CDRFloppingham

I am planning to roast a spatchcocked chicken (with hot start from stovetop...estimate 35 minutes at 425). I also want to roast some acorn squash halves and some fingerlings. I think that all could be done at 425. Could I get some guidance from the chefs and experienced home cooks here regarding when to throw each item in? I do have convection. Thanks so much. Floppy

Perhaps this has been discussed before but when does a multicourse meal became a "tasting menu"? Seven courses? Some kind of planned progression as opposed to just harmonious tastes/theme to a meal?

Z kitchen Studio Kitchen

What is the purpose of this?

I have a culinary boner for Top Chef.

Last night it was the 3 "Rs" from Germany Rouladen Reibekuchen Rotkohl

So, my fiance and I bought a house together and I've begun cooking for the two of us. I am on a STEEP learning curve. I've solicited the advice and wisdom of my fellow eGulleters (thanks eGulletersfor the advice) on two prior occasions and I thought I'd start recording what I've cooked/we've eaten to get comments/criticism/help. I don't think I can remember everything I cooked so far (we've lived here almost two weeks) but here goes. Conditions: My fiance has no problem eating the same thing over and over although she will NOT bring leftovers to work and nuke them. Thus, for lunches, I have been left with making sammies and, maybe cheese/fruit/crackers or something similar. So lunches have been sammie and fruit. So far, I've made: Beef stew One of those frozen veg and sauce things that you stir fry w/ chicken Chicken enchiladas with a mexican coleslaw Chicken soup and garlic bread (she was feeling under the weather) Salmon, smashed potatoes, quick ratatouille I have not been able to execute the concept of cooking a large quantity of protein, then "repackaging" it. We have eaten leftovers and I have frozen individual portions so far. To be continued...

Speaking of chopping up older stuff, there's fromage fort.

I have much appreciated the responses to my "Menu Planning for two" thread and someone there suggested a new thread where we can discuss how we deal with leftovers and make them into something else. Any great ideas how to repackage leftovers?

If this has been covered before, I beg your pardon and please direct me to that thread. My fiance and I just moved in together and, as the cook, I am now responsible for preparation of lunches (for work) and dinners. We would like to eat reasonably healthy but nothing extreme and I like to cook rich, fatty, delicious dishes from time to time. Now, I know that one strategy is to make a big pot of something and eat it for dinner and lunches until it's gone. My fiance could stand that but I get bored with the monotomy...even if it's a really good dish. It's just the two of us. I'm willing to cook every night but eating leftovers a couple of times a week would be great too. I'm wondering if any of you have developed any useful meal rotations. Thanks in advance.

Thanks all. I'm going with a fruit salad for the kids and adults and another salad for the adults (and kids?).

We were just invited to a block party (we just moved yesterday). Here are the criteria: The neighborhood has quite a few kids (pretty young too). Heat tolerant (it will be outside and pushing 90 degrees). Must be a salad. I hope it will be tasty. Any and all suggestions happily considered! TIA.

Where did you go to college, J&W? Anyway, you've got too much heat. Too high and too long.

I was under the impression that the GM corn doesn't go from sugar to starch so fast. I'd get some modern corn, throw in the fridge, and relax with a brewski.

What do you like to eat when you feel sick? I have the worst early season bug. Fever, muscle aches, cough, tired.

Thanks for all the great advice. I brined for three hours. Alternated with red onion on the skewer. Based with a lemon juice/garlic/oregano/thyme mixture while grilling and served with a very galicky tzatziki. They were a hit.

PB & J with it's myriad variations?

Lox, cream cheese, scallions, chopped tomato?

My fiance, bless her, volunteered me to grill "meat" at a cookout tomorrow. None of the invitees are real foodies but she has talked me up as a really good home cook. There's additional pressure on me because the host is one of her bosses. Did I say "bless her" or "dang her"? But I digress. I consider myself a pretty good home cook but I haven't cooked on a grill for awhile (it will be a gas grill so that will help). I bought some nice rib eyes and I will grill them with S&P and serve with some chimichurri and horseradish cream. I have no concern with that aspect of the "meat". I'm making chicken as kebabs for the non-beef eaters. I think that was fairly smart on my part because they will cook faster and be easier to judge for doneness. I'm going kinda-Mediterranean on the kebabs. I plan to marinate with a lemon-garlic-oregano-thyme-EVOO mixture and serve with pita and tzatziki. My question---how long should I marinate the chicken chunks (I plan to make them a generous size (maybe 1 1/2 by 1 1/2 inch). It BLSL breast meat. What is the acid:oil ratio that I should be shooting for? Vinaigrette like? More oily? More acid? I plan to S&P right before grilling...thoughts? Thanks in advance. Floppy

As a high school student, I worked at BK for a couple summers back in the early 80's. It was all as previously described for that era. Burgers were broiled, mated with bun, and placed in the steamer. Upon an order, the bottom was nuked and top assembled. Pull the bottom, add ketchup (Heinz), onion, pickle, top with assembled top bun and wrap. Only ingredients that were appropriate for nuking were nuked. We were told to discourage "off the broiler" because it slowed down operations. I remember at least one guy not wanting any nuking because he thought it would give him cancer. Good times.

My fiance and I just returned from Costa Rica. After a few days of gallos pintos and pollo a la plancha and a fairly expensive steak meal, last night I cooked a dry aged New York strip, a tenderloin, broccoli with cheese sauce, and a baked potato. Whole Paycheck cannoli for dessert.

This thread is starting to remind me of a cliche about never wrestling a pig in the mud.

robyn, Given all of the exotic and luxurious locales that you visit and influential and interesting people that you meet, it sounds like you have a fabulous life. Since my life is less fabulous and more mundane, I will go on record as saying that I really enjoy the pics people post on eGullet. I really enjoy them. Pics from posters like David Ross, Chufi, Kim Shook, Dr. J, Marlene, (I could go on and on) really inspire me to be a better cook. I suppose if an eGulleter who posted photos had to stick their butt in my face to get the shot it would be objectionable but I tend to mind my own business.

Developing competence at chopping vegetables and other knifework is one of the most important skills in the kitchen. If you watch any TV show about cooking (PBS preferred but even TVFN still teaches very basic technique in some shows), they are almost certain to teach you how to chop an onion and maybe something like a carrot. You just have to practice and have a sharp knife. Take your time. It's better to be slow and safe than fast and hurt yourself. Good luck.

If you go the dry ice route, beware that carbon dioxide is heavier than room air. It will settle in dependent areas and be in high concentrations. When I was a young dude, I had a bad experience. The lab I was working in ordered in dry ice once or twice a week and it was stored in a cooler but not actually refrigerated. The cooler was the size of a big, big chest freezer so when it was pretty full, there was plenty of "cold" to store dry ice for a week. I was leaning into the chest when it was pretty empty, when I had to sneeze. Very unpleasant. The carbon dioxide turns to carbonic acid on your mucus membranes and I felt very hypoxic. Make sure there's enough ventilation in your car.