Heeheehee! A handful of our ornaments are the home-made kind, from back when the children where in kindergarten, and they weigh a ton and are indestructible (obviously - since it's now twenty four years later). These are the ones we hang on the lowest branches for the pets to enjoy. And to smack around with their waggy tails. And we used to put the tree IN the playpen in the old days. We had a very under-bright Irish setter then... :) Mary

I am another who just loves Sharon's Salmon Quiche! Yum! And I adore Deborah's Paella Salad, too! I wouldn't have hurt feelings if someone wasn't too crazy about a recipe I posted as long as they don't "bash" it and just nicely state that it wasn't for them. We all have different tastes as is so obvious by this thread alone! But I do see Sherry's point, too. There are a couple of recipes I've tried that many of you rave about and I just scratch my head and go "huh?", but we'll leave those be. I tried lots of new recipes this year, and just some that made my "keeper" file: Pear & Candied Walnut Salad....Rachel Ray Stuffed Pork Chops...The Neely's Chicken Alfredo Pizza....Cooking Light Great Lakes Salmon Chowder....Midwest Living Magazine Ultimate Shrimp Scampi....from allrecipes Roasted Carrots with Thyme & Garlic....rosemarythyme Capuccino Mousse....Midwest Living Magazine Peppermint Bark....Sharon (Chase) Pork Saltimbocca with Polenta....Cooking Light The only bomb I can remember was a knock off recipe that really tasted nothing like it's namesake, Boston Market Meat Loaf. But I try lots of new things and if we don't like them I simply toss the recipe so I don't remember most of the others. Linda

Hi Lars, pita bread is pretty easy to make (other than the bother of forming the individual breads and taking them in and out of the oven instead of putting in one or two big loaves. I usually use my bread machine on quick dough cycle to mix the dough. He says to put the yeast in the water to dissolve, but I just load my bread machine as usual putting in the liquids first then the flours and then the yeast and salt. I sort of use a recipe from Secrets of a Jewish Baker by George Greenstein. 2 cups warm water 2 packages active dry yeast (I use about 2 Tbsp instant dry yeast) 4 Tbsp vegetable oil 2 cups whole wheat flour (he says preferably stone ground, I use white whole wheat) 3 to 4 cups bread flour 2 tsp salt Pretty much standard bread making to form the dough - mix the ingredients together using 3 cups of bread flour. Knead and add more bread flour 1/4 cup at a time if the dough is sticky - you want a soft but not sticky dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. He says transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn to coat then cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel until doubled in volume (45 to 60 minutes). I just let mine rise in the bread machine and leave it for more like 20 minutes. While the dough is rising, I set up the oven with a baking stone and turn the oven on to 500 degrees F to get it well preheated. Punch down. Divide into 12 equal pieces and shape into balls. I'm often in a hurry doing this. Last time I was a bit more careful in shaping them with a good cloak and I think that may be why they puffed so well. He says cover and allow to rest 15 minutes. I don't wait that long. Perhaps 5-10 minutes after forming the last ball I start rolling the first one I formed. Roll each ball into a 6-inch circle. I find this is easiest to work on several at a time by rolling each one out until it starts getting stubborn springing back then letting it rest while working on the next one and the next - then going back to finish rolling the first one. Then I set them aside to work on forming the next 3 - when they are rolled out, put the first 3 in the oven. set the prior set of three aside and work on another 3 keeping an eye on the oven. Don't open the oven door until they have puffed (or you have given up hope of them puffing and they are starting to brown slightly) - he says 10 minutes, but I think it takes less time than that.. Then take them out and put the next ones in. I line a basket with a couple of big flour sack towels to keep the baked pita in - it keeps enough moisture but not too much moisture in so they are soft and nice. Once they are cool, I store in plastic bags if they aren't going to be used right away. I got some teff flour to try making injera but I haven't gotten around to it. The recipes I've seen for it call for natural fermentation of the batter - mixing the teff flour and water and leaving it to stand and stirring once a day for several days to ferment. I've had it at an Ethiopian restaurant and it is pretty different from regular bread - sour and a bit rubbery but in a good way. Darch, I've never heard of making pita bread in a skillet - I always make it in the oven on a bread stone. Annie - I'm wondering if I'll go back to 2/3 puffing next time or if there is something I've learned so my success will be repeatable. :^)

Ha I am not a mushroom specialist - I won't eat/harvest mushrooms without an expert id. I have an area near my house that isn't mowable or tillable because of rocks and stumps. My digging dog created a pseudo prairie dog community there. I had been dumping leaves and debris there for a bit. This spring I put a bunch of wet hay from my banking there. Then watered a bunch and added nitrogen to break down the hay. I planted buckwheat and squash there. I ended up with a bumper crop of small/medium squash. Anyhow this fall I got a huge crop of honey mushrooms and blewits growing in the broken down organic matter.