kayb

God bless you. Prayers for all, and may you find normalcy, comfort and corned beef.

That's damned pretty corned beef.

I'm also in house-shopping mode. The kitchen is my first deal-breaker and the first thing I look at. Considerations include: 1. Space. I want a BIG kitchen. I want room for someone else in there with me, and room at an island or bar for people to sit and keep me company while I cook. 2. Gas stove with a hood that will suck the paint off the surface, vented to the outside. I can live with an electric stove, but not without the industrial strength hood. Stove should have a large range top with six burners, or four burners and a griddle/grill. 3. Lots of counter space. I spread out a lot when I'm prepping. 4. Lots of convenient cabinet space. I don't want to keep a lot out on the counter when I'm not using it; just my CSO, my coffee maker, my stand mixer, my canisters. 5. A BIG pantry to store infrequently used equipment as well as food. 6. Room for a BIG refrigerator. Room for a freezer in the same general area, though out in a garage is ok. 7. Lots of light. A big window, and good task lighting. 8. Enough electrical outlets to plug in multitudes of small electrics. 9. An oven with a warming drawer would be nice.

I would think the five days would be sufficient. I think the cutting them into individual ribs would be your preference; certainly if you DO, the five days will be plenty. If there's not a huge amount of fat, I'd leave it. I looked at an eye of round roast to brine the other day at Aldi, and passed it up. May go back and get one. They make the best cuts for sandwiches.

Probably not planting anything this year; we're going to be (hopefully) moving in the spring, so unless it's early enough I can plant after we move, no gardening. Once we move, top priorities will be to establish beds for tomatoes, asparagus and herbs. Beyond that, we shall see.

Bubble wrap is a great idea. Will be hanging on to the next I get.

If it ever quits raining, I am going to the grocery. Think I must buy avocados.

Just small slices, about the right size to fit on a biscuit. Broadbent's sells packaged slices of, in ascending size order, biscuit slices, breakfast slices, and dinner slices. All about 1/8 inch thick.

I very much enjoy your restaurant reviews.

H'mmm. May have short ribs in the freezer. Must look. Never occurred to me to corn them. Highly recomend the Ruhlman recipe for corning beef; only one with which I've ever been successful.

Huh. I'd'a never thought of it. Thanks. Will be trying this one. I regularly freeze unused cornbread, but it usually goes in dressing.

I'm telling you, those biscuit slices will change your world. Fry up the whole package, make a big ol' batch of biscuits, and wrap and freeze the extras. You will thank me. You can either add a fresh-cooked egg or slather one with jelly, wrap in a paper towel, and toss it in your purse to eat on the road. I have done both. And highly enjoyed them. They benefit tremendously from the cso vs the microwave, but they ain't bad in the microwave. Love me some Broadbent's.

Picked up a piece of CB brisket at Aldi today. Regrettably, flat cut was all they had. $2.99 a pound. I'll likely cook it Sunday, and have leftovers through the week. Look out, corned beef hash; here I come.

I'll go on a streak where I'll eat the same thing for lunch (or breakfast) a few days in a row, but eventually I get in a rut and have to change up. Now that I'm working at home, it tends to be whatever I forage from the fridge. Once or twice a week I'll go out, if I'm in a notion for something particular.

The A&W was known for root beer in those heavy glass frosted mugs, and chili dogs. I don't recall the burgers much.

Works for me. I'd enjoy going as part of a group.

Got it on my calendar. Likely just me; if it winds up being a +1 I'll try to give y'all some notice. I'm a huge fan of Air BnB. Will also check into the hotels @gfron1 referenced. Are we going to try to get Cards tickets in a group, or how do we want to handle that?

Does anyone else find avocado is highly enhanced by wheat toast, as opposed to white?

You people, stop this! I'm going to wind up buying one of these damn things, and I DO NOT NEED IT. Or at least, I don't THINK I need it. Well, maybe I need it. Y'all bunch of enablers.

Oh, one other favorite application I forgot -- sprinkled atop a southwestern frittata (chorizo, cheese, black beans, corn, chili powder) with cheese, just before it goes under the broiler.

More to the point, does it mean your IP will shatter into a bazillion pieces if you drop it?

I just got back from NOLA, so I did my pigging on seafood down there this past weekend. I do need to knock out two more king cakes today, though.

One of my favorites is boiled, peeled, chilled shrimp, kernels of barely-blanched fresh sweet corn, and chunks of avocado, tossed in a dressing made of a combo of cocktail sauce and mayo. And of course, big slabs of it o a BLT. Also makes a nice vegetarian sandwich on soft wheat bread with tomato, cream cheese and bean sprouts.

@Nicolai -- Those photos may not be of Heaven, but they''ve got to be close. What a glorious excess of cheese!

FWIW, I've frozen them with fairly good results.