Emily_R

Merstar -- I'm intrigued by the Espresso Chews -- what is the texture of them like? Are they cookie-like? Or more fudgy?

I've got to say, even though having convection was a big priority when I bought an oven, I *never* use it. I guess its that my old oven was so old and crappy, that just about any modern oven was going to be much more even heat than what I'd had. So I'm very happy with my Frigidaire's heating without convection. One thing that I didn't appreciate enough, but now do, is how big a difference it makes to have grates that are relatively close to the burners. My Kitchenaid feels like it loses a ton of heat because the grates are quite high, and so there is lots of space between the burner and the pot where the heat can escape. My Frigidaire doesn't have that problem. Oh -- and one other thing I love -- having an oven rack that automatically pulls out when you open the door!

I have had a great experience with a Frigidaire that is almost identical to this one (mine has one additional higher powered burner, but everything else is just about the same). And you can see this one gets nearly five star reviews both on AJ Madison as well as on Home Depot and other sites. http://www.ajmadison.com/cgi-bin/ajmadison/FGGF3054MW.html I have two houses, in my other home I have a much more expensive Kitchenaid that was put in by the builder. I like the Frigidaire MUCH more...

Has anyone had those new Popcorners chips? I cannot stop eating the sea salt ones -- once the bag is open, I basically eat them at a one-every-three-seconds rate until the bag is done...

Well I should have known from the 10-minute farro but, but I had already bought a bag of their 10-minute barley, so I cooked it up. Yuck. Zero flavor. None. It went down the drain... In better news, I highly recommend their Yellowfin Solid Tuna in Olive Oil. Excellent.

Ooops -- thank you Merstar! Sorry to not get the attribution right the first time!

Hi all -- I moved to New Orleans six months ago, and while I love many of the places you've suggested, I'm not sure many of them meet what sahmd requested -- a casual restaurant that will take a reservation for 15 to 20 for dinner. Satsuma doesn't serve dinner, and August is certainly not relaxed and casual. Maurepa's Fine Foods might work but I don't know if they could accomodate such a large party... Cochon might work... One I thought of that is in the Marigny, Ruby Slippers, only does breakfast and lunch. The reason I hadn't posted earlier is that I don't typically make it to those neighborhoods often -- I end up staying Uptown most of the time...

Andie -- thanks for letting me know -- I never realized that the Ghiradelli I use isn't dutched. I've had good success with it baking, but will have to expand my cocoa repertoire!

Whoa! Nice collection Andiesenji! It is good to be reminded about King Arthur as an option. I bought the Vahlrona cocoa once and thought it was so dark that it made my final dish taste burned -- I really didn't like it and ultimately threw it out!

I had a Trader Joe's bust yesterday. I made a bag of their 10-minute Farro -- essentially it is farro that has been parboiled, to facilitate faster cooking... And I thought it was terrible -- really flavorless, with none of the intense nuttiness that real farro has. I can, however, second the awesomeness of the frozen rice medley mentioned earlier (the one that is a combo of brown rice, red rice, and barley) -- it is great!

I've been happy with Ghiradelli's dutch cocoa -- good quality at a reasonable price...

I second the English Muffin as sublime when toasted with and slathered with butter, but I am partial to only Thomases, and no other brand... I would love to try the EM's at the Berkeley bowl, but I will say that I tried to make my own English Muffins several times, and had them turn out terribly -- none of the craggy texture the recipes promised. I have also made several versions of English Muffin Bread, and find it to be pretty lack-luster -- it doesn't have much depth of flavor, because it typically has such a quick rise. But something about Thomases English Muffins, toasted dark, taste just perfect to me. That said, I love a good hunk of sourdough toast as well, as well as toasted pumpernickel...

Hey all -- I'll be making a trip to Trader Joe's tomorrow, and need to buy some olive oil. I know they have a dizzying array -- any recommendations on which to buy? Thanks!

Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers -- so addictive. Also a fan of Pepperidge Farm's Geneva's...

Hi All -- I bought a bottle of Kahlua for a bundt cake recipe that under-delivered, and now I'm in need of suggestions for desserts / baked goods to help me use up the rest of the bottle! Any favorite recipes to recommend? Thanks! Emily

Had new friends over for dinner tonight, so wanted something eminently reliable... Made Chicken Marbella from the Silver Palate, and it was great as always. Served with poached zucchini and couscous. I experimented with a new salad that I really liked - sliced papaya, red plums, and avocado, dressed with olive oil and lime juice. Really good!

Shel -- I have a great indonesian peanut sauce recipe that includes red curry paste, coconut milk, and breadcrumbs to thicken it. But it looks like I left the recipe at my summer house and won't be back there for a little while. This looks like it is going in the same general direction as the recipe I've used, though the proportions are a little different (I think mine used more peanut butter, and added chicken broth, but then thickened with the breadcrumbs)... http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/indonesian-peanut-sauce-recipe

Ann -- those pork chops look incredible -- I think they are the thickest I've ever seen! Dinner tonight was a good one -- whole red snapper roasted en papillote with charmoula sauce, served with couscous and sauteed Malabar spinach.

I almost always shop with my husband, mostly because I just like being around him. Since I am currently working while he is at home, I will sometimes send him out during the day with a specific list. But generally we go together...

Dcarch -- those lamb chops look perfect to me! And love your shrimp picture -- can you describe what pandan leaves taste like to those of us who have never encountered them?

I recently moved to New Orleans and so have been taking advantage of fresh local shrimp! Dinner two nights ago was shell-on BBQ shrimp, with ciabatta to soak up the sauce and zucchini butter ( shredded Zukes and garlic, slow cooked in olive oil ). I don't know why this picture is loading sideways, and can't seem to fix it, but you get the idea...

Hi Dejah -- I can't remember if I ever came on this thread to tell you, but quite a few months ago I made your spiced beef cigars for party and they were a huge hit. Thanks for reminding me of the recipe -- I'll have to make them again soon! Emily

Serious yum Baselerd -- thanks for posting this idea!

Hi All -- I'm moving long distance and am throwing a big goodbye party on labor day. I've got almost a quart of strawberry-infused tequila that has been sitting in my fridge forever, and I wanted to use it up in some kind of yummy punch. I know that a Paloma would be good with this tequila, but I'd like something that I can premix in a big batch, and I'm worried that grapefruit soda will go flat. I thought maybe some kind of punch with grapefruit juice? But I've never made punch before, and so am looking for some guidance. If you had a quart of strawberry-infused tequila and were holding a big party, what would you do with it? Many thanks! Emily

I'm intrigued by these dry bags -- is the meat noticeably drier than when you put it in the fridge? As in, there was clearly real moisture loss?