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I have never seen fresh shrimp in our area so I have to buy frozen. I like knowing i have them in the freezer ready to go for a quick meal. I am 5 minutes away from making shrimp cocktail, shrimp scampi, or chinese shrimp stir-fry. If I had access to fresh shrimp, I would love it. But I don't. I am sure the flavor is probably better but there is nothing I can do about this except move somewhere south - such as FL, LA or GA.

I am between Jamie Oliver (when his first series began The Naked Chef and he still had his long hair and his lisp!) and Anthony Bourdain (even though he is on The Travel Channel now) since the Food Network still plays reruns of A Cooks Tour here-and-there. His attitude just turns me on!

I want to sneak into his luggage and stow me away to Vietnam so I can eat chiles with him on those boats at the water markets. Also I want to eat pig parts with him in Bangkok in the night snack carts! Mmmm...take me away Tony! I'll wear my Ramones t-shirt and prove my love to you!

I was thrilled that Melissa won. I think that if it had been Debbie vs Melissa that Debbie would've won. Jeffrey was always bad to me. I wanted them to kick him off a lot of the time. He was too frenetic. I think that Melissa will do well. I don't understand why they changed the concept of her show though.

Did you notice that one of last year's losers also was part of Chef vs City? Kelsey? She's a "NY Foodie" along with Claire Robinson? Geez, I can think of real foodies that would've been better competition for Aaron Sanchez and the other guy (who I can't pronounce his name). So it seems they do bring back some of the losers. I couldn't believe that they gave Adam his own show. Did you notice though that it was a travel show, not a cooking show. They didn't like him enough to give him a real cooking show.

I think good bread is important - not just white bread OR Wonder Bread (which to me isn't bread but something too soft) - 2 slices of cheese (either american cheese BUT NOT Cheddar - it gets greasy) - American, Monterey Jack, Pepper jack, Muenster, all good. With or without bacon fine with me! Also I've also been known to put pesto sauce and a slice of good heirloom tomato. One important point - all cheeses should be American in some way - made in the U.S.A. - nothing Italian. If you are putting Mozzarella, fontina, provolone or any of them, then it is a panini, not a Grilled Cheese. Even Havarti is good (I know that isn't American - that is my one exception).

It must be made in a cast iron pan with something on top to press it down a bit. I use either my tea kettle OR a heavy pot lid. If made in a panini grill or a George Foreman Grill, it is a panini, not a grilled cheese.

Also no weird combos like Sugar said - cheddar with maple or apple butter or grape jelly. Ick. Nothing sweet. It is a savory sandwich, not a sweet sandwich. If you are putting cheese and sweet together then it is an appetizer bruschetta or something like that. Not Grilled Cheese.

Just my very long 2 cents...

I used to be addicted to Pepsi but haven't had one in awhile. We got rid of soda in our house a few years back. My husband began to drink seltzer and that is all he drinks at home except for iced coffee.

I do have one once in awhile - mainly Jones Soda and also Diet Coke with Lime (only 1-12 pack lasts me a really long time and I buy one about 2x a year). Otherwise I drink Crystal Light - most of the flavors mixed with water OR I make all kinds of different iced teas for myself. Also during the summer I buy a 12 pack of Cheerwine, a cherry soda that is only sold in North Carolina - when we are there I buy a 12 pack to bring home. I drink one can a week until it is all gone. That is treat for me though.

I am not really big on soda anymore BUT last summer I was in Nags Head, NC and found the famous Cheerwine, a NC thing. It is fizzy cherry-flavored soda, not cherry cola, just cherry soda. It is out of this world delicious.

Last week when we were close to the border of NC and leaving for WV, I hit a supermarket and bought myself a 12 pack to take home to NJ. We can't get it here. It is my favorite soda in a really long time.

Otherwise I really like Cherry 7Up but they don't sell it in cans around here, just 2 liter bottles, which I have no room for in the refrigerator. I also love Crystal Light Wild Strawberry (comes in a powder that you mix with water) and their Citrus stuff too. Excellent mixed with some green tea! I make fusions of all kinds of things.

I have never liked Fresca. When I was a child, all the skinny cool girls drank the Diet Fresca and that was all they drank (that and lots of folks drank Tab) - neither of which I could get a tasting for. My favorite soda at the time was Pepsi - just plain Pepsi. To this day, I prefer plain Pepsi over anything Coke, don't know why. BUT I prefer Diet Coke to Diet Pepsi.

A lot of cereals these days have different names than the original names. Some have changed their formulas too.

I was never a cereal person, except for granola OR muesli. My husband is a huge cereal person - the top of our refrigerator looks like Jerry Seinfeld's kitchen on his tv show - a row of boxes. The only one of mine is Life (yes they still make it and they make a Cinnamon flavored one too). I used to eat one by South Beach Diet but they discontinued it. It wasn't overly sweet either. I also make my own Chocolate Granola (made with dark chocolate).

The only non-sweet cereals I can think of are the puffed wheat or rice and the ones that are in puffy squares. Shredded Wheat and also some of the granola cereals aren't very sweet - read the ingredients.

Mark Bittman is wonderful. He has taught me so much over the years, between his articles in the NY Times, his books and his appearances on The Today Show, aside from his time on PBS.

I have learned that it doesn't take a lot of ingredients or a lot of time to make fabulous food. He is the ultimate in Minimalist even when he is thinking Green!

This is a similar thing to what I did with my Thanksgiving Turkey. I read at the LA Times that Judy Rogers of Zuni Cafe said to brine your bird in salt so that is what I did. I put a thickish layer of salt all over the bird and in the bird and left it overnight in the refrigerator. I roasted it as usual - started it at 450 and then lowered it after 1/2 hour, covered the bird with foil and cooked it for about 2-1/2 hour all together. The absolutely best bird I ever made. My MIL was totally impressed.

I bought one of these pots for $10 at a flea market a few years back and went online to find some directions. From there, I just played it by ear. This is what I do -

I put the water in the bottom up to the hole (just below it)
I fill the espresso holder with a small tablespoon and I don't pack it in (I learned if I do that that the coffee doesn't brew at all)
I put the pot on MED heat on my stovetop and I stay in the kitchen.
When I hear the perking, I look inside and see if it is coming out. If so, then I stay right there. I notice that the perking slows down as the coffee comes to the top.
When it looks like it is about 3/4-1" from the top, I turn off the heat and let it sit on the stovetop for 5 minutes and then I move the pot, with pot holder, to something that can hold the heat and not ruin the counter top.
I wait 5 minutes and then I pour it carefully into a small espresso cup.
I serve it with a tiny demitasse spoon that was my husbands grandmothers!
Yummmy.

I don't wash out the pot. I rinse it out well, let it sit upside down for a day to make sure that the water drips out. Then I turn it back over and let it sit out for a day or so. I put some paper towels inside, put the whole pot back together and when I need it, I pull out the paper towels and start again.

Good luck.

Everytime we drive down to Siesta Key, FL for part of the summer vacation, we always have to go to this Breakfast and lunch place that is owned by a British couple. Cafe Continental on Ocean Blvd.

They have been making their own version of Bubble & Squeak forever it seems. They make it with potatoes and peas, no cabbage. I asked them one time why no cabbage and they said that their customers never liked the cabbage flavor so they changed it to peas and it has been on their menu ever since. It is a wonderful variation and I love to have it with eggs and bangers every time I go there. Mmm...

This recipe looks good and I will try it soon. I have half a head of cabbage sitting in my refrigerator. Thanks for the inspiration.

I use either garlic and oil with the pasta cooked in chicken broth (an adaptation of the Silver Palate version which we adore) OR roasted tomatoes with olive oil and garlic. I also love anchovies and garlic in the oil. Sometimes I infuse it, sometimes not. I also love butter and parmesan.

It must be served with some homemade garlic bread too. A must.