TexCausingAScene's Profile

I recently started making my own vinaigrettes (after I was trying to pick out dressing at the store and the one I wanted had high fructose corn syrup as it's primary ingredient), and the difference between homemade and bottled is so shocking I don't understand why everyone doesn't make their own. I guess it's out of laziness, but really it's so easy and quick that laziness can't even be a valid excuse. A splash of vinegar, a few glugs of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and whatever herbs (dried or fresh) you want. As for the concerns about botulism, my opinion is that making a basic vinaigrette is so easy, I just do it fresh everytime.

When I lived with a dishwasher, I never used it, and now that I don't have one, I don't miss it, even when I have fours sinkfuls of dishes (every sunday) By the time you pre -wash and load and unload and reclean what the dishwasher did a bad job on, it's much more time efficient to wash by hand. Plus, you save on energy costs by never using one.

I know this is a post about greek yogurt, but my favorite yogurt is Noosa- an Australian style yogurt. It's not quite as thick as greek, but it's ultra creamy and by far the best yogurt I've ever had in my entire life. Plus, it's full-fat, I can't stand all the non-fat yogurts out there.

Use the jet setting on your outdoor hose nozzle.

I made this. Tasted a little too much like bananas for my liking, but I'm thinking that if I don't let them get quite as black I might like it more. I added brown sugar and honey. Next time I will play around with adding cocca powder. I do love the texture.

I have to echo what many other have already said. Find out what's available and unique to the area, and use those items. The day I consider not being able to find some ingredient to be a hardship or a problem is the day that I've completely lost touch with reality. Just because you can't find some basil doesn't turn your trip to the midwest a game of 'survival.' I lived at the end of the tube line in London for a bit and instead about complaining about what they didn't have at my local grocery store, I tried everything they did have there. Emmerse yourself in the local food culture. It will enrich your experience of small town life in Kansas, or where ever you go. Having lived in Wisconsin my entire life, I have only had trouble finding the rarest of rare ingredients. Please don't act like cooking in the midwest is some sort of hardship.

saving this for the spiced yogurt recipe.

All the comments read like a bunch of second graders who were told they are going to have to eat lima beans.
I'm no food snob, I'd try one. How bad could they really be? They wouldn't be selling them if they were awful.

Unless the store you buy your Cadbury from imports directly from the UK, the Cadbury you get here is different (and in my opinion, far inferior) to the Cadbury in the UK. My family even did a taste testing of eggs that I bought them at a Waitrose store in London and eggs they got here at Target. The UK chocolate was the winner.

The first step is to get comfortable with all the basics. I learned this by reading (mostly blogs), watching (on cooking shows), and then repeatedly making a recipe until I achieved what I wanted out of it. Sometimes you get it perfect on the first try, sometimes it takes 5 times. Make sure you repeat this process with as many different flavors and foods as you have access to. It's really the only way you can learn about what flavors and textures work together. It only took me a few months to get to the point that I felt comfortable making up recipes. That said, I think it's a long process and I am still learning. The key is really to not be afraid, and to find out what your trusted loved ones think. If something didn't turn out as you expected, think about it, get some input, do some research, make some adjustments, and try again. Also, trust your gut. My gut rarely fails me, espeicaly when trying to create something deliciouss.