I mentioned my wonderful ice cream containers elsewhere on here. Big round plastic w/handles, wish I had more. Have 2 more but can't find the lids, got to be here somewhere.

I found my stash of the lg size Jif peanut butter jars I eat regularly, save them because they're useful for things not relating to gardening. Have 12 all washed up and clean stuffed in a portable dishwasher I don't use.

But looked at them this morning, and with the curved neck decided maybe not such a good idea, how to get the plants out of the squeeze at the top?

Cut them in half like pepsi bottles! Thanks!

Hmmmmm. Ice Cream containers, have lots of those, DH has a bowl every night before bed, just wonder how they would hold up being it is rather wet during our January thaw. May have to give them a whirl to test.

Monte "fully cooked perfection for $6 and I dont need to dirty a pan." Monte, don't tell me you cook too? Will you marry me?

I just bought one of those chickens at Sam's today, $4.97 for a 3 lb. bird. Hard to beat. But I tried those containers for wintersowing my first year and didn't like them at all. They're only 1 to 1 1/2" deep, don't drain well when wet, and dry out too fast in dry weather. I don't use anything under 3" deep. However, they're great for growing under lights.

My friend uses those big pretzel containers and loves them.

Karen

"Monte, don't tell me you cook too?'

Daily and, some I'm told, I'm pretty good at it.

I often use the Costco chickens as the starting point of other things.

Just finished up a batch of (fresh not Costco) chicken legs, thighs and italian sausages for tonights dinner.

Went something like this.

Cleaver to wack off the tips of the legs and halve the thighs exposing the marrow.

Cut sausage links into smaller pieces. 3-4 pieces per link.

Brown meats in the large dutch oven, discared the skin at this point and set aside.

Add in lot's of fresh garlic, quick hit in the residual oil to release the good stuff.

Deglaze pan with with some chicken stock and scrape up all the good stuff.

Dump in a big pile of roughly chopped onions, chunky carrots and mushrooms.

Stir around for 5 minutes to let things get to know each other.

Add some chunky tomato product (or some good jarred marinara if thats all you got on hand) and reintroduce the browned meats along with the juices.

Add in whatever spices you think you need.

Bring liquid level up with broth or water, cover and into the oven.

Serve over appropriate (tonight it is Farfalle) pasta or noodles.

Did I forget to mention the fresh artisian crusty bread I made this morning to soak up the juices?

My bad.

Opening the bones up really ups the flavor and helps thicken the sauce.

Dinner is on the table at 6:30. Please call ahead.

Monte-(who will often dirty a pan if the spirit moves him)

I just bought what I want and think will work the best for me for the many pansies, violas and delphiniums maybe a couple more I'm holding back. 6 nursery flats with holes and 6 (clear plastic) Jiffy dome covers. Have plenty of deep root 6-cell packs on hand.

This is just for seeds I want to sow individually and not have to transplant into cells. Will go thru my tp rolls in no time and need my newspaper for other things, the free one quit. It's not really cost effective but I might donate what I don't need for fundraiser or have a plant sale.

I plan to sow (outside) certain seeds directly into the cell packs. May try a couple inside to see if I can get results. Cover with the domes until they germinate in the shade. Then move into part shade and start misting w/hose sprayer. Will sow some spares in McD's salad trays or KFC containers and transplant into any cells that don't germinate.

As soon as germinated, uncover and start new batch, probably will be able to work in no more than 2 more batches because of the window of time. It will make it easier on me.

I just called a professional nursery supplier I've used before for my rooting medium or can use as a seed starter straight. Told him I was winter sowing. Everything I explained I was doing is wrong.

I said I was mixing his stuff with my Scott's (will get MG next time) to give nutrients to plants that I wait longer to plant. There are NO nutrients in it. What? None of that stuff is any good and it's not sterile. Theirs isn't either but it's professional and much better.

Don't try to sow under my shop lights with 2 each warm bulb and cool bulb each bank, running 2 banks (8 shop lights). They aren't strong enough, my plants will get spindly, that's why some keel over.

I will have damping off if I try to sow inside and he wasn't impressed with the idea of winter sowing. To do it right you do a, b and c in a greenhouse, much labor intensive hand transplanting and not just once per plant.

And so on. I did buy one more bag of that medium, Mix #2, whatever it is because I'm running low on the one I have and I also use it for rooting roses and want to try it for rooting other plants in pepsi bottles like I saw here B4 I go to the trouble to set up a cloner. Just priced a cloner w/everything else like the one ??? set up and explained to us. Over $300!!!

Man, I'm just glad I'm doing all this for fun and will get some plants, heck with it. I will continue on and finish WS'ing all the seeds not mentioned above in what I'm doing now, have lots left yet, many I've saved myself.

Wow, I'm impressed. The containers I can prep just fine with scissors and a knife. I can use duct tape, don't need a fancy closure.

But a guy who cooks is first rate in my book. (especially if it includes Italian sausage).

Karen

But a guy who cooks is first rate in my book. (especially if it includes Italian sausage).

Positively! I couldn't find the recipe. Several weeks back I watched various no knead bread methods on youtube. Just put no knead bread in the search window.

Now this one really looks good but takes 18 hrs sitting at room temp then 2 hrs to rise after shaped. Looks yummy when baked. Like him, I like real butter on my freshly baked bread; that's a treat just by itself.

Another thing I do with crusty-type rolls is toss them on an ungreased baking sheet, uncovered, put them in the oven on middle rack, don't use bottom rack, at 400 for 5 minutes. You can start with a cold oven. I do it often and freshens them up. Frozen takes a little longer. Brush the crumbs in the trash and put the pan away, no need to wash it.

I haven't cooked with Italian sausage, but your concoction sounded delicious, and I like your idea with cutting pieces with a cleaver to expose the marrow. That's how they cut it in my Chinese cookbook.

There are other no knead recipes on youtube that are faster.

This is now my third year. There are a few things that I really like to use. One is the clear plastic boxes that you get grapes in from costco. The only thing I need to do is tape up some of the holes on top to keep the moisture in.
I also like styrofoam soup countainers that I got at a discount store. They are 16 oz and are wider and shorter than cups of the same volume, so you have room for a few more seeds. I place them in on of those plastic bags that quilts or sheet sets are sold in, use a paper punch to make holes in the bottom, and leave the zipper open a bit for ventilation. I fit about 12 cups per bag. It works really well and is very easy to handle. I can reuse the cups for several years if I am careful.

Amy

WARNING!-TOPIC DRIFT AHEAD!........

Yeah baby, that's the stuff.

Great idea he had.

Butter! Who would have thought. I'll have to give that a try someday.

I've been dipping mine a little dish with EVOO and fresh cracked pepper.

Something I picked up from grandma.

I just recently discovered the No Knead Bread.

The primary thing you need to get that hard turtle shell crust is bake in a pre-heated enclosed vessel.

I used the large dutch oven, OK but HEAVY to deal with every day.

Tried it in a large oval Pyrex casseole, again OK

They sell dedicated unglazed cloches to do this in ($30 or more-see link below) but you may have guessed I'm cheap.

So I got a shallow, unglazed terra cotta garden pot (chipped-$5 at H-D), plugged the hole with wadded up aluminum foil and used a stainless steel eye bolt with some washers to make a handle.

Invert this over the pizza stone I already had and viola'.

........to get things back on topic. I wintersowed the wheat and milled my own flour also.

"that should get the GWeb administrators off my back about posting off topic threads"

Ciao,

Monte'

Monte your chicken is 6 bucks? You are paying more then my costco charges it's $4.99. I know... I cook em. I can give ya the recipe for the chicken salad or the enchiladas. There is tx on hot food in MA so it's like 5.04.
I used a lot of the containers from the costco deli last year( one perk of the job eh?! I took home all the stuff that was unusable from being dropped on the ground..) but yes the chix container is too shallow if you use the black as the bottom but Mont solution's looks pretty good.

The wire saw to cut the juice containers worked FABULOUSLY! DH used a drill for the bottoms.( He just needed an excuse to play with it ) lol. And him and one of the eating machines sawed them off and managed to leave a hinge on it for me!

You're funny!WARNING!-TOPIC DRIFT AHEAD!........You started it lolYeah baby, that's the stuff. Great idea he had.At least I got a fresh jar of yeast, am going to try it, not used to holy bread, well that kind.Butter! Who would have thought. I'll have to give that a try someday.If the bread or rolls are warm, I like cold butter. I don't know about the cholesterol, but if you slip butter between your fingers, it's just nicer. Try that with margarine or Crisco, heavy, the consistency, you can tell it's not good for you. I always keep an extra pound of butter quarters in a ziplock bag in thefreezerI've been dipping mine a little dish with EVOO and fresh cracked pepper.Um, I don't know and what's EVOO?Something I picked up from grandma.Mine liked (and I love 'em, makes a meal, good bread, BUTTER, spoon some stewed tomatoes on and take a bite.I just recently discovered the No Knead Bread.Haven't tried it yet but got tired of the bread machine.The primary thing you need to get that hard turtle shell crust is bake in a pre-heated enclosed vessel.I love it crusty like that.I used the large dutch oven, OK but HEAVY to deal with every day.I've got a couple, this I think he just threw in the oven, looked about as crusty as my teeth can handle.Tried it in a large oval Pyrex casseole, again OKNope, I'm gonna learn from your mistakes.They sell dedicated unglazed cloches to do this in ($30 or more-see link below) but you may have guessed I'm cheap.I shot my fun money on those covered flats, remember?So I got a shallow, unglazed terra cotta garden pot (chipped-$5 at H-D), plugged the hole with wadded up aluminum foil and used a stainless steel eye bolt with some washers to make a handle.That's a great idea!Invert this over the pizza stone I already had and viola'.Yeah I don't have one, don't have a lot of things, may start rolling pie dough again after watching a vid. I have a workaround method.........to get things back on topic. I wintersowed the wheat and milled my own flour also.I'm not done yet. Your link had croissants, presume the bread kind. My mom used to make THE BEST the old fashioned way and English tea rings. I'd love to find a shortcut for those and also for that puff pastry dough the bakeries use, not phyllo. I'm hungry for Ferden and Timbale case cookies dusted w/powdered sugar. Done.

"that should get the GWeb administrators off my back about posting off topic threads"

Yeah, I'll give you a helping hand here, back to WS'ing. I did get a batch of soil mixed today ready to go, will try to do the rest of my half gals and then a larger hanging pot I plan to put my tp rolls in or a porch box (will see what fits), cover with medium weight plastic (try to keep stuff on hand), cut slits in it, and tie with my knotted loop at both ends idea and twistie ties.

How bout that? I think they don't get too upset if you start a thread with OT, like no knead bread, then, voila! Grow your own breadseed poppies. Things like that. I don't have enough land to do wheat or grain crops.

Later. I've got to go back and save the pics for cutting pepsi bottles and yours for my peanut butter jars, can't decide whether to try a V or do the tab idea. V's would be faster, and I like fast.

Monte your chicken is 6 bucks?

Raised it from $5 about a year ago. Still cant be beat. Its some good chicken.

Since you cook them, are they brined to stay moist?

Id love the recipes if you wouldnt be giving away any state secrets. Feel free to e-mail me directly if you dont want to put it out publicly.

"The wire saw to cut the juice containers worked FABULOUSLY! "

Glad it worked out. Its a very safe process also. I worry about you all you know. LOL

Eating machines? You have those too?

Mine are B20-B14 and G11 and for some reason they have friends that always seem to show up around dinner time.

Just a coincidence I guess.

"I don't know and what's EVOO?"

Extra Virgin Olive Oil- the really good stuff.

Not meant for cooking. Dippng bread in EVOO is very common at Italian tables.

"spoon some stewed tomatoes on and take a bite."

Stewed tomatoes!

Google Bruschetta.

Lots of variations but with really prime, super fresh ingredients, roasted garlic and crunchy bread (preferably toasted over a coal fire) there is nothing better.

Ok, there are thousands of things better, but at the moment your eating it, youll think there is nothing better at least til the next course.

"I think he just threw in the oven"

Yes, you can get very good bread without it being in a sealed vessel but the crust will soften as it cools.

I saw a trick where you pierce the "shell" in a few places with a skewer right after it comes out and that allows some internal moisture to escape.

This will let it cool without softening the crust as much.

Uh-Oh! Here comes another one, hold on.

DRIFT------DRIFT------ DRIFT

I used to work nights offloading trucks (10PM to 7AM) with a guy who owned a REALLY nice little Italian bistro.

Why he chose to work a second job is a topic for another day.

Multiple drifts in one thread can be dangerous.

Before he left the bistro every night he would make up trays of great food for some of us.

Fresh salads, pizzas, hot pasta dishes. Awesome cook.

Soon we all began to bring in something.

Wed bring in a slow cooker and wed do dirty water dogs with all the fixins.

Chili, kraut, onions, baked beans on the side from the microwave.

Sometimes he would get whole rib eyes from his supplier and wed fire up the grill.

Inch thick USDA Prime steaks, not supermarket quality.

Grill up some monster shrimps or marinated chicken.

Now mind you this was a bunch of guys outside a H-D at 2 AM sometimes in the dead of winter.

Some might consider that odd.

Much like the eatin machines friends I have at home for some reason the truckers all used to show up just about that time.

Another coincidence I suppose.

But I digress.

REVERSE SWERVE

Back on topic now, everyone OK?

If you cut down the peanut butter jars I think that Tokens "single slit in the bottom half" would work very well for that application.

To conclude I dont really grow my own wheat but the GWeb "watchers" dont need to know that OK.

Monte the Suddenly Hungry