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PicOfTheWeek: A Rainbow of Beans

Published by Mike Vrobel

I had to take a picture of my colorful selection of beans, from this month’s Rancho Gordo Bean Club delivery. Beans, left to right: Scarlet Runner Domingo Rojo Yellow Eye Azufrado Flagolet Aluba Blanca How do I cook them? Sorted and rinsed (but not soaked), with 7 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt (and a peeled onion), 35 to 45 minutes at high pressure, depending on the size of the bean, with a natural pressure release. Details here: Pressure Cooker Beans (Basic Technique) What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below. Related Posts Pressure Cooker (or Instant Pot) Refried Black Beans Pressure Cooker (or Instant Pot) Santa Maria Pinquito Beans Pressure Cooker (or Instant Pot) Vaquero Beans in Broth My other Pressure Cooker Recipes Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via email and share this post with your friends. Want to contribute directly? Donate to my Tip Jar, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank …

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Instant Pot Cyber Monday 2017

Instant Pot Cyber Monday 2017 Deal

Published by Mike Vrobel

Sorry for all the Instant Pot sales promotion, but…here’s another great deal for Cyber Monday…and I can’t help myself, I’m sharing it: US: InstantPot Duo Plus 6 Quart – ONLY $74.95 USD » http://amzn.to/2hVnmpO CAN: Instant Pot Ultra 6 Quart – ONLY $119.99 CDN » http://amzn.to/2iVTPNS HURRY – While Supplies Last! And, as usual, my disclaimer: I’m an Amazon Affiliate. Any Cyber Monday purchases you make through my Amazon links gives me a small commission and helps support DadCooksDinner. Thank you!

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Virtual Garage Sale

Published by Mike Vrobel

Over Labor Day weekend, I went a little crazy, cleaning out the shelving units where I keep all my kitchen equipment. (As a gadget addict collector, I accumulated a lot of cookware and utensils.) Anything I haven’t used in the last year is going. It’s time for the first  Dad Cooks Dinner virtual garage sale! I have a bunch of stuff up on eBay – pots, pans, knives, sous vide units, and an Apple TV (wait, how did that get in there?). I dropped all the smaller, cheaper stuff off at goodwill, and put the bigger items on eBay. Interested in checking it out? Here’s a link to the stuff I’m selling: Items for sale from mvrobel [ebay.com] Now that I have a few empty shelves, I’m thinking of all the stuff I can get to fill them back up again. Dear lord, have pity on me.

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Winner: Weber Performer Grill Giveaway from Certified Angus Beef®

Published by Mike Vrobel

Special thanks to Certified Angus Beef® brand for providing the grill to give away. Visit them at CertifiedAngusBeef.com, and check out their blog at GoRare.com. We have a winner… The winner of the Weber Performer Premium, picked by Random.Org, is comment #21 – congratulations, Danny Shafer! How does Danny like his burger? DANNY SHAFER / AUGUST 11, 2015 Spicy Jalapeno Cheese Burger Beef 80/20 seasoned with garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Smoked Paprika Pickled Jarred Jalapeno Slices Bacon – Crisp Pepper Jack Cheese Thin Sliced Red Onion Dill Pickles Sriracha Mayo On my HOT Grill – hardwood charcoal Grill for three minutes on the first side, two minutes on the flip, add cheese, and cook for one minute more. Take off the grill loosely cover to melt cheese Mayo on hamburger buns add onion,Jalapenos, pickles & bacon Burger on top Take off the grill loosely cover to melt cheese Enjoy Danny, please get in touch with me with your contact information by Wednesday, 08/19/2015, so Certified Angus Beef can send you the grill. Sorry, everyone else – …

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Support DadCooksDinner through Amazon Prime Day

Published by Mike Vrobel

Today is Amazon’s 20th birthday. To celebrate, they are having Prime Day – great deals for Amazon.com Prime members. If you’re taking advantage of Prime Day, please consider using one of my Amazon links (like this one right here) to go to Amazon. If you do, I get a small commission on anything you buy, so your purchases support DadCooksDinner.com. (And, even better, it doesn’t cost you any more – you get the same great Amazon prices.) Thank you for your support! Happy Amazon Prime Day – July 15 – Exclusive Deals for Prime Members – Shop Now

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Giveaway Winner for Everything Healthy Pressure Cooker Cookbook

Published by Mike Vrobel

We have a winner! Thank you for the great pressure cooker stories. (To see the stories, read the comments attached to this post.) Now, I have to remind everyone – modern pressure cookers are a lot safer than the pressure cookers our grandmothers used. They have multiple safety valves. The worst case scenario is the pressure gasket pushing out and a noisy blast of steam escaping into the kitchen. The winner, selected by Random.org is comment #40, by Stephanie. Her story: The first time I used a pressure cooker, I was at my boyfriend’s parents house. I followed directions to a TEE! (Er.) I actually still do not know how my pot roast ended up everywhere. Peas and carrots as far as the eye could see. SUPER, super fun and not embarrassing at all. Anyway, I swear it was the cooker. I got one for Christmas (from guess who?) and I have used it since with no problem. Congratulations, Stephanie! Email me to let me know your mailing information. Everyone else, I’m sorry, but you’ll …

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All Clad Factory Sale – Winter 2012

Published by Mike Vrobel

All-Clad Factory Sale: Winter 2012*The dates for this winter’s All-Clad factory sale have been announced, so I’m posting a heads-up for my readers… All-Clad’s factory is located in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Twice a year, on the first weekend in June and December, All-Clad holds a factory seconds sale at the Washington County Fair and Expo Center. The 2012 winter sale is Friday November 30th and Saturday December 1st. Hours are Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location:Washington County Fair and Expo Center:2151 North Main StreetWashington, PA 15301Phone: 724-225-7718Website: WashingtonFair.org This is about a two hour drive from the Akron area. You get prices from 40% to 70% off on factory seconds. In most cases, the damage is cosmetic; a little scratching on the stainless, or a lid handle that’s a bit offset from center. All Clad has most of their line of cookware available, but not all. Some favorites (like the 12″ stainless fry pan and its lid) are hard to find. Overall, though, it’s an amazing …

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Weekday Oatmeal

Published by Mike Vrobel

Thursday is oatmeal morning in our house. For years that meant packages of instant oatmeal.*Dinosaur eggs with brown sugar were the favorite. Last year, I read Mark Bittman’s diatribe about instant oatmeal. I started to make it myself. Mr. Bittman is right; oatmeal is quick and easy. It takes maybe fifteen minutes to make a batch. The problem is, the kids fought the change tooth and nail. “It doesn’t taste right” was the rallying cry. *This means it’s not full of sugar pellets in the shape of dinosaurs. After a while, I got tired of fighting every Thursday morning, and went back to instant oatmeal. I gave up on making my own oatmeal, and went back to instant. When school started in the fall, I made a second push to making our own oatmeal. I was losing the battle against instant oatmeal…until I read Oatmeal Worth Waking Up For in Pam Anderson’s How To Cook Without a Book: Meatless Meals. Pam’s oatmeal is a basic technique with all sorts of options. At the core, Pam’s recipe …

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Giveaway: Cook Without A Book: Meatless Meals by Pam Anderson

Published by Mike Vrobel

Cookbook Giveaway! Pam Anderson was kind enough to send me a copy of Cook Without A Book:Meatless Meals. I already have a copy (see my review here), so we’re having a giveaway! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment (in the giveaway post on my blog) with your favorite meatless meal. *For me, meatless meals are rice and beans. Cajun red beans and rice, Cuban black beans and rice, Indian lentils and rice…I’m using Pam’s book to spread my (vegetarian) wings. The Fine Print: One entry per person, and please make sure there is some way I can get in touch with you through the comment. (In other words…no anonymous comments, unless you identify yourself in the text of the comment.) The comment has to be in this post on DadCooksDinner.com; emails, entries on my Facebook page, retweets, and notes wrapped around bricks and thrown through my window will not be considered for the drawing. Only entries from North America will be accepted. Entries will be closed at 9PM EST on Sunday, January 15th, and …

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Fiery Mexican Martini

Published by Mike Vrobel

My day job took me to Austin a few times earlier this year. I spent as much time as I could sampling* the local cuisine – barbecue and Tex-Mex.*Read: stuffing myself until I could barely move. There are a lot of wonderful things to eat in Austin, but my favorite was the Mexican Martini. Or the Texas Martini – I saw both names used for what is essentially the same drink. Tequila, orange liqueur, simple syrup, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker full of ice, served in a martini glass with a salted rim. Drop in some olives stuffed with jalapenos, and the drink is ready to enjoy. My favorite version was the spicy Texas martini served at Chuy’s, where the tequila is infused with jalapenos, to give the drink a little extra kick. I came home determined to make it for myself. A Mexican martini is a simple drink, with no place to hide low quality ingredients. Get 100% agave silver tequila. You don’t want to infuse reposado or anejo tequila, and cover up all their …

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Road Trip: Near East Market

Published by Mike Vrobel

*My Road Trip posts focus on stores that a home cook will enjoy in the Akron area, my home town.  If you don’t live in Northeast Ohio, seek out your own local ethnic and gourmet markets. You can travel around the world without leaving your city! The Near East Market in Cuyahoga Falls is an interesting mix of  Southern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Indian ingredients. In this one small grocery store, you can travel from Marrakesh to Mumbai without leaving the aisle. Looking to make hummus, kebabs, or a curry? Visit the Near East Market to stock up. *Special thanks to the anonymous commenter who suggested I pay them a visit. Near East Market3461 Hudson DriveCuyahoga Falls, OH 44221(330) 475-0538Hours: Monday-Saturday 10AM to 8PM, Sunday: 10AM to 5PM My Top 5 list of favorite things they sell: 1. Exotic spices: I love the spice section, from the familiar (ground coriander) to the exotic (sumac, zatar). They also have the most complete line of Patak’s curry paste that I’ve seen in our area. 2. Dried beans: From the …

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Turkey Ramen Soup

Published by Mike Vrobel

I say it every Thanksgiving: make stock with your turkey carcass! *My friends roll their eyes when I ramble on about the glory of after-Thanksgiving turkey soup.  I always make a traditional turkey noodle soup, but a turkey carcass makes a whole lot of stock. This year’s soup is inspired by the ramen-centered first issue of Lucky Peach.Where are the best places to eat ramen? (in Japan, of course.)  What are the regional variations? How do you make Momofuku style ramen broth? (David Chang, chef-owner of Momofuku, created Lucky Peach.) Harold McGee explains the science behind alkaline noodles. John T Edge visits New Orleans for Seventh Ward Ramen. David Chang shares Momofuku’s simple recipe for slow roast pork shoulder and pork belly.*My favorite article was Ruth Reichl’s taste testing of packaged ramen noodles. She confesses to serving tons of them when her teenage son and horde of friends descended on the kitchen.  In spite of Harold McGee’s article on how to make perfect alkaline noodles, I’m going with the old standby – packaged ramen noodles from the …

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Winter Farmers Market in the Cuyahoga Valley 2011-2012

Published by Mike Vrobel

The Countryside Farmers Market in Cuyahoga Valley National Park switched to their winter schedule, and the next market is this Saturday.  Time to stock up on local produce for Thanksgiving! The market will be held at Old Trail School this year, right around the corner from the summer Howe Meadow site.  The market will be open on Saturday mornings, from 9AM to Noon. *If you don’t live in Northeastern Ohio, make sure to find your own local farmers market.  Yes, they usually run through the winter! The schedule is: November 5 November 19 December 17 January 14 February 4 February 18 March 3 March 17 April 7 April 28 Here’s the address: Countryside Farmers’ Market at Old Trail School 2315 Ira Road Akron, OH 44333 (330) 666-1118 More information is available at their website: Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy View Larger Map Related posts: My list of Ethnic and Gourmet stores near Akron, Ohio. *Enjoyed this post?  Want to help out DadCooksDinner?  Subscribe using your RSS reader or by Email, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, or buy something …

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Review: Splash-Proof Thermapen

Published by Mike Vrobel

Review: Splash-Proof Thermapen A few years ago I reviewed the original Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer. Here’s what I said: The Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer by Thermoworks is the best instant read thermometer out there.  Many thermometers call themselves instant read, but the Thermapen is the only one that really is instant read. You get the temperature in four seconds, instead of the 30 seconds or so that other “instant read” thermometers take. After I wrote that review, the original Thermapen was replaced by a new, Splash-Proof model. Thermapen was kind enough to send me a new Splash-Proof Thermapen for review. I’ve been using it for about a month now, and here are my impressions. New Splash-Proof in red, old one in gray Same as the old Thermapen:  Fast: It takes a 4-Mississippi count for both the old and new thermometers to find a temperature in my testing. That’s about 25 seconds faster than any other thermometer I’ve used. Probe: It has a needle-sharp probe, which leaves a very small entrance hole in whatever you’re testing. …

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Review: Cook Without A Book: Meatless Meals by Pam Anderson

Published by Mike Vrobel

Cook without a Book: Meatless Meals: Recipes and Techniques for Part-Time and Full-Time Vegetarians *Disclaimer: Pam is a major influence on my cooking, and one of my blog buddies. Pam’s How to Cook Without a Book taught me the difference between following recipes and knowing how to cook, a major step on the path that led to this blog. I can’t be perfectly objective about her books. But this one is worth writing about… When it comes to dinner, most of us open the fridge and see a daunting mass of isolated ingredients. Take away meat – the easy anchor on most plates – and it’s even more difficult to build an appealing meal…This book is set up to help you learn the skills and techniques you need to create fun, satisfying vegetarian dishes that feature the flavors and ingredients you like best. -Pam Anderson, Cook Without A Book: Meatless Meals I have been trying to eat one meatless dinner a week for a couple of years now. I have no plans to become a …

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Coconut Rice

Published by Mike Vrobel

Plain white rice. It bores me. Sure, white rice is great as a neutral starch, soaking up the sauce from a stir fry or stew. But on its own? I get tired of it. Unfortunately, my kids love it, so I make a lot of Plan White Rice. And for them, it has to be Plain White Rice. (Yes, you can hear them saying it with the capital letters.) Nothing fancy is allowed, or they’ll push their bowl away and say they’re “not hungry”. Coconut rice is the exception. Replacing some of the water with coconut milk adds a subtle sweetness to the rice. Even better, it doesn’t register with the kids “not hungry” sensor – it leaves the rice looking like Plain White Rice. Until I got wild and crazy…and added shredded coconut. It seemed like a great idea, adding a little color and crunch to the rice. But I knew I had a sales job to do on the kids. The first time I made it, I gave each of them each a …

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All-Clad Factory Sale: Winter 2011

Published by Mike Vrobel

All-Clad Factory Sale: Winter 2011The dates for this winter’s All-Clad factory sale have been announced, so I’m posting my usual heads-up to my readers… All-Clad’s factory is located in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Twice a year, on the first weekend in June and December, All-Clad holds a factory seconds sale at the Washington County Fair and Expo Center. The 2011 winter sale is Friday December 2nd and Saturday December 3rd. Hours are Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location:Washington County Fair and Expo Center:2151 North Main StreetWashington, PA 15301Phone: 724-225-7718Website: WashingtonFair.org This is about a two hour drive from the Akron area. You get prices from 40% to 70% off on factory seconds. In most cases, the damage is just cosmetic; a little scratching on the stainless, or a lid handle that’s a bit offset from center. They have most of their line of cookware available, but not all, and some favorites (like the 12″ stainless fry pan, and its lid) are hard to find. Overall, though, it’s …

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Video: How To Butterfly A Chicken

Published by Mike Vrobel

A friend asked how I like to grill chicken. Me: I butterfly it, then grill it over indirect heat. Butterflied chicken cooks evenly, and it cooks quicker. Friend: Butterfly it? What’s that? Me: You cut the backbone out, then squash it flat. Here, let me show you: What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below. Related Posts: Grilled Butterflied Chicken, Thai Brinerated Grilled Butterflied Chicken, Dry Brined Kitchen Shears: My shears are a Williams-Sonoma house brand. I’ve been using them for years. When they finally give up the ghost, I’ll want this take-apart pair: Wusthof Come-apart Kitchen Shears. I like the idea of easy-clean shears. *Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe using your RSS reader or by Email, recommend DadCooksDinner to your friends, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you!

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