November is NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and I am gonna make a go at posting here every day. As I cannot cook something new and exciting every day — though I am sure my friends would not turn down more free meals — I will touch upon other culinary related things such as: some kitchen tools I consider essential, thoughts on local restaurants, techniques (do you know how to properly dice an onion? do you?) and ponder why at least one person a day ends up here by searching very naughty things that can be done with a zucchini.
Also, a fun and exciting element: I am accepting reader participation. Anything you want to see me make? I am always looking for suggestions, as it seems I have been thinking about making soup a lot lately, and not much else. See, isn’t this exciting? I dance for you.
Don’t know how this will go, but I guess if you throw enough shit against the wall, something is bound to stick.
I would like to see you make milanesa a caballo. And I would like you to tell me when you do so I can come over and eat it.
L,
With the holidays coming up, could use a great pumpkin cheesecake recipe. As Thanksgiving and my birthday are the same this year, this is my request for my birthday cake.
Arjewtino: It’s on. Let me know when you will be here.
Aunt C: I was looking at a recipe today-I will make it this month,
Can you teach me how to make cream sauces that aren’t arterie clogging without making them lumpy? Cause that’s how mine always turn out!
Ooooh and holiday recipes!
I have a question regarding kitchen tools: I’ve heard a few people mention that they prefer to chop garlic as opposed to using a grinder b/c the grinder adds a different, less appetizing flavor (according to them). Have you found this to be true?
Jo: It is hard to get a lower fat cream sauce, but I have a few ideas. Do you want a cheese sauce, or a bechamel? Feel free to email me (address above) if you would like. We will figure it out.
Michelle: Great question-which I have an answer to! I will get to it within the next few days. Check back in.
Not Mississippi Mud Pie. I swore that I would marry the first girl I found that could do that desert justice. So not MIssissippi Mud Pie. At least not for another year or two.
How about home-made gnocchi? I love gnocchi and while the store bought stuff has gotten a lot better, it’s still not as good as home made.
HIN: You know, funny you say that, gnocchi is already on my list. You have spurred me to actually do it. And no Mississippi Mud Pie…I promise.
I would LOVE info on how you can tell if a recipe will be okay made ahead of time and refrigerated/frozen, or how you can convert a normal recipe to a make-ahead one - what’s safe to do, what will make food taste like freezer burn, etc. My reasons for needing this info are threefold:
1) I want to do more cooking on the weekends for the whole week as work gets busier.
2) I want to throw some holiday/dinner parties and be able to entertain guests when they first arrive and spend minimal time in the kitchen.
3) I want to give some family members gifts of home-cooked meals this year, which they can freeze and pull out to eat whenever they want, and I’d like to mix it up a little - some people might not want 4 lasagnas. Not me, but some people.
How can I turn great recipes into make-ahead recipes, oh wise one?
Irish: I have ideas and answers for this. Recipe ideas, packaging ideas, as well as suggestions for how to wrap to avoid freezer burn.
Things I would love to see Lemmonex cook, by order of meal:
B-Fast: Eggs Florentine
Lunch: Savory Crepes (Ham & Emmenthal?)
Drinks: Hot Toddy
Dinner: Stuffing (I know this is not an entree, but I’ve been thinking about doing a different type of stuffing a lot lately myself, and it was the first thing I thought of asking you to do when I read this post).
Dessert: Bananas Foster
Digestif: Are there any Port cocktails?
I don’t have unreasonably extensive demands, I don’t think, and I’ll expect you to feature at least none of the above on your blog.
P.S. If you need a meatloaf recipe, I plan on perfecting mine and texting you incessantly about it each time, too.
you’ve created a monster, lemmonex. but i am so excited to see what comes up!
and my request is anything with chevre.
B: I am making meatloaf tonight…and will share. But thanks for the texts, babe. I will make some of the others here…
carrie M: I know! I will be scheduling dinners every night. I will look in to the chevre, promise.
and if you need anyone to come over and TRY the chevre and your dinners, i’ll be happy to volunteer.