Shel_B

I have heard that it's not a good idea to freeze roasted beans, but I've also heard that problems arise when the beans are removed and replaced multiple times from the freezer. A local coffee roaster has a Kenyan coffee that I love, but it's not always available. It is now, and I was thinking of stocking up and keeping some in the freezer. It would remain frozen until use ... no in/out of the freezer. I'd probably freeze smallish amounts, 1/2-lb or so. What do you think about freezing the beans in this manner? Thanks!

Sur La Table by Escali Dimensions: 9" x 6.5" x 0.75" Other Escali scales are also narrower than 7 inches

IMO, that's a great reason to consider the OXO scales. The feature has made life in the kitchen easier and more pleasant many times.

Not to belabor such a simple topic, but I did want to get back with an observation. While it seemed that the IP chickpeas were softer than I wanted, after setting for a while, and when reheating them in the dish I made, they were just about perfect. They seemed to firm up a bit after sitting a while and they retained shape and texture through the second cooking process which involved a fair amount of stirring and agitation in the pan along with the pasta and sauce. I was pleasantly surprised.

I bought the OXO about 12 years ago and have been happy with it. I'd recommend it to almost anyone.

For the time being, I'm going to continue using the pressure cooker. First, I want to learn how the tool works and how, or even if, it can be of benefit. Additionally, while some have said that the stovetop produces better results, no one has explained in what way the results are better, although I will admit to having not done a deep dive into the subject. Since I've only made beans twice in the IP, I don't yet know how good the results can be. I've only made beans those two times, so I've a lot to learn about the process and determine what I want as a result. At some point, I may want to go further in exploring bean cookery (?) Right now, I'm just starting, and I also want to learn about the IP, and what it can, and cannot, do. So, beans it is ... at least for the time being.

That seems to be very good advice. I will try the next batch for ten minutes.

My first experiment with the chickpeas in the Instant Pot was only partially successful. I soaked the beans in lightly salted water for 10 hours and when I tasted them they had a fair amount of "bite" left. I cooked them on the normal setting for 12 minutes and let the pot cool down naturally for about 15 minutes. The result was that the beans were softer than desired but they still held their shape. I would like them to be a bit firmer. So, should I consider a shorter soak time, less cooking time, or a shorter cooling down time? My initial feeling is to cut the soak back to 6 - 8 hours and shorten the cooking time to 10 minutes. What are your thoughts? I'm also thinking about not soaking them at all, just rinsing until they're clean and then cooking for some yet-to-be-determined time. The successful part was the seasoning. I used an onion diced into 8 pieces, two Calabrian peppers with their seeds broken apart, three Turkish bay leaves, two med-large cloves of garlic halved, salt, and about a Tbs of EVOO. The result was just about perfect for my taste and the beans intended use. Comments, including critical ones, are welcome. Thanks!

It's nice to reacquaint myself with the forum. I came across the spreadsheet a few days ago and looked at it yesterday. I'll split the difference and cook the chickpeas for 12 minutes and see what results. I'll get to the cooking later today or tomorrow. Thanks for jumping in 👍

Thank you. I've missed the camaraderie and discussions here.

Hi, all. It's been a few years since I've posted here, although I've been logging on and reading a few threads and posts. Recently, I purchased an Instant Pot and have been using it to make beans. I picked up a pkg of Rancho Gordo chickpeas, and when researching cooking times I found wildly divergent times, from 5 minutes to 22 minutes for soaked chickpeas. I'd like to end up with a firm result, with a bean that holds its shape well and can withstand some additional heating, such as in a pasta e ceci recipe. What times and techniques might you recommend? I was thinking of starting with 12 minutes after an eight-hour soak and using a 10 - 15 minute natural cooling time. Thoughts? Thanks!

Saco seems to be the most readily available powder here, at least I recognize the container. Thinking of just using the amount of milk called for in the recipe, adding some buttermilk powder to the corn meal, and heating it as usual. Since this idea involves some guesswork, I'll start with the most minimal change and go from there. Thanks for all your help. I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Nice to "see" you, too. Hope things are going well for you.

Nice to see your smiling pixels, too. Hope you've been well. Your suggestion sounds easy enough. Any particular brand of buttermilk powder that you prefer?

I have a favorite ATK recipe for corn muffins which involves heating corn meal with milk in the microwave. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/8205-savory-corn-muffins? If you can't access the ATK recipe for any reason, shoot me a PM and I'll send it to you. I would like to add some buttermilk flavor and tang to these muffins, but I understand that buttermilk cannot be heated as the milk is in this recipe ... buttermilk will break or curdle when heated, Could I add some buttermilk powder to the milk to good effect, or maybe to the corn meal/milk mixture after it's heated? Any other ideas for getting some buttermilk flavor into this recipe? Thanks!

For quite a while, many consumers have been asking Vitamix to offer a stainless steel container. I've written them requesting they offer one. Well, now they have one: https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/shop/48-ounce-stainless-steel-container

What's new at TJ's: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/trader-joes-reviews-2019?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=ba&utm_mailing=BA_ROTD_072619_Beggs&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5be5ea102a077c729c2a79d2&cndid=45284821&esrc=bounceX&utm_term=BA_Recipe_Of_The_Day

http://fixitclinic.blogspot.com/

Received this list today: The top grocery stores ranked by Market Force Collection: Publix Super Markets: 77% Wegmans: 77% Trader Joe’s Market: 75% H-E-B: 69% ALDI: 68% Harris Teeter: 66% Hy-Vee Food Stores: 65% Costco: 65% WinCo Foods: 62% Whole Foods Market: 61% Fry’s: 58% Kroger: 57% Target: 56% Winn-Dixie Stores: 54% ShopRite: 53% Food Lion: 52% Albertsons: 49% Meijer: 49% Sam’s Club: 49% Ginat Food Stores: 43% Safeway: 39% Stop & Shop: 38% Wal-Mart: 31%

The cocoa that I've been using for brownies, pudding, and hot chocolate is, to my dismay, no longer available. This has put me on a quest to find a replacement, and one that looks to be ideal for these needs is Bensdorp, sold by King Arthur, which has a 22% - 24% fat content. Considering the high(er) fat content, would this cocoa powder need to be refrigerated for storage of five or six months? Or would refrigerated storage be a bad idea? If not a good idea, why not? Thanks! ... Shel

(Great pics removed to save space) Your pics look great and have made me curious about your recipe and technique. Care to share some more information?

Interesting ... been going to Costco for five or six years, never saw anything but Pepsi.

Come to think of it, yes, the texture is a bit coarser than the Costco dogs. Never had a Smokie ... think along the line of Kielbasa

Polish dogs are spicier ...

Once every few weeks or so, I visit Costco, and my treat is often a Polish dog. The last time I visited, the Polish dog was still on the menu. My sympathies, Porthos.