Shel_B

Likewise ...

Have you tried them, and compared taste and texture to yours and other recipes? Personally, I like them better than other recipes I've tried. YMMV Whatever little extra work is involved is, IMHO, worth it.

Over the past few months I've come across a few slow cooker recipes that look interesting. This is one of them. I don't have a slow cooker, and I'm not planning to get one. However, it seems that it shouldn't be too difficult to cook the recipes in a Dutch oven in the regular kitchen oven, or even in a Breville or similar countertop oven. Perhaps the trick is to properly regulate the oven's temperature. Any thoughts on doing this? Thanks!

That is a very good deal, plus shipping is free. Unfortunately, the timing isn't right for me just now ... and I don't really need them, but it's usually difficult for me to pass up on a truly good deal. Thanks for the link and the info.

The horseradish has a reasonable list of ingredients ... I might give it a try. I'm not crazy about the soybean oil, much preferring simply grated horseradish, vinegar, and salt. I guess this is a shelf rather than a cold case item.

Thanks so much BD. While reading and researching info about popsicles, etc., I found the article but had not yet read it. Seems like Serious Eats has some good information on the subject. I have learned more (that's relevant and interesting to me) from Serious Eats than from the People's Pops book.

Nice. How did you get the chocolate to adhere to the pops? I read somewhere that oil has to be added the chocolate to get it to attach well to the ice cream. In any case, did you treat the chocolate in any way, or use a specific chocolate for this purpose? Likewise, how did you get the nuts to stay put?

Yes ... although I live in the Golden State, I did double check the reference ... <sigh>

According to this article, The garlic in McDonald’s new Gilroy Garlic Fries is grown in the San Joaquin Valley in Gilroy, California, approximately 80 miles south of San Francisco and nicknamed “The Garlic Capital of the World.” The fourth-generation, family-owned Christopher Ranch in Gilroy is the largest garlic production operation in the United States and grows the garlic used in the Gilroy Garlic Fries.

Found this recipe and details for fudge pops at Serious eats. I love fudgesicles, and these promise to have a deeper chocolate flavor than the store-bought ones in the yellow box. Definitely something I am going to try. Click Here for Recipe and Technique

Gilroy Garlic Fries: OMG! What crap! Last week I was up north a ways in the town of Vallejo, and found myself lost in a fast food jungle. There was only fast food joints where I was, and not knowing the area well enough to find a decent place to grab something to eat, I hit the Mickey D's drive thru. I've always kinda liked McD's fries, and I do like garlic, so I thought I'd give the well publicized garlic fries a try. What a mistake. The fries were soft and limp, they were greasy (so much so that the napkins included in the bag were insufficient to wipe my fingers), and, to add insult to injury, they were not hot - lukewarm at best. The taste and smell of garlic was very subdued, dare I say almost nonexistent, and the parsley scattered over the potatoes was also devoid of taste. In addition to these problems, they potatoes were very unappetizing to look at. The greasy greenish color of the fries was better suited to a Halloween costume than food meant to be eaten and enjoyed. After but a few tastes, from different areas of the tray in which they were served, I just wrapped 'em up and tossed the whole mess into the trash bin. If this is indicative of McD's quality, and quality control, McD's has a way to go to reach what may have been their zenith some years ago, when I frequented their restaurants more often.

$1.00 at local neighborhood garage sale. Book looks new ... definitely used carefully and very little. I like Kamman's work, so this was a real treat for me.

Haven't seen it yet as season one has just been released. Contains four episodes featuring Alain Passard, Alexandre Couillon, Adelaine Grattard, and Michel Troisgros. Click Here to Start Watching If you don't have a Netflix subscription, you can probably sign on for a thirty day free trial to watch this and other shows.

Thanks for the information. I've always purchased kimchi from smaller, more local companies, and never had the described problem. Perhaps these smaller companies take more time with their product, either by design or circumstance, compared to the company making the product I found at Costco.

For me, the idea of the Nespresso has taken a long time to catch on, and I'm still not 100% sure that I want another appliance in my small kitchen. The Pixie is interesting because of its size, and I can find a couple of places for it to fit comfortably and still be convenient. That said, I've been a French press user for about forty years, and I don't expect to change that ... I love making a pot of French press in the morning. However, when guests are here, it would be so very convenient to offer a quick cup or two, especially with a choice of beans. I don't have many friends that I invite to dinner or to hang out, but I know them all very well, and I know that the Nespresso coffee will be acceptable to them. In fact, one couple introduced me to the system several months ago. Whenever we visit them, they often offer some coffee, and Bada Bing! it's ready in a jiffy and it's certainly more than acceptable. To put that in perspective, these folks are very fussy about their coffee and the equipment they use. Plus, my companion and lady friend enjoys a small cup of coffee every now and then, and the size made by the Nespresso is just perfect for her. And when she's happy, I'm happy. And when I'm at home in the afternoon, I sometimes want some coffee, and the Nespresso will give me that quickly and easily. Perfect for that momentary need. Brewing coffee from scratch, like I do in the morning, is not what I'd like to do in the afternoon. For me, while the price is not a primary concern, I do take my time and look for the best price and service. I'm in no rush ... Also, one of my biggest concerns has been the wastefulness of using what are, essentially, disposable pods. However, our community has an excellent recycling programr, and Nespresso has a recycling program (I think I posted links earlier in this discussion) so, for me, the waste issue has been mitigated. Time passes: For those who are interested but can't find the links, I found them and here they are: [...] one of the things that interested me was the recycling program for the aluminum pods. Here's one link and here's another. There's yet another link that I could not find again, but it describes how the used pods can be collected in a provided bag or box and sent back to be recycled at no charge to the consumer. OK, found it ... here's that third link

Right now there's a 25% off sale at Sur La Table. Just follow the above link for details.

I want to try some cooking spray, and Cook's Illustrated mentioned that PAM Professional (high heat) works very well, especially for what I'll use it for. However, I can not find PAM Professional on the ConAgra web site. They do have this spray available, which is also a high heat spray. Does anyone know if these two sprays are similar or the same? Is there any other high heat cooking spray available? Thanks!

I like your idea of oiling the meat and not the pan. I think you've mentioned that technique before, and the idea has stayed with me all the while. We don't cook steak often - 2 or 3 times a year - so it may be a while before I try it. Will this technique work, or work as well, using a heavy aluminum and stainless-lined pan?

From the East Bay Express, a local paper serving Oakland, Berkeley, and nearby communities in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. Cooking Other People's Food: How Chefs Appropriate Bay Area "Ethnic" Cuisine It's time to talk about pedigreed restaurateurs that co-opt traditional eats - and how the food-media hype machine enables cultural erasure. Click Here for the Story

Thanks, Lisa ... I passed your message along to the jam maker ...

This morning I found an old, unopened package of Sure-Jell for low sugar recipes tucked way in the back of a cabinet. It has a use-by date of June, 1996. I also found an unopened package of Ball's Fruit Jell with a use-by date of 12/96. Are these still useable?

A couple of days back I was visiting a client and they introduced me to the Nespresso "Pixie" machine. I liked the small size which is important for my small kitchen. I am thinking of getting one. Any comments on this machine? I was reminded that our community has a great recycling program, so now, for me, recycling the used pods is a no-brainer. As for the quality of the coffee, I can get better at various places, but when I want a little pick-me-up in the afternoon or evening, the Nespresso looks like an acceptable option. It's sure a lot quicker than making a cup from scratch using the French press, or going out to one of the local coffee shops. And, having a wide variety of coffee flavors and styles to choose from is a definite bonus.

Spice House has free shipping this weekend for orders of $25.00 or more: Click Here for Details

I'd like to upgrade my popsicle mold and was thinking about this one: Click Here Has anyone used these, and what do you think of them? Also, what are the pros and cons of using stainless steel for making popsicles? Thanks!

I've never been able to get the kale roasted to my satisfaction to make chips, although I've tried. I may have even posted here that I made chips, and they were OK, but not completely satisfactory. That said, we grow our own kale (and remember, there are several types, some being intrinsically more tender than others) and I like to pick the leaves young, while they are tender and very tasty. Older leaves, or those purchased at markets, usually go into soups where they soften. However, there are some varieties I just don't find acceptable, like the curly leaf shown here.