Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Invest in a Food Saver! The vacuum packer is well worth it in terms of not allowing freezer burn and losing all that hard work.

You can even use it for liquidy meals like sauces and soups. First, freeze the soup in a plastic wrap-lined loaf pan. Once it's frozen, pop it out of the loaf pan, then seal the "brick" with the vacuum packer. They stack nicely in the freezer this way, too.

Buy the bags in open rolls, and you can cut the bags to your specifically needed size. And no, I don't work for them. Just love using them!

Our school cafeteria -- the venerable ladies of our Louisiana country community made it the best place to eat imaginable -- served these made with peanut butter, corn syrup, butter and Corn Flakes. I grew up eating them and, yes, they rank among the ultimate comfort foods.

The chocolate topping is a new one on me -- one I can't wait to try! Think I'll go make a pan for my kids (wink, wink)...

Put a pan of apple cider vinegar under the ribs. The steam keeps them moist. I don't remember the scientific reason for the vinegar -- it breaks down "something" in the meat to make it tender -- help, someone?

You can also spritz them with apple cider vinegar if you are worried about them becoming dry. I personally wouldn't put them directly in the liquid. I'd be afraid I'd taste the liquid more than the rib meat. That's one of the reasons I won't use beer at all, because I hate the taste. I've had ribs cooked that way, and the beer flavor was overpowering.

The only reason we stand them on the side is so we can fit more on the grill! Don't know if there's a scientific reason for that, either.

Layer:

White chocolate pudding
Broken/crushed Oreos
Dark chocolate pudding
Broken/crushed Oreos
Cool Whip

Cheap and amazingly yummy!!

You know that nasty metallic smell of a cookie sheet that needs to be thrown away? That's what cilantro tastes like to me. Metallic. Gross. But I love all Mexican and most Thai food! Just have to get it without cilantro.

Beets. I know they're good for you, but I just can't stand them.

Sweet pickles. 'Nuff said.

Oh, and liver. As a new mom, I thought I should feed my toddler liver because it was so good for her. The doctor recommended it, right? She loved it, but I gagged every time I made it for her. Thank God she decided she didn't want to eat it any more when she turned five. I haven't been near it since.

Wow! That's some effort for what must be some amazing pizza!!

During crawfish season, we will have several boils. I can get crawfish here in Atlanta at a couple farmers markets, but they're never quite up to par (small sacks, lots of dead ones, prohibitively expensive). So several years ago, we found a "connection." He delivers seafood from my home state of Louisiana to restaurants in Atlanta, including lots of stops in between.

I call him on Monday and tell him how many sacks I want, how much andouille, and if I need some liquid & powdered crab boil, tasso, whatever else. He leaves Tuesday and heads east. When he hits the Alabama/Georgia border, usually around midnight, he calls me and I meet him in the Walmart parking lot near the interstate. We "do our deal" in the parking lot -- I write him a check & load up my cooler. He's on his way and I'm back home in bed by 2 or 3 a.m.

A day or two later, I'm feasting on mudbugs and planning the next boil!

Haven't seen any with the shell still on, but the fried peanuts I've tried are AMAZING!! Crispy, salty, just oily enough to make you feel like you've had a naughty treat...

This one is quite different and really, really good!

2 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese (softened)
1 reg. pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix.
2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
cracked black pepper

Mix all ingredients except black pepper in a food processor.
Turn mixture out onto waxed paper and mold it into a ball shape.
Roll in cracked black pepper.
Wrap cheese ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Serve with assorted crackers.

You absolutely MUST go to Pascal's Manale (ma-na-lee) for barbequed shrimp. Not shrimp on the barbie -- these huge shrimp (heads and shells still on) are broiled while drenched in a garlicky, lemony, savory butter that will make you weep with delight. You must wear a bib while eating them with your fingers.

Impress the waiters -- dip your french bread in the sauce. Trust me on this.

1838 Napolean Ave. Take a cab so you can have some cocktails & oysters for appetizers. Finish up with the best bread pudding in N.O.The restaurant was founded in 1913. It's amazing!

For a twist on ham pinwheels -- Beef Bundles

Buy the little plastic packages of thin deli beef rounds (they must be round to turn out pretty). Carl Budding is my favorite brand.

Mix cream cheese and chopped green onion. Put a tsp of mixture in the center of a beef slice, bring the edges up and pinch together like a cinch-sack. The cream cheese holds it all together and it looks almost like a flower.

People go nuts over these. You can make them a couple of days ahead of time; just keep them well-sealed in the fridge.

And, BTW, many people put web sites on here. I've enjoyed this post more than most today for all the good ideas. I didn't take offense. Just don't click over if you don't want, and stop the negativity!

@Remainder -- that's one of the best cookbooks EVER!

I used to make this a lot for work potlucks. It got rave reviews.

Cabbage Chicken Salad
(Needs at least 8 hours to marinate for best flavor)

1 small green cabbage, chopped (not shredded)
Mix in a little red cabbage for color
3 or 4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
1 package sliced almonds
1 package crunchy chow mein noodles

Dressing:

6 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pepper
5 tablespoons sugar

For big groups: Use a large cabbage, add another chicken breast or two and make another half-batch of dressing.

Mix cabbage and chicken in a LARGE bowl. Mix dressing in a cruet and shake well. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and stir well. Cover, refrigerate and marinate overnight. Stir occasionally (if you happen to sleepwalk!). Just before serving, stir well, then stir in chow mein noodles and almonds.