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Post by 3piggles on Apr 29, 2020 20:37:52 GMT
No chance to bike lately. Between the rain, extreme winds, and just life getting in the way(they're covered with tarps that need to be removed and reapplied each time), we haven't had a chance to get out again. I really miss it, too.
Yes, that's another good reason for using clarified butter, though I don't cook things really hot very often. I like the extra nutty taste to clarified butter. I often think butter has very little taste, which clarified butter has a lot.
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Post by amber89 on Apr 29, 2020 22:25:59 GMT
Found out that Austria actually has clarified butter. It is to be found in the fridge, next to the normal butter. Hubby told me that it's actually quite popular and very much used mainly for frying Romania does not have the concept of clarified butter.
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Post by Bean on Apr 30, 2020 6:25:17 GMT
No baking for me as our oven element blew yesterday! I found a replacement online and paid for express delivery, so although it'll probably take longer than normal to arrive, hopefully we won't be without an oven for too long! (I could call out a local repair man, but would pay 4x as much for an easy job that takes about 5 minutes!)
We have a double oven so still have the small top oven/ grill and of course the hob. If if last a while, I'll be able to plan meals around that, but wasn't ready for it yesterday! Still, we got a good meal in the end, it just took a bit more thinking to get everything cooked right.
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 30, 2020 19:39:11 GMT
Haven't you replaced elements before? Is that is same stove, or did you get a new one since the last element replacement. It just seems strange, as I've never replaced an element. When we bought our first house, it was a mess, and the stove they left us had one working electrical element. It got tossed and replaced. I couldn't even clean it, or I would have tried to buy new elements. Since then, not problems.
We're getting rain, though nothing too dramatic. We've been out to walk for the past 3 hours, and will probably continue to get in our steps that way. Hubby is installing the ceiling fan in the kitchen/dining area, so he's blocking half the house for getting in our hourly steps indoors.
Clarified butter is something anyone can make, but as you said, Amber, they have to have a concept of it, or they won't even try. I first learned of it in Indian cooking, which uses Ghee/clarified butter. Then it started popping up in a lot of other uses, including as a high heat frying medium.
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Post by bazookagoof on May 1, 2020 0:49:31 GMT
Ugh, I've made numerous attempts to replace heating elements in ovens, seldom with success. I think there must be some trick to it, because I don't ever recall successfully fixing an oven. I know what to do, but getting your fingers around inside a tiny space where you cannot see what you're doing and need three hands (the third one to hold some sort of light source) proved way too difficult for me to handle.
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Post by Bean on May 1, 2020 5:42:51 GMT
Oh that's a good point, I need to put new batteries in the torch first! Ours is a bit fiddly to replace, but not too bad - I'm sure there are worse out there!
Yes 3piggles, it's only a few years since it last went. It's the first electric oven we've had, so I've nothing to compare it to. A quick google told me the elements could last anything from 2 minutes to 10 years, as so many things can effect its lifespan, but that 5 years was about average. We do use ours a lot (especially at the moment when it's often on for lunch too) so I'm not surprised ours last under the average.
There are a couple of faults that can make them go more quickly, such as the fan being grimed up and stuck (it isn't) or an issue with the thermostat. As it's cheap to repair ourselves, I'd need to have more of a feeling something was amiss to pay someone to check it out.
Yesterday morning was dry, sunny and not too chilly. The afternoon was rain and dramatic hail showers!
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Post by 3piggles on May 1, 2020 19:49:12 GMT
I remember someone replacing an element, and it practically required them to stand on their heads or hang from the ceiling. Exaggerating, of course, but it can be a real pain to replace an element.
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Post by Bean on May 2, 2020 5:47:30 GMT
I couldn't remember how to take the door off the oven, there were no obvious clips to flip off and I wasn't bothered enough to look it up. So that was the biggest obstacle - I think my yoga practise came in handy to get myself into the right position and stay there!
Thank goodness for our electric screwdriver that is not just magnetic, but has a torch on the end - those screws are fiddly!
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Post by 3piggles on May 2, 2020 21:23:26 GMT
Ooh, glad you got it installed, even if with a bit of standing on your head I took off the oven door at the last house, to clean the stove, and it was major surgery. It really should be easier, but I guess then more people wouldn't pay a repair person to do it for them I made another batch of granola, which hubby loves. It's quite a process, especially when I tend to clean up as I go, so it's gets broken up into phases. As usual, I didn't have any apple juice, so hubby has to run to the store for it. This is my second time making this recipe, and the first time I followed it to the letter, and the granola was a bit over cooked. This time I cut the time back by 5 minutes, and I think it's perfect I also made another batch of tortilla crackers. This time I didn't bother to season them, just painted melted clarified butter on the pan, laid out the cut up tortillas, sprayed the tops with PAM butter flavor, and sprinkled a tiny bit of salt on them. I also cook them 5 minutes less than the last batch, and that made a big difference. They're really good. I will make up a very large batch to take to our granddaughters birthday meal
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Post by Bean on May 3, 2020 5:59:28 GMT
When is the birthday meal? I bet you're all looking forward to it! I'm sure our oven door was quite simple to pop off. Maybe the clips that enable you to lift it out are only exposed when you remove the internal glass on the door. That came to me long after it would have been useful... I made this Berry Muesli last week. It's tasty, but even though it's baked, it's not quite as crunchy as my usual granola recipe, and I like the crunch! Nice to have a change and try something different though. How is apple juice used in your recipe?
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Post by 3piggles on May 3, 2020 20:40:26 GMT
The granola recipe has molasses, honey(I substitute maple syrup), apple juice, brown sugar, vanilla extract and veg oil. Those are the liquids, and they get heated until they all blend, but not to a boil. Then there are all the dry ingredients, including the rolled oats, wheat germ(I finely chopped peanuts in the food processor instead), flax seed, almonds, pecans and some other things. The oats get precooked, allowed to cool, then are put in a BIG bowl and missed with the other dry ingredients, and the wet ingredients. Then the mix is spread in the sheet pan, and cooked for 20 minutes, or until golden brown, which for my stove is 15 minutes, at 325F. It's not a diet product, but it's great crumbled in yogurt, or just eaten as a pick me up mid afternoon. It's crunchy, but with a chewiness to it. It's really good. I will make some to take to the birthday dinner. I talked to daughter about what to do for granddaughters birthday, which is at the end of this month. I suggested I make the food, and just bring it, so they didn't have to do much, and we do it on a dry weekend before her birthday. While daughter said she thought that was a great idea, she kept saying she wanted to do it on Memorial Day weekend, as that's closest to her birthday. I kept saying we would do it on the best weather weekend, so we could be outdoors, and away from the smoke. While she was generally gung ho, I half got the feeling she was planning something of her own, once I'd mentioned it. So I have no idea what's actually planned, but if we go ahead with it, I want to make a cherry pineapple dump cake. It's not a decorated birthday cake, but a cake that is basically a can of cherry pie filling dumped in a greased 9x13" pan, followed by a can of pineapple, followed by a box of white cake mix, covered with dots of butter, and baked. I also have other ideas of things to make to take to the dinner/party. She won't be able to have her friends over, so it will only be family. That would be the four of them, the aunt/uncle/extra guy in the basement, and the two of us. I said she could invite her BiL and family, as they do a lot of things together, but that seemed to set off having to do it on Memorial Day weekend(as her BiL has to work Sunday mornings, except that Sunday morning. So I'm watching the weather, and will contact her with a date that looks really good. If her BiL and family can't make it, they can do another party on Memorial Day weekend. If we can all do it on the same weekend, and it's Memorial Day weekend, I think she's likely to take over the party, so I don't know where that will leave me and the foods I planned to prepare. My offer was to arrive with the food, and all they had to do with enjoy it. So that's a bit up in the air right now. I wanted to do some of the dishes, and be able to take them to their house, so we didn't have to eat everything. I also want to be as far away from the smoke as possible, so not on the back porch next to the open basement window, with all the smoke billowing out all over us. As much as she says they want to get away from the smoke, too, it seems as if they always give in, and we're left breathing it. It's about 77F outside, and ranging from 71-75 inside. The ceiling fans are doing the job. I baked bacon at 400F this morning, while it was a bit cooler, granted, but it didn't heat up the house. The new fan in the kitchen/dining area seems to be doing it's job, as it's not blowing directly on hubby, but is getting air to the stove, sink, counter and Pigloo City. The girls are doing really well, despite it being a bit too hot for them and their fur coats. I do have the fans on high, though
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Post by bazookagoof on May 4, 2020 0:30:58 GMT
I've noticed my 11 year old computer is starting to have issues, especially if it's running all day during the week- so my boss is planning on giving me a laptop that should be sufficient to handle our workloads, as far as Photoshop jobs go. Video is a different story, but we won't worry about that right now, since I'm doing 'shop work 5 days a week.
But the point is, today I elected not to turn my computer on until the late afternoon, and instead spent all morning until about 3:30 pm organizing and cleaning out old paperwork and throwing away things I no longer needed. It felt good, so I'm going to try to make more of this quarantine time to get things more in order!
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Post by Bean on May 4, 2020 5:55:56 GMT
Oh yes, I don't think we'll ever have another chance like this to get all those mundane tasks in order (well, I hope
I hope your daughter lets you know the plans soon enough so that you can get organised for any food you're taking, 3piggles. It should be a lovely day if the weather's good, just getting together outside with family and sharing some good food to celebrate Peanut's birthday.
Glad the new fan is doing its stuff - well done hub!
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Post by 3piggles on May 4, 2020 20:41:31 GMT
That's the spirit, Baz I faced the quarantine as a challenge. That's my way of dealing with things. Make the most of it, find ways to stay busy, stay healthy, get things done, etc. I have to admit, though, of all the projects that have needed my attention for a really long time, sorting and tossing, most are still waiting. The kitchen seems to call to me every time I have a moment I think I have a decent menu planned. I want everything to be easy to eat, no cooking involved, just serve and enjoy. I also bought granddaughter some birthday gifts. She loves pigs, the oink variety, so I bought her a beach towel with a cute pig on it, a pillow with a pig on it, some flashlights in the shape of a pig(blue, green and pink-her favorite color), and some pig cookie cutter. I'll supply the cookie dough for her. I think that should do it. We don't buy her toys. She wants everything on TV, and generally gets it, gets bored with it in a week, loses most of the parts, and loses interest. We figure she'll use the beach towel because they have swimming pool. She loves to cook, so can make pig cookies, etc. It has been a really cool, as in cold, Spring. I'm loving it, but the winter damage to the bushes isn't clearing up, and things like that because it just needs longer stretches of warmer weather. It's 57F outside, but with a strong wind which makes it feel cooler. After yesterdays almost 80F, it started out warmer this morning than it is now.
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Post by bazookagoof on May 4, 2020 21:53:54 GMT
That's the spirit, Baz I faced the quarantine as a challenge. That's my way of dealing with things. Make the most of it, find ways to stay busy, stay healthy, get things done, etc. I have to admit, though, of all the projects that have needed my attention for a really long time, sorting and tossing, most are still waiting. The kitchen seems to call to me every time I have a moment I would love to fix our own kitchen sink, as the faucet is leaking slightly- but until I can get supply lines, I can't finish the work. I should have checked the box to see if they were included, but I was rushed, as I wanted to get home and was nervous about the lockdown. Oh, well...
Speaking of the lockdown, my boss' ex-wife called his house and wanted to take the son that's living with him to Tennessee to visit her oldest son out there. His son declined, as there is a pandemic going on. She called him a coward. Of course, she's a militant conservative loony who embraces evangelical views, even though she's got three failed marriages (working on her fourth) and three kids from two different men and was excommunicated from her church for adultery.
Although the boss' son is lacking in the grey matter department (I've mentioned him in other threads) refusing to go is the most sensible thing he's done in ages. There is no guarantee they won't run into someone infected if they drive out across the states to see the son. (The ex is taking their daughter with them.) They have to stop for gas, meals & lodging and they might have the attitude that either the trumpvirus is a hoax, or no worse than the flu. (Also, the son might have it and be asymptomatic- he does live in a trailer park!)
I'll guess I'll hear about the results in a week or two.
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Post by Bean on May 5, 2020 6:23:33 GMT
To go to a visit a place badly affected by the virus with the purpose of socialising really doesn't seem too intelligent - good on him for standing his ground. Hopefully the ridiculous name calling helped him feel he was doing the right thing? Honestly, some people just never really become adults, do they? Sounds like your boss did well to escape her!
The birthday meal plans sound great, and the presents too. Hopefully you'll get the heads up straight away if she ever goes off pigs!
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Post by 3piggles on May 5, 2020 19:21:53 GMT
Bean, you have to understand that Tennessee is one of the states with more religious fervor than brains. Education takes second place to religion. Trump is god, etc. It's what I consider to be a write-off state, as far as anyone having an opinion based on actual fact. So the chance of the son in the Tennessee trailer park being infected, being around other who are infected, or just being too stupid to know enough to prevent himself from being infected, is pretty good. Also, if the ex-wife is one of them, she could easily be bringing the virus, herself. If they get sick, it will all be some Libtard Democrat plot to disgrace their fearless leader, who is one of them. Sad, in a country with so much opportunity, so much of that opportunity goes to those who shouldn't have it.
How did you boss get involved with her in the first place? Wow!
You should be able to get the hoses almost anywhere, and if you call some places, they'll get the order ready, and meet you at the curb. You have your mask and gloves. You'll be fine. I think a lot of hardware stores that are open would prefer to have people order and pick up, rather than come in and shop.
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