tacit_graffiti's Profile

Display Name:	tacit_graffiti
Member Since:	8/2/10

Latest Comments...

I put frozen corn directly into boiling tomato bisque and its perfectly warmed through by the time it's served. The same thing goes for frozen peas in curry or mabo tofu. Frozen spinach works well in quiches and casseroles. Frozen broccoli is perfect when chopped and mixed into chicken pasta. Many frozen veggies can be livened up with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Wish I don't had some strategies for making canned veggies suck less.... 5 Ways To Make Frozen Vegetables Suck a Little Less Flag this comment	5/14/13 6:10 PM
I love my spiralizer because texture is so important with crunchy veggies. I make zucchini noodles for shrimp pasta (http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/skinny-shrimp-scampi-with-spaghetti-squash/), or carrots for wild rice salad (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/30/native-recipe/) Honestly, spiral-cut carrots are terrific in any salad. On a side note, I've tried doing shoestring potatoes but it didn't work well for me. Can't wait to try it on beets, apples and jicama! Recipes That Use a Spiral Vegetable Slicer? Good Questions Flag this comment	5/6/13 10:02 PM
I have to agree, $200 could be much better spent in the kitchen. Is this website getting too fancy or is it just me? I can tolerate a few "aspirational" posts, but I'm not interested in high fashion as much as good cooking. 7 Pretty Utensil Holders You'll Want To Display On Your Countertop Product Roundup Flag this comment	2/20/13 10:34 PM
All time favorite juice: carrot, apple and ginger. We shred carrots to a coconut-like consistency as a topping for taco night. Carrot kinpira (made from matchstick carrots) made me love cooked carrots in a way I never thought I would http://justbento.com/handbook/recipes-side-dishes-and-space-fillers/easy-sugarfree-carrot-kinpira I think people who don't like raw carrots might enjoy them much more if they tried them shredded, they're crunchy and sweet and perfect for salads. Let's Talk Carrots: Love or Hate, Here Are 5 Ways to Use Them Ingredient Spotlight Flag this comment	2/11/13 5:01 PM
Lovely post, just what I needed to read today. I've been on a failure streak myself, despite my best efforts, and didn't realize how hard I was being on myself until I read this. "inspiration is the best form of discipline" is my new mantra! My Time of Endless Failures Weekend Meditation Flag this comment	2/10/13 11:15 AM
Jeni's Coffee ice cream is AMAZING. It has a deep true coffee flavor, loved even by people who don't like coffee ice cream (the others always taste more like caramel than coffee). It tastes the way you always hope your cup of coffee will turn out in the mornings. 10 Gifts for Coffee Lovers Holiday Gift Guide from The Kitchn Flag this comment	12/6/12 5:53 PM
I agree, there haven't been any 2 bedroom $1500 apts in DC for years now. And with the housing market the way it is, rent just keeps going up (with the stricter lending laws there are more renters, fewer home owners). Still, I managed to save enough cash to buy a house in NOVA and I'm making well under the median income here. I saved all I could (my cell phone is 10 years old next year!) My mortgage ended up being less than the rapidly escalating rent. If I didn't have my dream job, I'd move to Columbus Ohio in a heartbeat. It has a great balance of cheap living and thriving art/culture. Plus - Jeni's ice cream... Living In The Most Expensive Cities: How Long Can We Keep This Up? Flag this comment	9/21/12 6:35 PM
We actually had the hugging salt shakers (#3) - bought them at a dollar store in Berlin. Then salt fell off the table and we only had pepper. It was sad to have one with its arms out, waiting for a hug... I'll be happy when someone makes some Brancusi themed shakers. Good Design, Everyday Objects: Salt & Pepper Shaker Sets Flag this comment	9/19/12 7:53 PM
Cranberry sauce on the after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich! Beyond Peanut Butter & Jelly: More Sandwiches with Jelly and Jam Flag this comment	9/17/12 6:27 PM
I love brown sugar in my coffee! This is something it'd definitely be worth it to try. Any idea where date sugar is sold? I've never seen or heard of it. The Sweet Subtlety of Date Sugar Ingredient Spotlight Flag this comment	9/13/12 7:34 PM
This may or may not help, but my midmorning snack is usually something easy to grab like cherry tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, cherries, babybel or polenguinho cheese. You could thread cubes of fruits, veggies &cheese onto small skewers that are easy to snack on. Bento recipes might work well, since there are tons of great ideas and its easy to split lunch into phases. One site I like is, http://justbento.com/ Healthy & Satisfying Lunch Ideas for a Busy Teacher? Good Questions Flag this comment	9/11/12 9:44 PM
I tried the dishsoap icepacks and it totally didn't work. The sponge idea sounds much more promising. Thanks! Make Ice Packs From a Kitchen Sponge My Kitchen Escapades Flag this comment	9/11/12 9:31 PM
We did this, I highly recommend considering it. It isn't too bad with a couple power tools and some patience. Kitchen Storage Between the Studs: 5 Examples of Smart Recessed Cabinets Flag this comment	9/10/12 5:44 PM
Corn Ice Cream please.... What Are Your Favorite Latin American Foods and Recipes? Flag this comment	8/28/12 7:06 PM
I'm sorry but pão de queijo does not make good sandwich bread!! Also, learn from my mistakes: if you use the wrong cheese you'll get awful results. Just mozzarella makes it bland and gummy, just Parmesan makes it dry and you lose the amazing chewy center. A mix of cheeses works best, as MsCherrySpoon mentioned. Another thing to note - Asian stores sell Tapioca flour but it is NOT the same, it is very sour and has a totally different (chalky) flavor. How to Make Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread) Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn Flag this comment	8/28/12 7:05 PM
On a really tight budget, I'd paint EVERYTHING just to make it liveable for a year or so until I'd saved up enough to invest in quality cabinets & appliances. If the cabinets must be done RIGHT NOW, check out Habitat for Humanity's ReStore http://www.habitat.org/restores/default.aspx they often get the generic cabinets that builders put into McMansions. Like many others, I recommend the following be done immediately: 1. Pull down the wallpaper & paint the walls. 2. Switch the curtains to white roman shades (you can make these cheaply, esp if you thrift the fabric). 3. Add some Pergo floors. Living with the kitchen before renovating it will really help clarify the most important pieces and give you an idea of what is really keeping the kitchen from being functional. How Would You Modernize Betty Draper's 60s Kitchen? Budget Makeover Challenge Reader Intelligence Request Flag this comment	8/17/12 6:29 PM
It's funny how small things like this can lay in some corner of your mind for decades. Then you see the picture and remember all the little details - the sugar cookies, the banana bread, the stained glass cookies :) So You Know: Cookie Monster's Famous Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe Flag this comment	8/16/12 7:24 PM
I too have many happy memories of eating Lefse in Ames Iowa with my grandmother and her sisters. Hot black coffee and lefse - spread with cold butter and sprinkled sugar... there is nothing like it. Flatbread Recipe: Norwegian Potato Lefse Recipes from The Kitchn Flag this comment	8/13/12 5:36 PM
The theory doesn't work for old fish? I agree, but I know some Scandinavians who would beg to differ. How a Vase of Old Roses Can Teach Us How to Cook Weekend Meditation Flag this comment	8/12/12 3:50 PM
Cowboy candy! Here's the closest recipe to my sister's that I could find: http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/slaws_salads_and_other_vegetables/cowboy_candy.html Usually we just combine sliced chilies, sugar and water and cook until thickened. Serve on crackers slathered in cream cheese. What Can I Make with Hatch Green Chiles? Good Questions Flag this comment	8/1/12 9:53 PM