snowangel

I'll give some more advice. Move in. Do nothing, other than some maybe really cheap things like peg board, hanging pot rack. Live in the house for a while. Experiment with the table down, experiment with the table up. After a few months, do the kitchen. I made a huge mistake in our former house. Having no idea I'd need to move 18 months later, we redid the kitchen. Sure, we recouped our investment (but not much more), and I was sick to move from this wonderful space I had created. You say you will have kids in a few years, but you never know what will come into play. Had things gone according to plan, we would have one in college right now, and one just a few years away. "Nature" delayed things by almost a decade. Never know what life will throw you. So, when we moved, the kitchen was awful. The layout not as bad as yours, but we weren't in here but a few months than we made some major changes. Moving is a bitch, and since I intend to be here for a few years, we decided that we can keep the current vehicles running for a while longer, cut a few corners, and actually live here long enough to enjoy the space. I did wait about 3-4 months before making any big changes, just so I could figure out the flow of the whole house, and how the dining area and the kitchen work together.

Malt O Meal is, IMHO, more similar to cream of wheat than to oatmeal. It may be a midwestern thing?

Peter, who used to be a picky eater, has become far less picky now that he's been helping in the kitchen...

Can you possibly remove the door that goes to the stairs? That would give you some additional wall space. And, if you took out the table, you would have room for a rolling unit that would provide additional counter space. Yes, a dishwasher. You can have counter on the top, and remember, that a dishwasher is good storage for dirty dishes! On the recent thread started by Dave (click Here) several people mention using pegboards as storage, as well. Your pantry area is going to save you! Your house looks beautiful. We recently moved from a house with a huge kitchen to one with a much smaller (very small) kitchen. I have not regretted it one bit. The rest of the house is so great and meets so many of our needs that I haven't looked back. Sure, I spend plenty of time in the kitchen. But, I spend far more with the family in other areas of the house, or outside.

Until we moved last March, we did not have cable, so we were "limited" to the shows on PBS. Julia and Jacques have been favorites of mine, and my kids, for years. Now that we have cable, we've been introduced to many more of the "cooking" shows. It's been interesting to get my kids' reactions on them. On Rachel Ray, Peter asked "is she on TV because she's supposed to be a hot chick?" Diana finds Emeril to be very pompous. They both like Mario and Sarah. The other day, we flipped through, and Emeril was cooking chateaubriand. The kids asked what it was, and all I could say was "a cut of beef. An expensive cut." I loved Diana's comment. Julia or Jacques would have told us more about this cut of meat, and what to look for. Out of the mouths of babes... When it comes to Food TV, teach us, please. I'll seek entertainment elsewhere.

My gardening season is over, and everyone here agrees it was the summer that never was, although we have had a beautiful fall. All I planted this year were tomatoes and basil, and my tomato plants did not produce well. The flavor was wonderful, but the texture off, and I'm sure that had something to do with the many, many cool nights and days. Had I known that September and October (at least thus far) would be so spectacular -- eclipsing summer, in face -- I would have yanked my tomato plants in August and put in a crop of spinach and lettuce. The greens at the farmer's market have been the best I've ever seen and we've had them all summer, which is unusual. How would everyone else rate their season?

Meant to ask. Given that you live in a small town, how easy is access to a variety of fresh? Figure produce is easy, but the other stuff? Access to a library with a big cookbook selection?

Thanks, Rachel, for picking up the gauntlet. I haven't had Malt O Meal in years. I went to college in Northfield, MN, where they make Malt O Meal. Periodically, we would smell stuff from the plant -- when the wind was right -- and after four years of that, most of us swore it off. I'll have to return to it for the cold days ahead. Assume that your cooking will change some in the coming weeks, as will mine, as summer's bounty turns to fall.

Diana's last volleyball game is coming up. She has just been moved up to varsity and the team is having their first winning games. So, just what does this have to do with food? Young Peter, age 8, has suddenly discovered food, and cooking. Life beyond PB&J. So, the night of her final game, he has decided that he wants us (me and he) to make chicken breasts stuffed with chicken. I know, gack, chicken breasts. But, he wants to do this. He knows that we need to make the chicken breasts thin, put in cheese (and, as he said, some herbs -- emphasis on the H). Then he said, I think we need to make them so they don't fall apart (I figure skewer or that the chicken will be moist and wet enough to adhere), then put them in flour then egg and then "punk" ( ) crumb thingies. Assume he meant panko. But, every time I've tried pounding meat (veal, chicken, pork, whatever) thin, it has been disaster. Help! Or, should I just butterfly them, put some stuff in them and sew them shut? Any stuffing suggestions? I know. This is not something I would normally make. But, he's motivated, and wants this to work. He's excited about cooking and I want to encourage this, since it is lessons on so many levels. I'd like it to be more interesting that just that typical slice of ham and hunk of cheese inside.

Thanks, fifi. Think I need to get a shoulder or some country ribs and do what you did (including forgetting them; not hard these days). I think the problem with mine in the past is that I have "worried" them to shreds.

I have just received something like 4 pounds of organic quinoa. Several of my cookbooks have suggestions, but thought I should go to the experts first. Suggestions, please. My kitchen is small. I don't have much storage space.

Thanks, Kristin. Glad I'm not the only mom that thinks that every child should know how to operate a sewing machine (as well as sew on a button) as well as cook! Yes, do try the Mr. Clean eraser on the wall. Works on everything (took sharpee marker off wallpaper and woodwork, but didn't take off the finish off the latter!). The nailpolish on the floor in our old house was handily removed with polish remover, but that was a linoleum floor. From one mom of three to another, thanks for the glimpses into your life. I know how busy you are.

This is a recipe that lovebenton0 posted on recipeGullet: This recipe is based on my childhood memories of grandma's green tomato/corn relish. But she lived on a corn farm in Ohio -- and I've been living and eating in TX for most of my life. So I've kicked it a couple notches on the heat scale. You can adjust that as you wish. Serve with almost any meat. Recipe can be divided easily based on your tomatoes. Enjoy! 4 ears corn/kernels cut from cob 1 large sweet yellow onion/diced 4 cloves garlic/minced 4 c green tomato/peeled and chopped 2 c vinegar 1-1/3 c sugar 1/2 c water 1 tsp each yellow and spicy mustard powder of your choice (or 1 Tbsp each if using prepared) 2 habanero peppers/remove seeds and mince fine (or hot red pepper of your choice) 4 hot banana peppers or jalapenoes/sliced thin and chopped (or your choice -- even milder peppers are OK if you want to tone it down -- about 1/2 cup) 1/2—1 tsp crushed dried red pepper 1-1/2—2 T pickling or kosher salt 2—4 T prepared horseradish (optional if you just can't stand it -- but it does add another layer to the relish) Combine all ingredients in large pot except horseradish. Bring to low boil over medium heat, occassionally stirring. Simmer for about 45 minutes, occassionally stirring. Add horseradish. Stir well to insure horseradish is distributed throughout. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Pack quickly into sterilized jars with sterile lids and bands. I recommend 8 oz. jars. Makes 6-8 half-pint jars. It's very good, and if you didn't make that much, you could fridge it instead of processing jars.

Shit. Now I feel like a dinosaur. I change my own oil in my vehicle (as well as other routine maintenance), have just made a desk, cook all of my food from scratch (providing that produce is in season, otherwise I commit adultery with canned or frozen), every bed has a hand-made quilt on it, and we wear hand-knit sweathers. Yikes! But, then again, we have dinner together as a family 6 nights out of 7. We've made a point of limiting evening activities. There are plenty of kids out tossing a baseball or kicking a soccer ball in our neighborhood, without the expense (time and money) of "organized" sports. It leaves us a summer to rush to the cabin when the weather is good. The kids regularly are involved in choosing what we will have for dinner, going to the markets with me, prepping and cooking. Food is important in this household, and every participates. For the kids, it's not just about creating a great meal, it's about the math involved (grocery costs, proportions, etc.) but organization, prep, planning, sanitation. Life lessons.

Check out This Thread for more info on the glass top electric stoves.

We just mounted a cheap ass microwave over the sink, using some strapping. I didn't have room for a baker's rack for microwave and toaster.

I'm not sure how much longer you will be on this Q & A, but I want to thank you in advance for your participation. These Q & A's are one of the greatest features of eGullet, and yours has been exceptional. I know I will be referring to this one frequently. Although I did not have a chance to bake bread this week, I have read the first part of BBA. The copy I have is from the library, and I have already ordered a copy of it, as well as American Pie. They can't arrive soon enough, so that I can splatter and make notes to my heart's content. Thanks again, Peter. Once you've written your BBQ book, I hope you'll be back!

Thanks for sharing the first paragraph of your new book with us! Yes, you are right. There is something very primal about it. I enjoy cooking all sorts of things for friends and family. But, I probably derive the greatest satisfaction from smoking a brisket or pork shoulder. There's something sublime about the process -- the slow cooking, the tending, but best of all is the looks on peoples faces as they eat it. I always serve sides with the smoked meat, but I've really been upping the quantity of meat and decreasing the sides. It what I am doing considered que? Long and slow.

I've done two kitchens recently (actually one and a half; I'm not done with the current one yet). And, my new kitchen is vastly smaller than my old one. Great for cooking, bad for storage. The wall paper is the easiest and cheapest thing to take care of. Get it off, paint the walls white. Hopefully, the kitchen has that vinyly wallpaper that is easy to pull off. A pail of hot water, a putty knife, and washing with TSP. Gadget storage. When I was at Ikea recently, they had magnetic bars. I have attached a few to the wall for gadgets, and have a magnetic knife rack on the wall. I simply couldn't give up what limited counterspace I have to a knife block. Think seriously about an over-the-stove microwave. I didn't have that option (there is no wall behind my stove), so put one above the sink. Store all of that stuff you don't use very often elsewhere. The cookie cutters, the roaster, etc. Keep everything you store elsewhere in the same place so you don't have to hunt for it. The floor. I do plan on replacing the flooring this winter. But, in the meantime, I live with really ugly harvest gold sheet vinyl. Full of nicks, dents, cigarette burns, as well as all of the dimples that were part of the "look". I got down on my hands and knees and gave the thing a really good scrubbing and waxed it. It helped. It looks better. The wax sort of filled in some of the dings and dimples so it is easier to clean. Any idea what's under the vinyl? A friend just pulled her's up, intending to lay down CVT, and found hardwood underneath! Your floor is kind of large for looking for a remant of something, but you may want to keep your eyes open. If the dishwasher is one of the old Kitchenaids that was made by Hobart, it will last for a long time. We had one in our old house, and the thing was built to last. I recall a part failing once (timer as I recall). The part of easy to find, cheap and super easy to install. Save your money for the stove. The two doors are kind of a pain and really chew up space. And, it looks like you'll need to use them both so can't put a bookshelf in front of one of them. Is there an area that you could put up a shelf high up for stuff like pots, pans, or serving pieces?

This thread is reminding me of why I have kids. I cook, Diana and Peter clean. They cook, I clean. Paul takes care of Heidi. Heidi, with all that's going on with her, is great for keeping things clean. She's a virtual counter-cleaner. If it's out, she'll grab at it, and if it's too bit for her tiny little hands (she has really poor fine motor control), it's on the floor, either broken or leaving a sticky mess. Outside of a crock with wooden spoons, spatulas, etc., and the coffee maker, there is nothing on my counters. Ever. Not that I have much counterspace! I, too, like Cusina, have moved from one of those big "great room" type kitchens to a small kitchen. Absolutely love it. Not big enough to accumulate crap.

When I had a glass top, and was cooking a "really heat sensitive dish," I learned to use two burners. One high, one low, or one medium, one high. You get the picture. Worked well.

At the rate tonights Twins game is going, I'm starting to wonder what I will eat for breakfast while watching this never-ending game.

Yeah. But, you didn't have three cranky, tired kids in the car, two of whom needed to pee badly. So, trust next Friday you will stock up on all sorts of odd tastes of this and that to haul up to the mother-to-be.

Yes, the grocery situation in Duluth is pretty grim, although that big Cub does have a better selection of ethnic ingredients (primarily Asian) than I expected to see. But, it is more of a steak/burger/chicken and potato market. Assuming that Matt is making the trip up more often than you are making it down here, strikes me that Matt had better hie himself to the Wedge and Lund before his next trip up, and stock up on odd stuff -- jarred pesto, good pasta, olives, cheese good bread (have them slice it at the wedge and just freeze and pull out what you need) and other assorted odd things that just may strike your fancy. I know most local asian markets have decent, raw shrimp; buy, freeze in individual portions. Because, as I mentioned, and you are probably discovering that you never know what is going to strike your food fancy. (P. S. to Matt. That construction just north of Sandstone -- all 20 yards of it, for some damned culvert) -- as you are heading south cost us 1 hour and 15 minutes last Sunday afternoon.)

In the intro you posted, which is pinned at the top of this forum, you mentioned that you will be "a guest judge at the Jack Daniels World Barbecue Championship in Lynchburg, Tennessee." True barbeque, the stuff I ate as a youngster in College Station, Texas (in a wondeful place, where you got your food on butcher paper, sat on benches ala picnic table style; it was "undressed" with sauce served on the side with squishy white bread) was divine. This, I do not believe exists in Minneapolis. So, I've become pretty adept, if I do say so, at smoking various cuts of meat (pork shoulder and whole brisket, primarily) at home on my good old Weber Kettle. Talk about barbeque, and what you look for. This is a subject near and dear to the hearts of many of EG'ers.