papergrader's Profile

Swheat Scoop & CleverCat (top entry) litter box which lives in the tub/shower (except, of course, when I'm using the tub/shower).

Cooking and Baking are two very different things--I'm a good cook but a terrible baker, and I'd like to improve. Basic Baking lessons for Cooks? Basic Cooking lessons for Bakers?

I'm a wash-dishes-by-hand person, & this is making me happy right now: http://www.amazon.com/Full-Circle-Ceramic-Dispensing-FC12114W/dp/B0086FDBX4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364334627&sr=8-1&keywords=bubble+up+full+circle

been looking for the right soap & brush system, and I think this is it (for me)!

Finally saved up enough for my first piece of Le Creuset (a red 2.25 qt braiser that I've been eyeing in a local shop for many months, the perfect size for my teeny kitchen). Being careful & cautious with it while I learn how to use it. Made a grilled cheese sandwich, sauteed some onions & mushrooms, and roasted some cauliflower in it already. Planning some baked hash browns for brunch tomorrow.

Good post, good info, but please: it's "paid," not "payed," and "companies', " not companies." Granted, that second error is a bit tricky, being both plural and possessive. I better not have any former students writing for this blog. Those are both "unforgivable" errors and you'd lose 4 points!

Been eating tofu regularley for 18 years now. I agree with the freeze-thaw method. Toss the whole package (I only use water-packed) in the freezer for at least 12 hours, let package thaw in fridge, open and gently squeeze/press water out, then marinate (in a highly concentrated mixture--you don't want to add much water back in) and prepare any way you wish. I've found that most folks are too impatient when dealiing with tofu. To get a nice, golden-brown crispy edge to baked or fried tofu, you have to give it lots of time and a rather high heat. Nothing worse than pale, soft, soggy fried tofu. Also, it's really hard to fry it without using a non-stick pan. Done ranting.

I find that cleaning up right after cooking and before eating is the way to go. Nasty pots/pans are easiest to clean while they're still hot. Right after I dish up a meal, I put the pot under the hot water stream in the sink and go after it with a soapy scrubbing brush. A quick rinse and into the drying rack. Then I take my still-steaming dish of food to table to enjoy it, knowing I only have to clean up the dishes I eat off/with, after the meal.

Emma,
I buy from my local food coop (in Duluth), and I think their supply comes from the Leech Lake Reservation (http://www.bineshiiwildrice.com), but this is a good organization to try, too: http://nativeharvest.com, associated with with White Earth Reservation.

I also want to echo Nitedula. I know I'm whining, but I'm one of those Netflix subscribers who had hissyfits over the price hikes and the Qwikster fiasco. AT has been a part of my daily routine for years now, and I like the way it was.

I've ordered the palm oil tea-lights & votives from GoodLight. Great prices (and they seem to be trying extra hard to get the material from eco-friendly sources). The votives are not quite the standard size and shape. The tea-lights are my favorite, and I use a lot of them. Fast shipping.