Shel_B

OK! Some good ideas here. Not roasting them until crunchy sounds right. And using blanched peanuts sounds like a perfect compromise for me. The oven method seems like it would be my preference. Thanks so much for jumping in.

OK, roasting your own peanuts makes sense, as does making many things from good, fresh ingredients. So, what's the best way to roast peanuts? Are there some types of peanuts that are a better choice for roasting and which are a good choice for peanut sauce? Roast in the shell or not? Add oil or salt, or not? How done should they be - lightly roasted, deeply roasted and crunchy, somewhere in between? Instructions I found on the 'net are all over the place.

Yes, that's a good recipe. There are several others that also use fresh, roasted peanuts. Bruce Cost made a killer peanut sauce using such an ingredient, although, in at least one of his recipes for peanut sauce, he deep fried the fresh peanuts.

Did you add, perhaps, a light coating of mayo? Couldn't tell from the pic.

Thanks for the pointer. I DL'd and filed the recipe.

I'm familiar with the Rasa Malaysia site, but not this recipe - Thanks! My security software tells me that Irene's site is a security risk so I'm not going there. The Thaifood.about.com recipe looks interesting. Might be worth a try, although it looks similar to one that I already have used - which isn't bad at all. Thanks for the pointers.

Thanks! Very similar to recipes I have for "Tan Tan (Tang Tang?) noodles and for NY Hot, Spicy Takeout Noodles.

I enjoy peanut sauce, and so does Toots, though not as much as I. There are a few recipes in my collection, but, over the years, I've made 'em all more than once, and it would be nice to expand my repertoire. I've cruised the 'net, and not found too many that were of interest - just one or two, really, and I've only come across one recipe here on eGullet which, sorry to say, didn't do much for me. So, does anyone have a favorite peanut sauce recipe? It can be Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, or whatever. It would be great to get some new ideas or recipes, especially with some interesting ingredients. Thanks so much!

Wednesday I received a few pounds of GREAT tomatoes, and for lunch today I whipped up a nice, quick, fresh tomato sauce and dumped some al dente spaghetti into it. My, oh my ... simple, quick (about 20 minutes) and delicious.

Well, since Toots and I don't live together, we often shop alone, but we also shop together at times. But we don't hold each other's hand ... we may have different assignments, such as she'll get dairy and I'll get produce. Or, there's a farmers market right by the Trader Joe's that we shop at, and often (but not always) one of us will hit TJ's and the other will shop the farmers market. Now, we frequently shop for "us," getting what we'll need for the three or four days a week that we're together. She's good at making lists - she keeps one by the fridge in her apartment and adds to it as things are needed. I'm not so good with lists (although getting better), and so when I shop I often just look for what's fresh or on sale or what looks interesting, and just make many purchases on the fly. So, we shop the same venues, but individually, except, strangely enough, at Costco. There we work as a team. Maybe it's because the store is so big, it's easier to stay together rather than search for one another towards the end of shopping. Neither of us really like shopping with the other since we have such different styles, and that's probably why we shop independently while in the same venue. I much prefer shopping by myself - I find it relaxing and enjoyable, and don't feel any pressure to hurry up. Toots ALWAYS asks me what I'm going to get when we're at the farmers market, and my answer is always pretty much the same, "I don't know - gotta see what looks good." I think that frustrates her.

Today I received the strainer I ordered: http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/browne-halco/s8198/p7109.aspx It looks pretty good, although not exactly like the picture, but it does have the same part number, for whatever that's worth. The one I got has double hooks on the front edge, which is what I originally wanted, and a slightly different shaped handle. The reinforced, double mesh design looks like it will provide good service, although time will tell. However, the price was certainly good, the shipping price fair ... I'll let you know if there are any problems.

We enjoy the markets all year. In the immediate area, we have markets every day except Monday, and each market has some unique vendors. It's wonderful!

The thought did not escape me ... the implementation may need some experimentation. I emailed my sister and asked if she still has our original Toas Tite.

I don't know what a "jaffle" is, and I'm not a "Dude!" even without the exclamation point. I recall the cheese getting pretty hot, but then, so does most, if not all, cheese that's grilled.

I used to make my grilled cheese sandwiches in our vintage Toas Tite stovetop sandwich griller. These puppies are back on the market now, made in China (so, what else is new?). The Toas Tite made little pies filled with cheese, or whatever else you'd like, and the results were super! Maybe you grilled cheese aficionados might try one. http://www.toastite.biz/

Thanks for the pointer to the 'shroom ravioli. I just returned from TJ's ... had I seen your post, I'd have picked up a couple of packages. Oh well ... I'll get 'em on the next trip, maybe this weekend.

I've been looking for a couple of new bamboos mixing spoons, and came across an admonishment to be sure to oil bamboo utensils, especially mixing spoons that often get into hot mixtures. Now, my favorite, long time bamboo spoon is 35 years old, and it's never been oiled. It seems to be holding up quite well. So, what's the skinny on oiling bamboo spoons? I've also noticed that most of the spoons I've looked at have been coated with something, perhaps lacquer or some similar protective coating. Does anyone know what that coating really is? And what's it's purpose - it eventually wears off? I'd much prefer an uncoated spoon - good bamboo doesn't need help from industrial coatings.

Speaking of dead chicken, I've known about Mike for decades, having read about him in an old issue of Life magazine when I was a kid. Perhaps you'll enjoy Mike's story ... sorry for the digression, but it's a cool story. http://www.miketheheadlesschicken.org/history

What's the ideal amount of time between slaughtering a bird and cooking it? I have a vague recollection that a truly fresh-killed bird is not the best choice, and that one that's been dead a day or two gives superior results. Does it depend on how the bird is prepared? Or how the bird lived and was slaughtered? Maybe the timing has something to do with rigor mortis ...

Indeed! I should have checked earlier but didn't think of it. Our local Pasta Shop sells sheets of ready made pasta in several flavors, and it's always fresh. Bingo! Thanks for the thought.

Now THAT looks interesting, and maybe even I could do it if I've got the concept right: Make a ricotta filling and roll into balls. Bury the ricotta balls in flour and refrigerate for a few days. Pull the balls from the flour and add to boiling or simmering water. That's it? The article says the ricotta balls are "packed in durum flour" and then buried in flour. What exactly does packed in flour mean ... rolling the balls in flour and pressing the flour into the cheese filling? So, if I've got the concept, could the ricotta filling contain leafy green vegetables, like spinach, kale, beet greens? The pic shows the balls laid out in the flour in what seems to be a sheet, in a single layer. Might burying them in a bowl work, and maybe having two or more layers (just thinking about space requirements in my small kitchen).

I'd like to make some ravioli, but I don't want to make dough and go through the process of kneading and rolling. Is there some sort of ready made dough that I could buy, perhaps in sheets? What about crimping won ton wrappers? Other options?

I've not tried 'em, but they may be worth a try. http://www.harryanddavid.com/h/gift-baskets-tower-boxes/sugar-gluten-free-gifts/26500?ref=google_pla&offer=bud&cm_mmc=nontm-_-google_pla-_-PLA-_-26500X&gclid=CKGcnsb_0rkCFed_QgodaxgAGQ

Good idea! Thanks for the suggestion ...

My Cuisinart is probably about the same age as yours, and like you, I doubt that the newer ones have comparable quality - in fact, I know they don't. I've been microwaving sponges for a few years now, and they seem to last longer as well as remain cleaner. Whoever gave me the suggestion to do that deserves a big "atta boy!"