I expect some awesome French food came out of that puppy. In my next life -- my rich fantasy life -- I'm gonna build a kitchen around a cooker like that, and hide an induction domino under a big walnut cutting board.

Colleen, I know just what you are talking about. Elery's son visited last weekend from California, we hadn't seen he or his wife in 2 years, or their boys since last summer. I will also add that I don't have television other than those channels available via antenna, I think we get 7 channels. So, no one watched television but the first thing the boys asked about was the wifi password! Their parents didn't actually ask until a couple of hours later, LOL. Between touring the farm, driving the Mule, fishing in the ponds, paddling the boat, looking for frogs and generally visiting, the devices were used mostly in the evening. The adults visited while the boys did something with phones/tablets that did not involve the adults. However, the two oldest (16 and 14) were not happy to be dragged away from their electronic whatever to converse with adults. The result was that the only information we got about school, interests, camps, friends or life in general came from the parents, and we won't see the boys again for at least a year. The only thing that interested them more than electronics was the Mule, driving was a far greater attraction than anything provided via the internet, thank goodness. (that's a Kawasaki Mule, BTW, not a living creature, LOL) And my pet peeve is someone who needs to check their phone, their Facebook, their Twitter/Tweet/Insta-gratification/selfie page continuously while the other person sits there virtually alone. How in the world did we ever live before all this constant bombardment of social media was available to us and we had to wait to get home before we could use the phone? Annie

Okay, I gotta run to get some cedar planks. Could not find "my" recipe for cornbread with cheese and onions, so I did what I would have done to make it and pretty sure this is how it would work: Disclaimer: 1 - I am not a know-it-all nor a chef or whatever. This is what works for "me".. so if I sound like egotistical or I have all the answers, please forgive me.. it is a process I am always working on (cooking.. not being egotistical, I mastered that a long time ago).. so, easier to type it out than beat around the bush). 2 - Like I will explain, no matter what I cook or how many times, this is a process I do every time.. half the fun imo...and helps you refine things. Okay, Cornbread with Green Onions and Cheddar Cheese. Rules you cannot budge on when making cornbread: The quality of the cornmeal and flour WILL dictate how it tastes. "Good cornbread" can be made out of a box, "great cornbread" takes "great cornmeal" Don't skimp. If you are in a pinch, Aunt Jemima cornmeal works great and anyone that snubs their nose at it is just too picky. I prefer that or Pioneer, but there is a mill in Arkansas I think that makes it and if you are out to really kick some butt, look at the backs of each and find a local meal that works for you. Either of those first two will be plenty fine. Flour, any all-purpose will do. Second thing.. CHECK THE DATES. Out of date, heck, if it is not stored correctly, baking soda and/or baking powder can kill your cornbread. Always buy small containers so they are not stored away for a year before you use them. I keep 2-3 cans of clabber on hand and if it is halfway to the exp date, at 60 cents a can.. it is gone (that is what is left.. heh). Again.. Clabber Girl and Arm and Hammer.. name brands. You get what you pay for and rising is a must for the right texture. As for the rest of the things, the thinner the pan, the more likely to burn. Also, let everything sit out in the open for an hour or two. Bring it all to room temperature. Cornbread, like any other bread, is picky and cold spots can cause it to cook differently. So, I never stick to one recipe and, when creating one, I always make 2 or 3 small ones first to see which one I like the most. Cornbread is cheap to make.. cheaper still if you find how you like it and then never have to figure it out again ;) So, I found a couple recipes I like and would combine (remember, I never follow one recipe as they tend to make it a certain way and I am, after-all.. a know-it-all.. lol https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/cheddar-and-green-onion-cornbread-50000331 That one starts well and has most of what you need. The part about that one I am not sure about is the bell peppers. If the one you did not like did not have bell peppers, when you leave that out, they will need to be replaced with something. This one is closer to what I would enjoy: https://nancycreative.com/2011/10/19/cheddar-and-green-onion-cornbread/ Now, looking over a few other recipes, something I have done in the past and I saw in another skillet recipe (this would be a northern thing I assume) is I saw someone use a little maple syrup. Now, this part would be a little expensive because you cannot get the flavor or the consistency unless you use real maple syrup from the NE... so.. just want to post this link as if it is done in moderation, it can be pretty darn good. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016965-brown-butter-skillet-cornbread?mcubz=1 Note: Some people frown upon sugar in cornbread and so would do the same with maple syrup. Cornbread was "bread" in the southern states and bible belt as well to some degree, so adding sugar is like a "desert" to some...I say ignore folks and have fun. Avoid adding cheese to the tops of the cornbread unless you do so in the last 10 minutes of cooking. It will brown quicker and make you think you are burning it. Summary: GOOD cornmeal Fresh baking soda and baking powder Room temp on eggs and butter etc quality baking pans Experiment in small quantities and with both convection and non convection if available. (I would use the second link.. and add some jalapenos finely diced) If you are not experienced in how to choose a jalapeno, it is very important.. and, once you learn, you find yourself loving them again. Jalapenos can be bright shiny green, then dull green with brown veins, then dark dark green, then red. Each stage has a different flavor. Want heat? leave the seeds. BRIGHT shiny smooth green is what you want for flavor without as much heat. The brown veins show the acidity age and can get hotter, dark green to red has a more "sweet" but hot flavor. Always, when baking, get the fresh smooth with no veins, cut out ALL the seeds etc just like you would in a bell pepper, and then finely dice them. This is from before the house.. but I love cooking cornbread in a skillet ;) just pre-heat the skillet before adding the cornbread mixture . Russ

Beautiful morning glory and begonia @Paul MI! The colors are very striking. @Rosie1949 - What a beautiful story! It reminds me of my own childhood. Morning glories have always been one of my favorite flowers. I planted them with my dad when I was four and they have reseeded every year since. We used to have them in all colors of the rainbow, but now only the pink ones come up. I used to love getting up early in the morning when the air was still cool and crisp and watching them unfurl. I loved smelling them, the smell was delicate and sweet, and every time I stuck my nose in a flower the petals would tickle my nose : ). The hummingbirds and bees love them too. damask_rose : )