Cowboy Caviar
Don't bother with soaking and cooking beans for Cowboy Caviar - the canned variety works well. But skip the bottled dressing, and take a little extra time to measure your own vinegar, oil and spice. This is great with tortilla chips or bread.
Ingredients
• 2 (15.8 ounce) cans black-eyed peas, drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 fresh medium jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced
• 1 small onion, cut into small dice
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded ...

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Black Eyed Peas aren’t just a popular band. 
In the south, if you eat them on New Year’s day you will have wealth and prosperity in the new year!
My favorite dish to prepare is “Hoppin’ John.” This is a traditional southern dish containing black-eyed peas and rice, with chopped onion and sliced bacon, seasoned with a bit of salt. (Good hearty eating on that COLD New Year’s Day.)
The peas are symbolic of pennies or coins, and a coin is sometimes added to the pot or left under the din...
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GORDON RAMSAY AND THE PRODUCERS OF THE BIGGEST LOSER ARE NOW CASTING AMATEUR CHEFS FOR A NEW INSPIRATIONAL COOKING SHOW!
Can you cook well despite never having been formally trained? We are currently searching for budding chefs from all walks of life - amateur chefs, passionate foodies, the ultimate dinner party host/hostesses∑
Now one of the world‚s most acclaimed chefs, GORDON RAMSAY, is giving you the opportunity to become a MasterChef!
MasterChef is a show that celebrates great peop...

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The chocolate adventure begins.

America’s finest dark chocolate and Tuttiefoodie.com invite you to join them in the spirit of adventure.
Combine Scharfen Berger artisan chocolate with one or more of 16 ingredients from sumac to smoked sea salt.
Then create an original recipe, sweet or savory.
You can win one of 2 $10,000.00 grand prizes

Enter the contest by January 3, 2010

http://www.chocolateadventurecontest.com

 

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Today was a rainy, cloudy day and I missed a book signing by Thomas Keller of his latest cookbook "Ad Hoc at Home". I am an avid coffee & tea drinker and I usually stop at the closest coffee shop near my house, which happens to be a Starbucks. As I was walking in the rain feeling a little gray, I saw Peet's Coffee on he corner. I walked in and saw an inviting layout, with warm aromas of freshly brewed coffee with lots of space and comfy chairs. I walked up to the counter that prepares the cus...
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Featured Recipe: Simple Chocolate Layer Cake
By MARK BITTMAN

When it’s my turn to make a dessert for a holiday gathering I head straight for chocolate layer cake. Since I refuse to compromise on ingredients, a certain amount of work is involved, but I streamline the process as much as possible.
Yield 8 to 12 servings

Time About 1 hour

Summary
You can guarantee high quality by using excellent chocolate (Valrhona or the like is not overkill; you'll notice the difference) and unsalted butter.

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