Bon Appetit Friends

My sister-in-law Lithsa is the real deal. She was born in Laos, and migrated to the United States after living in a refugee camp in Thailand when she was about 12. I'm not sure if he would admit this, but I'm pretty sure it was her mad cooking skillz that sealed my brother's fate with her. I've tried many a spring roll in restaurants only to be severely disappointed after having hers. I finally was able to watch her closely and take notes to try to duplicate. She does it by taste, so the proportions can be altered to your liking. Ingredients : 2 c. water 1 bullion cube 5 heaping T brown sugar 8 heaping T peanut butter dash of fish sauce (optional - she likes "Lil Huong") juice of 2 limes cucumber carrot cilantro fresh mint leaves (Try using other veggies that you like.) rice paper (about 12" in diameter) large bowl of hottest tap water Dipping Sauce : Bring water and bullion cube to boiling. Reduce heat. Add brown sugar and peanut butter and fish sauce. S...

I'm not much of a potato fan (pun intended) in general, and I usually pass on potato salad, but I dream about this one. 5 peeled hard-boiled eggs 2.5 lbs small waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold, Yellow Finn, or Red Rose Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup mayo 1/2 cup sour cream 1 TB sweet pickle juice (Just use whatever pickles you have on hand.) 1-2 TB Dijon mustard 3/4 cup minced red onion 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (T his is what makes it. Just splurge and get it.) 1/4 cup minced sweet pickle 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 tsp paprika Cut the hard-boiled eggs into thin slices. Set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, 2 tsp salt, and water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork, 20-25 minutes. Drain, and when just cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place the still-ward potatoes in a large bowl. In a small bow...