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I have a fairly straight forward chili recipe to which I add a splash of liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, some cocoa powder and I thicken it with a slurry of cool liquid and masa horina. The latter probably does the most to identify the flavor of my chili creation.
I'm not above spooning it over a bag of Fritos and garnishing with diced onions, shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream.

The smilin' tator won me over. I just might try the "Sweet Potato Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing" Posted by Carolyn Cope, November 17, 2009

I've slaughtered my share of meat animals and hundreds of fish but this is simply wrong! I've eaten in many establishments where you chose a fresh fish from a tank and it is prepared for you on the spot but it wasn't delivered still "gasping". I can't think of one justification for this barbarian act.

I've been on a life-long quest for the very best fried chicken and I believe that it is found in "Scott Peacock's and Edna Lewis's Miraculously Good Fried Chicken". You can find it here...

Regarding the alcohol and caffeine controversy, it reminded me that my mother used to refuse to give coffee to someone who was obviously inebriated. She said, "There is nothing worse than a wide-awake drunk!" Maybe she understood something about their ability (or not) to make sound judgments...

@JerzeeTomato, would you have the time and inclination to start a weekly thread, on a specific day of the week, where we could each repost or cite a comment that was particularly and personally fun or instructive? I'm sure I'd participate as often as I could and think I'd profit from learning what tickles our beloved SE family members. And SE staffers, would you stand by and allow us this activity?

I'm going with Mark Bittman's Raw Beet Salad with Cabbage and Orange. It sounds refreshing, unique and might just add the right visual contrast on the table to overcome all of the gravy soaked browns (turkey, dressing, spuds...). I'm a bit concerned, though, about the laundry task ahead for all of the spotted napkins, tablecloths and shirt fronts. ;~)

Since I've converted to cooking by weight, I get much more consistent results, particularly in baking.
I'm with @peekpoke. Get yourself a scale. I'd recommend a digital one that can be read in either grams or ounces and has the capacity to be set to zero after you've set an empty container on top (tare weight). You'll never look back...

My epiphany came when I heard about marinating the liver in milk. It really does remove the signature "bitter" taste. Whatever the recipe, I always soak in milk for a few hours. Thin slices seem to work best for me too. They cook fast and it's easier to avoid overcooking. It is far better to under cook than to over do it.
Although there are numerous recipes I love, my favorites include simple grilling on a charcoal grill or batter dipped and fried. I've also got a favorite method of braising chunks of liver in a Mexican themed sauce and serving that with tortillas and a side of seasoned rice.

This is going into my "to do" list of recipes..!
I appreciate the rustic, simple and economical aspects of pork belly but I think I'm going to start off with a slightly leaner cut of pork unless someone points out considerations about the fatty belly that I'm missing. It seems like that 3-4 minute boil isn't going to do enough to counteract the downsides involved with so much fat... IMHO

@cybercita,
If I were Santa, I'd find your request the most fitting of all and do what I could to fill the order.
Since I'm not Santa, I'm asking (after a half century in the kitchen) for my first crockpot/slow cooker; I've seen so many of you discuss the successes you've had with yours. I'd also like a pizza stone and a small cast iron Dutch oven.

I visit SE pretty much daily and consider it one of the best among all blogs. If SE disappeared I'd draw great solace from the Homesick Texan; greatly due to my family heritage and the memories it conjures.