Dana

It makes a killer Salad Nicoise.

Rather than doing all that pounding, have your friendly neighborhood meat guy run it through the tenderizer for you. I'm not sure what cut of meat the 'minute' steak is, but I suspect it is part of the round. If you have the oil hot and don't crowd the pan, you shouldn't have much trouble with the coating separating from the meat.

The only recommemdation I have about crawfish for stock, is to watch the seasoning. Most crawfish depends on highly seasoned water and reseasoning after removing from the pot. If too much clings to the shells, you'll end up with an overseasoned stock.

Of course!! I use minute steaks here in TX. Dip in a mix of egg and milk, then in seasoned flour, egg/milk and again in the flour, basically double-dipping. Fry in hot veg oil (cast iron skillet in the best) for 5-8 minutes per side or till golden brown and crispy. Don't crowd the pan. Drain off the fat and make a milk gravy with the drippings. Season well with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Serve with mashed potatoes. delish

Pappadeaux's is very good - consistantly-here, and has several restaurants in the south. They've had a Mardi Gras promo going this last week. We've had boiled crawfish twice this past weekend. MMMMMMM.

Must be BBQ potato chips - KC Masterpiece is available, but, almost any brand will do in a pinch. Sweets are absolutly out. Only saltly foods.

Add 150 to the total from me.

My first was something similar to the Betty Crocker for Boys and Girls. I recall the illustrations were bears in toques doing the cooking. The only thing I remember making from it, although I read it numerous times, was pnut butter and honey (EEEEWWWW) sandwiches for my Dad's lunch, which he gallently ate - or at least I didn't know it if he didn't.(and I wouldn't blame him if he didn't, either.)I must have been 7 or 8.

I agree about the reds no longer being very sweet, although many people still believe they are. A short soak in cold water - even as little as 15 minutes - seems to help the sharpness if you're going to be using them raw. The whites I get at my store seem to be a somewhat less sharp than the yellows, although for something like French Onion Soup, I usually get the yellows. After all that cooking, any onion is sweet. I really think it has a lot to do with the length of storage as well, but I may be wrong. Bottom line - I use whites and yellows interchangably, and reds only when the color matters, or if I know they're sweeter.

Every now and then, it pays to go through and toss the most undesireable pieces in the trash. If you've too many yogurt and cottage cheese containers, that is more than 5, you really should ask yourself, "how many do I really need?". Same with the old tupperware. If it's stained with tomato and the lid no longer fits well, if at all, then throw it AWAY. When my stash begins to overflow the cabinet it's in, then I know it's time to reduce the stock.

What nightscotsman said. Also use the middle rack. Mine tend to get brown on top while the inside is still not done of the pan in in the top half of the oven.

My grandma, a hard-working farmer's wife, used to call Cool Whip 'calf slobber". Still makes me laugh.

I use either of 2 methods: 1). Shave of mandoline and saute quickly in butter. Douse with balsamic and top with peccorino. S&P 2). Steam till done. Sauce with butter and lemon. S&P Both delish.

Quick and Easy Killer Biscuit Recipe 4 cups Bisquick 8 oz sour cream 8 oz 7up or Sprite Mix lightly together. Roll gently, using as little flour (Bisquick) as possible. Cut in circles. Melt 1 stick butter. Dip biscuits in butter and bake for 15 min at 425 or till lightly browned. Brush with remaining butter. This sounds kinda weird, but they are awesome.

It probably was. Thankfully, I have blocked it from my memory.

In the early days of marriage, I added a can of cream of something soup to the above mentioned instant tuna casserole. Probably one of the reasons I can barely eat tuna now.

There have been several threads of late regarding braising - short ribs, osso buco, etc. Anything along those lines would be good, hearty food. You could put the dish in the oven at lunch time, and it would be done for dinner. Mash some potatoes and toss a salad and you'd be good to go. A large gumbo or veg soup would also be good and warming after winter activities. Cornish game hens will roast quickly (throw in some carrots or other 'roastable" vegtables) while you fix a risotto ( good for the vegetarians, too). Regarding lunches, I'd make a big bowl of tuna/chicken/ham/egg salad and get some good bread, and tell them to help themselves. Welcome. Hope you have a great weekend. Sounds like a lot of fun.

I was thinking of posting a question very nearly the same, although I want the cream infused with vanilla bean. Should I bring the cream and bean to a simmer to infuse, or will the cream take on the vanilla if just allowed to sit in the fridge for a day or so? Will the cream that's been heated whip?

I always stir them about halfway through. That seems to help get more edges browned.

green salad with kalamata olives and feta cheese sauteed red snapper and scallops with white wine/shallot/butter sauce baby brussel sprouts with lemon

For 1st half snacks, we had: 7 layer Mexican Dip Homemade Salsa Creamy "Old Mexico" Dip Buffalo wings and celery Smoked Salmon Spread with crackers For half time dinner: Brisket, Ribs and chicken from the smoker Romano potatoes cole slaw deviled eggs Garlic Bread Lemon Mousse

I did a brunch: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Smoked Spicy Pecans Three Onion and Lentil Salad with jalapeno and bacon lardons Potato Crusted Mushroom and Bacon Quiche Herbed Salmon Fillets Oriental Cole Slaw with pecans Lemon Mousse I didn't use the chicken thighs. I thought I really had enough without them. I wasn't that happy with the lentil salad. Those lentils really absorbed a lot of dressing (lemon balsamic), and they were almost too earthy-tasting. I couldn't get the green ones - had to use the brown. Is there a big taste difference? I tried adding some apple for a hit of fresh/sweetness, and that helped some, but it still needs some work. This was really a lot of fun.

Suzanne, is flouring the meat really necessary? I don't flour my meats before browning anymore. It seems that I'm browning the flour and NOT the meat, and I don't get as nice a fond with the flour. Also, the flour coating always falls off and floats around in my sauxe. Gack. I had an osso buco once with a few dried cranberries in the sauce. It was terrific - just a little sweetness.

In preparation for the big game, last week for the playoffs, I made Buffalo Wings from the recipe on the bottle of Frank's Hot Sauce. It's supposedly the original recipe from the Anchor Bar. The sauce was not hot, or even remotely spicy. The flavor was good, but just not spicy. I'll add some cayenne next time.

Sounds to me like the skin steamed inside the foil packets. If keeping the legs tightly together is the reason for the foil, and apparently it is, I agree that tying them would be a better solution. You might have been able to run them under the broiler to crisp them.