cjurney's Profile

Bone in Pork loin roast- I think I'll do garlic and fig stuffing there with a brown sugar glaze, some roasted potatoes and a little garlic chard to round out the meal...

See, when I portion out the dough and freeze it- I just end up eating the frozen dough... often with hours of finishing the cookies. Better to only bake when I know I'll have guest to give it to. My willpower works much better before I get out my mixer.

I'm a menu planner and obsessive list maker. My grocery bills staying reasonable and ability to put together quick healthy dinners is dependent on this system. However my brand new condo (closing in a month) is directly over a whole foods and I think that's about to all go to hell.

I have become quite enamored with shredded chicken thighs with mexican seasoning

It works best in a pressure cooker, but can be done in a crock pot, or in a pinch just over the stove.

Approx 2 tbsp each of paprika, cumin, chili powder with a cut up onion and 4 thighs. 1/2 cup chicken stock. Cover and cook at a simmer if over the stove or for about 25 minutes in a pressure cooker. remove chicken from juices, shred and then ladle juices over.

I use it in taco salad usually, but it would also be great in tacos, burritos, nachos, etc.

That little gadget that comes with the mandolin to grip the food... that's important. You should use that. Especially when trying to julienne jicama. Do not under any circumstances give up on the guard just because you can't seem to get the right angle to apply enough pressure.

Also... do not balance a collander on a sink full of dirty dishes and rapidly dump boiling water in it. It will slosh over the side and your husband will find you pants free in the kitchen, laughing and crying at the same time. Second degree burns on your lady parts are not enjoyable.

@Doug- totally. Cups of chopped vegetables or tablespoons of chopped herbs. Sigh. I'm left in the produce aisle staring intently at things, likely leaving the grocer questioning my sanity (and who is to say he is wrong).

I also just freaking hate when a recipe writer feels the need to write 10 run on sentences that could just read "Melt butter and mix in to dry ingredients". I'm usually exhausted when I'm cooking and I'm not looking to puzzle out the meaning of life here. I just want to know when to add the eggs.

Similarly, when a recipe mentions at the end that I should have been doing something else since the beginning (i.e. preheating an oven, setting our ingredients to get to room temperature, etc) I just feel my blood boil. I want to scream to the heavens "Well why didn't you just @#$@# say so in the beginning!".

whew. I feel better already :)

As a veterinarian I see (and frankly see in these post) the whole range of people who do a horrid job to an exceptional job cooking for their pets. Pet food is far more standardized than people food, and has to be certified as nutritional by the Association of American Feed Control Officers before it can be sold.
The advice I always give is that its wonderful to do if you have the time, but you have to remember that dogs and cats are not small people and they have different nutritional needs. You can actually end up doing more harm than good if you don't use a balanced recipe tailored for your pet. The best recipes are in fact made special for your pet by a veterinary nutritionist. It's heart breaking to see people who have spent hours and hours, not to mention a lot of money on ingredients, only to have caused their pet harm. To tell them their dog or cat would be better on grocery store kibble is such a disappointment.

I hate my garlic press- in fact this post may be the inspiration I need to throw/give it away. I learned to smash it with the broad side of my chefs knife and chop the rest- so much easier than trying to clean the garlic carnage out of those little holes.

I live two blocks from this new farm. I have to say its an intriguing project. Sheer laziness has kept me from volunteering, but I'm always curious about it when I'm walking the dog.

I agree- salad and sandwiches are your way to go. I'm much happier with bring lunch when I remember to pack lots of healthy snacks. Little cans of V8, nuts, fruit, cut up veggies can go a long way in making me feel satisfied with a sandwich.

As for lunch bags: I use and like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/eBags-Slim-Lunch-Box-Black/dp/B0013KIJ0E/ref=sr_1_33?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1266355340&sr=8-33