Shelby

I use parchment when I make pizza. My oven is up as high as it will go (around 525 degrees) I leave it in the whole time. It turns quite dark but I've never had a fire start. And I make a lot of pizza.

Hi! Good to see you! I make it just like KayB does. Slice the okra into rounds and throw 'em in a ziplock bag. Let them sit for a bit so that some of the juice (lol some would call slime) comes out. Toss some cornmeal in (I like to use self-rising cornmeal). Just enough to coat them. Sometimes I add some diced onion in the okra ziplock, too. A glug or two of oil in a skillet, turn heat to med or med-high and fry 'em up. It takes a bit to get them to crunchy stage, but it's worth the wait Oh and salt and pepper as soon as they start getting crunchy. Last of the doves the other night I had a strange craving for Catalina dressing on a salad. First time making that kind of dressing. Hit my spot. I actually wanted a wedge salad but I didn't have any iceberg lettuce so I used leaf. I made crepes last night (Kim Shook's have been stuck in my head ) See here for the super easy crepe method. I highly recommend it (unless you are a master at making crepes the regular way ) Ham, mushroom and spinach filled with a béchamel sauce.

Got my book yesterday. I really like it. As I was thumbing through, a recipe jumped out at me: Crepes From Kenny Shopsin Page 26 I was so excited. For those who don't know of him, he owns Shopsin's Diner in NYC . If I ever get to visit the Big Apple, his diner will be the first place I go. I highly recommend his book Eat Me . There is also a film documentary that is very entertaining. Kenny is very smart, imaginative and quirky (to say the least lol). Anyway, I've been hungry for crepes ever since Kim Shook posted her dinner the other day. So, I dove in. Probably the most simple recipe in the book....and maybe one of the most genius. It uses flour tortillas which you dip in egg and cream and then throw in a hot skillet. Brilliant. I would say they are a tad thicker than some crepes, but for me, dead easy and very crepe-y.

My copy of the cookbook should be here tomorrow

LiamsAunt and Scuba, I've got some really nice tuna steaks in the freezer. You've inspired me to get them out. I'm always scared to cook them--I like mine super rare. Ronnie likes his a lot more done (blasphemy IMO lol). Liuzhou, I've never seen passion fruit. I thought I had. Definitely not after seeing yours. Do you eat the dark looking seeds or just the lovely looking pulp around them? Does anyone else ever peruse the old dinner threads? I'm in 2009 looking around. Seems like I was a lot more diverse and creative with dinner back then. Need to get out of my comfort zone and explore like I used to. Last night I did some brined chicken on the rotiss. Stewed, breaded tomatoes, stuffing, mashed taters and gravy to go with. Yes, that's StoveTop stuffing. Don't hate. I get a craving for it. Shrimp Alfredo the night before

How was the chocolate session yesterday? Safe travels and we'll see you when you get home

Darienne, I'm super jealous. I know you've done a TON of work, but you'll enjoy the heck out of all you've put up later. I wish we were neighbors

Gorgeous!

Oh man, I know I'm not awake yet. I had the hardest time figuring out what MB's were, Rotuts LOL. Duh, meatballs! I'm drinking coffee (which is rare for me) maybe that will make my brain work better lol. It must be the week for breakfast for dinner, Kim I always get excited when my biscuits turn out ok. I don't care what you tell me, the butter cut into the flour never has, never does and never will resemble peas. Tomato gravy, boudin, 'maters, (it's been strangely HOT here so they are still producing a few here and there) fried potatoes and onions and scrambled eggs for me. Ronnie had his eggs soft. Crab enchiladas Ann's wings

I think these look perfect. I wouldn't know they were rejects! What a cool idea...the eye doctor selling eyes lol.

Happy Birthday!!!! DANG it, are you on call???? No birthday cocktail (s)?

Bust out the champagne!!! Congratulations!!!!

*shivers* That certainly adds a Halloween factor.......

Oooooh I like that...tropical fog. Or maybe something Halloween-ish. "Fog over the graveyard"

I bought a food mill (finally) based on Kerry's recommendation and it arrived yesterday. So shiny! Thus, I made some V8 juice from a bunch of straggling tomatoes that Ronnie picked from the garden. Thanks to Elaina and Kerry for their recipes. The texture of the juice is perfect. I didn't have any parsley. And, I didn't have the right amount of celery but it tastes quite good. Ronnie and I both had some for breakfast. He deemed it very good and said he would also like me to add cream to it and make soup (I used a washed out V8 bottle...I swear I really did make the juice lol) I gotta find more things to mill. I had a blast last night using my new toy.

Thank you! NICE! I would have happily forked over $3 and not made the cake lol. I actually have some ganache left....may have to do that this evening

Thank you!!!! It does make a lot of cake...something I had not thought ahead about. So, I have implemented a new rule: Dessert must be eaten after breakfast, lunch and dinner until said cake is gone.

Dcarch--So glad to see you! Been wondering where you were. Beautiful peppers and I love the shape of that squash. Liuzhou--I hope you get well soon! Those clams look so fresh. Spipet--Welcome to the dinner thread! I could pluck one of those fish pieces up and scarf it down for breakfast! I ordered some seafood from Pike's Place. Big splurge, but so good. Scallops with pasta and some shrimp cocktail Last night king crab legs with fries and a salad

It was my birthday yesterday, so the day before I decided to make a Boston Cream Pie. I've never made one before but aside from sour cherry pie it's probably my favorite dessert. Now, we all know that I'm kind of dessert/baking challenged. I found a recipe here on eGullet and also one from one of my favorite bloggers. I must have read the blogger's recipe at least 10 times and I finally decided she left a few things out and messed up some measurements. Anyway....I kind of combined the two recipes and hoped for the best. I made the cream filling first. I figured if I screwed that up, then I would stop there and just eat runny pudding lol. It came out really good. So, I forged ahead and made the cake batter. The blogger recipe called for a 9" cake pan making one cake and then using a serrated knife, slicing the cake in half. PROBLEMS lol. I only have one 10" springform pan....but I thought "Eh, what's an inch? It'll be fine." Wrong. No freaking way I could slice that skinny cake in half. So, while the first cake was baking I made a second batch of batter (note to self: buy another 10" pan). The first cake I only sprayed the pan with non-stick spray. Took me a HELL of a long time to get that cake unstuck and it looked like crap. The second pan I got smarter and sprinkled flour on the spray. Much better. So, I used the ugly cake for the bottom and the pretty cake on top. Made the frosting (ganache?). It could have been better, but by that time I was super sick of this freaking cake lol. By last night I was ready to see it again so we each had a big piece. Not too bad

I'm always amazed at how seemingly effortlessly you can make such beautiful desserts. That would take me all day and I still probably wouldn't be done lol.

Wow, curls, those are gorgeous!

I swear I wrote you a long post regarding these beautiful nuts and now I'm seeing it's not here. I must have dreamed it lol. Anyway, those nuts are great. How fun to be able to walk right out and pick them! I'd use them in my fall decorating too.....put them around a candle..... Interesting! I love artichokes. I love that you try to plant new things each year. I need to be more adventurous.

Ugh. Can we join forces and ban holiday gatherings with gigantic meals lol? *off to google the pie*

Welcome, Sandy!

No, I heat my oven up for a loooong time with my pizza stone in it. I spread sauce and put all toppings on the dough and pop it in. Pepperoni for you on the left pizza Oregano would be a good touch. Red pepper flakes are always available on the table while eating