katiebug's Profile

vintage slip. or sometimes nothing.

i've definitely been known to pad around the house wearing my fleecy blanket wrapped around me like a robe, though, especially when woken in the middle of the night.

Wooden alphabet blocks are some of my favorite all-purpose holiday decorations. I have a big bucket of very old ones that I picked up at a thrift store years ago, and I always use them to make holiday messages - or just to post words or sayings that I find funny or motivational.

I'm with Phoxx on this - garlic powder is not a substitute for fresh garlic but an entirely different (and good) ingredient. To me, it has a completely different taste and is thus used for completely different things -- not just different kinds of dishes, but for different flavors and effects. Red beans 'n' rice, for example. There are times when I'm going for a rich, kicky flavor, and obviously only real garlic is going to work. But other times, I want a comfort food flavor - sort of mellowly sweet, salty, and spicy - and garlic powder does a much better job of providing that than real fresh garlic.

I'll also add that lately I've found myself using garlic powder in the place of table salt. Frequently, I think, I reach for salt because I feel that something needs a little more flavor -- NOT because it actually needs salt -- and garlic powder (and certain other seasonings) are way better at doing that and way better for you.

Okay, let me first offer a disclaimer: This is not a real solution. At all. Just a quick, pretty temporary fix. Instead of painting the cabinets (at least the top ones), I'd suggest removing the doors and papering the insides, using a fairly temporary glue. I've done this in rental apartments several times, in situations where I can't paint and want a splash of color, and it's cheap, easy, and can make a space livable while you save up/decide what you want in the long term.

I would also second the suggestion to replace the light with some kind of pendant or chandelier. That will make a huge difference in the character of the room and would probably be the biggest investment, if it were me. Since you sound like money's an issue (which I totally understand!), I'm guessing that putting in hardwood floors isn't really an option. As another quick fix, you might invest in a nice, bright rug to bring some color and whimsy into the space pretty easily.

Hmm. I agree with the dorm-room criticism, I think. I think I'd like it better if they were a uniform color, essentially just preserving the geometry and repetition of the cds. I wonder, can you spray-paint cds?

Two things I've found:

One: Avoid overcooking it. Though you want to simmer it long enough to extract all the sweet, sweet flavors, cook it too long and it ends up bitter. Which is gross.

Two: Always taste the stock before using it. Every so often, a stock will end up tasting bitter (see above) or just particularly strong. This flavor will transfer over into your soup/etc, so make sure you want that flavor before using. That said, I frequently freeze my extra stock and stick a masking tape note to the top of the container that lists the date made and the predominant flavors. That way I can pick and choose according to my intended dish.

Also, I've found that rosemary makes my stock quite bitter, though I have friends who swear by its flavor. Any thoughts?

Take pictures of everything. And takes lots of shots of everything. You never regret having too many pictures - especially with digital!

my ken onion chef's knife. i splurged on it a few months ago and absolutely adore it. i use it for everything : not only is it the best knife i own, it takes the place of several other not-so-awesome "niche" knives.

Please, oh please, oh please! I've been using my grandmother's old crockpot for years, and it died in a round of chili-making this summer. I will make love it and use it to make curries, and chilis, and soups, and apple sauce, and.......

Oh wow. The slipcover for my couch. And then, you know, important stuff. Like dresses.