New take on an old post

[Photo removed due to grossness]

This is just an alternative way to serve what I previously made here. It was my first time mixing the goat cheese, salmon, and chives together, and it looked better in person. The taste was the same as the alternate presentation, but this style is more conducive to serving at a potluck or for a big group.

In the future I'd crumble the goat cheese well before mixing in the flaked salmon and chives, and I'd mix more gently than I did here, avoiding the white speckles of cheese clinging to the fish and chives that aren't too attractive. With the addition of store bought crackers (something thin and crisp--i.e., not Ritz) it makes for a quick thing to serve to a group. A spoon or knife is necessary, as it's not too dippable. It may look salmon heavy, but it's not.

Chili Cookoff 2007

Just part of what went into my chili entry for tomorrow's event (No basil though, that's just there.). It would have been better if it sat for a day, but what are you going to do? Because of my lack of planning I was limited to my pantry and a barely-better-than-mediocre grocery store. The slow cooker is courtesy of an old roommate and friend, Jim Hassert (Click here and then on "Featured Artist: Jim"--he would have made a great teacher, but he's doing well for himself and works at a great company. Despite his credentials, he wasn't much of a chicken coop builder back then.). The rough recipe came from living out West, where it's a rare potluck that you'll be able to satisfy everyone if your dish has meat in it (or even if it doesn't). Those were the days when friends kept bags of roasted Hatch Chilies in their freezers, ready to share with anyone who asked. I don't know anyone with chilies in their freezers out here, but at least there's more than the occasional sun break during the winter. . . not much more though.

If I place anywhere near the top in the cookoff I'll post the recipe. There's no meat, and while I work with a quite a few vegetarians, it's a meat and potato city, so we'll see what happens.