kayb

You can transfer the chilis to a canning jar and can in a water bath for 10 minutes at a boil, then cool. Should be shelf-stable. I see no need to either use vinegar or cook the mixture, unless you want to for the taste.

Most welcome. Easy way to grate Velveeta is to freeze it semi-hard first.

Raw veggies from Christmas, left over from the appetizer spread. With ranch dip.

I grew up in a county which held the distinction for a while of being the largest sorghum molasses producing county in the nation. We had a number of Amish families, one group of which had a sorghum mill (made some of the best sorghum out there, too!). I suspect that Amish cuisine is about like any other cuisine that gets transplanted somewhere; it picks up from where it's set down, and adds other things that come afterward.

I think my mother had that juicer.

I have Charcuterie, and have recently bought a smoker. I have a meat grinder/sausage stuffer attachment for my KA mixer; I think no more than I'll do, that will serve for me. Will be interested to hear how your curing cabinet project goes. I've looked at buying a small dorm-room-sized fridge if I can find one I can set the temp high enough.

When we used to camp with the kids, I would fill two-liter plastic bottles with water, freeze and cap. Use those in the cooler and they keep food colder for longer, plus you have fresh water to drink or cook with when they thaw. I would, at a minimum, buy a stove-top percolator. Coffee is NEVER better than when perked and enjoyed outdoors in the early morning. A Dutch oven is a good multi-purpose implement, particularly if it's one of the old style ones with the lip and legs, so you can set it in the coals and pile coals on top. You can cook about anything in that, up to and including baking bread. It would be worth buying one of those should you happen across it at a thrift shop or some such. If it were me at this stage of my life, I'd probably make up some single-serve meals and package in foil pans, freeze and take with me. Won't hurt them to thaw as long as they stay cold. The pans can go in the coals or on the grill, or inside that Dutch oven. Big baker potatoes and canned chili or stew are a good choice, too. Wrap a potato in foil, nestle it in the coals, let it bake, split it, top with chili or stew. Fine dinner.

If you check the second of the links in the OP's first post, it'll show you a gallery that includes a crumb shot. No bottom shot, but it shows the sides down to the bottom, and they appear to be well browned; not, perhaps, as brown as the top, but nicely browned.

I do have a food funny involving one of those ketchup packets. When my youngest daughter was a freshman, some of the older guys at her high school found it amusing to put a pinhole in the packets and then "shoot" ketchup at someone. When it was my kid's turn to be the victim, she reacted quickly and decisively -- whirled around, landed a right hook on the guy's jaw, and put him on the ground. (Said child was built like a concrete block with feet, and was and is the strongest female I've ever come across). Both were quickly dispatched to the office. Principal looked at the guy and said, "I'm gonna do you a favor. I'm not gonna tell anybody a freshman girl knocked you out with one punch. Go to class." To Sara, he said, "Good punch. Please don't do it again. I'd be willing to bet you won't have any more problems. Go to class."

Beautiful dishes. Welcome to the forum....you'll find all kinds here. Talk charcuterie to me. I'm dipping my toe in that water.

I like it a lot and will be inclined toward participating in the Kickstarter and/or being an early purchaser. I love the blue. The offset handles will take some getting used to, but they make sense. I'd also be thinking in terms of multi-use (I don't like having single-use anything in the kitchen, beyond my coffeemaker). I can also see a need for the ability to purchase extra liners. I've never done much baking with silicone, but I can't imagine it would be as durable as the pot itself. Anxiously awaiting availability!

Not too far from Vivian Howard's recipe for stewed tomatoes. Those babies, btw, are awesome with eggs baked in them. Over a layer of cheese grits in the bottom of a casserole dish, they're even awsome-er.

As planned. Latkes (miniature ones), sour cream, caviar, mimosas.

I once staged a luncheon for 100 as part of a formal announcement of a Japanese business project. I was checking details that morning when the florist came in with centerpieces for each of the 10-top tables...each of which had four chrysanthemums in it. The florist thought I was nuts when I told her we were either taking one flower out of each centerpiece, or she was bringing enough more to add one to each.

I've been of a mind to make meatballs here lately....that may be on the agenda this week.

Dairy is good for you.

All the traditions satisfied. Along with my urge for potato salad. The mustard greens, cooked in the IP, were very nearly edible. I would not go so far as to call them good. I cook them because I'm afraid not to.

I was going to say cardamom as well.

He's on the autism spectrum, which means it's VERY easy for him to watch a movie back to back to back to back. And it's generally not productive to not let him do so, unless I can offer an attractive alternative.

Junk food tonight, as I'm spending it at home with the TV and my grandson (age 5). We will, no doubt, watch Toy Story 3 at least twice. Might bestir myself to make crab dip. Tomorrow, I'll start out with latkes, sour cream and caviar (the el cheapo capelin domestic, but still good). Sometime midafternoon, turnip greens (the one time a year I'll cook them, and force myself to eat some), maybe some red cabbage, and my own take on black-eyed peas -- cooked from dry with a sauteed onion and diced hog jowl, a pint or so of canned tomatoes and a healthy dose of smoked pimenton. Over rice. And maybe some deviled eggs, with some more caviar. Because it's there. Copious mimosas until 3 or so, then switching over to ... something else.

"...fun and junky..." I love it. Meatballs, or Little Smokies, in barbecue sauce with jam are a wonderful thing, as is Knorr's spinach dip. And what's a party without Rotel dip?

Oh....goodness. I may die, I'm so full. And it was so good. Youngest daughter and I are road tripping and stopped by a diner for a late lunch/early dinner. Walking in, I glanced at another diner's plate and saw some scrumptious looking onion rings. I ordered the hamburger steak platter, and asked for onion rings instead of the veggies. Got both. When I tasted the first ring, a little whimper escaped. Partly because it was hotter than hell, but mostly because it was the best onion ring I ever tasted. Ultra light, crispy batter, almost tempura style . Thick, sweet, cooked through with just a bit of bite left, onion. They were astounding. Hamburger steak, which I got minus the gravy but with onions and mushrooms, was better than a half pound, cooked. Mashed potatoes wanted some salt. I didn't try the green beans. There was a tossed salad, to boot. That, my daughter's grill chicken bacon ranch sandwich with fries, a coke and a cup of coffee, set me back the princely total of $23 and change. If you're ever traveling through Mountain Home, AR, and hungry, stop off at Brenda's Country Cafe.

Good hams. We had one for Christmas, along with roast beef.

I got the same book, from my daughter! Haven't tried any recipes yet. The accompanying text is a hoot, though.

Well, that's three off this thread this week....