grlwprls's Profile

Gorgeous space. But, pop the little IKEA cap onto your drawers. It helps keep dust, flour, etc. out of the screws that are used to adjust the Blum glides. You want to keep those mechanisms clean and happy for years and years to come.

I've used IKEA in the past and liked the system just fine; however, if you aren't handy enough to be confident hacking a few cabinets here and there, the IKEA system may not maximize your space. This kitchen renovation, I used Barker Cabinets out of Oregon. All American plywood, made in the US. Ready to assemble. Completely customizable. Solid wood doors from paint ready to cherry to two white painted options. Fabulous blum hardware. Love Chad Barker, too. So responsive he'll make you feel like you're his only customer.

We paid $3300 for our kitchen cabinets (but we also have the spendy servo drive trash can) in paint ready maple. They are rock solid and gorgeous. And my husband, who will be the first to tell you that he isn't the handy one in this marriage, had all our cabinet boxes together in about 2.5 hours. The first one is the hardest, of course.

If you are ready to remodel and IKEA isn't nearby you, definitely investigate Barker Cabinets. You will be glad you did.

Those of you who found the dish sour, did you *cook* the dish with the lemon juice? If so, try it one more time, adding the lemon juice as a finishing touch after removing it from the heat. Sometimes, if you cook lemon juice, it can go a bit bitter. Also, if your sauce is getting "goopy" you might have better results if you remove the chicken from the pan while you deglaze the pan. Once you're deglazed and the sauce is beginning to come together, add back in your chicken and artichokes and heat through.

I experienced a shortage a few weeks ago in New Orleans, so I bought quite a few cans when I saw them saw them stocked again.

My daughter has some seriously (disgusting) pack rat habits. I go through her room on an every two weeks rotation and I'm still appalled by the sheer volume of stuff that has accumulated.

It's really problematic. She's nine, so she should be able to deal with this stuff, but she appears to be incapable of understanding the expectation for "stuff."

I've got a fair amount of clutter, but if I left her room to its (or rather her) own devices, I'm sure undomesticated animals would take up residence.

Every month we have a lesson on room cleanliness, but so far, not a one has taken.

Ah, but you have to pay haz-mat shipping if you get them online so that negates the savings.

We have a Penguin and *love* it. In fact, we gave one my in-laws.

As for making sodas without Torani, you can make light simple syrup and steep herbs, etc. in and then strain it to make more "sophisticated" soda flavors that aren't cloyingly sweet.

I love a splash of St. Germain w/ muddled mint and a cucumber slice. Instead of throwing away half used bottles of club soda, we just make it fresh. The carbonators seem to last quite awhile even though we have a 9 year old operating the machine and me, who loves super fizzy soda.

The only whole wheat pasta we like is Gia Russa. It must be good because I don't get the normal "ewwww, whole wheat paaasta..." thing from the family.

I agree that some things are just not worth trying to fix and that something was probably bad or going off because scanning the ingredients doesn't seem to equal inedible.

You should never cook with hot water that doesn't come from a filtered source. Hot water can introduce all sorts of yucky things into your food. Then again, I live in 100 year old house and goodness knows what is in my pipes!

That being said, I'm planning my dream kitchen and I'm really leaning toward a pot filler. I don't even boil all that often, but we're replumbing the entire house so it's not a huge expense to get the water to that source.

By far, my favorite Mardi Gras throw...right up there with "carnival crystal" (a.k.a plastic krewe cups).

I was at an outdoor cooking class and a fellow classmate offered me his spare koozie for my Abita - a modern New Orleans take on the gentleman giving a lady his clean handkerchief! :-)

Maybe I'm just not feeling how Apple can be remotely comfortable in that space. Since it's *Apple's Room* you'd think it would be a space that would be reflective of Apple's needs and desires. Call me crazy, but is Apple even allowed to be in that room?

It's pretty...pretty ridiculous.