gulfporter

We moved to this house 2 years ago. The appliances are white (the fridge and d/w are new). The existing sink is white. Its finish is worn and it stains easily and we want to replace it. Our counter top is a dark granite with mostly browns, blacks and beige tones. I am considering a hammered copper sink...it's not shiny copper, it's antiqued and is a bronze color. Here's a link to one that meets our specs and price point. http://www.homedepot.com/p/SINKOLOGY-Raphael-Dual-Mount-Handmade-Pure-Solid-Copper-33-in-4-Hole-Double-Bowl-Kitchen-Sink-in-Antique-Copper-KDF-3322AH/206084556 While aesthetically, I think this sink will work well, I'm wondering if anyone has any comments on its practicality.

In April I went to US Border and Customs Control to apply for Global Entry. Part of Global Entry's security system is the reading of your electronic fingerprints; they are scanned at airports' international arrivals when you return to the US. The Agent could not get a good 'read' of my fingerprints, parts of them were blank. He told me about 40% of female applicants in their 50s and 60s have rubbed off some of their fingerprints over the years due to cleaning and scrubbing. He said he rarely runs into it with men of the same age. Ha! He got the best 'read' he could but said they might not be good enough for the automated Global Entry scanner. He suggested that before placing my hands on the scanner, that I rub them against my forehead to add some oil to them. I did this last month returning from Spain and the scanner was able to make a match. This doesn't help the OP find a solution to her problem but I found it to be an interesting fact. In the past, when we lived in dry climates, I too used bag balm for dry skin.

I've given French Bark, using Ina Garten's recipe (less time consuming than truffles) and both tasty and colorful. You can substitute a different nut or combination of other dried fruit http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/french-chocolate-bark-recipe.html Lately I've been giving savory items such as my homemade rub, quince chutney, spiced nuts, homemade chipotle sauce. For host/hostess gifts, the most appreciated gifts are herb-flavored butters given in pretty but heavy glass cups (often I use votive or candle holders). I use either rosemary or dill for the flavors.

From yesterday's WaPo about the genetic connection. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/11/02/how-risky-are-bacon-and-hot-dogs-depends-on-your-dna/?hpid=hp_rhp-more-top-stories_wonkblogbacon-1125pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory

My brother and his wife had a baby late in life (he was 45, she was 37). Prior to having a child, they ate out often with friends in very nice eateries. When we were with them, they were the first to comment on the parents of disruptive babies/children in the restaurant. While my SIL was pregnant, they declared they would never be 'those parents.' As luck would have it, their baby was a colicky sort. But true to their word, they drove in separate cars to restaurant outings. At the first peep out of their baby, one of them was out the door. They'd give the kid a chance to settle down (especially as he got older) and return to the table, but more often than not, one parent would head home while the other finished his/her meal with their friends. When they wanted a nice meal as a solo couple, they lined up a sitter. Oddly, they still drove to the restaurant in separate cars. Just kidding on that last sentence

Mofongo is made with green plantains (and bacon!!). I don't make it but order it if I see it on the menu. Google some recipes and see which suits you.

And while you 'regulars' are shooting the hash with the chef, I'm looking at my watch and wishing the chef was back in the kitchen

My guess is that we won't have to wait very long for a new study that refutes this study, That seems to be they way it goes.

Thanksgiving has no religious component and no gift-giving component, which leaves the food front and center as the main attraction. As a first generation American, my family clung to its traditional foods for Christmas, Easter and other family get-togethers. But they embraced the Turkey dinner for Thanksgiving. I have heard this same story from other immigrants, no matter their country of origin.

I'm usually nuts for nuts, but not the black walnut. Lived in a house with a stand of black walnut trees (in Virginia). I'm always a fan of free food. But after several attempts to use them in various recipes, no one cared for them in our circle of family and friends. So I gave up on them; the squirrels were pleased with this decision.

Looks like you're correct!

I take my chances with my food processor. Less is more, I find. The end result has been good enough for me.

Our local pizzeria (still) delivers for free. We get a pie twice a month. 90% of the time we order one large one-topping pizza; it comes to about $17 with tax. I give the delivery person a $5 tip. Once in awhile we'll be add an order of chicken wings, bringing the total up to just over $25. If we have company and I order 2 pizzas, the tab will be $35. I still give the delivery person a $5 tip because I feel I am tipping them for their service, paying for their gas, offsetting their car expense. My partner thinks we should tip 20% on the price of the delivered food. When we eat out we almost always tip between 20-25%. But delivery strikes me as different. I am not using any of the other services, time or expense associated with a restaurant meal such as dish washing/napkins/wear and tear on chairs/tables/dinnerware, glassware or any other overhead costs. It is my sense (and I could be wrong) that the pizzeria owner treats these delivery people as independent contractors. They use their own cars and they only work a few hours in the evening (the pizzeria doesn't deliver pizza during the day). How do you tip pizza and other food delivery people?

We went to K Paul's in 1985. It was a revelation. We bought his cookbook (I still have it after 30 years of moves). We were nuts for his Crawfish Pie and Tchoupitoulas Chicken. I still make both of these recipes at least once a year. I make a big batch of his spice mixture once a month and use it almost daily, often as the rub on whatever hits the grill that day. He is a chef that will never be forgotten.

Oh my...I just re-read Nancy's post and realized she already mentioned lime pickles. Don't know how to delete my post.. Sorry. I had a similar lime overload problem when we lived at Lake Chapala, MX. We love Indian food, so I made preserved limes. AKA lime pickles. I experimented with various recipes I found googling. They are mostly preserved with a lot of salt and seasoned with dried chilies (I used arbols) and basic Indian spices. I also added a little vegetable oil as I liked the finish it gave them. When you google, include searches for preserved lemons and pickled lemons as those recipes are more common; just substitute limes when you make them. Buen provecho!

I agree with others that the only thing worth eating at Wendy's is their baked potato. When I worked long hours, I'd buy one on my way home and use it as the base for a quickie dinner frittata when I didn't feel like spending much time in the kitchen.

I "inherited" a black Kenmore smooth cooktop. Not what I would have picked but there's no gas service where we live and frankly I like the looks of the cooktop. I tend to sear foods outside (Florida) on the side burner of my propane grill. I did manage to put some light scratches on the cooktop from some pans/pots. I found that a dab of toothpaste will take those light scratches away; done when the cooktop is cooled.

Dare I admit we buy TJ's boxed wine?

These thin Moravian cookies. http://www.salembaking.com/about-moravian-cookies/

I found this at the American Egg Board site (www.aeb.org). I can't be sure, but it sounds as if the bag I have (from Winn Dixie) isn't packed in an altered environment since it lists sodiam benzoate and citric acid on its label. Refrigerated Whole Hard-Cooked, Peeled And Unpeeled Eggs, Plain or Pickled, Wedged, Sliced, or Chopped Mechanically or hand-peeled and either packed in a liquid solution of 0.1% sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate (mold inhibitors) and an organic acid (usually citric acid) or packaged in an altered environment with inert nitrogen to extend shelf life.

The ingredients label on the bag o' eggs reads: Eggs, water, citric acid, sodium benzoate.

Did you rinse them first? I found both batches from 2 different stores to be the same as home-boiled. I wouldn't say that if I was still back in AZ and had a neighbor who gave me fresh eggs from her small brood, but compared to standard grocery eggs that I'd boil myself, I found the pre-boiled, pre-shelled to be a good substitute.

I just discovered these. And yes, I'm aware I can make them at home for less than 1/2 the cost, but sometimes I'll pay for convenience. I've never been a fan of peeling hard-boiled eggs and it always seems I'll get a wayward batch of 'sticky' shells whenever I want to make a pretty plate of deviled eggs. What's surprised me about these is the expiration dates. I bought a bag yesterday at Winn-Dixie (August 19th) and the stamped expiry date is October 2nd! When I bought a bag at Trader Joes I don't recall the length of time on the expiration date, though it did say to eat the eggs within 7 days of opening the package. I must say I enjoy not adding any more steam (and heat from the cooktop itself) to our Florida house, this time of year. At 60 calories each they are a suitable mid-morning snack (and no peeling on my part!). We also use them for a spur of moment cold plate meals, along with cheese, smoked fish, fruit; I usually do a quick deviled egg prep for those meals.

FYI: Hellmans is known as Best Foods, west of the Rockies. I was a lifelong Hellmans fan on the East Coast and when we moved to AZ, I wondered why no one stocked it. We recently moved to FL, and I tried Dukes when it was on sale and we liked it as much as Hellmans, so I buy either, depending on sale price. Though the stores where I buy Dukes does not sell it in squeezables (or perhaps Dukes doens't make it in squeezables).

I bought this el-cheapo one a few months ago. I don't know that it'll work with a carrot (haven;t tried). BTW, the 'holder' that comes with it is useless....just use a paper towel to hold the zucchini. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vegetable-Spiral-Slicer-Fruit-Cutter-Peeler-Kitchen-Tool-Spiralizer-Twister-New-/311291359414?hash=item487a6930b6 I've used it a few times for cold zucchini salad recipes I found here. Haven't used it in a few weeks. http://www.buzzfeed.com/melissaharrison/vegetable-noodle-recipes#.rnROeD3EO For under 10 bucks, get one of these, see if you like it, use it, before making a Kitchenaid investment. Re: using vegetables as a pasta substitute, that's not popular at our house. BUT, I do lighten pasta by using half fettucine and half carrot strips. The carrot strips are simply long threads made via a standard vegetable peeler. I usually top with grilled shimp and a light 'sauce' of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest, some chili flakes.