Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

As a former reporter, most journalists never met a free meal they didn't like... as long as it has cheese or chocolate on it, you could serve 'em ground glass and it would disappear!!

On a more serious note, I think it is wonderful they get to bring their slice of Chicago to the celebration!!

It often depends on how much time I have -- if it is a last minute invite, I have my double batch of brownies with Heath's English Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits stirred in.

If I have more time, I like to make my mother's confetti macaroni salad - it's a lot of chopping but it goes so well with just about everything and I try to make a big batch to have enough for home & the potluck!

FUNKY Photo!! If you used the top as a face, I bet these could make a great witchy-poo decorations!!

There is a CIA Masters Collection out there that has a two knife starter set (7" Santoku and 3 1/2" paring knife) but I will echo the gang about seeing what fits your hand and what you can maintain to keep sharp & safe!!

The biggest lesson learned was to KEEP THEM OUT OF THE DISHWASHER!! Now we have a magnetic holder (and a golf towel & hook for speedy drying) right above the sink.

I spend a few weeks a year in Montreal and while Schwartz's is amazing, I also love Snowdon Deli (www.snowdondeli.ca). I try to have lunch there at least once when I'm there!!

Can't say that I've ever tried it but maybe experimenting with cutting it up, removing the seeds and roasting it with a coating of butter, salt & pepper? I did a Google search and found a gooseneck squash soup recipe on Epicurious.com -- keep us posted!

There is a braised cabbage recipe that I got from watching Alton Brown's Good Eats & WE LOVE IT!

Giving credit where full credit is due: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/home-of-the-braise-recipe/index.html

Home of the Braise
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown , Good Eats - Head Games

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cubed
1 pint unfiltered apple juice
1/4-teaspoon caraway seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 head of red cabbage, shredded

Heat the canola oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the apple to the pan and cook until lightly browned. Increase the heat to high and add the apple juice, caraway seeds, salt, pepper and cabbage to the pan. Cover the pan and shake to toss the cabbage to coat.

Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

** It's even good COLD!! **

If you are going to be on the U of M Campus - then the places you'll encounter first are in DinkyTown (yes, I'm completely serious) -- this might help: About">http://www.dinkytownminneapolis.com/about/index.asp>About DinkyTown !!

My favorite all-time stove-top is rice pudding!! I like to go a little wild with my choices of dried fruits (plumped back up in some warm lovely liquid like brandy or for the non-imbibing I've even used warm cran-apple juice) and of course, lots of fresh ground nutmeg sprinkled on top. If you are daring, add a bit of warmed jam (apricot or your favorite) along the side of the serving dish for the cool/warm/creamy contrasts.

I'm pretty fussy when it comes to dried fruits since so many are ruined with sulfur dioxide - NASTY! Thank goodness I have found that Trader Joe's seems to carry a lot of the "unsulfured" so that's where we often go.

Now, my grandmother used to make a dessert called "Glorified Rice" that was lots of heavy whipping cream, white rice and small bits of mandarin oranges, pineapple folded in with and those red maraschino cherries on top. This is more on the side of a fruit salad but I've added fresh & toasted coconut and even halved seedless grapes, fresh cherries/strawberries/blueberries when in season and topped with some toasted slivered almonds for garnish.