent shrinkage when blind baking, I put an empty pie tin on top of the dough and press down firmly. I then put in my specially saved dried beans and bake. Your family book is just a treasure . I have just a few recipes written by hand by family and I have them saved in my printed out recipes from my webpage in page protectors. I love kitchen 'ephemira'! I love those glistening pork slices! And I need to make red cabbage soon - it's one of our favorites! Kim

Love your house! I am really looking forward, because I always enjoy your meals vicariously in the dinner thread ! Don't forget kitty/puppy pictures! Kim

Sif - One year??? One year???????? I am banging my head against the keyboard as I type! Beautiful. I am so very, very impressed and jealous! Mark - gorgeous pie and great photograghy! If eGullet had a brick and mortar institute, we would have the best photography school anywhere! I made Randi's brownies: We were blown away by these! The flavor was deep and rich and fantastic. I saw Randi's post yesterday morning at the crack of dawn and decided that I was making them. The only store in Richmond that I know of that sells Callebaut is closed on Sunday, so I used Valrhona. They were more a fudge cake than brownie, to me. They took about 50 minutes instead of 30 for me and when I saw them puff up on top, I thought I'd done something wrong, but looking closely at Randi's picture, I think hers do the same thing. I can wholeheartedly recommend this recipe. It was truly amazing! Kim

Those three things just went on my shopping list !

Is there anything better in the world than something creamy, cheesy, crabby ???? Proportions, please, please, please??? Kim

Hi, Nina! I vote you continue! I loved the beginning of the blog and always want to see more NYC stuff! Glad you are all fixed up now and so sorry that happened. We got 'fried' three times in the last year and I hated it!\ Kim

I can't find it on the package (at least in English ), but what do I do with membrilla after I've opened it? Does it need to be refrigerated or what? Thanks! Kim

That is so funny, YWalker, that recipe was just exactly the one I was going to recommend when I saw the title of this thread! I second the Bon Appetit recipe. It is my favorite. My father, a confirmed non-dessert eater, but coconut lover, loves this one! Kim

Fibilou - the nougat is beautiful. I really want to try to do that someday! Kerry - forgive my ignorance, but what is a cocomel? Do I dare to hope its a coconut/caramel candy??? If so, I need one. Tammy - I loved the marshmallows - those are something else that I am determined to try sometime! Ron - I make that seafoam, too. It is so easy and good. I dip it in chocolate. It reminds my dad (Ted Fairhead who post here, too) of a Cadbury Crunchie bar (an English candy). So good! Simonne - your candies are beautiful. I loved the green ones especially! So many gorgeous sweets! I can hardly bear to post my stuff here, but I love looking at everyone's efforts, so I'll contribute! This past weekend I got a start on my candy making for Christmas. I made - Aunt San's fudge - just a really simple, super creamy, never fail milk chocolate fudge that my great aunt made forever: She always used Hershey bars, but I use Cadbury milk bars - I much prefer the flavor. Reese's Cup fudge - peanut butter layer topped with a layer of Aunt San's Fudge: And a new one this year - Dark Chocolate Fudge w/ Dried Cranberries & Almonds: Mr. Kim said it might have been the best thing that he had ever eaten. I love feeding folks! Kim

Just thought I'd drop in (and momentarily out of my crazy life) to pass on some comments and post a few recent meals. Bruce - I'd love the recipe for the Lime-Cilantro dressing - it sounds perfect for jicima! Stephanie & Marlene - those steaks were gorgeous, I will be showing those to Mr. Kim who is very much in touch with his inner caveman. And Stephanie - nice to see yet another eGullet convert to roasted cauliflower! Kobi - the cheesesteaks looked perfect - did the store shave your beef or did you? Dr. J - your 'after' picture was hilarious and that plate is beautiful! Jamie Lee & Prawncrackers - fried rice ! Oh, how I miss fried rice (as I might have mentioned before rice is one of the few foods I haven't been able to manage since I had a gastric bypass). Fantastic! kellytree - I am impressed with your daughter - what an amazing meal, anyone would be proud to serve that! Ted - your steak pudding looks gorgeous and delicious! You aren't mad at me for slightly freaking out over kidneys, are you ? 'Cuz I think I'd love a STEAK pudding. Remember, I work in a Urologist's office now - so I'm particularly sensitive ! Here's some of our recent dinners: Creamy Swiss Chicken & Noodles - just good old comfort food: The fantastic cannelloni that David Ross posted awhile back. It was fantastic and delicious - my pictures are not as pretty as David's. I was so happy with the dish that I ordered the cookbook off abebooks.com: And, inspired by Magus' gorgeous hamburgers in his Burger Helper thread last night was Cheeseburgers on onion rolls w/ all the fixings including grilled onions, creamed butterbeans and salad: Kim

I agree, Steven! I always ask for my pizza well done and, in restaurants I often tear out the smooshy middle and just butter the crust and eat it! Kim

I agree with Dave and will go even further. To me, the fat that is rendered is the only reason to cook a goose. The yield is very small. We didn't find the meat all that great. But that fat. Swoony! If you decide to do one - roast potatoes and sweet and sour red cabbage are the best side dishes! Make sure to report!! Kim

And it doesn't matter that they cut the head's off, poultry has a mind of it's own - I have cooked 12 lb. turkeys that were done sooner than some 6 lb. chickens ! Kim

On my way out the door for all of this: I am making the cannelloni that David Ross posted in the dinner thread. Kim

Thanks so much for the help. I think I will do a little of everything. I'm making 2 loaves of banana bread this weekend and I will also store some in the freezer. And I just did one of those 'gee-I-could-have-had-a-V-8' slaps on my head, alanamoana - I should have checked the website ! Thanks again! Kim

I always have at least 2 kinds of flour - White Lily for biscuits and AP for most everything else. I just got a huge bag of White Lily in a gift basket and will never make enough biscuits to use it up before it goes bad (or stale or buggy orwhatever flour does). Here's the dumb part: can I use it for regular baking? Cakes, cookies, quick bread? See a make a LOT more of those than I do biscuits - especially since I discovered Mary B's . Ta! Kim

This is a wonderful use of country ham: Crab, Country Ham & Limas w/ Jalapeno Cream Kim

Magus - I've just read this entire thread in one sitting (very quiet day at work) and I have to tell you that 4 people walked up behind me when I had the picture of your hamburger up and wanted one! They thought it was available somewhere nearby! So I guess you should add Richmond, VA to your list of future sites! I think we are all going to 5 Guys tonight for dinner, inspired by No. 9 (a pale imitation, unfortunately) ! I have thoroughly enjoyed your journey and will keep up with this thread! Thanks so much for sharing with us! Kim

Bryan - just saw the Today show spot! Fantastic! I am at work and was very proud to say I 'knew' you! Congratulations - your food looked glorious! Kim

Oh, I have way too many magazines, going back years. My process is to go through them and read what I want, then go through again and write down the name and page # of recipes that I want to make. Then I tape the piece of paper on the front page of the magazine. The idea is that I will go back to them and make them sometime. I do it often, but I have so many that I won't ever finish them. I also use the same process with cookbooks. Kim

Susan - I, too, love the combination of beef and orange. Our very favorite pot roast, Ronald Johnson's Italian Pot Roast has orange peel in it and it just isn't the same if I don't have that orange flavor!