Shel_B

If I do buy that rice, I'll wear a bag over my head ....

Might be something to look into. When I go out tomorrow I'll check it out and compare prices to regular, bulk white rice.

Very interesting ... unfortunately, I have no white bread, and never use it.

No saltines, or anything similar ...

I have been using the Krups model 203-42 grinder http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/krups-black-coffee-grinder/1010151120?device=c&network=g&matchtype=&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_none_&gclid=COPz662CpLwCFYdgfgodYwQAwQ for grinding spices, dried mushrooms, etc., for years, and usually I clean it by grinding some white rice, which absorbs the dust, oils, and other debris, and which can easily be cleaned from the reservoir. However, I am at home today and wish to clean the machine, but there's no white rice here. Can I use one of the other grains that I have. They are whole grain oats (groats), steel cut oats, brown rice, and pearled barley. That's all that I have, and if they won't work, tomorrow I'll buy some white rice.

Grandma Bessie’s Chicken-Matzoh Ball Soup This is not a typical Matzoh Ball recipe. Rather, this is a recipe that has been used mostly for holidays and special occasions as it contains ground chicken breasts.　In Eastern Europe, Italy and the Mid-East, where Grandma Bessie's recipes have their origin, it was an expensive luxury to make such a soup. The recipe has been modified over the years to include actual measurements. Feel free to modify as the measurements only approximate what I use and what Grandma Bessie used. The recipe is similar in some ways to the classic Italian Chicken Mousse in Broth and, vaguely, like a Potage a la Reine. 　 Ingredients 1 chicken breast fillet, 2 halves, skinned and trimmed of fat 8 cups home made chicken stock 3 eggs lightly beaten 3 Tbs schmaltz*, unsalted butter or vegetable oil 1¼ tsp Diamond Crystal salt ⅛ tsp fresh ground nutmeg ⅛ tsp fresh ground white pepper ¾ cup matzo meal ** Some vegetables like celery and carrot 　 　 Directions Grind or finely chop the chicken breast. Combine eggs, 1/4-cup broth, schmaltz, salt, pepper, nutmeg, matzo meal and ground chicken breasts and mix well using your hands. Set aside in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Bring the broth to a boil and add the vegetables, if using. Let them cook at a good simmer for a few minutes. Meanwhile, shape the chicken mixture into about 12 balls, bring broth to a boil, and drop them directly into the boiling stock. When the stock comes to the second boil reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes, until the balls float. Serve hot from the stove! 　 *Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat, and can be purchased at Kosher butchers.　 One may use unsalted butter or vegetable oil as well, but the results won't taste quite the same and will not be authentic. ** Feel free to ad some more matzoh meal if the mixture seems too loose, add a little more broth if too firm. Experiment a little. It wouldn’t hurt.

Yup, I sometimes do that as well.

A number of chefs and cooks of note, are using water in their soups more often these days. And why not - it's cheap, readily available, and in many cases was used in soups, stews, braises, etc., before stock became popular. The "cleaner" taste of water allows some of the subtleties of vegetables to shine through. FWIW, I make Gordon Ramsey's broccoli soup, Bertolli's cauliflower soup, Caldo Verde, and a Bouchon-style onion soup using only water, as well as a long time favorite, L’Aïgo Boulido. Usually there's no stock in my vegetable soups either.

I just bought a small package of this rice today. Anticipating comparing it to the Massa Organic brown rice I've been eating since reading about it in this thread. BTW, it was your post above that got me interested in trying this rice, and today I saw it in the Japanese market I sometimes visit for the first time.

Many of us use boxed, canned, or otherwise prepared stock in our cooking, at least some of the time. I don't make my own as much as I used to so I've taken to using boxed stock in some recipes. After looking and trying various brands, I've settled on Costco's Kirkland Organic Chicken Stock. It's fat free, relatively low salt, and contains no ingredients that are difficult to pronounce or for which a chemist's dictionary is needed to understand. It's a little rich for much of what I use it for, so I often dilute it with filtered water. It works fine for my needs. What prepared stocks do you use? What do you like about it? Is it readily available or do you have to order it online or mail order? Just curious ....

I was looking at that one and wondering about the shape. Does it work well for you? Reviews indicate it's big and might not fit into a utensil crock. What's been your experience with the size? I like that it's one piece, and I also like that it has a large capacity.

I suppose silicone would be acceptable. I didn't mention it because all the silicone items I've seen have been soft and sort of floppy, and it didn't seem like the material would make a good ladle. My feelings about plastic are based on several articles I read over the course of more than a year, so while they are not scientific papers they are from reputable sources, and have given me concern. Why take a chance if there are alternatives that are not questionable.

A unique meal ... https://www.youtube.com/embed/LG3d79V6xsA?rel=0

I'd like to make some chocolate pudding for this coming weekend. The recipes I'll choose from suggest Dutch processed cocoa as an ingredient. It's been several years since I made any of these puddings, and am out of the loop WRT cocoa. Any suggestions for a good Dutch processed cocoa that won't break the bank? Thanks!

For lunch today I toasted a couple of TJ's Masala Burgers in the mini Breville. There are all sorts of veggie burgers that are similar, and I suppose they'd all toast up about the same as these. Usually I pan fry these puppies with a little bit of oil, but I thought I'd try toasting them today. They turned out great, crispy on the outside, warm and delicious on the inside, and nowhere near the muss and fuss of using the stove. Plus, no extra oil was needed, and if you're watching calories, that's a plus. But wait, what about the buns for these burgers? We bought some very thin, flat whole wheat rounds from Costco http://content.costco.com/Images/Content/Product/759254b.jpg last week, and they are the perfect size for the Masala Burgers. After toasting the buns I decided to place them on the top of the Breville. Putting them on a plate would cool them down and create "toast sweat," which would make the buns soggy and unappetizing. The top of the oven gets hot, so it became a perfect place to hold the buns until the burgers were done. All-in-all, another good cooking experience with the mini Breville.

Yes. It's my understanding that nylon will handle greater heat without melting or deforming. I've seen some plastic spatulas melt and deform when being used in a skillet, and saw some videos from ATK showing plastic utensils of this type melt. In addition, I'm concerned about chemicals in certain plastics leaching into the food, and my feeling is that nylon is more inert in that regard. Plus, I prefer the way nylon feels in my hand compared to other plastics that I've used and handled. If there are other plastics that fit my preferences, I'd be happy to consider them, but, as noted earlier, plastic engineering is not my forte, and until just now didn't even know that nylon is a plastic. I'm certainly amenable to learning.

If you're afraid that metal will scratch your pots, and you don't want plastic (nylon is a plastic, btw), then all that's left is wood (or bamboo, which I guess technically isn't wood), right? Well, I guess I'm ignorant about some materials. So, let me refine my request: I'd like a recommendation for a nylon ladle.

I, too, have a ladle that seems identical, although it does not carry the Betty Crocker logo. I discovered this thread because I'm looking for another ladle, this time in a material that won't scratch in interior of my pots, maybe nylon? What else is there? I'm not interested in plastic. Checked equipment reviews at Cook's Illustrated and ATK, and only found stainless steel ladles reviewed. Any one to definitely avoid? Any recommendations?

Yes, you've mentioned that before, back about two years ago in a thread about making dulce de leche. I had no luck using it in ddl, but I may try it again in the chocolate chip cookies. As andiesenji suggested, I'll see if I can find a granulated version. All I've seen this far have been cones.

What is "really good brown sugar?" Interesting comment about maillard reaction. Something to look into. Thanks!

Go here http://www.amazon.com/De-Buyer-Mineral-Inch-Fry/product-reviews/B002S52X1E/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?showViewpoints=1 and scroll down to the seasoning tips in the first or second review. I did essentially the same thing with my Matfer skillet, and it worked a stitch. Pay attention, don't take shortcuts.

My bad ... and it should be noted that a bunch of people answered the question I posed and offered suggestions, one of which worked beautifully. Hmmm ...

I'm sure you're right, but as with everything else, I start at the beginning and use what I have. Each time I make a recipe, I adjust it based on previous results. I keep notes on how I measure, what changes I make to ingredients, amounts, and technique. When I get a scale, I'll concern myself with weight. Right now I'm perfecting how I measure to get repeatable results. I've done that with my popovers and I can duplicate the results. Now, with the popovers, it's time to start making adjustments. The same process will be used with the cookies. And, for anyone who cares, the first batch was quite a learning experience. I made the cookies too big and laid them out too close, so a couple ran into one another. There was, however, a nice crispness to the bottom and edges, but the middle was a bit too cakelike for my taste. Maybe that's because I made the cookies too big. The second batch was made smaller, and the cookies look like they may be crisper throughout. Gotta wait until they cool further to be sure. I made the third batch smaller still, and the spread looks perfect, with cookies that are closer to the size I wanted and plenty of room between each cookie. They look a little thinner, so maybe they will be less cakelike in the center. Also, I've been adjusting the baking time for each batch, and that seems to be helping some as well. If nothing else, this is a fun way to spend the afternoon. Thanks to all who have been helpful.

I never said I was going to change the original recipe - never! Maybe you misunderstood the purpose of my questions. I'm on a quest for knowledge - in this case I want to know what happens when proportions in a particular recipe are changed. Then, if after making the cookies a few times, and know what I'm doing, I'll have the needed info to make the changes I want, if I want to change anything. Or maybe I'll never make chocolate chip cookies again <LOL> The first batch is about to come out of the oven. Gotta run ...

She roasts a lot of SM's coffee, and I know she's roasted some of their Ethiopian blends. I'll let you know what she says, and, if I can, I'll taste some the next time I'm at her home.