No matter what you call these cousins of bacon, only chocolate is more decadent and crack more addictive than homemade cracklins, and there is a big difference between store-bought and this recipe.

Even though working with chocolate is tricky, nothing could be simpler to make than chocolate truffles. Sooooo simple and sooooo seductive.

It turns out that Char Siu, even though it sounds like charcoal, is not barbecued, grilled, or smoked. It is roasted in a special oven, usually gas fired. And most of the time it gets its ruddy tone from red food coloring. Sigh.

Whenever the topic comes up with friends, they all have some great ideas and new twists on this All-American classic. So let's develop a killer meatloaf together.