Shelby

I know it's a TON of work. I did a week long blog and it was exhausting (but really fun). We TRULY enjoy all of what you are doing and we thank you SO much!

You're KILLING me, Basque. Every. Single. Dish. looks SO damn good. I join others in saying I wish that I could experience this type of food.

Thank you! First, a disclaimer--I am not saying how I make mine is the correct or the traditional way. I'm sure others here have much more expertise, but this is how I do it and we like it It's easy-peasy. Main thing is to have rice that is leftover--or make a drier rice-- and the key ingredient (besides the rice) is fish sauce. I use my rice cooker and I don't put as much water in as usual. When the rice is done, I scrape it all on to a sheet pan so it can cool and "dry" out some more. Meanwhile, I look in the fridge and see what veggies I have and chop them up. My usual is diced onion, bell pepper, carrot, mushrooms and frozen peas. Next I scramble a couple of eggs in the pan that I'm going to use to make the fried rice. Remove the egg and save for later. Then I put a glug of oil in the pan and sautee my veggies. I like mine pretty well done. Then I dump the rice and the eggs in with a few glugs of fish sauce and some soy sauce (sorry, I'm not a measurer when I cook). And that's it!

I like to use the bones and trimmings of a chicken I've roasted. I start with those, fill up the pot with cold water and add celery, onion and carrot ( I save the ends when I'm cooking with these and throw them in the freezer ). Throw in some salt and pepper. Maybe some lemon pepper--gives it some "brightness" and I let it gently simmer for hours. Not fancy, but it's how I do it

I'm trying to clean out my freezers. I found some shrimp ( I SWEAR they weren't there before lol). I made some shrimp cocktail out of most of them and then made an alfredo out of the rest. Not the best tasting, but ...oh well. We had a salad on the side. OH and my husband plated his own and I think it's picture worthy

FauxPas, your tart looks soooooooo good. I'm glad you liked it! I'm wishing I had some green beans so I could make it. Suzi, LOL about your cats. Fried rice And sticky wings and spring rolls

I think you should write a book. I bet you have all sorts of interesting stories like this! Thank goodness his wife intervened lol. I re-did the english muffins that I made the other day. This time I added the salt, but something else happened and they didn't rise hardly at all. I think the temp. in my house was too cold. Anyway, I think I'm going to say I made tigelle.......

As much as I'd like a freezer dryer.....I need to wait on that. I'd get a lot of use right now from a chamber sealer. I need to make my way down to that thread and do a little research. Then there is always the sous vide set-up that I've said for a long time that I want....sigh. Hubby and I have decided to just purchase a "together" gift this year. So, it very well might be one of the above mentioned things. I've purchased several cool stocking stuffers---some jams and other assorted goodies (mom I hope you're not reading this). I'd like to peruse some cookbooks. Just thinking out loud here.

It's called a pizza saver or a pressure guard. It looks like this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_saver

I don't hate turkey at all, BUT I feel for the people that have multiple family dinners to attend in which turkey is served at every one of them. I don't host any more, but when I did I would do a chicken noodle soup and a venison chili. I think one year I did a lasagna.....or if I didn't I sure thought hard about doing it lol.

Rye bread using a recipe from King Arthur Flour. It uses pickle juice

Yeah.....that doesn't trip my trigger at all.

Anne--I love your breakfast! BRRRRRRRRRRRR........it's COLD here on the plains. Our furnace broke a couple days ago. I keep it set on 60 degrees in the winter because I like my house a bit on the chilly side......but, it's averaging 50 degrees and my toes are blue lol. SO, I'm baking a lot because the oven heats the kitchen up nicely Rye bread....so I had to make reuben sandwiches.

Ok, but you have to make the green bean tart, too

Hunting season is in full swing, so I made a batch of English muffins yesterday for breakfast sandwiches. I forgot to add the salt they taste like old crackers. I am beginning another batch as we speak. The bad ones will soon be croutons.

I'm LOVING all of these ideas. Thank you so much for taking time to read and respond. I'm going to sleep on all of this....probably for a few days---so maybe more of you will tell me some ideas---and then I'll figure out a game plan hopefully. I should have asked you all YEARS ago. Also--thanks for reassuring me about the zuke bread. These baskets have never been fancy, but I still was worried that something homemade would seem...cheap somehow. I feel better now that I have your opinions.

This isn't pure veg....but it's SO DANG GOOD and it is great at room temp. I've made this a ton of times and it's always a hit. http://www.aspicyperspective.com/2012/11/savory-tart-green-bean-mushroom-tart.html

Welcome, Dave! I grew up in Colorado...my family still lives there. You had me at aggressive guacamole.

I'm looking for new ideas and some advice. Every year for YEARS I've been in charge of making gift baskets for our local customers. Some of the baskets are put out for all of the employees to share (very small companies) and some are taken home by the manager/owner/head buyer etc. I think I've been doing this for maybe 10....12...15.... years or more. Frankly, I'm tired of doing it lol, but they seem to always go over so well that I can't justify not doing it. I've looked in to buying them pre-made, but (and I'm not bragging here at all, I swear ) my baskets are much better than any I've ever found and I can put way more --and better--items in my baskets for less cost. Here are a few examples of past baskets: Anyway, during the year I keep an eye open for low-cost baskets and snatch them up when I see them. This was a huge pain before the internet lol. I've done hat boxes, wicker, wire...you name it, I've probably used it. I usually make between 8-12 baskets and they are not small. I buy shrink wrap that shrink with a hair dryer (that's probably the most fun part of it all lol). With the glut of zucchini that I harvested this year I decided to make and freeze full-size loaves of sour cream zucchini bread. I first wrapped them in Saran and then foil and then put them in freezer bags. (Really looking forward to getting them OUT of my freezer so I can have more room). Now, I am second-guessing myself. Is including this bread an ok idea? Does it seem cheap and "hokey"? My idea was to take them out of the foil and put them in a clear bread bag with a cute tie or something and a complete description....... Any other ideas for something cute to put the bread in? I'm also looking for any and all ideas regarding items to put in the basket and ways to decorate the basket. Here is this years basket. I purchased 12 of them at $7.29 a piece including tax and shipping. By the way I just looked them up again and they are now $12.65 a piece....wha?????? I know. Very plain, but I think I can make them cute. I was thinking burlap "ribbons" and white wooden snowflakes??? Ideas anyone??? I did red and white "candy cane" last year. Also, any ideas for things to put in them? In the past I've done combos of this: Salsa (artisan type) Tortilla chips In shell peanuts Mixed nuts in cans Cutie oranges 3-4 different wedges of cheese (that got a little expensive, but people seemed to really like it) I'd usually do a smoked gouda, a cheddar and a jalapeño or something Crackers Mustard Big logs of summer sausage Packages of Grandma's Cookies Ghariradelli chocolates Rocher chocolates I wish I had a running thread documenting all of this from when I started. Sorry so long winded....

I'm doing a bit of shopping this morning--online of course. I didn't leave the comfort of my home for one single gift last year. Anyway, I'm on the look-out for any interesting/new/different gadgets/cookbooks/foods etc. I wish Gfron1's cookbook was finished so I could purchase a few of those! What are you guys wanting to give/receive this year?

Ooooh Deryn! Looking forward to seeing what you create in there

Well, I'm no expert, but if I were a chef I'd love some of that pottery that you showed us on your cookbook thread. And some Hatch chiles Edited to say: Ha! We all like the chiles

That's one of the nicest compliments I could ever have. Thank you, you've made my night! (((hugs)))

I had some fresh mozz cheese that was going to go bad, so I used that with some homemade bread and a few slices of cheddar to make a toasted cheese..... Along with that a huge pot of chicken and noodle soup. It's going to be coooooold here starting tomorrow night so I made us some and some for my in-laws

They look like they would melt in your mouth!