[What Are You Preserving, and How Are You Doing It? (2016–)]

@kayb  those are just the pickles I need too make, bread and butter, sweet pickle relish.  Then I need to make some dills.  Not enough cucumbers out of the garden yet to make a batch of pickles worthwhile.  Soon though. @Shelbyo you're getting comfortable with the pressure canner?  I'll probably have more tomatos than freezer space this year, am worried about regular canning and the pH.  But it seems like you've canned tomatos for years, I want to can sauce, just no garlic.  Have you canned that

[Dinner 2017 (Part 5)]

@rarerollingobject sorry for your loss and struggle.  Hope you soon get back ro the point where you are enjoying life and traveling for pleasure as documented in your fantastic thread about your trip to Japan.  

[Dinner 2017 (Part 5)]

@chefmd  hope your travels are without problems and your father regains health

[Hospital Food]

@liuzhou hope you're better soon and back to eating your normal fare.  Thanks for posting this story, it's interesting to see some aspects of health care in another part of the world.

[Costco membership]

It's just my adult son and myself but I find my Costco membership worthwhile.  I get gasoline, paper towels, toilet paper, chicken, salmon(both get frozen into smaller portions), wine and other booze.  Their Kirkland vodka is $16.99 for the large bottle and since I'm not overly picky, it's fine.  Also, bacon and Greek yogurt.  Lately they've had a 2.25 lb bag of asparagus for $6.99.  

[Gardening: (2016– )]

This morning's pickage.  Had to get out there before the high of 107F today.  Some of the squash got very large but they're really growing fast in this warm weather.  Also a lot of things don't get picked until I get here for the weekend.

[Dinner 2017 (Part 5)]

@Shelby @ElainaA and @Okanagancook  I absolutely agree about the sauce.  I made it with yellow cherry tomatoes, froze some, served it to the boyfriend farmer in March.  He loved it so much he planted 25 yellow cherry tomatoes this year.  We'll probably never run out of it now!

[Gardening: (2016– )]

A row of squash, zucchini, yellow crookneck and butternut.    Then more basil.  Various tomatos, mostly Roma and beefsteak.  The yellow cherry tomatos have had a lot of growth.  It's finally getting warm here.

[Gardening: (2016– )]

Some basil about two weeks ago. I thought these looked weak, seemed like bugs were eating them, so the Italian boyfriend farmer graciously planted about 10 more.  All are thriving now and we'll have plenty.  Just some of the tomatoes too. The IB farmer planted 25 yellow cherry tomato plants because of a love for a roasted tomato sauce we had last summer.  Perhaps he'll tire of it this year...

[Do You ALWAYS Clean Your Kitchen As You Go?]

I enjoy walking into a clean kitchen in the morning and clean up as I go when cooking - as much as I can.  But I'm easily distracted by the cooking process, so sometimes I'm just messy.  I'm lucky in that the people I cook for are appreciative enough to do all the after meal cleanup.

[Dinner 2017 (Part 4)]

@mm84321tell me how you cooked those abalone.  I have six abs in my freezer and have only cooked them by pounding, breading in Ritz frackers and frying/sauteeing

[Camping, Princess Style]

I actually lived in Tucumcari when my dad worked for the old Southern Pacific railroad.  At that time the town of approx 3000 had one stoplight on Route 66 which cut through the middle of town. As teenagers we 'dragged the strip', which means we had nothing to do so we drove back and forth on Route 66 every Friday and Saturday night.  Now I believe the freeway bypasses the town.  There's a railroad siding named after my dad somewhere south of Tucumcari.

[Camping, Princess Style]

I remember the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum from way too many years ago as a teen.  I was very impressed with the outdoor animal displays and I believe some kind of otter display.  My fading memory may not be accurate.

[Dinner 2017 (Part 3)]

@Thanks for the CrepesThat's really interesting.  In the middle of California, I can find pretty much any kind of lettuce.  Haven't paid much attention to the price, but I did buy a big plastic tub of spring mix for $5.00 a couple of weeks ago.  Actually couldn't eat it all before it wilted.  

[Dinner 2017 (Part 3)]

@suzilightning I have never heard of butter bean honey,   Will you tell us about it?

[Kitchen Remodel starting now]

One addition to the kitchen.  Finally found a utility cart at IKEA to house the CSO and Instant Pot.  Now they're off the countertop and everything looks cleaner.  I collect aprons as souvenirs and decided to hang them up behind the CSO.  I know fire hazard.  Will roll the cart out to use the CSO.  Just got a new apron from Silver Oak winery in Napa this weekend.  Some others are from Paris, London, Cinque Terre, Culinary Institute in Napa, Florence, Telluride and Salty's Restaurant in Seattle.

[Whatever happened to Biba Caggiano?]

Biba has a restaurant in my city.  She's had it for 31 years.  http://biba-restaurant.com/about-biba

She's usually in there every day.  She had breast cancer a while go and I believe her public persona did lessen after that. I did see her in the restaurant a few months ago. 

[Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)]

@andiesenji  thank you!   Then this must be my grandmother's skillet.  My son ruined one of the two I had and I was never sure which was which.  I also have two small 6.5 inch cast iron skillets but they are 'Wagner Ware'.  Now I'm ambitious to clean up the aged beauty.  Thanks again!

 

[Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)]

This photo may be better

 

[Yard Sale, Thrift Store, Junk Heap Shopping (Part 3)]

@andiesenji this is not a thrift store find but am curious about this pan. I believe it was my mothers. Any info on the age of this would be appreciated. Hard to read but it says Wagner Sidney at the top and 8 on the lower part

[Challenge: Cook your way through your freezer (part 1)]

pulled out a hunk of pork shoulder and made carnitas in the IP.  My new freezer part of the new counter depth fridge is so small compared to the old freezer space, I'm considering getting a stand alone freezer as soon as I make space in the garage.

[Challenge: Cook your way through your freezer (part 1)]

Used frozen Pesto with Pasta.  Chicken breasts with Citrus.  Started eating in front of the TV before I remembered to take a lousy picture

[Challenge: Cook your way through your freezer (part 1)]

@Thanks for the Crepes I feel unbelievably lucky to be able to drive to Trader Joe's, Safeway, Whole Foods and Asian, Indian, Mexican and so many ethnic groceries.  I need to go more often just to enjoy my luck.  Trader Joe's is the only one I go to regularly because they have my favorite wine.

[Chocdoc - Tours and Tastes Toronto]

I was amazed at the big difference in wine prices between Toronto and my hometown.  Of course I'm in Northern California where wine is plentiful, but the price was pretty much double.  My lack of math skills did not allow me to truly calculate the actual difference.  And I was in Toronto two years ago so it may be different now.

[Challenge: Cook your way through your freezer (part 1)]

Pork tenderloin with pomegranate glaze, Pasta with Pesto.  Broccoli with anchovies, garlic and chilies.  The alliterative items, pork and pesto were from the freezer.  My son's plate before and after.  He and his gf did all the clean up and were pretty funny cuz they're tipsy.