[Italiancook]

BakerAunt, now that I've thought about your post, I think you're right about the brown sugar. I learned how to make Pineapple Upside Down Cake from a friend. She told me to put brown sugar on the bottom, then the pineapple slices and cherries, followed by a yellow cake mix batter. I used a scratch yellow cake batter. Perhaps that's different than the cake mix. But I think part of the problem was that I didn't dry the pineapple and cherries. Nevertheless, I am going to check online recipes before I try this again.

Even though the cake is soggy, my husband has eaten a large portion of it.

[Italiancook]

I didn't know these patients face the risk of losing these senses.

[Italiancook]

I attempted to bake a Pineapple Upside Down Cake using homemade yellow cake. I know the cake is fully cooked, but parts of it are soggy. I think I should have dried the pineapple and cherries before putting them in the pan. Nevertheless, the cake tastes good. I also think I put too much brown sugar in the bottom of the pan. Before I make this again, I'm going to read a couple of online recipes for this cake. I'm not positive brown sugar is used on the bottom.

[Italiancook]

BakerAunt, I think you made a good decision changing the title of this discussion. I cook, but don't think anything I cook is interesting. Mostly, they're tried and true recipes I've used for decades.

I started this week by making enough beef liver and mashed potatoes to last a few days. I served it with canned green beans. I didn't want to tackle the pre-Christmas traffic to go to the store that sells fresh green beans. I have mixed feeling about eating liver. I enjoy it but worry about eating contaminants processed in that organ.

This year, the Chicago Tribune had an online article that had a recipe for Colonel Sanders (KFC) secret spices. Later in the article there was a disclaimer that they might not actually be the secret ones. Nevertheless, I tried them with Oven Fried Chicken. I had to leave out the black pepper, because I can't eat that kind of pepper. The finished product didn't taste like KFC, but of course, it was oven fried not deep fried. At any rate, I'm not going to try these spices again. It was time-consuming to open, close and measure so many spices.

I ruined Twice Baked Potatoes by adding grated cheddar cheese to them. I don't recall what we ate with them.

Yesterday, I made a Pot Roast and gravy for Christmas dinner. I also made Stuffed Mushrooms. Both recipes came from "Cook Ahead Cookery."

[Italiancook]

FINALLY, I was able to reach someone at the Cuisinart recall phone number. I was told it'd take 3 to 4 weeks for the new blade to arrive.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Italiancook.

[Italiancook]

Welcome, Bronx. It's good to see you here. I'm glad you had no trouble accessing the Cuisinart recall form online. I've had no luck reaching them by phone, so I'll try their site. Thanks for the information. If you have time, please let us know when your new blade arrives.

Like you, I lurked on the KAF site but never posted there. I don't bake anything fancy or experiment with what I do bake. But I think the people who post on this site are friendly and helpful, so I post. It's a nice community.

Hope to hear from you again.

[Italiancook]

Joan, I'm going to throw out this information in case it helps you plan the logistics of your candy-making. If you find it useless, just ignore it. And, thanks for letting me know if you make this. I found it easier than baking cookies, but the crock pot temperature was an issue for several of the reviewers of the recipe.

I have a small kitchen and only 2 standard muffin pans. I made 50 of the candies with a little maneuvering. I placed the hot candy in the papers of one pan and set it aside. I did the other pan. Then, I carefully moved the papers from the first muffin pan to a half-sheet tray. I set aside the second pan and placed the hot candy in the first, then alternated between the pans and the half-sheet tray. I might add that I kept the crock pot on warm until it was empty. I didn't want the candy to set up in the cooker.

I made the mistake of buying pricey Christmas cupcake liners for this project. I thought the candies would be given away in the papers. But the oils from the candy leech through the paper ruining how they look. After the candy was set, I peeled off the papers and put the unwrapped candy in gift-giving containers and bags.

[Italiancook]

I made my dad's Chop Suey and froze a pint of it. I'm experimenting to see how the water chestnuts, Brussel sprouts and mushrooms withstand freezing. I made brown rice to go with it.

I also made Carrot Soup and Slow Cooker Irish Oatmeal (Kelsey Nixon, Cooking Channel).

[Italiancook]

I decided I didn't want to do Christmas baking this year. Yet, I wanted to give gifts. So I used Trisha Yearwood's (Food Network) "Slow Cooker Chocolate Candy." They are yummy and simple to make. I strongly suggest that if you want to try this recipe you watch the video and read 4 or 5 pages of the reviews. Some reviewers had problems with burnt ingredients. For my slow cooker, melting the chocolates worked fine with 2-1/2 hours on Warm and 30 minutes on Low. But as the reviews indicate, slow cookers are different in temperature. The recipe says it makes 30-40. I ended up with 50.

[Italiancook]

Late last night I was able to reach the Cuisinart number. It had a message to call a different number. That phone number is: 1-877-339-2534.

I've managed to obtain a recording at that number, by using the redial button on my phone. But the message says they can't take my call.

I'm sure they're overwhelmed, but this is annoying so close to Christmas. I depend on my food processor. My husband is worried that when I get a real person, the blades will be on back order because of the demand. (I decided not to snail mail.)

[Italiancook]

I make some pancakes that don't bubble, but right now, I can't recall which ones. When that happens, Aaron, I look for the top of the pancake batter to start to look dry. That works every time . . . for my pan and stovetop.

[Italiancook]

Good luck reaching them by phone. I've tried doing that all day, but each time the phone rings as busy. If I can't reach them tonight, I'm going to dig out my instruction booklet and snail mail them a letter tomorrow. I even went to gethuman.com to see if they had a different phone number. That site has the same one as is listed on the bottom of my food processor.

[Italiancook]

Correction: I said I used Jasmine brown rice yesterday. Wrong -- when rereading the package, I realized it's Basmati Brown Rice.

Luvpyrpom, I'll try your method of washing the rice. It'll be cheaper than buying another rice washer bowl. Thanks!

[Italiancook]

I've always rinsed rice. Recently, I checked a package, and it did not say to rinse. I guess I rinse, because I grew up on an orchard. Washing fruit was a big deal to remove surface pesticides. The instructions to my rice cooker say to rinse some types of rice . . . maybe all types, but I know only the ones I've used.

I think you're right, Mike, that the Jasmine Brown Rice is medium grain, because the rice turned out beautiful. It also tasted good and worked well with the Crimini mushrooms in the Chop Suey.

[Italiancook]

Early in the week, I made a double batch of Sloppy Joe mix for the freezer and us. We ate that for a few days. Last night, I made Fettuccini Alfredo from "Papa Rossi's Secrets of Italian Cooking." Because it has a stick of butter, an egg, a half-cup cream and 3/4 cups Parmesan, I make it only a couple of times a year, but it sure is a treat.

I also made Kelsey Nixon's Slow Cooker Irish Oatmeal, but did something different this time. The recipe calls for cinnamon. Instead, I used KAF Winter Spice. I leveled off the 2 teaspoons, but will round them next time. It gave the oatmeal a different flavor, a good flavor, with slight lingering spicy heat afterward.

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