I love bean tostadas and they are so easy:

1. Melt a little oil in a frying pan and add a can of refried beans. Stir until consistency is smooth. If you want, you could saute some onion and jalapeno pepper before adding the beans, but this is optional.
2. In the mean time, heat some tostada shells for just a few minutes in the oven at 350.
3. Spread the beans on the hot tostada shells and then add your favorite taco fixings:
cheese
salsa and taco sauce
cilantro
onions and peppers
tomatoes
black olives
avocado
and shredded lettuce
top with sour cream and crushed black pepper (optional)

This is the fastest dinner I know and it is so good!

I made this for dinner last night and it was terrific. Love how the chewy kale contrasts with the soft pasta. Kalamata seemed to taste so good with the kale, too. Had the leftovers for lunch today and it tasted even better. This is a great recipe! I also love how it is a one pot meal :)

I like the "Roland" brand tuna, in water, not olive oil. It is only 2.79 a can and so much better than bumble bee, chicken of the sea and starkist. I have also heard the Genova brand is very good, too, but haven't tried it yet.

There's a bunch on the web, but I would love to try a baked lentil casserole that is tried and true.

It uses barley instead of rice.

My partner sliced 1/2 of a vanilla bean into 3 thin strips, put it in a bottle of rum and let it steep for a few days. It made an awesome rum and coke, took the bottle camping and it was gone by the end of the weekend!

Maybe vodka or whiskey. I guess economical would be under $50

I want to do something other than sangria.

1. Right now, the tomatoes are fabulous, so I made a simple pico de gallo and my partner and I gobbled it up in record time. I discovered that I really liked the taste of salsa without garlic (I had usually added it in the past).

2. I already posted this on another board, but a delicious pasta salad from 101 cookbooks site:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/...

3. Finally, authentic Sheboygan bratwurst:
Cut up an onion into thin slices and place in a pot
Add 3-4 cans or bottles of beer (any kind
)Add uncooked bratwurst (6-12)
Boil for 30 min. on medium heat
Finish off on the grill, about 5 min. per side, just to brown them
You can't really mess this recipe up. It is always sooo good. For me, the best brats are topped with dusseldorf mustard, pickles, and raw onion!

I think the scallion flavor mellows a bit in the cooking process. It does not overpower the salad, I think the parmesan and the apple contrast it nicely along with the spice of the arugula. If you read everyone's comments, most love that it does not contain mayo. I personally love mayo, so I added a dollop at the end and loved the flavor. It is really one of the best pasta salad's I have ever had :)

This one is SO good! I made half a batch and wish I would have made a whole one:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/...

I copied the recipe from one of the CI books (can't remember which one). This is the recipe where the penne is cooked in a dutch oven in water and chicken broth (about 4 cups total), rather than boiled separately in water (the traditional method). I have never cooked pasta this way and am concerned about how it will turn out. Anyone ever tried it?

My favorite middle eastern restaurant is closing and I am searching for a recipe for their soup called "Adas Bel-Sabanekh." I believe it is lentils, spinach, broth, spices, topped with fresh cilantro. I know there is also fresh lemon, although that may be added at the end. I believe the owners of the restaurant are Lebanese.

THe chicken is brined first, then baked with sweet and regular potatoes, bacon and onions/garlic.

Try this tortilla pie from Epicurious, it is so easy! Definitely use corn tortillas, though. And no need to fry the tortillas before placing in casserole.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tortilla-Pie-231795

Also, here is a great pasta recipe that is veery easy and delicious:

http://www.foodchannel.com/recipes/re...

I am thinking about making Shrimp in Red Escabeche which has this salsa as an ingredient. Wondering if anyone here has ever made it.

I use a stainless steel kettle to boil water every morning for my coffee. Every morning, it gets hard water / mineral deposit? stains or film on it. I use vinegar to remove the film before washing in the dishwasher. Is this the best method? This occurs even with filtered water from the Brita filter and occurs whether I wash by hand or in the dishwasher. Any other cleaning ideas?

I find the food network pretty annoying in general, however, I was curious about the magazine. What do you think?

I am alos annoyed at the high cost of the deli items, so I only allow myself to get a few things. My 2 favorites are the Roman Tuna Salad and the Cranberry Tuna Salad. I have replicated both at home, with great results, but if you are away from home and have a craving, this is a very satisfying lunch. their tarragon chicken salad is also good, though extremely expensive.

I have a bunch of easy recipes but I love soups, especially in winter, and I'll send you the link to a bean and bacon soup I made this past weekend. I made a few changes such as using 3 vs. 4 cans of beans, a bit more celery, carrots and bacon. I used chicken stock instead of broth and lots of parsley.

http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/bean-...

Yes, thank you all for the good advice. I ended up doing a quick stir fry with red pepper flakes, as suggested and then loosely putting in a strainer while I assembled other ingredients. I did use the Barilla no bake sheets and I think it would have been fine if I hadn't strained the spinach. I also chopped the spinach, as suggested. It turned out beautifully! The recipe was from Epicurious: Red, White and Green Lasagne:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

I am making a vegetarian lasagne and substituting spinach for broccoli. Do I need to cook the fresh spinach first? If so, what is the easiest method?

Maybe a spinach salad? I would prefer not to make anything with potatoes or rice because I am trying to cut down on carbs. Thanks!

recommended?

The grocery store where I shop frequently has good prices on cod and I need some good recipes. Thanks!

I adore shallots as well, but I do resent the high price. They are super cheap at the asian markets and I am lucky enough to have a nearby store that sells them in bulk rather than the expensive mesh packages. I think shallots are especially good in tuna salad and chicken salad. Often, the onions are too strong, so the delicate flavor of the shallot really shines.

Pan Seared Tilapia with Chile Lime Butter
I have made this twice so far and really enjoyed the flavors and ease of preparation. As one reviewer noted, lightly dust the fish with flour before cooking, adds a crunch element and holds the fish together better. If you don't have the cookbook, the recipe is on Epicurious.

Yes, I do this, too. I just scruch the bag closed. I put oil on top of kernels before scrunching (usually veg. or corn). It is so easy and tastes great!

I am so sorry to hear this. When I first began visiting chowhound I made a special effort to read all of his posts becasue they were so informative. I have a weakness for people who can be so authoritative and intelligent about so many things and gentle at the same time. I admired him and he was a constant reminder to me that there are really great people out there in the world.

Here's a good idea for tilapia I made just the other night:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

I am not sure my link is going to work. If interested, visit epicurious and search: Pan-Seared Tilapia with Chile Lime Butter.

It was delicious and has garnered many positive reviews on the epicurious website.