Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Oops, sorry, I just reread your request. Ratios are approximate;
avocado-cilantro=1 lb. dried garbanzo beans soaked in water, 1 lemon and 1 lime, juiced (I save the zest for baking), 2 ripe Haas avocados, 4-5 big garlic cloves, 2 bunches of cilantro leaves (don't use the stems, the strings from the stems look like hair), about a 2-3 teaspoons of salt and about 1/4-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, and perhaps about 1/2-1 cup water.
sriracha=all of the above, lose the cilantro and avocado and add about 4 or 5 big squeezes of the sauce or until it tastes right to you.

@Lorenzo. I can beat that. I used to be a vendor at the Hillcrest FM and I left San Diego to live in St. Joseph, MO. WHY???

Here's one that looks like it would comply to your specs. I also enter cooking contests and have won some. It is addicting. Good luck!

http://www.organicgardening.com/simplyorganic/

I have made these and they are devoured, never one leftover. REC:Smashed Potatoes

http://www.eat.at/swap/forum20/53_REC__Crash_Hot_Potatoes_aka_Smashed_Potatoes

I love peanut brittle and I have started adding cayenne pepper to it. It is even more addicting now.

I love to make my mom's dill pickles. I plan my garden around them.

this is so sad.
truffles
morels
pork belly
most Asian street food
and so so many things i cannot think of right now.

smoked gouda

When I have house guests coming to visit, I go out and buy each of them a coffee mug that I think they will like. When they get here, I serve them their morning coffee in it while they are visiting, and then send it home with them as a little memento of their visit. This also keeps guests from using my favorite mugs.

I have always enjoyed meals at California Cuisine. It's a nice and cozy little restaurant with excellent food. The last time I was there we had an appetizer that was gorgonzola with some kind of a fig jam that was out of this world.

Point Loma Seafoods is fun place to have lunch. It has hot food and fresh fish that you can buy. I always bought their smoked fish to take home after lunch. They have tables out side and you can watch the boats in the harbor.

Your best Mexican will be at any Roberto's or Alberto's drive thru. Try the carne asada burritos or tacos and you won't be disappointed. We crave them still.

The Hillcrest Farmer's Market is on Sundays and is always a fun time. They have hot food to eat while milling around and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. They also have a craft section with all kinds of things. It is open from 9-2pm. I used to have a booth there and it was just a happy place to be. If you do go, be sure to try the strawberry lemonade, yum!

Horton Plaza is a fun open air mall that is located downtown. I haven't been in awhile but there is every store imaginable there. There is a chain there called La Salsa that has pretty good Mexican food. Make sure you note where you park because it can be pretty confusing.

Hotel del Coronado is a fun place to have breakfast. The cafe is outside and you can just sit and watch the ocean. I have only had breakfast there so I cannot say much about their other food. It is the hotel where they filmed "Some Like It Hot", an old Marilyn Monroe movie.

There is also the Gaslamp quarter downtown. There are all kinds of restaurants and a fun place to people watch.

If you don't have a Trader Joe's by you, you should check it out. They are a great store.

Of course there is the San Diego Zoo. If you haven't been there, it is worth a visit. You can bring in your own food or at least you used to be able to. It is a great zoo with some really nice displays. I loved the hummingbird aviary, a nice place to sit and take a breather from the rest of the zoo. Be prepared for a lot of walking. And it is cool in the morning and evenings so bring a jacket or sweater. (Geez, I am starting to sound like your mom!) The animals are their most active in the early morning hours.

Our favorite bean soup is black bean. I pretty follow salpico's recipe above only using one carrot and adding in some minced jalapenos. I also reserve some chopped ham from the bone to add in later. Instead of the thyme, I add about one teaspoon of Mexican oregano and one tablespoon of ground cumin (or toast some seeds for even more flavor). I simmer it until the beans are tender. Then I smash some beans but leave most of them whole. Add in the reserved ham, a couple teaspoons or more of Tabasco (don't leave this out!) and some chopped fresh cilantro. Taste for seasoning and add salt if neccessary. I serve this with dollops of sour cream and/or shredded cheese. I don't use either of those. I like to add some minced chipotle chiles with a little of their adobo sauce, but I like really spicy food, so be careful.

Shrimp, fried especially, but prepared almost anyway. Salmon, raw or cooked almost anyway. Tuna fish salad either in sandwiches or with Frito Scoops (I know). Sushi. Meatloaf or meatballs. Eggrolls. Gyoza. That's enough, it's like shopping on an empty stomach.

I used to sell these at my Farmer's Market booth in San Diego and they went over really well. They are easy to make and store, and pose very little health or safety risks (always nice). I packed them plastic containers with lids, but you could pack them in zip loc bags or Mason jars. I used more onions than the recipe calls for and I used the thin slicing blade on my food processor to slice them. Sometimes I would add a little red bell pepper and cabbage, but I like them best just with the cukes and onions. Here you go:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Sweet-Sour Freezer Pickle Chips

Recipe By :Sunset Magazine
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Dawn's Recipe Pickles & Relishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/2 pounds pickling cucumbers
1 medium white onions -- thinly sliced
2 tablespoons salt
4 cups sugar
2 cups cider vinegar -- (5% acidity)
6 cups ice cubes

Cut ends from cukes; then cut cukes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. ( I use the thin slicing blade of my food processor to slice the cukes and onions. ) Mix cukes, onion, and salt in a large non-metallic bowl. Cover with ice cubes so entire surface is covered with ice. Let sit for 2-3 hours. Drain off water and discard unmelted ice cubes, do not rinse vegetables. Pack vegetables into 3 pint canning jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. In a 2 quart pot, mix sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour just enough hot liquid over cucumbers to cover. Cover with lids, let cool. Then freeze for up to 6 months. Let thaw in fridge before serving. ( I leave the vegetables in the large bowl and pour syrup over cukes and let cool. I freeze the cukes in freezer bags and store them flat and in layers in my freezer. That is a very space efficient way to store the pickles.) Makes 3 pints.

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