Margaret Pilgrim

Sounds like you've figured it out and come up with a comfortable plan. How do I get in line for one of these fabulous baskets?

Apple salad (ersatz Waldorf) Chili relleno, "Spanish rice"

Congrats! You're on the right track. It's never a diet but THE diet, i.e., lifestyle. Well done, and carry on.

This is indeed proper service.

@Ann_T Fabulous looking chips! Nothing better than these.

Excellent point. We find that many/most cheese sellers offer cheeses too young. We love Cowgirl's "Red Hawk" rind-washed cheese, but we try to buy it a month or so ahead of need since it is always green when we buy it, regardless of seller. "Infanticide".

Gives me wonder what we. consumers, might do with a quality cheese. Adding seasonings/wraps/aging... Worth a few bucks worth of candidate cheeses and a little of our time? Concept.

One gross banana. Husband said, "Compost!" I gambled on a half recipe for banana bread -> 8 banana muffins = breakfast for a couple of days. Not sure this lesson is transferable, but the flavor and texture of these was far superior to most of my (leaden) classic banana breads.

Bartlett pears with blue cheese dressing Zucchini with olive pesto Lobster ravioli (packaged/frozen, from grocery outlet, surprisingly delicious) drawn butter

Taste of home. My mother had two families, and several of her children divorced and remarried. Our family get-togethers are totally unfathomable for most people. Multi-exes and nothing but good will.

Rose plum and fuyu with roquefort/Russian dressing Corned beef with buttery potato and Brussels. Mustard cream. This was really yum, or maybe I was just hungry!

Pork tamales and guacamole/chips is not snacking. It's FEASTING!

I may have asked this before, but do you need live in help? Light housework? Mending? Fine ironing? For meals?

Exactly. I bought a pound package at Costco and keep it, jarred, in the freezer. Since I use it in 1/4 teaspoon quantities, I have listed it in my will. More seriously, Red Star is a ubiquitous brand in NorCal.

Nor I. My mother, who seldom let me do the dishes, had an iron clad rule about scrape and wipe. Her anathema was what she described as floating debris in the dishwater.

Are you saying that your oven volcano was in some way part of your aebelskiver procdess? Could you please enlighten us how? I've made them quite a few times and they were never more complicated than waffles.

Franci, are you aware of Red Star's new "premium" yeast and (so-called) sourdough yeast? You can request a free sample of both on the Red Star website. I received mine within a couple of weeks but haven't tried either yet.

Mushroom "carpaccio", Meyer lemon juice, EVOO, egg yolk, i.e., deconstructed mayo Rare ground round puck, "refried" pappardelle, curried cauliflower puree

kindred souls. I am definitely a variant cook.

This was our experience some 5 years ago. Family unanimously rejected the "prime" grade standing rib beef roast as too rich to be enjoyable. The following year, I switched to "choice" grade, but it still was too unctuous. Since then, rather than patronize our excellent custom butcher, I go to Lucky supermarket and buy their holiday special standing rib roast, usually only around $5.99 a pound. I dry marinate it in salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, thyme, EVOO overnight and bring to room temperature for several hours before roasting, LOW AND SLOW, 275F for some 5 hours until internal temp of 125F, resting for 20 minute. The result is a tender, robustly flavored, digestible roast. Happy Campers, and many $$ saved.

I love the look, shape, of these.

They often have a "filling" of some kind of red jam, just a teaspoon added before they are flipped. A dusting of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Or just popped open and smeared with butter and, if you wish, jam. If you like cake donuts you can add nutmeg to the batter; I don't. I have always found them "buttery" rather than boring,

Yes, unbleached AP flour.

I use instant yeast (that's been my freezer for several years, bought in huge quantity, considering that this bread takes 1/4 teaspoon). I always use an unbleached flour, occasionally a bread flour, when on sale I buy King Arthur. I see little if any difference in them.

Franci, I am a renegade. I seldom meticulously follow direction nor listen to conventional wisdom. I have had pretty good success with this kind of flatbread,, pizza al taglio or foccacia, using the no=knead proportions 500 gr flour 400 ml water 1/4 teaspoon dry yeast 1 teaspoon kosher salt After I combine all ingredients, I cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 18 hours. At this point it is light and active, and is easily persuaded into an oiled quarter sheet pan. It is then dressed with a tomato sauce or simply olive oil, allowed to rest/rise for about 15 minutes before baking in the bottom quarter of a 550F oven. Results in a pretty good produce. I'd love your comparative evaluation.