Darienne

I'm with Jaymes. Make it yourself. It's not hard.

What about offering to arrange the catering with some larger professional catering firm. That is still an enormous amount of work.

And I you. So near...and yet so far...

Fruit salad. Like my fruits at room temperature. Unlike my DH who likes fruit cold.

Kerry, I don't know how you do it, how you have the energy and the drive to accomplish so many wonderful things in a day. I do stand in awe of you...I'll wager I have a lot of company in this one. Your Halvah looks divine.

I may be misunderstanding you, but you appear to be saying that you are having concrete floors in the kitchen. Wouldn't that be awfully hard on the legs and feet?

Sorry to say that the McAuleys, Darienne + 1, will not be able to come to the Heartland Gathering after all. Our family life is rather complicated and once more has constrained our choices. Thanks to all of you who answered my endless questions and were so encouraging. Have a wonderful gathering.

I have taken to carrying a little timer with me almost no matter what I am cooking...we can buy them for $1 at the Dollarama stores and I have several. It's the only way to bring my mind back to what I am doing. A number of times I have been surprised by a timer going off...and suddenly remembering that I actually was toasting nuts...my favorite to burn...or something else. And you are still so young...

Canadian butter has more salt in it than American butter...IMHO

Thank you for that one. What a good idea. And when one is dismayed and unhinged...it seems that all good ideas flee.

I'm going to go back and read everything I can about unmolding a bundt cake, but in the meantime, I am throwing out my current bundt pan. It's second hand, scratched Teflon inner surface and I've ruined yet another cake. The first one...OK...it had a streusel topping and this is asking for trouble. But this one was untopped with extras...simply the Lemon Bliss cake. Ruined. However, after passing the night it came to me...don't toss the cake and don't give it to your neighbors who get your disasters (happily too). Put a chocolate ganache over the top. Voila, a presentable cake which will go to this morning's ladies event. So all's well which ends well. :smile: And I am buying a brand new bundt pan. SO there.

That's strange. Evap milk is just milk that has 60% of the water removed and can vary in caloric value depending on whether it's from whole milk, low fat, skim, etc. The can I have in the fridge right now is 20 calories/T. Half and half is half milk, half cream; it can vary a little in butterfat content but every brand of half and half I've checked also shows 20 calories/T. Maybe Canada has different definitions of the products? (these are taken from the Epicurious online dictionary). Doing a recheck. Half&half: Neilson,10% cream, 2Tbsp = 35 calories. (the other brand we use is 40 calories although I don't know why) Evaporated milk (am checking 3 brands, 2 Canadian, 1 American) Kroger: 2 Tbsp = 40 calories Compliments: 1 Tbsp = 20 calories (or 2 = 40) No Name: 1 Tbsp = 30 calories (or 2 = 60 calories) OK. Very strange. My first time around, I simply grabbed a can...No Name...and didn't look at the others. The ingredient list is the same, in the same order, and the Nutrition Facts label is identical except for the caloric values. Nope, almost... The No Name has 1/3 less sodium than the Complimentsand also 4 X the carbohydrates. Wait...that's for the two Canadian cans. The Kroger can has a different Nutrition Facts label and also a different list of ingredients. Very strange....The Kroger can contains twice the fat, and twice the cholesterol, and twice the protein, three times the sugars and yet... Perhaps a taste test is in order. Perhaps not. I don't like the taste of evaporated milk. I think I'll go do something completely different...

You may get to be my new 'best friend'. Sounds wonderful.

No question here; just bragging with joyous delight. Because of the heat wave in eastern North America, and in our case, East Central Ontario, we haven't walked the farm perimeter in five days. This morning we came across a gigantic puff ball in the middle of our path which we are now having fried for lunch. I don't know if our Australian visitor is going to work up enough courage to eat some or not.

Ditto for Christmas recipes which require fruit sitting in booze for some months.

This tip is incredible for me. We don't normally use whole milk and I am constantly juggling 2% plus half&half for whole. I just seem to recall that the taste of evaporated milk is distracting. I'll try it in coffee today. As for whipping...no additions needed? Etc? Thanks. Just did a quick check (Canadian brands): 1 tablespoon of evaporated milk = 30 calories 1 tablespoon of half&half = 17.5 calories

Interesting topic. I'm looking forward to reading all the answers. Thanks for the tip about the pepper and vanilla, FG. I never thought of ignoring the vanilla allotment, although I admit I never actually 'measure' it, just slurp in an approximate amount. I always up the cinnamon. And I always cut at least 1/4 of the sugar prescribed. Always add salt and substitute some of the sugar with corn syrup or invert sugar in making ice cream...or add a bit of booze. Never measure quantities when making spaghetti sauces, ratatouille, bechamels, etc. Just use what I have pretty much. Might explain why I am not an expert cook.

How do you use evaporated milk when the recipe calls for fresh milk, please? Any other tips? I've always had this 'thing' about using evaporated milk although I have no idea why. It seems like a very good idea and if you could give me a few directions, I'll go for it. Thanks.

Smoothies

Watched the first half...the work awaits...and really enjoyed it. I think I"ll look for the book too.

Thanks to Kerry Beal's mention of forgetting her infra-red thermometer and finding them on sale in Canadian Tire, I bit the bullet and bought one. Used it this morning dipping candied ginger, pretzels sticks and making small chocolate discs which DH particularly likes. What a joy to use.

Merci mille fois. Didn't know they were there. Ottawa friends and family visit us quite regularly and now I know what to ask for...

Hi Chris, If you should decide to make something from this book at the Heartland Gathering in August, I would be honored to be your sous-chef. We could just skip the Mochomos con Cebolla Dorada y Salsa Roja however.

I prefer canned coconut milk and cream essentially for reasons of laziness on my part.

Some one amongst you top chefs will need sous-cheffing and I can do that. Or just keep cleaning up and washing up as the cooking proceeds.