pamelak52's Profile
So WHY were we forced to sit at the table till the food was gone??
Control, and the lack of trust that kids know what and how much to eat. Parents fear that, left to their own devices, children won't eat enough. I have a toddler; I don't pressure her to eat more, but I don't cater, either. I make sure that every meal includes at least one thing she likes; the other things are new, or foods she has refused in the past. She has come around on everything except pizza. I don't worry about how much she eats, and her growth is consistent - she knows what she needs. I don't want her to learn to override her appetite in any way. Hard to know whether this is the "right" approach, but it seems to be working for now!
pizza for a crowd in South Arlington?
The problem with Costco is reheating, and dealing with Costco and the parking lot right before an event. I had a party and oe ordered 16 pizzas from Cafe Pizzaiolo on 23rd street and I think it was around $230. We had about 40 people and ended up with a lot of leftover pizza. I think you can generously assume 4 people to a pizza from that place, and the pizza is pretty good.
What is your single worst meal ever in the DC/Baltimore area?
I had an absolutely stellar meal there once in early 2008 and looked forward to returning. I heard, however, that they lost their chef and then restaurant went downhill quickly from there.
Best Indian food in DC?
I like Aroma (19th and I) and, if you are willing to trek, Saravana Palace in Fairfax. I love that place.
Do you eat the raw dough?
Yes. I read somewhere that 1/80,000 is eggs is contaminated with salmonella. I don't eat the raw egg when I know there's a salmonella outbreak.
Use for four pounds of chocolate chips
I made Nanaimo bars tonight using a combination of the recipes here. They turned out great, though the top layer didn't melt completely without some help - I had to add half and half (no cream at home!) The chocolate didn't harden in the fridge. Still, delicious, and an excellent use of chips!
Unsalted butter + salt
Because different brands of butter vary in the amount of salt they contain. Unsalted butter + salt lets you control the salt.
Cookies for 200 people - questions
Definitely bar cookies - I use mark bittman's butterscotch brownie recipe and it turns out beautifully any time. I add chocolate chips and toasted nuts - it's stellar. I bet you could double the recipe, and a 9 x 13 pan would yield about 50 cookies. two at a time in your oven, and that's 100 cookies in about a half hour - including baking time. They taste even better when left out, so if that's one of your varieties you could do it the evening before in two two-pan batches.
Use for four pounds of chocolate chips
I just recently realized that those delicious bars I had visiting my cousins in BC as a child were Nanaimo bars! Have you made them? Is there a particular recipe you'd recommend?
Use for four pounds of chocolate chips
Wow! Thanks for all the responses. I will do an experiment to see if they will melt well...as sarahjay mentioned, melting chocolate chips to use in place of chocolate bars doesn't always work. But I'm sure that even if the texture is off, the taste will be delicious. I will bake and report back...
Use for four pounds of chocolate chips
Wow, thank you so much...I bake a lot but have never thought to "age" my cookies in the fridge. I'll find out myself soon, but what difference does the aging make?
Use for four pounds of chocolate chips
I needed a cup of chocolate chips for a recipe (bringing treats to a friend's party tomorrow). In a fit of laziness, I bought a 4.5 lb bag of Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chips from Costco, instead of going (back) to the grocery store to get smaller bags of what I usually get (ghirardelli).
So now I am the proud owner of four pounds of chocolate chips that I'd like to get through quickly. Suggestions for ways to use a LOT of chocolate chips? I was thinking of making something to take to work next week, maybe I can unload them that way? Thanks!
Cooking before giving birth
Such a great idea! I would definitely stock the freezer and, if you have time, bring over some food that's ready to eat without needing to be defrosted. After my daughter was born, my friend brought a tray of mac and cheese and it was amazing. Also, when I bring an entree, I bring sides, too, so that it's really no work at all. For my last friend who had a baby, I brought her a rice gratin that can be prepped in advance and then just baked, a bagged salad kit and a loaf of bread fo them to eat that night (or the next day), as well as an extra trader joe's meal (microwaveable fish, I think?) with a bag of frozen brown rice and frozen veggies. I have also brought over enchilada filling, tortillas and sauce (all of which can be frozen separately, or just use canned sauce). I also brought sweet and salty stuff to munch on. Food that be grabbed and placed directly into one's face is highly appreciated in those early crazy days.
Secrets to good meatballs?
So many great recipes...my husband is Hindu and doesn't eat beef. Every combination below calls for some beef - suggestions for beef-less meatballs? Or is that sacrilege? Maybe a mix of turkey, pork and lamb? has anyone tried such a crazy thing?
Food ideas for 12 month old transitioning to "real" food
Haha, no, not a vegetarian - I am just thinking of veggie burgers because she has been demolishing the praeger's veggie burgers recently. We eat meat but not a ton of it - so she'll probably have meat a few days a week. Plenty of meals left for veggie burgers. (I actually have fond memories of my mom's meatballs with all sorts of onion,chili, garlic, ginger, garam masala, etc that I plan to make for her this weekend...)
Food ideas for 12 month old transitioning to "real" food
I am going to print this out and stick it on my fridge for when I need some inspiration! Thanks! Until I'm doing more cooking. I think I'm also going to make some veggie burgers from mark bittman's cookbook, and hope those freeze well.
Food ideas for 12 month old transitioning to "real" food
Thanks - I am trying to go with discrete chunks because she has just gotten interested in finger food after weeks of just playing...strips of waffles are a no go, but waffles compressed into balls with fruit are irresistible. When we're home on weekends I let her play with whatever I cook, and sometimes some food does make it into her mouth. Thanks for the reminder to let her be messy!
Food ideas for 12 month old transitioning to "real" food
When you freeze yogurt - do you just freeze it flat in a container and then chop? Genius!
Food ideas for 12 month old transitioning to "real" food
Basically, we have family cooking for us, which I really appreciate - but they use peanuts and peanut oil in pretty much everything, which we are avoiding for the next few months. Everything besides peanuts is fair game! I am also really nitpicky about food safety and I think our family doesn't share my (probably unfounded) concerns - nervous nelly first time mom here, obviously. Once I start cooking she'll just eat our leftovers, but for now, I don't want to make a lasagna that she will eat by the tablespoon!
Cake mix vs. scratch
I remember a friend of mine came over to hang out and we decided to bake cookies. The only thing I didn't have was chocolate chips, so we went to the store to grab those and some things for dinner. As we got into the car, she exclaimed "Oh my god! We forgot to get what we came for - we didn't get the dough!" We made cookies from scratch and she couldn't believe it. She talked about it for weeks :) I love being able to impress so easily.
Indian Cookbook for Child Chef-to-Be?
I have heard really good things about Sanjeev Kapoor's "How to Cook Indian." My MIL uses it and likes it. It's pretty diverse in the type of cuisine it includes (North/South, veg/non-veg, etc.)
Food ideas for 12 month old transitioning to "real" food
My daughter is finally starting to show interest in "people" food as opposed to baby food. I usually just mash or puree fruits or vegetables, sometimes adding some mild spice to what she's eating. (While I would prefer to give her what we're eating, we don't just yet - we'll start soon. Long, boring story.)
Anyhow, now that she is starting to demolish Praeger's veggie burgers, tortellini and waffles, I'm looking for interesting, healthy foods for her. Any suggestions?
Preferably things that could be prepared in advance (night before, or pulled out of the freezer - I work, get home around 5, take her to the park or out for a walk and she has dinner at six - her dad's not home til 7 pm or so.
Fruits and veggies are easy but I would love to get her to start trying "real" food. Ideas for interesting food that could be shaped into little chunks or balls for her to handle herself? She allows me to spoon feed her, but if I reach for one of the morsels on her high chair tray she smacks my hand. She wants to do it herself.
Thanks in advance!
Restaurant recommendation in DC for birthday party of 10 people
I would suggest Founding Farmers and Acadiana. The pecan tart at Acadiana is nothing short of stellar. Founding Farmers is good, the appetizers are great, dessert is lovely too - and they have a lot of interesting non-alcoholic drinks as well.
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Founding Farmers
1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006
Acadiana
901 New York Ave NW Ste 200A, Washington, DC 20001
Location for 30th Birthday Cocktail Party
Ceiba did something like this for me inadvertently - I don't think they realized when I booked that people would have separate tabs. (It was for a work happy hour with about 50 people).
Once they realized what was going on, they stepped up, added a server, and worked their tails off. I left a really big tip on top of tips left for drinks, because the servers were constantly running back and forth from the bar to our area. This was during an "off" time - 4-6 pm. I don't know if they'd do it again if they knew what was going on, and I wouldn't ask them to - I didn't realize how difficult it is logistically.
Also, you can generally expect to meet a bar minimum for reserving the space. So, you need to run up a tab of, say, $500. If people are heading to the bar themselves and not dealing with the servers, you pay the balance.
Hummus--what else besides a dip?
I love the combination of hummus and rice. Sometimes, for an easy weeknight meal, I make rice, hummus and sauteed spicy sausages, onions and peppers with cumin and red chile peppers. Makes for great leftovers too.
What was the worst food you HAD to eat as a kid?
Bittermelon. My mom would slice it, stuff it with spices, tie it back together and then cook it in a skillet. She told us it was alligator tail. So, so, so revolting. My MIL occasionally cooks it and told me once, "oh it's not that bitter today, I drained the liquid..." My husband told me to not fall for that trap - it's always bitter. I am pretty sure I would eat ANY other food listed here than my mom's bittermelon. (Sorry, mom. Great cook, bad vegetable.)
What's The One Thing You Can't Eat, even for money.
Good question - I made applesauce for my daughter sometimes and I find it to be alright. Perhaps it's the canning process that does something - part of the reason I made her baby food is that I find the smell of canned/jarred pureed food revolting. None of this crunchy "no processed food past my baby's lips" stuff...
Restaurant in the DC Area
May not be what you're looking for, but I celebrated several birthdays at Lauriol Plaza in Dupont. Show up early, get a table on the roof and get pitchers of margaritas. The food isn't gourmet, but the drinks are great, the atmosphere is lively, and you'll be close to bars in Adams Morgan, U Street and Dupont for afterward.
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Lauriol Plaza
1835 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
"Baking" without an oven?
I've actually always had really good results with milk + lemon juice for baking. Bring milk to room temperature, add lemon juice and let it stand for five minutes.
