aliciafig's Profile

HIGHLY disappointed.

I am a pretty good recipe-cook. I read though several times. I modify based on the comments or suggestions. I taste as I go. Etc Etc

I did that with this recipe. I was really looking forward to it. I chose the crock-pot method as it is a hot day here and I didn't want the stove on for long. I 24-hour soak my beans. I always use this method.

I then proceeded as the author stated under the crock-pot method. She left out a couple of very simple words.

after adding the beans to the crock-pot, add salt and enough fresh water so the beans are covered by an inch or two .

check out this link. recipe basics

I checked out the stuff at 8 hours. I kept in another hour. I then took out chicken and added a container of stock. I cooked another hour. Finally at 10 hours I shut off the crockpot and finished cooking on the stove for another hour. The beans were just barely finished.

My favorite small appliance has to be my little itty bitty probably not even a full 8oz food processor I bought nearly 10 years ago from the local drug store for about $12. Often I find myself processing in batches but it is okay. I got my $12 out of it and then a whole bunch more.

Some of the comments make me sad. To have such limitations on foods. A lot of people consider Pittsburgh PA to be a wasteland in general- coal, ignorance, most northern "southern" state, etc- but it is also a growing fantastic place for foodies!
Whole foods, Trader Joes, and Market District (giant eagle's version of whole foods) in one category.
Aldi, Bottom Dollar, Walmart in another. BJs, Costgo, Sam's club (fantastic for meats!)
Giant Eagle, Kuhns, ShopnSave, Community yet another category.

Then you have the individual neighborhood butchers, co-ops, neighborhood gardens, farmer's markets every day all year round.

And my most favorite category are the specialty markets (Indian, Asian, Mexican, Greek, and the Italian grocerias) as well as the local wholey market (celebrating 100 years!), cheese and fish mongers, pasta and sausage makers, and tons and tons of coffee roasters.
All within 15 minutes by car in any direction <3 swoon.

That would be cool if this post led us to a survey or something that answered the question of "what your spices reveal about you". My spices say I love penzeys. But they don't actually reveal anything...

My kitchen says that I can have it all- aesthetics, space, function, organization, quirky mix of two different cooking and decorating personalities.

I have tons of art- super large (4x5' pieces) with skulls and super tiny (1x1" paper snails and mushrooms).

I have lots of living, and always at least one dying herb. Stupid herbs.
I have no lighting so I created my own. I put under cabinet lights from ikea (best $20 EVER!- I can see what I am cooking on the stove now!), hanging soft wired lights above my prep area and a small dim light near coffee station (sometimes I forget to set the coffee the night before and the main kitchen light is too scary early in the am)

I have no usable space under my top cabinets. So I put everything in the cabinets. Food and go-to pans go in pantry closet, small appliances and cooking utensils go into cabinets and dishes are on open bookshelves from ikea. Same shelves double as prep area. (perfect height! and open from all 4 sides)

Everything is within reach and people get upset my glasses are not next to my dishes- instead they are across the kitchen next to the fridge. The dishes are right below the prep station so I can go from prep to cook to serve to wash (am I the only one that makes sense to?)

My large toaster oven is next to the bathroom, it gets plugged in next to the hair dryer when used several times a week. floor to floor carpet and no exhaust fan makes for cleaning fun every day. No dishwasher and dish drying rack is conveniently and inconspicuously placed on the floor on a small 6" high stool.

I do not understand why people say "I don't bother because I rent" or "Everything is a mess because I have no space". These are excuses. I cook twice a day in that kitchen. it can work if you work it. :-)

HA! I have more wall clocks (not including the stove, coffee maker, and microwave clocks) than a coo-coo shop. Okay maybe not entirely that many but I have three. My favorite (other than a handmade clock by https://www.facebook.com/3crazymonkeys) is my talking homer simpson clock. It is insightful every hour on the hour

I am confused. So a pint glass is not two cups... which is not 16 ounces... which is not just above a standard serving of beer?

I am in Pittsburgh PA and I think that a long time ago it was a drinking town with a football problem, but for us in our 30s, this town is fantastic for the beer beginner, enthusiast, and connoisseur. We have great craft breweries, brewpubs (ie Penn Brewery, Hofbrauhaus), and beer emporiums (Sharp Edge is my personal fav!). In Penn Brewery all beers come in pints (as pictured above). In Hofbrauhaus you get sexy german mugs of beer (large or larger). In Sharp Edge and others like it you get the beers in the glasses (shape and size) they are distinctly designed for.

I never ever ran into the problem of leaving a 1/4 of a brew because it was "warm". I also do not hold my beer like a cup of coffee on a cold winter morning either :-)

I just made a delicious vegan stew. I used canned tomotoes. I used potatoes (I bet they were not organic) I also used "conventional" celery and carrots. It was so good!

Sorry for being a spoiler here. But I will add that I am going to go for organic milk for the bf (I have to drink soy and he hates soy) for the new year :)

I keep my wireless printer under my bed. I rarely if ever use the scanner or card reader part. If needed to- I can slide it out. Out of site- but still accessible.

that is a really fantastic piece. i love the feet.