Shel_B

Excerpt from an article I read about ripening bananas: One theory, holds that freezing or roasting underripe bananas in their skins will quickly render them sweet and soft enough for baking. While these methods do turn the bananas black—giving them the appearance of their super-sweet, overripe brethren—they actually do little to encourage the necessary conversion of starch to sugar. What I want are bananas that are quite sweet and very ripe. Based on the article I read, the oven method of "ripening" bananas wont give the required results.

I'll be watching them ... thanks for the cautionary words.

I'm experimenting with a new recipe, and want the bananas to be very ripe and high in sugar.

I won't try that this time. I need the bananas to attain a very ripe state, not just soft and mushy, which is the only description of the bananas I could find.

I have some bananas that are close to the point of ripeness for use in banana bread. I'd like to make the bread in two days. I need the bananas to be very ripe - they have plenty of brown spots on them now, and I want them even riper. How can I speed up the ripening process?

Mother's Day is coming up, and we're probably going to have a brunch. Toots, and her daughter, like mimosas, and this year I thought about making some for the brunch. All I know about the drink is that it's a blend of Champagne or other sparkling wine and orange juice. A Google check suggests other ingredients are sometimes used. Being pretty much abstemious, I don't know much about making these drinks. So, what are some great mimosa recipes. FWIW, we have a bottle of what seems to be good quality proseco that we were given for Christmas, and I'd like to use that if possible. Thanks!

The original thought was to sprinkle it on frozen pizza, perhaps hamburgers, maybe use it in a dry rub, but other uses may manifest once the stuff is in my kitchen.

Until reading this thread, I didn't realize granulated garlic and garlic powder were so different. I've since heard of dried, minced garlic. Penzeys carries it, and maybe other brands are available. It also seems pretty easy to make dried garlic granules and dried minced garlic.

Garlic powder is on my shopping list, but I've only bought it once, years ago, so I'm not familiar with what's available. Is most garlic powder pretty much the same, apart from the US v Chinese origin? Have there been any taste or quality tests done - couldn't find anything? Any favorite or most-used brand that you use? Thanks!

Is there a particular TJ's frozen pizza that you like? I want to buy a couple-three pies to keep in the freezer for those times when a quick, easy meal is wanted.

This looks like a much better price: http://www.efooddepot.com/products/kikkoman/35098/kikkoman_marudaizu_shoyu_(whole_beans_soy_sauce)__hypen__33_dot_8fl_oz.html

Neither of the OP's suggestions are sauces that I use. Actually, I don't have a favorite as I've not yet found a sauce that I like, although I've not looked very much or very hard.' Maybe I'll find a good suggestion here. This came up before ...

No, I can't because we had them for dinner, and now I know what they are. It's nothing more than stew meat, and the pieces are random sizes. It looked like one big piece of meat in the package, so that confused me. The meat was marinated, and was reasonably tasty, but Toots and I agreed that we wouldn't buy them. As it turns out, they were a gift from one of her clients, so we certainly got our money's worth. Thanks to all for jumping in.

You can cook the fish en papillote with some herbs and seasoning. My preference is to go light on seasonings and herbs. For some ideas that may work for you try https://www.google.com/#q=en+papillote+recipes although I didn't see much there specifically for cod. I tend to agree with Heidi and Smithy, but mm's suggestion has some merit as well.

Yesterday Toots brought home some prepackaged "lamb tips" from Trader Joe's. I never heard of such a thing. Does anyone know what lamb tips are, and any suggestions on how to cook 'em? I was thinking of a slow braise in the oven, but without knowing what these things are, maybe that's not the right approach. Thanks!

Trader Joe's Rice Medley: http://www.cooktj.com/node/4148

Thanks for your admonishments. The salt content on a container of salt (at least all the containers I have seen) is measured by volume. The two salts in question have the same sodium content by measure. As I said earlier: In this case, while weight may be more accurate, volume will be fine. Most likely, I won't be using different salts once I find one that meets my preferences. And whether by weight or volume, I'll still be playing around a bit to get the salinity of the water just right. If I have to change salt, I know how to make the conversions. What I was interested in was finding a salt that met specific requirements, and it seems as though there are a couple of options in that regard.

Boil and simmer red potatoes in heavily salted water (1.25 cups salt in two quarts water) until tender. Put them on rack to dry. Oil a baking pan and put the potatoes in the pan. Squash them until about 1/2-inch thick. Brush cider or, preferably, malt vinegar over the tops of the potatoes - not too heavy, but enough to soak in a bit. Roast the potatoes in a hot oven (I used the Breville) for about 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven, lightly brush a little more vinegar on the potatoes along with a very light coating of good olive oil, grind some pepper over, and Bob's your uncle. The insides get creamy and soft, the outside a little crunchy, and they are not at all overly salty. Still playing around with technique, times, temp, salt percentage, but even as they are, they are very good.

Thanks! It has the same sodium content as the table salt I've been using recently, no additives, and it comes in a nice, easy-handling box. This looks like a good place to start while I experiment further with the recipe and look at the other salt possibilities.

GREAT IDEA! and I'm over there every now and then anyway. Thanks!

Thanks for the great suggestion. Maybe after the weekend I'll have a chance to chase down some bulk salt.

In this case, while weight may be more accurate, volume will be fine. Most likely, I won't be using different salts once I find one that meets my preferences. And whether by weight or volume, I'll still be playing around a bit to get the salinity of the water just right.

In regular grocery stores, or specialty shops? I've never seen anything like that here, but then I've never looked. I suspect that it would be more available in rural areas than in the city.

Thanks for the tip about pickling salt. Seems like it's along the lines of what I want. The link to the web page was useful as well, and the site seems like it will be one I'll visit again. Slight variations won't matter much, if at all. I've made the recipe twice with different salt levels as I'm still figuring out just how much is needed for my own taste.

Wow! I didn't know that. It's definitely worth looking into. Thanks!