Recent content by mattdee1

In my area, restaurants really seem to struggle, unless they're some crappy chain like Applebee's. Higher-quality establishments in particular. I think sometimes you get places that start out really strong and make a great first impression, but the business doesn't take off like they hope...

Why not just stay put on the site and have some fondue? :rofl:

^^ that chicken looks wonderful Had chicken shawarma with a side of pressure cooker sweet potatoes. Stunk up the office with the leftovers today.

Yeah, olives are great to add for a "flavor burst" to dishes, but IMO are too salty to be the focus. A buddy of mine made this dish on New Year's Eve where he took pitted olives, and "wrapped" a layer of spicy Italian sausage around them to make meat balls, and then cooked them. Not normally...

Not sure if it's the same everywhere, but where I live, a package of fresh basil or a bunch of fresh cilantro (as 2 examples that I use often) will cost you $2-$3. Then, you bring it home and use 10%-20% of it for dinner that night. Fresh herbs are great to work with, but they do have a...

I was 31 years old when I found myself alone after my wife left me. I knew nothing about cooking, and nearly made myself sick just eating the bare minimum to get by. I lost weight (I didn’t have much to spare to begin with), and friends started commenting about how skinny I looked. It was...

Not sure what the instructions for your device will tell you, and I don't think I've ever tried browning after slow cooking, but what I'm picturing in my head is a tender piece of slow-cooked meat sizzling away on a hot surface, drying out, while its wet surface prevents it from browning...

Make some killer mayo by stirring in some minced garlic and a squirt or two of lime juice. Amounts depend on your garlic tolerance, and you don't want the juice to make the mayo too sour or milky. I like intense garlic, so I target 1-2 cloves per sandwich, and just a touch of lime juice...

I realize I’m probably beating a dead horse at this point, but I don’t understand the frustration over wiggle room being left in written directions. When preparing a dish, is the goal to ensure that the result matches some precise standard devised according to the tastes of others, or is the...

Nobody said that following exact measurements is illegitimate; I'm simply saying that it's not how I like to work, and I'm convinced it's overrated in lots of situations. I figure, if I use a GPS every time I drive, I never learn how to get anywhere myself. It's definitely not every time I...

I do if my notes (or memory) tell me that following the recipe yielded tasty results. If I took liberties with the recipe, I read my notes to see what they were, and that's my new reference point. I choose to either do it the same again, or try other tweaks, and write down my thoughts on the...

I’m not so much concerned about legal matters because I’m not in the business of selling anything related to food, but I have struggled with this question in the past, as it relates to whether or not I’m justified in telling my friends/family that the recipe is “mine” vs. something I found on a...

pizza crust broth/stock pasta tofu curry paste salsa I really try to make as much as I can, but eventually it comes down to choosing your battles. Alas, free time is in short supply.

Put the slow-cooker lid on only partially, to allow some of the moisture to escape. Recently, I made a sauce and only put the lid on roughly half way. It thickened up nicely compared to the last time I made it.

Thanks. This is why I asked; I'd probably pass on this the moment I saw trans fats listed. Not because I'm afraid I'd drop dead tomorrow, but because it's just a decision I made years ago and have stuck to it since. As for the mutant panko I spoke of earlier, it had more ingredients than I...