2m8ohed's Profile
Jam with what crackers?
Carr's whole wheat crackers are my favorite with sweet toppings. They are thick and a little bit sweet, almost like graham crackers.
Japanese Salad Dressing?
Sounds like this, which is one of my favorites:
http://www.redshell.com/pages/sauces.html
(Red Shell Miso Dressing, the one on the left) - which I have purchased at the Japanese grocery store (Mitsuwa) as well as at Costco here in the SF Bay Area. Amazon carries it also if you're not near either of those options.
Dungeness crab prices for '11
$3.99/lb for live crabs at Lion Market in San Jose (280/Saratoga). 2+ lbs each.
BBQ help! Cooking fat chicken legs on a charcoal BBQ with no lid today... Ruh roh.. Tips? [PICS]
When grilling chicken legs, I usually score the meat all the way through to the bone in a couple of spots. Not only does it help it cook all the way, but any marinade or rub you may be using will penetrate more deeply.
Teacher lunches
Dinner leftovers, such as rice with stir-fries, pasta, or hearty soups, reheated in the morning, and stored in a good Thermos jar, have worked well for me. The reviews on Amazon provide good information on which vacuum jars keep food hottest. Thermal bento containers can also be found in large Asian grocery stores.
ceviche
Just made this with fresh-caught yellowfin tuna, and a couple of weeks ago with abalone provided by a diver friend (abalone must be cleaned, cut thin, and pounded before dicing). The quantities are rough because I just wing it but it was good enough that I thought I'd share:
1. Squeeze several limes into a bowl (amount depends on how much fish and other ingredients you use). I like those little Mexican limes.
2. Cut tuna into cubes and submerge chopped pieces in lime juice
3. In a separate large bowl, dice/chop and combine:
- fresh tomatoes
- cucumber
- white onion
- ripe mango (I like ataulfo but any ripe, sweet mango works)
- jalapeno pepper (chop fine)
- cilantro
- a clove or two of fresh garlic, chopped finely and blended with a teaspoon or two of sea salt into a paste with the side of a chef’s knife
4. Add seasonings:
- a dash of cumin (careful, a little goes a long way)
- hot sauce to taste (I like Cholula and Tapatio)
- fresh ground black pepper
- salt, to taste
5. When the fish starts looking opaque, combine with the vegetables, adjust seasonings, and enjoy!
Marcona Almonds - Inedible?
This is an old thread - but I wanted to thank the posters above for the informative research. I recently had the exact same experience with TJ's marcona almonds with rosemary. I got a couple of incredibly horribly bitter ones in the bag, definitely not rancid, and not the rosemary. But I have never experienced this with the Marconas from Costco or even a different type from Trader Joes' (in oil, might not be available any more). I think I'll stick to the ones from Costco from now on!
what do you do with beef shanks?
Second that! This is a good recipe that I've made a couple of times with great success: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/03/sichuan_beef_noodle_soup_with_pickled_mustard_greens
Dungeness Crab Prices '10
$3.99/lb at 99 Ranch in Cupertino tis past Sunday (11/28). Crabs were lively and plentiful but not very big. It took the guy a while to find four that were about 2 lbs each for me.
Schizophrenic lime tree: graft gone wrong?
Update: I e-mailed Four Winds Customer Service and they replied very quickly! Here's what they said: "Hi, It is on Cuban Shaddock, which is a vigorous relative of grapefruit. Fruit is inedible. Be sure to remove suckers as soon as they appear, since they rob energy from the fruiting wood."
Schizophrenic lime tree: graft gone wrong?
Thanks for the confirmation! I did see that the new shoots were coming out right under the graft line. Since I already have other lime and Meyer lemon trees, I decided to cut off the new branches since it's really the kaffir lime leaves I want from this tree. I might call Four Winds just out of curiosity though.
Schizophrenic lime tree: graft gone wrong?
I bought two kaffir lime trees last year and have enjoyed using their leaves in the past year. They are in large pots on my deck along with a Meyer lemon tree and a Bearss lime tree. As the weather has finally become warmer here in Northern California, all of the trees have produced many new leaves and blossoms. However, one of my kaffir lime trees seems to have a split personality. Two new branches have grown, with leaves that are definitely not kaffir lime leaves (not hourglass-shaped, much bigger, don't smell like kaffir lime). The leaves look like those on the Meyer lemon tree, but the branches have large thorns. Could it be that the kaffir lime was grafted onto lemon rootstock but part of the tree is reverting to its rootstock? It's a Four Winds nursery tree, in case that matters. Is there another explanation? Should I cut off the lemon-looking branches if I want the tree to continue growing kaffir lime leaves, or can I now grow lemons and limes from the same tree? Photo attached. Thanks in advance!
Leftover egg yolks - help!!!
If you have 8 yolks, you can make the Momofuku "Crack Pie."
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/687144?tag=search_results;results_list
Where to buy kaffir lime TREES?
I've bought them at Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH). And they are very useful if you're doing a lot of Thai cooking! Lemongrass is easy to grow, also. Thai chilies and Thai basil, too (once the weather warms up).
Quinoa in a rice cooker?
Here's a thread that may be useful.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/329426?tag=boards;topic-329426
It comes out great in a rice cooker, 1 part quinoa, 2 parts broth or water (very nice with chicken broth).
Roasted Radishes
I like to roast them in a foil packet on the grill. Usually I toss with salt, pepper, and soy sauce, add a few pats of butter, and grill the packet for about half an hour. Thanks to an abundance of radishes from the CSA, I am actually enjoying some right now as an afternoon snack!
Beginner Gardening Books
I recommend The Vegetable Gardener's Bible, by Edward C. Smith. Once you get past his corny humor it's quite useful, especially the second half, where he goes through different veggies one by one. I also live in the Bay Area and have found this book to be a nice resource. The Sunset books are good, too.
Cost Plus World Market and great food buys?
Use it for anything that calls for just a tablespoon or two of tomato paste so you don't have to open up a can! It lasts indefinitely in the tube.
Is there a tangy-tasting kind of frozen yogurt that I can buy at the supermarket?
Have you tried Dreyer's/Edy's Yogurt Blends? They have a Tart/Mango or Tart/Honey combo that has the "tart" flavor, though not the soft texture. I thought the flavor was surprisingly good for something that's available in the supermarket.
Easy, quick Asian food for backyard party?
One of my go-to dishes for outdoor parties is an Asian-ish slaw like this, which holds up better than tossed salad outdoors: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Super-Slaw-5606
I recently brought minced chicken in lettuce cups to a potluck and they were a hit, too, and pretty good at room temperature. I sort of ad-libbed it, but this recipe looks pretty good, or you can Google "minced squab lettuce cups" to get similar results: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/02/minced-chicken-in-lettuce-cups-recipe.html
Second the chicken satay suggestion as well.
So Much Mayo.... how to use up?
I like to mix it with Sriracha and dip lightly steamed crisp veggies (especially green beans and snap peas) in it.
Cost Plus World Market and great food buys?
I don't go there often, but when I do I always stock up on anchovy paste in a tube and double concentrated tomato paste in a tube. The magnetic spice containers are handy, too.
Crack Pie Recipe
I made the recipe using the LA Times recipe, and I did use 10 inch pans, but it was really liquid after the specified baking time so I ended up extending the time at 325, 5 min at a time, for a total of about 20 more minutes. Chilled before serving. Had some with the family that night and shared a pie with 7 friends the next day. Everyone loved it. By the next day the texture is chewier and the crust a bit softer, which is nice. I would not pay $44 for one, but I did think it was worth the effort. A teeny bit more salt in the crust makes for a fantastic salty-sweet flavor. I also added about 1 tsp of coffee extract in the filling, which cut the sweetness a bit and added depth.
Recipes for Quinoa?
I recently made this recipe for Quinoa Salad With Lime Ginger Dressing and Shrimp. It was excellent! I made the quinoa in the rice cooker, 1 part quinoa : 2 parts chicken broth. Did not have buttermilk so I used sour cream and it was tasty.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/health/nutrition/04recipehealth.html
What to make with leftover Corned Beef water?
I made split pea soup with mine. It was fantastic. No additional salt, but I added plenty of pepper, some thyme, and a bit of sherry. (The original broth contained beer.) If it's still too salty when the split peas are done, you can add potatoes and water. After pureeing the soup, toss in some finely diced corned beef and it's really tasty.
Would you like some fresh ground pepper?
Agree with OP on this one. Incidentally, years ago I read something where the waiter who asks you if you want fresh ground pepper was jokingly referred to as the "peppier" (pronounced pep-ee-AY). I see that the term has now made it into the Urban Dictionary. Fancy Italian restaurants usually have another guy who offers the fresh grated Parmegiano cheese. I wonder if he's the "cheesier"?
What do you make in your rice cooker?
Steel-cut oatmeal. But if you cook it with cinnamon, diced apples, craisins, and brown sugar like I do, the rice cooker needs to be washed really well afterwards or the flavors will permeate the next pot or two of rice.
Vacuum Seal Food Storage Ideas
Once or twice a year I'll barbecue about 20 lbs of pork shoulder in the smoker to make pulled pork, cooked slow and low (takes about 14 hours). After it's all pulled and cooled, I portion in out into Foodsaver bags, seal, and freeze the bags flat. It's good thawed, reheated, and mixed with some sauce.
got any suggestions for a chicken dish for an open house party??
"Birthday Party Paella" from Bon Appetit isn't exactly authentic paella, but it's great for a crowd. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Birthday-Party-Paella-101008
Interesting meals based around eggs?
Three more Asian ideas: Bibim bap, chawan mushi, or soy sauce-braised eggs. Plenty of recipies online for the first two. An easy shortcut for the third is to hard-cook and peel a bunch of eggs, then simmer in one part water to one part Lee Kum Kee or similar brand "chicken marinade" (you can find this in most Asian markets) to cover until dark brown, then eat over rice.
