LizLemonn's Profile

I wonder if you could start the squash in the microwave first, then finish with less time in the oven? I just made a soup from a Cook's Illustrated recipe that has you take a large butternut squash, peel it, cut it into 2 inch chunks, and then microwave in a covered container until soft. I know spaghetti squash is different but maybe you could do it like a sweet potato--cut it in half, pierce it, microwave it, and then finish it for a short time in a hot oven? Maybe I'll try it and report back!

I use it 1-for-1 in any recipe that calls for vanilla extract and I think it has a far superior taste! I swear it's one of the little things that makes my chocolate chip cookies just that much better. I also put it in plain greek yogurt and add maple syrup to it to make a sort of dessert-like yogurt treat (or with granola for breakfast on the weekend when I'm feeling a little indulgent). I wouldn't use regular extract in something like this, as the alcohol flavor overpowers, and that's why I like the paste--it adds rich vanilla flavor without much burn or off flavor.The only time you wouldn't want to use it is when you want your vanilla goods to not have that speckled look, like perhaps in a vanilla frosting.

I sort of hope that this is one of those articles that got published because the author/site was low on other article ideas and thought this topic was sufficiently controversial to make a "good" post, because I honestly think this is a silly question. Is this author truly torn about this? I also live in downtown DC, not very far at all from the Shaw picture posted here actually, and I can't imagine another city dweller positing with a straight face that they should have a say over what color their neighbor paints their house. To answer the questions posed here, no, the neighbor did not act un-neighborly, and no, he does not owe his neighbors any explanation, warning or apology for painting his house, for pete's sake. When living in a city in close quarters with strangers, I would say good manners and decency dictates that you do need additional consideration to be a good neighbor--keeping your noise levels low seems like the most obvious one, or working with your neighbors above and below if you are planning on doing some serious reno project. I can see, for example, being irritated if your neighbor keeps the exterior of his house in total disrepair such that selling your next-door home is more difficult. Or go ahead and be legit angry that the people who live below you smoke in their unit and the smells carry into your place. But to even consider that neighbors should have a say in the *exterior paint choice?* If that's how you feel, I just don't see how city living is for you.

Perfect timing. I have been looking for more recipes like this! Just this week I improvised and used French green lentils to make a cold salad I'm taking for lunch all this week. Green lentils, red bell pepper, red grapes, red onion, cucumber, and feta cheese. I made a lemon/dill/buttermilk dressing with a touch of white balsamic in it and I dress it right before eating. It's so filling and yummy!

I buy Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste from Amazon or King Arthur Flour. It has vanilla bean in it so its flavor is, to me, superior to using normal vanilla bean extract. You can sub it one-for-one in all recipes and I always do, it's beautiful to see the vanilla bean flecks in my baked goods!

Other than that, Penzey's for sure for all sorts of spices. King Arthur for special flours and their special cocoa powder. Coffee beans from Stumptown or Blue Bottle Coffee. I love shopping online for special items!

I can't go home for Thanksgiving this year so we're thinking about making two Cornish hens instead, one for each of us. My fiancee makes a delicious stuffing and I think it might just work out perfectly. I'm always more interested in the side dishes when turkey is the main dish anyway.

Lucky you! Every year before Christmas I make a huge batch of "White Trash." It is SO ADDICTIVE, and people are always happy to eat it when I bring it to holiday events. It also holds up well for days on end. It's basically a party mix with different kinds of Chex, pretzels, M&Ms and nuts all coated in melted white chocolate that then hardens and sticks it all together in delicious little chunks. This is basically the recipe I've used for ages: http://www.food.com/recipe/alton-browns-white-trash-226723

You guys should read the article about gazpacho on Serious Eats. He recommends freezing the cut up veggies before making the soup. I tried it and it was divine. The science is all explained too: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/08/andalusian-gazpacho-recipe.html

I love Crystal! I first tried it at a middle eastern place up in Cleveland randomly and have been hooked since. It now has a permanent spot in our fridge, along with Sriracha and Cholula. So, Crystal is our essential hot sauce, Cholula for anything Spanish/Mexican, and Sriracha for most Asian dishes. Love good hot sauce!

I also feel that the after photo is way too busy and cluttered--feels like my grandma's house, and she's had over 90 years to collect and hoard.

But my biggest issue with this type of before and after is that the before room is a realistic room, in the sense that the majority of people want to be able to see a television from their couch. In the after room, the TV seems to have vanished altogether--this is only a useful suggestion for stagers, people who have enough rooms to essentially have a TV living room and a more formal one, or people who shun television. I don't get cable but I like TV-based entertainment enough that I'm still going to position my furniture in a way to make viewing the TV enjoyable. This means sacrificing otherwise good design ideas (like making my fireplace the focal point) but my home is meant to be used and enjoyed, not just on display. I think solutions for furniture placement should honor not just aesthetics but actual use as well. I'm not convinced this after room does that, as clearly the before room has the TV positioned such that it appears to be important to the occupant.