Ingrid rocks!

Chipotle Turkey Chili

I love office potlucks. There is always a huge variety of food and you don't have to think about what to do for lunch! Luckily, I work at a place where most people share my enthusiasm for potlucks. I once had 3 potlucks in a 2 week period to go to. My position there happens to be intermixed with a couple different departments, so multiple potlucks are one of the benefits :O)
My only problem when I started that job was that I didn't know how to cook a whole lot of dishes that were good enough to feed to others. I could just go to the store and buy something from the deli, but where's the fun in that? Then I remembered the Chipotle Tamale Pie recipe from Food Network that my former supervisor had showed me. It was tasty and easy. I deconstructed the recipe so that I could cook it in the crockpot instead of the oven. I'd add chopped black olives and corn to the mix. I'd also add the adobo sauce and leave out the chipotle chili pepper, since not everyone in the office has a high heat tolerance. Being lazy, I would often skip the cornbread. My famous "chili" has been a big hit at the office and goes well with a big scoop of mexican-style sour cream.
What are your favorite potluck recipes?

Homemade Guacamole is the best...with crabmeat is even better

Since the 2007 Firestorm, avocado prices have climbed. Lucky for me, someone at work has an avocado tree. Beautiful and luscious avocados. Even better looking and bigger than the ones at the grocery store.
I waited patiently for them to ripen...and I made guacamole. As I was going through my kitchen cabinet for spices, I noticed a can of crabmeat. With some blue corn tortilla chips from Henry's, this is what I created...

I didn't take exact measurements, just tasted as I mixed things together (I must be turning into my mother). Here's the list of ingredients:
1 large ripe avocado
1 can crab meat
mayo (just enough to make guac creamy)
cayenne pepper
salt
onion powder
splash of raspberry vinegar (didn't have lime)
dried tarragon

Chinese Wedding Banquet...survival of the fittest

Went back to Sacto last month for a friend's wedding. Luv asian weddings. The reception was held at the Rice Bowl, I think they tried for Happy Garden but it was already booked. Anywho...got some photogs to share. There was the traditional Jellyfish and Cold Pork appetizer, Shark Fin and Crab Soup, Honey Walnute Shrimp, Kwai Fei Chicken, Deep-Fried Pheasant, Assorted Sauteed Veggies w/ Shrimp, Fried Rice, Deep Fried Lemon Chicken, Mini Sesame Balls, Mini Pineapple Buns, Braised Red Snapper, Mango Pudding (molded into the shape of a Koi fish) w/ Condensed Milk, and two or three other dishes that I probably left out. I can't wait for another wedding :o)
Sorry, didn't get shots of all the dishes. My whole family was invited and at that table, food disappears pretty fast. There is a Chinese saying that describes meal times w/ my family that loosely translates to: "Fast hands = got. Slow hand = nada." I found out that my sister's boyfriend even put us in a paper that he wrote about competition, after the first couple of times eating w/ my family. In a family of six, you gotta learn to fight for your food. I feel sorry for the family of 3 who were seated at our table...