topbanana's Profile
Restaurants at Bloor/Bathurst
There is also good Indian at Banjara, which is on Bloor just west of Christie, the next major intersection (and subway stop) west of Bathurst (a few minutes' walk away).
ETA. Oh wait, someone already mentioned that.
Restaurant around Yonge and Bloor
I also like Fire on the Eastside on Gloucester at Yonge.
Restaurant around Yonge and Bloor
I was recently pleasantly surprised by Brownstones on Yonge, a couple of blocks south of Bloor. It's a casual place, and the food was decent, including a perfectly done grilled calamari salad.
Best vegetarian cookbooks?
Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian" is really diverse and comprehensive.
Can't get my counter clean
For real! I lived in a rental that had white counter tops (brillliant move on the part of the landlord, BTW), and the eraser was the only thing that worked.
replacement plastic lids?
Crate and Barrel sells some replacement lids for glass containers. Not sure about the sizing, though.
Non Stick Le Cruesse....Can I put in Oven?
If you are referring to the one with the black matte finish, yes, you can use it in the oven. Be warned that it's not quite "non-stick". (It's still a great pan, though!)
Soup Nutsy?
I would stick to the broth-based soups. The Miracle Vegetable soup (or something like that) is okay, as is the tomato mushroom. They tend to be very salty, though.
Mini muffin/cupcake pan - NOT non-stick
Does anyone know where in the GTA (the more central the better) to find mini muffin/cupcake pans that are NOT non-stick? I can't seem to find any that don't have some kind of non-stick coating on them.
Thanks.
Crock Pot Brisket for a mob
I would also bypass the searing stage. I used to sear every time and then once forgot to do it and really didn't notice much difference. I almost never do it anymore. Just toss the rubbed brisket along with veggies and whatever liquid you are using for the braise right into the crockpot.
what to do with tomato sauce
Add it to chili (in addition to fresh chopped tomatoes), braise choppped cabbage in it, or use it in something like ratatouille or pepperonata.
Peeling Shrimp - the strangest thing happened
Not to rain on your parade, but this is common! I find that you need to hold quite firmly to the body when pulling off the shell in order for the tip to remain intact. So I guess you could say there's a little bit of technique involved, but it's very easy to do.
Advice on best Loaf Tin
I have tried a pyrex loaf dish and wasn't pleased with the lack of browning on the bottom and sides. I now prefer a Le Creuset stoneware loaf dish. In general, I love LC stoneware. It cooks evenly and cleans up easily. Cooked foods lift out with little effort (however, I do grease the inside of the loaf dish to make things easier).
Butternut squash soup
This is my ad libbed recipe. I sautee onion (or shallots), garlic and fresh grated ginger in olive oil for about 5-10 minutes. I may also add any of the following: red chili flakes, curry powder, cumin. I then add broth and roasted sqaush. Puree and simmer. Top it off with about 1/2 cup cocnut milk. This is the magic ingredient! If I have them on hand, I might also throw in a stalk or two of lemon grass or a few kaffir lime leaves during the simmer (remove before serving).
CIOIPPINO Holiday dinner party ideas PLEASE!
I like the antipasti idea. You could also do a baked brie appetizer (possibly phyllo-wrapped) served with dried fruit and nuts. I would start the actual sit down meal with a salad - maybe with artichoke hearts or avocado. You could even start with a caprese salad. As for drinks, I'm partial to prosecco when I have fish and seafood.
looking for ideas for small kitchen appliances
To get the most bang for your buck, an immersion blender with a removal stick bottom that comes with a mini food processor and whisk attachment is a good bet. You can blend smoothies, puree and grind spices in the processor bowl, use the whisk for beating batter and whipping eggs, and the immersion stick in soups and veggies.
I have a Braun version of this tool and it's very handy without taking up a lot of space. That said, it does not blend as well as a full size blender, nor does it process as well as a full size processor. Moreover, it doesn't perform the functions of a stand mixer. However, if you're on a budget, this would be a good start. You can always upgrade down the road.
Pie Crust Pans - What is Your Preference?
Great tip! I will try this next time. Thank you.
Recs for heart-healthy cooking gadgets for gifting? $150 or less (ideally)
I agree with other posters that a gadget is not what determines the heart-healthiness of a dish. However, a new gadget may be just the thing to make it easier to create healthier eating options. I'll echo the stick blender suggestion, especially one that comes with a mini processor combo. Braun makes a decent one that is inexpensive. This has many applications for heart-healthy foods: smoothies; pureed soups and veggies; hummous and other spreads; pesto sauce; tomato sauce/salsa; chopped herbs (to add extra flavour in lieu of more unhealthy alternatives like salt and butter). Many of the condiment type things you can prepare with the food processor component can go a long way in adding richness to food without extra saturated fat and cholesterol.
Pie Crust Pans - What is Your Preference?
On this note, does anyone else experience more browing on the top rim compared to the bottom? Do I need to adjust the over rack height?
Pie Crust Pans - What is Your Preference?
I'm happy with my Le Creuset stoneware pie dish. It's pretty, has good heft and is virtually non-stick.
In theory, I like the idea of being able to see through Pyrex. However, when I've baked a pie crust, the bottom burning/overcooking has been the least of my concerns. If I've ever had an issue with burning/overcooking, it's been around the rim, which is plainly visible regardless of the material of the dish.
ETA: I guess the point of being able to see through Pyrex is to determine sufficient, although not necessarily excess, browning (which isn't the same as burning). Makes sense!
Food you stand in line or wait for
La Carnita tacos at the Toronto Underground Market. Friends and I waited (in shifts) nearly an hour on two occasions for them and it was so worth it. There's a paucty of good tacos in Toronto, and the versions from this pop-up business are such a treat. Hope they expand soon!
Liberte Greek Yogurt
I've recently purchased 0% plain Skotidakis at Whole Foods and Yummy Supermarket (Dufferin/Finch).
Chobani Greek Yoghurt
I've seen Chobani at the Supercentre at Dufferin/Steeles (kosher section) and at Whole Foods on occasion.
Desperate for easy but tasty blandish food
What about good old fashioned chicken soup? You can add onions, carrots and celery for flavour, but don't necessarily need to eat them if you can't stomach veggies. You could bulk it up with some brown rice, pasta and/or beans for fiber. Very easy to prepare.
Peeling Butternut Squash
Depending on how you plan to use the squash, consider roasting it whole. I'm too lazy to peel, so I put the entire thing in the oven (375-400 should work) for about 1 hour uncovered. No need to pierce or cut it. Once it cools, slice, and scoop right out of the skin. This will produce a mushy consistency, which is perfect for soup or mashed squash, but obviously isn't the way to go if you want cubes or slices.
Around The Royal York
What is your price range? Lucien at 36 Wellington St. E is lovely. The food is excellent and the ambience is quiet enough for conversation.
Brisket Without Fat---Doomed to be Stringy?
It shouldn't harm the final product. I usually trim any visible fat from the outside of the meat before cooking anyhow, and I've never had a problem with stringiness. A nice bonus is that the resulting sauce needs little if any defatting after cooking.
Spice strategy revisited. Spice racks need NOT apply
A basket was mentioned upthread. I also use this method and find it works very well. The height of my wicker basket is approximately the same height as my spice jars. I purchased glass jars with flat plastic lids from the dollar store and affixed round DIY labels to the top. Spices are stored alphabetically. My basket holds 40 jars perfectly and it's width is just short of the width of my cupboard where it's stored. I love that I can slide out the entire basket when I need access to a number of spices at once. I also have enough room between the height of the basket and the shelf above it so that I don't need to pull the whole thing out to grab one bottle at a time. I do wish I had room for more than 40 jars, as I like to have a wide array of spices at my disposal. However, this would necessitate a deeper shelf to accommodate a bigger basket.
I store overflow spices in plastic ziploc bags (apparently not the ideal method, however, as someone noted above) that I keep in a metal bin with a lid (from Ikea) and decant into the jars as needed.
