Jaymes

Steve at Rancho Gordo has talked about starting a Mexican 'charla' forum in connection with RanchoGordo.com. Maybe we should all insist!

Jaymes posted this salsa last June and I just found it yesterday. Made it this afternoon and now report back. Point #1: I had no idea how difficult it is now to find canned tomatoes without sugar and a lot of other stuff in them. Jaymes said canned tomatoes with tomatoes and salt only. In a large local supermarket I could find only one brand with the requisite tomatoes and salt only. Point number 2...which I already knew...just a fact of life for chiles. Some of the same type of chile are much hotter than another. I could not imagine getting fresh Jalapenos in Peterpatch, ON, so hot that I had to add another can of tomatoes to the salsa just to be able to use it at all. DH, Ed, still thinks it's too hot. It probably would have been safer under the circumstances to either use canned or to add the chiles one at a time. Still, all in all, a good experience. Thanks, Jaymes I love this salsa! But I've never seen a jalapeno in Asia. I use Holland chilis, (the long, thin red ones) and the heat is perfect. You can use basically any chile peppers. And a mix of peppers is sometimes even better. I put a serrano or two in my husband's batch to ramp up the heat. But if you'd like jalapenos, I'm sure you can grow some. They're easy to grow. I had a friend that loved this salsa. She moved to Germany. A native Texan, she said she was having a really hard time over there with no jalapenos, so I sent her some seeds, and she grew them quite successfully for the entire three years she lived there.

And some of us are adamantly against using frozen onions. Me.

Jaymes posted this salsa last June and I just found it yesterday. Made it this afternoon and now report back. Point #1: I had no idea how difficult it is now to find canned tomatoes without sugar and a lot of other stuff in them. Jaymes said canned tomatoes with tomatoes and salt only. In a large local supermarket I could find only one brand with the requisite tomatoes and salt only. Point number 2...which I already knew...just a fact of life for chiles. Some of the same type of chile are much hotter than another. I could not imagine getting fresh Jalapenos in Peterpatch, ON, so hot that I had to add another can of tomatoes to the salsa just to be able to use it at all. DH, Ed, still thinks it's too hot. It probably would have been safer under the circumstances to either use canned or to add the chiles one at a time. Still, all in all, a good experience. Thanks, Jaymes Glad you wound up you post by saying that it was, all in all, a good experience. About half-way through, I'll admit I was beginning to worry! And you're right, of course, that getting the salsa to have the right amount of "heat" for all the family members is always going to be through trial and error. I usually wound up making at least three batches - one for the kids, one for me, and a third, that would take off the roof of your mouth, for my chile-pepper-loving husband.

I too have never heard of this and must try. Ever make it with fresh pineapple? No. But I must say, I've thought about it from time to time. You might have to add a little extra canned or frozen pineapple juice to get the right consistency. Maybe bake it a little longer... Don't know. If you decide to do that, let us know.

I would like it, thank you for sharing! Yes, me, too. My dad loves molasses. The thicker, richer, blacker, the better. ETA: Oh, I see it. I guess we cross-posted. Thanks!

It's pretty tasty. Hope you try it, and like it. As I said, it's easy to adapt to your personal preferences and style. Oh, and one more thing... This is a great dish to take to a potluck. It goes with practically everything, you can sling it together in about five minutes, many folks have never heard of it, and it's always a big hit.

Here's one I've been making for some 40 years. Got it out of a military officer's wives cookbook. It's been a family favorite for all these decades. Can't remember a family get-together that somebody doesn't bring it. As you say, it's perfect to go with ham, or roast pork, or fried chicken, or barbecue, or ribs, or whatever. Easy to make, and the children love it. Hot Pineapple and Cheese Salad 1 large can pineapple chunks (not drained) 1 C all-purpose flour 1 C sugar 1 lb good-quality Cheddar cheese, grated or shredded. Combine the dry ingredients, stirring until well blended. Add the pineapple and cheese and mix until combined. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes, or at 350 for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve while still hot. ETA: If you google 'hot pineapple salad,' you'll find quite a few recipes, with varying measurements and ingredients. Many add Ritz Crackers. If this simple one of ours doesn't work for you, you should be able to find another one that is just perfect. The key seems to be to google 'hot salad' rather than 'casserole,' if that's what you've tried. AHA! Thanks, Jaymes; I never thought of that approach! Darienne, it's pineapple in juice, and I'd be inclined to cut back on the amount of sugar, but that's just me... (ETA juice) Well, seems to me thinking back that when we first started making this, canned pineapple only came packed in heavy syrup, and I did, indeed cut back on the sugar. But I often like things less sweet than others (I never buy those cookies in the mall for that reason - too sweet for me), so some family members make it sweeter than others. Pineapple packed in its own juice isn't as sweet as that packed in heavy syrup, though. May not be the most helpful advice, but let's face it, this is so easy, I'd suggest you just try it a time or two and come up with a sweetness level that pleases your family. Also, some folks drain the pineapple, which makes it less soupy. And you can squeeze in a bit of lemon juice if you'd like. Or top with maraschino cherries, or whatever. Sometimes I make it by laying whole pineapple slices in a shallow baking dish or glass pie pan, combining the flour, sugar and cheese, and sprinkling it over. It's really versatile and easy to adapt to your personal preferences and needs.

Here's one I've been making for some 40 years. Got it out of a military officer's wives cookbook. It's been a family favorite for all these decades. Can't remember a family get-together that somebody doesn't bring it. As you say, it's perfect to go with ham, or roast pork, or fried chicken, or barbecue, or ribs, or whatever. Easy to make, and the children love it. Hot Pineapple and Cheese Salad 1 large can pineapple chunks (not drained) 1 C all-purpose flour 1 C sugar 1 lb good-quality Cheddar cheese, grated or shredded. Combine the dry ingredients, stirring until well blended. Add the pineapple and cheese and mix until combined. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes, or at 350 for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve while still hot. ETA: If you google 'hot pineapple salad,' you'll find quite a few recipes, with varying measurements and ingredients. Many add Ritz Crackers. If this simple one of ours doesn't work for you, you should be able to find another one that is just perfect. The key seems to be to google 'hot salad' rather than 'casserole,' if that's what you've tried.

Mama Leone's used to be a very famous, and excellent Italian restaurant. In 1967, her son, Gene, wrote a cookbook with many of the restaurant's best recipes, and someone gave it to me as a wedding gift. Most of the recipes were pretty long and involved, but all were excellent. Mama Leone put carrots into her red sauces for that very reason - adds a touch of sweetness. So I've always done it as well. Leone's Italian Restaurant Cookbook edited to add that I purchased this cookbook on Amazon--can't wait to get it! Thanks for showing it to me! It's a really wonderful book. But very old school, so be prepared. Edited to add: Did you read these reviews? It's really a beloved book.

Regional differences, family nomenclature, ethnic heritage, habit, all affect what people choose to call most things. Heated chocolate drinks certainly fall into that category. Personally, I don't think it matters one whit what you call it as long as you, and the folks with whom you are speaking, understand what you mean. If so, then you're "correct." It's been my personal experience that you don't get very far when you start trying to "school" others with your distinctions. (And didn't we just have this chat a couple of months back?)

Mama Leone's used to be a very famous, and excellent Italian restaurant. In 1967, her son, Gene, wrote a cookbook with many of the restaurant's best recipes, and someone gave it to me as a wedding gift. Most of the recipes were pretty long and involved, but all were excellent. Mama Leone put carrots into her red sauces for that very reason - adds a touch of sweetness. So I've always done it as well. Leone's Italian Restaurant Cookbook

When is it you think corn showed up? Silly argument to have, I suppose, Eastgate, and this probably isn't the thread to have it. But... I've read that it's generally accepted by folks that care about and study these things that corn was being grown in the Americas as early as 3000 BC.

Whew. Gave me quite a start!

Fish tacos, "an invention of the Southwest and border states"? Are you saying fisherfolk along the coasts of Mexico haven't been wrapping up their catch in tortillas? And then sprinkling on a little hot sauce? For hundreds of years? Probably even thousands? For as long as they've been making tortillas? And fishing? In fact, not until some norteamericanos thought of it? I'm sorry, but I simply can't imagine that. Am I missing something? _________________

This looks really good. But I do find it interesting that you add the tomato paste at the beginning of a long cooking process. I was always told that tomato paste gets bitter as it cooks, and you should always add it toward the end. I note you add sugar. Do you find the tomato paste gets bitter? Does the sugar offset it?

Or just wrap them in a handy dishtowel.

I often serve it as a dip at parties. Put in a crockpot or chafing dish to keep warm. Serve sturdy tortilla chips alongside. Never fails to surprise me how many folks have never heard of it. But it's always a huge hit.

One of the main reasons I bought a gas barbecue grill for the backyard was to prepare dishes that are difficult on an electric range & oven. I can also simmer beans a la olla in a clay pot for hours out there. You might consider it as an option for preparations that are best over an open flame.

This makes sense, if you think about it. After all, transportation and refrigeration issues affect many things - dairy, chicken, meats, other fish, cheeses, eggs, etc. The list is endless. But the only commodity about which I ever heard the "month with an R" thing are oysters. So common sense tells you that it must be something unique to them.

This is a children's craft project; resembles stained glass. This is hilarious. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I would do with that. Obviously I'm not very crafty. Or have small children to entertain.

Well. Alrighty then.

Pork spareribs slow-cooked with Bavarian-style sauerkraut and apples. And served with a nice helping of fluffy white mashed potatoes alongside. Ahhhh.....

Well, parchment paper works, of course, but wax paper is much, much cheaper. And as for buttering the pan with your fingers, I do that sometimes. But especially when my nails are long, find I can't get the butter into the corners very well. And truth to tell, I don't really like that greasy feeling all that much.

Smart. Very, very smart.