November 14, 2010: The "I Make the Best Whatever" contest is off to a delicious-looking start! That was fast! And the mailbag!

The "I Make the Best Whatever" contest is off to a great start.  Check out yesterday's blog for full contest details but, in short, I'm asking blog readers to send in a description of THE dish they're known for  - be it rack of lamb, walnut cream cake, or those bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with almonds – along with an accompanying photo.  I'll choose eight dishes from the field of entries and then have them go head to head for the title of "I Make the Best Whatever" Kind and/or Queen (along with some awesome prize to be revealed later at a later date).  Anyway, some very intriguing dishes to choose from already.  Among them:

DasNDanger's Puerco Pibil…

I know, I know. I too figured she just read comic books all day. Who knew she could cook!

Jeff W's Chocolate and Black Raspberry Cheesecake…

Now I don't usually mix fruit and dessert, but I might make an exception in this cake.

Alexander of Houston's formidable-looking Brined Pork Tenderloin with Pourgouri Pilafi and Porcupine Ball…

If it tastes anywhere as good as it looks...

Mark's grandmother's Plum Jam Kifli…

I bet I could eat about a dozen of these before I even finished making them.

Keep those pics and dish descriptions coming.  You have until…well, let's say the end of November – which fast approacheth!

Speaking of fast approachething – this upcoming week marks the final few days of production on Stargate: Universe's second season.  It seems like only yesterday I was crying myself to sleep, agonizing over the script to episode #203, Awakening and suddenly, it's ten months later and I'm crying myself to sleep, agonizing over what I'm going to wear to this weekend's season 2 wrap party.  Wow!  That was quick!  Hopefully, we'll hear word on the fate of the show before I'm Tokyo-bound in early December – but I won't hold my breath.

Damn.  Looks like my Snow Monkeys are about to go down in defeat in week 10 of Stargate NFL Fantasy Football play.  The blame for this week's loss falls on the shoulders of three consistent underperformers: Dolphin wide receiver Brandon Marshall, KC Tight End Tony Moeaki, and the Baltimore Ravens D.  Thanks for nothing, all.  I'm dumping the Ravens D and benching Marshall until further notice.  Would love replace Moeaki, but it's mighty slim pickin's on the waiver wire.

Mailbag:

DP writes: "Do I have to decide between pumpkin bread and blackberry cobbler or can I do both?"

Answer: Feel free to submit both, but make sure to include a photo of each for the official selection process.

DP writes: "Will you be making all the recipes, Joe, or do we need to mail them to you? [...]  Will you sample to pick the top 8 or go with what your experience says will turn out well?"

Answer: I'll be making all the recipes and judging the finished products when the time comes.

kabra writes: "Contest sounds cool, can we enter more than once? Are there any specific categories???"

Answer: Let's say a maximum of five dishes per person.  All entries should fall under the "delicious" category.

Alexander of Houston writes: "Your Braised Short Ribs sound pretty good. Do you deglaze and use the fond? I heard second hand that in Europe, specifically in Italy, some CIA students were turned sideways when their host chef threw out the fond after he seared some meat. I hate to say this, but what did you do (ie add) to your polenta?"

Answer: Yes, I use the fond and that's not polenta.  It's a polenta substitute = sweet potato mash.

Nadine Ramsden writes: "Speaking of recipes, any chance you could post Akemi's recipe for the miso soup?"

Answer: Plenty of requests for this one.  I promise to post later this week.

KEK writes: "You've said before that you're not to keen on ascended being as they seem to stray into the realms of fantasy rather than sci-fi at times, with this in mind can we assume that Destiny's mission and the resolution will be purely scientific/natural in nature, and never supernatural?"

Answer: Not necessarily.  There are plenty of other equally opinionated writer/producers on staff.

Oreol writes: "Syfy is selling SGU props like the kino and the remote. Why? It sounds terrible for Season Three. Should we go in panic mode?"

Answer: Nope.

Hunab.cu writes: "The question I want to ask is whether is there any chance to get any schematics of Destiny?"

Answer: I'll see what I can dig up.

adam writes: "Hey Joe, quick question, is there any news of a Stargate Universe Season 1 Soundtrack?"

Answer: Sorry, haven't heard anything.

Brian C writes: "What is the total elapsed time from leaving the naquada planet to the last episode of SGU?"

Answer: I'd say about a year.

Greg writes: "what happens when they complete Destiny's mission? Show ends?"

Answer: Yep.