Still Tasty

Here is a really great and informative web site:

http://www.stilltasty.com/

This web site answers so many questions that I've had about how long food will stay fresh and edible.  I'm a little bit freakish when it comes to this stuff.  I don't like food poisoning!  Call me weird, but spending the night kneeling next to the commode is not my idea of a good time!

I want to give a shout out to my good old friend, Vince, for sharing this web site with me.  (Vince isn't old, but we were friends before I was old, so that's why I referred to him as good old.  In reality, he is just good!)

Vince and I worked together at a bank a bunch of years ago and recently reconnected thanks to Facebook.   Vince was present during one of the most nerve wracking experiences of my entire life...testifying in front of a grand jury in Los Angeles.

Long story, but basically one of the bank's customers was on trial for tax evasion and we found ourselves right in the middle of the courtroom drama.  And just in case you're wondering, those people involved in grand jury trials do not have a sense of humor!  Not at all!  I won't tell you how I made a fool of myself that day, but just know that I did.  OK, so I'll tell you.

I was scared to death to sit in that hard cold chair in that hard cold room with those hard cold people.  When they asked me to state my name for the record, I basically gave every name that anyone had every called me.  All they wanted was my first and last name, but I gave first, middle, maiden and last.  I think I may have even said a few of the nicknames I'd been called along the way in life.  The court reporter snickered, but no one else found it amusing.  Like I said, those people have no sense of humor!

I was really happy when that experience was over, and I hope to never find myself in that hard cold place again!

Anyway, thanks for the great web site, Vince!  And thanks for the memories, too!

My Favorite Dish Soap

This is my very favorite dish soap! It smells amazing! Like limes. I love the smell of limes. It's one of my favorite smells in the world. You can buy it at Costco and a huge bottle of it is less than nine bucks and it will last you a long long time. It makes nice bubbles and it gets your dishes sparkly clean. I use it for washing my hands, too, and The Spy Who Love Me says I have very soft hands! You should try it...I highly recommend it!

The Real Deal

I certainly don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but over the years people have come to think of me as a good baker. It's been fun for me to bake things that people like! People sometimes ask me why my stuff turns out so yum-e (and trust me, it doesn't always.)

Here's one thing that I think makes the difference between good baking and great baking...real ingredients! I almost always use real ingredients. At the risk of sounding like a snob, I need to tell you that I NEVER use margarine. I never even buy margarine. I only use real butter. It is a bit more expensive, but I buy it at Costco and it's so much cheaper than at the grocery store. Trust me on this, it's worth the extra money, and remember that you're getting that advice from a cheapskate! Real butter makes a difference in cooking and baking, true and simple.

I also always use pure vanilla extract, and again, I buy it at Costco. A bottle will last you a long time and you can't compare the flavor of imitation vs real. I honestly believe it makes a difference.

If you've ever made a recipe that called for lemon juice and used the bottled juice you may have been disappointed in the final result. Real lemons are the only way to go.

I'm not over the top crazy when it comes to real ingredients. I'm a reasonable girl. I use ground nutmeg instead of grating it. I also have never ever used a real vanilla bean, the stuff in the bottle works just fine for me.

Here's my thinking, if you're going to go to the time and expense to make something, use the best ingredients available and make it as yum-e as possible. People will notice a difference, and you will become more popular than you ever knew possible! And isn't that what life's all about? Being popular? No? Well, either way, you'll make friends, and friends are worth having, that's for sure!

Hope you enjoy stirring it up!

Comet vs Ajax

Every now and then I'll put a little tip that involves spending time in the kitchen on my blog. Today I'll tell you about a little discovery that I made after 49 years of living and 28 years of married living. When I was growing up my mom always used Ajax to clean the kitchen sink. I did as most girls do, and when I got married I continued to use Ajax, just like my mama did. I even silently stuck my nose up to those who used Comet. Ajax was superior, in my opinion, and I just couldn't understand why anyone would scrub their sink with Comet.

Last week I spent some time with my friend, Super Walmart. By now you probably realize that Super Walmart and I are involved in a serious relationship. I was driven to the depth of despair last summer when I realized the grand opening of Super Walmart, which I had been looking forward to for months, was taking place while we were in Chicago attending my daughter's second wedding reception. For a few minutes I contemplated skipping the reception, knowing I had already attended the one here in So. Cal., but in the end the Super Walmart Grand Opening was trumped by a wedding reception on a beautiful lake in Libertyville, IL. Just to letcah know, I'm pretty sure I made the right decision.

Anywho, there I was in Super Walmart, on the cleaning aisle, when I discovered they were out of Ajax. Not good, considering I was also out of Ajax. After thoughtful consideration, I bent down and did something I had vowed years ago that I would never do...I picked up a container of Comet with bleach. I looked around to make sure no one was watching, buried it in my cart to make sure it couldn't be seen, and smuggled the contraband back to my kitchen.

I'm not a fan of being wrong, in fact, it's one of my least favorite things. So, it's with a humble heart that I tell you COMET with bleach ROCKS! It cleaned my sink so much better than Ajax ever did. My reaction was similar to that of Operation Desert Storm...shock and awe! I love a clean white sink, and thanks to Comet with Bleach, that's just what I've got. I also have to give thanks to my BFF, Super Walmart, for running low on that inferior product.

Spice Advice

Here's just a little tip about spices. They can be so expensive! If you buy them from the grocery store, or even Super Walmart, they are really pricey. They are so much cheaper if you buy them in bulk. Recently I made a recipe that called for an entire little container of celery seed. It was about $4 at the store, and it was well under a dollar for twice the amount when I bought it in bulk at Henry's. I love Henry's! If you don't have a Henry's Marketplace near you, look for a store that sells bulk spices. You will save a bundle. I also buy steel cut oatmeal, regular oatmeal, coconut, sunflower seeds, and cocoa powder in bulk at Henry's. When you don't pay for the container, you save a bunch. You're welcome! :)