scubadoo97

We have 2 PBS stations. One has aired ATK almost daily but has since replaced it with Simply Ming. ATK is a great show in that they really do some research on how to get it right for the home cook.

Oh, I forgot to mention I use soap But really I full understand that it will not eliminate bacteria but I like to think it reduces the number by some factor. I think of that absorbent pad used in packaged meats that is soaked in blood and the meat sitting there a few days and feel that if I rinse it off well there would be less germs. It would make a good school science project to culture one rinsed and one unrinsed to see if you got the same amount of bacterial growth. I remember in microbiology we cultered items that had been only wiped with a dry paper towel and it did reduce the bacteria significantly. During hand washig soap is not so toxic to germs but helps them slide off. Chicken I never rinse. Fish I'll rinse to remove any scales or other foreign matter and pat dry.

I was born in Tampa, the birth place of the Cuban sandwich. The Cuban sandwich is a uniquely Tampa phenomenon, developed by Cubans who settled in the city long before their countrymen came to Miami. Then, it was called a "sandwich mixto," because the mix of ingredients. You will not see this sandwich in Cuba. Everybody claims theirs is the best, some add mayo, some lettuce and tomato but the original formula and is very basic. Cuban sandwich HOW TO MAKE ONE: Between two pieces of Cuban bread, one of the best from La Segunda Central Bakery in Tampa, layer these ingredients: baked or smoked ham, roast pork, Genoa salami, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, yellow mustard. Press on a grill to crisp the bread and bring out flavors in the meats and cheese. The juices from the cheese and salami should mix with the pork and ham during pressing. These are great.

I rinse cuts of meat that I grind at home. I figure most of the harmful bacteria is on the surface and that's why ground beef has a higher risk factor than a steak eaten rare. Cross contamination is a concern and I've read that rinsing is not needed and is not advised but in this application I feel it's a benefit.

Miriam, have you ever had bazargan? It's a bulgur wheat/nut salad Here is a recipe I found online. I don't have measurements for my own bazargan but I use a regular small onions, half sauteed and half raw diced fine, and substitute pomegranate syrup for the tamarind concentrate. Some people use ketsup instead of the tomato paste. It works well and you can tailor to your taste of course. I like a a couple of tbs of cumin in mine. It's one of those salads that gets better as it sits so can be made ahead. Bazargan: Bulgur Wheat and Walnut Salad - pareve The recipe which follows is a family recipe from Lisa Ades, a documentary filmmaker. The recipe appeared in an article about Jewish-Syrian cooking in the December '97 SAVEUR magazine. According to the article, this is one of the signature dishes of Syrian-Jewish cooking. It is a meze or side-dish. Karen Selwyn * * * * * * * Bulgur Wheat and Walnut Salad (Bazargan) 1 1/2 cups fine-grain bulgur wheat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/4 cup parsley 2 scallions, green parts only, finely chopped 1 tablespoon tomato paste pinch cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice salt and freshly ground pepper Place bulgur wheat in a large bowl. Add 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon oil. Set aside until water is absorbed, approximately 20 minutes. Add walnuts, pine nuts, parsley, and scallions to bulgur wheat. Meanwhile, combine tamarind and 1/3 cup warm water in a medium bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice to tamarind mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid over bulgur wheat and toss gently. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 2 hours. Adjust seasonings with salt and cayenne pepper. Serve with wedges of toasted pita bread.

Goody, found a new job for that old rock polisher.

I use the oven to finish if the steak is greater than 1 1/2". To be honest I do most steaks on the outdoor grill which gets lots of year round use but on occasion I will do tenderloin steaks inside.

I like to sear in cast iron pan to build a crust on one side then slide in a very hot oven to finish. I like my steaks medium to medium rare. I don't use the broiler just on bake at a high temperature to cook the steak through. The pan is hot enough that you will get a good crust on both sides this way. I understand your dilemma of not having enough pan space. Although cast iron is my favorite for this type of cooking a large frying pan with oven safe handle will work. Just broiling would work as well as long as you have the oven good and hot before you put them in. One of the reasons I don't broil often is the oven is a mess after broiling and the smoke is harder to control than stove top.

to answer your question I would ditto the addition of sugar to cut the vinegar if you find them too tart. I would also echo the suggestion of making your own. Glass jars are the way to go. So easy and it takes so little time to make good dressing. I find bottled dressings have "that taste". I don't know what it is but many have a certain taste in the background that may be preservatives or additives. Don't know what it is but don't like them. for creamy dressings a mixture of mayo and sour cream works well when loaded with blue cheese.

I hate that feeling of the microfibers snagging my hand and fingers. I got a pack of the microfiber towels for car and general use. Tried it on my SS appliances with poor results. The only thing that makes my SS look great is oiled cloths. The ones you buy for SS or you can make your own.

Cast iron holds so much heat you may want to try to turn it down to a lower heat. Oven will also work well.

Staying real basic since my Greek themed dinner was not appreciated by some of the picky eaters in my extended family . Grilled flank and flat iron steaks to be sliced thin and served with tortillas, salsa, mole, rice, plantains and salad.

I hate all reality TV shows and can't believe I watch this one. I wanted to gag with all the hateful comments directed at Marcel. Surprised Sam got the boot, thought it should have been Elia and Ilan due to their childish boorish behavior. What has spoiled the entire show for me is this BS drama but that's what all of these reality TV shows thrive on. No bravo from me on this one.

Toss the whole jar out. Recycling would make better sense but it's not practical option.

Reminds me of a stand up comedy routine. I forgot the comedian. He was commenting on the serving size of Fig Newtons. He said it was like 3 fig newtons and then went on the say who eats 3 fig newtons. To him a serving was a whole sleeve. Should we be eating less, no doubt but some of the serving sizes on some items seem ridiculous.

Chris, really enjoyed the Miami show. From the fresh fish at Garcia's to the Cuban sandwich (we say was invented in Ybor City) the food looked amazing. I hope there will be more of the Hungry Detective.

I have filtered through a paper coffee filter but found an item that worked even better. The paper coffee filter was too slow. I had this strainer like those non disposable coffee filters that was used to strain yogurt. More of a fine mesh. Works great. I store in a jar in the cabinet. My mom always had a jar in the fridge. I have heard that off smells from seafood can be dealt with by frying some potatoes prior to storing. The potatoes are suppose to absorb the odors. I did some squid last month and have fried other things in the same oil without any off flavors. Squid cooks so fast. Your nose will tell you if it's too smelly from previous foods or if it's rancid. You can't hide rancid

I made this one a while back. This is the paste and then you mix it with tomatoes, onions and garlic which has been pureed Ingredients 10 dried ancho chiles 6 dried pasilla negro (or negro) chiles 4 dried guajillo or mulato chiles 6 T black raisins 1/2 cup almonds 6 T raw sesame seeds 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds 1 slice French bread 1 corn tortilla One 3-inch piece of Mexican Canela (soft-bark cinnamon) OR 1 1/2 t ground cinnamon 6 whole cloves 1 t black peppercorns 1 1/2 t dried oregano 1 round of Ibarra Mexican Chocolate (3.1 oz.) Taken from The Mole page I would decrease of eliminate the cloves. Just a taste I'm not use to in mole' Most of these chilies are easy to find in a Mexican market. I can actually find all of these at most of my local big box grocery stores.

Still trying to figure out why they didn't just put those ostrich eggs on the fire and eat roasted egg instead of having to pick the sand and embers off that cow patty looking thing. No pan needed to improve on their technique. I guess that says a lot about tradition.

You can use it in a meat sauce where you would typically drain off the fat anyway.

Watched the Youtube clip. Please, this is a poor attempt at video editing. Anyone here with a DVR or TIVO can review frame by frame to disprove it. Didn't happen

sounds reasonable to me. I like the flexible fillet knife when filleting or removing skin but a thicker knife would be welcomed when it comes to cutting through bone as in removing the head.

If you watch even a few cooking shows you should be be very well versed on cutting an onion. Seems they walk you through the procedure on almost every show.

Rebecca, so glad to see you posting. Prayers and best wishes to you and your family. Tonights menu will be Asian BBQ chicken Napa cabbage salad with, ramen noodles, almonds and sesame seeds topping string beans and garlic

My dad would be 81 if he were still alive but he did very little if any cooking that I can remember. He did like salami and eggs but my mom cook it. I do remember him making his own breakfast on occasion. Toast with cheese in the toaster oven. I think that's as far as it got.