Thank you again, everyone! Well, mum and I ended up getting KFC for supper, and we got dad Wendy's since he doesn't like KFC lol. I still ate some fries with my chicken, baked beans, and mashed potatoes and gravy. Frozen was AWESOME!!!!! I highly recommend it! I have yet to eat a slice of cake, or light/blow out the candles. I'll snag a picture of it before we slice into it. Annie, ours isn't open year round either, and it always opens around my birthday (a month to a few weeks before) and closes in October or so. There are a few others in the area that are the restaraunt type that are open year round. Brad AKA Moonwolf

I would love to try some Crab Potato Chips. I agree with the Russians that Lay's Potato Chips are boring. I try not to buy too many snack foods, but I do keep tortilla chips on hand and occasionally buy potato chips to have with a dip I make with sour cream, fresh dill, garlic, lemon juice, black pepper and mayo. It tastes very similar to Ranch dressing, but with a brighter, fresher flavor. I also use it as a sauce for fish in place of tartar sauce. I do buy Japanese snack when I go to the Japanese market, but they are pretty expensive and seem to be mostly air, at least the sembei crackers that I buy do. I like the flavors, however, and Kevin buys Japanese black chewing gum. I've found that I do not particularly like the Vietnamese snacks that I've had, but I find kimchee to be addictive. I'm not sure if it qualifies as a snack, but I eat it between meals, and it is very satisfying. I do not see why people should not put cereal in coffee - I think it would be similar to dunking biscotti. I've always noticed that Mexico had a much better selection of fruit drinks available than we do, although we are getting more of them as the Latin population increases. My favorite juice drink is guanabana, which I first had in Mexico in the mid 1970s. Back then I could not find it here, but that has changed. I've noticed Japanese snacks creaping into the main markets here, but I have not noticed too many other ethnic snacks, other than Mexican, which I do not consider foreign, since they were always readily available in Texas. Have you found other ethnic snacks in the markets that you would recommend? I'm sure there are many that I have just overlooked. Lars

Since we will be spending Christmas Eve with friends this year, I will be makking the following. It has been a hit every time I made it! Alexa CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY GANACHE CAKE This pull-out-all-the-stops cake for special occasions may be prepared in steps in advance and glazes on the day it is to be served. For genoise 1/3 cup sifted unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder such as Droste (sift before measuring) 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup cornstarch a pinch baking soda 3 large whole eggs 3 large egg yolks 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt For syrup 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup raspberry liqueur such as Chambord For ganache 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons light corn syrup 1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped coarse 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam For glaze 1 cup heavy cream 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped coarse Garnish: fresh raspberries Make genoise: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter an 9-inch round cake pan (about 2 inches deep) and line bottom with a round of parchment paper or foil. In a small bowl whisk together cocoa powder, flour, cornstarch, and baking soda. In a metal bowl whisk together whole eggs, yolk, sugar, and salt until combined. Set mixture over a saucepan of simmering water and continue to whisk until lukewarm. Remove bowl from heat and with an electric mixer beat mixture at high speed until it has cooled and doubled in volume. Sift one third cocoa mixture over egg mixture and fold in. Sift and fold in remaining cocoa mixture, half at a time, in same manner. Pour batter into pan and smooth top. Bake genoise in middle of oven for 30 minutes, or until it is firm to the touch and pulls away slightly from side of pan. Invert genoise onto a rack and immediately invert onto another rack to cool right side up. Genoise may be wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled 1 week or frozen 1 month. Thaw genoise before assembling cake. Make syrup: In a small saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup and stir in liqueur. Syrup may be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered. Make ganache: In a saucepan bring cream, butter, and corn syrup to a boil over moderate heat and remove pan from heat. Add chocolate, swirling pan to submerge chocolate in hot mixture, and let stand 3 minutes. Whisk ganache until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Chill ganache, covered, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Assemble cake: Let ganache stand at room temperature until slightly softened and pliable but still cool. With a whisk or electric mixer beat ganache just until light and fluffy. Remove parchment paper from genoise and with a long serrated knife cut cake horizontally into 3 rounds. Invert top layer of genoise onto a springform pan base or a 9-inch cardboard round and brush with one third syrup. Spread layer with half of jam and spread one third ganache over jam. Top ganache with middle layer of genoise and repeat layering of syrup, jam, and ganache. Top with third layer of genoise, smooth-side up, and brush with remaining syrup. Spread top and side of cake with remaining ganache. Chill cake until ganache is set, about 30 minutes. Cake may be assembled ahead, wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled 5 days or frozen 1 month. Thaw cake before proceeding. Make glaze: In a saucepan bring cream to a boil and remove pan from heat. Add chocolate, swirling pan to submerge chocolate in hot cream, and let stand 2 minutes. Whisk glaze until smooth and pour through a sieve set over a bowl. Cool glaze to room temperature. With cake on a rack set over a pan (to catch drips) pour glaze through sieve onto center of cake. Quickly spread glaze evenly over top and sides of cake with a long, narrow, metal spatula. Let cake stand until glaze is set, about 5 minutes. Garnish cake with raspberries and keep at cool room temperature until ready to serve. Gourmet February 1997

I know you're asking for crab cakes, but here's a wonderful crab stuffed mushroom recipe that I made for an appetizer on New Years Eve. Becky * Exported from MasterCook * Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 18 medium mushrooms (about 1 pound) 7 ounces crab meat 5 green onions with tops -- finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon dried savory ground black pepper 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/3 cup mayonnaise grated Parmesan cheese paprika 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 2 In a medium bowl, combine crabmeat, green onions, herbs, and pepper. Mix in mayonnaise and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese until well combined. Refrigerate filling until ready for use. 3 Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Remove stems. Spoon out the gills and the base of the stem, making deep cups. Discard gills and stems. Fill the mushroom caps with rounded teaspoonfuls of filling, and place them in an ungreased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle tops with Parmesan and paprika. 4 Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve immediately Makes 6 servings Recipe by Wilma Scott, AllRecipes.com Wilma says: This tasty appetizer seasoned with thyme, oregano, and savory. Choose good sized mushrooms, about 2 inches across. When cleaning mushrooms, don't run them under water. They are like little sponges, and will absorb it; just wipe them clean with a damp towel. The filling can be made with fresh, canned, or imitation crabmeat. If using canned, be sure to rinse it first. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTES : Made 12-31-07 Halved recipe and filled three portabello mushrooms caps (stems and gills removed). Brushed the caps with oil and parbaked at 350F for 15 minutes, then filled and baked for antoher 15 minutes. Used canned lump crabmeat, rinsed and drained.