Fried Rice

YUM! 😋

So, I don’t really want to call this a recipe…because I’m not planning to really give lots of precise “measurements”.  Think of this more as an idea or outline…especially on how to turn things maybe leftover in the fridge into a tasty quick meal.  Fried rice is quite a staple in our house.  We regularly make rice, and have leftovers…and everything else you need it pretty much stuff you might already have on hand.  So, that’s essentially the most important thing to know.  You want to use LEFTOVER or already cooked rice.  You will have a mushy useless mess if you try to use freshly cooked rice.  More often than not, we use jasmine rice.  However, this recipe will really work with pretty much any rice (long grain, brown,  a mix of both…etc).

So, start with rice that’s been cooked according to directions.  I typically put it up in a container in the fridge, and it’s good to go the next day.  Here’s what I typically use for my fried rice

  • 4-5 cups of cold/cooled cooked jasmine rice
  • olive or vegetable oil
  • butter
  • about 1/2 cup of chopped onion
  • about 1/4 cup of chopped carrot
  • 3-5 oz of diced up cooked chicken
  • an egg
  • 2 tsp of garlic paste
  • 1 tsp of ginger paste
  • 1 tsp of garlic salt (or more to taste)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • optional – a little dash of chili garlic sauce
  • optional – a little drizzle of seasme oil
ingredients

A lot of people will start the rice and scramble the egg in…for whatever reason, my husband I both prefer the egg to be a little more definitive (?).  So, I start with the egg first. I put about a tsp of oil in my wok and a pat of butter.  I scramble my egg and add a dash or 2 of soy sauce to the egg.  I will add my scrambled egg to the pan and make kind of a small omelet.  I take this out and cut it into little strips to add in at the end of my fried rice.

Next, I add a little more oil (about a tbsp) and another pat of butter (about a tbsp) to my wok on medium heat.  I add in my chopped carrot and onion.  I cook these until my onion is clear and maybe just starting to brown some.  I add in my garlic and ginger paste and briefly stir fry this mixture before adding in my rice.  Now, I turn the heat up to high and start mixing, turning and breaking up my rice.  I sprinkle in some garlic salt (I really always eyeball this…to taste…but maybe a tsp).  You can also use regular salt, or both and pepper – if you like.  I have done all of the above, but sometimes I just leave s&p for each to add to their own bowl.

Somewhere along the way (haha I’m always doing as I go…but you could prep this before you start and have it ready to go) mix your 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp of hoisin, and dash of (optional) chili garlic sauce.  When your rice is mostly separated, heated through and in some cases glossy/crisp – drizzle  in your soy sauce mixture and toss to evenly distribute.  You can add a touch more soy if needed.

Add in your cooked chicken and toss to heat through.  I’ve used leftover steak before, too…  It’s delicious 😉.  Finally, take off heat and add in your strips of egg and toss to combine.  I like to eat mine with another dash of chili garlic sauce.  😋 YUM YUM 😋

Here’s a video…

blah blah Beer…and the UFO Club

1150203_10201323363140355_1685182083_nI don’t know that it’s even possible…but I’m going to try to write this 30 min post all about beer.  I don’t know if I can fill 30 min with beer thoughts…but I’ll give it a shot.  Why?!  Well, because I’m currently at the The Flying Saucer (Addison) drinking beer 151 (of 200) in my UFO Club membership.  When I have drank my 200th unique brew…I get my own plate.  I’m wondering WHERE I get my plate…because I started this membership in Austin.  I guess my plate will be in Austin.  Who knows….we’ll cross that bridge in 49 more beers.  They let you count up to 3 beers per visit.  So, I’m looking at AT LEAST 17 more visits…maybe I can get this done before 2014.  We shall see…

My membership started in 2008, and (ACTUALLY) it was Ronald’s idea.  So, I wouldn’t say that I really got serious about trying to finish this until this year.  Looking back at my stats…it appears that I drank most of my beers in 2008 and 2013.  I have to say – I’ve learned a lot about beer.  I wouldn’t claim to be any kind of expert, but I do know more about what I like & don’t.  For instance, my early brews included: Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen, Blue Moon, New Belgium Sunshine Wheat…lots of other wheats & obvious choices.  Now, I’m more drinking the local/craft brewers and seasonal selections.  That may not be due entirely to my taste/preference, but perhaps it’s due to striving for unique beers to add to my list.  Also, it seems my list is comprised predominantly of draught beers…only 10 bottled choices.  I guess I don’t see the point of drinking bottles at a “draught emporium”.  So, I should have developed some favorites along this tasting adventure…right?!
I’d have to say I still like the Hefe-Weizen & Oktoberfest beers.  They’re just so quaffable.  I also like Dunkel Weizen – no big leap there.  Sounds like I like German beer, huh?  More recently, (2011) Ronald & I were in London and draught beer took on a new meaning.  Fuller’s is popular there and I’d have to say one of my current favorites is Fuller’s ESB (English Pale Ale or Bitter – right?).  Speaking of that style – my other reigning current favorite is probably Dallas based Peticolas Royal Scandal.  While in London, I also got to have some Fuller’s Organic Honey Dew.  My my…I sure wish I could find this beer locally.  If it’s anywhere draught or bottled…I haven’t seen it.
I’ve also identified some of my less favored beers.  For example, I had a bad run in with Oskar Blues Ten Fidy (Russian Imperial Stout) a few years ago.  Funny thing, I obviously was interested in Imperial Stouts…or I never would’ve been drinking it in the first place.  While the Russian Imperial Stout itself is really not to blame…nor that specific incarnation by Oskar Blues…other circumstances and the hang over from Hades that followed…lead to an eventual beer recovery…but with the exclusion of Oskar Blues brews, all Russian Imperial Stouts, and many of the very perfume-y hoppy brews (like some IPAs).  Maybe some day I’ll make it back toward those…but something about perfumey hops really turns my stomach even YEARS later.
Stouts & Porters are still enjoyable, but it’s a little hit or miss.  I’d have to say that my ALL TIME/OVER ALL favorite brew is Anchor’s Our Special Ale (brewed annually for sale November-January also called Christmas Ale).  Maybe it’s the fall/holiday time, its seasonality, and/or the fact that it was born in 1975 (like me) that make it such a favorite for me.  Just writing about it – I can hardly wait for Thanksgiving to get here!!  It’s also bears mentioning – Ronald & I visited Anchor Brewery in San Francisco on our honeymoon (the week after Thanksgiving).  It was already a favorite, but that may have helped to seal the deal.
Well, look at that my time is up.  I did write about beer for 30 min…and it looks like I could keep going.  Who knew?!?!

Elvis Pupsicles

Hey, it’s only 102º!  WOOHOO!!

Hendrix had quite the eventful morning.  She got to visit the vet for the first time in about a year.  I can’t complain – she’s pretty healthy.  Sadly, a lot of the vet techs she had made friends with had left our clinic and moved on.  Thankfully, the wonderful Dr. Hunter at LazyPaw Animal Hospital took her time making Hendrix comfortable & accommodating her finicky with new people behavior.  I understand she was quite the angel in the back (blow me over with a feather).  After that, we were off to agility class.  I was trying to keep her energy up & a bit “frenzied” by tugging and she seemed very willing to play today and with some speed.  The other half of her team (aka ME) was a little off kilter though…as I had a little bit of an upset stomach this morning.  She got to chase and be chased by our coach’s BC…I think she has a crush on him (he’s quite the blue chip agility prospect).  She was pooped!  I came home to drop her off and pick up Cooper (he was going to visit his pal TuggerTails for a bit).  I peeked in on her a few minutes after leaving (yes, we have a dogcam), and she had installed herself to sleep in her open kennel.  I totally endorse that choice when she was left “free” to roam downstairs.  She remained there sleeping until we got back home a few hours later.

Looks like this 30 minute post is going to consist of mostly doggie info!  (Imagine that!!)  I thought I’d share my “recipe” for what I’ve decided to call Elvis Pupsicles.  These are great make at home treats for days like today (that is – HOT).

I guess they could be called Costco Pupsicles, too...because all of these (except the ice tray) came from there...including the Vitamix.

To make these wholesome, cool treats you’ll need:

  • plain non-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt
  • honey
  • peanut butter (get one with no sugar…preferably just peanuts)
  • bananas
  • ice cube trays
  • blender or food processor

IMG_0078I can honestly say I didn’t measure a thing for this recipe.  I just eyeballed it.  I put about half of the 35.3 oz container of yogurt in the blender, added 1 very ripe and 1 not as ripe banana (though I think ripeness is irrelevant it’s just what I had), and maybe around 1/4 cup each of honey & peanut butter.  IMG_0085I blended it all up till smooth and then poured out into ice cube trays.  The consistency was pretty thick but I went with it.  You could certainly add a little water or the dogs would probably like chicken stock – if you wanted to thin it out a bit.  Trays went into the freezer for at least several hours, and then I removed from trays and stored in a Ziploc freezer bag.

 

IMG_0106

We like stuffing the cubes that will fit inside of the pups’ Kongs.  Here’s a picture of Hendrix enjoying her Elvis Pupsicle Kong…at this point she’s actually just continuing to lick the empty inside…I confess we give our dogs lots of treats.  However, we try to choose healthy ones and we balance treat intake with food portioning and lots of activity.  Our vet seems to approve of their weight & condition.

Favorite Smoothie Recipe

75501_10200335576486306_1774870468_nWhile visiting my family in Austin, I stopped in at an old favorite JuiceLand and tried their Originator smoothie. It was AMAZING! So, I had to try and duplicate it at home. Fortunately, I came up with something that’s become my new go to smoothie recipe.

I like to juice 2 fresh pink lady apples and pour that into my Vitamix. I add a scoop of rice protein, a scoop of Amazing Grass Raw Reserve Green SuperFood, half a banana, a small handful of frozen cherries, a small handful of blueberries, a heaping tablespoon or 2 of natural peanut butter, and (if I remember) a tablespoon of flax seed oil.

Juicing

So, I’ve really got to start updating/blogging more frequently.  I feel like I have this jumble of ideas/thoughts constantly – until I finally put them down somewhere.  I’ve been meaning to get my blog updated & more organized for some time now.  So, bear with me while I get it together!

Okay, I did a 21 day Standard Process cleanse  through most of January this year.  It was fabulous.  Everyone’s preferences, goals, and will-power is different…but I highly recommend it.  The person that first introduced me to it was Dr. Marlene Merritt of Merritt Wellness Center in Austin, TX.  If you are looking for help getting started- that’s where I’d send you.   I have done this program in past years, but I was a bit more stringent and successful this time.  In preparation of this go round, I purchased a Breville BJE200XL Compact Juice Fountain.  I wanted to experiment with juicing, and I knew it would help me get more veggies during the veggie only portion of the purification program.

Over a month later, my husband and I are STILL juicing pretty much every morning.  Hubby got hooked on the juicing while I was on the cleanse, and he has actually taken on making the morning green juice!

Here’s a little video I made with how we make our daily green juice:

The recipe is pretty flexible, and you just have to add more/less of certain things until you get to a place you like.

Here’s a list of our ingredients, and we try to do organic as much as possible.  This makes enough juice for 2.

Green Juice:

  • 2 small green apples
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 4-6 leaves of “dino” kale (the regular green kale works fine, but we seem to prefer this variety)
  • 3 leaves of red kale
  • 2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves
  • 2 stalks of celery
  • about a square inch of ginger (peeled)
  • 1/2 lemon (peeled)
  • 2 carrots

It’s kind of amazing, but we’ve maybe had coffee a total of 4-5 times since the beginning of the year…juice seems to have replaced that morning ritual.  I feel much better for it, and it seems the day doesn’t feel right with out it.  I feel like I have less headaches/fatigue and more balance.

Our juicing success inspired me to finally make the purchase of very own VitaMix Blender.  I had wanted one for some time, but had put off the purchase due to the costly investment.  I’m so happy I finally splurged…it’s nothing short of amazing.  I have been perfecting some smoothie recipes, and I’ll have to share my new favorite in another post (to come)!

 

**Please note: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on a link and subsequently make a purchase, I will receive a commission for the referral.

Market Dinner at Patina Green Home & Market

I have been telling everyone that will listen (and maybe even some that won’t) to check out Patina Green Home & Market for almost a year now.  I truly think it’s one of the best things I’ve found since Ronald and I moved from Austin to Frisco in 2010.  This gem of a shop is part vintage home decor and accessories store, part farmers market, and part “kick-ass” lunch counter.  Somehow, those words don’t even seem to capture all the magic that is Patina Green.  Bonus- it’s nestled on the beloved historic square in McKinney, TX.

wrapping up the first seating of the very first Market Dinner service

Personally, I’ve never really had a mind for home decor or design…  However, the sheer aesthetic beauty of this store and Kaci Lyford’s exquisite taste are slowly but certainly leading me to the light.  Some day, I might work up the nerve to see if she is available to take on the small task of helping me whip up a plan for my own skin care studio.  Baby steps.

My initial pilgrimage to Patina was to check out Chef Robert Lyford’s (that would be Kaci’s hubby…love that family/locally owned) lunch counter.  I was not disappointed.  Lunch is served Tuesday-Saturday 11am-2pm and stuff sells out…so get there early.  The menu is crafted daily and Chef Robert emphasizes locally sourced, seasonal, sustainable, delicious, creative (ok I’m getting carried away) REAL FOOD.  Check out their web site for a sample menu.  Some days…I believe there is nothing more desirable that one of Chef Robert’s hearty grilled veggie/cheese sandwiches and a cup of tomato bisque.  If you “Like” Patina Green on Facebook, you will have unlocked access to the daily menu.  A word of caution, when that lunch menu pops up in your Facebook feed- you may have an unexpected & uncontrollable urge to travel to PG for lunch.  That has definitely been the case for me.

I was actually fortunate enough to attend a cooking class several months ago hosted by Luscombe Farm in Anna, TX where Robert razzle-dazzled us with his wit and culinary skill.  (*There were WAY too many prepositions in that sentence…but I’m not fixing it.)  The cooking class is a whole other topic – that I should’ve blogged about months ago…

I was elated (nope, not an exaggeration) when I came across PG’s announcement on Facebook that they would be hosting Market Dinner’s every month this fall.  Chef Robert would serve a 5 course dinner on the patio featuring local and seasonal ingredients.  Two seatings of 16 each night – 1st at 6pm and 2nd at 8:30pm.  $75 per person + gratuity and BYOB.  Upon reading the news, I immediately picked up the phone and reserved a spot for Ronald and I at 8:30pm on the first night (September 8, 2012).

Ok – now, that we’ve got the backstory settled…let me tell you about the fabulousness that was this market dinner.

McKinney Wine Merchant

Our reservation confirmation message lent us the handy tip that Chef Robert had selected some wines to compliment our dinner at the McKinney Wine Merchant.  Of course, we were also welcome to bring anything else we liked.  It just so happens that the lovely recommended shop is just off the main square and within walking distance of Patina Green.  So, we came a bit early to pick up some vino.  I will be back – the shop keeper had a very friendly/jovial way…and it seems he knows quite a bit about wine.

great selection

I was able to check out the scenery on the square and snap a few pics with my camera while we killed time before 8:30.  Kaci welcomed us promptly and ushered us past the string of lights used to rope of the patio for the special dinner occasion.

who doesn’t love a string of lights?

The food, setting, and service were AMAZING.  We had SO much fun, and we overheard (to our dismay because we did not make reservations for Oct, Nov, & Dec) that all other nights for the rest of the year are already booked!  They did say they were keeping a waiting list for cancellations…we can only hope that maybe other nights will be added…or that Winter & Spring will bring a new series of dinners.  Pardon my amateur photography – but here is a host of photos I took at dinner.  I’m totally infatuated with my new DSLR…I’m sure to the chagrin of the people seated next to us at dinner…

click to enlarge collage

We started with some refreshing cucumber water, and then were served an amuse-bouche of local watermelon and cucumber foam.  It was meant as a drink to initiate our appetite, and it was a very clean and tasty way to start the meal.  Then, a baguette from Empire Baking Company  along with house churned butter sprinkled with sea salt arrived.  Probably my favorite picture of the night – this extreme butter close up.

mmm…butter

Next up – a charcuterie plate.  This had toast fingers, brie, a chicken galantine, port wine chicken liver paté, and house made fig preserves.  The preserves were designed to go with the paté, and the combo was quite complex and delicious.  The paté had a decidedly rich and savory almost smoky flavor…some might say “strong” (perhaps not for the weak of heart or palate).  I’m not an expert in paté, but it seem like it would be hard to eat quite a lot of it.  It’s very filling.  It paired nicely with the preserves, but I rather enjoyed eating the preserves on slices of the brie – DIVINE.  The chicken galantine was amazing.  It was very light and clean speckled with bits of ham and pecan and topped with some micro greens.  I kept trying to figure our why this chicken tasted so clean – almost green or citrusy.  I decided it must be that the chickens were very happy pasture fed chickens.  Wow, what a difference that can make.

OM-Gaufrettes! (really, that’s my new favorite saying)

Following charcuterie, we had what was probably my most favorite & memorable course.  I have been craving this dynamic duo ALL day.  We were served gaufrettes and a smoked redfish rillette.  I suggested to Kaci they should have a midnight food truck that served these delicious lightly salty and perfectly crispy chips along with the creamy, basil-y, smoky, buttery fish spread.  She wisely replied, “But that would mean we’d be working at midnight…”  Maybe the idea can be outsourced?!

Then, a soup and salad course.  There was a creamy potato soup  topped with farmstead cheese, a little crispy jowl bacon (YUM) and crispy leeks.  Fortunately, you don’t have to have a dinner reservation to taste the glory of Chef Robert’s soups.  There is generally a soup option at lunch.  The soup was rich, velvety, and addictive.  The salad consisted of local greens (all from one garden).  There was arugula, tomato, radish, cucumber, black eyed peas and an avocado vinaigrette.  This course alone could be a satisfying meal, but there was much more to come.

Next a veggie course featuring a soft poached egg.  There were roasted beets, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and kale topped off with a lovely wobbly egg…and then topped with a tomato hollandaise.  You had me at poached egg, Chef Robert…  This is probably a surefire way to get the younguns to eat their veggies.  We were starting to feel quite full.

Previous plates and silverware were cleared away, our places were set afresh.  The promise of something big loomed in the air as we gazed on these clean plates.  Soon after, picture perfect trays of a duo of Waygu beef.  Duo of beef?  Yes, DUO of BEEF!  Perfectly seared and medium rare strip loin (I think that was the cut) topped with a carrot top and pumpkin seed pesto lay on a bed of pot roast & 8 ball squash hash.  Just throwing this out there – Chef Robert can come cook Sunday pot roast at my house ANY TIME!  Not an afterthought- this plate included glazed carrots and (grilled?) okra.  Weirdly enough…any day – I could go for a plate of just the carrots & okra.  They were SO GOOD.  We might have left a few bites of this plate behind…only for the fact that we were totally full.  My second favorite photo is from this course.

duo of Waygu beef
take two of these and…

The meal closed with some sweet truffle offerings, and some cute morning after chocolate chip scones. We loved this touch…as it had us talking about our two dinners at Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco. They also sent us home with a sweet treat for the next day – banana bread wrapped expertly in gold paper. I think the fact that I just referenced Restaurant Gary Danko in this summary of Patina Green’s Market Dinner says it all. It was VERY GOOD.

Bravo, Chef Robert! Your passion and dedication to real food is greatly appreciated. Look forward to many more happy meals at Patina Green.

Chef Robert Lyford

Am I A Beer Snob??

I’m not exactly sure when I went from a young 20 something drinking light beers – you know, just because…to having a strong preference for beers produced with adherence to the strict “Reinheitsgebot” (German Beer Purity Law).  Anyhow, I was chatting with someone the other day and they referenced a mutual friend as a “beer snob”.  I wondered…Am I a Beer Snob??

I’m not sure that I am…because there is still the frequent occasion (floating down the river, sporting events, Mardi Gras parades, a hot summer day) where a Miller Lite seems to hit the spot.  Maybe it’s just nostalgia…because that’s what my grandfather used to drink…and if it was good enough for him…

My earliest recollection of drinking brews with a little more “style” and living the “pub life” began at The Draught Horse in Austin, TX.  Now, it’s called The Draught House Pub & Brewery.  It’s a very no-nonsense pub that opens its arms to all beer drinkers in the Austin community (young, mature, hip, nerdy)- but makes little concession for individuals that perhaps don’t show the appropriate respect to the “Beer Gods”.  I’m pretty fond of this place…I started drinking something exceedingly tame back around 1997 like J.W. Dundee’s Honey Brown.  Then, I was introduced to and learned to love Guinness…as well as had a date that transformed a friendship into a romance (that guy’s now my husband)…all at the Draught House.

At some point (many moons and years later), a new flashy neighbor moved into the Austin area – The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium.  Having already met The Flying Saucer in North Dallas…I was predetermined to detest this new suburban beer establishment…and secretly hoped it would attract away the newly minted poser type folks from my beloved Draught House Pub.  However, I was somehow lured there for a friend’s get together…and I was rope-a-doped by the U.F.O. Club.  Yes, that’s right I learned to have love for two distinctively different draught drinking establishments (gotta love that alliteration!)…all because of a club that let me keep track of my beers tasted with my own magnetized card – for a chance to hit 200 beers and earn my place in the Ring of Honor.

Having more recently moved back to the North Dallas area, I can still visit The Flying Saucer and add beers tasted to my list, but I still dearly miss my little Draught Horse (I have a hard time calling it Draught House).  So, I will share with you my list of beers tasted – I’m at 83 (the pace slowed considerably in the last 2 years).  I’ll let you decide?  AM I A BEER SNOB?

***Also, I’ll share my favorite beer of the moment…is Spaten’s Premium Lager.  It’s so PURE and DELICIOUS!  

First Try at Risotto

Risotto is one of those delicious dishes that I’ve had many times in restaurants. Some experiences with risotto were downright life changing, and other “lesser” experiences were still tasty and memorable. I started thinking about making risotto about a year ago; but when I began reading recipes, I was a little overwhelmed by what seemed to be described as a Herculean effort of technique.

I was reading The Pioneer Woman’s Blog and came across her recipe for risotto.  I decided it was time to undertake creation of this culinary treasure.  Surprisingly, my first take on this dish went very well.

For the most part, I followed The Pioneer Woman’s recipe.  I made a slight modification.  I re-hydrated some mixed dried wild mushrooms, and I substituted some of the liquid I used to soak the mushrooms for about 1 cup of the recommended stock.  I also chopped the mushrooms and added them in toward the end of cooking – after the cream and cheese.  The mushrooms still had a little more chewiness to them than I liked.  I think next time I will add them in earlier on with the adding of stock- to give them more time to tenderize.  I also got to put my new All-Clad stainless steel sauté and simmer pan– which worked out amazingly during this application.

So, the moral of the story is – have a sense of adventure and try those daunting recipes.  You might just be rewarded with a gourmet meal.

Restaurant Supply

(my new favorite place on earth)

Visiting the restaurant supply store is something that’s been on the back of my mind for quite some time now.  I don’t know why it took me so long to actually track a store down and go, but I finally did it just a few days ago.  Oh boy, I felt like a kid in a candy store!  Does anyone remember that old game show Supermarket Sweep?  It was also kind of like that…dashing through the store and just throwing stuff in my cart.

There were a couple of items I had in the back of my mind to look for – a Stainless Steel Chinoise (for straining soups), commercial sheet pans (for everything under the sun), and metal spoons and ladles.  Previously, I had seen the Chinois Bouillon Strainer from Williams-Sonoma and that was like $70.  I kept thinking…there has to be a less expensive option that works equally as well for less than that.  Sure enough, I found one at the restaurant supply for $18.  I got a couple of sheet pans for $13 each and spoons and ladles for between $2-4 each.  Gotta love that!  Check out the photo of my entire haul from the trip.

I left with a couple of large measuring cups, 2 large sheet pans, a pizza dough scraper, 2 fifteen inch pizza pans, a Chinoise, a red pepper shaker, an OXO peeler, an aluminum mixing bowl, 3 spoons, 2 ladles, 4 plastic squeeze bottles, and a microplane.  Even after all of that, my total with tax was under $150.  So, I highly recommend – if you’re looking for some common kitchen items, find your local restaurant supply store and make a visit.  I visited Ace Mart Restaurant Supply, and it just so happens that they have an online store, too!

The restaurant supply store is a great place to buy things in bulk for parties/events, too.  For instance cups, glasses, disposable plates, etc.  It’s also an amazing place to drool over professional kitchen equipment.  Here’s a picture of a a Vulcan gas stovetop range with 6 burners, 2 ovens, and a griddle.  How cool is that?  I don’t think I’ll be convincing my husband any time soon that we need to invest in that kind of kitchen equipment.