While I think it's a little silly to keep naming new Iron Chefs, I really enjoy this season because of all the familiar faces competing. Some I like, some I don't...

Being from DC, I wanted Spike to do better, but I'm not all that suprised he was ousted so quickly...

I love Geoffrey Zakarian... Alex is super annoying... I like Anne Burrell but there's no way she will win..

What do you all think? Who will win and who doesn't stand a chance?

Ever since I did a cooking class in Italy I've been longing for a large wood cutting board/prep surface area to have in my kitchen. It was great for making pasta! I don't have a lot of counter space, so I find myself squishing two cutting boards together on my dining room table just to get a larger surface area when I cook.

Their boards were about 2x3 ft (or bigger) and one inch thick, solid wood. They had a wood lip on one side that pressed against the edge of the table/counter that it was set on to keep it in place. I'd be okay with one that isn't quite as large. Mainly I'm just wondering if there are any suggestions of where I can get something like this. it doesn't have to be fancy, just looking for the size. Thanks!

We made pickled jalapenos (with some onions and cucumbers in there as well) about a month ago. They've been sitting in a pretty large jar in the fridge ever since, and we're slowly making our way through them. How long can they stay in the fridge before they are no longer good? They certainly aren't as crispy as they first were, but they still taste fine. We didn't use any special preservatives but I had assumed that pickles are one of those things that "last forever". Then I recently read a post about home-made pickles lasting for about a week if they are opened.. What do you think?

After assisting at an Indian cooking class last week, the instructor gave me lots of extra fenugreek which you can only get at a specialty store. I've never cooked with it before, and now I have a LOT to use! Any suggestions or great recipes using fenugreek? The recipe from the class that used it was lamb kabobs but I'd like to try some new ones.

Is anyone else watching Gordon Ramsay's MasterChef? I find a lot of the contestants to be annoying but for some reason I keep watching.

Who do you all think will win? My guesses are Tracy or Adrien.

Also why is judge Joe Bastianich such an a-hole??

My co-workers looked at me in disgust when I recently ate a kiwi during lunch and ate the furry skin with it. I've always done this since I was a kid and I think it tastes great! (a little sour but I like sour things) Am I crazy? These people wouldn't even try it when I offerred.

I'm getting ready for a Bridal shower in a few weeks with about 30 guests. We're serving heavy appetizers so I've started planning the menu. I have a few recipes set, but I need help finding a couple more. (I'm doing chicken meatballs, fruit skewers, pesto palmiers, hummus)

I'm looking for a couple more recipes that are relatively simple, (or at least have fewer ingredients) and can be partially prepped in advance. We'll have a kitchen at the party location but I don't want to do any frying. Give me your party favorites!

Reading the comments on the recent breakfast burrito recipe post made me think... whenever I make hashbrowns from shredded potato, they never come out crispy. I'd say they end up being more of a soft gooey texture (it sounds gross but they still taste yummy!)

All I do is grate the potato, mix salt, pepper, & whatever spice blend I'm using into a bowl, then I heat some oil in the cast iron skillet and dump the potatoes in over med-high, stirring occasionally. Any suggestions on what to change to make them come out crispy? Should I drain any liquid and try to dry them out before they go in the pan?

My fiance just bought a used cast iron dutch oven from GoodWill.com (which is full of hidden treasues by the way). It's in ok condition, but definitely needs to be re-seasoned because the bottom surface is uneven and there's minor rust. I found this website which gives lengthy instructions on how to season a used cast iron skillet. Do you all think this is the best/only method to do so?

http://www.ehow.com/how_5557241_season-used-cast-iron-skillet.html

If it is, can I do it without using bricks?

I learned from a friend (who has had professional culinary training) that as long as eggs are refrigerated, they will last long beyond their printed expiration date. Since then, I've used expired eggs several times without any issues (and not just a day or two beyond the date either... we're talking a couple months)

Then I saw on a different post, someone commented that old eggs are easier to peel when boiled, but not to use eggs that were expired.

What do you all think, are expired eggs okay to use as long as they aren't obviously bad?

I want to get my fiance some nice knives for Christmas. All of the ones we have now are pretty cheap and I know he would appreciate a quality knife. I don't have thousands to spend, so I need suggestions for a good quality chef's knife that will last, and that isn't crazy expensive (I want to get at least two knives and spend less than $200... is that reasonable?)

I've heard Ken Onion is really good, any others?

I'm heading to NYC this weekend with my sisters and we want to do sushi for lunch. We'd like to avoid crowded tourist spots and go somewhere authentic. Any suggestions?

(We're staying in Midtown East if that helps)

It's football season again and I can't find the awesome recipe I used last year for my coleslaw! It was vinegar based (apple cider I think), but that's all I can really remember about it, other than the cabbage, carrots, and minced red onion. After a few minutes on Google I haven't been able to find one that was like it. Any suggestions or your favorite recipes would be a big help!

I've decided I want to start making my own sushi, and it seems there are a few essential tools needed. (bamboo rolling mat, wooden spoon & rice drying bowl, etc) What exactly do you NEED, and where is the best place to buy sushi tools? I don't want to get something random online and have it turn out to be poor quality!

Also what are your techniques for having the rice turn out with perfect sticky consistency? Thanks!