Darienne

Well, using both broccoli and cauliflower, this is my very favorite Marinated Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad. It has poppy seeds in it which are such a lovely touch. As for the variations of the Clark salad. For me it's the sesame oil which transforms it from any of my long time dressings into something very different (which Ed doesn't like). We have been voracious salad eaters for more than (gulp) 51 years now and if, heavens forbid, I should be allowed to pick only one dish to live on, it would be a salad. (Raised by vegetarian parents.)

I would be pleased to have your recipe. We could use a really bang-up travel bar. We have tried Clif bars and found them most unpalatable.

Just went for a quick nibble and you are correct. It is even yummier the second day. Shall look up the Clark way...if it's online. No, it's not. Too bad. Did Clark omit the sesame oil? Or use some other oil?

First of all I lie in the far frozen north. And I have never had a drink in a bar. And until last August I had never had a margarita of any kind. Plus I have never had a slushy cone or a snow cone: wrong generation I guess. So. I loved the slushy Margarita I had last summer. It contained no mix. It certainly wasn't overly sweet. (Remember I am a Canuck and we like our sweets less sweet than our neighbors to the south). And I am looking forward to learning how to make one this summer. And then, no doubt, I shall be conservative about insisting upon this kind of Margarita only.

Seemed like a good topic heading to bring up to date. Yesterday, Deena offered via Melissa Clark this amazing new salad: Garlic Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad I bought some more broccoli. I made the salad. I love it!!! Amazing. Delicious. Will nibble my way through the entire bowl. Alas, the DH does not really like Chinese style Sesame Oil except in minute quantities and he does not share my enthusiasm. Well, only partly alas. This way, I get it all. Thanks Deensiebat.

OK Jaymes. You bring the tomatoes and I'll supply the silver Tequila. I've had only slushy Margaritas, never the plain, and then just once last summer. I thought I'd died and gone to booze heaven. I know it was not a mix my friend from NJ (she of the Mexican care package) used. You don't like slushy at all? Even homemade?

I will still omit tomatoes. Lots of mint! Don't forget the mint and the parsley both.

I just spent 2 minutes and 53 seconds watching the silliest video...good silly...but I still say "NO TOMATOES"

Looks incredible. ...when I can't find the price easily...I can't afford it...

Jaymes and P.C. Next time, banana leaves for sure, but just top and bottom. I am far to lazy to do the packety thing. Not only that, I am likely to cook way more than we can use at once and then use the rest for something else. Thanks.

Jaymes and P.C. Next time, banana leaves for sure, but just top and bottom. I am far to lazy to do the packety thing. Not only that, I am likely to cook way more than we can use at once and then use the rest for something else. Thanks.

A Puerco Pibil question: I just made it again and again it was delicious. Even DH was raving this time around. And again I made it in a crock pot. The question is about the banana leaves: I finally have some, frozen. What about using them in a crock pot? Line the bottom, put in the pork and sauce, and then one on top? Does that sound reasonable? What do the experts think? (Besides that I shouldn't make it in a crock pot at all.)

Major OOPS. We use corn oil for very few things. What we use for Chinese cooking is, of course, peanut oil. Which we buy at the Asian market and I don't know if I could get it anywhere else.

I should have added my smaller ice cream machine. Willingly ate ice cream for the first time in about 50 years.

We use it a lot, but then we eat Chinese a lot. However, we buy it in an Asian market only because we are there buying other ingredients. Haven't looked in a regular market so I don't know its state in Peterpatch.

No I can't help at all because I do exactly the same things as you do, except that my mixer (Cuisinart) is in my studio and not taking up counter space. I was talking about that very issue this morning, wondering if I would use it more if it actually were in the kitchen.

Insta-read thermometer gun was a great boon. Trudeau silicone 9" spatulas (I have no idea why...I just love them!) And mostly the Stove Guard which means that there is far less chance my right-brained DH will burn down the house, especially considering that we live in the middle of nowhere in the country.

That apple fritter in the man's hand...oh...oh...oh. I'd kill for a good apple fritter. Well, not kill really...but something drastic.

Pulled pork with B-B-Q sauce and fried onions on a bun and Asian Cole Slaw. My Sister-in-Law arranged her plate and thought I should take a photo of it.

Made Smitten Kitchen's Strawberry Cake. Luscious. Had no whipping cream so I used a sauce of yogurt, cream cheese, homemade strawberry jam (a friend made it, not I), and the end of the Strawberry Cream Tequila that another friend gave me at our Mexican meal.

I would go in a heartbeat if such a thing were available and doable. Just the few cooking classes I have taken locally, and the chocolate classes from Kerry Beal and her protege, Mari, have been so worthwhile.

Good Eats was my introduction to food on TV. I was able to watch it for 6 months while we lived in Moab a couple of years ago. Really enjoyed it. I know it's on at least once a week where I live in Ontario, but it's at some wretched midnight hour that I can't do. Alas. Oh, if you think American food networks are bad now...you just haven't tried the Canadian one!

Very nice. I do like your packaging.

I think we must have been related in some former life. I haven't tried to kill mint, but I bet I could. And I do have chives by the carload and use them all the time. The photos of your Hispanic ingredient type stores brought tears of sorrow to my eyes. In our small nearby city, we have nothing more esoteric than Jalapenos and El Paso boxed 'stuff'. Oh, now one chain carries Poblanos and I keep wondering when the manager will tell me...so sorry...

It all looks great! It reminds me of having the in-laws for a visit...which we are this week...gets one to do a great clean-up and fix-up job. ...not that I am suggesting that your cupboards don't always look this great!