How do you store your nuts.

[madmax]

}( Ok, no wisecracks!

Now that the holiday cookie baking frenzy is over how should I store all the left over almonds, walnuts and pecans I have left. In the fridge? How long will they keep? I believe nuts have a tendency to get rancid in the pantry or cabinets.

How 'bout a thread with recipes that use nuts! I've just gotten into the cooking thing and Foodnetwork so bear with me. This was the first year I baked cookies and everyone noticed!

[Nicole]

1. In the freezer

in an airtight container.

I have kept pecans for up to a year that way. We get so many from the trees here.

I have also froze other nuts but only for 3-4 months. I never have as many of them as I do the free pecans. :)

[NMDemDist2]

2. does a freezer ziplock with the air squeezed out count as a "air tight"

container?

[fortyfeetunder]

3. suck the air out and seal

that's how I do it.

[NMDemDist2]

4. "visualizing sucking air with a straw"

suck the air out?

[trotsky]

5. If freezing food is something you do often...

I highly recommend getting one of those vacuum sealers. They are great, and nothing will ever get freezer burned again.

[madmax]

6. Wheeeeeee another kitchen toy!!!

Now that you mentioned the vacumm sealer, I told my husband that I saw a nice little freezer chest in Lowe's for 147.00. It's only the two of us so this little puppy would be great for us.

So along with the freezer I guess I'll need the vacuum sealer. And to think a little crockpot was responsible for an entire kitchen makeover! I'm tired!

trotsky... do you remove whatever it is you're going to freeze from the store packaging and put it in the vacuum sealer bags?

[trotsky]

8. Yes, I do.

For instance we just bought a big bag of frozen shrimp last week, used some of it, sealed the rest. You never know how store packaging is going to respond to the vacuum and seal process. Some kinds of plastic bags just melt rather than fuse, so it doesn't work.

The bags are pretty cheap, and if you use the rolls, and know that you'll be dipping into the contents multiple times, just cut a longer bag than you need, then you can open and re-seal several times. Less cost and waste that way.

[susanna]

41. That's how it starts.

It all seems innocent enough, doesn't it? From a teensy-weensy, itty bitty crockpot to a kitchen makeover.

I think passion for good food is contagious; I managed somehow to get my husband interested in cooking. Now we fight over who's in charge of dinner. (Whoever has the best idea and the foresight to thaw and/or shop for ingredients wins!) ;-)

[Nicole]

12. I love my food saver

vacuum sealer. It is a big money saver since I am single. I can now buy family packs of meat on sale & divide it into smaller portions.

[NMDemDist2]

13. I have a eurosealer, will that work??

don't know if it vacuums tho..... and do I need special bags?

[madmax]

15. I like the eurosealer.

I was sucking the air out of the bags with a straw...do not attempt this while standing!! My lungs got a good work out.

Oh, and don't attempt to suck the air out of already ground up nuts - unless someone is around to give perform a Heimlich maneuver :P

[madmax]

17. I saw them today at Kohl's

Prices ranged from $80 - $130. If we get the freezer it may be worth buying.

[NMDemDist2]

18. check this out, has better vacuum and no "fancy" bags

and it looks small enough to fit in my "gadget" drawer, rather than having to find a spot in the cabinet for it



http://www.pump-n-seal.com/index.html

[madmax]

19. Wow! Where do you find this stuff?

Did you see it on TV? I googled looking for a store that sells them but didn't find any. I'd like to see this puppy in r/l.

[NMDemDist2]

20. i googled "vacuum food sealer" and there it was!

i'd like to see it up close too....

wanna flip a coin who sends em $25 to test it out? LOL

[madmax]

22. I called heads and flipped a coin

tails came up. You win! :evilgrin:

[Stinky The Clown]

29. You **gotta** give us a report!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

24. I agree with that. I love mine.

The bags aren't cheap but neither is food.

[wildeyed]

31. Actually, I did exactly that for years.

Works great. I have a vacuum sealer now, which I like. But if cash is an issue, go for the straw/zip lock freezer bag combo.

[madmax]

7. Thanks for the tip

I was going to store them in the jars I've put them in but, the bags makes so much more sense. Duh, the obvious most times escapes me :silly:

[Stinky The Clown]

9. I agree with the others - Freeze 'em

As for using nuts ...... don't think of them as just for use in baking ..... you can also cook with them. Walnut crusted tuna, sauteed fish filets or vegetables with almonds, pork with a pecan sauce ..... the possibilities are endless. Have fun!

[madmax]

10. Walnut crusted tuna

Sounds yummy.

So did Sparkly buy you any new kitchen toys for Christmas. I remember you got some copper pots ;)

[Stinky The Clown]

11. Hahahaha ...... yeah she did!

She got me an ice cream bowl for the Kitchenaid. Very cool! (Pun intended!:D)



I got the copper pots for myself. All I bought and all I already have (except one) are by Mauviel, a French company. Not really Christmas gifts.

I got one of these (3mm tin lined with cast iron handles) (8") to make for a full set of the heavy sauce pans. These things really weigh a ton!



I also got two of these (2mm tin lined with bronze handles) (6.5" and 8") to make a set of three. These are lighter so Sparkly can lift them!



I already had this one, a very heavy 9.5" saute pan, tin lined with cast iron handle:



So I was happy to find a lighter version, (2mm tin lined with bronze handle)



I also got a stew pot in 3mm tin lined



I also have other stuff in copper - fry pans, a brazier, etc. It really is a joy to cook with, but takes some getting used to because you need to use way less flame to get the same heat than you might otherwise, particularly with the tin lined stuff. The tin lining melts at 450 so it is really easy to overheat a pan like a fry pan and have the coating melt into a glob on the bottom! The basic pan is unaffected but the tin would need redoing (about $40 - $100 a pan). Actually, the copper pan itself will easily last all of one owner's lifetime and the lifetime of two generations more!

They now make the same pots with stainless linings. Obviously these never wear out. They're also more expensive than tin lined. But they don't really cook as well. Stainless just doesn't have the thermal properties of copper or tin, and the surface is smoother, making the fry pans, especially, less able to develop a really, really good fond. I have one, not Mauviel, but Spring (a Swiss manufacturer) and use it only when I need to do something that calls for a sizzling hot pan before adding food. The stainless can take this, the tin simply cannot.

[NMDemDist2]

14. sounds wonderful and I hope you give them lots of use

when are you going to do a scene by scene cooking demo for us?

[madmax]

16. The pots are beautiful

Do you clean the outside with 'Twinkle'? My Mom had copper botton pots when I was a kid and she would clean the bottoms with Twinkle.

Do you have them hanging out for display? If I had copper pots I would probably need a pot rack to show them off. Oh, I'm not going there. I just bought a nice set of pots that AZDem recomended and I love'em.

..."the copper pan itself will easily last all of one owner's lifetime and the lifetime of two generations more!"
Well, I don't think I have a 'lifetime' left and my granddaughter will only need a toaster for PopTarts and a toaster oven for frozen pizza - yuck, on both counts.

[Stinky The Clown]

21. Actually, I use Bar Keeper's Friend when I need to "polish" them

It is as gentle as Bon Ami (the little chicken who "hasn't scratched yet") but has some additive (an acid, I think) that polishes the metal chemically, not abrasively. It works equally well on stainless steel and brass. Just wet the pot and a paper towel, sprinkle some on and wipe. No hard scrubbing needed.

Yeah, I have a pot rack and open wall shelves in my kitchen and they're out to see. But that's as much the way we use our kitchen as anything else. They're just easier to get to.

Our sons (29 and 26) both enjoy cooking too and will, no doubt, be fighting over these. Our 18 year old daughter has .... uh .... other priorities. The guys both do most of the cooking for them and their girlfriends. Its funny for a Dad to get calls from his sons, not about football but about cooking! Our daughter is an **extraordinarily** picky eater and cooking simply is not high on her agenda. While we eat pretty well and pretty daringly, she's perfectly content to make a complete meal out of a can of corn (eaten right from the can!) and some bread and butter. Go figure! :shrug:

In fact, we gave her a case of canned corn for Christmas as a gag and she was actually very happy to get it!

These copper pots are something I've always wanted. Now that I'm in a position to afford them (albeit buying very carefully at outlet stores), I'm being completely self indulgent.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

23. Thanks for all the explanation about using them

I've never used copper pots and pans and I like to make sauces ...with a little tweaking to get used to the flames for various things and cooking times, these sound like they would be fun to play with.

Any particular place online you like to purchase?

[Stinky The Clown]

27. There are several places to get them online.

Here's one site, Fantes in Philadelphia:

http://fantes.com/copper_cookware.htm#stock

But I haven't gotten any of them online. I get them at Marshalls or Home Goods. (I'm sure everyone knows of these stores, but in case you don't, they sell distressed merchandise, which means overstocks, buy-outs from store closings, etc. Most of the stuff is brand new, first quality, but may appear shop worn.) Their stock changes very frequently and they have *no* "normal" inventory. They simply sell what they get. Both have cookware departments. You'll find everything from lower end stuff from T-Fal (which is actually inexpensive, but not necessarily bad stuff at all), to Emerilware to Cuisinart to All Clad and some European stuff that is great but perhaps unfamiliar to Americans. If you don't find what you want today, check back tomorrow!

And by all means read up on copper before you buy. There are many flavors. 1mm with tin lining, 2mm, 2.5 mm, 3mm, stainless lined, hammered, smooth, polished, brushed, iron handled, bronze handled, French, Italian, Swiss, Portugal, etc. etc. Some copper that may resemble real cookware is really just for display (and is so priced). A google search will turn up many sites with info. Here's just one online resource to start with:

http://www.buycoppercookware.com/index.cfm?act=care

And by all means .... have fun!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

30. Thanks

I have a thing for Le Cruset too but I would like to own some copper...I will. I appreciate the info.

[Stepup2]

25. very sweet

ice cream bowl. (copper pots too) is the bowl standard issue from Kitchen Aid or is this a retrofit.... Inquiring minds want to know :9

[Stinky The Clown]

28. The Ice Cream Bowl is a Kitchenaid brand Accessory

It is very cleverly designed to fit any size Kitchenaid mixer, from the tilt-head 4.5 Qt model to the largest 6 Qt model. There are only three pieces in the kit. The bowl (which like any of the current electric ice cream makers on the market today has an aluminum inner bowl bonded to a plastic outer bowl with a liquid "ice" solution sealed in), the beater, and the connector to hook the beater to the mixer head. Like any other ice cream maker, you freeze the bowl solid (all manufacturers suggest you simply store the bowl in your freezer so it is always ready), make your mix, put the bowl in place and add the mix. 20 minutes later it is ready. Pour the product into a storage container and put it in your freezer to "harden".

Here's a universal recipe for making a simple fruit sorbet:

Use any soft fruit you like (no apples, pears, etc.). Peaches, mangoes, pineapples, plums, papayas, melons, kiwis, etc., work very well for this. Citrus will work well, too, but needs some adjustment to the recipe to get good results. (Citrus has higher liquids and lower solids) The fruit is best if ripe, but even slightly under ripe fruit will work fine if you just add a bit more sugar.

Peel the fruit and puree it in a food processor. Depending on your processor, you may have to work in batches. It is important to get the fruit such that no piece is larger than, say, a pea. Larger chunks should be reduced in size.

Work enough fruit to equal 1/2 the size of the batch you want to make (or, said another way, 1/2 the capacity of your ice cream maker).

The measures are:

2 parts fruit puree
1 part water
1 part sugar

Heat the water on the stove. When near boiling, add the sugar. Stir until the water goes from cloudy to clear. Remove from the stove and allow to cool slightly. Add the sugar water to the fruit (or add the fruit to the sugar water) and mix well. Place in the refrigerator until ice cold.

When the mix is completely cold (not just cool .... COLD), run it through the ice cream maker according to instructions. When done, glop it out into a storage container (Tupperware? One of those semi-disposable Glad storage containers, etc.) and freeze it at least 4 hours and preferably over night.

Enjoy!

Once you get the hang of it, start to experiment. Mix fruits. Adjust the sweetness. Add alcohol (champagne comes to mind)(adjust the freeze to compensate for alcohol's "anti-freeze" effect), add larger fruit chunks if the fruit is **really** ripe and sweet, use milk or cream in place of some of the water. Get creative. But the important thing is .... have fun!

[wildeyed]

32. Whoa, you are a pot head!

The ice cream bowl for the stand mixer is facinating. Do you freeze it first, then make ice cream? Can you make sorbets, too?

[Stinky The Clown]

33. Yes .... see my other post, #28, just above

[wildeyed]

35. Interesting.

Does the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker attachment differ from other ice cream makers in any significant way? It would save a little space to buy the Kitchen Aid, since I already have a stand mixer, but it is also more expensive than the Cuisinart. (Can you tell I had been thinking about this appliance already?)

[Stinky The Clown]

36. The biggest difference is that it has no motor

It uses the mixer for power. I have had two other self-contained units - a Braun and a Cuisinart - and both failed. Not from overuse or abuse, just because they were cheaply built. In both cases an internal plastic part in the motor assembly simply broke. (In the case of the Braun, it may have been faulty from the factory, but I never bothered to return it. I know it had an internal rattle when I first used it.)

I guess it can be said the Kitchenaid is more expensive because it costs the same as other name brands (about $70) but has NO motor. As I said, it only has 3 parts, but they seem to be of higher quality (beefier and of better finish) than any others I've seen.

[wildeyed]

37. I have the cheapest of the KA stand mixers.

Do you think that will be an issue? I know the engine has some plastic parts where the more expensive model has metal. I only run it for short bursts for making cookies or whatever, so no problems so far. Do you think that the longer run time for the ice cream maker will hurt the engine?

Sorry to be pestering you like this. I was thinking about an ice cream maker, but I hadn't seen the KA attachment before. Thanks for all the info!

[Stinky The Clown]

38. It is designed to work with all Kitchenaid mixers.

Any one of the mixers will have way more than enough power to run it since it needs to run on the slowest speed. They way these mixers are designed they have a lot more raw power at low speed than at high speed. You should have no problems at all.

Now, trying to run your mixer on high speed with heavy loads of anything is not at all a good idea and could well lead to problems.

[wildeyed]

39. Thanks Husb2Sparkly !

I will put the KA ice cream maker on my wish list.

[wildeyed]

34. dupe

[fortyfeetunder]

40. Hot dang! An ice cream container for the Kitchen Aid!!!

I need one of those, so I can ditch the Cuisinart ice cream maker. Or at least have as a backup. It looks like the same insulated bowl design.

And thanks for the pictures of your copper pans. Beautiful!

[Eurobabe]

26. freezer

[Pert_UK]

42. In a small bag.......n/t

:evilgrin:

P.

[madmax]

43. lol you are a little devil! n/t