Jaymes

And you can always put your tortilla in your skillet or comal, add your cheese, etc., and then, rather than fold, top with another tortilla. Then you just keep flipping until both tortillas and the fillings are cooked to your liking. Slice as though one might slice a pizza and serve that way.

Seems to me we had a similar thread a while back, and a lot of folks mentioned Donna Hay. I don't personally have any of her books, but she seemed much loved by many.

The absolute best sandwiches in the world are the sliced barbecue brisket sandwiches available only in Lockhart, Taylor, Luling, Giddings and Lexington, Texas.

Just use a good-quality vegetable oil. Don't worry about the buttery flavor.

Had kind of a hard time finding it what with the new formats and all, but it's here: Red Velvet Cake

How about Detente? I'm probably going to the Vineyard sometime over the next few months and am looking for some good recommendations. I've heard Detente is good and that the folks that run it are super.

Well, it's certainly the most unpleasant show on television. I'm skipping it this season. If I wanted to listen to all that abuse, I would have stayed married.

I'm wondering about the martini picks. Aren't the heavy glass beads at the end a problem when it comes to keeping the picks in the martini glass? Doesn't the weight of the beads pull the picks out of the glass and send the whole shebang crashing to the floor?

The Bon Appétit Awards 2009 "For the 12th annual Bon Appétit Awards, we selected a Hot 10 of people, companies, and products setting new standards of culinary excellence in food, drinks, travel, and design. And this year's winners are... " The new list of the "Hot 10" includes some familiar names, like Rancho Gordo, and a few 'smack your forehead why didn't I think of that' ideas like Open Table. And those inventive folks at the Kogi truck.

Wow. A lot of really great variations. Were these typical, or was your mom just extraordinarily clever?

Lemon Squares. Perfect for any occasion.

Well, unless we're related I don't think he made it up. My mom (born and raised in rural Montana) also called this a One Eyed Egyptian Sandwich. When I started reading this thread and didn't see anyone else mentioning that name, I assumed she'd made it up, but then turned to Google and found a recipe under that name here. ← Thank you KD. My dad grew up in rural Western Colorado. I had a suspicion that there was a history to this name. Still make them to this day. I can cook virtually any cuisine but these are what my grown kids want on Sunday morning. ← Got a kick out of the twist mentioned on that blog you referenced wherein after one cuts the hole in the bread, one should hold it up in front of your face and wink through the hole four times. I can see how that would turn it into the "One-eyed Egyptian Sandwich." I really like the winking thing. Too bad my children are all grown and gone. They would have loved that. But hey, I've always got my grandchildren. Although I'm not Egyptian... How does the "One-eyed Texan Sandwich" sound?

Wait a minute. You didn't even pop for the souvenir glass and you're going to tell the story for years to come? For shame.

Here's my recipe for green chile enchiladas, New Mexico style: New Mexico Stacked Green Chile Enchiladas

We serve our tortillas from a ceramic tortilla holder. We have several - one big and two small as well as one in pewter. We heat the server, then wrap the tortillas in a napkin and put them in. Works well, but now I have to have a stone. They look like this: Talavera Ceramics The pewter one is similar to this, but not so fancy, and it doesn't say tortillas.

Steve, is this something you're going to carry in your store? If so, sign me up for half a dozen.

I do not have this one: Simply Salads by Jennifer Chandler, but it's on my wish list, thanks to a friend that has it and thinks it's terrific.

My favorite salad book of all is a vintage cookbook I got several decades ago. It's from the Recipes on Parade series of recipe books from military wives. Recipes on Parade: Salads & Appetizers You'll have to keep an eye out for it at used bookstores and flea markets and garage sales. Here's another good one that's probably easier to find: Williams Sonoma - Salad

I put more, of course. But I've been making this simple recipe for literally decades for all sorts of folks, including neighborhood kids at sleepovers, when we lived in northern regions where most people are not accustomed to strong chile flavors. They like their chili pretty mild as do most children. That's why I said "to taste." You can stand there with the chili/chile powder and add it until it suits. But especially when asked for a simple, basic recipe, I tend to understate the chili powder. You can always add more. But if you get it too spicy to start with, there's nothing that can be done. And a lot of folks won't eat it. And the children will never trust you again.

Right about the popularity of deviled eggs, although I've noticed that indeed you can get creative with them. Folks will eat practically anything, including stuff they wouldn't otherwise touch, if it's mashed into a hard-cooked egg half.

For me, it's also a matter of what I'm in the mood for, and also what else is on the menu. For example, I love oysters, and marinated and raw fish dishes. But I generally don't take them at potlucks. They're just not as tasty when you get a bite of a sushi-type thing right after a mouthful of fried chicken and sweet baked beans and potato salad. Some items meld well with the other things on the menu and some don't. I tend to avoid the ones that don't. Honestly, I think when selecting something to take to a potluck, in addition to properly sizing up your crowd, you also have to take into consideration what other dishes are likely to be on the table and, just as though you were planning a menu for a dinner party at home, bring something that marries well.

Here's a really basic recipe for a home-style chili. When I make it for chili dogs, I eliminate all the beans, and thicken it with a little masa. Chili 2 pounds ground meat. You can use regular ol' ground round, a mixture of meats, or ask your butcher for "chili grind" beef 6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced 2 small green bell peppers, chopped (about 1 cup) 4 small white or yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups) 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried oregano 2 bay leaves 2 15-oz cans tomato sauce 2 15-oz cans stewed or diced tomatoes, not drained 1-3 T chili powder, or to taste (if you don't want to use commercial chili powder, then blend your own mixture using chile powder, cumin, etc.; sometimes I add just a pinch of curry powder) 1/2 of a tablet of Abuelita or other Mexican-style chocolate 1 15-oz can original Ranch Style Beans, not drained (optional) salt, pepper, hot sauce, etc., to taste In a Dutch oven or large stew pot put the meat, garlic, bell peppers, onions, basil, oregano, and bay leaves. Saute until onions are clear and meat is browning. Add all other ingredients except beans and final seasonings. Simmer about 30 minutes or so until flavors are melded. Add your can of Ranch Style Beans (Most recipes that include beans add about about twice as many as I do. My family always liked chili with a few beans, but not so much that they dominate the flavor profile. If you're a real "beans in chili person," add two cans of RSB instead of one) and heat through. Add final seasonings to taste.

I often make peach sangria in the summertime (the recipe is somewhere on eG). After we drink the wine, we fish out the delightfully-marinated peach slices and serve them over slices of pound cake and scoops of ice cream.

Our current favorite: Red & Green Coleslaw 1/2 head red cabbage 1/2 head green cabbage 1/2 large red onion 1 Cup dried cranberries - Crazins Dressing: 1/3 C cider vinegar 1/3 C flavorless vegetable oil (not olive oil) 1/3 C sugar 1 tsp celery seed In a small jar, combine the dressing ingredients and shake until sugar is dissolved. Slice the vegetables very thinly and put into a large bowl. Add cranberries. Add dressing and toss well. Cover and place into fridge. Let sit for about 3 hours for flavors to combine, stirring occasionally. Drain and serve. Sometimes I add walnuts or peanuts to this.

You say you've been eying the recipe. Where did you find it?