Any really good Restaurants in Pittsburgh, PA?

dinner set mcd image

Sara

I want to find some new places to try out this summer in the pittsburgh region (downtown, south side, waterfront or south hills area...other area aka north,east and I guess west are acceptable, just harder to get to for me)...I've been to places like nakamas and the tin angel, I want to try something new...something unique to Pgh (not like lone star or good ol mcd's)...BTW~ me n my fiance don't drink, I mean it doesn't matter if you answer me with places that have bars, it's just weren't not into the bar scene, just the food and atmosphere. Also, we would like to know of any family friendly restaurants...we have a two yr old daughter. If you could, list some places for just us and some for our family! I appreciate everything and I really can't wait to try out Grill 36 (Jerome Bettis new place on the north shore!! :)) Cheers and Go Steelers!!!

Answer
Ok where do I start. Ok for breakfast go to the Strip District and go to Deluca's, if you little loves pancakes or french toast she will love it.... If you are going on a Saturday, go early. Any other day of the week you are pretty much ok. After breakfast, enjoy the Strip. The shopping and the shops are fun and a nice way to spend the morning. Plus it smells so good.....Go to Prestogeorge, say hi to all of them there and get a coffee. If you love Starbucks, you will love this even more. For lunch you have several choices but the one I love is to go a get some bread and cheese from Penn Mac and take it down to the Point. Let you daughter run around and enjoy you cheese and bread along the river. For dinner, it is the beginning of June and if I am not mistaken the Three Rivers Arts Festival is going on. The food is awesome, a little pricey but the portions are huge and meant to be shared. For dinner, I love either to go to Homestead Works. There is a ton of dining there and I believe there is also the EatnPark diner, which is very good and very kid friendly. Of you can go to Station Square. I love Hard Rock Cafe, Buco Di Beppo and Grand Concourse. All three are kid friendly but word of advice, Hard Rock is very loud but a lot of fun. Ask the waitstaff to play YMCA. They will stop what they are doing and dance for you. Buca is italian served Family Style. The portions are huge and they will be tons of leftovers, but that is ok because they heat very well. Grand Concourse is five star dining. I would more recommend this place for Sunday brunch. They have a little area set up just for kids and the bananas foster are the best I have ever had. Another place to try is The Cheesecake Factory. I am not sure exactly where it is in Pittsburgh, but I know that they recently have built one. I believe it is in the South Side area. You can also try the Bloomfield Area. I love the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern for lunch. Don't go at night, they will have a band. yes it is a bar, but it is a family bar and the Polish food is some of the best. Especially the Pierogies.....I went to school with the family that owns this place. Plus they love kids, and always give them toys and treat to play with. There is also Don's which is right next door. They have great italian food. Pittsburgh is a variety of ethiniticies, so whatever you are hungry for, you will be able to find. Another place to check out is Oakland. Go to the Original for a dag and some awesome fries, then walk a few blocks down and get the best homemade ice cream I have ever had. It is called Dave and Andy's. My two favorite flavors are gingerbread cookie and birthday cake. Some good areas are Robinson, South Side, Homestead Works and Station Square. This is where you will find a lot of one of a kind resturants or chains that are only in select cities. For late night eating in the Strip is both Primanti Brothers and Peppis. They are both sandwich/hoagie shops but they are Pittsburgh icons that are meant to be experienced. Good Luck

Why is taking a woman to lunch for a first date viewed as being "cheap"?

Neo

I had a real life conversation with a female acquaintance. She said a guy taking a woman to lunch is being "cheap."

I asked "So, whether or not you like a man is dictated by how much he spends on you?"

(confusing and back peddling) Her: "Or we could have drinks after work..."

Let's say I meet a woman for drinks after work....remember, this is drinks and not dinner. A drink or beer at a decent pub where I live runs about $5 (including tip). I'm going to guess a woman will have 2 max so she doesn't get drunk. If I'm not eating, I'll likely do only 2 beers (maybe 3 if I'm drinking bottles). So, that would be 5 total drinks for about $25-27. The last time I was on a lunch date, I spent $30-35 (not McD's obviously). Using high/low numbers...

$30 lunch > $27 drinks (if I remember less than/greater than from 4th grade math).

It appears being "cheap" is more expensive. This confuses me. How exactly is going to lunch being "cheap?"

And another woman who overheard said that going for "coffee" is ok too.

$30 lunch >> $10 coffee

BQ: Is math for women different than math for men?

Answer
To be honest, I'd prefer a lunch date for a first date with someone I don't know well. I'd disagree that it's disrespectful in any way. In fact, I think it's more respectful to the both people. See, I think of lunch as a nice "starter date". It's a good way to test the waters, get to know each other, without all the unspoken stuff. Because it's the middle of the day, both people can drive. The date can last as long or as short as the couple wants. Both good "outs" in case the date goes poorly. The meal is simple and relatively inexpensive-- and much easier to split the ticket if the couple wants. Alcohol isn't an expectation, but can be part of the date. There isn't the "dress up" factor, there isn't the expensive meal. There isn't "what do we do after dinner?" A lunch date says to me, "I want to talk to you, get to know you, see the you that others know". It allows both people to get to know each other without getting in too deep-- financially or emotionally. And if it goes well, you can take the conversation to a nice intimate spot, or set up another date. If it goes poorly, then it's "hey, you know....I had a great time, but I have to go." Easy peasy.

BQ: It's not the money, it's what each date means. Coffee is dipping your toes in. Lunch is wading in. Dinner is going in up to your chest. Taking her on a weekend trip is diving in head-first.

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How can I know the value of a Complete Noritake China Pattern #6226 "Hermitage" set?

dinner set noritake image

It consist of 8-Coffee Cups small plates, 8dessert lates, 8 soup bowls, 8 dinner plates, 8 salad plates, 1 sugar bowl with lid, 1 creamer, 1 gravy plate (big), 1 plater and 1 salad bowl.

Answer
ebay, baby

Need to know what the value of Nortiake bone china Chalfonte 7 piece setting service for 16.?

Glenda

Includes duplicate serving pieces and coffee pot and creamer and sugar bowl. The pieces are dinner plate, bread plate, soup bowl, salad plate, desert plate, desert bowl and coffee cup and saucer.

Answer
go to this place is the one i found hope it helps you know what you are looking for and you have the name exactly or not because the name is noritake so might have the other name wrong but go there and you might see what you want good luck or to noritake.com

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What should I cook for a Spanish dinner?

dinner set plastic image

vintagelov

I am planning on hosting a spanish dinner and I need some help with creating a tasty but simple manu

For starter I obviously want to cook tapas but I'm not sure which ones so please suggest some

The main I am cooing paella and I have a recipe for that

Are there any spanish deserts except churros? I don't think that they will finish the meals well

I am also making sangria to accompany the meal

Your suggestions and reipe ideas will be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Answer
Here's a big list of tapas. At times I've made all of them. Yesterday I went to a paella party and brought the olives, the meatballs and the dates (spanish devils). Those 3 made a really nice group. And yes - be warned - long post ahead ;-)

TAPAS
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Roasted Bell Peppers with Honey & Almonds (some of the best roasted pepper you can have)

8 red bell peppers, quartered
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 oz flaked almonds
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Preheat broiler to high. Place peppers, skin side up in single layer on a baking sheet. Cook under broiler 8-10 minutes until skins are blistered and blackened. Transfer to plastic bag, tie off and let cool. Peel skin when cool and chop into bite-size pieces. Place in bowl. Heat olive oil in large heavy-bottom skillet. Add garlic and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or until golden. Stir in the almonds, honey and vineagar, then pour mixture over bell pepper. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper, toss well. Serve at room temperature.
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Olives with Orange & Lemon (again, awesome olives and they look really cool)

2 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
1 ¼ cup black olives
1 ¼ cups green olives
2 tsp grated orange rind
2 tsp grated lemon rind
3 shallots, finely chopped
pinch cinnamon
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
5 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp orange juice (I used more - juice of one orange)
1 tbsp chopped mint
1tbsp chopped parsley

Fry the fennel and cumin seeds in a small heavy bottom skillet, shaking frequently, until they begin to pop and give off aroma. Remove from heat and let cool. Place olives, orange and lemon rind, shallots, cinnamon, and toasted seeds in a bowl. Whisk vinegar, olive oil, orange juice, mint, and parsley together in a bowl and pour over olives. Toss well and refrigerate.
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Spiced Almonds (yum, though the seasonings didn't stick as well as I'd liked)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/4 teaspoon Pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound blanched almonds

Preheat oven to 350°. In medium bowl, mix all spices. Add almonds and toss to coat with the spice mixture (does this need olive oil to help make it stick?). Spread the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes, stirring halfway through baking, until lightly toasted. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Spanish Devils (freaking AMAZING - everyone loved these, even non-date eaters) Note: these use the pre-cooked Chorizo (for eating as opposed to for cooking as was explained to me at the Spanish store)

24 Medjool dates (approx 1 lb. package)
2 ounces dry chorizo, skinned and finely chopped (1/3 cup)
3 ounces Italian Fontina cheese, shredded ( 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350°. Make a small slash in each date and remove the pits, keeping the dates intact. Mix cheese and chorizo together in a bow. Fill each date with chorizo and cheese, pinch them closed and set them on a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the cheese is melted. If they are large, cut each date in half crosswise, transfer the Spanish devils to a platter and serve warm. The stuffed dates can be refrigerated overnight. Bake them before serving.
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Spanish Meatballs in Almond Sauce (again AMAZING - really different, we did have one person who wasn't blown away, but the rest of us fought over the leftovers the next day)

MEATBALLS:
2 oz bread, crust removed
3 tbsp water (or a little more)
1 lb ground lamb (or beef)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
1 egg, beaten
nutmeg
flour
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
ALMOND SAUCE:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 oz bread
4 oz blanched almonds
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 ¾ cup vegetable stock
salt & pepper

For meatballs: In bowl, soak bread in water for 5 minutes. With hands, squeeze out water and return bread to bowl. Add meat, onion, garlic, parsley and egg. Season with grated nutmeg and salt & pepper. Knead together to form smooth mixture. (you might want to cook a pinch in a frying pan to test taste)
Spread some flour on a plate. With floured hands, shape into about 30 meatballs, roll each in flour until coated. Heat olive oil in large heavy bottom skillet. Add meatballs in batches and cook for 4-5 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove with slotted spoon and reserve.
To make sauce: heat olive oil in same skillet in which meatballs were fried. Break bread into pieces then add to skillet with almonds and cook gently, stirring frequently until the bread and almonds are golden brown. Add garlic and fry for an additional 30 seconds, then pour in the wine and boil for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and let cool slightly. Transfer mixture to a food processor. Pour in vegetable stock and process until smooth.
Simmer meatballs in sauce for 25 minutes. Add salt & pepper if necessary.
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Patatas Bravas (a classic Spanish dish - there are tons of recipes on the internet - this was okay, but basically just roasted potatoes with a hot tomato sauce - a VERY spicy hot tomato sauce)

Potatoes:
1 ½ lbs potatoes, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
¼ cup olive oil
Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground cumin
½ - 1 tsp dried chili flakes
1 tsp paprika
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
dash Tabasco
1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

For sauce: heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, chili and paprika and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, add the wine and simmer for 30 seconds, then reduce the heat to medium and add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is thick. Process the sauce in a food processor or blender until smooth.
For potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the potato pieces in a 12x8 inch baking dish, pour the oil over, sprinkle with some salt and toss to coat. Bake in the top half of the oven for 40 minutes, turning once, until the potatoes are cooked through and light brown.
To serve: Heat sauce in pan, stir in the Tabasco, parsley and some salt. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and serve hot.
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Garlicky Wild Mushroom Sauté (nice, simple, really good for the less adventurous eaters)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound oyster mushrooms, tough stems trimmed, large mushrooms halved
3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps quartered
1/2 pound chanterelle mushrooms, halved
1/2 pound enoki mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons dry sherry

Heat 2 large skillets over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to each skillet and heat until shimmering. Add half of the oyster, shiitake, chanterelle and enoki mushrooms to each skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook without stirring until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until browned all over, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook until all of the mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to 1 of the skillets and heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over low heat until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add the sherry and bring to a simmer; pour over the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and toss. Serve the mushrooms warm or at room temperature.
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Chorizo with Figs (I couldn't find canned figs, but fortunately I found fresh and cooked them in wine - oh yum - very popular) Note: this uses the other kind of chorizo - the for cooking type

1 pound chorizo, cut into 1" pieces
1 small onion, sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup red wine
1 can figs
½ cup sugar
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 stick cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the chorizo and garlic; sauté until garlic in golden brown. Add red wine, sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, and cloves and simmer 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the drained figs. This can be made in advance and reheated just before serving.

Hosting a semi-formal dinner party for 10 people, what are good foods to cook and what kind of tablewear?

Gretchen M

I have never done this before but i would like to invite friends new and old to my new house so we can have a little fun, they can all meet eachother and enjoy a good time. Should I do a theme? What kind tablewear is the best to get, china, plastic or styrofoam? What are the best foods to cook for such an occasion? THANKS GUYS
Oh! goodness! I forgot to mention answerer #3 that I am a vegetarian! Some of my friends are not so I am trying to find some different recipes.

Answer
A lot of this depends on your skills as a cook. Assuming you are not a novice and know your way around a kitchen, I'd suggest a sit down affair with plates and flatware, wine glasses, etc. Set a nice table. I would also suggest a buffet table for snack foods during a cocktail hour. I'm not going to list fifteen miles of recipes. But you can always get good suggestions for recipes on the Food Network website. Here's what I would suggest:

Buffet Table, some combination of these:

Prescuitto wrapped melon;

Shrimp Cocktail;

An olive dip;

Cheeses and fruit plate (grapes and brie are great together)

Caviar (depending on budget, you can do it for twenty bucks or hundreds. It's just a nice touch!)

A vegetable Pate'

DINNER

A tossed salad is fine. I make my own vinegrette, but some bottled vinegrettes work well. I usually put the salad dressing in gravy bowls or whatever so people can put their own on to taste. If you want to get fancy, you can do a spinach salad with hot bacon dressing, or a strawberry based dressing.

A pasta dish is always good. Try this one. Pasta and brie. You dice tomatoes, garlic, brie and butter. Put all of it in a big pasta dish. Cook ziti or ditalini or whatever you like. As a pasta dish, a pound should be enough. Maybe a pound and a half. Drain. While the pasta is still hot, pour it over the brie, butter, tomato mixture and toss until it all melts together. This is great stuff and very easy.

Entrees:

I cant help you with veggie food. Sorry. Some suggestions are Game Hens with rasberry/cabernet reduction (sauce)

Steak Au Poivre

Baked stuffed shrimp

Shrimp skewers

Serve with whatever veggies you want. A suggested side is sweet potato. Everybody eats them at Thanksgiving and forgets them the rest of the year! Big mistake!

For desert, nothing is better than Fresh Strawberries (I put them in a nice wine glass) that have been marinated in brown sugar and marsala wine, topped with a schlag (sp) which is heavy cream, brown sugar and marsala. You whip the mixture but dont whip it into whipped cream. It's more the consistency of a sauce.

Let me know when you are having your party. I'll come over and help ya out!

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how much could I sell a majestic collection real old willow dinner set and tea set by booths?

dinner set with price image

Tom Paganh

I have the whole set. I think it's a dinner set because of the plates and gravy boat, but there are also tea cups and stuff.

How much do you think I could sell it for?
i inherited it. and i thought maybe people would have similar questions. cos i cant find a section for antiques.

Answer
Is it Royal Doulton blue willow? A full set would have more than dinner plates and tea cups. Saucers? Dessert plates? Bowls? Serving pieces? You might get more if you sell pieces. Try looking on eBay and replacements.com for prices. Blue willow is very collectible and you may find someone on Craigslist. Replacements.com may even buy the set, but you would have to send it to them, so probably not a good idea.

Good luck. By any chance, do you live in Minnesota?

How much should I charge for babysitting?

altanika86

I'm awful at figuring these things out. I'd prefer to just say to the parents "You set the price," but I'm afraid of being taken advantage of.

I'm 20. I've been babysitting off and on for a number of years. This would be the first time watching these kids. 2 kids, ages 3 and 4. It's only for 3 hours on Valentine's Day, so they can go out for an early dinner.

I don't know these people if that makes a difference. They found me online.
I have yet to agree to it. The mom just asked me to do it, and asked for my rates.

And I have babysitting profiles on the major babysitting sites - sittercity, care, etc.

Answer
I would be wary of babysitting for someone I met online. Pleast take care if you do take this job.

8 dollars an hour is pretty good for 2 kids, it would equal $4.00 an hour per child.

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Good recipes/meals/dishes to make ahead of time for my man to take to work that can be microwaved if needed?

dinner set 30 piece image

My boyfriend works nights and has to take his dinner and snacks and such. I want to make him some meals ahead of time that he can take and warm up so he isnt eating frozen meals. Any good ideas that are filling, healthy, and good? Thanks!

Answer
leftovers! just make a little more for dinner and then send the leftovers with him. my fiance isnt big on LOs but whenever i make baked ziti, he always takes leftovers to lunch the next day cause it doesnt get soggy. here is my recipe:


1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 pound Ziti or Penne pasta (i use penne)
1 lb Hamburger
15-16 oz ricotta or lowfat cottage cheese (i use ricotta)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 TBS dried parsley (OR--- i use an itailan seasoning mix)
1 egg
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles, drain, set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese or cottage cheese with the egg, 8 oz of the mozzarella, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In dutch oven brown hamburger, drain, add spaghetti sauce, add cooked pasta and mix well. Spoon half of the mixture in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread the entire amount of the ricotta mixture over that, then top with the remaining pasta mixture. Top with other 8 oz of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

he also likes to take fried rice. i use rice a roni and precooked piece of grilled tyson chicken

Does anyone have a good recipe for pork chops?

Gangstalic

I want to cook a special dinner for my boyfriend because of his job promotion and he loves pork chops. So any good recipes out there?

Answer
This takes a little extra time because of the brining, but the recipe itself is really easy, and you get moist, wonderful results. I promise he'll love it.

Cider-Cured Pork Chops

--8 tablespoons kosher salt for the brine, plus more for seasoning
--2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper, plus more for seasoning
--4 cups apple cider (you can use hard or sweet cider--I usually use some of both)
--6 1 1/2-inch thick center-cut or loin-cut pork chops, bone-in (Is this for a group? If it's just the 2 of you, you could easily reduce the recipe, changing the proportions accordingly, but it sounds like a celebratory dinner party might be called for!)
--6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

To make brine, dissolve the salt in 1/2 gallon of warm water in a large bowl (or use a great big food-grade plastic bag inside a large bowl, which saves mess). Add the pepper and cider and mix. Drop in the chops; add enough additional cider (or water, if you're out) so that the chops lurk in the liquid like frogs in a pond.

Preheat oven to 400. Remove chops from brine and dry with paper towels. Rub them with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season well with more salt and pepper.

Heat remaining oil in 2 ovenproof skillets and sear the chops, 3 to a pan, for 4 minutes a side. Place skillets in oven for 6 to 8 minutes, then remove chops to a warm platter. Cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes or so.

(If you can only find thinner chops, the recipe still works great, just be sure to reduce the cooking time accordingly. Which reminds me--I didn't tell you how long to brine them!! At least 8 hours, and up to 72, in the refrigerator of course. Thinner chops might not need that long.)

Serve the chops with the following, on a warmed platter, drizzled with the sauce below.

Caramelized Apples and Onions

--6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
--4 Granny Smith (or other tart) apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each
--2 stems fresh thyme
--2 bay leaves
--2 tablespoons butter
--3 large white or yellow onions, peeled, sliced
--salt and pepper to taste

Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples, then one stem of thyme and one bay leaf. Cook until apples are golden-brown but not mushy, 5-10 min. Remove from heat and throw away the thyme sprig and bay leaf. Dump the cooked apple into a bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet. In same skillet, over medium-high heat, heat remaining oil with the butter. Add onions and the remaining thyme and bay leaf. Cook, stirring often, 20 to 30 min. until onions are softened and golden brown. Fish out the thyme and bay leaf and throw them away.

You can do all this early in the day if you want. When the chops are nearly done, just reheat the apples and onions together, stirring often, over medium-high heat until they're warm through. Arrange the chops on a warm platter and arrange the apple/onion mixture around them, drizzled with...

Cheater's Bordelaise Sauce

(It's not a classic Bordelaise, but trust me, no one's going to notice.)

--2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
--1 shallot, chopped
--1 clove garlic, chopped
--2 stems thyme
--1 bay leaf
--3 cups pinot noir or any decent red wine (don't waste a really good bottle on this!)
--pan drippings from chops (If you didn't end up with enough, you can use one of those pre-made demiglace sauces from the supermarket--about 2 tablespoons should do it)
--3 tablespoons cold butter, cut in smallish pieces
--salt and pepper to taste

Pour the oil into a large saucepan, place it over medium-high heat, add the shallot and garlic, then the thyme and bay leaf. Cook until shallots are light brown, then add the wine, lower the heat, and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup. You can do this much ahead if you prefer.

Add the pan drippings (or demiglace) and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes, maybe at the same time the chops are resting and you're reheating the apples and onions. Pour the sauce through a sieve into a clean saucepan. Make sure it's warmed through, then remove it from the heat and stir in the cold butter piece by piece. This gives body to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle the sauce over the chops, and serve immediately.

I hope you try it. It's delicious and impressive, and it's actually pretty simple. And congratulations to your boyfriend on the promotion.

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how do i clean printed marks of dinner set?

dinner set plates image

yaya

I got a dinner set as a gift and that has printed address and phone # on top side of the plates...
No its not ink its printed by black color, i guess embossed....these type of marks are usually printed on back side of the plates, name of the company or made in japan, china....etc

Answer
If you mean a ink transfer on to the plate, you could try some vinegar, and or baking soda...:)

wow that is really odd that the print would be on the top of the plate. There's no way that I know of that you could remove it. Is it possible that you could return it....Good luck.

Is it ok to eat leftovers from the dinner plate after my cat has eaten from it?

Q. Sometimes we leave our leftover dinner plates on the kitchen counter before we clean them and our cat ALWAYS gets her face into whatever we were eating. Tonight it happened again and my wife insists it is ok for HER to eat the leftovers on her plate AFTER her cat has already eaten from it too. Is she crazy? Will she get sick? Contract a disease?

Answer
Depends on what level of sanitation you're comfortable with.

I can say I've probably drunk from a water glass my cat's head was shoved into (he drinks on the sly when we're not looking) and that he's helped himself while I was on the phone and not guarding my plate. If I know where he ate, I'll shove some of that over for him, but if I don't know, it isn't going to kill me.

No, they don't carry any disease you can get from their mouth unless they bite you and the bacteria isn't cleaned out from under your skin. Infection sets in then.

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Is cost of living higher in Japan or the UK? (Hallo, Yozora!!)?

dinner set uk sale image

mmhmmm

Both countries are known elsewhere for being "expensive", but which is more expensive and in what areas?

And why is Japanese food in the UK so bloody expensive? I can get a wonderful meal at an Italian restaurant for a reasonable £7-8, but a meal of comparable quality and quantity would cost £15-20 at a Japanese restaurant!

And the nearest Korean restaurant is a ruddy 40 miles away in Glasgow (I live in Edinburgh). So add £9 for a return train ticket to the cost of the meal >_<!!


A little about myself:
I'm Chinese British. I was born here (down south in Kent to be exact) but I lived in Taiwan for the last 10 years, and I only returned (to Edinburgh) last September.

So what do I feel about prices in Edinburgh?
- Rent... fair enough, lower than what we paid in Taiwan.
- Food... Italian is reasonable, but Asian is too bloody expensive!! Asian food isn't supposed to be so expensive!!
- Everything else... not noticeably different from what I'm used to.
To goldlust74:
Well yes, you could compare Edinburgh prices with London prices...

But you could also compare Edinburgh with a smaller Japanese city like Kumamoto or Hiroshima!

Answer
Hello!
8 )

Well ... it's hard to say for sure! As for rent, I don't know - we owned our own place in England, so it's not worth trying to compare rental costs now.

Food - European food, including BRITISH food! Is a LOT more expensive here. If you do price comparisons in ANY country, you'll find that if you get someone back 'home' to buy something for you, and mail it by surface mail, it costs about the same as the price in the shops. This is true of Japanese food in France as well as English & French food here. It's not so surprising - exporting goods costs money, and they need to make some profit ... but it's irritating to have to pay more than 700å for 125g of Marmite...!! (Can't help thinking of that, we need to buy more today! Hope they haven't put the price up...!)

Restaurants are a totally different matter though. I never go to 'posh' restaurants, so I am comparing the prices of average or family restaurants, but in almost ALL things Japan is a lot CHEAPER than the UK! The exceptions are pizzas, and McDonald's & KFC! All about the same price in both countries! Strange and suspicious...!! I find it very soothing to go to a buffet style Chinese restaurant in Yokohama's Chinatown, and pay anything from £7 - £10 p/p for a truly slap-up dinner ... yet in the UK anything of that price would be a truly awful selection! (I tried the cheapest buffet I could find in London's Chinatown once ... about £7 ... pretty revolting!) Also, in the UK it's generally about £5 for ONE dish from a Chinese take-away - but here in Japan I can get a set meal for that, with rice, soup, maybe dessert or gyouza! AND usually they refill your rice bowl for free!! In the UK you'd pay up to a couple of quid just for plain rice.
: (

Drinks - how much is a 360 ml can of fizzy drink from a vending machine in the UK now? Here it was still 120å last time I looked! 150å for most 500 ml PET bottles. The best drinks are from Saizeria when you eat there - the drink bar is 180å for people older than elementary school age, and 100å for kids! The selection is fairly varied too, including hot and cold drinks. That's the only CHEAP drink bar I know of though - the rest are more expensive! About 300å perhaps...?!

Food from shops & supermarkets is probably cheaper in the UK - in some cases by a lot, in other cases by a little. Obviously the Japanese foods are more expensive in the UK - and European style foods, like bread, cheese, milk, are more expensive here. A case of demand not being high enough to keep output high and prices low. That's also why Japanese restaurants are more expensive than Chinese restaurants in the UK - plus the fact that Chinese food isn't as limited and they can use the meat or veg that's cheapest at the market! Japanese restaurants sell mostly high-end food - sashimi for example. You can't cut costs with stuff like that - not without killing people..! If more people were interested in Japanese food, the price would go down because they'd be able to import things in bulk - or even make (or brew) them in the UK. Plus they'd have specially trained fishermen to prepare freshly caught fish for sushi and sashimi, which would make it easier to get, and better quality, and more convenient ... but it's not likely to happen I'm afraid! Anyway, bulk buying = cheaper retail prices, and quick sales help keep prices down too, by reducing waste. So if people WANT the cost of sushi to go down, they have to get thousands more people to buy it, REGULARLY!

Travel ... it's a LOT cheaper here in Japan, which is just as well because having a car isn't really convenient!

Electrical goods are a little cheaper, but nowhere near enough to make it worth ordering something from another country and getting them to mail it to the UK!

International phone calls - more expensive if you use NTT, cheaper if you use G=call!

I won't waste my time comparing fuel bills or local taxes, because they tend to go up every year (especially in the UK!) and they vary from district to district too.

What was Paris, France like during the 1920s?

xcupcakexm

I'm writing a story and I'd like to set it in France during any year in the 1920's. The story's only going to take place throughout one year so I don't require a plethora of information, just a little bit regarding social classes, major places/ ideas for where to set the story (main part of story I'd like to take place on an estate, the rest would be a bustling place with a lot of stores and such), education, mannerisms/ how people were addressed- that kind of stuff. Or any information on books that would help me with the issue would be lovely :) Sorry if it's a dumb question...but I've never been anywhere but the state I live in >.< and I'd like the book to be as decent as possible...
feel free to email me additional information as well xcupcakexmidgetx@yahoo.com

Answer
The best place to set the bustling part of the story would be Paris, which was the centre of culture, entertainment etc. Rrual areas would vary quite a bit depending on the region. Northern France is mostly quite flat for instance, but the centre and south of France is quite mountainous. Wine production is an important French industry, and there are many well known regions given to wine growing, like Bourdeaux for example.

Food has always been very important to the French, and the 20s would be no exception. In most places, even today, it is still usual for shops etc, to be shut for two hours while people go to enjoy a long, lesiurely lunch. Even quite young children are given watered wine with their dinner to accustom them to it. In the 20s, even patients in hospital would be given wine with their meals.

Everyone shakes hands when they meet, it isn't something you only do when meeting someone for the first time like it is in the Uk for instance. Friends shake hands every time they meet. And when you go into a shop, you always say 'Bonjour' (good morning) to the shopkeeper. Going into a shop and just asking for what you want without saying 'Bonjour' first is considered rude.

Formally, men are always addressed as 'Monsieur'. A single women is 'Mademoiselle' and a married woman is 'Madame', however, women above a certain age (about forty I think) are always addressed as 'Madame' whether they are married or single.

Some things in 20s France were very similar to things in 20s America and the UK for instance, as regards fashion, music, dance, etc. In fact, the distinctive fashions of the 20s were inspired by the French fashion designer Coco Chanel.

In 'The Cambridge Illustrated History of France' Colin Jones writes:

French women still did not have the vote (they didn't get it until 1944).Radicals and Socialists were opposed to votes for women because they thought that women would vote for the pro-church parties. Women were not made legal majors until 1938 - prior to this date a wife needed her husband's permission for acquiring a passport for example. Because of the worry about the falling population, in 1920 the sale of contraceptives was prohibiited. In the same year the state threw its support behind the celebration of Mother's Day and introduced state medals for fertility (bronze for mothers of five children, silver for those with eight, gold for those with ten).

The eight-hour day was secured in 1919, but rates of adult male disease and mortality remaind significantly worse in France than in countries with a similar economic and social structure, and social insurance measures stil lagged well behind the rest of Europe. Real wages in 1918 were nearly a fifth lower than they had been in 1914, and though they jerked upwards during the 1920s, they had returned to 1914 levels by 1930. On the land, too, the situation was far from good. The peasants had suffered a high proportion of war deaths. The continuing trickle of a rural exodus towards the towns highlighted the difficulties of the agrarina economy, but also the relative weakness of the demand for industrial labour.

French society was riven with social tensions. Radical change of any kind seemed frought with difficultuies and the cards remained heavily stacked in the favour of the social elite and gthe business classes. Movements of political provocation and subversive rejection of bourgeois values prospered in intellectual circles. In the art world notable examples were the Dada movement, which began during the war, and the surrealist movement, which developed out of it in the 1920s. The yearning for a new kind of society toook many participants in these movements towards left-wing politics. Others drifted into the ranks of the extreme right.

Male wartime mortality had spurred an increase in the numbers of independent women, with unmarried and widowed middle-class women now entering the labour force in large numbers. Three years after the war, 42 percent of adult women were still in gainful employment, and they comprised two-fifths of the total labour force.

Having ones hair cut short was held to proclaim a new spirit of independence in women. The sexual overtones of short hair, short skirts, and flat chests were endlessly debated. Cloche hats - sometimes likened to soldier's helmets - bold cosmetics and costume jewellery completed the effect.

French cinema had enjoyed a golden age prior to World War I, and it retained much of its vitality in the inter-war years. Cinema, radio, and gramaphone records spread more widely the cultural fads of the Parisian elites. jazz, for example, became a national phenomenon rather than the passing craze of the Parisian nightclub circuit: a dancer and singer like Josephine Baker could become a national star.

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What are the most noticeable ways your community has been affected by the recession?

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SandwichGe

In my community:
Massive budget cuts for our public schools, and talk of closing some schools, doing away with several sports programs, and cutting staff. Even the private schools are feeling the pinch

Our job fairs, sponsored by State govt, private businesses, and local govt; have started doing online job fairs because so many people were showing up at the job fairs it was overwhelming.

Most of our nonprofit charities are unable to raise enough money to fulfill their missions.

I'm seeing many more people going door to door looking to do odd jobs.

How goes it where you live?

Answer
In No. California, a lot of stores- some major, like Mervyns, Circuit City,
Linens & Things have closed, along with the small stores that just can not make it anymore. The shopping malls are almost bare of customers. I went into Sears not too long ago, and you could throw a bowling ball down any isle. Even Target is pretty quite. A lot of the small restaurant have closed, and some of the big ones are also in trouble. The unemployment if at 10%. Job fairs are packed to the max.
No one is buying new cars and we have a sea of cars sitting at.the piers in LA, as their is no where else to put them. A lot of road construction projects have been set aside. And NO one is building houses any more. If you want to sell your house forget it!!!! Even the foreclosures are not selling real fast. No one can get loans, even if you qualify.The food banks are giving out more and more every day. The homeless are living in a tent city. People will not be getting their state income tax refunds in who knows when. People have just cut out any non-necessary spending. Resturants are tying to entice people with lower prices and 2 for one or 2 at a special price. (like 2 dinners for $20). A few of the low income health clinics have had to close. The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper is saying they are going to have to shut down, and the Sacramento Bee Newspaper is laying of personnel like crazy. This is due to lack of want adds. So they do not have the add revenue they need. I'm sure I could think of a few more things, but I better quit, as this is getting depressing.

Any sites about baking utensils?

Chukeki

All I can get from search engines are online shopping sites of baking utensils. Please do not recommend me shopping sites.
I need a site to give me the baking utensils list, its use and picture. THANKS!

Answer
Essential Utensils for Cake Baking

Fancy electric mixers, handheld blenders and pancake rings⦠the market is swamped with baking utensils that you donât really need. So what exactly do you need when you begin to bake? Hereâs our round-up of genuine essentials, with a Wish list for every budding bakerâ¦
The Real Baking Essential

Two Large Bowls

Weâll begin with the obvious: a bowl, but letâs make it two - many recipes ask you to beat egg whites separately, before folding them into another bowl of ingredients. Or to melt chocolate over a pan, then tip it into the cake batter. So itâs sensible to have two large bowls in your kitchen.

Whisk, Spoon & Spatula

Turning to the cutlery drawer, youâll also need a whisk for aerating cake batter and eggs, a spatula for beating butter, smoothing tray-bakes and scraping out corners, and a spoon for beating and folding. Choose a wooden spoon (those with one rounded edge and one straight edge are best), and keep it exclusively for cake-baking, so you donât get a hint of onion in your Victoria sponge!

You will probably have a metal spoon in your cutlery drawer â they come with most dinner sets. The largest is a tablespoon (15ml), which is an important measurement for many recipes. It's also useful for folding ingredients, in recipes where you need to keep the air in the batter.

Measuring Jug & Spoon

As well as weighing out your ingredients, some recipes ask you to measure fluids or small amounts. To do this youâll need a measuring jug (a plastic one is best for protecting your batter against odours â avoid using it to reheat beans unless you want an orange jug!) and spoons. Keen bakers keep a selection of measuring spoons in their drawer. You can buy sets that are fastened together, with a wide range of capacities, but youâre likely to only use a couple: the tablespoon and teaspoon.

If you like to use recipes from the internet, or you have an American baking book, itâs also useful to have a cup measure on hand. In the US almost every ingredient is measured by cups, removing the need to weigh. Breadmakers often supply recipes by the cup, and you need a measuring cup (not a coffee cup) to get the proportions right.

Sponge Tins, Cheesecake Tin, Cupcake Tins, Swiss Roll Tin, & Loaf Tin

It depends what type of baking youâre doing, but youâll probably need a good selection of baking tins once you get hooked. The list above is a good starting point. Sponge tins are usually quite shallow, since theyâre designed to be used together to bake two sponges that will be sandwiched together.

To bake an all-in-one cake (like a fruit cake), youâll need a deeper cake tin; a Springform one is a good idea, because the outer ring springs off when you need to get the cake out. Buy more than one cupcake tin, because every recipe makes at least 12, and youâll find itâs a real nuisance to be emptying and refilling the tin. You can buy the small-sized fairycake trays, or the muffin-sized trays â or maybe a couple of each!

Finally, a Swiss Roll tin is used for more than Swiss rolls â you can use it to bake shaped or birthday cakes, tray-bakes, and shortbread. Youâll only need a loaf tin if you intend to bake loaf cakes (like walnut and apple). When choosing your cake tins, donât buy the cheapest; they will warp and cakes will stick to them. It really is worth investing in good tinware, so look for reputable manufacturers like Mermaid (the Cake Baker teamâs favourite!).
The Optional Extras

Hereâs a Wish List of extra utensils that are used for certain recipes, or to make baking easier. These utensils are wonderful gifts for bakers-in-the-making, too!

* Electric whisk for meringues and beating butter etc.
* Cookie cutters
* Madeleine tray
* Hand blender
* Scone cutters, fluted and plain
* Tartlet tins for individual tarts and lemon pies
* Ice-cream scoops
* Sundae dishes
* Novelty cake tins such as heart shapes
* Mini (or large) pudding basins
* Afternoon tea set
* Reusable silicone parchment
* Worktop Mixer
* Ice-cream maker (for freezer or worktop)

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where can i find dinnerware with egyptian designs on them?

dinnerware sets best image

Bubbles

i have been searching to find dinnerware sets with any egyptian designs on them. If anyone knows where I can find some, please let me know.

Answer
Target has just started selling them as well as with chinesse and japanesse and Indian too

Need help pricing my vintage dinnerware set?

Donna B

I have an "Uncle Wiggily" children's dinnerware set, circa 1924, in excellent shape and would like to post on ebay, but I can't seem to find a good start for pricing. Any info or websites u know of where I might research this would be appreciated. Thanx!

Answer
$65 on this site...

http://www.tias.com/9080/PictPage/1922843459.html

but there's several more...

http://www.google.com/search?q=children%27s+dishes+%27Uncle+Wiggly%27&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=#hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&&sa=X&ei=FWwzTfP9NIL98AaA-_HACA&ved=0CCUQBSgA&q=children%27s+dishes+%27Uncle+Wiggily%27&spell=1&fp=ddb181364976507e

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How to put together a dinner set?

dinner set gold image

Sarah

I've been thinking about putting together a formal dinner set, including the plates, glasses, silverware, and serveware. I already have a set of gold-plated flatware. I have been looking at Royal Albert's set of Old Country Roses bone china dinnerware and Waterford's crystal drinking glasses. Can anyone give me some advice for how to put together a dinner set and how I should choose my pieces?

Answer
For romantic dinner; see here: http://www.ehow.com/how_4449265_put-together-romantic-dinner.html

How to put together a dinner set?

Sarah

I've been thinking about putting together a formal dinner set, including the plates, glasses, silverware, and serveware. I already have a set of gold-plated flatware. I have been looking at Royal Albert's set of Old Country Roses bone china dinnerware and Waterford's crystal drinking glasses. Can anyone give me some advice for how to put together a dinner set and how I should choose my pieces?

Answer
By using cutlery and some food.

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10 points for the best answers. please answer the couple question there! 10 points?

dinnerware sets italian image

Rachel B

Im having a sweet 16 party in late Nov or early Dec. Im thinking about having a Snow Princess as my theme.
Now Can i pick the color i want the people to wear?
I was think bout Light Blue, Sliver And white for the colors:
+ Im do options incase people dont have the money: As black pants & Sliver top-- for girls: for boys: Black pants and light blue shirt
I would wear the white dress
Have the girls wear Sliver dress or black pants and sliver top
Have the guys wear black with a light blue tie.
Is that good so for for the theme? and the colors??

Do i need a grand entrance? If so is coming in a limo good?

Do you know how i can decorate the room with this theme that would look really pretty???

Im thinking about having a DJ also. Is that good?
What kind of games should we play?
what kind of food should we have?
Please give me ideas to make this sweet 16 the best!

---10 points for best answer----

Answer
Hope this gives you some ideas....
Personally if you can find a horse drawn carriage or sled in the area, check into that.....that would be an entrance...

The announcement of the party was a creative flash presentation e-mailed to family and friends that caught their attention and set the tone for the entire evening.

Scroll invitations were hand-delivered to nearby guests, delivered on a silk pillow.

The decor idea was simple and unique. Silver tablecloths are sprinkled with white and silver glitter and then covered by a clear tablecloth (to prevent your guests being covered in sparkles).

White votive candles are displayed on the table. Green ivy is sprayed with artificial snow. Whole fruits are dipped in syrup and then rolled in granulated sugar to create edible, frozen fruit. The fruit and ivy become a unique and inexpensive centerpiece for your Sweet 16 party.

White twinkle lights can be used to decorate the trees and surrounding foliage and canned snow can be used to add to the frozen effect.

White balloons with wireless iridescent blue lights inside can cover a pool and give the effect of ice, or can be placed around the venue to add to the theme.

An ice sculpture or an ice bar can be a unique touch to your Sweet 16 party theme and can be a focal point for your party as guests are naturally drawn to ice sculptures and bars.

Frozen drinks are in order for a Sweet 16 - virgin drinks for minors, of course. As each guest arrives you can consider handing them a great frozen drink and welcoming them to the Ice Princess' court. Ice cube lights (wireless cubes that light up in liquid)can add a nice touch of elegance to a drink.

Ask a bartender to create a unique signature drink that you name after the guest of honor so people remember the wonderful party and the name of that great drink they had.

Sweet 16 parties need a favor, consider customized poems rolled up as scrolls, candles that fit a regal theme, perhaps tiaras for the ladies and crowns for the men upon arrival.

Speaking of arrivals. For your Sweet 16 birthday party with the Ice Princess theme, do not forget either a red or white carpet runner for the grand entrance. A white carpet runner with more "frozen ivy" and "frozen roses" can be a wonderful touch.

There is plastic dinnerware that looks like expensive china, and plastic utensils that look like real silverware that is becoming easier to find. Using these great looking and inexpensive dinnerware and utensils can help save your budget while also setting your Sweet 16 apart.

Bite-sized foods go well with a princess theme. Snowball cookies or cupcakes can fit the theme, snow cones, shaved ices and Italian ices are all great dessert choices to go along with the cake.

The highlight of any Sweet 16 birthday party is the guest of honor, of course, and you want to make sure she truly shines on her special night.

Many young ladies celebrating their Sweet 16 have found that they can rent a beautiful gown from a costume rental store, especially those that cater to the movie, television and theater industries. Your entrance into your party can be regal with the right sparkle make-up on your face and a gorgeous rented gown.

For a little tongue-in-cheek moment your prince can arrive to entertain the crowd - a real-life Prince impersonator (the artist formally known as Prince that is).

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Eastern US only! What are you going to have for your dinner tonight?going out or making your own at home?

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A Yahoo Us

Eastern US only! What are you going to have for your dinner tonight?going out or making your own at home?I had my own made dinner at just now.I have learn to make some delicious indian recipes.yummmm....
ok.for whole usa now.sorry..just mentioned because its all most everyone's dinner time soon.but never mind.thanks.

Answer
â¢Italian Tomato Sauce
â¢This is the best you will ever have and very authentic. .

Get a sauce pan heat up some vegetable oil, (enough to cover the bottom of the pan 3/4 inch. Use an oil like Wesson Vegetable oil, (lighter and cleaner tasting than olive oil) add to that 3 - 4 cloves of smashed, pre-salted garlic. Heat that over a medium heat until the garlic is soft. Now, to the hot oil mixture, add 4 - 5 fresh basil leaves, torn . Do not allow the garlic to burn, you just want the basil and garlic to soften. Pour in 4 cans 8oz tomato sauce, any brand tomato. Turn up the heat a bit. Now take a can of WHOLE (28 oz) of San Marzano imported tomatoes, NO substitutes.(the reason you want the WHOLE tomatoes is that the pre-crushed are a lower quality, contain the scraps and or are the damaged tomatoes; therefore, not as good) First pour the juice of the San Marzano, then crush the rest of the tomatoes in a colander, by hand over the pot allowing all the pieces to be crushed, then pour that into the pot. Add a few more leaves of torn fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, regular black pepper (no salt) Turn down the heat and let it all simmer for 25 minutes.
When done set aside, now turn off the heat, stir in three heaping tablespoons of Pecorino Romano imported grated Italian cheese, Locotelli type is best if you can find it. That contains all the salt you need, the salt and the salt in the canned tomatoes, should be enough. I never have to add any extra. .
Serve with your favorite pasta and a few spoons of fresh Ricotta cheese added at the end to make it superb. You may also add a little extra fresh ground cracked black pepper at the end if you like and or red pepper flakes (optional) if you prefer.
If you follow this exactly and use the exact ingredients, your friends and family will not think you made this unbelievable sauce. They will think you are a genius!
If you live near a Trader Joe's store I highly recommend that you purchase a bag that contains 13 frozen small precooked flame broiled meatballs. Let them simmer from frozen in the sauce for 25 minutes until warm. That is the only type I recommend . .yum . .or make your own. I don't bother to make my own anymore, I can't make them better nor cheaper than the ones from Trader Joes.
If you can't find The San Marzano tomatoes where you live, they are available to purchase on the internet. Keep in mind, these are a type of canned tomatoes from a special area of Italy, many companies import into America a San Marzano tomato. First ask your grocery store manager. The next important ingredient is the Romano Cheese, Locotelli is best if you can find it if not you can purchase it from the net as well. The Tomatoes sauce any domestic brand is just fine, I use what ever is on sale, I tried them all which ever one, Del Monte, Hunts, Contadina, even the store brand. whatever you can find. Regular salt type, not the low salt. If I have a choice and the price is right, I prefer Contadina, they are a tiny bit sweeter. .
I am serving it with some store bought homemade style fresh pasta and the Trader Joe's Meatballs

How do I get a replacement set of medals?

jonathan

Tonight my unit has a formal dinner. We all have to wear our navy dress blues. We were all given the day off to prepare everything, since our chief said an admiral will attend or something like that. When I was putting my uniform together, I dropped my medal rack on the floor and 7 out of my 10 medals cracked. I left and immediately drove to the base px, but they didn't have everything I need! What do I do? I don't know how to get them fixed or get replacements in only 10 hours. What should I do?

Answer
I don;t really beleive a word of your story for a number of reasons:

- you should be wearing whites at this time of the year (unless you are in the UK, but your time frame rules that out)
- as you posted this an hour ago, the only place your timeline of needing this in ten hours makes sense is if you are in Hawaii, and they definitely do not wear blues
- today is Saturday - of course you have the day off
- just because an Admiral is attending is no reason to change the way you have to prepare
- issue medals do not crack when dropped
- the Navy does not call their on-base sales store a "PX" - that is an Army thing
- even if your medals did break, you can wear the ribbons

See - none of what you say really adds up. I think that you are a wanna-bee who is trying to figure out how to scam some free medals so you pose as a Serviceman.

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How can I lose 15 pounds relatively quickly?

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Q. Okay here is some more details:
I am 5'1", 112 pounds, and 15 years old. I know I am in a healthy BMI range, but I am still considered chubby by my most my family and friends. I am a vegetarian, and I exercise (run for 1 hour) 5-6 days a week. However, things like snacks and desserts always seem to ruin the meals I have tried to eat clean throughout the day. I try to eat very moderately and clean. An example of something I might eat throughout the day would be:
Breakfast:
1. Smoothie (strawberry, banana, soy protein, papaya juice)
Snacks:
1. Trail mix
2. Goldfish
3. Cheez- its
Lunch:
1. Tuna with cottage cheese, red onion, pickle, a little mayo (I eat tuna and shrimp, no other meat or seafood)
Snacks:
1. Trail mix
Dinner:
1. Pasta
or
2. Baked potato

I know I don't eat a lot of protein, but a lot of times for dinner I will eat black beans and rice, or a quinoa salad, or something in that general area. I know I'm only 15, but I'm tired of being ridiculed every day, and hating myself for it. I've been to a sports nutritionist for lacrosse, running, and diet, and she said to eat around 1,700 calories, but I think that's way to much even though I probably eat more. I want to lose 15 pounds at least, and I'd like to in possibly 1-3 months. I don't care if you think it's not healthy, I just need help and advice. Please anything positive you might have to contribute, go for it.

Thank you for all your help! :)

Answer
Hey, so i'm basically in the same boat as you. I am 5'2" and 117 lbs. a week ago i was 122lbs.. So i know how we can do this girl! And im not anorexic at all, im doing this the healthy way. I know what its like, we're petite, so a few extra pounds makes us look chubby.. First, your diet.. Avoid eating those cheez its and processed foods.. You are eating all carbs right now practically, that is no good. The trail mix is ok but heres what you have to do, i swear by this!

1. Diet.
You need to eat 4 meals a day that are approximately 300 calories each. You need to spread these meals out by 3-3.5 hours. This will keep you energized throughout the day so you wont Be starving. For breakfast i would suggest 1 piece of fruit like some cherries, grapes, avoid bananas cuz those are hawaiian foods and they will give you a chubby hawaiian body. Eat grapes, blueberries are great. Pick a fruit. ( thise are carbohydrates) then eat some protein, maybe some scrambled eggs, with chopped up green peppers or other vegetables on them. With some cheese on it (which is fat, like an omlet.) try to incorporate protein, carbs, and fat into each meal. If you have a snack ever, make sure it is protein and a carb. Like a handful of blueberries with some almonds.

2. After diet comes exercise, make sure you do cardio for 25-30 minutes per day. Go on the treadmill or go out running, run on the spit even. Do 100 jumping hacks a day.

1.) abs= Do 100 sit ups, 3 times per day. Maybe put your feet under the couch for support and do these, do 100 crunches once a day. Do cycling crunches if you want. An ab exercise that will give you really flat abs is when you lay on your back, put your legs in the air staight at a 90 degree angle, and then lower them not all the way to the ground, then raise them again. Repeat as many times as you can.

2.) arms-do as many push ups as you can, start with 20 a day and work yourself up, i do 5 sets of 20, so 100 per day.

3.) legs, butt and hips- a major one for shorter people who seem to accumulate more fat around the thigh and butt/ hip area..

Ok do weighted squats holding 10-15 lb weight, do 3 reps of 20. If you have no weight, do 50 squats with your feet turned forward, and 50 ballet style ones (plies).

Do some walking lunges, like 50 a day.
Do some leg lifts, 50 each side.
Do 100 butt ups to work that butt. Lol.

3.) stress and sleep- get plenty of sleep and stress less. Stress and worrying makes people gain weight sometimes. And makes youre skin bad, so dont worry be happy:) try to not focus on your looks or obsess and you'll immediately look even better than u already do. I'm sure ur very attractive:) and good luck to you, hope i helped:)

What are some good, easy to make French Foods for a party?

Marley

I'm throwing a little party for my 16th, just me and about ten other people hanging out at my house, the theme is Moulin Rouge and I'm going all out. For dinner, what are some good french foods that I can serve? I got crepes to make so far, but thats about it. If you don't count french fries and french toast... I mean.. yeah, but its supposed to be dinner and I want something yummy, and easy to make. Any ideas?

Answer
Tomato Tarte Tatin Recipe
By Rebecca Franklin, About.com
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 25 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
* 2 pounds plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise (substitute any low-seed variety)
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
* 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh, chopped parsley
* 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh, crushed rosemary
* 1 tablespoon oil or butter, for greasing ramekins
* Special equipment:
* 4 non-reactive, 3- to 4-inch baking ramekins or individual tart pans
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Working on a clean surface, roll the puff pastry dough into 4 5-inch circles and chill.
Season the tomatoes with the salt and pepper and set aside. Sprinkle the sugar into a large, ovenproof skillet set over medium heat. Shake the pan occasionally to move the sugar until it melts and turns light golden brown. Deglaze the pan with the red wine vinegar, scraping up the caramel from the bottom of the skillet. Once the caramel is incorporated into the vinegar, remove the skillet from the heat.
Stir the olive oil, garlic, parsley, and rosemary into the caramel and pack the tomatoes into the skillet. Bake the tomatoes, uncovered, for 2 hours. The tomatoes are done when they are slightly shrunken with wrinkled skin.
Raise the oven temperature to 400F. Grease the individual tart pans with 1 tablespoon oil. Using a slotted spoon to drain any excess juice, transfer the tomatoes into the greased tart pans. Fit the chilled pastry circles onto the pans and press the edges of the dough tightly down the inside of the pan, between the tomatoes and sides of the pans.
Place the individual tarts on a baking sheet and bake them for 12 to 18 minutes. The tarts are finished when the dough has puffed up and turned light golden brown.
This tomato tarte Tatin recipe makes 4 individual servings.

-OR-

Gougeres Recipe
By Rebecca Franklin, About.com
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
* 1 cup water
* 8 tablespoons butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 4 large eggs
* 1 ½ cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
* 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a rapid, rolling boil. Make sure all the butter is melted, and then add flour. Stir the mixture for 20-30 seconds, until a sticky dough ball forms and begins pulling away from the sides of the pan. Reduce heat to low-medium heat and cook, stirring, for 90 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, along with cheeses and seasonings. Place heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, for 25-30 minutes. The gougeres are done when they are a deep golden brown and puffed. Serve immediately. Makes 10 servings.

-OR-

Quiche Lorraine II

SUBMITTED BY: LADYNUSS PHOTO BY: PERIPATETIC1
PREP TIME 30 Min
COOK TIME 35 Min
Original recipe yield 1 - 9 inch pie
INGREDIENTS
* 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
* 6 slices bacon
* 1 onion, sliced
* 3 eggs, beaten
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line pastry shell with foil. Bake in oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until crust is set and dry. Remove from oven and turn down temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain and reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings. Crumble the bacon and set aside. Cook onion in skillet with reserved drippings; cook until onion is tender and then drain. In a large bowl, mix together milk, salt and eggs. Stir in bacon and onion. In a separate bowl, toss cheese and flour together, then add to egg mixture. Be sure to mix well. Pour egg mixture into pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of quiche comes out clean. If necessary, cover edge of crust with foil while baking to prevent burning or overbrowning. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

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Proper way to display China in cabinet?

dinner set 12 piece image

A K

I am getting married and have received my Great-Grandma's China. I also received a giant China cabinet to store it in. My question is with all three or four sizes of bowls and plates (to which I am not sure there proper names other than big, medium and small!) and teacups and saucers, how should I set it up. I have I groove in the back to stand up the big (dinner?) plates, but that is all!!! Please help, I have like 100 pieces (12 pieces of each) that I just cleaned all over my kitchen that I need to get put up!!!!

Answer
Think mountains, peaks in the middle working in a bell curve downward toward the sides. Optically, the fewer items you display, the less the china chest will look like the inside of another kitchen cupboard with dishes, bowls and serving ware piled up in storage. The plate rate in the back of each shelf usually accomodates platters or chargers that act as a backdrop to whatever is in front of them, usually crystal because you can see through it to the beauty of the platter behind. I generally don't use either the teacups or saucers on display in a china chest because there is just no decorative way to do it. Generally, those are just stacked and stored below behind solid cupboard doors. However, they do make rails that you can install inexpensively on the bottoms of shelves that hold them close together, neatly and in a compact manner. You can find them at Bed Bath & Beyond, Linen N things and even WalMart. Using the bowls in a decorative manner, you can take table linens, like napkins held in a napkin ring, and make almost a flower like arrangement putting the napkins (ring side down) in a stack of bowls for height. The napkin arrangement can also be done inside wine or drinking goblets for drama. The addition of fabric breaks up the sea of china and adds interest. I've even used little wicker baskets opened turned on their sides to store salad plates stacked sideways and then using the top of the wicker basket to give height to display something interesting like a gravy boat. The idea is to create little vignettes behind the glass doors that are creative and visually stimulating. The addition of texture and fabric used intermittently really packs some design punch.

I want to make a romantic dinner tonight for my girlfriend - any ideas or suggestions?

gittilygoo

I want to do something special for my girlfriend tonight. So tonight I want her to come home to a nice, romantic, candlelight dinner. I really haven't cooked much, but I want to try it tonight. Does anyone have any recommendations as to what I should make? Or the presentation or anything? I want to put on a really, really nice dinner for her tonight. Your help is appreciated. Thank you.

Answer
Good luck and I hope that you both enjoy!

Appetizer: Red Pepper and Tapenade Slices
1 (8-ounce) can crescent rolls (recommended: Pillsbury)
1/2 cup marinara sauce (recommended: Prego)
1/2 cup jack cheese, shredded (recommended: Kraft)
3 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup olive tapenade
1/3 cup roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove crescent dough from can and unroll. Separate into 8 triangles. Lay pieces of dough on baking sheet. Top each slice with a spoonful of marinara sauce, some shredded jack and blue cheese, a spoonful of olive tapenade, and red bell pepper strips.
Bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until edges are golden.

Pasta: You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta
This recipe will make enough for 2 couples. If you plan a romantic evening where more than two's a crowd, reserve half the sauce to freeze for another supper before the addition of basil, and only cook 1/2 to 2/3 pound of penne.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Crusty bread, for passing
Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.
Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread

Main Course: Garlic Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves stripped from stems
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Seasoning) or, coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Arrange chicken in a baking dish, 9 by 13-inch. Add garlic, rosemary, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest and grill seasoning or salt and pepper to the dish. Toss and coat the chicken with all ingredients, then place in oven. Roast 20 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice to the dish and combine with pan juices. Return to oven and turn oven off. Let stand 5 minutes longer then remove chicken from the oven. Place baking dish on trivet and serve, spooning pan juices over the chicken pieces.

Salad: Your Basic Tossed Salad
2 hearts romaine lettuce
2 small plum tomatoes, diced
1 Kirby cucumber or 1/4 European seedless cucumber, diced
1 small yellow onion or 1/2 red onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 /4 cup (a couple of glugs) extra-virgin olive oil,
2 to 3 tablespoons (a couple of splashes) red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarse salt and black pepper

Place salad greens in a salad bowl and top with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and carrot. Place oil, vinegar and sugar in a small plastic container. Put the lid on the container and shake dressing until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour dressing over salad. Season salad with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine.

Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream
Make your dessert first for this menu to allow these chocolate cups to set and chill: This recipe is a no bake pot de creme, no kidding.

2/3 cup whole milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur or dark rum
4 demitasse cups
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Mint sprigs, for garnish, optional

Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil.
In blender or food processor combine egg, sugar, a pinch of salt, semisweet chips, and liqueur. Run processor or turn on blender to low setting. Pour in boiling milk in a slow stream. The hot milk will cook egg and melt chocolate. Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth.
Spoon chocolate into 4 demitasse cups and chill. After dinner, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and beat to combine. Top the chocolate cups with a dollop of cream and garnish each cup with mint sprigs.
Place cups on saucers and serve with demitasse spoons. If you use teacups, this recipe will yield 2 cups, rather than 4.

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My wife wants more romance....?

dinner set yera image

Sad Susie

Ok, guys, help me out here--and girls, too, if you have any input at all!

My wife and I have been together for 5 yeras, married for almost two. I guess I'm not much of a romantic, but she REALLY is. I love her and she's very good to me and keeps me happy and satisfied in many ways (yes, THAT way, too!)

Lately, my wife has been complaining that she feels like the "liitle thoughtful gestures" that she makes towards me and the little things she does for me/us are not being reciprocated. I make sure I get her flowers every couple months, which she says she feels like I do because I think I have to, not because I want to. She wants me to like doing little things for her that make her happy, like planning a date for her and I every couple months, picking up her favorite dessert when I am at the store, surprising her at work with lunch, etc. She also says that it seems like I "hate" to do nice things for her like make dinner or massage her shoulders when I know she's had a rough day, or even just for no reason except that I love her. She does do things like this for me more than I do for her, and I do have a tough time doing nice things unless I can think of something nice she's done for me to warrant me doing something for her. This bothers her and she says it should be unconditional, not a keeping score sort of thing.

Do men really do these things for their wives that often? What do you all consider to be romantic gestures and how often do you do them? Does it seem like it's not from the heart if I am setting reminders in my calendar to get her flowers? I figured flowers once in awhile were enough. What do other guys do, and how often? How do you think of doing things?

Thanks for your help!

-Hopeless "un" romantic

Answer
I'm not a guy, but as a wife of 20 years, I can tell you what my husband does for me that makes me feel loved and special:

* When she's in the kitchen, come up behind her and put your arms around her waist and tell her you love her.

* Find a ritual...bringing her coffee in the morning, fixing her a soda in the afternoon, sharing a glass of wine on the porch in the evening. Something simple but something I miss when he is gone.

* Hold her hand when you go out. This is a big one for me.

* Not always possible to get to the car door before she does, but when you have the chance, jump on over there and grab a kiss before she gets in or out.

* Look her in the eyes and tell her how beautiful she is to you. Reach up and gently push a stray hair from her eyes... even if there isn't one there!

* "Can I get you anything" is a really nice question out of the blue. The answer is usually no, but the gesture is remembered.

* Take a bath together. Don't forget the candles and bubbles. Or, just draw her a bath and give her a kiss and quiet.

* As posted, the notes are pretty special surprises and will bring a smile to any day.

* Flowers are ALWAYS loved and welcome. An orchid costs more initially, but cheaper in the long run because they last a very long time. Make it a ritual to find a new orchid for her when the blossoms begin to fall. (Costco has amazing orchids a couple times a year for less than half and more beautiful than any other retailers.)

* BE AWARE of a new hairdo, dress or shoe. NOTICE when she does something new to make herself feel better. This would mean actually looking at your wife. (I spent years trying to look nice for my H and when we finally got it right, I noticed that he was noticing ME again.)

* When she talks to you, look at her.

* Spoon.

* Always make a point to reach out and touch at least one part of your bodies through the night as you wake. A foot, a hand, a back....

* If she takes any medication or vitamins, check up on her periodically to make sure she is on top of things, or reach for them and bring her the water. It shows her you care.
Asking about regular check-ups, mammograms, etc is something my husband reminds me of and it touches me that he thinks of these for me.

* Kiss her neck.

* Run your fingers through her hair, a light massage on the scalp.

* Brush her hair.

* Rub lotion into her feet and legs before she goes to bed or after the shower.

* Make it important to take pictures of the two of you together, as a couple, now and then.

* Talk about plans for the future. Talk about getting old together, forever. Remind her that she will always be beautiful to you, no matter what.

* Last but certainly not least, make her a card with one of those pictures. Fold a paper in half and tape the pic on front. Copy a song or saying you love inside. Remind her that you love her.


That's just a few of the things my husband does for me that keeps me madly in love with him. These are things that we've grown into over the years and basically had to hit a wall before we figured things out. I spent years wishing that he would be more romantic, but once you say it, it kind of loses its power because then you think he did it because you asked! Your wife is a lucky lady that you are here asking questions like that. Good luck to you.

Problem for v day what do you think?

s.r

Okay I have been with my husband 10 years married for 2 yeras. we have 2 kids, 5 and 4 he works narcotics and I'm a stay at home mom . i'm running around all day so is he . I understand he's tired so am I . I still dress up , he doesn't I still make dinner clean the house and do evrything the same as before. yet I'm not excited for Valentine's Day . I don't care if we go anywher and I'm not flattered about running and getting something for him at the store, what do you think has gone wrong here. is it or daily lives taking over . Thanks for your feedback

Answer
It is something like a set routine and resignation on both your part. V days is not that important - what is important is the feelings - which are missing because of the resigned outlook you have adopted. Just change the mind-set, you are never too old to love, nothing is more important then the two of you and the best moments of our lives are those that we live together. Every thing else will come back. First make and all out attempt by yourself and still if the progress is slow - get outside/professional help. Best of luck.

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