lindag

Ever been to a Red Robin? It's so loud it's like trying to have a meal in a Gymboree! I will NEVER go there again.

I like QUIET in a restaurant; the really noisy ones don't get a second chance.

Of course you should give the restaurant another chance! Since you used to go there frequently and were always pleased, aren't you kind of cutting off your nose to spite your face? That was an unusual evening if they had a huge party coming in. It was just your bad luck to pick the wrong night. Go back, and if your really feel you need to, speak to the owner about it. Me? I'd just write it off as a one time thing.

I've given up most of mine. But CI and CC are still a must in my house. I also like Food Network Magazine (much more there than you'd think when you think of the Food Network!) I also like Taste of Home, it's so much better than it was years ago.

I own what I think is the best bread knife (actually I own two types). The Wustof 10-inch Classic Bread Knife, which is fabulous and also the Cusinart electric knife. The electric knife (with its bread blades) makes short work of slicing whole loaves. For just a slice here and there I pull out the Wustof. Both do a great job.

Granted, it's been a number of years since I've shopped for a d/w, but I do remember then that I noticed the interior size of the Bosch was smaller than the other brands! I was told that it was due to it's being sold in European markets as well where the kitchen cabinets were smaller. Anyway, I felt like it was a big gyp and purchased a Kenmore Elite instead; it's been an excellent appliance, cleans everything very well.

Annette, I think your plan is fabulous, can I come?

Little Caesar's is awful stuff. I wouldn't take one if it were free.

Twice in the last couple months I've clogged my disposer with peelings from butternut squash - then a third time that was a close call (apparently I'm either a slow learner or I'm just testing myself. I don't know what it is, I've never clogged this disposer before this and I've had it for nearly nine years. Also, last weekend I was making a recipe for Root Vegetable Gratin (from CI) and cutting potatoes, rutabaga and celery root with my v-blade mandolin; wearing a no-kut glove. Well don't believe that! The rutabaga was really hard and took quite a bit of force to slice. I ran the knuckle on my little finger into the blade and it cut nicely right through the glove. So much for that theory! Very bad cut, lots of pain and ferocious bleeding.

I like to watch the Great British Sewing Bee. In order to do that I download the 'Hola' add-on which allows me to unblock BBC programming.

I'd forgotten just how bad that Texas Top Chef was!

I have two upright freezers as well as a side-by-side in the kitchen. There was a time when my bigger freezer wasn't quite full (how did that happen?) and I would take the Ice from my ice-maker and fill a couple of large ziplock bags then tuck them into the freezer for times when I ran out of ice or for when I needed it for a cooler. Nice to have on hand in case of an equipment failure.

I am not an intuitive cook and I know I never will be. However, my own mother and other women I've known just seem to instinctively know how to cook without a recipe. I don't remember my mother ever owning a cookbook but she still was an excellent cook and could make just about anything while I seem to need a recipe for even the simplest things.

I used to by the bags of fresh garlic from Costco but now I find I just can't use them up before they sprout. I have found small bags of fresh, peeled garlic at my local Safeway store. Each small bag contains several smaller bags inside. The bag of fresh, peeled I got from Costco seems to contain mostly nice sized cloves; I didn't see any of the itty bitty ones.

I love having leaf lard on hand for making piecrusts! Nothing can compare. Even though I have to order it online and pay for shipping, it is still worth the doing. I order ten pounds at a time and store it in my big freezer. That gives me plenty for my pies and for sharing with a friend. I order it here: http://www.dietrichsmeats.com/Lard.html

Really? For me it's just too time-consuming and frustrating to peel those itty bitty cloves, so I toss them and use only the big cloves. That means I don't get much garlic out of one head. I'm loving the idea of the pre-peeled cloves, particularly since I'm told by an ATK expert that they're just as good as fresh! My only question is whether you need to increase the amount to make up for a loss in flavor after freezing.

Oh, I didn't think of that, the elements not staying on. That does make a lot of sense. More and more, I'm thinking that when it comes to replacing my BSO I need to test drive the Cuisinart. Too bad there's not room for both.

It takes longer too toast bread that has less sugar content, so with no-knead, I let it go with my normal setting, then re-start it when that's done so I can get more color. Someone here said that he/she felt that toast in the BSO was more like baked than toasted. After giving it some thought, I actually agree. I think it's because the elements are located so far from the center rack. Still, it's very convenient and not really all that much different than in a toaster.

Well, on my last foray into Costco I did buy their bagged, peeled garlic cloves. My goodness, that bag is HUGE I should look, but it must be at least two pounds! I hope it keeps well frozen, it will take me a lifetime to use that much - and I do love garlic.

My BSO takes at least four minutes for normal (homemade) breads. Add time if the bread is frozen (there's a setting for frozen).

Where'd they go? Is it just where I live that they don't sell cut-up chickens, just whole chickens or chicken parts. Where I used to live (Portland) there were more cut-up chickens in the meat case than there were whole chickens; but not here. Is this a change or is it a local thing? I have to admit that I am not good at cutting up chickens to get recognizable parts!

I disagree. CI cookbooks, especially those big, comprehensive ones are wonderful. I own many of their books and find them far better than almost any others.

One of the comments made by CI's Bridget Lancaster was that she buys the pre-peeled garlic because when she buy the fresh stuff she ends up with only one or two usable cloves, the rest are all those little guys that are too small to be useful. I was sold, because that's a gripe of mine. Next trip to Costco I'll get a jar of the ready-to-use.

"So last weekend I watched the first installment of The Worst Cooks in America, now hosted by Anne Burrell and a chunkier Tyler Florence. Words fail me in describing how truly awful it is. Chock full of freaks and geeks, "artists" and characters, there is not one normal or likeable contestant in the bunch. It's gone from mildly entertaining to cringeworthy in three seasons." Once again, it's a case of too many clowns, not enough circuses!

I wish they'd just lose that part of the show. I don't need to know about the chefs' pasts (mad-up or otherwise), I just want to see if they can cook. I've pretty much stopped watching most of the episodes just for that reason. I don't know how many of you have been around long enough to remember the show "Queen for a Day" from the mid to late fifties. The wretched sob stories of those women (most of which I'll bet were fictional) brought the show to a ridiculous end.