Shel_B

From what I understand, a Reuben is made with corned beef and the pastrami version is called a Rachel, and it often substitutes cole slaw for the sauerkraut. Both are tasty!

I like to make brown rice and then freeze it in large zip lock bags. I flatten the bag so the rice is no more than 1/2-inch thick - often a little thinner - and lay it flat on a shelf. Then when I want brown rice for a meal, I just break off a chunk and warm it in the microwave or add it to whatever else I may be preparing, such as a soup or stew. It takes little space in the freezer and is very convenient.

Oh, wow! I likke the idea of using a microplane for preparing garlic for certain sauces. I've been slicing the cloves super thin with a razor blade or very sharp, thin-bladed knife, but this microiplane thing sounds perfect. Thanks.

Membrillo with Manchego, a classic combination.

I use emmantal, pepper jack, various Swiss cheeses, some cheddars work well, asiago, fontina, gruyère, havarti, gouda. I usually make small cubes or use shredded cheese - makes the melting easier and the cheese remains softer.

This afternoon I made a favorite cheese dish: I zap a bunch of cheese in the microwave - it usually doesn't matter what type as long as it melts to be nice and gooey - and then add plenty of fresh ground black pepper to it and eat it while still warm and soft. That's a real treat for me. Do you do anything like that? I'm always looking for new ideas and ways to eat cheese.

Butter - good quality, such as Kerrygold unsalted. And pepper.

Likewise - I have a 1-quart saucepan that is used for a myriad of tasks daily. It lives atop the stove on a back burner. The pot is used at least two-three times a day, oftem more frequently.

Although some of the new non-stick is advertisxed as dishwasher safe. Some new Calphalon pieces come to mind. http://www.calphalon.com/ProductSupport/Use%20and%20Care/UseCareDisplay.aspx?UseCarePageID=17

Hmmm ... Toots and I just recently joined Costco, so maybe on Tuesday, which is our day to run around, we'll take a zip over there. Thanks for the heads-up.

Your comment on the rotational speed of the blades is something I'd barely considered. I didn't realize that a regular blender spun so fast - 22,000 RPM. How does the slower speed affect the results? My daily blender is an older Waring professional bar blender, huge, heavy, and which can crush rocks. I wonder how fast that puppy spins.

Yes, it does look interesting, and were I not on a fixed income and if I was earning what I did before retiring, I'd buy two <LOL> I think I'm going to stick with something in the $50.00 or less range until I at least know what I want, both in terms of quality and features. Thanks for the link.

OK, thanks. I must have missed the manual at their site. I'll take another look, maybe see what else I missed.

After making my last batch of soup I decided that an immersion blender may be useful. I've looked on line and found good reviews for the Cuisinart CB-76, but thus far have not been able to determine if it is cordless. Does anyone know? I doubt that it is, but I'd like to be sure. If it has a cord, how long is it? It would be great if it could be used while the soup is in the pot and on the stove. Thanks!

Since posting my original questions, I searched and found a gelatine that listed the following ingredients: Ingredients: Gelatin (bloom scale 250), fumaric acid, sodium citrate, potassium sorbate (mold inhibitor), salt and dimethypolysiloxane (prevents foam) What is all this stuff?! Can someone explain the Bloom Scale?

Yesterday I discovered that gelatine is available in bulk, and since I'm tired of paying $$ for small packets of gelatine at the local supermarket, where I prefer not to shop anyway, I thought I'd ask about buying bulk. What should I be looking for? Is the gelatine available in bulk bins at some stores, or is it generally packaged in large bags - 5-lb bags seems to be common? How long can gelatine last when packaged in bulk and not protected by the sealed, paper packets that are found in supermarkets? Are there different types of granulated gelatine? What's "kosher" gelatine? Thanks for any comments ....

I tried again, this time using coconut water to dissolve the gelatine. I also used a wider vessel. Worked like a charm!

Thanks for all the input.

I'm making a potato dish for Xmas brunch, and while looking through recipes on the web came across the terms "gratin" and "scalloped." What's the diff between the two? They seem awfully similar to me.

I like making panna cotta. It's easy and people love it. I've been using heavy whipping cream and gelatine, and have been thinking about using a thicker, heavier cream and maybe less gelatine. I can get manufacturer's cream, about 40% fat content, but is there something thicker that's reasonably easy to come by. I can get Devonshire cream, although it's expensive. What about double cream? I've heard of it but never seen it. Any thoughts on these creams, or other ideas? Is a really thick, heavy cream even desirable for panna cotta? Thanks!

Savory Noodle Kugel 1½ packages broad egg noodles. (I feel the extra wide egg noodles work best) -6 eggs -two sticks of butter (if you’re a butter lover, 3 sticks are OK too) -one cup of half & half (you can substitute half & half with sour cream, too!) -8 oz. of cottage cheese (cream cheese is also acceptable — the effect is almost identical) 1) Boil noodles like you normally would 2) Melt butter (but only slightly) and mix in with half & half, eggs, and cottage cheese 3) After noodles are ready, mix in butter/half&half/eggs/cottage cheese batter 4) Pour into casserole dish 5) Cook for roughly 50 minutes. You can tell when it’s done because the top will be crispy For a sweet kugel, you can add vanilla, raisins, cinnamon, etc. Noodle kugel also reheats very well, so enjoy the leftovers! :-)

I may have mentioned this before. If you're looking for a canned tuna for sandwiches, simple quick meals or for additions to certain cooked dishes, give Trader Joe's a look. They have several varieties, all without added junk, and, if you don't like it, retrn it for a store credit or your money back, no questions asked. It ain't great tuna, but it's a LOT better than the junk we've been talking about.

So, why is there soy in canned tuna?

I've found that BB has pretty good prices for the tuna, as well as many other items. Stay away from Andronico's if you want to keep your paycheck <LOL> I don't give Buddy fish very often, just when I'm having some and then he only gets a little taste. His preference is salmon, and he goes nuts for the salmon juice. His tongue is laping the lquid so fast that it's just a blur ...