Dana

I'm doing just that idea, jaymes, for my daughter's wedding next month. I'm including her favorites, as well as the items i'm putting together for the reception appetizer table and for the bridesmaid's lunch i'm giving her. She'll be really surprized and i'm sure she'll love it.

Jinmyo, you have jsut raised meatloaf to new heights- along with the meatloaf sandwich. That sounds exquisite.

I really hate it when a TV chef says to salt and pepper the dish, then proceeds to put a grind and a half on the food. That's not enough pepper to see, much less taste. They should either use as much as needed for the dish, or forget it all together. They must think we are really dumb if we believe that little bit of pepper is all the dish requires.

I fork-mash mine, so there are some larger hunks mixed with the smoother paste. Add only lime juice, salt, pepper, a local seasoning salt (TexJoy Steak Seasoning), cumin and chipotle (just a little). No tomatoes or onion, please. Pass the chips.

My grandma used to just cook it down with sugar and serve it as a side dish with whatever else she was cooking. I usually just put it on bread or rolls as a jam-type topping. It was the best.

Instead of dipping the ladyfingers in Kahlua and espresso, I use Amaretto and expresso. We are not big coffee fans, and the nuttiness from the Amaretto is delish.

Easter Dinner: Shrimp Cocktail with homemade red sauce Deviled eggs Smoked rib roast Romano Potatoes Broccoli with Lemon Butter Dill Bread Dessert Angel Food cake with strawberries and Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream

I'm in the small curd, high fat camp. The large curd squeeks in my teeth. I love it with salt and fresh ground black pepper, or with peaches or pineapple. It also is an ingredient in Dill Bread, which my whole family loves. I think i'll make some for Easter Dinner....

Torakris - the spinach salad from that issue is very good, too. I've made it several times. Flank steak Wild and long grain rice pilaf Saute of veg.

Crawfish in any form boudain fried shrimp anything smoked

I bought an over-the-door hanging shelving thingy. It's great as long as it's used for pasta, crackers, marshmellows, etc. I tried to put soy sauce, worchestershire, chili oil, etc. and the top bent and it all came tumbling down. Naturally, "the girls" were over for lunch. Not fun.

If I'm using fresh okra, I usually put it in the roux with my seasoning vegtables and "fry" it for a bit before adding to the stock. It will cook for a long time and pretty much break apart. If you use canned, it never seems to break apart, unless you smash it with a spoon. I've never used frozen. No self respecting cajun would ever put beans in a gumbo. Just about anything else, but never beans.

Has anyone ever tried a shoulder clod? (beef). Mr. Dana smoked one today, along with a turkey, for my Gma's 90th birthday party this weekend. The meat was much more consistant that brisket - no fatty end, no dry end, no big hunks of fat in the middle. It is a bigger cut - about 18 lbs., but it is much nicer. This won't be our last clod!!! The turkey was good, too.

There are pre-printed "books", (I think Current carries some) that you can write your own recipes in. I got one for each of my kids. Now, if I could just find time to write them down.....

From Sunday afternoon, a beautiful spring day; cooked outside: Fried Red Snapper and Gulf Shrimp Potato Salad Green Salad with lemon/garlic dressing Fries Deviled eggs no dessert - too full

Sunday: Boiled Crawfish New Potatoes Corn on the Cob Beer

Ultimate Southern comfort food: Smothered okra with chicken thighs, smoked sausage and shrimp over rice. Deviled eggs Bread and butter

That was pretty funny. Too bad she didn't include the recipies - the frankfurter spectacular looked really-----spectacular. yeah, right. So much aspic, so little time.

When I first got some "good" knives, I began using the 8" because I thought the 10" was just too big. (I'm a fairly small person) It wasn't long till I had switched over to the 10". and I've continued to use it constantly ever since. The 10" is the way to go I have a Global Sankotu(sp?) and I really like it.

I'm sure if the nursing mother gets bombed , it would not be a good thing, however, the La Leche League has, for years, recommended a beer or glass of wine for a nursing mother as she sits down to nurse. Particularly for first time nursing moms, relaxing is key for milk let-down, and getting used to the whole process can be a bit intimidating. Taking care of a newborn, being sore, the fact the you can't tell how much milk to infant is drinking (am I starving the baby? is he getting enough from me?) all weigh heavily on a new mothers' mind. A glass of wine in the evening can be a boost to a new mom.

If I was a new mother with a houseful of company, the thing I would desire most would be a lock for my bedroom door!!! Snowangels' suggestions were great, along with some hummus and pita, maybe a sun dried tomato spread, or something else that she's unlikely to fix for her family. Don't forget some wine - new mothers need to be relaxed and it's great for encouraging milk let-down. I wish someone had gotten me some wine 25 years ago.

Rack of Pork Loin (on the smoker) Broccoli with lemon/butter Green beans and new potatoes Suvir's Cornbread Last of the Chocolate Mousse.

Foccicia with black olive tapenade Cavitini Green salad with garlic/lemon/evoo chocolate mousse Bogle Merlot

Wilted Spinach Salad (from the last Cook's Illustrated) Sausage and Cheddar quiche Brussell Sprouts with butter and lemon Carrot Cake (also from CI) This last issue was very good.

The milk (or cream) gravy is impairative. In fact, I don't think it can truely be CFS without it.