GeekVanessa's Profile
Looking for great pot roast recipe
That's almost identical to my recipe...my only difference is to make the gravy I just take all the braised tomatoes, onions, and garlic and the liquid from the pan and pour it into the blender and puree it. It is so easy an everyone loves it.
Anyone else think Bizarre Foods is better this season?
I thought Armadillos carried The Plague? I don't like him...he just seems so amazed with himself.
We've done movies; what is your fave food read?
Pig Perfect by Peter Kaminsky
Heat By Bill Buford
Kitchen Confidential by Bourdain
How to Pick a Peach by Russ Parsons
Which CSA Farm is Best?
I've been a CSA member for about 10 years. We started in California with Knoll Farm and then when we moved to Wisconsin we signed up with Vermont Valley. I vote for staying the course. The problems you mention are common to food farming...especially organic. I remember years when we've had too much broccoli or carrots or whatever...and the reason was that they bugs didn't eat it but ate something else, or the morning temperatures were wrong, or no rain, or too much rain...you get the point. So much is out of the farmer's control. By staying with Angelic you can make your voice heard, urge for more mache or head lettuce or whatever makes you happy. Best of all they are local.
Texas Sheet Cake
Yup, it's made in a sheet cake pan...no way can you use a 9x13 unless it's sheet. I think mine is like 11 x 17. Lisa at The Homesick Texan makes one just like me:
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2007/06/you-say-its-your-birthday.html
What to eat with cottage cheese?
I agree...also add a handful of home-made potato chips.
What the heck happened to the price of milk?
The price on corn will eventually plummet as it always does. Until then expect to pay more for anything that incorporates it. Actually I heard from a farmer that it isn't even a matter of having to pay more... it is actually difficult for them to find feed for corn. Here I pay $3.25 for a half gallon of organic milk delivered to my home. $14 for a 1/2 G of heavy cream (I'm going to make butter).
Kitchen countertops that don't look like rocks? No stainless, please.
I too am a fan of laminate...cheap, simple, wide range of colors. Mine is a mottled grey and almost looks like poured concrete. If I was incredibly wealthy I'd go with poured concrete...but alas I am not. Here's my kitchen:
http://www.whatgeekseat.com/wordpress/2007/01/07/my-kitchen-other-blogging-events-and-our-favorite-meal/
How DO you sprout mung beans and any azuki bean sprouting?
I use a mason jar that is covered with some screen held on with a rubber band.It takes about 3 days and I rinse them about 2 or 3 times a day.
heating milk for yogurt
I too use a Salton 1 quart. I tried not heating it past 135 and the results were very liquid. I heat to 185, cool to 113 and then I let it perk for at least 12 hours. I get great yogurt. For starter I use some of my yogurt plus some Fage.
Anyone preserving, canning or putting food up these days?
So far I've put 30 pounds of local strawberries in the freezer for smoothies throughout the winter. 2 batches of scape pesto. But I'm just getting started. I'll freeze a dozen bags of green beans. Then I'll freeze some roasted peppers. I freeze basil pesto in ice cube trays.I'll spend Labor day weekend putting up roma tomatoes...raw pack both ground and whole. I use a shallow water/steam canner for the tomatoes. You can read more at:
http://www.whatgeekseat.com/wordpress/2007/06/22/local-all-year-long-and-cake-too/
Leftover corn on the cob?
Or go with southwest flavors and do avocado, black bean, cilantro, grilled protein (I like shrimp), green onion, with a lime-chipotle-olive oil vinagrette
Scapes!!!
I make scape pesto with them, see:
http://www.whatgeekseat.com/wordpress/2007/06/16/garlic-scape-pesto/
Also they are fabulous on the grill, like grilled asparagus.
Smoked Pork Jowl Muffin ...WHAT?
Go to http://www.willowcreekpork.com/ and give them a call or email. They'll ship some pork jowl to you. Give them a few days to get back to you as I think they may be out of town right now.
