Thursday, November 25, 2004
Happy Thanksgiving!
Rich and I cooked our first Thanksgiving turkey this year together in our new house. The turkey turned out GREAT - all thanks to a good recipe, a convection oven, a Diestel turkey, and some good luck.
The recipe is from Chez Panisse's Alice Waters, published in "The Secrets of Success Cookbook," by Michael Bauer. The SF Chronicle cooked turkey several ways and determined this recipe was the best. It is so good that I have to put it in my blog:
SF CHRONICLE'S "BEST WAY" BRINED TURKEY RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
1 turkey, 12-16 pounds (12 pounds serves 6 to 8 with leftovers; allow 1 1/2 lbs per person) Note: had 14.83 lbs for 11 adults and 3 kids - good volume and just a little leftovers for everyone
Brine
1 cup sugar
1 ½ - 1 ¾ cups kosher salt
2 1/2 gallons cold water (=10 quarts = 320 ounces)
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, smashed
BRINING and AIR CHILLING INSTRUCTIONS:
Clean the turkey by removing the giblet bag, any extra internal fat and pin feathers. Rinse well under cold tap water.
Combine the sugar, salt and 3 to 4 quarts (3-4 x 32 oz) of the cold water in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, then add the bay leaves, thyme, garlic, allspice and juniper berries. Place the turkey and brine in a large pan [I use a Rubbermaid container] or double-bagged heavy-duty, unscented, trash bags (see note ** below), plus the rest of the water (6-7 x 32 oz), and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. If the turkey floats to the top, weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it completely submerged in the brine.
After brining, rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours. Turn the bird over halfway through drying time.
"BEST WAY" BRINED TURKEY (CONVECTION)
INGREDIENTS:
2++ tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
[addition: Herbes de Provence]
1/2 cup chicken stock
INSTRUCTIONS:
Remove an oven rack or place your oven rack on the lowest possible level in the oven. Preheat convection oven to 375°. Brush 2++ tablespoons melted butter over skin; sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper [and Herbes de Provence] over skin and in cavity. Tuck wing tips under, tie legs together. Place bird breast-up in a V- shaped roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover breast and top of thighs tightly with foil (or tent turkey). Roast for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and baste with 1/2 cup chicken stock. Leave foil off. Return turkey to oven. Baste with pan drippings every 20 minutes until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. (It's helpful to check the temperature of the breast, which should also be 165 degrees. If the breast reaches 165 degrees before the thigh does, cover the breast lightly with foil and continue cooking. If the turkey is larger than 16 pounds, the thigh temperature should be 170 degrees before removing turkey from the oven.)
A 12-to 16-pound bird will cook in about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Let turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving. Temperature will rise a bit as the turkey rests before carving.
(I put the turkey in at 3:15 and with all the in & out, the turkey was done around 5:15/30, or around 2 hours)
The recipe is from Chez Panisse's Alice Waters, published in "The Secrets of Success Cookbook," by Michael Bauer. The SF Chronicle cooked turkey several ways and determined this recipe was the best. It is so good that I have to put it in my blog:
SF CHRONICLE'S "BEST WAY" BRINED TURKEY RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
1 turkey, 12-16 pounds (12 pounds serves 6 to 8 with leftovers; allow 1 1/2 lbs per person) Note: had 14.83 lbs for 11 adults and 3 kids - good volume and just a little leftovers for everyone
Brine
1 cup sugar
1 ½ - 1 ¾ cups kosher salt
2 1/2 gallons cold water (=10 quarts = 320 ounces)
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, smashed
BRINING and AIR CHILLING INSTRUCTIONS:
Clean the turkey by removing the giblet bag, any extra internal fat and pin feathers. Rinse well under cold tap water.
Combine the sugar, salt and 3 to 4 quarts (3-4 x 32 oz) of the cold water in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, then add the bay leaves, thyme, garlic, allspice and juniper berries. Place the turkey and brine in a large pan [I use a Rubbermaid container] or double-bagged heavy-duty, unscented, trash bags (see note ** below), plus the rest of the water (6-7 x 32 oz), and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. If the turkey floats to the top, weight it down with a plate and cans to keep it completely submerged in the brine.
After brining, rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours. Turn the bird over halfway through drying time.
"BEST WAY" BRINED TURKEY (CONVECTION)
INGREDIENTS:
2++ tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
[addition: Herbes de Provence]
1/2 cup chicken stock
INSTRUCTIONS:
Remove an oven rack or place your oven rack on the lowest possible level in the oven. Preheat convection oven to 375°. Brush 2++ tablespoons melted butter over skin; sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper [and Herbes de Provence] over skin and in cavity. Tuck wing tips under, tie legs together. Place bird breast-up in a V- shaped roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover breast and top of thighs tightly with foil (or tent turkey). Roast for 45 minutes.
Remove foil and baste with 1/2 cup chicken stock. Leave foil off. Return turkey to oven. Baste with pan drippings every 20 minutes until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. (It's helpful to check the temperature of the breast, which should also be 165 degrees. If the breast reaches 165 degrees before the thigh does, cover the breast lightly with foil and continue cooking. If the turkey is larger than 16 pounds, the thigh temperature should be 170 degrees before removing turkey from the oven.)
A 12-to 16-pound bird will cook in about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Let turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving. Temperature will rise a bit as the turkey rests before carving.
(I put the turkey in at 3:15 and with all the in & out, the turkey was done around 5:15/30, or around 2 hours)
SF CHRONICLE'S OTHER "BEST WAY" TURKEY RECIPES
"BEST WAY" UNBRINED TURKEY (CONVECTION)
INGREDIENTS:
1 turkey, 12 to 16 pounds
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat a convection oven to 375°. If your oven has settings for Baking or Roasting, select Roasting. Remove the turkey from the packaging; rinse and dry well. Brush 2 tablespoons melted butter over the skin; sprinkle 4 tablespoons kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper over the skin and in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under and tie the legs together. Place bird breast-up in a V-shaped roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast for 45 minutes. Baste with 1/2 cup chicken stock. Return turkey to oven and baste with pan drippings every 20 minutes until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. A 12- to 16-pound bird will cook in about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Let turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
"BEST WAY" BRINED TURKEY (REGULAR OVEN)
INGREDIENTS:
2+ tablespoons softened butter + butter for basting
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken stock, or more as needed
INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 400ー. Remove turkey from brine, rinse and dry well. Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter over the skin and sprinkle pepper over the skin and in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under, loosely truss the legs and place the turkey on a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Cover the breast tightly with foil and place the turkey in the oven.
To assure that the bird cooks evenly, rotate the roasting pan 180 degrees every 30 minutes while the turkey is in the oven. Roast for about 1 hour, remove the foil and baste the turkey with 1/2 cup stock. Return to the oven and roast, basting with pan drippings and more stock (if desired) every 20 minutes. Start checking the internal temperature after about 1 hour of roasting time. If the legs begin to get too brown, cover them loosely with foil. Roast the turkey until the internal thigh temperature reaches 165ー. Total roasting time should be about 2 to 2 3/4 hours. Let rest at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
More on brined turkey:
* Birds over 16 pounds should be roasted at a lower oven temperature, 350ー. Cover the breast tightly with foil for the first half of the cooking time, then remove the foil and baste the bird with stock and pan drippings every 30 or 40 minutes for the remainder of the time.
* A 22-pound turkey should be done in about 3 1/2 hours.
**Alternate brining method: Double-bag two heavy-duty, unscented, trash bags (not made of recycled materials), then put them in an ice chest that is large enough to hold the turkey. Place the turkey in the doubled bags, pour in the brine, then the remaining 1 1/2 gallons cold water -- there should be enough liquid to completely submerge the bird. Press out all the air in the bags, then tightly close each bag separately. Keep the turkey cold with bags of ice, which will also help keep it submerged in the brine. Brine for 12 to 24 hours.
INGREDIENTS:
1 turkey, 12 to 16 pounds
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat a convection oven to 375°. If your oven has settings for Baking or Roasting, select Roasting. Remove the turkey from the packaging; rinse and dry well. Brush 2 tablespoons melted butter over the skin; sprinkle 4 tablespoons kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper over the skin and in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under and tie the legs together. Place bird breast-up in a V-shaped roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast for 45 minutes. Baste with 1/2 cup chicken stock. Return turkey to oven and baste with pan drippings every 20 minutes until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°. A 12- to 16-pound bird will cook in about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Let turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
"BEST WAY" BRINED TURKEY (REGULAR OVEN)
INGREDIENTS:
2+ tablespoons softened butter + butter for basting
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken stock, or more as needed
INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 400ー. Remove turkey from brine, rinse and dry well. Spread 2 tablespoons softened butter over the skin and sprinkle pepper over the skin and in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under, loosely truss the legs and place the turkey on a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Cover the breast tightly with foil and place the turkey in the oven.
To assure that the bird cooks evenly, rotate the roasting pan 180 degrees every 30 minutes while the turkey is in the oven. Roast for about 1 hour, remove the foil and baste the turkey with 1/2 cup stock. Return to the oven and roast, basting with pan drippings and more stock (if desired) every 20 minutes. Start checking the internal temperature after about 1 hour of roasting time. If the legs begin to get too brown, cover them loosely with foil. Roast the turkey until the internal thigh temperature reaches 165ー. Total roasting time should be about 2 to 2 3/4 hours. Let rest at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
More on brined turkey:
* Birds over 16 pounds should be roasted at a lower oven temperature, 350ー. Cover the breast tightly with foil for the first half of the cooking time, then remove the foil and baste the bird with stock and pan drippings every 30 or 40 minutes for the remainder of the time.
* A 22-pound turkey should be done in about 3 1/2 hours.
**Alternate brining method: Double-bag two heavy-duty, unscented, trash bags (not made of recycled materials), then put them in an ice chest that is large enough to hold the turkey. Place the turkey in the doubled bags, pour in the brine, then the remaining 1 1/2 gallons cold water -- there should be enough liquid to completely submerge the bird. Press out all the air in the bags, then tightly close each bag separately. Keep the turkey cold with bags of ice, which will also help keep it submerged in the brine. Brine for 12 to 24 hours.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Measurement conversion
Helpful info:
1-1/2 teaspoons = 1/2 tablespoon 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons = 1 ounce 4 tablespoons = 2 ounces
1/2 cup = 4 ounces 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
1 cup = 8 ounces 1 cup = 1/2 pint
2 cups = 1 pint 4 cups = 1 quart
2 pints = 1 quart 1 quart = 32 ounces
2 quarts = 1/2 gallon 4 quarts = 1 gallon
1-1/2 teaspoons = 1/2 tablespoon 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons = 1 ounce 4 tablespoons = 2 ounces
1/2 cup = 4 ounces 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
1 cup = 8 ounces 1 cup = 1/2 pint
2 cups = 1 pint 4 cups = 1 quart
2 pints = 1 quart 1 quart = 32 ounces
2 quarts = 1/2 gallon 4 quarts = 1 gallon
Convection oven turkeys
Here is a helpful article about cooking turkeys with a convection oven:
"Talking convection-oven turkey
Loree Dowse, Special to The Chronicle
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Life is a series of trade-offs. So is cooking a turkey in a convection oven.
For this year's turkey testing, the Food staff used the convection oven in The Chronicle's new test kitchen to see if it really lived up to all its roasting promises: moist, evenly cooked meat that is done in a fraction of the time.
Sixteen turkeys later -- and many pleas to come to the kitchen for yet another tasting -- we made some unexpected discoveries. It turns out that, unlike The Chronicle's previous Best Way Turkey using a standard oven, there was no clear winner. Chronicle staffers fell into two distinct turkey camps: those who loved crispy, golden skin and crunchy legs and wings, and those who favored meat that was moist and flavorful. Unfortunately, while we were able to come fairly close, no turkey fully satisfied both camps. And therein lies the trade-off.
For the testing, we used the same brand and size of turkey throughout for consistency -- Safeway Select broad-breasted fresh turkeys ($1.29 per pound) averaging 12 pounds. We also used the Best Way Turkey recipe as a guideline for cooking. The birds were not stuffed. All were roasted straight from the refrigerator, placed breast-up in a V- shaped rack in a roasting pan, brushed with melted butter and seasoned -- the brined birds with pepper only; the unbrined birds with salt and pepper -- before going into the oven. During cooking, we basted the birds with chicken stock and cooked them to an internal thigh temperature of 165 degrees.
We began with brined birds -- those submerged in a saltwater solution overnight -- because they had been so popular when roasted in a standard oven.
The convection-oven brined birds were, indeed, moist with flavorful breast meat and incredibly juicy dark meat. The skin just wasn't up to snuff, though. Because the heat in a convection oven is so intense, the sugar in the brining solution began to caramelize before the bird was done, creating unsightly brown splotches on the skin.
Our remedy was to cover the breast and top of the thighs for the first half of the cooking time, which eliminated the burning problem but left skin that was rather lifeless and not at all what some staffers were hoping for when it came time to gather 'round and pick off crispy bits.
Their desires were met when we cooked an unbrined bird. These turkeys not only saved a bit of prep time with the elimination of the brining step, but, oh, were they a sight to behold!
Beautifully golden, perfectly even skin made staffers fight over the crispy wings and crunchy neck skin. However, the meat, while not horrible, was neither as moist nor as flavorful as the brined bird.
Our next step was to find the best oven temperature.
At 400 degrees, the brined bird became almost rubbery, with chewy skin and oddly textured meat. The unbrined turkey was excessively dry. At 350 degrees, both the brined and unbrined birds had staffers nodding their heads in acceptance, but the 375-degree turkeys were the real kickers. At that temperature, the meat of the unbrined bird was the moistest we'd had in that category, with perfect skin. "This is my mother's turkey!" one staffer exclaimed. The brined bird was also excellent and had us gathered around the cutting board, picking juicy meat off the bones with our fingers.
At 375 degrees, both the brined and unbrined turkeys took approximately 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours to roast. This was a significant time-savings compared to the standard oven testing where the cooking time ranged from 2 to 2 3/4 hours for a 12- to 16-pound bird.
Just to satisfy our curiosity, we purchased a Diestel Turkey Ranch range- grown bird from Whole Foods ($1.89 per pound) to compare to the Safeway brand. Brined and roasted at 375 degrees, this turkey, we have to say, was far superior to anything we had cooked previously. Unlike the Safeway brined birds, the skin of the Diestel turkey was beautifully crisp. And the meat was juicy and well seasoned, reducing Food staffers to smiling tryptophan-induced lumps. There were definitely no compromises with this turkey.
Our last test was to compare a convection-oven turkey to a standard-oven turkey. Using another Diestel bird, we followed the Best Way method and roasted it in a standard oven. The verdict? Convection ovens rule.
Not only did the convection bird roast in less time, but the skin cooked more evenly and had a great crunch that the standard-oven bird lacked. And while both white and dark meat of the standard-oven bird tasted good, it was slightly drier than the convection bird even though the turkey had been brined.
Our recommendation: If you have a convection oven, by all means use it.
CONVECTION OVEN PRIMER
Unlike standard ovens, in which heat moves slowly from the heat source to the food, convection ovens use a fan to move hot air around the oven cavity. Because of this continuous circulation of heat, baked goods release their steam faster, resulting in flakier croissants and pastries, while meats and poultry render their fat more quickly, creating nicely browned skin and juicy meat. And because the heat is more intense, foods in a convection oven generally cook up to 25 percent faster.
Another advantage of convection cooking is the ability to cook many things at once. Because of the fan, you can fill up your oven racks with multiple items and not have to worry about uneven heat. Not only will your food cook faster, but your gas and electric bill will be much friendlier.
Here are more convection oven tips:
If you're using a recipe for a standard oven, reduce the heat on your convection oven by 25 degrees.
Foods in a convection oven cook up to 25 percent faster than standard oven cooking. This time savings is exponential -- the longer the cooking time, the more time you save. Our turkeys, for example, shaved 30-45 minutes off normal roasting times.
Go ahead and load up the racks -- that's what the circulating air is for.
When roasting meats, use a V-shaped roasting rack and shallow roasting pan to allow as much air flow as possible.
Read your oven's user manual. Some ovens have different convection settings for baking and roasting, while others allow you to choose between standard and convection cooking. Oven manufacturers are offering many options these days, so be sure to find out what your oven can and cannot do."
"Talking convection-oven turkey
Loree Dowse, Special to The Chronicle
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Life is a series of trade-offs. So is cooking a turkey in a convection oven.
For this year's turkey testing, the Food staff used the convection oven in The Chronicle's new test kitchen to see if it really lived up to all its roasting promises: moist, evenly cooked meat that is done in a fraction of the time.
Sixteen turkeys later -- and many pleas to come to the kitchen for yet another tasting -- we made some unexpected discoveries. It turns out that, unlike The Chronicle's previous Best Way Turkey using a standard oven, there was no clear winner. Chronicle staffers fell into two distinct turkey camps: those who loved crispy, golden skin and crunchy legs and wings, and those who favored meat that was moist and flavorful. Unfortunately, while we were able to come fairly close, no turkey fully satisfied both camps. And therein lies the trade-off.
For the testing, we used the same brand and size of turkey throughout for consistency -- Safeway Select broad-breasted fresh turkeys ($1.29 per pound) averaging 12 pounds. We also used the Best Way Turkey recipe as a guideline for cooking. The birds were not stuffed. All were roasted straight from the refrigerator, placed breast-up in a V- shaped rack in a roasting pan, brushed with melted butter and seasoned -- the brined birds with pepper only; the unbrined birds with salt and pepper -- before going into the oven. During cooking, we basted the birds with chicken stock and cooked them to an internal thigh temperature of 165 degrees.
We began with brined birds -- those submerged in a saltwater solution overnight -- because they had been so popular when roasted in a standard oven.
The convection-oven brined birds were, indeed, moist with flavorful breast meat and incredibly juicy dark meat. The skin just wasn't up to snuff, though. Because the heat in a convection oven is so intense, the sugar in the brining solution began to caramelize before the bird was done, creating unsightly brown splotches on the skin.
Our remedy was to cover the breast and top of the thighs for the first half of the cooking time, which eliminated the burning problem but left skin that was rather lifeless and not at all what some staffers were hoping for when it came time to gather 'round and pick off crispy bits.
Their desires were met when we cooked an unbrined bird. These turkeys not only saved a bit of prep time with the elimination of the brining step, but, oh, were they a sight to behold!
Beautifully golden, perfectly even skin made staffers fight over the crispy wings and crunchy neck skin. However, the meat, while not horrible, was neither as moist nor as flavorful as the brined bird.
Our next step was to find the best oven temperature.
At 400 degrees, the brined bird became almost rubbery, with chewy skin and oddly textured meat. The unbrined turkey was excessively dry. At 350 degrees, both the brined and unbrined birds had staffers nodding their heads in acceptance, but the 375-degree turkeys were the real kickers. At that temperature, the meat of the unbrined bird was the moistest we'd had in that category, with perfect skin. "This is my mother's turkey!" one staffer exclaimed. The brined bird was also excellent and had us gathered around the cutting board, picking juicy meat off the bones with our fingers.
At 375 degrees, both the brined and unbrined turkeys took approximately 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours to roast. This was a significant time-savings compared to the standard oven testing where the cooking time ranged from 2 to 2 3/4 hours for a 12- to 16-pound bird.
Just to satisfy our curiosity, we purchased a Diestel Turkey Ranch range- grown bird from Whole Foods ($1.89 per pound) to compare to the Safeway brand. Brined and roasted at 375 degrees, this turkey, we have to say, was far superior to anything we had cooked previously. Unlike the Safeway brined birds, the skin of the Diestel turkey was beautifully crisp. And the meat was juicy and well seasoned, reducing Food staffers to smiling tryptophan-induced lumps. There were definitely no compromises with this turkey.
Our last test was to compare a convection-oven turkey to a standard-oven turkey. Using another Diestel bird, we followed the Best Way method and roasted it in a standard oven. The verdict? Convection ovens rule.
Not only did the convection bird roast in less time, but the skin cooked more evenly and had a great crunch that the standard-oven bird lacked. And while both white and dark meat of the standard-oven bird tasted good, it was slightly drier than the convection bird even though the turkey had been brined.
Our recommendation: If you have a convection oven, by all means use it.
CONVECTION OVEN PRIMER
Unlike standard ovens, in which heat moves slowly from the heat source to the food, convection ovens use a fan to move hot air around the oven cavity. Because of this continuous circulation of heat, baked goods release their steam faster, resulting in flakier croissants and pastries, while meats and poultry render their fat more quickly, creating nicely browned skin and juicy meat. And because the heat is more intense, foods in a convection oven generally cook up to 25 percent faster.
Another advantage of convection cooking is the ability to cook many things at once. Because of the fan, you can fill up your oven racks with multiple items and not have to worry about uneven heat. Not only will your food cook faster, but your gas and electric bill will be much friendlier.
Here are more convection oven tips:
If you're using a recipe for a standard oven, reduce the heat on your convection oven by 25 degrees.
Foods in a convection oven cook up to 25 percent faster than standard oven cooking. This time savings is exponential -- the longer the cooking time, the more time you save. Our turkeys, for example, shaved 30-45 minutes off normal roasting times.
Go ahead and load up the racks -- that's what the circulating air is for.
When roasting meats, use a V-shaped roasting rack and shallow roasting pan to allow as much air flow as possible.
Read your oven's user manual. Some ovens have different convection settings for baking and roasting, while others allow you to choose between standard and convection cooking. Oven manufacturers are offering many options these days, so be sure to find out what your oven can and cannot do."
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Joys of home ownership, Part 2
OK, we have caught NINE (9!!) skunks and 1 raccoon as of last week. We haven't caught any animal in a couple of days, so we now have a newspaper in the hole to see if any animal will move it to get out. I am hoping that our skunk family days are over!
But, if finding out a skunk family was living underneath our house wasn't gross enough, get this. Our heater repair guy crawled underneath our house to see whether our ducts needed some repair. (I felt sorry for the dude... it was gross wet mud) He said that he found a decomposing animal!!! It is basically undernath our kitchen!!!!!! He said he could see all the hair, a big lump and it smelled AWFUL, but he didn't want to touch it (I don't blame him!!!) He confirmed that animals tore out the ducts underneath the kitchen, and washer/dryer too, and were probably crawling in the ducts themselves. GROSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Add yet another repair to our list. What other kind of bizarre deferred maintenance issue will we face with this house???!!
BTW, our heating repair guy is Johnathan Youngs, the sole proprietor of High Performance Heating & Air. He is an interesting guy. Check out his website. I didn't know that anyone could get so passionate over ducts! I think that's awesome.
But, if finding out a skunk family was living underneath our house wasn't gross enough, get this. Our heater repair guy crawled underneath our house to see whether our ducts needed some repair. (I felt sorry for the dude... it was gross wet mud) He said that he found a decomposing animal!!! It is basically undernath our kitchen!!!!!! He said he could see all the hair, a big lump and it smelled AWFUL, but he didn't want to touch it (I don't blame him!!!) He confirmed that animals tore out the ducts underneath the kitchen, and washer/dryer too, and were probably crawling in the ducts themselves. GROSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Add yet another repair to our list. What other kind of bizarre deferred maintenance issue will we face with this house???!!
BTW, our heating repair guy is Johnathan Youngs, the sole proprietor of High Performance Heating & Air. He is an interesting guy. Check out his website. I didn't know that anyone could get so passionate over ducts! I think that's awesome.
Monday, November 22, 2004
Life is truly a miracle.
"Each of us is a miracle that has never happened before and will never be repeated." I am always in such awe whenever I look at Isabella and think what an amazing transformation and growth she is going through.
Saturday, November 20, 2004
Cold medicine for Isabella
Isabella's got a cold and a raspy cough. The doctor recommended I give her:
Dimetapp Elixir Runny, Stuffy, Cold & Allergy; Robitussin; Pedicare; or anything with the ingredient Guaifenesin to loosen mucus - 1/4 teaspoon every 4 to 6 hours
(1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1/2 tsp = 2.5 ml, 1/4 teaspoon = 1.25 ml)
An ibuprofin like Motrin is supposed to work pretty well if you use it for the recommended duration and dosages. Motrin lasts longer than acetophinomen so is a better option for night time.
Ingredients to look for:
Dextromethorphan (DM) - cough suppressant (use only at night time if preventing sleep)
Guaifenesin - cough expectorant
Pseudoephedrine - nasal decongestant (stimulant so if giving at night time might want to buy without this ingredient)
any Antihistamine - dries up mucous secretions
These seem to be worth trying to help loosen congestion & dilate bronchioles the natural way:
lavender (relaxing)
tea tree oil (antiseptic)
menthol from eucalyptus oil (no menthols if baby < 6 months old)
bath w/ eucalyptus bath oil, diluted several times w/ vegetable oil (2 drops per tablespoon of oil)
peppermint tea - breathe in steam
humidifier
Dimetapp Elixir Runny, Stuffy, Cold & Allergy; Robitussin; Pedicare; or anything with the ingredient Guaifenesin to loosen mucus - 1/4 teaspoon every 4 to 6 hours
(1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1/2 tsp = 2.5 ml, 1/4 teaspoon = 1.25 ml)
An ibuprofin like Motrin is supposed to work pretty well if you use it for the recommended duration and dosages. Motrin lasts longer than acetophinomen so is a better option for night time.
Ingredients to look for:
Dextromethorphan (DM) - cough suppressant (use only at night time if preventing sleep)
Guaifenesin - cough expectorant
Pseudoephedrine - nasal decongestant (stimulant so if giving at night time might want to buy without this ingredient)
any Antihistamine - dries up mucous secretions
These seem to be worth trying to help loosen congestion & dilate bronchioles the natural way:
lavender (relaxing)
tea tree oil (antiseptic)
menthol from eucalyptus oil (no menthols if baby < 6 months old)
bath w/ eucalyptus bath oil, diluted several times w/ vegetable oil (2 drops per tablespoon of oil)
peppermint tea - breathe in steam
humidifier
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Self feeding fun
As if there wasn't enough info on this topic, here's more self feeding fun for babies 9 months and beyond.
Arrange foods in a clean, dry ice cube tray. Be sure everything is soft enough for baby to chew and swallow. Place new foods next to familar ones.
Try:
Avocado chunk, soft and slightly mashed
Baby carrots, well cooked and thinly sliced
Banana chunks
Beans, well cooked and mashed
Broccoli florets, well cooked
Brown rice pasta, tossed with flaxseed oil
Chickpeas, pureed
O-shaped cereal
Pear chunks, slightly mashed
Sweet potato chunks, well cooked
Tofu chunks
Make a game out of it and ask baby to find and eat the green or round foods.
Arrange foods in a clean, dry ice cube tray. Be sure everything is soft enough for baby to chew and swallow. Place new foods next to familar ones.
Try:
Avocado chunk, soft and slightly mashed
Baby carrots, well cooked and thinly sliced
Banana chunks
Beans, well cooked and mashed
Broccoli florets, well cooked
Brown rice pasta, tossed with flaxseed oil
Chickpeas, pureed
O-shaped cereal
Pear chunks, slightly mashed
Sweet potato chunks, well cooked
Tofu chunks
Make a game out of it and ask baby to find and eat the green or round foods.
Friday, November 12, 2004
My bro & sister in law visit
My bro and his wife visited us from D.C. Although a short trip, it was so great seeing them since we don't see them often. For the occasion, I hosted my family for our first official get-together at the new house.
Click here to see more pictures from their visit.
Click here to see more pictures from their visit.
Thursday, November 11, 2004
Fun Finger Foods Part 2
Eat and sleep - that's all we think about in baby land. Oh, and size and consistency of poops too - I'm sure you wanted to know that. Yan from my playgroup shared this list of finger foods, which is probably comparable to Quyen's list I blogged earlier.
DAIRY
any cheese -shredded, cubes, or cut into sticks
string cheese
FRUITS
melon chunks
banana chunks or whole
kiwi chunks
berries (chunked or halved, then whole)
avocado chunks
grapes - peeled and quartered or halved
apple sticks, whole apples, peels removed
soft pear chunks
frozen berry mix
VEGGIES
cherry tomatoes sliced tomatoes
asparagus
broccoli (chopped or trees)
cauliflower
squash cubes
carrot/potato/other root veggie chunks
zucchini
LEGUMES
edamame cooked peas
cannellini beans
green beans (canned cut or fresh cooked)
garbanzos
black-eyed peas
PASTA/RICE
radiatore
fusilli
long noodles cut up
farfalle
macaroni
pennette
tortellini
ravioli
farfalle
sticky rice
MEAT/POULTRY/FISH/EGGS/OTHER PROTEIN
deli ham or turkey slices ripped into quarters
chicken nuggets, cut up or whole (try frozen for teething)
eggs (or egg yolk) - scrambled or hardboiled
frittata
tofu cubes or sticks
rotisserie chicken, cut across the grain
salmon, cooked, flaked, or chunked
BREADS/CEREALS
pancakes
toast (cut into quarters)
croissant
toasted Eggo waffles
crusty bread
bagels/mini-bagels (frozen for teething)
Cheerios
Rice Crispies
Rice cakes
Small graham crackers
zwieback sweet/savory bread pudding
biscotti
COMBINED ITEMS:
quesadillas (bean and cheese, salmon and hot pepper cheese, eggie)
pizza with ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce
cut zucchini pancakes
Eggos (with cottage cheese, cream cheese, cinnamon and sugar, or jam)
bread, bagel, or pita with hummus
bread or bagel with avocado
grilled cheese sandwiches (remove crusts if desired and cut into chunks)
tuna or egg salad on bread (remove crusts if desired and cut into chunks)
soft cheese spread on bread chunks
DAIRY
any cheese -shredded, cubes, or cut into sticks
string cheese
FRUITS
melon chunks
banana chunks or whole
kiwi chunks
berries (chunked or halved, then whole)
avocado chunks
grapes - peeled and quartered or halved
apple sticks, whole apples, peels removed
soft pear chunks
frozen berry mix
VEGGIES
cherry tomatoes sliced tomatoes
asparagus
broccoli (chopped or trees)
cauliflower
squash cubes
carrot/potato/other root veggie chunks
zucchini
LEGUMES
edamame cooked peas
cannellini beans
green beans (canned cut or fresh cooked)
garbanzos
black-eyed peas
PASTA/RICE
radiatore
fusilli
long noodles cut up
farfalle
macaroni
pennette
tortellini
ravioli
farfalle
sticky rice
MEAT/POULTRY/FISH/EGGS/OTHER PROTEIN
deli ham or turkey slices ripped into quarters
chicken nuggets, cut up or whole (try frozen for teething)
eggs (or egg yolk) - scrambled or hardboiled
frittata
tofu cubes or sticks
rotisserie chicken, cut across the grain
salmon, cooked, flaked, or chunked
BREADS/CEREALS
pancakes
toast (cut into quarters)
croissant
toasted Eggo waffles
crusty bread
bagels/mini-bagels (frozen for teething)
Cheerios
Rice Crispies
Rice cakes
Small graham crackers
zwieback sweet/savory bread pudding
biscotti
COMBINED ITEMS:
quesadillas (bean and cheese, salmon and hot pepper cheese, eggie)
pizza with ricotta, mozzarella, tomato sauce
cut zucchini pancakes
Eggos (with cottage cheese, cream cheese, cinnamon and sugar, or jam)
bread, bagel, or pita with hummus
bread or bagel with avocado
grilled cheese sandwiches (remove crusts if desired and cut into chunks)
tuna or egg salad on bread (remove crusts if desired and cut into chunks)
soft cheese spread on bread chunks
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Joys of home ownership
So we've moved into this great house and we're so happy to have a ton of space and live in our very own single family home, not a condo with shared walls. But at the same time, we are now learning the other "joys" of home ownership. We are dealing with a major drainage issue which has caused a puddle in our basement, a roof that is cracking and needs replacement, and the most disgusting of all - skunk(s) living underneath our house and eating through our heating vents!!! Can we say Pepe le Peeeeeew!!
We called the Critter Control people. They charge about $130 per skunk caught, and I thought, "Oh how cheap - that's totally worth it", thinking it was just one little guy causing all the trouble. But NO!!! Skunk count as of today: * 7 * - UGH!!!! and we're still catching them! The most disgusting part is that when the guy takes the skunk(s) away, it freaks out and SPRAYS, and then our entire house smells like skunk. So NASTY!!!!!!!!
All I can say is that I will never look at marshmellows and peanut butter the same again (the bait used to lure the skunks). I haven't been able to eat peanut butter for the last week and I've been eating it every morning for like 2 years now.
Rich sent me a fun link from RV.net about how people living in motor homes deal with skunks. Lots of people taking matters into their own hands and trying to figure out what the best weapon to use to kill the animal - crossbow, .22, rifle, etc. Whatever the method, seems the consensus is: "Don't shoot the thing under the motor home!"
A quote:
"If you have a neighbor that you don't really like, you could dispose of it in his trash containers!!! I ended up driving down the street with it in a large trash bag, which I held out the window, and disposed of it in a dumpster behind Blockbuster. We didn't rent any movies for a couple of days until the smell went away!!!
- 1998 Southwind 32V"
We called the Critter Control people. They charge about $130 per skunk caught, and I thought, "Oh how cheap - that's totally worth it", thinking it was just one little guy causing all the trouble. But NO!!! Skunk count as of today: * 7 * - UGH!!!! and we're still catching them! The most disgusting part is that when the guy takes the skunk(s) away, it freaks out and SPRAYS, and then our entire house smells like skunk. So NASTY!!!!!!!!
All I can say is that I will never look at marshmellows and peanut butter the same again (the bait used to lure the skunks). I haven't been able to eat peanut butter for the last week and I've been eating it every morning for like 2 years now.
Rich sent me a fun link from RV.net about how people living in motor homes deal with skunks. Lots of people taking matters into their own hands and trying to figure out what the best weapon to use to kill the animal - crossbow, .22, rifle, etc. Whatever the method, seems the consensus is: "Don't shoot the thing under the motor home!"
A quote:
"If you have a neighbor that you don't really like, you could dispose of it in his trash containers!!! I ended up driving down the street with it in a large trash bag, which I held out the window, and disposed of it in a dumpster behind Blockbuster. We didn't rent any movies for a couple of days until the smell went away!!!
- 1998 Southwind 32V"
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Traveling with baby
We only took the plane with the baby once to Seattle. It was a 2 hour flight, so it was a good short experiment. But I can imagine that longer flights will be tougher especially as the baby becomes more aware of her surroundings.
Here are take-aways I learned when traveling with a baby:
1) get baby her own seat and put her in the car seat; otherwise, see if the airline has a bassinet for the baby (usually international flights); only a very young baby will sleep peacefully in your lap or in a sling for a long time
2) don’t bring the baby on plane until very last minute; have your partner get on ASAP to secure the seating area and ensure the luggage can be put away in the overhead bin right above you
3) bring lots of ammo for plane boredom (new toys/books, DVD, snacks)
4) nurse during takeoff and landing if still breastfeeding; or provide something to suck on to help the ears
5) can use Benadryl to help baby sleep, but try this beforehand because with some babies, it makes them more stimulated, NOT drowsy!
6) bring stroller up to the gate and have it checked there
7) take the baby on a walk every chance you get
8) avoid giving anything with caffeine or simple sugars (juice, candy, cake, etc.) before and during travel which gives more uncontrollable energy
9) make friends with other passengers who are either with young children or who seem to like your child; helpful for moral support
Different ideas on carry-ons:
Prepared if war broke out: A diaper bag with toys, books, stickers, diapers, wipes, change of clothes, then a bag with a frozen bag with bottles of milk, sippy cups, cheese, yogurt, banana, apples, bibs, spoons. Then your partner can have a bag with the portable DVD player, DVDs, and lots of snacks-crackers, Veggie Booty, cookies, Oatios, Teddy Puffs, etc. Plus the car seat and the stroller, your coats and the baby's coat, and an antihistamine just in case the baby couldn't sleep.
Minimalist: Big diaper bag that fits all of the baby's toys, food, diapers, & all other little things. Some airlines (Cathay) provided diapers and baby food (no wipes) so that helps here.
Practical: For carry-ons, backpack-style carry-on/diaper bag make your hands free to hold your baby and the boarding pass, etc.
A weird suggestion on helping baby deal with air pressure: "The warm moist towels that are passed out in 1st class can be held over ears. The heat and moisture helps the equalization process. Or, better yet - use a styrofoam coffee cup with several paper napkins. Add a small amount of hot water from the coffee maker. Squish together with another coffee cup to soak the napkins and remove excess water! NOTE: Get the cups set up before they even close the doors. The F.A. can't help you when the plane is hurtling down the run-way. Also, this gives time for the water to cool some. If you haven't drained it properly, and put it over baby's ears right away, very hot water will run out and burn her neck and face!!!"
Here are take-aways I learned when traveling with a baby:
1) get baby her own seat and put her in the car seat; otherwise, see if the airline has a bassinet for the baby (usually international flights); only a very young baby will sleep peacefully in your lap or in a sling for a long time
2) don’t bring the baby on plane until very last minute; have your partner get on ASAP to secure the seating area and ensure the luggage can be put away in the overhead bin right above you
3) bring lots of ammo for plane boredom (new toys/books, DVD, snacks)
4) nurse during takeoff and landing if still breastfeeding; or provide something to suck on to help the ears
5) can use Benadryl to help baby sleep, but try this beforehand because with some babies, it makes them more stimulated, NOT drowsy!
6) bring stroller up to the gate and have it checked there
7) take the baby on a walk every chance you get
8) avoid giving anything with caffeine or simple sugars (juice, candy, cake, etc.) before and during travel which gives more uncontrollable energy
9) make friends with other passengers who are either with young children or who seem to like your child; helpful for moral support
Different ideas on carry-ons:
Prepared if war broke out: A diaper bag with toys, books, stickers, diapers, wipes, change of clothes, then a bag with a frozen bag with bottles of milk, sippy cups, cheese, yogurt, banana, apples, bibs, spoons. Then your partner can have a bag with the portable DVD player, DVDs, and lots of snacks-crackers, Veggie Booty, cookies, Oatios, Teddy Puffs, etc. Plus the car seat and the stroller, your coats and the baby's coat, and an antihistamine just in case the baby couldn't sleep.
Minimalist: Big diaper bag that fits all of the baby's toys, food, diapers, & all other little things. Some airlines (Cathay) provided diapers and baby food (no wipes) so that helps here.
Practical: For carry-ons, backpack-style carry-on/diaper bag make your hands free to hold your baby and the boarding pass, etc.
A weird suggestion on helping baby deal with air pressure: "The warm moist towels that are passed out in 1st class can be held over ears. The heat and moisture helps the equalization process. Or, better yet - use a styrofoam coffee cup with several paper napkins. Add a small amount of hot water from the coffee maker. Squish together with another coffee cup to soak the napkins and remove excess water! NOTE: Get the cups set up before they even close the doors. The F.A. can't help you when the plane is hurtling down the run-way. Also, this gives time for the water to cool some. If you haven't drained it properly, and put it over baby's ears right away, very hot water will run out and burn her neck and face!!!"
Sunday, November 07, 2004
Will Cal go to the Rose Bowl this year?
Cal is #4 in the nation today, thanks to a victory over Oregon. If the season ended now, they would be packing for a New Year's trip to Pasadena. But we still have 4 games left so anything can still happen until it's decided on December 5. I don't really get how bowl games get determined, so here is a good article that helped:
Making sense of the BCS (if that's possible)
The four most prestigious bowls are the BCS games: the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.
How the eight berths are determined
-- The teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the final BCS standings (to be released Dec. 5) play in the national championship game, which is the Orange Bowl this season.
-- The champions of each of the six major conferences -- Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Southeastern and Pac-10 -- earn an automatic berth to one of the BCS games. Where they go depends on selections of the BCS games, although the Rose Bowl would get the Big Ten and Pac-10 champs if available, the Fiesta Bowl gets the Big 12 champ if available, the Sugar Bowl has a tie-in with the SEC, and the Orange Bowl, in most years, has a tie-in with the Big East or ACC, although this season it has the national championship game.
-- The two remaining at-large berths are chosen by the BCS games themselves, with several limitations:
A team must be ranked among the top 12 in the final BCS rankings, and have at least nine wins, to be eligible for an at-large berth.
Notre Dame gets a berth if it wins nine games and is ranked in the top 10 (not applicable this season).
A team from one of the five so-called non-BCS conferences -- Mountain West, Conference USA, Mid-American, Sun Belt and Western Athletic -- gets an automatic BCS berth if it is ranked among the top six in the final BCS standings.
A team that does not win a conference title but is ranked No. 3 in the final BCS standings is guaranteed an at-large BCS berth if vacancies still exist.
A team that does not win a conference title but is ranked No. 4 in the final BCS rankings is guaranteed a BCS berth if a vacancy still exists.
Dividing up the millions of dollars in bowl money
-- Each of the four BCS games will pay each participating team between $14 million and $17 million. In the case of the Pac-10, the conference team that participates in the BCS game uses part of that payout to cover its bowl expenses (between $1 million and $2 million) and the remainder is split equally among the 10 conference schools. If a second Pac-10 team gets into a BCS game, the conference will get an additional $4.5 million to be split among its members. For example, if USC and Cal both receive BCS berths, the Pac-10 will take in between $18.5 million and $21.5 million. Cal and USC would take their bowl expenses off the top and the remaining money is shared equally among the 10 schools. As a result, Cal earns no more money if it and USC are in BCS games than if two other Pac-10 teams are in BCS games.
-- After the BCS games, the next highest-paying bowl is the Capital One Bowl, which pays $5.12 million per team. The Cotton Bowl is next at $3 million and it goes down from there to a minimum of $750,000.
Making sense of the BCS (if that's possible)
The four most prestigious bowls are the BCS games: the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl.
How the eight berths are determined
-- The teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the final BCS standings (to be released Dec. 5) play in the national championship game, which is the Orange Bowl this season.
-- The champions of each of the six major conferences -- Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Southeastern and Pac-10 -- earn an automatic berth to one of the BCS games. Where they go depends on selections of the BCS games, although the Rose Bowl would get the Big Ten and Pac-10 champs if available, the Fiesta Bowl gets the Big 12 champ if available, the Sugar Bowl has a tie-in with the SEC, and the Orange Bowl, in most years, has a tie-in with the Big East or ACC, although this season it has the national championship game.
-- The two remaining at-large berths are chosen by the BCS games themselves, with several limitations:
A team must be ranked among the top 12 in the final BCS rankings, and have at least nine wins, to be eligible for an at-large berth.
Notre Dame gets a berth if it wins nine games and is ranked in the top 10 (not applicable this season).
A team from one of the five so-called non-BCS conferences -- Mountain West, Conference USA, Mid-American, Sun Belt and Western Athletic -- gets an automatic BCS berth if it is ranked among the top six in the final BCS standings.
A team that does not win a conference title but is ranked No. 3 in the final BCS standings is guaranteed an at-large BCS berth if vacancies still exist.
A team that does not win a conference title but is ranked No. 4 in the final BCS rankings is guaranteed a BCS berth if a vacancy still exists.
Dividing up the millions of dollars in bowl money
-- Each of the four BCS games will pay each participating team between $14 million and $17 million. In the case of the Pac-10, the conference team that participates in the BCS game uses part of that payout to cover its bowl expenses (between $1 million and $2 million) and the remainder is split equally among the 10 conference schools. If a second Pac-10 team gets into a BCS game, the conference will get an additional $4.5 million to be split among its members. For example, if USC and Cal both receive BCS berths, the Pac-10 will take in between $18.5 million and $21.5 million. Cal and USC would take their bowl expenses off the top and the remaining money is shared equally among the 10 schools. As a result, Cal earns no more money if it and USC are in BCS games than if two other Pac-10 teams are in BCS games.
-- After the BCS games, the next highest-paying bowl is the Capital One Bowl, which pays $5.12 million per team. The Cotton Bowl is next at $3 million and it goes down from there to a minimum of $750,000.
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
I am wearing black today
...and I think you know why ... total depression thinking about another 4 years of ... well, you know.
On the bright side, I tried on, and was able to fit my pre-pregnancy black clothes today. Woo hoo!!! That only took 10 months!! Go breastfeeding!
On the bright side, I tried on, and was able to fit my pre-pregnancy black clothes today. Woo hoo!!! That only took 10 months!! Go breastfeeding!
Rich's "weird" hobbies
Guess what - we bought another car. We’re back up to 6 cars. I am convinced that Rich gets bored if he doesn’t buy a car every 6 months. I suppose I should be glad that he doesn’t have a worse hobby! Anyway, our friend Jeannie merely suggested she was interested in buying our Forrester, that night Rich did research into what our next car should be, and two days later, he bought a car. ("...it was a really good deal...") And, he didn’t even tell me about it until we were in bed that evening because he was waiting for the “right moment”. (!!?? It’s not like he was proposing!)
October 2004 - bought 2002 Audi All Road, name TBD
Car Count: 6
October 2004 - bought 2002 Audi All Road, name TBD
Car Count: 6