Jacksoup

Friends had to cancel their party when their rescue Frenchie had to go back to the hospital. My son and I are having Ro-tel cheese dip, loaded potato skins and pigs in a blanket. Very old school but the best I could do on short notice and it’s easy. Starting with espresso martinis. I will likely switch to red wine, son will drink PBR. Frenchie was rescued as he was used as a breeder for 4 years and kept in a cage smaller than him so he was never able to fully stand. If you’re interested check out humbugthefrenchie on IG. Lucky to have UCDavis vet school nearby.

You always impress me with your substitutions. I have to follow a recipe exactly for the first time, but you are giving me inspiration.

I remodeled my kitchen, walls out about 6 years ago. The microwave died, the stovetop died. It was all oak 80’s cabinets in good shape but little counter space. I took a deep breath or two and did it all. Even foregoing the Wolf stove and Sub Zero fridge the appliance store wanted me to buy, it was pricey. And it’s a small galley kitchen. I am still very happy with it and glad I did it. That said, make some little changes that make you happy. The cabinet guy did amazing work without any input from me and it has made a huge difference. Maybe get an estimate or two. At least that’s free.

@FauxPas I love nutcrackers. I only have about 40 but have not got anything out this year because I thought it was just gonna be me. I knew my son was moving back to re-adjust his career for the better, he just called and said he’ll be here Friday. He loves ham so I’ll get one and make au gratin potatoes. Maybe pecan pie which he also loves but Lordy it’s too much sugar for me. Thank goodness he’s not big on all the Xmas stuff but now we’ll probably see a lot of his dad’s side of the family. Which is good, I love them, they love me and my ex never shows up. Christmas doesn’t look so solitary now. But I wasn’t sad about it, was planning my binge watches for the day

I’ve misplaced my Christmas decorations, must have been during the house reconstruction after the tree fell thru it. I’ve searched one attic and have to look in another but it’s only me so I’m not concerned if I decorate or not. I’m not having anyone for dinner, will probably go out with friends and I love the lack of stress. I was going to make my ex-husband’s family eggnog but probably not. It’s full of booze and the recipe makes 12 bottles and I don’t have the room in the fridge. The kids get money and the grandkids got a group gift they wanted. Do have lights up outside and bought two poinsettias and a wreath. Not being Grinchy but I’m totally relaxed about Xmas this year.

Surprising, sad loss. Always enjoyed her take on everything..RIP

@bokeg I did a kitchen remodel a few years back and documented in the thread below. Kitchen was totally gutted. Looking at the dates in the thread, it took about two months. There were some minor delays. @gfwebalso added some pictures of their remodel. We stayed in the house, used a microwave, Cuisinart toaster oven and paper plates. Moved the old refrigerator to the dining room. It was a pain, but I didn’t work remotely at the time so I was out while most of the work was done. https://forums.egullet.org/topic/154014-kitchen-remodel-starting-now/#comments

@Katie Meadowlovely, so many memories and friends here

I like self check-outs. There are 6 in the smallish Safeway near me and 6 in the Costco I go to. The only problem is that you cannot use them if you’re buying liquor, but when I only have a few items, it’s much faster.

I’m still thinking about Anna N and will probably do so for years, it’s hard to believe she’s gone. But will live one here

So sad to hear this. Anna (and) Kerry’s blogs about Manitoulin were the reason I joined here. She will be truly missed.

My parents never made my brother and I eat anything we didn’t want to eat. I was a vegetarian from about 5 to 12 and it was fine. Vegetarian only because I didn’t like the taste and texture of any meat. Funnily enough now, almost 60 years later, I’m visiting him and his wife, he’s a meat and potatoes eater and I’m not so much.

@Kim Shooki used to have access to hundreds of Meyer lemons. Now i only get about 100. I zested, juiced and froze both. I still have plenty of two years later. I’ve dehydrated the lemons I got this year. Just slice them 1/8” to 1/4” and throw them in my cheap food dehydrator. I use them in tea and water, even chicken piccata. They rehydrate quickly. People beg me for a ziplock bag full of them. So far they seem to keep a long time.

Kipper snacks on saltines were a special bonding time with my dad. Probably why I prefer salty over sweet to this day.

Oh wow, like all of you I always enjoyed his posts.

@TdeV here’s the recipe and I used an industrial potato masher although an immersion blender would have worked

@TdeVmy ex and I used to make at least 4x a similar recipe - twice in one night! It was about 80 bottles of the stuff. It was his German great-great grandfather’s recipe which used brandy, rum, and bourbon. We gave it out to his employees.

@SweetSymphonybyM yes the lemon rehydrates quickly and you get the fresh lemon taste.

Was at Costco today and the price of beef tenderloin was $22.99 a pound. The price of Dungeness crab was $9.99 a pound, up $3.00 from last year. Bacon was about $3.00 a pound more than last year. That maybe California prices due to the new regulations on raising pork, not sure.

I used to have access to an enormous amount of Meyer lemons. I zested them, juiced them and froze both. Still had too many and freezer was well stocked. I tried dehydrating them and use them in tea, water and things like chicken piccata. My relationship with the source ended, but now my friends that I have gifted with the dried lemons are on the lookout for lemons for me. This was half of today’s haul. I have a small cheap 5 tray dehydrator so I expect to to be going full blast for a week.

I was in Costco today, did not seem to be a shortage of anything. Food prices are higher for some things like bacon. Limit of one per customer Costco sized toilet paper.

What sad news. I always looked forward to his posts with recipes included.

@Anna NI must have missed @blue_dolphinpost, I’ll have to go back and read it. Thx

I was gifted this box of hybrid plum/cherries. They’re much sweeter that plums which I often find too tart. The person who grew them is a professor of horticulture at the local university. I’m going to make chutney, preserves or jam. May dehydrate some. Any other ideas are welcome.

I was a picky eater as a child and in some ways still am. My brother not at all. I didn’t eat meat until I was 12. Family MD told my mom I was too lazy to chew. Red sauce with ground beef was acceptable. BBQ hamburgers and hot dogs were my gateway. Then well cooked bacon. Ate every vegetable. We had a salad every meal, my parents felt it was a luxury to live In California where the vegetables were so abundant. Mom was from Kansas, Dad from Texas and we were barely blue collar. Didn’t and still don’t drink milk. My only real issue now is any hunk of fat in meat or overly fatty mouthfeel. My son is much less picky than I am but as a child could eat red bell peppers and cucumbers every day.