Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Juice them and use 'em for cucumber martinis. Did this at a party a few years ago and friends still talk about it.

I wish I could skip work and make this right now - sounds fabulous. Definitely on the to-do list this weekend!

I like to do personal size pizza, as it is easy to handle and fun to let everyone top their own. I oil up a cookie sheet, and put my prepared crusts on it. Then right on the grill, oily side down, of course, for a few minutes. Take them off to add toppings to the already grilled side, then back on the grill for for another 5 minutes or so. For our gas grill, we bought another grill top that we elevate with a few bricks. We have found that we are less likely to overcook the bottom and get the top done to our satisfaction.

Open your dishwasher, then put your everyday dishes and glasses where you can easily get to them with the dishwasher open. The stuff you use to cook with all the time goes next to the stove. The knives go within arms reach of where the cutting board will be used. It will, for the most part, be logical - and It will be fun!

My fav new use for my toaster oven is roasting vegetables. I hit the fan-bake cycle at about 400 degrees and in no time at all, it's dinner.

I love Costco - for the sheer entertainment value of looking at all that big food. We are a family of 5 when you count 3 dogs. We get our membership fee back in savings just on dogfood and treats. We regularly buy laundry supplies, milk, eggs and cheese, some produce - been loving blackberries for the past few weeks - good value on those items that you know you will use. Non-food items such as mens bluejeans, baby clothes for the nieces, and even some stuff for me can be a good buy. Oranges over this winter have been wonderful. I could go on and on

I lost my mother at a young age, but remember very clearly special things that she did with "ordinary" food to please us. Cinnamon toast was always cut into strips and turned into log cabins. Cupcakes had the tops cut off, she put on a layer of pudding, and then cut the tops in half and stuck in the pudding to make butterflies. And of course, I never had a bowl of oatmeal without a smiling raisin face. I don't remember hardly anythiing at all about her - but these things have never disappeared from my memory

I've got plenty of gadgets, most of which were purchased out of a specific need of the moment. Yes, I can use my little plastic reamer to get the juice out of a lime - but if I need to squeeze 20 of those suckers, I'm getting out the electric model I bought for that purpose. Same with my food processor - don't use it for day to day cooking, but if I'm doing large quantities of chopping, that sucker is coming out. Want frozen daiquiris - blender coming up. Steamer - comes out when I don't have an extra burner. Everyday cooking- cutting board, knife & a pan or two and I'm generally good to go. Over the years I've accumulated a lot of stuff - and I love it all even it if only comes out to play from time to time..

mine is similar, except I like to add barley instead of potatoes or noodles. I will also throw in leftover gravy, and maybe even a little dressing.

I'm making this one for a birthday this weekend - Chocolate cake from a box mix, split the layers so you have 4. Beat 1 package of Jiffy fudge frosting mix (powdered) with whipping cream - more or less depending on how you like it - then slather it everywhere. My mother used to make this for my brother's birthday at least 50 years ago.

Fish of any kind, cheese of any kind, peanut butter and sour cream - or any foods that touched each other on my plate. I'm over it. Of course now there are things I ate willingly as a kid that I won't touch now - but I guess that's another whole topic!

I just threw out about 2 dozen jars that I know are at least 9 years old - needed the pantry space. I can't remember the last time I used any of them.