Totally agree with this and it’s something I’ve always done. Unless you’re whipping cream for something which would be a last minute thing since your cream needs to stay icy cold for as long as possible, everything should be prepped and ready before you start.

I’ve actually tried most of them. My mother was a Scot. I settled on The Macallan a long time ago though I do try new ones I find. I don’t like the blended at all though. Never have. Growing up, I’d feign sick just to get a hot toddy with a nice single malt in it so I’ve been drinking scotch a long time ;)

Since The Macallan is my scotch of choice, there’s no way I’d waste that on anything. Just about any other scotch isn’t scotch. Sorry.

I rarely cook them together unless I’m doing some kind of skillet meal where I’d add orzo or something else small. Elbows maybe. But yes, I’m usually a two-pot cooker as well and I splash a little of that starchy pasta water into my sauce regardless if I made it or it’s bottled to smooth out the sauce and help it…

If I’m using scotch, it would need to be a single malt and I wouldn’t need the martini in that case ;)

When I absolutely, positively have to cook my pasta in a thickened sauce of any kind, I add a half cup of water or broth to the sauce to make up the difference in the lack of moisture. Turns out fine for me and no loss of flavor.

A number 20 scoop would work really well too, as you mentioned and has that added spring loaded ability to pop the ball out because anything other than actual melon in my melon ball scoop never seems to want to come out and it ends up a big mess :(

I just read an article today that Kraft is paying people $20 to Not make cheesecakes for Christmas this year because of the apparent shortage (no shortage or high prices here! go figure) but I’m wondering if one could somehow collect if you promised not to make cheeseballs either LOL! Not that they’d ever have to…

Heavy whipping cream. It’s not the only reason I buy it, but the biggest reason I do.

I’ve looked at the sous-vide repeatedly and just can’t. I would never use it enough to justify its taking up any more space that I already don’t have and yes, I know that’s not much, but my immersion blender is already tossed in a plastic box with the whip and other extras for my KitchenAide as well as my cheesecloth…

I don’t have a sous-vide. :(  Early in the day on Christmas Eve, I make an egg casserole with sausage, onion, mushrooms and swiss and it goes in my second fridge which is the stairway to my over-the-unheated-garage. In the morning, I pop it in the oven and 40 minutes later, voila, breakfast. Old habits die hard and…

Yes, I always put a dash of lemon in my chicken or turkey soup. It doesn’t have to be much but it really brightens the flavors. A little dill works too.

You might have talked me into trying this. Just so I can say I did, mind... ;)

I’d love to play with something like this but there’s just the two of us and with the way hubs is eating right now for the diet he’s on...

Pot roast soup...well, doesn’t matter whether I use a big chuck roast or another cut though the chuck roast makes a better soup, but I make my pot roast with carrots, onions, potatoes, garlic and a bay leaf in the beef broth that I braise everything in the oven in, so that part is pretty standard. I make a good, thick…

I think that’s wonderful! I’m guessing in my case,  maybe it’s because my parents were from Scotland and England and it’s very traditional there so it carried over here. But I heard stories, so I’m going with that ;)

You mean there are people out there who don’t do this?? My turkey gravy goes in my turkey soup and my turkey pot pie and my turkey “shepherd’s” pie (yes, I know, not lamb, don’t care) and over hot, open faced sammies and holy cow! My pot roast gravy goes in my pot roast soup and...well...you get the idea. Why would…

Ah, Claire! I am...considerably older than you. I fondly remember getting a few pieces of fruit in my stocking. Usually, I didn’t get much more than that because we had very little money so the few gifts I did get were hand made and heartfelt. But the fruit was always lovely and always my favorite. I still do that for…

I’ve done a few different cracker configurations in the oven. I’d love to try an air fryer but I don’t have one more inch of room for anything in my kitchen. I’m at the point right now that I could bring in a big box and fill it with most of my kitchen stuff and never look back. And never miss it.

Claire, that header pic is fabulous!