Margaret Pilgrim

Ingenua Stagista Fiduciosa Ospite Chef Stelle

Sounds ike home Husband gets the heart while I "suffer" with the bone and cap. And we each think we're winners!

Blessfully foggy Sunday -> pasta e fagioli Split Blenheims with splat of Mexican crema

Should be divine with ma cheese course.

Agreed on all points.

I save large size Lipton's Ice Tea mix with the same intentions. Husband goes through a matched set during the summer.

How do you use your collection of Planters Peanuts jars?

These still work well for us. The key, for me, was to leave them in the freezer so that they are always at maximum chill. I don't have any issues using them, and altho instructions warn against doing so, I store small, i.e., pint, containers inside each so there is minimum lost freezer space.

Exactly. That's why it lives in the country, plugged in on a counter in the summer kitchen. I stopped lugging it around a few years ago but enjoy using it during fruit seasons.

We keep one of these beasts in the country. Weighs a ton, but works a charm. I bought it at a garage sale from a bitter ex-partner. $35.

Staying with machines that require a pre-frozen inner container, we have a mini-collection of Donviers. I keep three one quart inserts in the freezer. (I have bought these at garage sales and flea markets anytime they are under $5, and have given away probably half a dozen. I am really an advocate of these simple machines.) The Donvier is idiot proof as long as you make sure the freezing unit has been solidly frozen; 48 hours is good. Ice cream, sorbets, sweet and savory, all 20 minutes away from the idea, itch. Firm soft serve product that improves with an hour ripening in the freezer.

A scallop need not be breaded, vis a vis veal or chicken piccata…

Kind of like a high school reunion. Encounters both delightful and not so.

Our new micro has only one power option: “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” Works perfectly for reheating lunch in 45 seconds to a minute.

If you had a husband you wouldn't have this "problem'. I just put the dasher on a salad plate and it comes back squeaky clean. But I'm sure your way works equally well.

Shades of my childhood. Heaven.

An interesting HEADS UP. Several months ago, a utility wire that serves our house failed, leaving our house without a neutral ground. (Fortunately, our son dropped by and realized that the alarm system was down. He called us and we talked him through shutting down the power to the house and alerting emergency from our utility co.) But the point here is that every "smart" appliance in the house got fried, while those without computing ingredients survived. We are now fighting with the utility who wants to substantially depreciate every appliance regardless of how much use it has had. So we may be out thousands because of their failure. Back to KISS.

Indoors.

A base of creme fraiche or dilute sour cream, fresh mozz and goat or blue cheese then figs a pizza => divine. A kiss of rosemary and balsamic = heaven.

w, is the extra browning on top due to the CSO top heating element? I ask because this happens essentially with anything I bake for any length of time, and wondered if it was unavoidable.

Duval and &droid, FWIW, I dust peel with polenta, then shape the pizza on the peel. Less stress for me. Then shoot loaded pizza into the oven.

Microwave ovens generate strong feelings, pro and con. We've had and depended on one since, say, '80. Husband took an early one to his business for instant lunches and snacks. Since he retired, we (he) depends on heated leftovers for lunch. I can't imagine my life without this middle-of-the-day convenience! Our original model was single-powered, dial operated, perfect for our simple uses. But pretty gutless. Last year we decided to proactively replace it. BUT we had no interest in a smart microwave. (In fact, I loathe smart appliances that have been cooking many decades less than I!) We found our solution with Panosonic Commercial microwave, meant for break rooms, gas-station hot deli counters, etc. Powerful, idiot-proof, compact, nothing smart about it. We use it several times a day and would be hard-pressed without it. We bought ours at a restaurant supply at substantial discount from MSRP.

Barbara Kafka. Brilliant ways of using the microwave to do just about everything, but IMHO many recipes involve a lot more steps and utensils than I would use on stovetop. That said, we depend on our microwave for lunches daily.

Halve figs but leave the stem end intact. Place in a buttered baking dish. Cover with clumps of fresh goat cheese or fromage blanc. A very few rosemary leaves. Roast in hot oven until cheese starts to melt. Drizzle with a few drops of very good balsamic vinegar. Cheese course, dessert or breakfast.

You can flash saute leaf lettuce in a little evoo. Edges will crisp up while leaf remains tender. Add dressing or simply lemon juice, etc, to your taste, or just serve as a side vegetable.