cyalexa

I used 4 lbs of frozen peaches. They barely fit in the pan at first. I was having a group for lunch - pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, baked beans. Pretty much had to have a cobbler for dessert.

As low as $69! good sale on thermapens

Peach "cobbles" from Alton Brown's new book, Everyday Cook. This was very good, better than the cobbler recipe I had been using. It took about twice as long to reduce the peaches as suggested in the recipe and I had to bake it a bit longer but otherwise the recipe was accurate (although hard to read due to the busy background and small font).

@shain your kugel is a huge upgrade from the cream cheese and canned pineapple tidbits kugels I ate as a youth. I actually liked that OK so I bet I would adore yours.

I am quite amused by the new show with Martha Stewart and Snoop Dog. Anyone else watching?

I used linseed oil. It was only sticky when I didn't wipe it off well enough before it went in the oven to heat.

A tradition I'm breaking - I'm not behind on my prep, in fact, a I'm little ahead. Celebrating with a margarita because while rearranging the fridge I found 3 limes that were taking up valuable space. Another tradition I'm breaking - using the back screened in porch as a auxiliary refrigerator (it won't be cold enough). I need to thaw a couple quartes of stock so will do it overnight in a cooler (with ice packs) on the porch and will put a couple not highly perishable, already cold things in there as well.

Be careful, I find them to be invasive and hard to control.

Thanks for the ideas. I am especially intrigued with the trifle idea. I don't see fresh bananas as the fruit - maybe strawberries? Then again, a bread pudding, especially with some chocolate chips tossed in also sounds good. Or maybe cut the slices in to squares and coat with chocolate, sort of like a square cake ball.

future dressing:

I made a banana bread that was the favorite of several people on another cooking forum. I wasn't crazy about it. Most of it is now in the freezer, presliced. It's very moist but bland and has no nuts. I hate to waste food so I'm toying with the idea of re-purposing it, perhaps with some sort of filling between slices then frosting. I thought either a cream cheese filling/frosting or maybe peanut butter filling/chocolate frosting. I have a good cream cheese frosting recipe and chocolate frosting recipe but would have to wing a peanut butter filling. On the other hand, maybe I should just toss it! What do you think?

There is a compromise: half way thru the bake slide the peel under the partially cooked pie, lift it a bit and remove the parchment. I use a this opportunity to rotate my pie 180 degrees so I get a more even bake. I don't know if it matters but I am using stone and don't use the broiler as my bottoms don't get brown that quickly.

@kayb - thanks, hubby loves coconut desserts Bird is separated into pieces, rubbed with dry-brine and in plastic bags. Note to self: don't buy those Hefty brand sliders again as they do not stay closed.

Although I made stock a couple days ago for gravy, my real cooking starts today as well; with a pie crust. I just made biscuits so the fp is dirty. Use twice (at least), wash once is my motto. Will probably also make the cranberry-fig-port sauce today. Is the coconut cake recipe on your blog?

@Lisa Shock Thanks for your reply, it was very helpful.

What makes quick breads get tall cracked domes? I made pumpkin breads using an ATK recipe I have used successfully in the past in my regular oven. This time I used the CSO convection setting. Part way through the bake I had to decrease the temp and cover the tops as they were getting too brown. Is the too quick browning related to the large cracked domes?

I need one of these.

I will gladly share the 20 at my cost if I can manage to get them!

They only sell to dealers and require a federal tax ID to open an account. I have a tax ID but it is for a not-for-profit charity and I don't think I should use it for this purpose. Who wants to be my dealer?

I'm holding out for the specific product at the link. I have tried a couple others, although not a Messermeister, and none were as good.

I have one of these vertical peelers and have been looking for another, literally for years. The gift thread gave me my first clue but in spite of multiple searches I cannot find the vertical peeler for sale. I may email the manufacturer but based on the info on the contact page I do not expect that to be fruitful. I am hoping someone here can help. Pendo vertical blade peeler

I think the chickens I get at the farmers' market are pasture-raised. I do the leap-frog method to flatten, divide 3 teaspoons of kosher salt over all surfaces and under the skin then put the bird in the refrigeorator on a rack overnight. Next day convection 250F until 168F in the breast, about 70 min. Room temp for 30 to 60 min then 500 F until skin is brown. Rest before carving.

I have a Bosch induction cook top and am happy with everything but the inability to put my roaster on the cook top for gravy-making or have 2 large pots going at once. Previously I had a Kenmore (made by Electrolux) that worked fine for about 2 years then required a major repair then died 3 years later. When I was shopping for the Kenmore replacement I was intrigued by the zoneless models but would have had to replace a Corian counter top because the existing hole was too small. Multiple contractors said they would not cut the existing Corian. The cost of a new counter plus the cost of the zoneless models was just too much. I now regret that decision (after all, it would have been cheaper than a year of owning racehorses, my husband's hobby). If I get another chance at a redo I will go zoneless, taking boilsover's advice into consideration.

This has languished in my phone for so long it's almost time to plant again! My 2016 garlic crop:

bumper crop of figs this year, have 2 zip-top bags full of dried figs (1 qt each) so far and they are still ripening