Shel_B

Coincidentally, I've been thinking about getting a new blade, or sharpening my old blade for a while, and your inquiry prompted me to check the Cuisinart site for a replacement blade (and maybe some other parts as well). It seems that some parts are mislabeled, and the replacement blade described as being for my machine doesn't look at all like my current blade. Also, some other parts pictured don't look like the ones on my machine. Just a heads up to be careful. I contacted customer service. As for the cost of a blade in Japan, that's outrageous. Perhaps someone in the US can get the blade for you and send it on, although with shipping I don't know how much you'd save. The two blades I'm looking at are $22.00 and $33.00 here, plus, I suppose, shipping, and maybe even tax. I'd be careful about sharpening the blade on some models. Mine has serrations along the edge and I'm not sure if the blade can be properly sharpened by the user. That's a concern that I have ... maybe it's a non-issue for others.

The recipe does say "Cook for several minutes, then add 1/2 cup water or juices from the tomatoes ..." So, perhaps in this recipe, roasting the tomatoes may be somewhat self defeating.

Tomatoes ain't happening now, but Toots asked for a particular dish that includes a good percentage of tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are supposed to be a pretty good alternative to fresh, especially when tomatoes are not in season. Roasting tomatoes can intensify their flavor, so what about roasting canned tomatoes? Might that be a good option? The dish Toots wants can be found here and I was thinking about roasting some canned tomatoes and then adapting them to this dish. Any thoughts on this? I vaguely recall someone here roasting canned tomatoes, but haven't been able to find the post(s).

This week I made dinner for a group of friends, and the dinner included Mexican rice. What I made was based on studying several recipes for Mexican rice and then developing my own recipe. It's called "restaurant-style" because it reminds me of rice dishes I've had in several restaurants. So, first the recipe and then some notes. Shel's Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice Ingredients 1 (14.5 oz) can Muir Glen diced fire roasted tomatoes with chilies ½ medium white or yellow onion, peeled and chopped medium 1 cup chicken stock 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or to taste ½ - 1 tsp ground cumin 3 - 4 Tbs neutral cooking oil or rendered lard 1 cup long grain white rice 1-2 chili peppers (optional, or to taste) such as Peruvian, seeded and minced 3-4 garlic cloves, pressed ¼ cup very finely chopped cilantro 3 Tbs fresh lime juice Directions Place rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear. Place strainer over bowl and let rice drain. Put the tomatoes their juice, and the onion in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer the tomato mixture to a medium saucepan. Stir in the chicken stock, salt, and cumin and bring liquid to a boil over medium heat. Turn heat down to keep liquid hot, close to boiling. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. When the oil is sizzling, add the rice and sauté, stirring often until lightly toasted and golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the optional pepper and cook until slightly softened, a couple of minutes at most, adjusting the heat as needed. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 - 60 seconds. Pour the hot tomato mixture over the rice and stir to combine. Be careful, it may bubble and roil vigorously. Turn heat to low and cook, covered, until liquid has evaporated and rice is done, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and gently stir the rice. Cover pot with a clean towel and place the pot lid over, and let stand an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, and fluff gently with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Notes: I used home-rendered lard for the oil to sauté the rice. Were I to do this again, I might opt for some lard purchased at the nearby Latino market. Their lard is light tan in color and just a little more flavorful. You can really add a little more cumin without unbalancing the dish. I kept the amount low because one of the guests prefers more mild food. Up to 1 tsp of ground cumin would probably be fine. I used a California basmati rice, as that's what was in the cupboard, and while the results were good, the next time I'd like to try a different long grain rice. Trader Joe's sells an organic diced, fire roasted canned tomato with green chilies. Hunt's also sells a diced, fire roasted tomato, but without green chilies and it's not organic. I've tried them all and prefer the Muir Glen brand, but have used TJ's when necessary. The Peruvian peppers (Aji Amarillo) worked out beautifully in this dish. I used 1 1/2 peppers, each about 3-inches long, with seeds and membrane removed. After tasting the Aji Amarillo in this dish, I'd be hard pressed to use the more common, and typical, jalapeño, but that, and other peppers, or none at all, would be fine. So, give this recipe a try and put your own spin on it ...

andiesenji, on 01 Feb 2015 - 12:27 PM, said: I found out the diameter ... hope you didn't go to any trouble. In any case, Thanks!

Do you know what the diameter of the rack is? Will it fit into my 9 3/4 inch Corningware baking dish? Do you think it'll work with these custard cups?

It's a nice tool, but I don't see how it will work to lift these ramekins from the tray ... This is the setup I use whenever I make a custard or flan. If there's a need to make a greater number of custards, there's a second, almost identical setup that allows for two trays with ramekins in the oven.

I frequently use this butter. I often use it when making lemon curd, enjoy it on toasted English muffins and scones, and have used it a couple of times when making biscuits. It's available locally at Trader Joe's for a good price, so it's convenient to purchase. I use other butters as well, but this is something of a staple here, just like regular "supermarket" butter.

I will try that. I've been using these tongs, but the grip is rather tenuous. Maybe the rubber bands will give a more secure grip ... worth a try. Thanks!

OK, that'll work. I do something similar with pork chops ... Thanks!

A friend is bringing a few tri tips by later this AM. What's the best way to cook these puppies? Never cooked them. Grilling and barbeque are not possible at this time. Thanks!

While I know that meat can be tenderized with mechanical techniques, I did not realize that the producers were doing that for us. Very thoughtful of them - NOT! I agree that labeling is needed. Good luck getting that done.

Many of the ones with a "silicon dip" as sold by Amazon are crap. Complaints of the silicon coming off or separating from the underlying metal parts are not unusual. The typical lifters I've seen are shoddily made - I've looked at several. I'd like to find something better. The one I asked about looks to have a different construction than most, and the reviews I've read thus far have been pretty good. The cheap $5.00 ones are just that, cheap and of marginal quality. I like things that feel good in my hands, and which may last a while. Checking prices at various sources, put this item in the $10.00 - $11.00 range, a far cry from the $40.00 you suggest I'd have to spend. Maybe it is a better quality jar lifter ... It seems to be available locally, so I'll check it out. I much prefer to buy locally anyway, although that's not always possible.

Has anyone tried this one? http://www.cooking.com/8-4-in-secure-grip-jar-lifter-by-ball_382779_11/

I've checked Amazon. There is a lot of crap out there. I need a recommendation for a good quality lifter. If the pic posted above is what you have, what's the brand, who makes it?

Yes, that's the type of thing I'm looking for ...

I'm tired of hassling to remove my ramekins of flan and custard from the hot water bath, and would like to get a jar lifter. Quality is first and foremost. Any recommendations? Thanks!

Let me jump in here and dissuade you further from buying such a product. Never had good luck with it. We have a small jar of the stuff in Toots' refrigerator, to be used only in the event of an absolutely serious garlic emergency.

I like the idea of smoking and then cooked in the oven. That should help render the fat from the meat, add some flavor, and still allow additional cooking in the more traditional manner. Something to think about. Thanks!

I was thinking of heritage loin, which would probably have better fat content and marbling than commercial pork, and less waste than the heritage shoulder I've been using. I agree with Dave that the "unctuousness" of the shoulder is much to be desired. Hmmm ... that idea is intriguing. I'll look into the best way to do that, and if it makes sense to do it. There's still the issue of so much expensive waste, but that's really a secondary concern.