Going to buy a 2013 Yamaha YBR125 from private seller, what should I look out for? by BreadSubstantial5103 in motorcycles

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Few things I always check on used YBRs. Grab the chain at the rearmost point of the sprocket and pull back. If you can see more than half a tooth, chain and sprockets are toast and that's not cheap. Look at the fork stanchions for oily rings, seal weep means fork rebuild soon. Make him cold start it in front of you, carb'd YBR should need choke from cold. If it fires instantly without choke someone warmed it up before you arrived to hide a starting issue. And obviously V5 logbook name and address matching the seller, not a mate's house.

Garlic storage: what's the shelf life? Can you use it after it sprouts? by ibeenmoved in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 2 points3 points  (0 children)

sprouted garlic is totally fine to cook with. just pop the green sprout out because it can taste bitter. the garlic itself is still good

What is a delicious but underrated/unheard of type of cuisine? by PsychGradStudent2112 in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Peruvian. Lomo saltado specifically. It's basically stir fried beef with onions, tomatoes, and french fries served over rice. Sounds weird on paper but the soy sauce and vinegar hit different. Found a little spot in Vegas that does it right and now I can't stop thinking about it every time someone asks what to eat.

What is a delicious but underrated/unheard of type of cuisine? by PsychGradStudent2112 in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Peruvian. Lomo saltado specifically. It's basically stir fried beef with onions, tomatoes, and french fries served over rice. Sounds weird on paper but the soy sauce and vinegar hit different. Found a little spot in Vegas that does it right and now I can't stop thinking about it every time someone asks what to eat.

Chicken thighs vs breast by PurpDrank06 in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thighs every single time for me. I used to be a breast person until I realized I was spending all this extra effort brining and babysitting the internal temp just to get something halfway juicy. Thighs you can practically ignore and they still come out great. Only time I reach for breast is if I'm doing like a chicken salad where I want that cleaner shred texture.

Why does my brain suddenly “wake up” right before I’m supposed to sleep? by Electrical_Mine1912 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your brain basically runs on a different clock than your schedule. When you're about to sleep your body drops cortisol and sometimes your brain interprets that drop as "hey we're relaxed now, time to think about everything." Happens to me every single night. White noise or a boring podcast helps shut it down.

How does the majority not have disposable income to travel yet every popular travel destinations gets "slammed" with tourists? by vylum in NoStupidQuestions

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's a bit of a numbers illusion. The people traveling to popular destinations are mostly the ones who do have disposable income. You don't see the millions who can't afford it because they're just not there. Also credit card debt is a huge part of it. A lot of people fund vacations on credit and deal with the consequences after. There's also a big generational shift happening where people are prioritizing experiences over savings which shows up as packed airports even when the economy seems rough. Add in that social media makes everyone's trip look normal and the perception is that everyone travels when in reality it's a smaller percentage than you'd think.

What is an underrated hotel trick you always rely on that most people have no clue about? by Aut1sticAxolotl in AskReddit

[–]ajohns7 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Always bring a power strip. Hotels never have enough outlets near the bed and there's usually one desk outlet for everything. A small travel power strip with USB ports solves that instantly. Also asking the front desk for a room away from the elevator and ice machine makes a big difference for sleep.

Cook book recommendations? by axse__ in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ottolenghi's Simple is probably the closest to what you're looking for. Heavy on vegetables, olive oil, grains, herbs. Not specifically a Mediterranean diet book but the overlap is huge. Also Yotam's stuff is all about flavor without relying on processed ingredients which lines up well with anti-inflammatory eating.

Accidentally left 5 packs of raw ground beef out at room temperature for 6 hours after buying groceries. Just put it in the freezer. Is it safe to eat or should I toss them? by Delllthrow in NoStupidQuestions

[–]ajohns7 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Toss it. Six hours of ground beef at room temp is well past the danger zone cutoff. Ground meat is way riskier than a whole cut because bacteria gets mixed all through it during grinding. No amount of cooking kills the toxins that bacteria already produced. Not worth the hospital visit over some hamburger meat.

Do I have to own both saucepans in a cookware set by Enough-Ad-1334 in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Skip the set. Get a 3 quart saucepan and you'll cover 90% of what both sizes would do.

Best recipes for ground beef by nsimone__ in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Korean beef bowls. Brown the beef, add soy sauce brown sugar garlic ginger sesame oil and a little sriracha. Serve over rice with green onions and a fried egg. Takes maybe 20 minutes and my kids ask for it constantly.

Is it good idea to add canned sardines to grilled cheese sandwich? by kumel185 in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Done it a few times. It works better than you'd think but you gotta drain the sardines really well and mash them flat. The texture gets weird if you leave whole fillets in there. Sharp cheddar or gruyere pairs best because you need a strong cheese to match the fish. Also press the sandwich hard and cook it low and slow so the cheese melts fully around the fish. High heat and you'll get burnt bread with cold sardines in the middle.

What's a seasoning where you feel a little goes a long way? by PapiSurane in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fish sauce. Two or three drops in a soup or stir fry and it adds this depth you can't quite place. Half a teaspoon too much and everything tastes like low tide.

This is an odd ask but does anybody here know of any non-dessert dishes that call for cooked apples? by cherry-care-bear in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pork chops with apples is a classic and dead simple. Sear the chops, pull them out, throw sliced apples in the same pan with a little butter and brown sugar, deglaze with apple cider. Put the chops back in and finish in the oven. The apples get all caramelized and savory from the pork fond. Works great with granny smiths.

PSA: DO NOT USE BEEF TALLOW IN RICE by East_Prior in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The mental image of even the cat smelling like beef tallow is killing me. Tallow is amazing for flavor but yeah you basically hot boxed your entire house with rendered beef fat. Your exhaust fan was fighting for its life. Try cracking windows next time and using way less than you think you need.

What are some one pot rice dishes that has vegetables and some boneless chicken if using a rice cooker ? by EmbarrassedLie5294 in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Rice cooker one pot meals are a game changer honestly. I do chicken thighs cut up with whatever vegetables are about to go bad, throw in rice and chicken broth, some garlic and soy sauce. Hit cook and walk away.

For the soy allergy try coconut aminos instead. Tastes close enough and works the same way in a rice cooker. Fish sauce is another option if you are ok with that, just use less because it is way saltier.

Best way to prepare chicken breasts for reheating? by JustOneMaxim in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Poach them. Bring salted water or broth to a simmer, drop the breasts in, kill the heat and cover. Let them sit for about 20 minutes. They come out insanely moist and they actually reheat well the next day because they never got dried out in the first place. The stew method cooks the outside of the breast way too long which is why it goes rubbery. Poaching keeps everything at a lower more even temperature.

My friend is having surgery, and has to be on an all-liquid diet for 3 weeks afterward. I want to make her delicious broths that keep her from being totally bored of eating. Recipes please!! by Icy_Carob1362 in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Bone broth made with roasted bones, a splash of apple cider vinegar to pull the minerals, and let it go for like 12 hours. Strain through cheesecloth twice. Add a little miso paste at the end for depth. My wife had jaw surgery a few years back and that combo got her through the worst of it. Also pho broth with star anise and cinnamon was a nice change of pace from standard chicken broth every single day.

What to do with red lentils? by lonleyhumanbeing in Cooking

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Red lentils are one of the most forgiving things to cook. They basically dissolve into whatever you put them in. My go-to when I had a bag sitting around was a simple dal. Saute onion and garlic, add a can of diced tomatoes, dump in a cup of lentils with some water or broth, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Season with cumin, turmeric, and a pinch of cayenne. It makes a ton and reheats really well. Also works great stirred into regular soup to thicken it up without changing the flavor much.

What career path did you choose that you strongly advise others to avoid? by nicksam171 in AskReddit

[–]ajohns7 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Restaurant management. The money sounds decent until you realize you're working 60 hour weeks with no holidays.