Maison Rustique

My pet peeve is the shortness of kitchen appliance cords. The way my kitchen is designed, it is nearly impossible to plug one directly into an outlet. And every manual tells you not to use extension cords. Well, if I'm going to use one, I have to use an extension cord! I bought a fairly short heavy duty extension cord on Amazon to use, but I'm not thrilled with the design of the plug. I can't be the only one with this issue. Does anyone have a favorite extension cord they like/recommend?

I got it at Costco (on sale) and it is the 8.5 quart, which is larger than I'd really like but smaller versions would have cost more than this one elsewhere.

I plan to use it for something this week. I'm defrosting some sausage so I can experiment with some small recipes.

Yes, that's the only user manual I received. I still have not used mine, nor have I used the Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker I got to replace my ginormous slow cooker. But planning to do so soon. I took some Italian sausage out of the freezer to defrost and have a couple of different things I want to use it for. Going to play with some "small cooking" (for just me).

I'm not familiar with that brand. I have had some pull-outs, but have had them so long I no longer remember what brand. And I made my own pull-out for the closet I converted to pantry. Got some shelving and attached casters to the bottom. Not the most attractive thing in the world, but it is full of plastic bins so you don't really see it. Was much cheaper than anything pre-made.

I would love it then. I have always loved salt, but the last year or so, I crave it. And I eat a ton of it. I do know that salt and sweet taste buds seem to stay strongest as we age, so maybe that's why. I thought my doctor would have a fit over my sodium levels when I had blood work done a couple of months ago, but it was actually low. Go figure! I'm gonna keep eating my salt. And anything else I want. At my age, who cares!

So happy to see the new cuties!

@gulfporter What would be the Spanish name for the ash sauce? I'm trying to find it here and my sis has volunteered to visit some of their many authentic Mexican markets to see if she can track it down for me.

I also got caught up in Googling Chili ash sauce. I found many recipes and know I'd never make it. If weather ever gets better, I'll try visiting a Mexican market and see if I can find a jarred version.

@Katie Meadow How delightful! Now I want to find persimmons and try drying them. And I want chicken Marbella, but will never make it just for myself. One of these days I'll have life in order again and be ready to entertain.

Plenty of dried beans here. Including in my pantry.

I just soak in plain cold water and it tames it right down.

I think I posted a few days ago that I'd made potato soup (finally). I was telling my sister a couple of days ago that a year or so ago, I'd had blueberry English muffins that I loved and had never been able to find them again. She told me that a local grocery store carries them and sure enough I found some. So, last night I had a bowl of potato soup and half a blueberry English muffin. Happy camper! Thomas Blueberry English Muffins

Living in the mid-west, we seem to be surrounded by good bacon and apparently good hogs, though I don't know any hogs personally. I do know some butcher-chefs who make their own bacon, but there are a number of places to buy excellent local products. The best bacon I've had was from Steve's Meats but I'm not sure if they ship. I am pretty sure that both Local Pig and Paradise Locker do ship and I've had fabulous bacon from both.

Or use it for skeet shooting!

The last couple of days I have made potato soup and black-eyed peas (Rancho Gordo) with collards. The BEPs are for New Year's Day--I will take them to Topeka--but I'll be putting some of both the soup and the BEPs in the freezer. And I took a photo of each when I first started but failed to take any of the finished products. I guess I can't multi-task taking pix and cooking anymore. 🙃 I've mentioned many times that I have friends who bring me food all the time. I was able to return the favor and took them some potato soup yesterday.

@SLB, I had seen one of these in the past and loved it. Thanks for sharing this. I'm making sure to add to my favorites. And @liuzhou, thank you for this introduction. Both of these channels seem like just the thing to put on when I need some calm in my life.

I always say my BD is the reason everyone celebrates that night. I don't mind it now, but as a child I hated it. If I tried to have parties, everyone was out of town or the weather was dreadful. I finally gave up. My family decided we would just do an appetizer night at home every year to celebrate my birthday. I have mostly stuck with that. Aside from going to a family member's house, I think I've only gone out on my birthday maybe 4 times in my (almost) 72 years.

Recently, there was a thread where the subject of timers came up and a couple of us said we use our Echo devices instead of stand-alone timers. There is a lot more you can use them for. I must confess I don't take full advantage of all the features, but I do occasionally make a shopping list, I often listen to the news, weather, music. I often ask how to do something. Very handy device to have in the kitchen. (I have in the kitchen, basement, my office and my bedroom.--I had a lot of reward points to use a few years ago, so got them all free.) I do not sell these devices--just a fan. Alexa in the kitchen

My birthday is NYE and I am going to my sister's in Topeka again. She says she is making pollo con arroz and some sauteed shrimp. Neither of those are things I'd request for my BD dinner, but she has also invited their best friends who are Mexican and the guy is very fussy about food. He doesn't like anything, so I suspect it is something she knows he will eat. I'm easy. I am making black-eyed peas with collards and ham for NYD. I used to always make posole for NY but I think that's just more than I can handle this year.

@Katie Meadow This inquiring minds needs to know deets about the calvados cake. I'm a calvados fiend! Or at least I was when I drank a lot more than I do know. A cake with it sounds like just the thing.

If money and space were not a problem!!

I don't think I can find fruit pierogis in this area--I've never seen or heard of them either, but they sound delicious.

I don't want to know how you send it to fishy heaven. I need to buy my fish already on the other side. Otherwise, I'd have it living in my bathtub permanently.