Recent content by Aurora

Raised Bed Framing Material I looked into making raised beds with RR ties and chemically treated (aka Pressure Treated) and concluded that they are not worth the trouble or risk with vegetable gardens. They both contain some very noxious chemicals which may leach into the soil and be absorbed...

You can also pressure cook brisket in 45 minutes to 1 hours. Cook your vegetables separately after the brisket is cooked using the liquid left from cooking the brisket.

Masa is usually not found in the baking section of the market with most flours and sugars. It can be most often found in the ethnic foods section with other "Mexican" type foods. Perhaps you are just looking in the wrong section of the market.

When you do finally purchase a new external drive make sure to format it even if it is already partitioned and formatted. I recently read that a Chinese company that is providing the external drive assembly for Seagate has been shipping drives which contain a virus which collects information...

You can also use a melon baller to core an apple. Cut the apple in half longitudinally and use the melon baller to scoop out the core.

Ricotta is traditionally made from the whey which is left over from the making of hard cheeses (including cheddar, feta, mozzarella, etc.). The ricotta made from whey will taste different from the whey made from whole milk. Here is a great reference site for making of ricotta both ways: Fias...

There is so much salt in soy sauce that nothing will grow in it. The flavors may fade after the expiration date but you need not worry about getting sick from illness causing microbes.

I freeze raw chopped onions all the time and they work wonderfully for flavoring soups, stews, casseroles and many other dishes. It depends greatly upon the final use of the onions. You will not have any luck in thawing them and using them like fresh onions on chili or hamburgers but for...

Stuffing from scratch is really not that difficult to make. We like to start with a loaf or two of nice sourdough bread (or any crusty French or Italian loaf) cubed, drizzled with olive oil and toasted in the oven on a sheet pan at about 250 degrees F. The primary spice in poultry stuffing is...

You can use it for grinding things such as dried spices like whole coriander seed or other seeds. It can also be used to mash things into a paste like garlic with fresh spice leaves such as basil or mint. It is not an indispensable kitchen tool but very handy for some things.

It was very obvious that they were very good friends, they were even finishing each other's sentences.:wink:

Additional simmering to reduce the water content of the sauce is the best. In a pinch I've added a tablespoon or two of polenta to stiffen the sauce. This will absorb the water and does not really change the flavor of the sauce.

I buy the vacuum packed 20-30 lb. sealed plastic from a wholesale outlet which does not have any butchers or other specialists on site. It's purely a stock the shelves, freezers and refrigerated cases type of store.

I've started buying small primal meat packages to cut myself and freeze. I never thought that it made much sense, but given the rising food prices it is now starting to make sense. Some of my cuts are not the prettiest yet, but I'm learning.

I always add a bit of fennel seed to my meatballs. Ground nutmeg with ground fennel will also add a "je 'n sai quoi" flavor to the mix.