Shel_B

I have several plastic cutting boards (don't know if they are polyethylene or polypropylene), and have been cleaning and disinfecting them with bleach. They are washed by hand. I'd like to find an alternative to bleach for doing this. Any suggestions?

Some articles from our local fish wrap: http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-living/ci_30149928/taste-off-best-and-worst-meal-kits-including http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_29576565/meals-box-are-they-worth-it http://www.mercurynews.com/eat-drink-play/ci_28877350/taste-off-best-meal-kits-and-worst

If you don't want to pay for a Netflix subscription, you can sign up for a 30 day free trial: http://netflixdeals.com/free-netflix-trial/ FWIW, there are many food-oriented movies and documentaries on the service.

http://www.thesearchforgeneraltso.com/ Available on Netflix

Today I picked up bottle of Trader Joe's Organic Sriracha Ranch Dressing. I can't recall when I last bought a bottled dressing, but this was available at the sample kiosk and I tried it on some chicken drumellas, which I also liked but didn't purchase. The dressing has nice, pleasant heat from the Sriracha on a solid background of ranch dressing. While hot and flavorful, the heat's not overwhelming - it's a nicely balanced dressing. I plan to experiment with it a bit. Now that I'm home, I regret not having purchased the drumellas to go with it.

Never heard of that chocolate, but I like your comments and the description and comments on Amazon. I've added it to my cart for my next order. Seems like it's worth a try, and the price for a pound is reasonable. Thanks for the pointer.

I am thinking of getting a package of KA Double Dutch Dark Cocoa for use in brownies and chocolate pudding. Can anyone who has used the product comment on it for the intended purpose? Thanks!

Yeah, I got that info earlier ... I didn't know at what temp cornstarch set up, and now I do. Thanks for your help and the additional details. Much appreciated.

The eggs I use have larger yolks and greater mass than other large eggs that I've found. However, I have thought of adding an additional yolk just to see what happens.

Actually, the bowl I used sits low in the pot, and I do use a thermometer. The temp of the mixture was close to 200-degrees. There is a large surface area that's exposed to the steam in the setup I use, which is the same setup I use for lemon curd, and I cook my curd to about 180-degrees.

Thanks! I believe I did, but maybe not, so I'll make the pudding again today and be sure to follow your suggestion. I'll pay more attention to that detail. The pudding has great flavor, so I really want to get it right.

I have tried making this recipe (with whole milk) a couple of times, and neither time did the pudding set. However, I did a couple of things differently: I added two vanilla beans to the milk while it was heating and I cooked the mixture in a double boiler (bowl placed over a Dutch oven). The mixture was, as noted in the video, mayonnaise-like in it's consistency when removed from the heat at which point I added the butter and a teaspoon+ of vanilla extract for a little flavor boost. I then strained and transferred the pudding mixture into a glass bowl that would later be used for serving. I left the mixture on the counter to cool in the bowl before placing it in the refrigerator. However, when I returned to the pudding it was no longer thick, but very soupy, like a typical cream soup. Covering the bowl and refrigerating over night did nothing to firm up the pudding. What could be causing this problem? I'm stymied.

Belly meat (ventresca) is very good. Everyone who eats canned / jarred tuna should try it at least once ... delicious!

That's substantially less than what I'd have to pay, although I've only checked a couple of sources. No Wegman's around here ...

I've not tried this one yet, mainly because of the price ... https://safecatch.com/

I'm not asking to recreate FIL's dish. Just looking for ways to lighten a custard dish like flan, crème brulee, and similar custards. However, your suggestions are certainly worth considering and perhaps playing with. Thanks!

won't get an NO2 siphon, but the idea of adding more air is something to consider. I suspect there's another way to do it. Thanks!

OK ... some things to think about here. Thanks!

Over the past year+ we've been visiting Costco about once a month, and some time back sweetie bought the described Kirkland tuna. Not bad for a run-of-the-mill "commercial" product. I'd certainly buy it again for certain preparations.

Last night a friend mentioned that his wife's father, a pastry chef who worked in the middle east, made the lightest and most ethereal custard. I like custard, but usually what I eat and what I make don't come close to being truly light and ethereal. BTW, I'm talking about custards when made like flan or crème brûlée . Recognizing, of course, that there may be different ideas about what "light and ethereal" means, let me ask how a custard may be made lighter (not necessarily low calorie or low fat), perhaps more diaphanous in mouth feel. Would putting more air into the custard help? How about adjusting the amounts of egg, or egg white? Maybe folding in some beaten egg white just before baking? Thanks!

Here's one ... recommended by CI

Thanks for posting this colcannon info. It looks like something Toots would really enjoy, as she loves potatoes and greens. I never heard of colcannon although, back in the early fall of 1969, a friend of mine introduced me to potatoes and cabbage mashed together with some butter and S&P. I guess that could be considered a simple version of the dish, although she didn't call it colcannon. And I rarely make it for myself, so it's not in the forefront of my thoughts. I looked up a few variations and can see how flexible this dish can be, so it will now become a regular in our weeknight dinner rotation.

Thanks! Great info ... I've always trusted Alice.

Some years ago, a friend gave me this recipe: Chocolate Muffins 2 c. sifted, all-purpose flour 3 tea. baking powder 1/2 tea. salt 3 tab. sugar 3 squares unsweetned chocolate, melted 1 egg 1 cup milk 2 tab. melted shortening What is meant by the "3 squares" of chocolate? Can I substitute cocoa powder for the squares of chocolate, and if so, what would be the equivalent amount? How would the texture/flavor of the muffin be effected? For the "melted shortening," I suppose I could use vegetable oil or melted butter, yes? Thanks!

Well, I cannot speak for others, but here in my area, we have a couple of stores that specialize in poultry - chicken, duck, goose, but also rabbit and pork, maybe a little lamb. They sell eggs as well, plus a few other things, including charcuterie. They process the chicken into stock for resale, too. Consider them like a good butcher shop that specializes in poultry. This is the shop I frequent. I will not buy poultry at a supermarket or stores like Costco. The quality of their birds is, to my standards, below par. Commercial poultry of the type they sell is an abomination - everything wrapped or packed in plastic, their providers often having to recall their product for contamination, birds washed in fecal-filled water and loaded with antibiotics, etc. And their chicken doesn't have much flavor, either.