These are a little different, but they make great appetizers. Take a thin, round slice of hard salami (you can find these presliced and prepackaged in your store's refrigerated meat section). Spread peanut butter as thinly as you can - to the point you can nearly see through the peanut butter. Then roll up of salami tightly.

On Tuesday I tried Ipsedixit's suggestion of salt with all other factors being the same as before, and it definitely took most of the tartness away. It's surprising that so little salt can have such an impact.

Thanks for your replies:

1. To Jmcarthur and Bacardi, as my post states, the tartness doesn't bother me but I am curious how getting rid of the tartness is done. The commercial brands don't have tartness and I was wondering how they did that. Actualy, I'd like to be able to make both kinds. Also, to Bacardi, I can't eat ice cream because of health reasons - in fact, I can't eat ice cream or yogurt with fat in them; have to go with nonfat.
2. I have added sugar (1/2 cup to 1 1/4 cups yogurt) and vanilla and neither works - not even close. But I have not tried salt.

Again, thanks to all for your replies.

I make my own frozen yogurt. I have no problem with the tartness or tang that comes with using plain and vanilla yogurt, but I never taste that with commercial frozen yogurts I buy at the store. Flavorings such as peanut butter, cocoa and cinnamon reduce it, but that tartness is still there. Just curious if anyone knows the secret.

The only way I can think to go no-oil so you can add more butter is to buy a hot-air popper.

My way is a high-heat pan fry. Using a 1-inch bone-in chop as your guide, heat your skillet on high heat until it smokes (about 5 minutes). Put chop in pan and reduce heat to mediium high. Cook untouched for 4 minutes. Turn over and cook 3 minutes for medium (some pink) or 4 minutes for no pink. Chop will have a nice dry crust but will be juicy inside. (Of course, reduce your times for less-thick chops.) Let rest on covered plate for 10 minutes.

You're being very vague. Any types of food you are seeking? Price range? What part of New York? Upscale or casual? One person or several? There are many threads about good NY restaurants on Chowhouund - just look them up. Also, you can go to CitySearch and find recommendations there. Or you can look at archived restaurant reviews in New York papers and mags.

The phrases "great eater" and "good eater" are used in reference to children who are not picky about what they eat.

Well, yes they are bigger. But so what? Cook the whole thing, eat until you have your fill and then save the rest for leftovers. What's so hard about that? Just because the portions are bigger doesn't mean you have to eat the whole thing in one sitting.

Hey Smartie, I'll bet you walked five miles to school in the snow uphill both ways barefoot didn't you?

In the lower price ranges, spiral and honey-baked is pretty much all there is. But this article should help: http://www.chow.com/food-news/100000/...

I was never a big coffee drinker, and I never drank it with the main meal - just with dessert or by itself. Now, I'm drinking more with meals and I'm discovering that some of the foods I eat are enhanced by coffee. Are there guidelines about pairing coffee with food as there are with wines and beers? Yes, I know the philosophy about drinking what you like no matter what the rules are, but I'm curious to see if anyone has guidelines. Keep in mind that I'm not a coffee guru, so any suggestions would have to be on the basic, inexpensive side of the things.

There is nothing deceptive about it. Every store I have been in has unit pricing so you can compare products by the pound,, quart, etc. And, if you can't read the unit-pricing signs, then do the math in your head or on a calculator you bring with you - not that hard. If the consumer is too stupid to do simple math, then tough - buyer beware. I repeat - buyer beware.

Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle and Marmalade sauce (marmalade optional)

3 2/3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth

3 2/3 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1/2 cup orange marmalade (you may delete this if you're against any fruit in the sauce)

1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 1-pound pork tenderloins

*(Chipotle chilies canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.)

Boil beef and chicken stocks in medium saucepan until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 45 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add reduced stock mixture, marmalade and chipotle chilies. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Mix 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in small bowl. Whisk cornstarch mixture into stock mixture. Stir until sauce boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook until brown on all sides, about 4-6 minutes.

Take off heat and thinly coat tenderloins with sauce.

Transfer skillet to oven and bake until thermometer inserted into pork registers 155°F, about 15-20 minutes (more time for heavier tenderloins). Let pork rest 5 minutes.

Bring remaining sauce to simmer. Slice pork into 1/2-inch-thick medallions; arrange on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

OK, here's the short answer. Don't reheat in the microwave. Use your oven - wrap your food in foil and put it into a cold oven, then set the oven at 325 degrees. Check after 20-25 minutes. The food should be heated through without overcooking. If cooking on the stovetop, follow Todao's advice.

If you can't use sprays, and if the Borax doesn't work, I've always had good luck with the D-Con bait traps. I set three or four in corners behind appliances and in a closet and the ants disappear in a couple of days.

I thought the grilled-cheese guy had a chance - until it became apparent he made everything except grilled cheese. Then, the judges pressed him to make a grilled-cheese sandwich - and apparently it was bland. He also lost because he refused to take any significant advice from the investors.

My entry:

http://www.chow.com/recipes/29632-pea...

Well, there's about 90 mg of salt in a quarter pound of ground chuck. That's pretty low, considering. So homemade hamburgers - once in a while - could be an option.

Actually, Yuengling has been around since 1829 - it's the oldest brewery in the U.S.

For a quick/easy salad, I suggest this cucumber salad. Peel and dice two cucumbers into little squares. Marinate in 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar and two healthy dashes of sugar in the fridge for 30 mintues to an hour. Toss mixture with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Then drain in collander for a few minutes. Can serve immediately or refridgerate until serving time.

Somewhere in these posts, the OP said he had three samples and his standard operating procedure would be to have four. Really? I can see why the server was miffed. She shouldn't have been rude, but think about it - four spoon samples is about a 1/4 or so of a regular serving, maybe more. As another person said - that stuff can be expensive. That's free product she's giving you. And how does she know you're not going to ask for seven samples? She doesn't know you. It's ice cream for goodness sake - pick a flavor and live with it.

Got news for you people: Unless you grind your own flour, grow your own sugar, and breed/slaughter your own livestock, you are eating a lot of processed foods, no matter how many meals you make from "scratch." Anything you don't make yourself - completely - is processed in some way.

Yes, cast iron is not only inexpensive, it's some of best cookware you'll ever find.

Considering you have said the husband is unadventurous and a novice, I would say Bittman's book and Joy of Cooking would be overwhelming, no matter how good they are. I think War and Peace is shorter than either one of those. If you are looking for a basic book with recipes he's actually going to make, then go hyper-commercial, such as one of those Campbell Soup recipe books or one of those bargain-bin four-ingredient cookbooks - with simple, store-bought ingredients and simple recipes. I know the stigmas those carry, but based on how you describe him, he's not going to read an in-depth cookbook anyway.

There are a lot of good burger places in New York. Just check the boards for suggestions - the subject has many posts.