FauxPas

I've been getting small but steady amounts of strawberries. Usually just enough to have with yogurt or cottage cheese for breakfast or to start a fruit salad. And a surprising number of zucchinis from a single plant. I can't believe the way it has taken off. I've already harvested 8 or more zukes from it and here are 4 more from yesterday. I'm not a big zucchini fan, my friend grew some from seed and gifted me one of the small seedlings. I delayed in transplanting it and it was looking a bit neglected when I finally did, I wasn't sure it would make it. 😄 Sometimes I just sit and admire the flowers, though. They really are lovely, aren't they?

Deb Perelman has a few ideas in her books and on her website - Smitten Kitchen. I've made her Pizza Beans casserole with kale a couple of times now. She is often trying to incorporate more greens in her dishes for her kids in ways that they don't notice or don't mind. 🙂 I throw kale or chard or beet greens in with soups, especially veggie or bean soups. When making salads with other ingredients/lettuces, I sometimes add little bits of baby kale, young chard and/or beet greens. My husband isn't keen on these veggies on their own, but when mixed in with something familiar, he's ok with it. I sometimes use kale, chard or beet greens when I make lasagne.

Odd that it shows as out of stock! I guess the extra $10 is for the delivery price. I'll look for it next Costco visit. Here is brochure listing:

Can't find it on the website for some reason, maybe it's Warehouse only?

Looking through the latest Canadian Costco warehouse sales brochure and I see the Ninja Creami will be priced at $134.99 Cdn from June 26 to July 23. I don't see it on the website yet, but assume it will be there tomorrow. I will try to post the link, if I remember. At this price, I think I might be interested. Has it been featured at this price before?

What part of the world are you located in? Is that the dimensions of the old fridge or of the total space you have to fit the new fridge into? I would think the height is going to restrict you quite a bit. There are probably some options in the old style fridges, but if you are looking for a French door fridge or something special, it's probably tricky. This house used to have a Kitchenaid KRFF300E. It might fit in your space though height is close. https://www.kitchenaid.ca/en_ca/major-appliances/refrigeration/refrigerators/french-door-refrigerators/p.20-cu.-ft.-30-inch-width-standard-depth-french-door-refrigerator-with-interior-dispense.krff300ess.html OR https://www.compactappliance.com/kitchenaid-full-size-refrigerators-refrigeration-appliances/KRFF300E.html It was probably one of the few fridges that would fit the limited height space in the old cabinets, but we replaced the cabinets and gave ourselves more room so we now have a taller 36" wide counter-depth fridge. We're in Canada and I don't know if you can find that model in your region. It's not that old, ours is now in the garage and I think it was manufactured only a few years ago. I really didn't like the configuration of the shelves and the door storage, but it might work for someone else.

I love it when you make paella! Just the photos are satisfying. 🙂

She has another TV show and plans for another book I think, so she definitely has some other projects.

Maybe Gail could become the host? I wouldn't mind that. What do you think, @gfweb?

I know there are others who agree with you - they don't think that rubbery texture is there or else it just doesn't bother them. But it's one of those things for me - once I noticed it, I couldn't ignore it. 🙂

Unico does sell diced tomatoes without salt but they still add calcium chloride which adds a weird rubbery texture in my opinion. I almost always buy whole tomatoes but rarely Unico as I think most of theirs have calcium chloride. There are a few different brands I buy but they are almost always whole peeled tomatoes with no calcium chloride and not too much added salt (if any).

Unico does have a "San Marzano Type" product. Have you tried it? I see it in some of the stores here, but I prefer the Costco version, partly because Unico adds a lot more salt. http://www.unico.ca/products.php?id=18&catid=16

Are you looking for canned tomatoes? I often buy from Costco - 6 cans for about $15 or so, I think. Here's the link but it shows the online ordering price and buying in store is less. https://www.costco.ca/la-san-marzano-whole-peeled-tomatoes%2c-6-×-796-ml.product.100417662.html Edited to add: I don't think 6 cans is a lot of tomatoes because I use them frequently but you may feel differently. 🙂 I like to make tomato soup with them, for example.

@Anna N, here's to many more cookbooks and many more birthdays! 🙂

Love these photos. But this one in particular makes me think of "like kids in a candy shop." 🙂

More details on the bike tour. A tad pricey, approx $1,000 per night. (I'm assuming that is US dollars) https://www.travelandleisure.com/sardinia-italy-culinary-bike-tour-tourissimo-7106528

Looks like Gabrielle is hosting a culinary cycling tour of Sardinia later this month. And it looks like some renos are still ongoing at the former Prune restaurant. One of the comments suggests that Covid funding was received and must be spent on approved expenses or returned. But does that mean Prune will re-open? Nothing I could see gave a good answer to that. (Also, I am not sure how up-to-date this reno info really is, it looks like the same thing that was reported a year earlier. 😞 )

I now have a huge frozen custard craving. 😄

@Alex, @gfron1 - that all looks and sounds so fascinating and tasty. 😋 I really like the recipe for the watermelon bread. Were you able to sample some of that, @Alex? Did you have a favourite dish?

Happy Birthday to John! Did he enjoy the cake? How many layers?

I freeze peppers all the time - whole or chopped. You can dry or dehydrate also, of course. I really liked my last pickled jalapeno. My brine was white vinegar (may have added a tiny bit of cider vinegar), pickling salt and a tiny bit of sugar. I put fresh sliced garlic and jalepenos in a jar and poured the brine over. Pretty simple. Refrigerated, but they didn't last long. I liked the garlic and bit of sugar, but whatever suits your taste buds. I have a Sandia Seeds recipe that is on my short list for this year. Hot sauce isn't hard to make, but here is a modified version of their easy hot sauce. I can't find the original online, I did change it a bit. @liuzhou, you have lots of nice hot sauces available to you already but I'll type this out, just in case you have any interest. 500 ml filtered water (basically chlorine free, etc) 300 grams jalapenos (or other peppers or a mix) 1 small white onion (or whites of green onions) 3 cloves of garlic, diced 1 teaspoon of salt 250 ml white vinegar (5%) acidity (or other vinegars?) Heat water, peppers, onion garlic and salt on in a sauce pan. Bring to boil, simmer 15-20 mins. Allow to cool. Blend this mixture along with vinegar. Add salt to taste. Pour into clean jar and refrigerate for up to approx 1 month.

Happy (Belated) Anniversary! Zynoda looks particularly interesting. Too bad about the potatoes! 😞

Aw, you two are such a cute couple! 🙂

I'm another southpaw and didn't know there were universal ladles! I really need one of those. Then again, my husband would probably still graciously let me do anything that involved ladling, as well. 🙂 So I should maybe just go shop for a southpaw one. The only one I have is for northpaws. However, I already have canning funnels and I agree, they are pretty awesome. 😄

Trader Joe's has a banana recipe contest. Valid entries must use at least one banana-based TJ's product. How many banana products does TJ's have? 🙂 Top 3 winners get $100 or $200 TJ's gift cards. https://www.traderjoes.com/home/discover/stories/banana-recipe-contest