Shel_B

Granola Bars Being Recalled Click on link to see the details

That looksvery nice ... well done!

First, does leaving an open container of baking soda in the fridge actually work to absorb odors? Where in the refrigerator is the ideal spot to place the baking soda? Or does it matter? I placed an opened 1/2 small box of teh stuff on a door shelf. Might there be a better or more effective location?

Perhaps you may recall my recent lament about the demise of my 1.5 quart All-Clad D5 saucepan due to my carelessness. Well, its replacement has arrived from Williams-Sonoma, and I'm very happy. I was surprised by how much I missed that pot and how happy I am to have the replacement. Fun comes in many ways, and one fun thing is saving money. I saved $50.00 buying this pot frm W-S compared to All-Clad and Amazon. This is the second time I saved big when buying All-Clad from W-S. The first time I saved $200.00 on an 8 quart D5 stock/soup pot, which serves admirably as a Dutch oven, its shape allowing it to easily fit into my regular oven.

Been AGES since I've visited an In-N-Out. What's protein style?

Champagne Vinegar, Yukon Gold Potato Salad This is a very simple, easy, and quick to make potato salad. Just mix some Champagne vinegar with a bit of oil and Dijon mustard and pour it over some hot, dried boiled potatoes over which some salt and pepper has been sprinkled. Slice up some green onions, maybe finely dice a bit of shallot, or add some herbs (tarragon?), let the dressing absorb into the potatoes and you're ready to boogie. Fingerling potatoes are good, too, Russets, IMO, not a favorite for this. Made this in 13 minutes at a friend's place today. Had a Costco dinner frank on a bun along with. Just like a little picnic ... Ø ants. The pic below was copied from the recipe in my files.

Reminds me of a Basho haiku ...

Satsumas, homemade cornbread, Kenyan coffee ...

Trader Joe's has, over the years, produced numerous stylish and commemorative bags. Some have become collector's items and command very high price. Here are some of TJ's creations: eliminated duplicates

This mornng I made another cornbread and reduced the temp from 375-deg F to 350-deg F and ended up inreasing the time by 24%. The result was a much flatter cornbread. The edges remained crisp, perhaps a skosh more than when baked at the higher teemperature, a bit of a surprise. I wish I had a before shot to show you. Thanks for your suggestions. I learned something and improved my results.

Well, that's certainly a solid recommendation ...

(eG-friendly Amazon.com link) I like this unit because of its removeable cup and larger capacity than my old and trusty Krups. If anyone here has had experience with this unit, good or bad, I'd like to hear about it. I bought and got rid of another similar model by Secura because it wasn't very efficient. Is there any other spice grinder you'd recommend? I read the previous threads about grinders but they're old and I'm looking for fresher information. Andiesenji mentioned using the dry blade and container on her Vitamix, but there was nothing more than a brief mention. Anyone using the Vitamix to grind spices, and how has it worked for you?

Have you seen the PBS show, Octopus: Making Contact from a few years back. A teacher in Alaska brought an octopus into his home and the show examines the creature's relationship with his family, especially his daughter. https://weta.org/watch/shows/nature/can-teenager-befriend-octopus-67gdhs

As part of my breakfast this morning, I enjoyed some homemade almond milk, made with the organic, raw almonds that arrived yesterday from Massa Organics (https://massaorganics.com/). I've been making almond milk for years and always use raw, organic, almonds from either Massa or another local grower. There's a real flavor difference between them and roasted or cooked nuts, and the older nuts often found in supermarkets. I usually sweeten the nut milk with one or two medjool dates, sometimes I'll add a couple-three drops of vanilla extract or a small piece of vanilla bean (my preference), and always include a very small amount of Diamond Crystal salt. The almonds are soaked in filtered water for at least twelve hours. They are first rinsed well and then the water is changed at least once during the soak. The almonds are then put into a high-powered blender and very cold water is added. The percentage of almonds to water varies by my mood. Most of the time I use about 1.5 cups of dry almonds to about 3/4 of a liter of water. This morning I went a little thinner, using 1 cup of almonds to .8 liter of water. The whole measuring thing is purely personal preference. After whirring for about a minute on high, the mixture is strained through a nut bag. I use Ellie's which is a very well-made and durable product. I've been using mine since 2016: (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) Maybe you'll try something like this. It's very refreshing and very easy to make.

There was a slight delay in getting these picked as there was some wet weather that prevented the harvest. I'm looking forward to some great oranges this year. I once had a neighbor who had an orange tree, and I tred some unripe oranges. They were more like lemons in their taste and astringency, and they worked as a nice alternative to lemons in some instances. If you ever get a chance to taste an unripe orange, give it a try and see what you think.

Thanks for that. I checked my recipe files and, indeed, all the ink recipes call for squid. Don't know why I was thinking octopus other than, perhaps, because I recently watched a documentary about an octopus (My Octopus Teacher, Netflix).

Is there any advantage over getting time and temp dialed in and using a better technique?

@ElsieD Is there any difference between cuttlefish ink and octopus ink for cooking purpses?

Nice soup, nice bowl.

Organic Satsuma Mandarin Oranges From Masa Organics. Capay Valley, California I get a box or two from this grower every year, often along with some raw, organic almonds and their excellent brown rice. Received my annual CARE package earlier today and the Satsumas are being enjoyed ... slowly ... for lunch.

Might lower temp and longer baking time correct this issue? I've been baking at 375-f, maybe drop to 350-f and add some time?

Many times I have looked Death in the eye, and Death blinked. I have, however, always feared my mother's cooking <shudder> Her notorious "Smoke Alarm Meatballs" brought terror to the residents our quiet neighborhood.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-to-make-death-dinner-black-banquet? It’s the year 89. A group of Roman senators has arrived at a banquet hosted by Emperor Domitian. Instead of a warm, convivial scene of free-flowing wine and comfortable couches, they find a totally black room, from the walls to the dishes. At each of their seats stands a personalized tombstone. Boys, naked and painted black, enter “like phantoms” and dance about the room. And the food? Not only is it black as well, but the menu consists of foods typically offered to the dead. According to the third-century historian Dio Cassius, who provides the sole account of the dinner in his Roman History, the effect was pure terror. As they tucked into their meal, their host talked “only upon topics relating to death and slaughter.” Each senator, Dio writes, “feared and trembled and was kept in constant expectation of having his throat cut the next moment.”

I don't bake much, and my skills and knowledge are pretty basic. When I have baked my cornbread in an 8x8 pan, the center rises higher than the edges. What causes that? Can it be prevented?

Everything I've read (not very much) about this subject suggests that an emulsifier is used to hold things together. From one source: I am not sure this is indeed the complete list of ingredients, especially because there is nothing inside to bind the pasta and prevent it from falling apart. Is it possible that Italian law allows producers to leave out ingredients if used in very small amounts? Many binders are added in sub-percent ratios. Besides, it doesn't say what was done to the corn. It could be in the form of modified starch, and you can never know what exactly they did to the starch to get it to glue together.