Chili Sauce

Rice noodles, fish sauce and chili sauce can all be found in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets. THAI NOODLES WITH TOFU MAKES 4 SERVINGS 8 ounces wide rice stick noodles 1 / 2 cup ketchup 1 / 4 cup sugar 1 / 3 cup Asian fish sauce 1 / 4 teaspoon Asian chili sauce 2 tablespoons natural-style peanut butter 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided 1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, cut in 3 / 4-inch cubes 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 cup shredded cabbage 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves Cook the noodles in plenty of lightly salted boiling water according to package directions (6 to 8 minutes)

James Lynn Coffman, the owner of Coffman's Snack Bar, which has been a gathering place for Middle River residents and politicians for more than half a century, died from lung cancer Dec. 15 in his apartment above the Orems Road restaurant. He was 76. Mr. Coffman, the son of a body shop mechanic and a dressmaker, was born in Fairmont, W.Va., and spent his early years there. With the outbreak of World War II, Mr. Coffman moved to Middle River with his family when his father went to work at the old Glenn L. Martin Co. plant building warplanes.

Shrimp has become no-fuss convenience food. Most of the work has been done and shrimp is ready to rumble. It's available peeled and deveined (P&D is the industry term), raw or cooked, and can be found in supermarkets and warehouse stores (either flash frozen in thick plastic bags or thawed and sold at the fish counter). This dish is often quite spicy. But you can regulate the amount of fire by reducing the amount of Asian chili sauce to 1 teaspoon instead of 2. Cathy Thomas writes for the Orange County (Calif.

Barbara Corley of Windsor, Calif., was looking for a recipe she lost some years ago for a turkey meatloaf. She said it was particularly tasty and somewhat unusual in that it had sour cream as one of the ingredients. Donna Mason of Dallas sent in her recipe for what she describes as a Tex-Mex style turkey meatloaf that she thought Corley might like to try. I liked her recipe very much because it addressed what is my biggest complaint with turkey meatloaf: a lack of flavor. While this may not be your mom's meatloaf, it certainly is a healthful, low-fat alternative that packs so much flavor your family might not even realize it's made with ground turkey.

Barbara Tropp, the late San Francisco restaurateur and author, dubbed these "gold coin" cakes in her China Moon Cookbook because of their round shape and golden color. These salmon patties are treasures, rich with minced ginger, garlic, green onions and chili sauce. Over the years, I've adapted the recipe to my taste, adding little cubes of sweet bell pepper, dropping the minced cilantro, using saltine crackers instead of bread for binder and - always - serving them with a simple aioli sauce made with prepared mayonnaise.

A braised beef brisket makes a delicious dinner for Rosh Hashana, the upcoming celebration of the Jewish new year. Long, slow cooking in liquid tenderizes the boneless brisket to melt-in-the-mouth perfection.K? This recipe is from the National Live Stock and Meat Board.Beef Brisket with Savory Onion Sauce3 to 3 1/2 pound boneless beef brisket, flat half2 medium onions, thinly sliced2 large garlic cloves, minced1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper1 cup beer1/2 cup chili sauce2 pounds, about 10, small red potatoesTrim excess fat from beef brisket.

Lively in flavor but quick to prepare, this chicken dish gives a new spin to the traditional grilled fare. Hugh Carpenter and his "Hot" series of cookbooks (Ten Speed Press, 1995) was the inspiration for this dish. The chicken with sauce is perfect over a bed of rice to soak up the juices. Toss steamed zucchini and crookneck squash around the edges for color. Serve a sampling of olives to continue the exotic theme. Keep dessert cool and simple with a lush ice cream.Tangier chicken with tangerine sauceServes 41 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon cayenne1/4 teaspoon salt4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighsSAUCE1/2 cup freshly squeezed tangerine or tangelo orange juice1/4 cup dry white wine2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water2 tablespoons honey1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce2 cloves garlic, minced1/2 teaspoon saltGARNISH1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped1/4 cup slivered fresh basilHeat the grill.

Barbara Corley of Windsor, Calif., was looking for a recipe she lost some years ago for a turkey meatloaf. She said it was particularly tasty and somewhat unusual in that it had sour cream as one of the ingredients. Donna Mason of Dallas sent in her recipe for what she describes as a Tex-Mex style turkey meatloaf that she thought Corley might like to try. I liked her recipe very much because it addressed what is my biggest complaint with turkey meatloaf: a lack of flavor. While this may not be your mom's meatloaf, it certainly is a healthful, low-fat alternative that packs so much flavor your family might not even realize it's made with ground turkey.

Rosemary fans will applaud this zesty pork tenderloin with the strong flavors of the Mediterranean herb taking the lead in an eclectic combination of flavorings. The results may taste as if you've made a fuss; but truth is, it's a snap to put together. Served with a tomato-pasta salad, this flavorful dish becomes the carefree centerpiece for an evening meal after a busy day. Use thinly sliced leftover tenderloin for delicious cold sandwiches. Tips: To save more time, buy prepared pasta salad from the supermarket deli.

Although caviar and smoked salmon have a strong following, I think the most popular holiday food may be icy jumbo shrimp.Shrimp are graded by the number of pieces in a pound, and packed accordingly. Shrimp marked "U-10" means there are fewer than 10 shrimp per pound, while those marked "26-30" have more and smaller shrimp per pound.Store shrimp on a cake rack in a pan. Place plastic wrap over the shrimp, then cover with flaked ice. Drain occasionally and refill with ice as necessary.Even if you're not serving them for several days, cook them in the shell and refrigerate in an airtight container, peeling just before serving.

I stood in my grandmother's room that April 1968 night. Its window looked directly east and southeast. It was two days after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination and Baltimore's riot spread out before our eyes. She and some of my brothers and sisters watched in horror as the distant buildings burned. My grandmother could identify the landmarks and called out when the old Stieff piano factory near Aiken Street erupted in violently shooting flames.

Shrimp has become no-fuss convenience food. Most of the work has been done and shrimp is ready to rumble. It's available peeled and deveined (P&D is the industry term), raw or cooked, and can be found in supermarkets and warehouse stores (either flash frozen in thick plastic bags or thawed and sold at the fish counter). This dish is often quite spicy. But you can regulate the amount of fire by reducing the amount of Asian chili sauce to 1 teaspoon instead of 2. Cathy Thomas writes for the Orange County (Calif.

Barbara Tropp, the late San Francisco restaurateur and author, dubbed these "gold coin" cakes in her China Moon Cookbook because of their round shape and golden color. These salmon patties are treasures, rich with minced ginger, garlic, green onions and chili sauce. Over the years, I've adapted the recipe to my taste, adding little cubes of sweet bell pepper, dropping the minced cilantro, using saltine crackers instead of bread for binder and - always - serving them with a simple aioli sauce made with prepared mayonnaise.

Rice noodles, fish sauce and chili sauce can all be found in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets. THAI NOODLES WITH TOFU MAKES 4 SERVINGS 8 ounces wide rice stick noodles 1 / 2 cup ketchup 1 / 4 cup sugar 1 / 3 cup Asian fish sauce 1 / 4 teaspoon Asian chili sauce 2 tablespoons natural-style peanut butter 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided 1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, cut in 3 / 4-inch cubes 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 cup shredded cabbage 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves Cook the noodles in plenty of lightly salted boiling water according to package directions (6 to 8 minutes)

Small-town Connecticut in the late 1960s was no place to launch a culinary revolution, but there I was, refusing to eat the food my mother made for me. My parents were perplexed: After all, weren't they providing the finest cuts of meat they could find? But that was the problem. Big slabs of meat served unadorned had lost their charm. I wanted something racier and exotic. I wanted cool food, and Chinese food was my ticket. With the nearest takeout joint nearly 25 miles away and no wheels to speak of, I had to learn to cook Chinese on my own. This was no easy task.

What a list of big names! Saturday saw four of them on the Meyerhoff stage for the Reginald F. Lewis Museum's second annual gala. Vocal divas Regina Belle, Jennifer Holliday, Stephanie Mills and Melba Moore performed for a sold-out celebratory audience. But they weren't the only big names in the house that night. At a pre-concert dinner reception, there was plenty of local VIP watching to be had. Mingling in the crowd: George Gilliam, Karen Queen, Paul Wolman, Dr. Ben and Candy Carson, Beverly Cooper, Dr. Levi Watkins, Rhonda Overby and Joe Haskins, Jenine and Patrick Turner, Page Davis, Neil Muldrew, Ruth Louie, Bill and Cherie Roberts, Stu Simms, Darius and Dessolene Davis, Hal Hathaway, Trish Fallon, Gary Murray, Dr. Freeman and Jackie Hrabowski.

Small-town Connecticut in the late 1960s was no place to launch a culinary revolution, but there I was, refusing to eat the food my mother made for me. My parents were perplexed: After all, weren't they providing the finest cuts of meat they could find? But that was the problem. Big slabs of meat served unadorned had lost their charm. I wanted something racier and exotic. I wanted cool food, and Chinese food was my ticket. With the nearest takeout joint nearly 25 miles away and no wheels to speak of, I had to learn to cook Chinese on my own. This was no easy task.

One of my favorite recipe collections is "Chopstix," by Hugh Carpenter, which blends American cuisine so simply with Chinese, Thai and even Mexican flavors. This dish, Oriental burritos, marries the most classic Chinese flavorings with south-of-the-border style. Since it can be eaten by hand, it makes for a casual, friendly meal.To round out the main dish, serve a simple salad of shredded lettuce and quickly steamed snow peas (or buy frozen, stemmed snow peas and thaw before tossing) and a peeled, sliced fresh orange.

Rosemary fans will applaud this zesty pork tenderloin with the strong flavors of the Mediterranean herb taking the lead in an eclectic combination of flavorings. The results may taste as if you've made a fuss; but truth is, it's a snap to put together. Served with a tomato-pasta salad, this flavorful dish becomes the carefree centerpiece for an evening meal after a busy day. Use thinly sliced leftover tenderloin for delicious cold sandwiches. Tips: To save more time, buy prepared pasta salad from the supermarket deli.