Delairen's Profile

I've always heated tortillas up directly over the burner - gas is better, since it tends to stick to the coils on electric (haven't tried on induction). I like it because it's easy, doesn't dirty up another pan, and it will get a teeny bit browned and charred on edges and the like, which tastes and feels more authentic to me.

Del

I never cook any thing in the microwave (except Popcorn) at higher than 40% - and usually 30%. The lower temperature promotes more even heating.

Then again, if presented with the option of using the oven or a toaster oven, I will use that first. I hate microwaves. ;-)

Del

When I started really committing to buying local food, it became a lot more convenient to buy most of my groceries through Planet Organics - if for no other reason than to avoid the blank stares, strange looks and completely un-helpful answer of "From the USA" when I asked the butcher where the meat came from. It has made it much easier for me, and now I can't even imagine how I lived without it.

Sure, I still like to meander through a well stoked grocery store from time to time - but once I got used to it, I've found that I don't miss the lines at the store, baggers putting my stuff in plastic before asking me if I have reusable bags, parking, or the myriad of other annoyances of going out to the grocery store. ;-)

Del
Delementals

I'm not sure how you anyone could suffer from an overabundance of cupcakes! But here are a few ideas off the top of my head:

Crumble them up, and bake until toasted to make "Crumbs", then use as a topping for ice cream or mix with butter and press in to a pan for bar cookies or (depending on how sweet they are) mix with some salt, red pepper and other spices and use to "bread" chicken for a sweet/spicy/savory dish (depending on how sweet the cupcakes are, YMMV, but it doesn't hurt to do a small trial batch)

Fruit Trifles or top with macerated fruit and whipped cream for Shortcakes

Cut them in to slices and spread on top of fruit and bake for a "cobbler" style dessert.

Cut in to chunks and allow to stale and use to make a Bread Pudding style dish.

Cut in to symmetrical shapes and make Ice Cream Sandwiches.

Cut in to slices and allow to stale then use as a "French Toast"

Del
Delementals

Awesome post.

Tried to think of something to add besides that, but I think you covered everything!

Del
Delementals

:-(

Every time I've gone to ikea, they've been out of stock.

I thought they would make lovely containers for flavored vinegars and mustards for homemade gifts. One of these days maybe I'll get lucky.

Del
Delementals

Great Tip! I keep both a dry erase marker and a permanent marker in my kitchen too. I've also started keeping a roll of blue painter's tape for making quick labels. Sure, they aren't as pretty as actual labels - but they are much easier to peal off of jars than actual labels.

Del
Delementals

Kdkaboom -

Do you oil your butcherblock counter?

While we were remodeling our kitchen - we used a piece of furniture grade plywood as an interim counter. I was worried about it getting funky, but by the time we got the soapstone installed, I'd really gotten to like it in some ways. What I did to keep it nice was to, about once a week or so, rub it down with some mineral oil.

I also got in to the habit of rinsing dishes in to a plastic tub, and then drying them and putting them away, to avoid water sitting on, under or around the wood. (I liked the clean-counter look that this gave me, that I've kept it up now that I have the soapstone!)

Del
http://www.delementals.com

I generally only use the garbage disposer when I've just let out a sink full of water from doing dishes - which is going to go down the drain anyways. I used to use it more - but I had a garbage disposal break once while I was renting, and the maintenance guy there impressed upon me that the garbage disposal is for scraps - not potato peels.

Del
www.Delementals.com

I will usually gather things up, if I can - but I won't always prep them before starting. I'm kind of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants cook. I almost never work from a recipe, cooking mostly by taste, so I'm often dashing to the fridge to grab something that an individual dish needs.

Plus, I find it often saves me time, to multi-task. Chop onions while pan heats, mince garlic while onions saute, mince herbs while dish simmers, etc...

Del
www.delementals.com