Posts: 10,563
4/8/10 8:29 P

Well now that I'm learning MIG welding maybe I can make one. Cough, cough, I'll have to practice a bit more though, but...doesn't hurt to dream!

Posts: 938
4/8/10 10:53 A

ok Know I am really nuts LOL Thanks Ani

current weight: 200.0

250 227.5 205 182.5

160

SparkPoints: (95,419)
Fitness Minutes: (117,739)
Posts: 18,743
4/6/10 4:32 P

ANI, you should PATENT that thing! lol!

Pounds lost: 23.0

0 8.75 17.5 26.25

35

Posts: 10,563
4/6/10 4:10 P

Roasting nuts the Ducky way:
Put one layer of nuts in a baking pan with an edge (so the nuts will stay put!)
Put them in a pre-heated 325 degrees oven for about 20 minutes depending on the type, size of nut. Stir a couple of times and keep a close watch on them. Usually they are done when you can smell that wonderful roasty nutty aroma. Don't over roast them; lightly roasted gives just the right amount of bite and flavor.

This isn't the only way to roast nuts. Some people put them in a skillet on med-high heat and stand there stirring until they are done. I don't prefer that method 'cuz it often scorches the poor little buggers. Though doing seeds in a skillet can work nice for snacking. They go real fast!

For hazelnuts you will want to remove some of the dark brown skins. You don't have to remove all of the skins so don't try; you'll just frustrate yourself. Here are two ways I know of:

Put the slightly cooled hazelnuts on a clean kitchen towel. Gather the ends and sides of the towel so you have a loose bundle and press that bundle around on the counter rubbing the skins off. Of course then you have another towel to wash!

My way that I made up:
I looked for a "strainer" that had just the right sized holes in it. big enough to let the skins fall through easily but not the hazelnuts. I found one at a GoodWill store. It's actually a wire mesh rectangular basket that's coated with a thin red plastic--really cute. It's probably meant to hold onions or even junk under a sink...whatever; I had plans for that basket.

I put the roasted hazelnuts in the basket over the baking pan (to catch the skins) and "knead" them with my hands gently rubbing them against the bottom of the basket. Voila! And all I have to do is wipe off the basket a little and put it away. The nice thing about this basket that I found is that the wires are slightly crinkly wavy which gives a roughish surface. Works so fine!

Sometimes we have to go dumpster diving to find groovy stuff!! lol

SparkPoints: (95,419)
Fitness Minutes: (117,739)
Posts: 18,743
4/6/10 2:33 P

Pounds lost: 23.0

0 8.75 17.5 26.25

35

Posts: 1,428
4/6/10 2:08 P

Aniducthistle, how do you roast your nuts? :)

current weight: 102.5

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100

Posts: 1,793
4/6/10 1:15 P

Oh, I hear you there! I'm known for opening the fridge and pantry and tossing anything that looks like it's running out of time into a pot together. Plus, I usually chop tons of veggies when I get in the mood, mix them all up and freeze what I'm not using right then. That way, anytime I want to add mixed veggies I've got them ready.

current weight: 143.6

180 163.75 147.5 131.25

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Posts: 10,563
4/6/10 1:09 P

STAND BACK! The kitchen crazy is at it again!

I was so intrigued by Doctor Ben Kim's Rice Porridge recipe that I've been doing different variations on it almost every morning depending on what is staring at me from the refrigerator.

This morning's experiment:
Make the porridge as in the recipe but exchange (here's where you need to stand back) part of the water for reduced apple juice that you made from some apple juice found in the basement fridge left over from Christmas and needed room so you took the left-over half gallon of the juice and reduced it down to about 2 cups (takes up a lot less room!)
Only exchange a small part of the water with the reduced juice 'cuz that stuff is potently sweet.

Okay, go ahead and cook (simmer) the liquid and rice for ten minutes. (I find that mashing it up in the pot with a potato masher really breaks up the rice kernels and brings out the starch that will thicken the final gruel nicely).

When the ten minutes are up put in the egg (I find that it works best if you have the egg broken into a small bowl so you can pour and whisk really fast. This will give you a smooth, creamy finished dish.

Simmer for another minute or so stirring a couple of time and then add some pineapple chunks left-over from the Easter fruit salad and simmer one minute more just to heat up those cold chunks.

Put in serving bowl and sprinkle on some roasted hazelnuts (I always keep roasted nuts on hand for everything--roast my own; so much better)

That's it; quick and easy and wow! Tasty! Doesn't need milk or any other liquid or sweetening on it.

See why I just can't use the nutrition tracker!! Everything I throw together in my kitchen is like this.

PS: If you don't have reduced apple juice (lol) just use less water and more regular apple juice. I suppose you could use some frozen concentrate but I never have that sort of thing kicking around.
I'm going to try it with pineapple juice next time and then the time after that pureed blackberries and then...



Edited by: ANIDUCK at: 4/6/2010 (13:13)