Jacksoup

@rotuts I have the very same Le Creuset pan/skillet only in red. My mother bought me a starter set of Le C about 40 years ago. As @boilsoversaid, the rims on the saucepans chip easily. I don’t use them much anymore but when I first got the set I felt like a pro, even though my culinary skills were lacking.

I rarely post in dinner even though I usually make something 4 nights out of 7, especially since my adult son who lives with me always wants dinner. So he’s working out of town and I made dinner for myself and here’s the evidence. Melissa Clark’s shrimp with eggplant, harissa and mint. I’m sure the recipe is online but too tech challenged to link

I watched a lot of The Travel Channel marathon and some on CNN yesterday. Had to make myself stop, it was heartbreaking.

Stunned, what a loss.

@Shelby I adore Chum

@Okanagancook we have meals a couple of times a year with a family who does not use salt and does not put it on the table because “it's not good for you”. For some reason, salt's partner, pepper is also not invited to the party. I always ask for both. These people do not skimp on sugar loaded desserts though. Go figure. I’d rather have my salt than dessert.

Was on the fence but remembered that I have a VISA gift card that can only be used on line. Like @kayb, I won’t add up all my enabled purchases. CSO, Instant Pot, Anova and way too many Kindle books. Got the 25.

@heidih my first cookbook was also the Betty Crocker Cookbook for Boys and Girls. My next door neighbor and best friend also cooked our way through it. Once we made lunch and dinner for both of our families. I only remember the tuna melt on hot dog buns wrapped in wax paper and heated in the oven. We also made the hot fudge pudding. I still have the book and the friend some 50 years later.

My son has been using Blue Apron for a couple of weeks in order to help his girlfriend learn to cook. Son lives with me but I’m at my BF’s on the weekend when they cook. They had one left over so he and I used it tonight. Smoked trout sandwiches with slaw and roasted sweet potato slices, I thought I hated sweet potatoes. These were really good but I will now make them without a box. Smoked trout was mixed with mayo(way too much ) and sambal oelek. This was a great counterpart to the richness of the trout. Ciabiatta was very good. Directions were easy for me but for an inexperienced cook, ‘add olive oil and salt to taste’ may be scary. Good meal.

Biryani will be a surprise for some of those cooking out of the Bittman book. They may be afraid to try it. I must say HTCE has helped my adult son with cooking, it gives him the basics and he has learned to move on from that - and from cooking with me. But I’m not close to the accomplished cook that you are @ProfessionalHobbit

During the week, I’m mostly a repeater. On the weekends when I have more time, I try to cook something new. I’m lucky in that I spend the weekends with my boyfriend(although that seems like an odd term since we’re in our 60‘s) who will eat anything and declare it the best he’s ever eaten. His nonna was born in Naples so I’m a little nervous when I cook Italian but everything I cook he thinks is as good as or better than hers. It may just be positive reinforcement but he’s always willing to go out for dinner and we have lots of choices around here. I certainly get lots of inspiration from folks here.

My spice shelves are kind of unorganized but a lot of it is from Traders Joes.

@robirdstxmy kinda night yum!

I like this CI version https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/8718-persian-style-rice-with-golden-crust-chelow but it’s behind a paywall. Perhaps the video is on YouTube, I haven’t checked. My son’s GF's Irani mother keeps making tahdig for me after I expressed an interest in learning how to cook it. The lessons just turn into big family meals where I’m too distracted by company to learn.

@Anna N I like your logic. For .99, it is cheap entertainment. I bought it.

@Tropicalseniorplease put your recipe in Recipe Gullet. I’d love to see it as well.

They’ve been talking about a shortage of Dungeness here in Northern California. Two weeks ago it was $6.99 a pound, now it’s $10.99 a pound. Glad I had my big crab cracking dinner before the price went sky high.

@David Rossso sorry about your injury as well. Hope things, especially cooking things get easier for you. I’m always inspired by your food

@Thanks for the Crepes there you are! So sorry about your injury. Hope it heals well and you get some help around the house.

Thank you. It has been an incredible view into a culture completely unknown to me. Thank you for the journey. I am anticipating more of your travels.

Ah you enablers again. I’m ordering now.

It had a segment with Melissa Clark and the Instant Pot.

@rotuts my dad used to listen to his comedy albums. I certainly remember the ooooh weeee!

These did not upload in the proper order but hopefully you can match them

From my now deceased mothers collection. The Buckskin Cookery is really interesting. Their advice on mushrooms is to watch the squirrels and take what they take.