Sous Vide - Anova Precision Cooker

The best gift I got this past holiday season was the Anova Precision Cooker.  I'd been researching sous-vide since mid-summer and held off on buying.  A few experiments I conducted on the stove-top had come out well.

Over the holidays I received the Anova and immediately put it to work on a prime-rib dinner for new years eve.  Since then I've cooked a number of dishes and nearly all have been successful.

On r1's dinner blog, it details my experiences with the Anova and sous-vide.

You can access these posts here:

General:

• Essential Sous-vide Quick Tips for the Home Cook

Equipment:

• Dutch oven
• 5 gallon pail
• Cooler
• Vacuum sealer
• Instant digital thermometer

Dishes:

• London broil
• Prime rib
• Prime tip roast
• Mashed potatoes
• Green beans
• Garlic confit
• Garlic confit chicken
• Chicken pot-pie
• Sirloin Steak

This post is a work in progress, so check back weekly for updates to the post and links!

Cooking Oil Fire-starters II

The original cooking oil fire-starters I described work great, however I've found something easier and better.

Required:
1 small cardboard box (or 2 brown paper lunch bags)
Shredded paper
Used cooking oil

Make sure the cardboard box is small enough to fit under your fire place grate.

Stuff it packed full of shredded paper.

Pour a little cooking oil into the open end.  A couple tablespoons will do it, and generally wont even come out the bottom of the box if you don't overdo it.  If you are using paper bags be careful as the oil can soak through the bag quickly.

Stick in the fire place and ignite.  These fire-starters work great.  One will typically get any hardwood fire going without fail.


Where do I get my used cooking oil?  Typically from frying either chicken cutlets or used oil from the deep fryer when it is shot.

Where do I get my shredded paper?  I keep a yard waste bag full of paper from my shredder.  Comes in handy for starting fires and occasionally packing small or fragile items.

Quick tips for Microsoft SurfacePro 3 + OneNote

Surface Pro 3 Tips

1. Windows button - Disable the windows button if causing problems when writing. 
2. Using as a notepad - Turn the SurfacePro upside down and lock the rotation, can then plug charger into the top and cord is out of the way. 
3. Recording audio - Get an external microphone to not record pen tapping screen while writing and recording at same time. 
4. Battery life - Remove batteries in top of SurfacePro 3 pen so it is not constantly woken up when the buttons are hit. 
5. Pen issues - unscrew the pen to break the battery connection and screw back together.
   If breaking the battery connection does not work, un-pair the pen and reboot. You may not even need to re-pair for the pen functionality to work correctly. - Pen not writing
   - Pen writing "thick" lines
   - Erase not working
   - Ink location not matching pen touch position 
6. Battery saver mode - can make a big difference in battery life without significantly affecting performance. 
7. Using Chrome - On-screen keyboard keeps disappearing - type in the address bar instead. 
8. Stuck at "Surface Screen"
   - Often after Windows Update
   - Is your Surface charged enough?
   - Use the 2-Button shutdown, holding down volume-up and power buttons until surface shuts off
   - You'll know it's working again when you see circling dots under the Surface logo
9.  Improve your handwriting recognition in English or a second language
   - Type Language in the search bar
   - Select Language-Control Panel (world icon with an A)
   - Click Options
   - Click Personalize handwriting recognition
   - Click Teach the recognizer your handwriting style

OneNote Tips 

1. Everything is searchable
   - Lesson - Use Send to OneNote function, consider using IE for web page capture
   - Typed text
   - Handwritten text
   - Recorded audio and video
   - Files
   - Web pages
   - Images 
2. OneNote is the fastest and quick and dirty way to OCR anything. Paste into OneNote, right click and copy text from image. 
3. OneTastic - Excellent add-in with basic image manipulation and calendar view plus more 
4. Audio Recordings
   - Stop the audio recording and leave OneNote open for a minute or two before closing. Can help issue if OneNote recordings are silent.
   - Audio search capability must be enabled in Options. OneNote must be left open when computer is on and idle to effectively index audio. It can take a long time.
5.  OneNote calculator - Type an equation and hit enter, OneNote will do the math
6. Insert multi-page (large) documents on one page
   - File-->Options
   - Click advanced
   - Go to Printouts
   - Un-check Insert long printouts on multiple pages
7. Link to another note in OneNote (anywhere)
   - Go to the area you want to link to
   - Right click on the area or word
   - Select Copy Link to Paragraph
   - Go to area you want the link kept
   - Hit paste

Grill Upgrade Part II - Ceramic Briquettes

I just helped a friend of mine install a new 42" Lynx grill and it got me thinking that I'm long overdue for a in depth grill cleaning and replacement of some parts on my own 42" Viking Grill.

The Lynx seems like a nice piece of equipment and my friend is hoping to get the same 20+ year lifespan that I've enjoyed.

The main reason the Lynx got me thinking is that it had ceramic briquettes and an infrared zone.
I'm a big fan of the ceramic briquettes having some great experience with PGS grills at my Florida condo.

The inside of the Viking grill originally had sloped flavor grids which inevitable rust and rot away requiring replacement every 3-4 years. They are supposedly stainless but definitely don't stand up as well as all the other stainless components in the grill.

The plan was supposed to be easy:
Order some new flat grates to go above the burners and some briquettes for on top of that.
Then I started researching the briquettes and came across a variety of different brands in different shapes and thicknesses.
I settled on replacement Ducane ceramic briquettes made by Flamette. These had very positive reviews which indicated I might have 2-3 times the lifespan as some of the other brands out there.

I also ran across a product called Grill Greats ceramic briquettes which looked very interesting. Basically these flat plates with small holes looked like they would produce a grid very much what is like in the infra-red burner zone of some of the grilles out there.

So I decided to do one zone of each the Ducane style and Grill Greats.

I went to an on-line cut to size metals company and ordered replacement stainless pieces to cover the burners and a custom fit grid made of expanded metal.

In the meantime I removed the old parts from the grill and gave it a thorough cleaning on the inside.

I drilled holes in the stainless flat bar using a cobalt drill bit. After doing the first one by itself I figured out it would go much faster to tape several together and drill them at the same time.

Use the old burner shield as a template

Mark holes to drill

Drilled out holes

Be careful, the stainless shavings are razor sharp!

I then mounted the bars to the grill:

And added some cross-bars for additional support:

Then I inserted my new stainless sheets to support the briquettes:

I put in the Grill Grates zone:

Put my stainless griddle back on:

And installed the Ducane style briquettes zone:

And ready to go:

When I turned the grill on and quickly figured out I had a major problem, the expanded metal sheets I used for supporting the briquettes warped with the heat.  This was a major disappointment but only a temporary set-back.

I ran down to the nearby Home Depot and picked up a stainless steel Weber replacement grill grate set.  Then I took out all the briquettes and replaced the expanded metal.

When I was laying down the Grill Greats a second time a light bulb went off and drawing from the Weber and Fire-Magic style of slanted flavor grids I reinstalled the Grill Greats slightly overlapping so that they had an angle to them.

Both the Ducane style and Grill Greats provide a nice even heat.  The Grill Greats actually get much hotter.

This phase of the grill upgrade is now complete.  I have a fantastic 3 zone grill and I'm very happy with the results. Unfortunately my IR thermometer died so I can't get official measurements right now, but definitely will check it out sometime in the future.

I've already done a bunch of cooking and look forward to learning the nuances of the new cooking zones.

You can pick up the recommended Ceramic Briquettes for your grill here:

r1 rinaic's Favorite Things - Grilling

Albano's Market Lemon Ice (DIY)

If you are from the Springfield Massachusetts area chances are you know Albano's Market aka Albano's Grocery Store.

Lemon Ice from Albano's was a local hidden gem enjoyed by a steady stream of clientele all summer long. People from all walks of life loved the lemon ice from big wig executives pulling up in their fancy cars to the local kids around the block running in when they had a few bucks.

What made it so delicious?
Why was it different than other lemon ice?
How did the women keep it in a constant semi-frozen state in that cooler?

All good questions that I don't know the answer to.

For months I have stared an my reserve quart, a frozen block in my freezer.
When will be the right time to enjoy the last treat?  Who is worthy?
Should I save it until my newborn is old enough for a spoon full?

Fortunately due to a recent chain of events I'm not so worried anymore.

It all started about two weeks back when I visited the local 7-11 for a Coke Slurpee, another one of my summertime and hot weather vices.
I was shocked to find out that this location no longer offered Coke as a flavor.
What was I to do? I'm not that much of an addict to go seek out another location, but still I wanted this delicious treat. So after selecting another inferior Slurpee flavor I immediately started thinking...
I have a Ninja at the house and one of the big features marketed for this model was the ability to turn ice into a snow like shaved ice. Maybe I've used it once or twice on mixed drinks in the past, but typically it's on the counter for it's primary function which is baby food.

I knew that Coke poured over shaved ice wasn't going to give me what I was looking for so I took the Coke, shook out some of the carbonation and poured it into an ice cube tray.
Two days later the heat went back up and I tested the DIY Slurpee.  I filled my cup with Coke ice cubes and then Coke to get a measure and then dumped it into the Ninja. A couple seconds of pulsing and I had a very palatable homemade Coke Slurpee with a good texture.

Fast forward a week.  My daughter decided she didn't want to finish her dinner, time for a bribe.
I had some lemonade in the fridge and the Coke Slurpee fresh on my mind.  I threw some regular ice cubes in the Ninja and filled up half as tall as the ice with lemonade.
I pulsed it smooth and poured into a little bowl for my daughter, I took out a spoon and tried some...

Memories came flooding back, the taste, the texture, they were almost perfect, almost Albano's Lemon Ice.

Was it too good to be true?  A couple days later I tried again and began to experiment.
I learned it was a variety of factors.
Lemonade - One specific brand has the right flavor profile and sweetness to mimic Albano's, that brand is Simply Lemonade.
Liquid / Ice Ratio - Not enough liquid will give you a thicker more melted sorbet, too much and you'll start out
Equipment - I tried with the Ninja and my high end blender and could only get the results I want from the Ninja in the mixing bowl or tall bowl.  The blender couldn't produce the right consistency nor could the Ninja 40oz "food processor" bowl. The two Ninja accessories that worked had the same feature which is multiple tiers of blades at different heights. The blender and "food processor" bowl only had blades at the bottom.


DIY Albano's Market Lemon Ice
- Ninja Masterprep Pro with 16oz Chopper Bowl (48oz pitcher also works)
- Simply Lemonade
- Ice Cube Trays
- Ice Cube
- Plastic Cup
- Fresh Lemon (optional)
- Liquid Sugar - Simple Syrup or Corn Syrup (optional)

1. Freeze your Lemonade into ice cubes
2. Fill your cup with Lemonade ice cubes and 1 regular ice cube
3. Pour lemonade over ice cubes so just a little ice is uncovered (one finger thickness)
4. Put in Ninja Bowl
5. Pulse until almost smooth (you want the real ice cube to have just visible chunks or have just seemed to mix in)
6. Enjoy!

Super authentic upgrade:
3.1. Shave a little fresh lemon zest into the Ninja. Use a course zest, and throw in a lemon seed it will put the finishing touch on your Albano's Market Lemon Ice giving you the little chunks and pieces you always wondered about but accepted to be swimming in your cup.
3.2. Add 1/2tsp of Liquid Sugar per cup. This will up the sweetness and add stickiness.

I may refine this one that special day I break out my last authentic quart by doing a side by side, but for now I'll be sharing my homemade family treat for the rest of the summer.

Web Swing - Part 1 - 35 Feet - Discovery Process

In town I regularly passed by a house with a web swing in their front yard. It was something I had not seen before. It looked like the kids were having a great time using it.

I had been eyeing it for a few months and decided it would be a great gift for my daughter's second birthday.

It took a number of searches to find out more information about it on the net.

Searching swings can be a dangerous game and the wrong set of words can quickly end you up with some NSFW results!

After figuring out the general concept, I extensively researched numerous blogs, sellers, manufacturers, and supporting products to see what my options were in terms of the swing choices and installation methods.

Prior to starting I knew that I would not be able to mount an eye bolt or use a typical running bowline knot to put up the swing.  The main reason is that I didn't want to climb the 30+ feet to the lowest suitable branch now or in the future if maintenance or removal would be required.  Also I planned to mount the swing from a single attachment point because most of the branches on my tree were vertically oriented and I only had a couple suitable splits to choose from. It's really nice to be able to take the set-up down to inspect the ropes and hardware without much trouble.

Web Swing - Hardware Selection
Swing - Web Riderz
Although I liked the look of the big rectangular swing that had originally started the wheels spinning, research led me to a supposedly heavier duty round model that I eventually selected which was the Web Riderz Swing from M & M Sales Enterprises.
The Web Riderz is rated at 600lbs vs 250lbs for most of the other models.

Ropes - Sterling Rope Marine Rescue Line + 3" Tow Strap
Initially I planned to use tow straps to hang the swing. I figured what could be safer than a 20,000lb tow strap or two hanging the swing from the tree. 
A trial of the strap I had on hand showed that aesthetically this solution was not going to work for me.
I decided I would go with a 6 foot short tow strap way up in the tree and come down off of it with some high end rope. This took another round of research as I delved into the different type of rope for climbing, towing, rescue, and other applications.
I had a hunch that a static rope would be a good fit for this application and I went on-line to one of my favorite rope companies to see what was available. The company, Sterling Rope (maker of universal camping use glo-cord), had a wide variety of options available.  One stuck out to me which was 7/16" waterline.  It had a number of qualities that appealed to me, it was a static low stretch rope used for marine and rescue with qualities such as abrasion and UV resistance with a 4450 pound weight rating. Plus the bonus is that they had it on clearance and I was able to get it at a very good price.

Hardware - 3/8" Stainless Steel Quick Links and Spinner
Hardware to connect everything up was the easiest part of the process.
I headed to the local Home Depot and bought the biggest stainless quick links they had, 3/8" rated at 3500 pounds each. The project required 6 of these.
I also picked up a 3/8" hot dipped galvanized swivel rated for 2200 pounds.
(Note: I will be upgrading the spinner in the future)



Install Process

I selected a horizontal looking branch about 30 feet off the ground that seemed to be bigger than the 8" diameter that my on-line research indicated was the standard for safety.
I tied a large metal washer to a long length of masonry line and spent the better part of an hour trying to get it around the branch.

Once I finally got it over I pulled up my ropes.
Failure!  The branch which looked so nice and level from the ground actually had a downward pitch. I could tell that my swing set-up would eventually work it's way to the end of the branch and ultimately slide right off or break where the branch narrowed out at the end.
Disappointed, I looked for another suitable mounting position and settled on a split about 35 feet off the ground. I decided that I couldn't spend another hour trying to get the metal washer in the precise right place.  I went out to the garage and got a softball and some painter's tape.  I knew I could throw the softball with much higher accuracy if the line didn't affect the flight too much.  I made a loop in the end of the line and put it over the softball. I then wrapped the whole thing up good with the painter's tape.
1-2-3!  On my third try I had the line through the V split exactly where I wanted it.

Excited, I continued on putting up the next phase of the project the tow strap that I wanted to support the swing. I pulled up a 20 foot tow strap I had on hand and then used the quick links to join it to the ropes.

I did a bunch of research on which type of knot would be safest and most secure and ultimately settled on the Figure 8 Double Loop style. It was a process to learn how to make the loop and get the same distance on the two ropes to hand the swing.
Thanks to the Animated Knots by Grog website who's animation I much have watched dozens of times to get it right.

At the beginning I used the 20 foot tow strap and some rope I had laying around which was rated for 244 pounds.  This was enough to support my 2 year old daughter but would never do for the bigger kids and adults I envisioned using the swing.


Aesthetically the 20 foot bright yellow tow strap was also ugly to my eyes.

I ordered the marine rescue line from Sterling Rope and got out a 6 foot tree saver tow strap to replace the 20 foot version.

After the upgraded rope came in, the swing was ready for business.

At this point I also added a secondary safety rope with a shorter section of the rescue line that provides redundancy for the tow strap. If for any reason the tow strap ever gave out this safety section would catch the branch with only a few inches of drop.

We now have a versatile fun swing that is great for all ages.
My 6 month old rides on his belly gripping the ropes and even the grandparents can ride holding multiple kids.

Thorough research in the build and numerous iterations through the process have me confident that this a fun and safe addition that will be a fixture in my yard for years to come.

Get all the parts you need for your very own web-swing right here:
r1 rinaic's Favorite Things - Web Swing Components

Cooking Oil Firestarters

I don't remember when this idea popped in my head but it was sometime over the summer.

I was cleaning a cooking vessel loaded with oil with paper towels and thought to myself, hmmmm this is pretty flammable!

We frequently use our fire pit in the summer and fireplace in the winter, so I figured I could re-purpose this trash, and the Cooking Oil Firestarter was born.

Cooking Oil Firestarter:
5oz Wax Coated Paper Cup (cold cup)
Paper Towels
Used Cooking Oil

Typically I use the paper towels to clean something or absorb oil and then stuff 2 at a time into a 5oz Wax Coated Paper cold Cup.

Makes a great firestarter!