I hate “hot;” I love “spicy.” I describe it as preferring warming glow to searing heat.

When I want a cheap hot dog fix I just go for Lightlife. If you heat them in a skillet they taste like a little league park offering. I add mustard and American cheese and it does the trick. The only other dog/sausage I like is the brat from Beyond. But that’s a different animal altogether.

He’s the least drama-y person I know, but he has a great sense of humor. As someone who might be slightly on the spectrum, it was just too overwhelming for him, as it was for me. Consumerism on overload when you want a bathroom, snacks and gas. 

Went into Buc-ees once. Saw a bunch of white Southerners wearing Disney gear, Trump gear, gun gear - all the gear I want nothing to do with. The gift shop was full of home decor junk. Live Laugh Love type of enlightenment. I went to the bathroom then searched for my husband thinking he might have used my absence to…

I actually like the immersive experience at Disney. Haven’t been in years because it’s gotten crazy expensive and there are no “off seasons” anymore. We live in Florida and we took our kids (years ago) in early February when the crowds were pretty small.

Haunted Pizza. Somebody’s gotta do it.

Pizza making (and any kind of dough/bread making) is an art of learning and patience. Which is why I leave it to the pros. Luckily we have the area’s best pizza place two blocks away, in the basement of the city’s old Gothic hospital. It’s said to be haunted because the morgue used to be located there. An added plus!…

I have a small numb spot on my right thumb from a mandolin accident. I still use one (not a professional one - like a dumbed down oxo version that’s probably a lot duller) for potatoes and other slim slices. But I have never again underestimated the power of the mandolin!

Oh no! I wanted for her what she wanted - after so many years of being controlled and manipulated. My poor girl. I wish she had a mom that could hug her tightly.

Around here we can sometimes get Royal Reds. They’re expensive and really good for recipes where the shrimp needs to stand on its own with minimal other ingredients. I always go for wild caught because most farmed contain a preservative (can’t remember what it’s called, but it makes them taste funny to me). I’ve never…

I’m always in the mood for ceviche! Mostly, though, I lightly boil some large shrimp in shrimp boil and make a chilled shrimp salsa with diced poblano, diced white onion, diced fresh tomatoes, cilantro and Tajin. I guess it’s ceviche adjacent? Also shrimp salad or imitation crab salad with brioche hot dog rolls, lemon…

I do not like drinking milk. I do not buy milk. I buy nut milk for my husband’s cereal and for my very occasional cereal. Does it taste exactly like milk? I don’t know because I haven’t had a glass of milk since I was a child. If I were to drink a milkshake, it would have to be a vegan one since despite all genetic…

I think the point of the article was that restaurants could be losing money by not offering more vegetarian options. I’m pescatarian, so that makes it easier to go out to eat, but in a group when some members are vegetarian, vegan or has allergies (one of our friends has celiac; it’s bad!), we have definitely nixed…

I did find some once on the clearance rack at Publix. I thought it was...fine. My fridge is full of sauces, condiments, chutneys, etc. And I just didn’t find myself reaching for it. It reminded me of Pickapeppa sauce and I like that more. It’s worth picking up for a try if you can find it. You might find it more…

As a white lady who cooks a lot of Asian foods I kind of boil it down to this: gochuchang, doenjang and sesame oil = Korean; lemongrass, bird chiles, palm sugar, fish sauce, shrimp paste, tamarind = Southern Thai or Vietnamese; soy sauce, mirin, ginger = Japanese. Of course there’s a LOT of overlap and, again, I’m…

Tahini can be used to make a lot of dressings and marinades. I’m not a snacking on hummus person either - but I like it in a veggie wrap and I’ve also used it as a thickener toward the end of a lemony lentil soup.

It’s a staple in my pantry and I probably don’t use it enough. It’s kind of like MSG or miso in that it adds a subtle yum - but without adding salt like the other two. Mainly, I use it in soups and sauces and gravies. Vegetarian pot pie, gumbo (in the roux), lentil and vegetable soups...

I hear you. It can get slimy. I wish I could find the link on this (my laptop) for a recipe I make a lot - an eggplant roasted, cooled, chopped up with diced tomatoes, garlic and onions and drizzled with a lemony dill yogurt sauce. Not pureeing the eggplant (chopping it - not a lot) makes a difference and it isn’t as…

I think these kits are mainly for people who are WAY busy and have money or are in a remote area and have money. My BIL and SIL live in Key West. The grocery store is a long hard drive and they try not to stock up on freezer products because hurricanes. She works from home - but a lot - and they try to eat…

Oooh! Make babaganoush.