I've been assigned shrimp and grits as my contribution to a small plates Mardi Gras party on Saturday. I'd appreciate suggestions on how/how much to prepare at home, and then finish and plate at the party about 2 to 3 hours later. (I'm leaning toward tweaking a Tyler Florence recipe, but haven't committed yet.)

I've tried a number of minestrone recipes, but they all fell short of our expectations... forgettable, tasting too one-dimensional according to the husband. Do you a terrific recipe to share, or a link for one? It could save a marriage this month.

It was annoying and a little embarrassing when yesterday's individual flans would not come out of their ramekins. I ran a knife around the edges. I tried dipping the bottoms in a pan of hot water, and that just served to soften the custard. The lunch guests all laughed and ate the custard, but no way would the caramelized sugar be parted from the bottom of each ramekin. It took a long hot water soak in the kitchen sink to dissolve each sugary disk.

Help! what's the secret to unmolding flan? What critical step did I miss?

My ignored and forgotten rosemary bush has morphed into 3' by 4' monster... now what? I can use a little in roast chicken, steep some in olive oil, dry a bit for later use, use a few branches as kebab skewers, but then what? Any suggestions, besides letting go and composting it?

I'm all about cooking, but need some inspiration for the first few weeks after my knee replacement. The husband can grill (when Seattle's not too rainy), reheat, microwave, scoop ice cream and do takeout. Cooking stew and chili ahead of time would work, but healthy and light menu ideas would be appreciated, or I'll end up a hippo on crutches all too soon. Thanks!

I grabbed several cans of Rotel tomatoes during a hurried shopping trip. Wow! I should have taken a careful look at the label, 'cuz the Lime and Cilantro version is something else, sharply sour and almost medicinal in flavor. What can you recommend for the remaining cans? Right now I'm ready to toss them.

Help! The boat still reeks of the latest fish stock failure, the bland stock-based soup was thrown overboard, and I need a rescue. I'll go back to using commercial stock bases unless someone has a foolproof proven recipe to utilize shrimp shells, fish frames, etc... and a sure cure for the lingering odor would be nice too. It's been a fish stock fiasco this week!

What do you do with sirloin? braise? stir-fry? what???? I could use some inspiration.

I grabbed a package at the market, thinking it held some chuck I could use for chili. Nope, now I have 3 chunks of too-lean and too-tough sirloin, and am cooking in a motel kitchenette. 1 cast iron skillet, 1 roasting pan, and a set of thin aluminum pans are my tools. An electric stove and oven will provide the heat.

The lone Mexican restaurant in town has closed since our last trip, and the motel kitchenette is pretty tiny and sparsely stocked. So it's Arroz con Pollo for two - with a lot of leftovers for subsequent lunches, etc.

What are you eating as you celebrate.

I guess I've overdone it, giving in all too often to my personal craving for warm and chunky chocolate chip cookies. Now the husband wants equal time for "anything but choc chip". What's your favorite cookie?

Note: he's already rejected my suggestions of lavender shortbread and biscotti as "not real cookies".

Lamb chop? single or double rib? rack? Marinate or no?

Two friends are coming for dinner tomorrow and I'm torn between 1) my traditional grill recipe or 2) M. Hazan's pounded-thin quick saute technique, and 3) Kenjii's slow/low-then-stovetop/crisp approach.

What's your preference for cut and preparation (that isn't a braise)?

Which recipes are regulars at your house... maybe not weekly, but often enough to be your go-to favorites... and is there a difference between weeknights and weekends?

Our weeknight meals frequently rotate chicken enchiladas, Greek salad, grilled salmon, taco salad, pasta with meat sauce, pizza, stir-fry rice bowls, soups or grilled red meat. Weekend meals lean more toward roasts, braises and trying out new recipes.

What's it like in your kitchen?

I bought a few too many packages of London Broil (not flank steak, maybe top round) at a great price, and now I am desperate for some fresh recipe ideas. Can you help me get beyond my tried and true - marinate in soy and lime/grill briefly/slice thinly against the grain?

Company is invited, the pork tenderloin sits naked under it's wrapping in the fridge, and I'm fresh out of ideas for Wednesday night supper. I have already served this guest PT 1) prosciutto-wrapped and roasted and 2) pounded cutlets piccata-style (yes, a frequent diner here). What's your favorite recipe for pork tenderloin?

I ate fattoush tonight for the first time and loved it! Forget the accompanying kebabs, stuffed grape leaves, cabbage rolls etc., the fattoush was the star of the evening. The restaurant was Lebanese, but the salad may be representative of a wider region. What are the key ingredients in a good, authentic fattoush?

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