flyingdog

Moving from Ireland to the UK in 2 weeks - I have an extensive collection of cooking spices and herbs and don't want to have to throw them all out and replace them, as some are quite expensive. Will I have any problems shipping them into the UK?

Had a simply fantastic crab pot for lunch the other day - I know there was crab, creme fraiche and coriander in it, and I'm thinking maybe dill too - does anyone have any really lovely recipes for a crab pot? It was served cold, with a salad, crusty bread and a wedge of lime.

Have a whole pile of marinaded turkey cutlets in the fridge and 2 small disposable BBQs in my bag. Any tips on how to grill the turkey for maximum deliciousness? We normally panfry them but I'm thinking this will be a little healthier. Also, can bung a whole heap of veggies on the BBQ too... mmm BBQd veg...

I have a (very small!) roast to cook tonight - I've found a fantastic article with all sorts of tips, but as it's American I'm finding the temperatures a bit worrying - it says to start the roast at 250F until the internal temperature is 110F, then raise the temperature to 500F until the internal temperature is 130F.

This would be roasting at 110C, then 220C - does 110C seem awfully low to anyone? Any recommendations or successful recipes out there for perfect, foolproof roast beef? It's only 666gm so won't take too long to cook, I don't think.

I have to get some documents certified and am in Galway - where would be best to go?

My boyfriend recently quit his job - it involved a lot of nights, and we were both miserable while he was working there. However, he has now been unemployed for about 6 week-2 months, and I'm beginning to find it hard going. I earn enough to support both of us, but I get a little angry whenever it feels like he's not focusing on the jobhunt. It's not easy, because he's basically completely unskilled, and he IS trying to find a job, but we live in a fairly small town with a lot of people searching. We live together, and are planning to move overseas together soon (so he can study). BUT he's 4 years younger than me and I feel guilty/nagging/old-hag-ish sometimes pushing him re the job thing, then angry because I hate feeling guilty!

I don't want to split our finances completely, but I paid rent last month because he was broke and was shocked by how angry I felt when he asked for my half this month as somehow I thought he'd have budgeted to cover it.

How do I start this conversation?

I've a 1.2kg beef roast in the freezer - I haven't the faintest clue what it is as I bought it prepackaged - presumably it's boned and rolled? I want to oven-roast this, NOT pot-roast it if possible... your best recipes and cooking tips please and thank you!

I'm going there with a friend in July (not a festival weekend), probably looking at spending €40-€60 each per night for accom, probably prefer a private room rather than a dorm, any recommendations? Have never been to Amsterdam before and only have the 2 days, so aiming to be pretty central so we can just walk about everywhere. Prefer a hostel to a hotel, as would be good to meet some people to hang out with!

I'm in Ireland and I MISS Oporto chicken... I've done a bit of tracking and found something that looks like a marinade that would make the chicken, now I'm looking for the dipping sauces. I can't even remember what they were (it's been over a year since my last Oporto experience...) - can anyone give me any reminders or, most excellently, recipes? Also, has anyone got any tips on how to make potato and gravy that taste most like Oporto's? I know the potato has cream and milk in it so am not looking to save my hips now.

We're having a BBQ this weekend and Oporto-style chicken would be excellent.

I have half a litre of homemade yoghurt left that's really smelling quite cheesy already. Sooooooooo.... I thought rather than just assuming it's inedible and chucking it, I'd try straining it, and see if it tastes any better when I'm presenting it to myself as cheese. I LOVE cheese - love mature cheddar, and blue cheese, and gruyere... all the strong flavours hit the spot. So I figure cheesy-flavoured yoghurt might make quite edible cheese. Is there anything I could try to make it more cheesy rather than just like solidified slightly-rancid yoghurt?

Let's get creative.

My boyfriend is returning to study - he has spent the past couple of years travelling around and hasn't really studied since leaving high school, and at 22 is starting a BA in Politics. He's got most of the set texts for the first semester, and is trying to get back into study mode, but is finding himself tending to fall back on reading the paper and Newsweek and counting this as study. Has anyone got any tips on how to motivate himself into preparing properly for this course, eg. how to take notes (not as easy at it seems it should be!) off the books he's reading, structuring his study so he keeps at it etc.

Thanks everyone!

I have a bunch of big ol' carrots in the fridge - really should use them up. We do love them roasted or as oven chips (which is really the same just skinnier pieces...) but hit me with your favourite recipes or ways to have carrots served as a side dish! If anyone has anything that goes particularly well with slow-roasted pork shoulder, that's what we're eating tonight!

I'm trying to find a date calculator for use in a warehouse - sort of like an electronic version of the date wheel.

http://www.thedatewheel.com/daily/index.htm - this would do the same job, but I need an electronic one with digital display.

When I search 'electronic handheld date calculator' and variations on the theme, all I come up with are regular handheld calculators, or online calculation sites or downloads! Can anyone point me in the direction of a handheld device that I could enter in the date, eg. today's date, and the calculation I need, eg. 170 days, and get back the date that is 170 days from today?

Thanks in advance!

I want to do a strand test first to make sure I end up with the right colour, but it specifically says 'the whole mixture must be used immediately, in no circumstances should it be kept.' Can I mix it and keep it for a couple of hours while I'm doing the test, or should I just mix a wee bit of creme and a wee bit of developer first, and how do I know how much will give approx an accurate indication of the end result??? OR should I do a strand test with one pack then buy a whole new pack once I know what how long to leave it etc. Thanks heaps!

After reading up a fair bit on home dyeing, and going blonde, I'm CONSIDERING it.

This was the best site I found, esp because it's UK-based, and I'm in Ireland.

http://www.blonde-ambition.co.uk/page2.shtml

What I'm wondering is, the L'Oreal Superblonde Pre-lightener she refers to is available here, but I'm not sure which blonde dye to use over the top - from other sites it sounds like what I need is a toner rather than a dye (something to add colour rather with extra peroxide or ammonia in it) - what are some brands I can look for, and does anyone have any recommendations? I'm looking for a cool (probably champagne?) shade.

Now, many of us will be familiar with the Hawaiian - where I come from, it's ham and pineapple, the kiddies' option, etc. I was thinking of jazzing this up with the alla Bismark option - a fried egg on top. BUT I'm thinking that the fried egg might not settle so well on top of all those lumpy toppings. So how do you think the flavour/texture will be affected if I first WHIZ the pineapple and ham (or even just puree the pineapple and leave the ham in sheets) first, before spreading on the pizza, topping with cheese and finishing off with a fried egg.

I'll be moving to London soon; I'll be interviewing for office/administration roles and am aware that first impressions are crucial. As I've been living in a small, very laid-back city for the past year (I wear jeans to work), I haven't got anything appropriate for interviews. Has anyone got any tips on where I'd find a decent but not too pricey suit (and probably shirt and shoes as well) in London - I'll want to get it in a morning's shopping, preferably, and will be looking to spend up to £200. Are there any particular areas that will help me get it with the minimum of fuss - we'll be staying in Richmond our first couple of weeks, but I wouldn't think I'd find anything in my price-range there. Also, we're arriving in early August - will there be any sales at that time? I'm in my mid-20s, and am hoping to find something in publishing/communications so will be looking for an outfit that somehow will appeal to interviewers in that area! (Hey, the CV is only half the battle!)

Irish/Kiwi couple moving to London in August, only geographical commitment so far is one of us will be at university in Bloomsbury, so presumably anywhere in Zones 2 or 3 will be fine (assuming Zone 1 would be too expensive for us anyway). We'd be looking at about £150pw for a double room in a flatshare. We like music/pubs/bars/sometimes clubbing/good food/markets/living around other people in their mid-20s...

Where would you recommend? At this point I'm thinking Hackney (the Victoria Park end) - any other ideas or suggestions?

My boyfriend threw his neck out a week ago - this has happened a couple of times in the past year but never this severely. The first day, he was in a fair amount of pain, the second day he couldn't even stand up straight. While it has gradually improved, the fact that it's still a problem a week later says he needs to get more help than anti-inflammatories. Now, my immediate thought was a chiropractor, but I've heard them referred to as bone cowboys and other kind of uncomplimentary things (seriously, no offence intended, any chiros who read this, I'm just repeating my reasons for not going straight to a chiro, but it was my first option!) I just really want to know, what would people out there recommend? Chiropractor? Osteopath? Which is the most likely to help him out of his current pain, but which is also the best move for an ongoing cure? He's aware that regular exercises and taking responsibility for his own wellbeing will be part of it. Thanks in advance.

Getting hair cut tomorrow - I have a high forehead and cheekbones, a fairly square jaw, deepset eyes, and a nice short straight nose. I still love the whole emo/shag cut thing, have thick, wavy hair (not curly, though), like layers, straighten my hair sometimes but like to let it dry naturally as well to keep the condition. Any pics for me to take in appreciated!

This is NOT me, but her face is shaped fairly similarly to mine (my eyes tilt up a little at the corners though, but I haven't got any online pics at work!) -

http://hairstyles.hairboutique.com/details.php?ID=...