bobcatsteph3's Profile

While great for cooking for one, that Breville toaster oven shown above is awesome for everyone!! It's one of my favorite, and most recommended, kitchen items.

It's great as an additional cooking space on holidays, the convection feature makes cheesecakes that don't crack, it reheats fried foods back to crispy, great for baked potatoes. It has toast and bagel settings, a setting for frozen items. It's one of the largest available toaster ovens, easily cooking pizzas, baking bread and pies, roasting chickens, it can hold a 9 x 13 baking pan.

I just can't say enough about it, the price is a bit steep, but in 3 years I haven't had one issue with it, and if it broke tomorrow, would buy another one. Also, paying $250 for a convection baker was a lot cheaper than replacing our whole oven.

Not to stray far off topic, but interesting comments about those with migraine triggers--I have degenerative disease that causes classic migraines as well as cyclic vomiting syndrome (aka abdominal migraines). I also get heart palpitations that don't enjoy too much caffeine, but for me personally, who cannot tolerate migraine medications, a fountain coke can be a great migraine preventative. Too much sugar is a migraine trigger for me, so about 16 oz. is my limit, but it's amazing what one tasty little Coke can do!

I always suggest for people who get migraines to try a food elimination diet for a period of time because you might be surprised at your own triggers and not necessarily what doctors say. I'm fine on chocolate (small amounts) and cheese, unlike most migraine sufferers for instance.

Now, as for favorite afternoon drinks, as I said, I can't have too much sugar, but man do I love freshly squeezed lemonade!

I agree with @NINEONE it doesn't seem that messy to me, breadcrumbs are actually one of the easiest things to clean in my food processor. I do usually process it fresh, to store in the freezer, and if I need it toasted, I'll toast it after it's already in crumbs.

Using the grater on toasted bread does seem like a good idea though.

Well I don't think diet food, but one of my favorite cottage cheese recipes is called Dieter's Tartine by Dorie Greenspan. It's basically bruschetta with a blend of cucumber and tomatoes, and cottage cheese mixed with a little sour cream as a great bread topper and holder of the cucumber tomato mixture. I like to add balsamic vinegar to the cucumbers and tomatoes, or use reduced balsamic to drizzle over the top of everything. You can find the recipe here:

http://www.barecipebox.com/recipeDetail.asp?recipe=000307

We'll also be eating cottage cheese and applesauce tonight with my pork roast dinner.

I say, nix the Tollhouse recipe and make better chocolate chip cookies! The NY Times recipe is good, but my go-to chocolate chip cookies are Cook's Illustrated's "Perfect" Chocolate Chip cookie. 2 words: Browned butter, recipe here (not my blog): http://www.crumblycookie.net/2009/04/04/cooks-illustrateds-perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Use chocolate that's better than Nestle, and sprinkle some coarse sea salt on top of cookies before baking, you'll never think "Tollhouse" again!

Two recipes I enjoy, Glazed Radishes: http://www.marthastewart.com/318907/glazed-radishes

Braised Chicken and Spring Vegetables:
http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/braised-chicken-spring-vegetables-recipe-00000000033001/index.html

Our Giant Eagle (NE Ohio) stores carry them. And at $1.99 a pound, you sometimes score when not-so-frugal employees leave plenty of cheese on them!

I like making Cook's Illustrated Quick Chicken Stock recipe, easy and delicious. I usually use chicken legs, plus 2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts so we have white and dark meat (and extra for my pooches).
(recipe here, not my blog): http://www.karensrecipes.com/recipes/3/65/Quick_Chicken_Stock_by_Cooks_Illustrated/default.jsp

And when my vegetarian sister comes home for holidays, I make her a roasted vegetable stock from Gourmet to make her her own gravy.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Vegetable-Stock-231025

Agreed with the others, this brought a tear to my eye!

Judith Jones is remarkable, and The Pleasures of Cooking For One is really a cookbook everyone should own. It can apply to those, like Judith, who live alone, or someone feeding themselves for the night and why they shouldn't shortchange themselves out of a good meal.

The fact that you look so beautiful and happy getting fed shows the reason I love cooking so much, it brings joy to others in very deep ways, and that includes cooking for my dogs too!

Her kitchen belongs right next to Julia's in the Smithsonian! An experience of a lifetime, well done!

Wow, I am officially a refrigerator snob. I cannot believe some people don't suffer from food poisoning on a daily basis, especially the "take-out king" bartender.

Also very curious about the rattlesnake.

Clean your fridges people! Keep the onions, potatoes, bread, and for goodness sakes tomatoes OUT of the fridge.

Fascinating, but fairly disgusting overall.