What is your signature sustenance?

Crepes I make often.

1 egg, 1/4 c sugar, 2 c flour, 2 c water and mix vigorously in a bowl
until smooth. Then dilute with milk or water or soy milk until the
batter runs freely just a little thicker than milk.

Fry batter in a large skillet with a little margarine, oil or butter.
When just browning on edges flip once and cook other side for 1 min.

Takes a little practice to get them just the way you like them and
there are endless possibilities. I like mine with fresh fruit, maybe
a little chocolate, maybe just plain. Sugar is optional, milk/water
ratio is variable, if they tear then the batter is too thin or you
have not cooked them quite long enough on side 1.

BBQ

Burnt ends, chicken, ribs? KC or Memphis?
What is your recommendation for those who'd
like to try to smoke something up themselves
a la metalwing?

1.Homemeade Meatballs
2. Penne vodka
3. Chicken Pepperkash

I made this dish up for a recent Mingle2 meet I hosted at my house.

Take about a half pound of peeled shrimp and season with Cajun seasoning. Saute until just barely done (or just barely not quite done cause it will still cook a little) in half butter, half olive oil, with more cajun seasoning and a dollop of garlic. This takes just a few minutes.

Meanwhile, whip two or three eggs with a little of the oil/butter mixture and a couple of teaspoons of Habanero chipotle salsa until frothy. Cook eggs in a small omelet pan with a little of the shrimp butter/oil mixture in the typical way for an omelet. After the eggs start to set, add some of the shrimp with about a tablespoon of aged smoked Gouda cheese as omelet filling and fold the omelet.

Serve the omelet with garlic cheese grits (with black pepper) and place a healthy serving of the shrimp over the omelet. Serve with additional Habanero Chipotle salsa as sauce on the side.

Vivian and Kristi got two slightly different versions (one without the grits).

To get real BBQ, you need to smoke. You can make a gas grill into a smoker by placing wood in a closed metal container with a few small holes on a hot part of the grill while placing the meat on the cooler side of the grill (indirect smoking) but using a real smoker is much more consistent.

Ribs are probably the easiest. Rub them down with one part black pepper, one part garlic, one part onion powder, three parts chili powder (pure chili ... not the mix. I like Dixon number two.) One part Hungarian paprika (the hot kind) and one part dried mustard.

Take a spoon, dull knife, your finger, or your friend's ballpoint pen and shove it between the membrane and the bone on the bone side of the ribs. Pry some of the membrane off. Grasp the membrane with a paper towel and peel the membrane off.

Cook the ribs at 220F for four to six hours until the bone shrinks away from the meat about one quarter to one half inch and the bone turns and separates from the meat when twisted. Don't rush it. The latter part of the cooking cycle will result in large changes in texture.

Have a pan of water in the smoker or grill to keep the humidity up.

Rubs come in many styles and can be found on the net. Beware the ones with sugar as they can char when overheated and add a burned taste. If you like sweet ribs, baste them with a sweet sauce about one half to one hour before done. The ribs will have more flavor if the rub is left on the ribs wrapped in plastic from four hours to overnight before cooking.

The flavor of the wood changes the end product. Oak is mild, pecan is classic, Mesquite is strong and sweet. Almost any fruit or nut wood works.

Thank you SO much!

I will definitely try these and share with some friends.
Sounds like lots of delicious fun!



I hope some others here will post some of their notable dining
specialties!!

Slow
I used to make Crepes a lot. I had my special pan and had the consistency just right. My favorite filling was a mix of pineapple cream cheese (Kraft) and hot pepper jelly (which really isn't that hot). The flavor combination is unique and complimentary.