anninva's Profile

Display Name: anninva
Member Since: 4/26/07

Latest Comments...

Lovely essay, and a nice reminder that the comforts of well-worn recipes are nicely balanced by trying something new.


What Kind of Cook Are You? Weekend Meditation
3/4/13 12:13 PM

No mention for Ikea Stolmen? Or the ease of installation for each?


Battle for the Best:
Closet System Shopping Experience

1/17/13 3:54 PM

I wear one all the time - I am prone to spills. I also am in the habit of throwing it on over my clothes in the morning for breakfast to keep my work clothes clean.


How Often Do You Wear an Apron? Reader Survey
1/14/13 3:21 PM

My failsafe is a kettle + foil - a variant on #1 and #2 - Pan on the Stove, Kettle for a Press.

Bring a full teakettle to a boil. Butter the side of the foil that will be touching the sandwich. Then place the foil over the sandwich, and top with the hot kettle, pressing down. The boiling water will "cook" the sandwich from the top and the butter will give it a nice crispness. Excellent for Cubanos.


5 Ways to Make a Hot, Crispy Sandwich Without a Panini Press
9/19/12 1:57 PM

This is great! I love that you have hobbies that come with stuff (biking, sewing) and yet still manage to keep your place looking cohesive.


Amy & J.T.'s Favorite Things Small Cool Contest
4/9/12 3:26 PM

I love this spread! I am partial to the orange fig spread as well. Great addition to cheese plates. Also delicious stirred into steel-cut oats.


Product Review: Dalmatia Fig Spread
1/24/12 12:53 PM

This was a total hit in my house on Christmas morning (even without the Bourbon Creme Anglaise). Thanks for a great recipe, and for a great year of fun articles!


Recipe: Monkey Bread with Bourbon Crème Anglaise
1/3/12 9:48 AM

ask your landlord to replace the carpet - and the carpet padding.


How To Get Rid of Cigarette Odor?
Good Questions

10/5/11 3:30 PM

I am a big fan of this recipe for Vietnamese Caramelized Pork. Quick and easy - comes together in the time it takes the rice to cook.


What Else Can I Do With Boneless Pork Loin Chops?
Good Questions

9/28/11 1:37 PM

I think anything by Alton Brown is great, esp I'm Just Here for the Food.

I agree that I use HTCE all the time, but I think it works better for a cook with at least a moderate base of knowledge to pull from. As a beginner I was pretty overwhelmed by the sheer volume.


Best Simple Cookbooks for a Single Cook?
Good Questions

9/1/11 2:04 PM

I love calzones but always have a problem with filling leaking out no matter what I do - pinched close, slits on top, etc. Do you think my filling is too runny or are there other ways to troubleshoot this?


How to Make Calzones (And Freeze Them for Later!)
7/14/11 1:43 PM

I love black bean-mango burritos. Heat drained beans in a skillet with garlic and cumin. In a separate pan, saute diced mango in a tiny bit of butter and a half-spoonful of brown sugar. Add grated cheese when wrapping them up.

You could make them with low-carb tortillas to keep the carb count down. The leftovers are delicious and they also make a very filling breakfast.


Looking for Easy, Simple Low-Carb Recipes with Legumes
Good Questions

4/13/11 1:42 PM

Totally second the recommendation from keltrue for the Thermos/Nissan one. I bought one 3+ years ago and it's still going strong. If I have a meeting that lasts all morning, the coffee is still warm at noon when I get back to it. And I can put it flat in my purse with no leaks. It's amazing!


10 Terrific Thermoses
11/3/10 11:32 AM

I'm a fast eater, and it stems from childhood. My elementary school had 50 minutes for lunch/recess -- and as soon as you finished your lunch, you could have recess for the rest of the time. We usually tried to wolf down our food in 5-7 minutes so we could have lots of play time.

It's really hard for me to slow down and savor food, still. There's this sense of better things to do once the food is eaten.


Apartment Therapy The Kitchn | Table Manners: Do You Eat Fast or Slow?
8/5/09 12:02 PM

Caroline Pines is a dreamy color. Lovely place!


Apartment Therapy DC | House Tour: Alex's Granny Chic Washington, DC
7/23/09 3:44 PM

I love the yellow ones in salad. The ones I get tend to be firmer and less watery than regular red tomatoes, so they hold their shape better. Ditto for on top of pizza.


Apartment Therapy The Kitchn | What Is the Best Thing To Do With Yellow Tomatoes? Good Question
7/22/09 1:35 PM

I only turn the oven on about once a week; everything else gets reheated or cooked quickly on the stovetop. I try to do the bulk of my cooking that one night. And wear very little clothing and keep the fans running.


Apartment Therapy The Kitchn | How Do You Stay Cool in the Kitchen?
7/17/09 3:18 PM

I have an island that has a center cabinet with shelves on both ends. I have to say that if I were doing it again, I would look for one that had enclosed space. The shelves need to be dusted every few days (more often than the rest of the house) and it's really noticeable when they get dirty.


Apartment Therapy The Kitchn | Shopping for Kitchen Islands: Any Advice?
7/10/09 12:21 PM

mulberries for sure. we had a huge mulberry tree over the driveway when I was a kid. birds would eat them and leave purple splatters on the cars. (funny, that's my main association with them. the fruits were too high up for us to pick.)


Apartment Therapy The Kitchn | Urban Foraging: Can You Identify This Berry?
6/25/09 11:34 AM

I made this a couple of weeks ago. I had good luck just piling all of the eggplant onto my microwave tray -- I stopped every few minutes to rotate/toss them as they shrunk down.

My cubes were closer to 1", and my eggplant was nearly 2.5 pounds.

This was my first time using anchovies, and I think they really helped bridge the canned tomatoes and the eggplant taste. But I still felt like the actual dish itself wasn't quite balanced. It's like there was too much pasta to the sauce. The ricotta salata, though? My first experience with it, and it won't be my last. Delicious!


Apartment Therapy The Kitchn | Recipe Review: Pasta alla Norma from Cook's Illustrated
6/22/09 5:46 PM