WYnative, I have you down as received on 12/20/05. If you read back thru the posts, you'll find your post. If I am not mistaken, everyone has received their package!!! If someone hasn't please let me know ASAP and we'll get one out to you :-) Ok, here is the list of who sent to who: Hummingbirddaisy sending to GardenFeverGirl sending to Cassiet sending to Gardeningmomof3 sending to Rosebud 2050 sending to Dancingmoons sending to FLYONAWALL sending to FAINTHEART sending to SWEETKITTEN51 sending to WYnative sending to SNBOYKEN sending to DEBBYA sending to MOMCAT sending to BOJO96 sending to AMYBABYBOY3 sending to GARDENHITS sending to DJM906 sending to Hummingbirddaisy WYnative, when you get everything straightened out, please let us know who you got your secret package from!!! I want to thank all you lovely ladies for joining in on my Secret Santa RR. This is by far the FUNNEST swap I have ever been in, and it is all because of you all. FLY and Faint are hilarious! You all are caring, wonderful women and I am very proud to have met all of you and had you in my swap. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Big Hug's to each of you Tina

Wanted to share an update on my bean and lentil adventures. As noted above, I ordered the following from Rancho Gordo: Ayocote Morado, Cranberry, Midnight Black, Garbanzo, and Royal Corona beans. Black lentils and black quinoa, too. I've only made the garbanzo, cranberry and royal corona so far, but I'm hooked. For all 3, I used a standard aromathic mix (onion, celery, carrot--maybe a leek at some point--a few bay leaves and cloves of garlic). The garbanzo broth was so flavorful. But at one point, I needed to add more water and cranked up the heat, forgetting to turn it back down. I burned the batch (!)--saved my pot, but not the beans. I still have more dried garbanzos, though, and look forward to making another batch for hummus. The cranberry beans were very good in flavor and texture. Will be ordering more for soups this fall. Today, the royal coronas are on the stove. The broth itself is a bit overwhelming, so I plan on removing the beans once fully cooked and lightening them up a bit with lemon and parsley, as in this recipe. I may also try one of her extra flavor bursts (chermoula, gremolata or zhoug). I have yet to try the others, including the lentils. My sister shared a vegan lentil recipe that I will try next. The black quinoa I plan to use in fall salads with root vegetables and maple vinaigrette. The darker beans will probably go in chilis. Thanks, again, for the suggestions above.

DS (30) sent this today -he’s enjoying his four day workweek as a software engineer. Happy for him…, Also, Teeda, I remember from a post long, long ago (when I was looking to vacation in the Adirondacks) that you live in Saranac Lake. Since that time, we've actually bought a place in Lake Placid. We are going to spend about a month there in October, and I'm wondering if you would be open to emailing so that I can pick your brain about some exploration I'd like to do. Thank you in advance. I'll post the email addy I use for junk purposes here, and once we connect, I'll share my real one with you. Thank you in advance! xxxxxxx@gmail.com

@Funkyart I ordered all beans I know nothing about !! I looked at the comments on each and noted their positive reviews as well as how they were using them. I am going to start with those ideas and go from there. It was pretty much unanimous that soaking beans from Rancho Gordo is a bad idea as they are such fresh dried beans that it is very easy to overcook them. Some of the beans I didn't order had reviews that noted they fell apart easily which is something we really don't like. I will definitely keep y'all posted since there seems to be a lot of interest. On another note I had tried off and on over the years to make my own corn tortillas with no success. I then doubled down on searching for recipes and discovered that people like Rick Bayless and other " famous " chefs don't don't include the most critical inst. to make a successful tortilla. 1) always use very warm water at a ratio of 3/4c to 1 c level masa harina always use blue corn masa harina....I bought Gold Mine - It is far more nutritious and has more rich corn flavor mix the water and a large pinch of salt and knead the dough 10 minutes. Yep I was amazed at the difference in the dough !! It's wonderful and elastic. cover in a lidded container and set aside for several hours before pressing out weigh out the balls....we like 1oz for a smaller tortillas have a very hot iron skillet or griddle. The biggest reason that tortillas come out badly is not having a hot enough skillet. do not use any oil ! not in the dough or in the skillet have a timer and cook the tortilla as you press them out. 30 sec on the 1st side flip and 30 sec on the other side and flip again the last time for 30 sec. and press down lightly on the tortilla and it will puff. Done. .place immediately in a basket with heavy towels to keep warm and have them steam which softens them. Repeat piling them in the basket til ready to serve. Keep well covered. use any kind of press even a heavy skillet and press between a cut plastic bag or use parchment. The parchment gets damps so need a couple pieces. That's it. I know it seems a lot but once you get a rhythm going it is very easy. They keep after cooking in a plastic bag in the fridge or freeze them and repeat well wrapped in the microwave. You will never buy another tortilla !! Buen Apetito !!