I can't call myself a tutor but have achieved the floating dough test in two ways: Beat the dough with your hands or if a small amount in an electric mixer. It does need lard, never shortening, many reasons. When you've whipped enough air and lard into it you will get floating dough even with using meat broth which is normally added. The other way, according to lazier cooks is to add about a tablespoon of baking powder. It may not float but the final product will be lighter and not as doughy or heavy as you can see the effects of the BP. It does not interfere with the taste in any way and you're done sooner. Around here, we don't have to do that as we can purchase the dough ready to assemble with your own fillings, thank goodness.

I haven't made this but it's from the American Century cookbook & sounds really good: TAMALE PIE (serves 6) Cornmeal Crust: 4 cups water 3/4 tsp salt 1 1/2 cups cornmeal 2 TBL butter or lard (not shortening) Filling: 2 TBL bacon drippings or vegetable oil 1 medium yellow onion, peeled & chopped 1 small green bell pepepr, cored, seeded, chopped 1 1/4 lbs lean ground chuck 1 TBL chili powder 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (I'd use Ro-Tel) 1/2 cup beef broth 3/4 tsp salt or to taste For the crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 1/2 qt casserole; set aside. Bring water & salt to boiling in a medium heavy saucepan over high heat. Whisking vigorously, add cormeal gradually & continue beating until thick & smooth; beat in butter. Spoon 3/4 of mixture into casserole & with spoon, press over bottom & up the sides. Set aside. Keep remaining cornmeal mixture covered until ready to use. FILLING: Heat drippings in large heavy skillet over moderate heat 1 minute, add onion, green pepper & garlic & stir-fry until limp, about 5 minutes. Add beef, chili powder & cumin & cook, breaking up lumps until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth & salt & cook & stir 5 minutes. Taste for salt & adjust as needed. Spoon meat mixture into cornmeal "crust" & cover with remaining cornmeal mush. Bake uncovered until browned & bubbly, 30-35 minutes.~~

I feel guilty that I"ve actually been having a mostly relaxing day while dh is slaving in the kitchen ALL day. He went to the grocery store early and while he was gone, I made marinara sauce for the ravioli mentioned above. I failed to mention that *his* tradition every year is to make chocolate chip pumpkin bread (old Ghirardelli recipe) for all our friends/neighbors/coworkers. He sometimes makes 40 loaves. Well, I thought he was done but nope, got home from the store and made two more batches. Then he started in on the filling for the ravioli. He made the meat ravioli first, finally took a break for dinner, and is now working on the cheese ravioli. Our 13 y/o has been a great helper. The other day, he decided that he wanted to bring pumpkin cheesecake to my parents' house for Christmas. My mom is already making dessert but he decided he wanted this as well so she didn't have to make an additional dessert. I warned him the cheesecake needs to be made ahead. He said he was going to make it tonight. Well, he's already said he will do it tomorrow. Yet I just realized now, at 9:30pm, that he still hasn't made the tiramisu for Christmas Eve dessert. His response - "I got it, I didn't forget. I'm making both tomorrow." Every year he does this. He takes on too much and then complains after the fact about how exhausted he is. I happily would have bought the tiramisu in Little Italy where it is fabulous. Nope, he needs to make it from scratch. I wouldn't care but he makes a disaster out of the kitchen for days on end b/c he doesn't clean up until the very end. I cannot STAND clutter so it makes me nuts that my kitchen is a mess with no end in sight. I couldn't even make dinner tonight b/c there was no room! We had to get take out. I suppose I shouldn't complain - it is nice that he loves to cook. I do as well, but I am much better at planning and timing (and cleaning up and starting fresh each day). I mentioned next year doing a sort of buffet spread of heavy appetizers instead of Christmas dinner (someone else here mentioned doing that this year, and since my mom has decided this is her last year of hosting, I thought that idea sounded good for next year). Of course, he made a face. But we host a sit-down dinner on Christmas Eve! And seriously, I'd like to actually enjoy Christmas not spend two days in a row feeding a formal sit down dinner to my family when HE is the only one who cares. My kids would happily graze all day.

Thanks, Plllog and Lindac. I apologize for that overly long unfocused post. I was cooking (or had plans to cook) the duck and parts is several directions. I removed the duck breast with skin and fat on. These were the last thingsI prepared. I scored the skin and pa fried them in a hot pan, skin side down in a bit of garlic-thyme-sale gris favored duck fat. I let the skin get very crisp, the turned the breast halves. I made a sweet-tart cherry sauce for the and put some of the filtered thyme-salt-garlic fat on roasted potato. They were heavenly. I cooked them medium-med rare. The chopped carcass including wings, thighs and legs I oven roasted after marinating dry in garlic, gray salt and thyme for 48 hours. I washed marinade off, patted dry and put in a slow oven in a Le Creuset Dutch oven, no cover because I wanted the skin to crisp. Hours later, fragrant, but skin did not crisp. Meat seemed salty and tough. I did get about 1.5 Cups of delicious fat which I filtered and set aside. I made stock from the bones. I couldn’t get the skin to crisp. The stock is heavenly. Oh, and the filtered duck broth gelatin (solid when cold) was fantastic. I ate a few spoonfuls, and included the remainder in the broth-stock pot. It was my first duck cooking experiment and I read too much, was exhausted and tried to go in too many directions at once, and took too much time. The many good cooks here would have tossed me and the duck out of their kitchens, I’m sure. This weekend I’ll visit my duck loving friend and maybe get more thoughts. I’ll take the frozen liver and some fat with me. I bought a few “spare” ducks (freezer), so one of these days I will try the recommended Inna Gartner recipe, and also a Peking Duck recipe — air compressor or sports ball pump technique to separate the skin from the fat. I wish I could give you a taste of those duck breasts with crisp skin — so delicious. Oh, and the flavor of the duck fat reminded me so much of the batches of roasted prime woodland mushrooms I used to make — chanterelles, optimum boletes, and select russulas. Now I’m off to snack on leftover duck and to make Char Siu. Have a good weekend, everyone. edit - typos Note: I cannot get this to publish to the CF; I am trying again. ??? Anyone see this?