Shel_B

I like the idea of finding something at TJ's as I don't have to make a special trip to a liquor store. I saw a few brands at the local TJ's that have been mentioned here. I doubt that I'll be sipping bourbon any time soon. Tried a sip a few months ago and was really turned off by it. I'm making the sweet potatoes (using Garnet yams) because Toots' daughter requested the dish.

I'm going to make a bourbon flavored sweet potato (the orange ones - guess they're really yams) dish for our Christmas dinner next week. I don't know squat about bourbon ... what would be a good bourbon choice for this dish (Yams, butter, pecans, brown sugar or maple syrup are the main ingredients, plus the bourbon)? I'm guessing that an inexpensive bourbon would be fine. What do you suggest?

KA says (if I recall correctly) that a cup of their self rising flour is 4-oz. Is that the weight that you use? Thanks!

I'd like to try making these next week, and I have a question about the "heavy cream." There's the typical whipping cream, which is, I believe, about 35% fat, and then there's manufacturers cream, which is about 42% fat. Which cream do you use for these biscuits? Do you think there'd be much difference in the results depending on the cream used? Would crème fraiche work? I like the taste of butter in my biscuits. Would substituting some (25%) melted butter for the cream work? Finally, what is a self rising flour? Perhaps you can suggest a brand or a source for it. Thanks!

I believe there is, but let me first point out that I'm far from an expert in this matter. However, some of my friends have set up their computers and other devices (phones, for example) so that whatever is on one machine appears on another. I believe it has something to do with cloud storage. Here are a few solutions that seem to fit your needs https://www.dropbox.com/en/help/4 and http://kb.soluto.com/dropbox/how-do-i-keep-my-files-the-same-across-all-devices/ and https://www.apple.com/icloud/ although I know there are other ways of doing this.

Yes, it was ...

What are PUFAs?

Toots is a big fan of cauliflower, and she likes it with cheese sauce. I tried preparing the sauce and freezing some of it (we like leftovers) and it didn't work out very well. The texture left much to be desired - it wasn't smooth and creamy as when it was just made. We used a sheep's milk cheese, and maybe that had something to do with the result.

I may try making some crumbled bacon to use as flavoring, especially if it'll last a while. However, more likely is that I'll just give the leftover bacon to a neighbor. I was thinking of doing that, and your suggestion has motivated me to do just that this afternoon. Thanks to all for your suggestions and information.

What does that do to the texture of the bacon? How long can the bacon fat remain refrigerated or frozen? I rarely fry with bacon fat since I rarely use bacon ...

It still does ...

Bacon! Everybody loves bacon, or so it is said. However, I rarely use it, and when I do use it, I have purchased it thick cut and by the slice from one of several local markets, only buying what's needed for a particular dish or recipe. Earlier today, for the sake of convenience, I purchased a package of bacon, which is much more than the three slices I need. I want to store (freeze?) the left overs. Will bacon store/freeze well, and for how long can it remain stored/frozen? Can I keep it six months or longer? The last time I used bacon was about 16-months ago. Can it be stored for that length of time? Thanks!

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/12/16/california-lottery-offering-chance-to-win-french-laundry-meal-with-scratchers/

What sky is falling? I'm not clear about what your comment means.

TJ's Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons ... mmm! Good! Subtle cilantro taste, not too many calories, ideal for quick soups. I use some wontons, favorite boxed stock, some greens, a little garlic and ginger, and voila! A quick and satisfying lunch.

I didn't know that Sunset was owned by Time, Inc. What a shame that they've lost their campus. It doesn't bode well for the future of the magazine. Hope I'm wrong. California, and the west in general, have had a long relationship with Sunset ... mine goes back 40 years, and I still read the magazine every month.

None of the dairy products I buy have additives, such as a the carrageenan you mention.

Some years ago there was a TV commercial for some gadget or blender that showed the device whipping reduced fat, or maybe even fat-free, milk into what looked like whipped cream. I never thought more about it until this morning as I'm thinking of making a whipped cream topping for Christmas dinner. Is it possible to whip half-and-half, or regular milk, to give a result similar to regular whipped cream? Any special technique for doing so? Also, would manufacturer's cream whip any differently than regular whipping cream? Might it be too "heavy?"

I wouldn't say that I've mastered lemon curd, but at least I can whip up a good one using three different techniques, and have learned how to adjust tartness and mouth feel pretty well. The people I give it to all seem to enjoy it, which is most important and satisfying. In an earlier post, you said "To make it even better, add a touch of gelatin when it's hot, leave to rest overnight then whip it up. The gelatin makes it freeze stable, so you can use it in a bûche or entremets." Is that similar to a chiboust? In any case, I don't know what chiboust, bûche, or entremets are. However, I do like the idea of using a curd for other recipes, and have just started looking at how these recipes can be used in tarts.

I always add my butter at the end, after the curd has been removed from the heat. That was one of the riffs on the recipe that I used. In addition, to keep things simpler, I used three whole eggs instead of two yolks and two whole eggs. Anyway, I like making curd with whole eggs ...

Thanks for the push to making the curd in a saucepan directly over the heat. I made a small, personal batch this evening, riffing a little from this David Lebovitz recipe: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/12/improved-lemon-curd/ . The curd was completed in ten minutes, start to finish (including measuring and prepping the ingredients), and it turned out pretty well. I'll definitely use this technique in the future. I like the simplicity, the speed, and the easy cleanup ... perfect for spur of the moment curd.

Not from what I understand, but that's one of the reasons I asked the question. Using the cider as part of the braising liquid doesn't work if the result is for grilled or pan seared pork.

How about injecting the breasts with chicken stock instead of water?

Has anyone here ever "brined" pork chops or pork loin in apple cider? Any though, ts on the best way to do that ... add sugar or salt? Maybe honey or maple syrup? For how long a time? Over night? Would using heritage-style pork instead of commercial, very lean, pork effect the timing? It seems that, since apples go well with pork, and there are lots of recipes for apple cider/vinegar pan sauces, soaking some chops or loin in apple cider might be interesting. Any comments pro or con?

It was a cold, wet, stormy afternoon, and I stayed home and watched a few episodes of Iron Chef America on Hulu - found the shows quite by accident. However, there were only about six episodes available for viewing, and I'd like to see some more. Does anyone know if these shows are available on line, and, if so, where they may be found? Also, are any Iron Chef recipes available on line? Thanks!