nacho

I grew up in a family of mostly German-American heritage in South Texas, and mom and granny would both serve the same salad you describe above. No clue where it came from, but we ate it A LOT. For many years, mom made one with every dinner...and often she would just cut up a few new veggies and top off the uneaten salad from the night before. Man that was nasty when day-old chopped avocado was involved. Every now and again, we would get a break from the tossed salad and mom would make a 7 Layer Salad. If memory holds, the layers were (from bottom to top): spinach, celery, carrots, frozen peas, maybe bell peppers, miracle whip, bacon bits, and parmesan cheese from a green can. It was a welcome change from the daily tossed salad. However, my brother and father have since renamed it One-o'clock-Three-o'clock Salad, since after they eat it with dinner, they have to get up around 1am to go to the bathroom and then again around 3am (must be all the spinach ).

I've only had this once while in Seoul, and my Korean friend ordered it for me, so I didn't know what to expect. The waiter brought it out and put the hot stone bowl on the table in front of me (I forget, but I think they added all the veggies and egg right there at the table before putting it in front of me) and I looked at it, heard the rice sizzling and felt the heat coming off the bowl, so decided to continue to talk while it cooled a bit (I'm a clutz and didn't want to burn myself). My Korean friend, trying to be polite and not interrupt me, kept looking down at the bowl a bit impatiently, and finally said "You better stir that!!" So yup, stir it all up. It was great. I'm looking forward to trying to make this as soon as I can get to the Korean grocer to pick up a dolsot.

Acemart has a location at 5th and Baylor, and another on N. Lamar. http://www.acemart.com

You're the second one to mention potato mashing... really? Is this done in the work bowl or are you talking about the food mill attachment? ← Then I'll be the third. I boil up potatoes on the stove with some salt and garlic, then drain and put in the work bowl with some butter and milk and seasonings, etc. and let the machine mash away.

I had a similar situation come up last weekend...I was tasked with feeding 9 people dinner, and we were going to be gone all day long. The upside was that we would be on the lake all day, but the down side was that I would have to have dinner prepared quickly for 9 hungry guys in a short period of time. So I took my 7 quart slow cooker and made red beans and rice. Into the slow cooker that morning went 2 lbs of red beans, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, bay leaf, sliced smoked sausage, and diced ham. Cook on low for 8 hours. When I got back that evening, I added seasoning (salt, pepper, red pepper, cajun seasoning, etc.) and cooked up rice in the rice steamer and baked some biscuits in the oven. Everyone loved it.

There's a great little taqueria around the corner from my work that serves a very unique jalepeno salsa...it's creamy in texture with a very strong jalepeno flavor. I've gotten pretty close to duplicating it at home, but they do something to cut the heat from the jalepenos and add a level of creaminess that I'm not doing correctly. I've suspected they are cooking lettuce and adding to the mix, but I haven't gone experimenting down that path yet b/c I had never heard of people cooking lettuce. I think I'll try it now though.

colcannon -- there are many ways to make this, but my way is to cut a green cabbage into 1 inch squares and saute, then combine the cooked cabbage with cooked bacon and the mashed potatoes (add some extra butter, milk, etc. as you like) and put the mixture into a baking dish. bake in the oven until heated through and the top starts to brown (sometimes I throw it under the broiler if it's good and baked through, but i'm not getting my browning on top).

I normally don't use a GB, but the times that I have, it really has saved a lot of time. I just don't have the counter space to keep it around all the time. However, I've thought a lot about composting lately, so maybe it's time to make the room. As someone who knows little about composting, other than the theory, does it create much of an odor? I have a yard and could put it in a corner away from the deck, but that puts it pretty close to the neighbors....will they hate me for the smell???

Secret sharing time....shhhh don't tell anyone....but if you open the link and put your cursor over the the recipe title Pork in Adobo (your pointer will change to a text selection cursor) and you click-and-hold to select the text of the recipe by dragging all the way down to where the recipe ends (it says 'This recipe originally appeared in February, 2005') it will highlight all the text of the recipe (the text is all there, it's just hidden behind that register block). Then copy the text with a Ctrl C (windows) and open Notepad or a word publishing application and paste, you get the whole recipe. But shhh...don't tell anyone....we don't want them knowing we know.

Okay, I have two carcasses in the freezer....how does one go about making this rich stock? I've made chicken stock from like neckbones and such many times, but never from a carcass. Is the process the same? Do you still add veggie trimmings, or just boil up the bones? And is the richness coming from letting the broth reduce a lot, or is there something about the already cooked rotisserie chicken carcasses that makes the bones breakdown and unleash their flavors better? Thanks!

I hear where you are coming from, sandercohan. A really good friend of mine is now engaged to a picky eater. I have only invited them over for dinner once in the last year (even though I love having friends over for dinner) b/c I don't know what to fix that would accomodate her. Most of the stuff I enjoy cooking is gonna include something she dislikes (onions, mushrooms, etc.). They've invited me over a couple of times (and neither of them are good cooks, so accepting the invitation is really more about keeping in touch), but since I haven't returned the favor, we seem to be talking less and less, which is a real shame. Then, last night as I was eating the dinner I had just made, I finally realized it was something I could make that they would both love (and by your criteria above, might work for you as well).... Kabobs. There's so many options here. Last night, I cubed the steak and had steak-only skewers, another skewer was halved small new potatoes, another was of alternating mushrooms and onions, another of just sliced zuccini, etc. I hadn't been thinking in terms of picky eaters when I decided to make the skewers "single item"...more of the idea that everything on the skewer would be just the right doneness at the same time. Once off the grill, I served the kabobs with rice (and if your friend is a mac and cheese girl, you could add some butter to her rice, which while not at all "authentic", is pretty damn good ). She can then pick only the skewers she'll eat. Make some chicken only skewers as well, and just put basic seasonings on them. And in fact, my steak skewers were awesome and they were just seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, and finally, I added a little olive oil just before putting on the grill. Nothing too exotic. For the less picky eaters, you can also make some hummus to serve on the side and toast some pita bread. And have tabooli.

Luckily, the crazy neighbor never got around to spraying her "poison ivy" this year (more accurately identified to the rest of us as mustang grape vines ), so I had plenty of grapes make their way to my side of the fence. However, this heat spell and a month without rain was doing it's best to turn them to raisins on the vine, so I was forced to pick them this weekend ahead of schedule. About a quarter of them were a nice deep purple, almost black, but the majority were a lighter color, and some even had a few specs of green. After taking my bucket of grapes inside for de-stemming in the air conditioner... ... I decided to call mom and see what my options are for them (I don't have any prior experience working with mustang grapes). We decided on jelly, so the first step was making the grape juice. So into the pan they went... After bringing them to a boil and then simmering about 10 minutes, I had a very different looking pan. I was surprised at how light the color became... Then I ran them through a strainer with cheese cloth to separate the pulp from the juice... ...and then I strained once more... and walla...grape juice...I think. By this point though, the greater part of the afternoon had been spent, and I didn't feel like starting the actual jelly making process. Plus, I doubt there would be any interest in watching this jelly-makin' newbie go through what appears to be a pretty basic process. Although I imagine the mess I expect might have some comedic value. So, what do you all do differently when harvesting your mustang grapes? I'm making some notes to improve my "method" for next year, so any hints are most welcome. - Nacho P.S. Fifi, thanks for teasing us with pictures from your new Nikon D70. I couldn't stand it anymore and had to go buy my own.

The internal temp. standard they use is way higher than I would go at home (something like 180 or 185F, to avoid lawsuits); consequently the breasts are usually overcooked. ← Ok, gotta say, I'm lovin' egullet for turning me on to new, great bargains. That said, I've NEVER bought a rotisserie chicken b/4 b/c there's nothing I hate more than dry whitemeat chicken. I was given a Sunbeam Rotisserie for Christmas one year, and even when I'd make it myself, the breast was way overcooked by the time the legs and thighs were done (this likely could be b/c of the quality of the roaster, but regardless, I've never been impressed with rotisserie chicken). However, this thread came just on the right week when I was too busy at work to get away in time to still make something for dinner, and having been sick last week, my stomach was still on the touchy side. So I figured for the sake of the society , I'd venture out and stop at the Costco that is very near my house and grab a bird. As I approached the counter, they had just put out two birds right off the spit. I quickly grabbed one and tried to cover my face as I bolted towards the checkout, hoping not to be recognized. I got the bird home, and following Fifi's instructions, I polished off a drumstick standing at the counter. It was AWESOME. But we're still talking the dark meat here, so there's still a chance that half of this bird is gonna suck. I decide to wait until the next day to try my luck on the breast, but then I saw the above post about the breasts being way overcooked. I knew I couldn't handle the suspense of waiting for the next evening to find out, so I went and carved out snack sized slice from the middle of the breast that night. Well, it was......really good!! Not dry at all! Even today, after sitting in the fridge a day, I made a grilled pannini sandwich with more of the breast, and it was incredible. Thank you egullet for giving me another reason to love Costco.

It's definitely a sweet-and-sour effect. My mom told me yesterday about this article in her local paper. I've never heard of a green grape cobbler!! But the green grape pies are really popular in the Victoria area. I'm heading down there this weekend for Mother's day, to pick some dewberries, and so she can show me what size to pick the grapes. Unfortunately, I may be too late if they've already started to develop seeds.

This year I did pretty good about getting my existing herb beds cleaned up and replanted, and I also managed to get a jalapeno plant in a pot before the full moon. I kept stalling on my tomato plant, however. Just put it in a pot last weekend. But what I'm really looking forward to this year is the surprise guest....one of my neighbors' wild mustang grapevines has made it's way to my yard! There are already a ton of smallish green grapes. So, what to do with the grapes? My grandmother makes a green grape pie out of them, and my other grandmaw makes wine. What other uses are there? And if anyone has a green grape pie recipe, please send along. Granny's were never great. (sorry Granny). Now, if I can just keep my other neighbor from spraying poison on the vines this year. She swears they are poison ivy or poison oak, and I keep trying to explain that those plants don't grow grapes.

My grandmother's version is just called Chocolate Sheet Cake, and she's been making it for at least 25 years. I've never really liked chocolate cake, but I do remember really liking her sheet cake. I may need to put a request in for the next time I visit them.

Any chance you bought it at Whole Foods instead of CM? I buy a greek olive oil there with a grassy label and tastes as you described. Here's a link, although the label looks more yellow than grassy in this picture... http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/afa/lapas.html Now, back to CM ... welcome Papa Roja. I agree, the whole-grain mustard is awesome. And as to the blood orange soda, my neighborhood HEB has large stocks of it now.

It's great with vodka!! The lemon one is good with vodka too.

The North Lamar (original) CM has had plenty of available parking the last few times I've been in as well. They were even handing out a $5-off-the-purchase-of-$25-or-more coupon last time I was in. And fifi, please elaborate on the uses of mayonesa, if you don't mind??? I've never heard of it.

I had luck tracking down Kitty Crider's article, if anyone else is interested in reading it. And while I'm at it, here is Robb Walsh's article. But unfortunately, I couldn't find Dai Huynh's "A Mountain of Hope."

Very cool. I love Robb Walsh's cookbook. I haven't had a chance to try many recipes, but the documentation of the history is very good. And the essay by Kitty Crider....omg, truly moving. I remember reading that at my desk at work and hoping my co-workers didn't bust me all red-eyed, wiping away tears . In fact, I went to re-read it today after seeing it mentioned here, and it's no longer posted on the Statesman's Web site (or, at least I couldn't find it). Does anyone know if the nominated articles / essays are available somewhere for review?

Diana Kennedy has a recipe for longaniza (a green chorizo???) in her book "The Art of Mexican Cooking". Unfortunately, I don't have this book to see what the ingredients are....it's only referenced in her newest, "From My Mexican Kitchen." But when I googled around, I came across one recipe that mentions ground pork with green chiles, bay leaf, parsley, cilantro and Swiss chard. I'm sorry JetLag, I don't know where to find them either. My first guess in Austin would be Fiesta....I'm guessing you've tried them in Houston?? Also, is the Kennedy recipe for longaniza the one you used?

I'm planning on checking out the downtown farmers' market tomorrow in Austin. As mentioned previously, it's a growers-only market. Here's a link to what is gonna be there this week. I haven't been to any of the other markets, but it sounds like the Westlake Farmers' Market (now Sunset Valley Farmers Market??) is also a growers-only market.

I rehydrate mine in hot water and then run them through a food mill to separate the skins from the pulp (the skins can be bitter....although i've never done a comparison with one batch in the blender and one through the food mill to see just how bitter they are and if it's worth the extra effort). I don't know the exact equivalents either, but this weekend, I made chilorio with the paste from about 8 chile pods to 2 lbs of pork. It was a good amount of chile flavor in the chilorio, but maybe a bit much for chili. I'm going to try the paste from 6 pods to 2 lbs of chili meat this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes

My HEB in Austin at Braker and 183 had some of this stuff, but not much. No blood orange soda though .... I'm starting to get withdrawal shakes. The applesauce is good. The label says they make it with old fashioned equipment to keep the apple bruising down. That's nice of them.