Darienne

I had to add a note about my new Cuisinart can opener. Sits on the counter and takes up a bit of space, it's true, but it's the first can opener in my entire life that I have fallen in love with.

As far as I understand, an important change occurred when we began to drink the milk of cattle. Until then, man had used goat and sheep milk. We drank goat milk for a long time,...and then like most things...slid back into cow milk. I don't actually 'drink' milk, but my DH still does. However, he had no weight problems at all and I do. Besides I never was a 'milk' drinker even as a child.

For us, the hardest meal is breakfast. IndyRob, Do you eat yoghurt and berries every day? Today I had a shake with whey protein powder in it. DH does not like the taste of the powder. Bit of a problem. What else is good for breakfast? (I haven't had time to read all the stuff I downloaded last night so I haven't looked up breakfasts yet, but personal stories and recipes are always useful.) Thanks.

And there are some of us who simply cannot live on the no-carb diet. I become very distressed, emotionally and physically, on that diet. It's quite weird. I'll second Heidi's statements. Thanks for all the information...I have saved quite a bit of it to read later and have asked for the newsletters available. To be able to look up the GI index of foods quickly would be a boon.

Yes, I do find that my popularity has increased over the past two years. The best pieces of the toffee are off to the vets (canine) tomorrow. Never hurts at all.

Today confectionery partner, Barbara, and I made our first marbled chocolatey bits and Enstrom Copycat Toffee (which is to die for). The toffee was not a complete success as the chocolate did not stick well to one side...both were wiped and dusted with cocoa. Next time, we will score and break the toffee into pieces and then dip them separately. However, I don't expect the recipients of this largesse to refuse to eat them because the coating lacks perfection.

Just when I thought I had heard of every incredible kitchen item...

Real, old-fashioned macaroni and cheese.

Hi Curls, For a first attempt, this is pretty brilliant. My first attempt looked as if the dog had helped me. Way to go!

Congratulations, Marmish, on a job well done.

...going back a bit in this thread...I should mention that I now have my very own battery-operated Trudeau pepper mill.

Dear Girl, I cannot believe that you have the temerity to blame me for your own weaknesses. I told Ed about the chopper and he just gave me the look. He does all our chopping. And also...as he calls them...'the mises' for Chinese food which we eat constantly.

Omigawd. I think I have fallen in love with the Williams-Sonoma Chopper

Well put. Exactly

Thanks all for all the posts. Thanks Karen, your post was particularly helpful. I've made a list of the useful items for us from your list and all the other suggestions given and will check it in our local Costco when I go in. As for the Amex card...if it is free, and if I pay it off each month as we always pay off our cards, then I can't see any problem...at this point. Stuff, however, has been known to arise from 'no problem' situations before and smack me up the side of the head. I'll report back anything worth noting from my end. Thanks again.

Something desserty?

Thank you.

Was just reading the new thread ' Breakfasts around the World' and discussing same with DH and suddenly remember what could be my contribution to this thread: French toast fingers at Big Boy. OMG Never get to have them because we normally travel westward and they are mostly east and southward. But I remember...

Aha. Peterpatch just got its first Superstore less than a year ago and we don't actually shop there except on rare occasions. Find their prices higher than the others, like Price Chopper and No Frills, although they do carry a few more exotic bits and bobs.

Merci beaucoup.

PH? Pierre Hermes? 10?

Hello Edward J, * I was told they accept American Express which I can get free of charge at the store. No problem there. * What is the "Stoopid" store, please, which has dairy prices on-par with Costco? Thanks

Dear Agray,, Thanks so much for your detailed reply. Very helpful to me. Ah yes, the small city syndrome. We live, of course, near Peterpatch (as we lovingly call it) near the Big Smoke as they now appear to call Toronto. We can't get all sorts of stuff and whenever a friend or we are going thataway, we call around to see what someone wants. A friend phoned me from Pickering yesterday on the way home from Toronto, and I asked her to buy X...etc. What we can't get is frustrating. What we can't get in Omemee our nearest town is enormous, starting with eggplant. However, for reasons, unknown, Omemee does carry white corn syrup which my DH couldn't find in the larger food stores in Peterborough. Who knows why? So tomorrow, I am off to Costco. Just phoned them. $55 + tax is current yearly membership and it's good in the USA. OK. DH is going to Indiana in April and I'll ask him to get stuff. If Costco USA is like Walmart Canada/vs/USA it should be fun. Thanks again.

Exquisite, Richard. I think I've got to find more talented friends, friends like you, who might 'owe' my little goodies.