**If you use on-line ordering for pick up, delivery or both – which do you use – have you ever compared the price and benefits
At least annually I do a cost benefit analysis –
Full Disclosure: We have Safeway-Fresh Pass, and BJ’s + Same Day Delivery because that is the best deal for these retailers. (based on how often we normally use Delivery and the costs / markups if we ordered through Instacart for these two retailers) Amazon Prime for those limited times when there is a good price on certain items we use on a regular basis and are not in need of refrigeration.
Also Instacart because it offers many easy price comparisons. It also allows us to choose an occasional order from other stores with higher minimum orders not cost justified by their direct ordering platforms.
We rarely if ever order prepared food from restaurant or fast food, but that will change once Smokey’s get completely set up.
Some if not all of the KBS/Keepez/other Bread Machine include a “Stir Fry” menu.
KBS “Stir Fry” notes: The comment I read but cannot find at the moment was something like seemed to be an odd feature: Me: Not so much odd as not very effective. Bread Machines evolved from Rice Makers.
The Stir Fry menu setting is, in theory, supposed to allow you to, well, stir fry the ingredients for a stir fry entree. I suspect because it does not get hot enough, it does not seem to do a good job.
This includes the protein aka “Meat Floss“, which, in many stir fry recipes is a shredded meat. “Meat Floss” is Chinglish (translated from Mandarin to something related to English) for shredded meat.
I have not tried (if you do, let us know how it worked) but have thought it MIGHT be useful to par-cook/soften veggies to be added to the dough. Par-cooking is something I do larger batches and then freeze in recipe portioned sizes for our mostly two person home. Again NOT something I tried because their are better tools and methods.
Earlier today I was organizing my “desk top junk drawer” – which led to me noticing I was almost out of hair “ties” – stretchy kind that are so useful “around the house”
Of the top of my head I can tell you at least a dozen things I use these that have NOTHING to do with my hair.
Then a few hours later, I was browsing in Instacart (useful for comparison shopping in many ways) and used hair ties as the search term:
What does this have to do with Women In The Trades?
Look closely at these “Cable Ties” shown in the ALDI’s Non-Food offerings.
This is a work in progress, so I welcome ALL comments and suggestions, among other things, I need to find a freely available link to the User Manual.
Reminder: Hell will freeze over before I use delayed start in my personal use of any thing other than the Coffee Maker.
I STRONGLY recommend you read thru at least once before you start, as I prefer to make notes “as I go”
I try to work with the least common denominator for most directions, so for recipes, that usually means Ounces & Minutes then at the end convert back a measurement in final draft, i.e. 1 hour = 60 min or 10 ounces = 1.25 Cup(s)
KBS/Keepeez User Manual Model MBR-041 page 28 Settings: Menu: 1 (Soft/Basic/) Color: MD (Medium) Loaf: 1.5 lb Total…Time: 3H:11M Medium Crust, H/h = Hour(s) M/m = Minutes ONE (1) Hour = 60 minutes.
“Total Working Time” Convert 3h:11m – 191m
In Menu 1 – END of SHAPE BEFORE START of FERMENT 3.
The best time to remove the paddle is the END of the SHAPE BEFORE the start of the FINAL Ferment note: if you open the image in a new tab it will expand to a much lager image, so easier to read.
Please keep in mind that many things may affect the time shown on the display. It just happens, accept it and plan to be “around” on average about 5-10 minutes BEFORE the expected time.
To determine WHEN the time is:
CHANGE Total time to MINUTES: 3h:06m = 3 x 60 + 6 = 191 minutes
SUBTRACT “Bake Time” 191m – 50m = 142m
SUBTRACT “FERMENT 3” 142m – 50m = 92m
At 92, you should be at the end of the SHAPE.
CONVERT 92m to H:M 92-60 – 1h 32m
Reminder, KBS/KEEPEZ are “count down” so display will show approximately 92 minutes OR 1:32 (1h 32m)
SIDE NOTE: This is also, in my experience/opinion, ALSO the best time to make any swirl for inclusions
Again this is a draft and I do very much welcome your comments and suggests to make it easier for you to use.
This method is SOLELY base on the various charts produce by the manufacturer and my personal experience.
This method contains to affiliate links as of 2026-Aug-01
So maybe a little over 50 years ago, well over 250 and about 50 inches at the shoulder, Mastiff named Titan, got lose in New Rochelle. It resulted in the need to rehome him, dye his coat from Brindle to Black to avoid unhappy consequences and tagging him at a new home until the “heat died down”.
The call that went out over the local PD was “wild pony on the loose…”
at 3am thought of the day
Owning a Large Dog like a Mastiff or a Dane is the equivalent of having an in house dog and pony show….
