Margaret Pilgrim

Bingo! Suddenly I found myself singing "Oh give me a pot, and a heat source that's hot, and I'll cook you up a good meal. Don't confuse me with toys They're for all you smart boys, and for me, they are breaking the deal.. With apologies, I gotta go start dinner.

An excellent post.

R, how are you confused?

I dunno. Everything written here about roast date and whole bean is true, and I've lived that life. But at this stage of my life, I'm al about KISS...keep it simple, stupid. I used to spend the national debt for coffee beans twice a month, and be involved in sophisticated. brewing systems. Now, I buy my coffee at the flea market. Peet's, whole bean or preground. We prefer African blends, Kenyan, Ethiopian. We pay $5 a pound. Yeh, this stuff is freshly out of date. Just past the two week roast date. I make it rich and strong for me, and husband dilutes his a little with hot water. We use an electric teakettle and french press-pot -> morning coffee in 5 minutes. We think it's just fine, and guests rave about our coffee. Maybe we just have no taste and tacky guests.

Avocado with mini mozzarella balls Mu Shu Chicken

Totally good eating plan. Mileage varies by personal tastes or cravings if you will, and genes. We use whole grain bread and cereal, dry beans. Very little white rice, but a fair amount of white pasta. I consume almost no sweets, candy, pastry, etc, but DH has a sweet tooth. My blood sugars are low, while his hover at the high end of normal. Our weights are constant, just under 25bmi. You can't fight genes, but we could each do a lot to lose a few pounds if motivated. Currently, we eat what we want but pay attention to portion size.

Nothing to eat. Eggs. Okay. Will make an omelet. Since it was just for me, and since I'd never tried her technique, I thought what the heck -> I'd shake it, Julia style. I had little faith in the technique but it worked a charm! It may not be Julia's egg, but it came together, and shook itself over itself nicely. One egg, 8" teflon pan.

I dunno. Since we've had the opportunity to buy "pastured eggs" at Grocery Outlet for the price of factory eggs at supermarkets, I totally (believe I) can tell the difference. They even look different, with bright orangish yolks. Without being told what he is being served, husband even comments on the deliciousness of eggs I serve him.

Back to an old stand-by: old-fashioned oatmeal, microwaved for 5 minutes, splashed with heavy cream. I wish someone would advocate a high carb diet. It would be such a natural for me.

Kitchen art!

Why is it I bristle whenever I'm read studies that guarantee be-all best procedures?

Husband has headed off to a monthly 10 course men's night dinner hosted by a crazy Italian friend. So I'm on my own. Daily greens Followed by black bean Gringo plate. Flour tortilla, said beans, cremosa cheese, crema, guac salsa. Pas mal, or should that be no está mal, Beans were leftover from a night or so ago. Husband didn't like them I thought they were just fine.

Wolf, this looks fabulous! I take it as something akin to headcheese. I LOVE this with a tart dressing, or if it is the vinegared kind, just out of hand. I am the only one in the family who eats it, so I seldom buy it. With me in the house, it has no shelf life!

I requested and received a sample pouch via the Red Star website. My question is how to use it. I only use 1/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast per batch of no knead bread. I somehow doubt that 1/4 teaspoon of this "sourdough" enhanced yeast would impart much sourdough qualities. At the same time, I think that using the entire package would not be a good idea. Anyone experiment with this with the NYT no knead recipe yet?

Before DH, I had never tried "Pay Day", a sweet salty peanut covered caramel bar. First one, yucko! Then then grow on you, until, watch out!

Stay out of our candy drawer!

re cilantro...Oh, do I get this! I grow a handful of herbs, but not cilantro. It always beaks me when I have all the ingredients for a dish but no cilantro. Dried is never an option. And then there is rosemary which I refuse to grow since I use so little. I just slither up the street with my little clippers and prune a few inches from a neighbor's hedge.

Have no idea if this Cuisinart link will be of any use to CSO users, but FWiW...

Red and green plums with blue cheese and raspberry vinegrette Hamburgers with kiddy-food cauliflower with cheese dipping sauce

Not sure if you had me with the tagliatelle or the ragu. But do realize.....

Interesting caption. This is something I make often with excess corn but always include cilantro. It's not your friend?

Can't get emotionally involved here. Omelets are how you like them. Husband likes blond. I like whatever someone else serves me, or whatever i plate for myself. I am more filling or sauce oriented. Eggs are eggs, and if not overcooked are probably pretty good. Depends on the quality of the egg. But the cheese or the mushrooms or the savories stuffed into an omelet can be mind blowing. Or the sauces, from Ranchero to Bearnaise, can be life changing. Do you get the feeling I'm not into self-flagellation?

I understand. The general store in the country, some 7 miles from us, sells meat, dairy, produce, ice, beer and local wines, regional newspapers, lumber, steel beams, septic tanks and tri-tip sandwiches.

I went out to our apple tree to consider apples for an upcoming dinner party. No surfeit. In fact, no apples. Our resident rats had harvested them all, to a fruit. We have the healthiest rats in the city. But no more apples. ETA either that, or our resident raccoons climb trees as well as fences.

Sounds divine!