I lived in the house when I was in college, and I've cooked on it once or twice a year since. Maybe it's the setup of the kitchen, but I always found it extremely inconvenient. It's really low, and it's not easy to move things to the counters on either side. My biggest fear is that it is wide open to anyone more than 2' tall to get badly burned. If I had a toddler I would hate it. Also, the realtor doesn't like it and thinks it's a negative. We already have enough of those! Thanks for the info. It was obviously installed when the house was built, but it's on base cabinets, not freestanding. I think I've seen pictures of some that look like they come with their own base. I guess we'll have to look closer inside the base cabinets to find the bolts. Hopefully it will sell well. Everything works except the clock, which I'm seeing is a common problem. It needs a little spit and polish, then it will be near perfect.

I also grew up eating venison. I didn't even know deer season wasn't year round until I got into high school and my classmates were taking the first day of deer season off. (grin) Yeah, I know, my family called it "government beef" and there was one hanging in a garage somewhere nearly all the time. As Michael pointed out, it needs to be well cleaned, I take off all the hair and bits of fat and sinew. The backstrap is the prime piece, we used to "butterfly" those tenderloin steaks and serve with just salt and pepper. Most of the venison was cooked like beef, my beef is nearly as lean as venison anyway so I don't change my techniques much. Venison does have a more assertive flavor so I use more seasonings than I would with beef. Our venison is mostly from the corn fields and apple orchards and that makes a big difference in flavor. As for the sex, if I'm eating it I'd much prefer a big doe than a buck. Unlike paririe-love, I encourage the shooting of does, it's the only way to cull the herd which has grown so big in our area that special kill permits are being given inside city limits because the deer are eating the landscaping in front of city hall, the library and the schools. A friend in Wisconsin says the deer herd there has grown so large that they are required to take a doe before they can take a buck. Anyway, favorite recipes. I like the typical stew/taco/chili recipes, all have enough seasonings to overcome that venison flavor. I haven't learned to like wine, so that's not a usual ingredient in my cooking, but I keep trying. I do like chunks of venison from steaks or roasts, marinated in Nancy's teriyaki marinade and then grilled with onions and peppers. Asian Marinade for Chicken Breasts 1C veg oil 1/4 C sesame oil 3/4 C soy sauce (Kikkomen) 1/3 C minced garlic 4 Tabsp minced ginger 2/3 C minced cilantro 5-6 green onions 1 tsp grd blk pepper I put the onions, ginger and cilantro in the food rocessor and pulse till chopped fine. Combine all and marinate chicken breasts (or whatever meat you are using) up to 24 hrs. but at least 1 hr if you can I have also put marinade in a freezer bag with chicken and frozen (good to do with the left over) Nancy My family liked this recipe, although the tomato sauce was a bit much for me. My Dad likes olives in the stuffing, but I don't care for olives either, LOL. I think you could add anything you like to the stuffing, like capers or pickled jalapenos or mushrooms. Hmmmm, maybe spinach and cheese, a kind of florentine....well, you get the idea. Stuffed Venison Steak Ingredients: Venison (or beef) Steaks Fresh Parsley (chopped) Scallions (chopped) Ham Salami Sliced Provolone Cheese Grated Cheese chopped olives Olive Oil Salt Pepper Prepared Marinara or Meat Tomato Sauce Directions: Pound venison steak to tenderize. Any cut of steak can be used. Layer the meats, cheeses, parsley, olives and scallions on the pounded steak. Once the steak is layered with your choice of stuffing, salt and pepper to taste. Roll each steak trying to keep as much stuffing in the middle. Tie both ends with thread or cooking string. Some steaks may need to be tied a third time. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and brown venison on all sides. Gently place browned meat into your pot of marinara sauce. Turn on low and allow to simmer for one and a half to two hours. I've not tried it but I think Ann T's salisbury steak recipe would be good with venison too. Salisbury Steak In Mushroom And Green Peppercorn Sauce ====================================================== 2 Pounds of ground Sirloin 1 onion finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic minced 2 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 Teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1 Tablespoon of worcestershire Sauce 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard Salt and Pepper to taste Sauce 1/2 small onion chopped 1 garlic clove minced 1 Tablespoon green peppercorns Fresh Mushrooms sliced 2 Tablespoons Flour Broth 2 to 3 cups (Beef or chicken) Pan drippings plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter/margarine or oil. Saute onions in 2 Tablespoons of olive oil until tender but not browned. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. In a bowl combined ground sirloin, parsley, thyme, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Add onions and garlic and mix well. (I use my hands). Form into oval shaped patties. (I made 5 nice size ones from the 2 pounds, but you could make smaller if you prefer) If you have a grill pan use it. Heat pan until hot and grill steaks until grilled on both sides. Add a bit of broth to the pan to pick up the drippings to add to sauce. Saute onion in 1 Tablespoon of oil until tender. Add mushroom and cook for 3 or 4 minutes and add flour. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes and add broth and green peppercorns. Place Salisbury Steaks in with sauce and continue to cook on low for at least one hour. This makes the meat really fork tender. NOTES: I used Chicken Broth but added some beef/veal demi glaze that I made a week or two ago. It added flavor and color to the sauce. I had actually gone for a walk while this was cooking so it was probably more like an 1-1/2 hours, although 1 hour would probably be enough. Serves 4 (Ann T) Good luck, and have fun cooking. Annie

From my "Essentials of Finer Chinese Cuisine" cooking class: SIMPLE VEGETABLE FRIED RICE Master Recipe 2 tablespoons peanut oil 2 eggs, beaten 1 slice (cross) fresh ginger root 4 mushrooms, diced 2 cups cooked rice ½ cup bean sprouts, coarsely chopped ½ cup frozen peas, thawed ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon white pepper 1 stalk green onion 1 tablespoon soy sauce Rub rice with wet hands so all grains are separated. Heat ½ tablespoon oil in wok over medium heat and add eggs. Cook and stir until soft curds form. Remove from heat and break eggs into small pieces. Heat remaining oil in wok over high heat and add ginger and mushroom; stir-fry for 15-30 seconds. Add rice and toss until heated through. Add sprouts, peas, salt, pepper, green onion, soy sauce, and cooked eggs. Toss just to heat. VARIATIONS: Chicken fried rice -- after cooking eggs, put in small dices of ½ chicken breast (boneless, skinless); remove from wok before adding ginger and mushroom and return with sprouts, etc. Eliminate sprouts. Shrimp fried rice -- put in 2-4, coarsely chopped shrimp (as you would the chicken) and add 1 tablespoon fish sauce or oyster sauce. Eliminate sprouts. Santa Maria style (with linguica, chicken, shrimp) -- cook Linguica (1/2 small link, diced), chicken (1/4 chicken breast), shrimp together (2, chopped). Season with 1 teaspoon SM-style seasoning (eliminate salt and pepper). Eliminate sprouts. Sub chicken stock for soy sauce. Add 1 teaspoon (more?!) Tabasco. Toss in 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro just before serving. VELVET CORN SOUP WITH CRAB MEAT 1 cup Crabmeat 1 slice Fresh ginger, minced 2 tsp Cornstarch 1 Tbs Sherry 3 cups Chicken broth 1 cup Sweet corn, cream style 2 Eggs, separated; yolks lightly beaten, ONE white stiffly beaten 1/4 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp White Pepper Marinate the crab meat in the ginger, sherry, and cornstarch for 30 minutes. Heat the chicken stock. Add the corn and bring to boil. Add the crabmeat mixture and again bring to a boil. Turn heat down and gently stir in the egg yolks, then fold in the egg white. Serve immediately. Garnish with chopped cilantro and/or finely chopped green onion. "LIONS HEAD" (MEATBALLS) 1 pound lean ground pork 4 ounces shrimp, shelled, de-veined, chopped ¼ cup sliced water chestnuts, finely chopped 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, minced 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry ½ teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 whole egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons peanut oil SAUCE 1-½ cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 head Chinese (Napa) cabbage (1-1/2 pound) 3 tablespoons cold water 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1. For meatballs, combine all ingredients except oil in large bowl and mix well. Divide mixture into about 12 portions and shape into balls. 2. Heat peanut oil in hot wok over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs, shaking or stirring occasionally so meatballs brown on all sides and keep their shape, 6 to 8 minutes. 3. Transfer meatballs to a larger stockpot or deep saucier pan. Add chicken broth and soy sauce. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 5-10 minutes. 4. While meatballs are cooking, core cabbage, remove hardest stems, and cut leafy tops in half. (Save hard leaf bases for another dish.) Place leafy tops over meatballs and simmer 5 minutes more. 5. Use slotted spoon to transfer cabbage and meatballs to serving platter, meatballs on top. Blend cornstarch, water, and sesame oil in small cup. Stirring constantly, slowly add cornstarch mixture to pan juices; cook on high heat until slightly thickened. Pour sauce over meatballs. Garnish with thin sliced green onion and/or whole stems of cilantro ("Chinese Parsley"). Ground turkey can be used in place of the pork. Use 2/3 pound turkey and 1 cup cooked white rice. Also add a touch more soy sauce. CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE 1 Tbs dry sherry 4 tsp soy sauce, divided 5 tsp corn starch, divided 1 tsp sesame oil 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves, cut into bite-size pieces 1 Tbs black bean sauce (or just chopped "fermented black beans" and 1 clove garlic, minced) 1 tsp fresh ginger root, sliced ½ cup chicken broth 1 Tbs oyster sauce 3 Tbs peanut oil, divided 1 lb asparagus spears, trimmed and diagonally cut into 1-inch pieces ¼ small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges and separated 2 Tbs water 1. To make marinade, combine sherry, 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch, and the sesame oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat well. Let stand 30 minutes. 2. Combine chicken broth, bean sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, the oyster sauce, and the remaining 3 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl; mix well and set aside. 3. Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in wok over high heat. Add chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside, covered. 4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in wok. Add asparagus, bell pepper and onion and stir fry 30 seconds. Add water, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender; about 2 minutes. 5. Return chicken to wok along with chicken broth mixture (stir well before adding); cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens. CHINESE BANANAS FOSTER WITH COCONUT CARAMEL 2 small bananas, sliced crosswise 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted ("sweet") butter 1 tablespoon flour 4 tablespoons brown sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 small pieces candied ginger root, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon orange zest 3/4 cup coconut milk 1 pint Vanilla ice cream (or butter pecan) Melt butter in large sauté pan. Add flour, brown sugar, candied ginger root, and cinnamon. Add banana pieces and turn often until they JUST start turning soft. Add coconut milk and stir until smooth. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, then simmer 2 minutes longer. Serve over ice cream. From "Low Country, Up Scale" (for Chinese food with a twist): CATFISH AND BLACK BEAN SAUCE Ingredients: 1 Tbs dry sherry 4 Tbs soy sauce 5 tsp cornstarch, divided 1 tsp sesame oil 3 large catfish fillets, cut into 1" cubes (or about 2 lbs of "nuggets") 1 Tbs black bean sauce 1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced ½ cup chicken broth 1 Tbs oyster sauce 5 Tbs peanut oil, divided 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1" 1 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges 2 Tbs water Directions: For marinade, combine sherry, 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch, and the sesame oil in a large bowl; mix well. Add catfish and turn to coat well. Let stand 30 minutes. Combine bean sauce, ginger, and garlic; chop together. Combine chicken broth, remaining two teaspoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, and the remaining 3 teaspoons corn starch in a small bowl; mix well and set aside. Heat two tablespoons of the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add half the catfish and toss gently until catfish turns opaque (about three minutes). Remove the cooked catfish from wok, add another two tablespoons of oil and heat the other half of the catfish. Remove cooked catfish and set all catfish aside. Heat remaining one tablespoon of oil in wok. Add asparagus and onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds to one minute. Add water, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender (about 2 minutes). Return catfish to wok. Stir chicken broth mixture and add to wok. Cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens. BANANA EGG ROLLS 8 4-inch egg-roll wrappers 2 medium ripe bananas 8 tsp apricot-pineapple jam/preserves About 1 cup oil for frying (3 parts vegetable oil and 1 part peanut oil is best) Slice bananas crosswise and then lengthwise to get four long quarters. Spread each wrapper with jam/preserves. Place banana quarter in center of each and roll up like an egg roll. Heat 2 inches of oil in saute pan on medium. Deep fry 3-4 at a time until golden. Cut each egg roll at a slant at the midsection and serve with vanilla ice cream and a good drizzle of Island Chocolate Ganache: Island Chocolate Ganache: Ingredients: 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 cup heavy cream 1 Tbs dark rum Directions: Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the rum. Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring. Joe

Well, I received my HelloFresh box yesterday. (I canceled my subscription but I'd already paid for the first week of three choices) I haven't made any of the meals but here are a few of my first impressions.. Rory, I believe you signed up in the same week I did so I'll be curious to hear what you thought. I chose three meals-- a shrimp and asparagus risotto with meyer lemon, a spicy apricot chicken with green beans and couscous and a steak with tomato vinaigrette. Two were under 600 calories, one was at 630. That's a caloric range I am comfortable with... still, I feel the menus are wayyyy too light on veggies. Even more so when I opened one of the meal boxes. The quantity of asparagus was very small-- about the size (or even a bit less) than what I'd use for one serving. I am not completely anti-carb but I will often double up on veggies over carbs. the packaging was simple and the instruction cards were clear and seem to be complete. They are definitely worthy of saving for to make another time though I wish they were much smaller. I won't likely keep them. The quality of the proteins looks pretty good-- I'll know better when I prepare the dishes. I will say that given the initial week cost only $29, I don't think I'd have been able to shop for these meals on my own for the price... but then had I shopped on my own, I'd probably have ditched at least 1 of the carb side dishes (cheap) and added veggies/salad makings (more expensive). Petalique, I think you are right on target. I need to come up with my own ideas for "kits" and shop based on them. A number of the dishes across services are things I either already make or could easily make. I just need to be motivated to stick with the shopping. On a side note: I have decided to try the every other day fasting-- 500 calories one day, eat what you want the next day. This will require that I keep up with shopping so that I have good, fresh produce for the 500 calorie days. I am just going to have to get better about planning and going to the market. I don't plan on pigging out on the "eat what you want" days but I am going to want some variety on those days since the 500 calorie days aren't likely to have much variation.