MaryIsobel

I love those too and have made them a couple of times with different ingredients. No terribly difficult - you just need a sharp knife. I bake them in mini loaf pans for the initial bake. This is my base recipe. https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/copycat-raincoast-crisps-crackers/

And... How was it? Recommended?

That was very kind of you. Thin-skinned sisters unite!

I've not had shrimp perloo - is it similar to jambalaya?

Along the same lines, my husband gets a can of corned beef in his stocking every year. He knows that he is to eat it when I'm not around. I love a well prepared corned beef, but that stuff is too close in appearance to what we used to feed our big Lab when I was a kid.

Oh dear - you shouldn't have put the idea into cyberspace. Just wait.

thanks - I've never seen him, but definitely my kind of humor

Spent a good part of yesterday and today preparing a birthday dinner for my nephew who is staying with us. Feta/hot honey/pistachio bites and veggies with home made ranch dip for appies. Pulled pork, mac and cheese, broccoli mushroom casserole, coleslaw, caesar salad and brioche buns. My 2 daughters and their SO's, my husband and I and the birthday boy. Well, birthday boy came up around 2:00 to say that he had taken a Covid test (he's had a sore throat for a couple of days) and it's positive. So my daughters will come for a masked visit on the deck and I have prepared the food for their two households to go. It's not ideal, but it is real. What can ya do? My husband and I will eat with nephew at the long dining room table with us at one end and he at the other. Like royalty! Husband and I are vaxxed and boosted (as is nephew) and since we have already been around him and sharing meals for the last few days, it doesn't feel too risky...

Thanks for the support and suggestions. I just taste tested it and it is very cheesy and delicious, but quite tight, so considering that I planned to bake it tomorrow, I was thinking I'd make a light bechamel with the gruyere that was supposed to be dispersed within the dish. I will try the vinegar in my cooks/trial bowl, I've not heard of that but thank you.

Would romaine work? Thanks so much JoNorvelleWalker for making me laugh! This has just been one of those days where you think WhyTF did I even get out of bed?!

Beige linen with splashes of red?

Can I post more than one stupid mistake? I hope so. Started out with my pork butt yielding way less than I expected. Okay not really stupid, I can deal with that. Started on my mac and cheese (this is a dinner for my nephew who is turning twenty-five. There will be 8 of us but the three mid-20's guys apparently all eat for two.) My mac and cheese is the serious eats recipe using sodium citrate, I've made it several times. Well, this time it turned out like cheese water with strands of cheese. I had the sodium citrate out, and then put it away which is my loosey goosey mis en place method. Now I am doubting myself as to whether I added it before I put it away. McGivered it somewhat, by straining out the watery part, saving the cheese strings. I know I should have just started over but it was nearly 2 pounds of old cheddar. Mixed it all up and will let it sit and decide if I saved it or not in a couple of hours. Thank heavens, I had not added the very dear Gruyere that I splashed on. Then nephew (who is staying with us and for whom the celebration is) came up and said that he was feeling really unwell so would stay away from us for the time being. Texted my RN daughter with his symptoms and she says that it sounds like RSV, which her partner has recently come down with. So party of 8 could potentially be a party of 5. Oh, and did I mention that I cut my thumb on the lid of a can? I thought it had stopped bleeding but just realized that I had bled on the fabric that I bought to make my daughters aprons for Christmas. Perhaps I will retire early and start again tomorrow.

Started with an 8 pound butt, yielded 3 pounds after pulling. I was aiming for four pounds. there wasn't a crazy amount of fat, quite normal amount in my experience. Sent husband to the store for another 3 or 4 pound butt. I have always counted on about 50% return from the raw weight. It is gorgeous pork but the yield was a bit disappointing. I used the overnight cooking method as my husband wasn't availble to smoke it. Wonder if that was the difference? I've used the overnight method before and was sure that I got the desired 50% yield but never made notes. Just curious what others count on re weight vs. yield. Picture is the butt going in.

Somebody Feed Phil is like Mr. Rogers but with food. I like him and the show - no guilt involved.

Cranberry curd tarts are on my menu for Christmas dinner. First time so I'm anxious to hear what you think. Happy Thanksgiving!

Here is the recipe from breakfastfordinner.net. I just do the liquid part in the blender then pour it into the dry ingredients in a bowl because I hate cleaning the blender. I always double it. Orange Date Blender Muffins These muffins use an entire orange and most of the mixing is done in a blender! A big favourite in this house. Course Breakfast, Snack Cuisine American Keyword blender muffin, date, orange Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 20 minutes Total Time 35 minutes Servings 12 muffins Author breakfast for dinner Ingredients 1 orange, quartered and seeds removed (peel on) 1/2 cup orange juice 1 egg 1/2 cup melted butter, cooled 1 3/4 cups flour 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup chopped dates (substitute dried cranberries/raisins/any dried fruit) Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Blend orange and orange juice in blender until smooth. Then blend in melted butter and egg. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix all remaining dry ingredients together, then add the blended wet mixture. Stir until just moistened. Drop into greased or paper-lined muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Slather with butter and enjoy warm! Orange Date Blender Muffins https://www.breakfastfordinner.net/quick-orange-date-blender-muffins/

Certainly, I'll post the recipe in the recipe section. They are very orange forward, which I love and can also be made with raisins instead of dates.

We took similar precautions when traveling with our young daughters. We gave them a modest "souvenir budget" so any time they asked for anything, we'd say "you have money." They became quite discerning.

Gotta love a man who can prepare such a repast while camping and make it look 5 star with plastic plates and cups. No judgement here - we've not had small kids for quite a few years but Ikea plastic plates and tumblers can still be found on our shelves and in our RV.

You are absolutely right. We are under ethical pressure here to reduce waste, so it is always on my mind.

Not at all. Inititally I thought that perhaps the chicken yuck could somehow contaminate the silpat. Always open to learning.

I appreciate the input as always. Egullet is a community looking out for me. I am concientious about contamination, maybe a little more than the average person. Case in point, when my daughters both took "Food Safe" as required, they both said "we already knew all that stuff." 😂

No, I just drop the silpat in a sink of soapy water with a tsp of bleach. Have I done something wrong? Edited to add that I was not clear. I pounded one chicken breast at a time within a folded over silpat.

Starting prep for chicken Parm tonight so first step was pounding out the chicken breasts. Was reaching for my parchment, which I have been using as I find it sturdier than cling wrap, when I encountered my silpat sheets and thought, why not? No tearing and a much sturdier surface to pound upon. Perhaps it has been done, but it new to me.

That pork loin is a thing of beauty!