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From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

The smoked paprika is used in a variety of Spanish dishes -- try adding a little to Camarones al ajillo (shrimp in garlic oil) -- also, most recipes "a la gallega" have a lot of smoked or hot paprika (called pimenton) in it -- one of my favorites is merluza a la gallega -- I don't necessarily use hake; I've even made it with cod -- here is a recipe link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/merluzaalagallega_11637.shtml
Also, try just boiling up some potatoes, and sprinkle with salt, olive oil and pimenton just before serving -- delicious!

From Talk

Help! Sauce for crab cakes?

They were just standard crab cakes -- crab meat, bread crumbs, diced onion and celery, minced garlic, egg, s + p, fried them in a little melted butter -- I ended up using @gingercookie's suggestion, but added some minced garlic to the sauce -- they were delicious! Thanks for all the suggestions!

From Talk

A Completely Crockpot Festive Meal

Gator Pam -- this is awesome. Thank you! I am saving this link and printing it out!

From Talk

Favorite Pizza Condiment??

tabasco, garlic powder, and parmesan. Then I make a little sauce of tabasco and parm to dip the crust into. Yum!

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From Talk

Help! Sauce for crab cakes?

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Appetizers?

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Coq au vin tips, advice?

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Recent Comments | Response to Comments

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

The smoked paprika is used in a variety of Spanish dishes -- try adding a little to Camarones al ajillo (shrimp in garlic oil) -- also, most recipes "a la gallega" have a lot of smoked or hot paprika (called pimenton) in it -- one of my favorites is merluza a la gallega -- I don't necessarily use hake; I've even made it with cod -- here is a recipe link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/merluzaalagallega_11637.shtml
Also, try just boiling up some potatoes, and sprinkle with salt, olive oil and pimenton just before serving -- delicious!

From Talk

Help! Sauce for crab cakes?

They were just standard crab cakes -- crab meat, bread crumbs, diced onion and celery, minced garlic, egg, s + p, fried them in a little melted butter -- I ended up using @gingercookie's suggestion, but added some minced garlic to the sauce -- they were delicious! Thanks for all the suggestions!

From Talk

A Completely Crockpot Festive Meal

Gator Pam -- this is awesome. Thank you! I am saving this link and printing it out!

From Talk

Favorite Pizza Condiment??

tabasco, garlic powder, and parmesan. Then I make a little sauce of tabasco and parm to dip the crust into. Yum!

From Talk

Living on the Edge: Gas Station Junk Food

When I was in high school/college, the parents actually owned and managed a gas station-convenience store in the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area, and I worked there for a summer. My dad always had some "fresh" food on hand to sell, including Jamaican beef patties (both mild and hot) that were delivered from a local bakery 3 times a week. Mom and Dad have moved on to bigger and better things, but I still miss those Jamaican beef patties.

From Talk

Cooking for a family who recently lost a member.

I'm so sorry for your loss; I think it's wonderful how you are all rallying around the family during this time. In the past year, we've done 2 "food trees" for local families in similar situations -- for the first family, I made bourbon chicken with white rice: http://www.recipezaar.com/Bourbon-Chicken-45809, included a salad and dressing, and some homemade vanilla wafers; for the second (vegetarian) family, I made a large tortilla espanola, fresh bread, salad and dressing, and lemon cake. Each time, I packed up the whole meal (including disposable plates, napkins, etc.) in a paper grocery bag, and the meals were in disposable containers as well -- so that washing dishes and returning casserole containers is off the family's to-do list.

From Talk

Travel food

Bring lots of bottled water, and maybe some fresh fruit (apples, grapes) to snack on while driving.

From Talk

Embarrassing food question. Need help with foods I love.

try taking a probiotic -- they sell some great probiotics at whole foods -- they really help with digestion and intestional issues ...

From Talk

What strange things are in the door of your fridge?

@salpico -- U-Bet chocolate syrup is the best!!!!!! It's hard to find it here in Chicago -- I will stake out the only grocery store location that I have found that carries it, and I have been known to buy 4-5 bottles at once b/c it sells out.

From Talk

Meatloaf

I add a whole jar of salsa to mine -- it makes it really moist and flavorful.

From Talk

Wanted: elegant buffet food ideas

Sorry -- didn't see the "no pork" and "no shellfish" restrictions. Do not wrap anything in jamon! =)

From Talk

Wanted: elegant buffet food ideas

I'm big on Spanish tapa offerings, which can be both satisfying and beautiful. Cod-stuffed piquillo peppers in bechamel sauce. Bacon-wrapped dates, breaded and fried. I've also had almond-stuffed dates, wrapped in jamon serrano and sprinkled with blue cheese (om nom nom). Ceviche-style seafood, maybe served in martini glasses. Shrimp or mushrooms in garlic-sherry sauce. Chorizo al jerez. Grilled octopus on toast points, drizzled with olive oil and capers. Tortilla espanola. Manchego cheese, olives, jamon serrano. You could do asparagus spears wrapped in jamon serrano. I recently had lovely cod croquettes served with a honey aioli dipping sauce that were out of this world. Maybe scallops wrapped in jamon? (I think everything tastes better wrapped in jamon!). Serve alongside some cava and nice, robust riojas. Lots and lots of crusty bread to soak up all the deliciousness ...

From Talk

Girl's Night In --Recipes needed!!

After much begging, my co-worker gave me this recipe, which is delicious:

CRANBERRY SALSA

12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries
4 green onions
½ c. cilantro
3 jalapenos
½ c. sugar
2 T. lemon juice
ground ginger to taste (start w/1/2 t.)
2 – 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese
Tostitos Scoops tortilla chips

Chop everything in a food processor. Start with cranberries and then add the rest. If your food processor is small like mine, do the cranberries first, then I remove them and chop the rest; once everything is chopped mix it together. This recipe makes enough to cover 2 blocks of cream cheese. Freezing ½ of the salsa for later works well. Enjoy!

From Talk

Special Halloween Meal?

For some reason, we always end up ordering Chinese food. Mmmmm. Eggrolls.

From Talk

The Most Unhealthy Thing You've Ever Made

Better than Sex Cake -- bake a devil's food cake, poke holes all over it, pour a mixture of condensed milk and caramel all over it, cover with crushed Heath Bar, cover THAT with cool whip and then sprinkle MORE crushed Heath Bar all over the cake. It's so sick, but so good!

Also, Oreo truffles -- put a whole package of oreo cookies in the food processor and crush, then put in an 8 oz. package of cream cheese -- blend it all together, make little balls with the mixture, and dip each ball in melted chocolate, drizzle white chocolate on top. Total sugar coma.

From Talk

What's your favorite crock-pot dish?

Ropa Vieja! It comes out sooooo tender and perfect. Flank steak, chopped up onion and green pepper, 1/2 cup red wine, a jar of pasta sauce or a couple of cans of tomato sauce, salt and pepper, sazon goya, 1 jar roasted red peppers, 2-3 cloves minced garlic, and a bay leaf. Season the meat and sear the flank steak first to seal in flavors, put in crock pot with remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until tender, flake meat with 2 forks and mix with sauce; serve with white rice.
I also make lasagna in the crockpot, using no-boil lasagna noodles, and it comes out great -- use ground beef browned w/ a jar of pasta sauce (optional: chopped up onion w/ the ground beef), a jar of alfredo sauce, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan and approximately 9-10 noodles -- make 3 layers: a little sauce on the bottom, 1/3 noodles,1/4 ground beef mixture, 1/3 alfredo sauce, 1/4 mozzarella cheese -- repeat layers 3 times, final layer: remainder of ground beef, rest of cheeses, cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 4 1/2. Once done, take off cover and let it cool for 1/2 hour or so (liquids on top will reabsorb).

From Talk

What's your favorite cake?

I second @Jerzee's suggestion of a lemon cake with white frosting -- light and decadent, both at the same time!

From Recipes

Serious Chocolate: Brazilian Brigadeiros

Chocolate drink powder -- can you use ovaltine? And it seems like I have all the necessary ingredients in my kitchen ... dangerous!

From Talk

Whole Foods Field Trip

Cheese. Their cheese section is FANTASTIC.

From Talk

Casual Fall dinner party ideas

First thought: cheesy vegetable soup in bread bowls. Or maybe cream of cauliflower with warm grilled cheese panini?

From Talk

If You Smelled Like Any Food...

@Banana Monkey and @Eating The Road -- freshly cooked rice just smells like home to me -- reminds me of dinners when I was a kid b/c a bowl of rice was invariably a part of every meal -- plus it's my favorite thing in the whole world to eat. Yum!

From Talk

What's your favorite food when drunk?

I don't eat a lot of Mexican food, but after I've been drinking, I always crave a chicken burrito a la suiza from Mr. Taco, which is thankfully open 24 hours.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

Also - you can make a dressing for slaw. I've had a chili lime slaw and the dressing had a bit of cumin, cayenne, and smoked paprika - with honey and lime juice. It was very good.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

I would use the paprika in soups. It'd be great with butternut squash soup.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

I use paprika on my home fries (onion and leftover potato cut in chunks with a little olive oil and salt). It gives them a fun color and a great taste. I also sprinkle the paprika on chicken before baking.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

@Martini Me-this is a great post! I am on my way today to find star anise for a recipe...meanwhile you have the star anise and looking for a recipe...

I am looking for the star anise to make the "Winter Fruit Salad" which I found on the Smitten Kitchen web...it looks delicious-check it out!
I am so excited about the salts and saw a web that carried Fusion Salts of all different flavors including "vanilla salt" which I am dying to try....

Everyone had some really great ideas that I just may borrow myself!!

Keep us posted on which recipes you tried! Good luck!

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

Polynesian Chicken

2 - 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 star anise
2 tablespoons peeled and grated ginger (or 2 tsp dry)
1 bunch green onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large baking dish (9x11" or 15x11'), mix the diced chicken, soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, star anise, and ginger. Bake for 35 minutes, breaking apart and stirring once during baking. Sprinkle green onions over top and serve.

Serve with rice. I add 2 star anise to my boiling water when cooking rice and then remove before serving.

From Talk

What strange things are in the door of your fridge?

Given the fact that my family has moved back to RI from MI, and can't move into our new house 'til Friday (we'll be celebrating Thanksgiving on the weekend (boo hoo, sniff, sniff) so we're staying in a hotel suite.The only items on the door of the fridge here are Irish butter and some bottles of lemon Perrier.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

I forgot to say, I try out every new salt I buy on a batch of buttered popcorn! Really, if you like popcorn as much as I do it makes it even better. I really like the smoked salt (not on your list, but trust me, it is good stuff). If it is in big chunks I just grind a bit in the motar and pestle and it is the right texture for popcorn.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

Take small radishes, cut in half if they are too much for a single bite. Spread with just a touch of really nice butter, dip in truffle salt. It truly is the perfect bite.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

Add Star anise when making stock for a lot of Asian cuisines -- Pho, for instance uses this herb, I believe.

Also try smoked paprika to top deviled eggs, in curries and chili, add a pinch to chicken salad or tuna salad,

From Talk

Help! Sauce for crab cakes?

Really, a great crab cake needs nothing, but if I needed an accent or flavor garnish I use the mustard sauce from Joe's Stone Crab. You'll have to search it, but it is really good!

From Talk

Help! Sauce for crab cakes?

@climbhighak - Excellent point on the jalapenos. They probably get overlooked a lot with sea food, even though hot sauces are often mentioned as favorite accompaniments. A jalapeno mayo would be quite tasty.

From Talk

Help! Sauce for crab cakes?

I do chilis and cilantro/parsley in my crab or shrimp cakes, so I echo the flavours in a mayo dip, minus the peppers. Lemon juice/zest, mayo, yogurt, cilantro, green onion, salt and pepper

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

Black truffle salt is amazing on virtually anything mushroom. Add to duxelles before putting them into a beef Wellington, to sliced mushrooms before slipping them into a Gruyere omelette, or sprinkle on top of cream of mushroom soup. The latter is what will open T-day at my house . . . the roasted cream of shiitake soup with truffle salt always is a big hit!

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

@honeybea: We often just do thighs instead of the whole chicken, but having leftovers does sound tempting!

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

cube some yukon gold potatoes, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lots of smoked paprika. bake on a cookie sheet until brown and crusty. stir once after about half an hour. that's my go to potato preparation. you can also sprinkle some smoked paprika on deviled eggs or egg salad.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

I was just going to write up that amazing roast chicken @Cary. It's a favorite around here and in regular rotation. When I don't have a lemon, I use reduced pomegranate instead. Leftovers make killer tacos.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

Elise at Simply Recipes has a wonderful roast chicken with Smoked Paprika/Honey/butter rub that is wonderful. (That link goes to it) and I think a couple other recipes that use it as well. I like it a lot in Chicken Paprikash too.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

I like the Penzey's spice catalog, which always has a bunch of recipes. Their recipes are online, but unfortunately it doesn't look like there's an easy way to search for specific spices. But it might be worth a browse

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/recipes/r-penzeysrecipes3.html

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

I like making aioli with my smoked paprika-- delicious. It's great with crusty bread and cheese (Manchego and Idiazabal are my faves!).

Agree with @bessfour: truffle salt on popcorn is unbeatable! Also, it's great sprinkled on drained pasta. It doesn't beat you over the head with truffle flavor, but it really amps up the taste of whatever sauce you use.

From Talk

New Seasonings! I need good ideas for them!

here are some ideas i found at this link:
http://www.cuisine.co.nz/index.cfm?pageID=19215
# Put some thick Greek yoghurt in a shallow dish, drizzle it liberally with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle well with bittersweet smoked paprika. Use as a dip with drinks.
# Quickly fry 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika and a bay leaf quickly in a little extra virgin olive oil. Add a splash of wine vinegar and some chopped red onion and toss it with boiled Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, broccolini or broccoflower.
# Add a little sweet smoked paprika to a vinaigrette and toss it through a salad.
# Rub a chicken all over, inside and out, with hot smoked paprika for a spicy roast chicken.
# Slowly fry waxy potatoes, sliced onions and chopped garlic in olive oil and a little sweet smoked paprika, season well and serve with roast lamb.
# Rub skinned boned firm white fish fillets with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of sweet smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon salt and the juice of a lemon, dust with flour and fry in hot olive oil until golden.

From Talk

Help! Sauce for crab cakes?

i'm a lemon girl too. in fact, forget the cake part even and just give me the crab.

From Talk

A Completely Crockpot Festive Meal

Maybe I'll e-mail the link to my mom and my husband. There is always Christmas. :D

From Talk

A Completely Crockpot Festive Meal

aww jennywren...
How often do your parents use theirs?
Can you make off with it, except for when they ask for it back? }8-)> ;-)

If you are serious, I have found a slow cooker I am in love with.
It is the Hamilton-Beach Set and Forget 6 quart slow cooker.
( http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/180-9911109-3817936?asin=B000GHGKXS&AFID=Performics_Google%20Product%20Listing%20Ads&LNM=Primary&ref=tgt_adv_XASD0001 )

I love the options on this baby. You can set the time in half hour increments; you can set it to turn to warm when a roast or chicken reaches a certain temperature with the thermometer probe; and it seems to cook more like the older crockpots, meaning less hot than many of the modern ones.

But, that's my favorite of the ones I own. A standard 3 1/2 quart old style Rival still does the job just fine. :-)

From Talk

A Completely Crockpot Festive Meal

Gator Pam you are awesome but, now I have to buy a crock pot instead of just borrowing one from my parenits. That means I have to find a home for one in my cabinet :(

From Talk

A Completely Crockpot Festive Meal

Made this with Christmas dinner last year to rave reviews:
Crockpot Creamed Spinach
Not that you'd want to eat that after dessert, mind you.

Recent Posts

From Talk

Help! Sauce for crab cakes?

From Talk

Appetizers?

From Talk

Coq au vin tips, advice?

From Talk

Where to eat in D.C.?

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Dinner tonight -- any ideas?

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