Grillin' and Chillin'

Grill Temperatures
I bought an oven thermometer after baking an unsatisfactory meatloaf and incinerating some sliced eggplant. Well, part of that was leaving the area while experimenting with thinner-sliced eggplant. The grill's outside thermostat didn't seem to match the heat it's giving off and has no numbers on it anyway. I found:
2 burners on med high = 550 degrees (perfect for pizza)
2 burners on low = 450 degrees (yikes, who knew?)
1 burner on low and one off = 350 degrees on the off side

I've got pizza down but have started using a pizza plate so I don't fret so much over an occasional wet dough slipping thru the grid.


German chocolate cakemix cookies with diced carrots and oatmeal never firmed up but I think those would have been better as cupcakes. Asta loved them after her pulled pork dinner, tho.


Plain white bread comes out better than in the oven. Below is from dough I started in the bread machine one night. I remembered it at 6am and it had fallen seriously but I started the grill anyway. The result was 7am hot bread and butter outside at Le Bistro. I should do this every day!


Whole wheat is troublesome anyway but yesterday's wheat/oatmeal/sesame seed loaf was undercooked. Looks like I'll be making more to get the timing down. It may work better on a baking sheet than in a loaf pan.

UPDATE: It may have seemed undercooked while hot but the next day it was perfect. Expected it was doomed to be toasted for crostini but sliced thinly and schmeared with roasted eggplant was excellent.

Things I learned from Martha Stewart

Every girl needs an electric drill. My house purchase coincided with the closing of all Sears Hardware stores. For $99 I got a battery-operated kit with a drill, screwdriver, reciprocating saw, and two other things I probably should investigate. Martha's also the reason I bought a drillbit for ceramics. I didn't use it for 3 years but it's the only way to drill holes in ceramic pots for plants or lamps.

Fill your hibiscus vase with ice. They're notorious for lasting 1 day even on the shrub but if you fill your container with crushed ice and water they'll be perky for hours and hours after cutting. Hint: it WILL need a coaster under it and will need to be replenished with ice.

Water radishes every day. Makes them sweeter and the leaves are really hydrated and excellent sauteed.

Fold bedspreads down to the end of the bed. It's so inviting and doesn't really look like an unmade bed. If you have a white dog it doubles the time between washings. Always a Good Thing.