I grew up with a world class cook who shouldn't have been. Church mice were their rich cousins by comparison, so how on earth my mom learned to cook the way she could is beyond me. My sister has her talent...I have a few of her recipes...where she used any... It may or may not be written in any book, but her pie crust was 'half'. Half the flour in shortning, half the shortning in water.. Ergo, a single crust pie would take a cup of flour, a half cup of shortning, and a fourth cup of water. Once we understood the concept of half, we didn't need a recipe...just to know if it was a single or double crust pie, and how many were we making. Yes, she made it with lard in my early years, then Crisco until she died. I use Crisco or The Animal/vege fat combo... with the same flaky results. If someone has a good beef stew recipe, I'd like to have it, please.

The longer the better for carmelizing. Mmm. NOT early in the morning though. I agree it's a bit much for morning coffee. It still lingered in the air the night i made it. Here's a good recipe. 2 lbs onions (red or sweet), sliced thin;  2 tbs extra virgin olive oil;  6 cups rich beef stock;  ¼ cup unsalted butter;  2 bay leaves;  1 tsp sugar;  1 tsp whole black peppercorns;  ½ cup brandy (optional);  ½ lb gruyere cheese;  1 loaf of crusty Italian or French bread. In a large heavy bottomed skillet heat the butter and oil until it just begins to brown on medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and stir them to coat with the butter and oil. Sprinkle the sugar on top and stir to incorporate sugar. Cook the onions until caramelized to a dark golden brown. That process will take approximately 30 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the brandy (if you omit the brandy deglaze the pan with some of the beef stock). Transfer the mixture to a soup pot and add the beef stock, peppercorns and bay leaf. Allow to simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes to an hour. Ladle the soup into oven safe bowls or crocks. Submerge a well toasted piece of bread in each bowl and cover with the cheese. Put the cheese covered bowl under the broiler until the cheese melts and is browned to the desired level. -by Den on Chowhound

No, you aren't alone! Our local mall was built when I was a teenager. I have NEVER been able to breathe in that building. I don't know what kind of air circulation system they put in, but it doesn't work well. Sometimes I'm in there for 5 minutes, sometimes an hour before I HAVE to leave. There are other malls with in half an hour or 45 minutes from me that I can walk all over in, but I can breathe in them, so it's easier to want to look around! As for the server, he needs fired! My thing is that everyone who works with food, be it restaurant kitchen or grocery store, non-register employees, or your local convenience store employees, and here I do include those who run register, as I know they all work deli!, should be required to take and pass the serve safe test. My son took baking and pastry in high school and passed his first try. Needs to renew it. He works in a convenience store as a shift leader, and those who work with him know they better follow the rules or listen to him b)*()&* at them! Tami

I want to put us on Suzanne Somers plan. ( I lost 40lbs. in the past. ) Daughter is Dev. Disabled and recently Dx with Type 2 Diabetes. Insulin dependant.ADA diets dont work. Tried that route, what a nightmare. I need recipes following SS plan that a person with "childlike" appetite would like. She does NOT like ground beef, tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, a sparagus. But loves the no-no foods...carrots, taters, peas, corn. All ideas welcomed. Thank you. sue