Tag Archives: kitchen

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coughing hollandaise

poor-man’s poacher

Alright.. Whatever this bug is, it’s persistent.

Elise stopped by yesterday and is still feeling crappy.. They sent Chad home from work yesterday… I thought I was better on Sunday but now I’m no so sure.

I’m craving eggs.

I don’t own an egg poacher nor the fancy little poaching dishes from William Sanoma.

I figured out how to do it using a wok and a muffin tin.

Now if I could only increase my success rate at making Hollandaise – more often than not – I get the damn saucepan too hot and I wind up a substance that resembles what I’m hacking up.

I’m not blogging – I’m mildly sedated on cold medicine and contemplating the blasphemy that is powdered instant Hollandaise.

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fuming

killing more braincells

Stopped by Big Lots as we’re apt to do once in a blue moon. It’s the island of misfit toys for consumer products ranging from food to auto accessories. It’s usually discontinued / failed stuff or never-heard-before products from Canada.

We inevitably wind up filling a basket and spending less than thirty bucks.

They had oven-cleaner for a buck a can. I couldn’t resist. Which brings me to the point of this.

I’d never cleaned an oven before.

Sure – I have clear memories of my mother’s behind sticking out of the oven and hearing swears emanating from the appliance.

When I lived in an apartment – well.. I just didn’t care… And our first home’s oven was a hand-me-down old deluxe model with “self-cleaning”…

The new range Kevin’s mom gifted us has no such luxury feature. Fine actually since I think the trade off for having a large griddle is worth it….. or is it.

I spent the early evening with my ass hanging out of the oven, and swears emanating from the appliance.

Kevin heard the ruckus and between the #@$@$@#$ and the #^%#$&$%! he heard “I’m soooo not blogging about this” – (then he took a picture).

PLAY

kitsch’in


Kitchen, North Wall

Chad’s still working supervisor shifts so our normal weekend schedule was skewed. He worked till close both Saturday and Sunday so we stayed up till he got home. My internal clock is off now.

Kevin took the evenings to devour two F. Paul Wilson books – (his new author-obsession dejour). I perched at the dining room table in my usual spot to dink around online… but then looked up and got distracted… “God I hate our cabinets”.

Of course, trips to Costco require militant budgeting right now – but it’s fun to dream… and we “will” eventually one day be able to re-do the kitchen.

So.. tape measure in hand, and having manufacture websites handy and the useful scaling / measurement pallets in FreeHandMX- I roughed out the geometry for “Kitchen 2.0”.

Since I was essentially daydreaming, I didn’t bother spec’ing rational appliances. (I’m cursed with a love of the impractical high end crap).

0:IKEA: AKURUM system cabinetry with HALLARUM Eucalyptus Brown Fascia.
1: Sub-Zero 700 Series Integrated all-refrigerator (w/ two drawers). Dedicated, large capacity upright freezer to go into the utility core.
2: BOSCH SHV99A03 9 Cycle Dish Washer
3: LG Microwave Toaster combo..(wee! we already have that).
4&5: WOLF 48″ Gas Range (4 burner + Griddle) and hood.

hmm.. If I had a blog I would ask one of my more savvy friends if there was a way I could segregate out house-related posts like this to make a sort of virtual scrap-book and planning scratch-pad that I can refer back to easily.

mmm. useful. …. Maybe there IS a use for that blog thing everyone’s talking about.

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mama cass would’a loved these

new kitchen toy

Mom found a deal on pannini presses at Kohl’s – she picked up one for the God-Sis’ wedding present, one for herself and a third for a “back up” christmas present.

We sweet talked her out of her extra one.

This is hardly ground-breaking kitchen technology… But in our spartan set-up – it feels soo fabulously modern, in that mid-20th century kinda way.. All I need now is an electric egg poacher and I’ll feel like I’m living in a Jetson’s episode.

We took it for a spin last night for dinner… and REALLY liked the results:

Shi-Shi Ham-Samitchesgrilled ham sandwiches
(all ingredients came from Costco)

• 1 Loaf of Panné Provincio French Baguette
• 1 16oz Package of Citterio® Rosmarino™ Oven Roasted Rosemary Ham (deli Style)
• 1 Brick “Dubliner Irish Cheese”
• Dijon Mustard
• Olive Oil

Slice up the bread… Lay down a slice of the Irish Cheese (it’s like a sharp white cheddar) – add a slice of ham – another slice-o-cheese… a MICRO DOLLOP of Dijon… Brush the outside slices with olive oil. (*little extra virgin is nice and fruity)…

Slap on the ole pre-heated pannini press (also read as old-school George Forman grill) – pull em out after about 4 minutes.. Sprinkle finished samitches with parsley for dramatic photo effect.

chow down.

Serves seven guest – or three bears.

(this is not a blog – it’s a recipe).