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I adore America's Test Kitchen! I watch and/or Tivo it on PBS every week, and truly appreciate the expertise. It’s one of the few sources that I regularly LEARN from, not just get inspiration. I’ve never tried a recipe of theirs that I didn't like. NEVER in my wildest dreams had I imagined that I would ever use a recipe for chili – but their Beef with Black Bean & Bacon Chili has such a well-balanced blend of flavors that it is now THE ONLY CHILI I MAKE for myself! I add a touch of habanera, but that’s to my point. And theirs. ATK provides a wonderful, better than generic recipe and brilliant technique that is quite, well, no, exceptionally good. Consistently better than most. It’s designed for the masses, and if you like to tweak, only a little is desired. pic chili Two of my other favorites are “Glazed Pork Chops with Asian Flavors” and “Fried Rice with Shrimp, Shitake, and Peas”, both of which I used for Mom & Anita’s Birthday (see article below for full menu). Before this site existed, I’d shared those recipes with friends, and understand that they have become THEIR favorites, too. PLEASE NOTE: You must be registered with ATK to view their full recipes. It is free to view anything posted within the past year, a nominal fee to access their entire collection. It is definitely worth it!

Posted by Linda :
Tuesday 22 January 2008 - 14:07:28
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cuckoo, part 2
Two and a half cups of crumbs was more than a bit much for a single TEN inch pie plate (the recipe - Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie - says to use a nine inch!). I’d suggest cutting each type of crumb back by ¼ cup, and double the butter! Other than the chocolate crumb substitution, I followed the recipe EXACTLY, and my experience knew there wasn’t enough moisture - but it was Emeril! Wished I’d followed my gut. The crust never set up, and it was VERY messy to serve. To test my theory, I DID make two more crusts - using the cookies (gave the left-over cookies to my neighbor’s kids) for one, and my original sub (see "I'm cuckoo for" under substitutions/additions) for the other, and got the same result – even 4 Tblsp butter to 2 cups crumbs wasn’t right. When I got the same result, even after baking and freezing, I re-crumbled and mixed in more (melted) butter and re-baked – WATCHING CLOSELY! The flavor of the crumbs was exactly the same, proving my substitution worked, only the additional 4 Tblsp butter held them together this time.. They are well wrapped and in my freezer, so the next time I need a pie I can fill them with something as simple as vanilla pudding, maybe dotted with chocolate chips or banana slices, and still have some flair.

Posted by Linda :
Tuesday 01 January 2008 - 03:02:57
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ciabatta review
Unless making bread specifically for sandwiches, I don’t advocate a cooking sheet or loaf pan. If you want to make bread, BUY A STONE!!! ‘Nough said. Ciabatta is an exception, however. This is a VERY moist icky sticky dough that you are ABSOLUTELY sure you haven’t added enough flour to. Trust me, you have. The flavor in the recipe from TriniGourmet - Ciabatta Bread - is wonderful. As I've said before, the detailing of the process is excellent. I would make a couple suggestions, though. Use whole-wheat flour on your board when you divide the dough, as well as for dusting it later – consistency in appearance always helps. More importantly, the crust did not come out as crunchy as I would have liked. So even though it has a very short baking time, make sure the oven air is moist by spraying water once or twice. Or better yet, add ICE CUBES to the oven floor just before you insert the bread. Important Note: if you have a gas powered oven, use a small baking sheet or pan to catch any drips! Overall, I was very pleased, and will make it again.

Posted by Linda :
Saturday 08 December 2007 - 18:22:06
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