Is there any such thing as a great Chinese restaurant anywhere near Charlotte or Asheville? We've been looking a while, but honestly, PF Changs is the best we can find - almost every place seems to be one of those horrible all-you-can eat buffets. A friend from Charlotte told us recently that the Shun Lee Palace was great, but reviews on Yelp seem to indicate that it was sold in 2011 and is no longer good. We live in Morganton, and are willing to drive!

South Beach Grille is a great choice for lunch - never had a bad meal there.

As a North Carolina native, I have to say that the only gravy that should come anywhere near grits is red-eyed gravy! Surely he wouldn't put sausage gravy, or any kind of white gravy, on grits?? Gravy belongs on biscuits and mashed potatoes! lol That said, I've had many kinds of "sauces" on grits - one of my favorites being fried green tomatoes with a kind of rémoulade .... nom nom nom.

Your only "heat" is tabasco sauce. I know that Paul Prudhomme's recipes all usually call for cayenne, black and white peppers and tabasco - all have a different kind of heat - so maybe you could add/sub some different kinds of hot. I second other comments about using different fat - how about bacon or fatback? and also second the suggestion to brown your tomato paste before using. Last suggestion would be to put your herbs and peppers in with the veggies as they soften.

I also use this recipe as my go to choice - in fact, I don't even bother with the thermometer. I've made it so many times that I do it almost by feel, but about 4 minutes, 30 seconds from a full rolling boil in my "fudge pot" (4 quart calphalon), it's exactly right!

We go to MB often, but haven't been this year since January. Does anyone know if any good new restaurants have opened?

Absolutely agree with Prossers - I'd go so far as to say that that's the ONLY BBQ in MB.

Diet root beer + chocolate cake = Yum!!
I think the confusion here about points has to do with size of servings. I made this in a 9x13 pan, and cut into 24 servings (6x4), to get 1 point each.

I've always made dill pickles using Mrs. Wages dill pickle seasoning packets. (I know, but my family really likes the way they taste!) Our cucumbers this year are coming in really slowly, and I need a recipe that I can make a quart or two at a time. Does anyone have one to share?

This DaVinci's location closed. I LOVE the one in Hickory, but for some reason this second location never came close. Darn.

Had lunch at the Frankies in Granite Falls last week - VERY good. I'm with you, catu85 - SO glad to have an option besides chains! And I'll second, third, whatever for DaVinci's. Their garlic knots - oohhhhh my!

Red Rocker Inn in Black Mountain I hear is very good - haven't been, though. Reservations required, I think.

Oh yes! I forgot about that ... may need to hit up Shatley Springs this weekend.

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Shatley Springs Restaurant
407 Shatley Springs Rd, Crumpler, NC 28617

Amen to all of the above!

darlin', you're talking about chicken & dumplins! At least, your number 1 sounds exactly what my husbands Aunt Judy calls chicken & dumplins. She brings it to every family gathering, and never takes home leftovers ...

OH! I forgot Moravian Sugar Cake. Holy cow. Parker's cornsticks are good too.

I live in Morganton - Eseeola is definitely not here, darn it! about an hour away.

Come to think of it, the easiest way to do this might be just to find yourself a medium sized country church and show up on Homecoming Sunday! :)

Lived in NC all my 51 years! Some of these are probably not just North Carolinian but generally Southern, and I know I'll miss some things, but here's a start:
Cherry Lemon Sundrop
Grilled pimento cheese sandwich
Livermush cut thin and fried crispy
Chicken pie by a true Southern Baptist dinner-on-the-grounds artist
Tomato sandwich on Sunbeam bread with Duke's mayo
Country ham and red eye gravy
Homemade biscuits with sausage gravy
Calabash shrimp
'naner puddin'
fresh coconut cake
pecan pie
strawberry rhubarb pie
peach cobbler
fried cube steak & gravy on mashed potatoes
fried apples
... I'll keep thinking.

Add corn to your black bean salad recipe, and you have my favorite. I like lime juice and chopped tomato in it, also. Cilantro too.

Cut to 1" dice, sautee with halved cherry tomatos in olive oil, s & p, add fresh basil ribbons at the end. Yum! It's the only way I can eat it (HATE mushy squash), but my whole family loves it this way, kids included.

How did you measure your flour? scoop with a measuring cup or spoon into the cup and level off with a knife? I think the European way of measuring flour by weight would solve a lot of baking problems! I'd also echo the question about the age of your baking powder. It doesn't sound like you over-beat. Are you going to try again?

Don't know if you're feeding meat eaters or not, but I often do a Mediterranean type chicken salad – it varies depending on what I have on hand, but always includes poached chicken, olives, capers, and grape tomatoes and other vegetables, dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper. I think the original idea came from a Sarah Leah Chase cookbook (can't remember which one).

When I was growing up we made wonderful potato candy with my grandmother (her family was from Switzerland). I swear, all we did was pour powdered sugar on peeled potatoes, then add color and flavorings and shape into flattened ovals. I can't remember if the potato was raw (I think so) or cooked first (maybe), but it was as if the potato was just melted by the sugar. It turned out like a creamy mint patty. Has anyone else ever heard of a candy like this?

Have you tried Ghirardelli's triple chocolate cookie recipe? Ohhh myyyyy.

Paula Deen has recipe for a two layer pineapple upside down cake - you make two cakes the regular way, stack and ice with cream cheese icing. Talk about sugar over load! But for a special occasion, it's great. My father-in-law says it's the best cake he's ever had.

Nathan's Lemon Cake from Cooking Light - scrumptious! Just sweet enough, and really lemony.

Wonder if that's the same as the Shrimp Scampi for a Crowd from the magazine? This is a long time favorite - had it last Friday night! We have a big family (usually 6-7 around the table), and this recipe means we can all eat when it's hot.
Other big favorites (all from magazines but available on line):
Smoky Scalloped Potatoes (with two cups smoked gouda - amazing)
Fried Rice
Creamy Ravioli Bake

I have to agree with LaLa and Anna - great lists, both of them. And you are correct - MurrelI's Inlet has many great places to choose from. We particularly love Capt. Dave's Dockside and Lee's. Lee's was one of the first restaurants in the area - and I believe is still run by the same family 60 or so years later. You HAVE to try their fried onion rings, and I love their Manhattan style clam chowder.
Bad news about the Chinese, though - we've been to MB once or twice a year for over 30 years, and have never found even halfway decent Chinese. The best there now is P.F. Chang's; other than that, you'll mostly find "chinese" buffet's. Maybe someone who lives close knows more? I'd surely love to find a great place!

Seared red cabbage wedges - saw this in the NY Times, tried it, and wow!! Cut a small head of cabbage into six-eight wedges. Heat olive oil in a heavy frying; place cabbage wedges in pan cut-side down. Sear until dark brown, turn, and sear the other cut side. If it's a larger head of cabbage, cover with a lid and steam until done. All you need is good salt and pepper. I could eat just this for a meal.