Tri Color Vegetable Tian

Instead of Amy's Dinner, tonight I will provide Amy's Sidedish.  I went out last night and was asked to bring a vegetable dish, so I decided on one of my favorite's, this Tri Color Vegetable Tian. 

To make it, I covered the bottom of this round baking dish with about 2 sliced and caramelized onions.  I then rotated the following in a circular pattern: a slice of tomato, a slice of Yukon Gold potato and  a slice of zucchini.  A liberal seasoning of salt and pepper and a few whole garlic cloves as well as several sprigs of fresh thyme, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil complete the dish.  Cover and cook at 425 degree for about 45 minutes.  Remove cover sprinkle with cheese (either grated parmesan or shredded gruyere works really well) and place back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.  Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.  

Grilled Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce and Herbed Smashed Potatoes

You know how you get an idea in your head about what you want to eat for dinner and, no matter what, you can not get it out.  This was my situation yesterday.  Ever since I first tried fresh dill in a rye bread bowl  with dill dip that someone's mother made on my prom night, it has been my favorite herb.  It is such a classic pairing with salmon and this lemon dill sauce provided me with the hit of dill I was looking for.  

I seasoned this salmon filet with salt and pepper and placed it on the grill over medium heat.  The salmon was topped with a pat of butter and a few slices of lemon.  I let the salmon cook for about 5 minutes with the skin side down being sure to watch for flame ups, particularly with the pat of butter I added and the natural oil from the fish.  After five minutes or so, I removed the lemon slices and placed them right on the grill and flipped the salmon over.  The salmon cooked for another 5 minutes with the skin side up and was then left to rest for a few minutes, topped with the grilled lemon slices until it was time to eat.  

The sauce was a very simple combination of sour cream, dijon mustard, minced garlic, chopped fresh dill, lemon zest and lemon juice.  If you are a fan of lemon dill sauce, I promise you, this does not disappoint!

I served the grilled salmon drizzled with the lemon dill sauce atop of fluffy pillow of herbed smashed potatoes.  I started by boiling red potatoes, skins on, for about 15 minutes or until fork tender.  After draining the potatoes, I returned them to the same pot I boiled them in and smashed together the potatoes, a good teaspoon or two of salt, fresh chopped parsley, chives and dill and about 1/4 cup of buttermilk.  The buttermilk gives the potatoes a delicious tang and paired with the fresh herbs, a fabulous alternative to plain old mashed potatoes.  

Bang Bang Shrimp Recreated at Home

Bang Bang Shrimp is certainly a favorite of diners at Bonefish Grill and it is something I regularly crave as well.  Being concerned, as most are, that fresh USA Gulf shrimp may soon be difficult to come by, I decided to take advantage of the beautiful 10-15 counts which were available at the supermarket.  The Bang Bang Shrimp dish served in the restaurant is generally small popcorn shrimp lightly coated in corn starch and fried.  I choose to make mine with a heavier batter and panko for my gigantic version. 

I combined 1/2 beer with some corn starch, flour and salt and pepper.  After cleaning and deveining the shrimp I gave them a batter bath and then coated them with panko bread crumbs.  I pan fried the little beauties for about 3 minutes per side or until they were golden brown and crunchy.

Meanwhile, I made the defining sauce for my Bang Bang shrimp by combining mayonnaise, Srirachi hot sauce, sweet hot pepper sauce, and rice wine vinegar in a very large mixing bowl.

As the shrimp came out of the fryer, the were immediately dunked and tossed in the perfectly pink spicy sauce.  Serve them over a bed of cold, crispy shredded iceberg lettuce with a sprinkle of sliced green onions and chopped cilantro and it really is one of the tastiest treasts to tickle (and heat up) your taste buds!   

Smoked Turkey with Cantalope Salad, Roasted Garlic Croutons and Green Goddess Dressing

I was inspired to make an old fashioned salad dressing called Green Goddess, when I was in the supermarket and saw the wonderful variety of beautiful fresh herbs on display.  I recall trying Green Goddess salad dressing when I was young and loving it, but have not had it in a very long time. It reminds me of a steak dipping sauce that my Mom used to make for me which was similar in color and ingredients.  I don't know what the steak sauce was called because, in my home it was always referred to it as "Amy's steak Sauce" because I liked it so much.  That's even the title on the recipe in the little cookbook my mom put together for me a long, long, time ago.  It included a combination of fresh parsley, capers, mayonnaise, chili sauce and a few other goodies.  Anyway, I came across that recipe the other day and that made me think about Green Goddess dressing.  I made a mental note to recreate it when I came across some beautiful herbs.  Herbs were a plenty, and it was about time for me to have a nice healthy salad for dinner, hence, the Smoked Turkey and Cantalope Salad with Green Goddess Dressing.

The salad was a combination of red and green leaf lettuce, thinly sliced vidalia onions (yay, it's Vidalia onion season!), sliced English cucmber, smoked turkey from the deli counter and diced cantalope (I know it might sound  a bit odd, but you really should try it--cantalope in salad is so delicious!). 

I made croutons by cutting  a loaf of roasted garlic french bread into 1/2 cubes and placing them on a baking sheet.  I drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled over salt and pepper.  They cooked in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  So good, they almost did not make it onto the salad!

For the Green Goddess dressing combine the following in a small food processor, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon anchovy paste, handful of fresh dill, parsley, chives and a dash of hot sauce, salt and pepper.  Pulse until combined and serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.    

Chorizo Mac and Cheese

Announcement:  First things first!  I am so excited to be the newest member of the Martin's Supermarket School of Cooking team!  My first class will be in August.  I would love to have you join me, so as soon as more details are known I will post them. Yay!

Here's the link to the school.  I'm not there yet, but have look, you might try another class that interests you.

 http://www.martins-supermarkets.com/cnt/CookingSchoolSchedule.html 

Ok, back to regularly scheduled dinner blogging. This was definately a weird little dinner, but some nights I have a hard time coming up with ideas as to what to cook.  Just as I am sure most people do, at least occassionally.  This particular meal idea has been in the back of my mind for a while so last night was as good as any to give it a try. I have to admit, that once in a while, when I see a commercial for Hamburger Helper, I am intrigued by the idea of cheesey, beefy macaroni noodles.  It really does look pretty good. However, it goes against my beliefs about what is right and wrong to prepare processed food like that from a box.  Not being a snob, I just do not think it is good for your body.  So, I created a home made version using chorizo sausage instead of ground beef. 

Start by bringing a large pot of water to a rolling boil, season it liberally with salt and cook the macaroni noodles according to the instructions.  While the pasta was cooking, I browned 1/2 pound of fresh bulk chorizo sausage, which I purchased locally from Shelton's Farmer's Market.  When the pasta finished cooking,  I drained it well and retained in the colander until needed.  In an effort to minimize the mess in the kitchen, I used the same pot to make the macaroni and cheese as I used for the noodles.  

To make the mac and cheese, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the large saucepan and add to it, 1 tablespoon of flour.  Stir with a wooden spoon and cook long enough to remove the raw flour taste, about 1-2 minutes.  Add 1 cup of milk and wisk to avoid any lumps forming.  Let the milk, flour and butter mixture cook for about 5-7 minutes or until it starts to thicken.  Turn off the heat and add 1-2 cup of shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar and Mexican melting cheese I had leftover from the quesadillas a few nights ago).  Stir to combine and let the cheese melt into the sauce.   Add the macaroni noodes and the browned chorizo sausage.  Stir to combine and, if the sauce is a little thin, let it sit for just a few minutes and it will tighten up.  I served it with many shakes of hot sauce and a crisp green salad dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Pork Chop Teriyaki, Stir Fried Sesame Snow Peas and Steamed Jasmine Rice

I have not cooked or eaten a pork chop in what must be years, I think.  Honestly, while I love pork roasts, particularly rib eye roasts, I have never been a huge fan of the pork chop.  I have, generally, found them to be a bit dry and a little tough.  However, while wandering through the supermarket yesterday afternoon trying to find something to inspire culinary creativity, I saw these very handsome thick cut pork chops.  They were very reasonably priced at about $4.99 per pound, so I purchased two 1/2 pound chops for $5.00.  

I marinated the pork chops for about 2 hours in a teriyaki sauce which included 1/2 cup soy sauce, a splash of orange juice, a shot of Maker's Mark Bourbon (weird, maybe, but Asian recipes frequently call for Sherry or Rice Wine, neither of which I ever have on hand, but I do have bourbon which also has that creamy quality of sherry, so I gave it a go) a few shakes of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 2 minced cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.  Then I grilled them over a medium flame for about 6-7 minutes per side.  I reserved 1/2 of the marinade and drizzle some over the pork when it came off the grill.  

The snow peas could not have been simpler to make, but I was really surprised at how crunchy, sweet and delicious they were.  I preheated a saute pan over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of canola oil.  After rinsing and removing the tip and the string on each snow pea, I stir fried them in the hot pan for a minute or two.  I added about 1 tablespoon of the reserved teriyaki marinade and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.  After another 30 seconds in the pan they were finished. 

I served the teriyaki pork chop and sesame snow peas with mound of fluffy Jasmine rice.  A sprinkle of finely chopped green onions was a hit of fresh for a finishing touch.  

Breakfast for Dinner: Red Potato, Bacon and Onion Hash with Sunnyside Egg, Spring Greens with Maple Vinaigrette and Cheddar Biscuits with Strawberry Jalapeno Jam

It was 7:30pm last night and I could not think of anything that sound particularly good to eat for dinner and that I was necessarily in the mood to cook.  Usually, when that happens, I find the answer to my meal dilemna to be breakfast for dinner.  There really is nothing quite as satisfying as the aroma of bacon frying and, with a little twist, this breakfast made for a most satisfying dinner.

I started the red potato hash by cutting 2 pieces of bacon into 1 inch pieces and sauteing them in a large skillet until they were crisp and fat was rendered.  After removing the crispy bacon pieces with a slotted spoon, I added 1/2 chopped onion and 3 parcooked diced red potatoes.  I let the potatoes cook, relatively undisturbed for about 10 minutes for them to get nice and brown. Then, I cooked them for another 20 minutes until they were cooked through and browned on all sides.  After returning the bacon to the pan,  I added a shot of Worchestershire sauce which was just the wakeup these breakfast, turned dinner, potatoes needed.  I cooked an egg, sunnyside up, and slide it right on top of the potatoes.  

Breakfast for dinner can hardly be so without maple syrup somewhere in the meal. I made a maple vinaigrette for my Spring greens salad by combining maple syrup, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.  A quick toss of the greens with the dressing and the perfect sweet and savory accompaniment to play off the fried potatoes and bacon was created.  

A quick bisquick drop biscuit was made dinnertime delicious with the addition of a handful of sharp cheddar cheese.  The perfect sweet yet spicy topping for this cheesy biscuit was some Amish made strawberry jalapeno jam.   

The Great American Cheesburger on the Grill!

Apparently, my mother must think that I am malnourished because she keeps feeding me these gigantic cheeseburgers.  I think this is the third one in as many weeks. I guess I should not complain. If only you could appreciate how completely out of character it is for her to encourage me to eat this way.  Nan is a woman who eats everything in miniature portions and has a list of "healthy handfuls" she must consume everyday, not to mention the fish oil supplements, and the 30 minute power walks she takes 3 times per week.  In reality, I think she wanted burgers last night because she purchased some really fresh ground round from Sawyer's Meats on Saturday when she was at the South Bend Farmer's Market.  Whatever the reason, it was a delicious way to end the weekend.  By the way, Nan has several Sunday's in a row when the rest of the family was otherwise occupied, so she has been off the dinner hook.  Next Sunday, it is back to Sunday dinner, as usual, at Nan's.

At this point, I am probably insulting your intelligence by explaining how to form a beef patty and slap it on a hot grill.  But, just in case, you missed the previous explanations here are a few tips.  Don't over handle the meat but just enough to form a patty the will not fall apart on the grill.  Keep the burger relatively similiar in thickness from the center to the ends to reduce the "hockey puck" effect.  An extra added safe guard against creating a puck is to press your thumb into the center of the burger before placing it on the grill.  Make sure the grill is hot and, in order to get nice grill marks, do not move it around after placing it on the grill. Flip it only one time after about 4-5 minutes and, just like a steak, let it rest for 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute.   

Ground Pork and Cheese Quesadilla with Habanero Salsa

I thought I would change things up a bit and, instead of making tacos for 100 thousandth time, I would go the quesadilla route.  It was, indeed, a very tasty change of pace.  

I used 1/2 pound of ground pork, sauteed in a skillet over medium high heat until cooked through.  Next, I seasoned it with 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander and salt and pepper.  After stirring to combine and heating the spices to release the flavor, I added 1/2 water and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the sauce is a thick consistency.  

To make the habanero salsa I roughly chopped 1 tomato, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 onion, a handful of cilantro leaves, salt, sugar and 1/2 fresh habanero pepper and placed them in a food processor.  I pulsed for about 10 seconds or until the salsa still had a chunky texture. 

Next, to assemble the quesadillas I spread Mexican melting cheese over a flour tortilla and topped the cheese with a spoonsful of the seasoned pork.  After folding the tortilla in half, I placed it on a preheat cast iron griddle with a pat of butter and toasted it until brown.  I flipped the quesadilla over and similarly toasted the other side until the cheese was melted.  After removing from the griddle I opened the quesadilla and spooned in a bit of habanero salad, a thin slice of sweet onion and some shredded lettuce.  The quesadilla was finished with a dollop of sour cream. 

Grilled Chicken, Old Fashioned Potato Salad, Sweet and Sour Green Beans and Deviled Eggs

Wow, this is one of my lifelong favorite dinners that Nan makes!  Growing up, whenever I had a bad day or something was not going right for me, my mom always tried to fix things by preparing a favorite dinner or taking me to McDonald's for a Big Mac.  This is definately one of those meals that is sure to fix anything that is wrong in the world (at least temporarily).  Last night, I was treated to her world famous old fashioned potato salad, the best deviled eggs, sweet and sour green beans and chicken pieces cooked on the grill.

We grilled skin on, bone in chicken pieces over an indirect flame on a gas grille for approximately 40 minutes total.  Starting with the skin side down and over indirect heat to prevent flame-ups from burning the chicken pieces, grill them until the skin has rendered its fat and becomes crispy, about 20 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165- 170 degrees.  If using BBQ sauce, brush on the chicken during the last 10 minutes of grilling.  

My mom has been making this potato salad forever!  It is a basic recipe, but still stands up to the test of time.  Place scrubbed whole red potatoes in a sauce pan with cold water and heat until boiling.  Turn the temperature down and cook the potatoes at a simmer until they are fork tender or about 15-20 minutes.  Drain them in a colander and let them cool.  Once cooled, peel them if desired, and cut them into a medium dice.  Add chopped celery, chopped onion and one chopped hard cooked egg.  Stir in enough mayonnaise to bring the salad together and season with salt and pepper.  Chill until ready to serve and garish with a traditional sprinkle of paprika.  

The sweet and sour green beans is also a recipe from my childhood.  Interestingly, we never have them unless it is with this exact dinner.  I think because, strange as it sounds, the sweet and sour vinaigrette tastes so good when drizzled over the potato salad.  Weird, I know, but someone tried it once years ago and ever since then, everyone eats it that way. It is one can of green beans and one can of wax beans, drained and placed in a large mixing bowl.  Then, add about 1/2 of an onion, chopped and sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of salt.  Combine 1/2 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup sugar and combine well until the sugar dissolves.  Pour over the beans and stir to combine.  While this salad is delicious when made early in the day, it is best when it has the chance to sit in the refrigerator over night. 

Finally, the deviled eggs.  Boil the raw eggs until they are hard cooked, about 20 minutes or so.  Rinse them under cold water to cool them down and to prevent them from over cooking and developing that unattractive green ring.  Peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise.  Place the hard cooked yolks in a bowl and combine with mayonnaise, a drizzle of apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper (I like to add a little Dijon mustard...Mom does not).  Refill the eggs with the yolk mixture, chill and sprinkle with paprika as a garnish.  Another fabulous dinner by Nan! 

Grilled Tenderloin, Romaine Leaves with Creamy Garlic Dressing and Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

The best meals come from the simplest ingredients, particularly when they are fresh and of the best quality you can get.  A simple grilled filet mignon, a basic green salad with a creamy garlic dressing and charred tomato bruschetta.  Perfect!

I grilled this filet for 4 minutes per side over high heat for medium rare turning each side 45 degrees after 2 minutes to get the cross hatch marks. 

The salad was tossed with a dressing made from 1 clove of garlic smashed into a paste, 1 anchovy filet, 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, some freshly grated parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

I tossed a container of grape tomatoes in a sauce pan with sizzling garlic and olive oil until the tomatoes burst.  Then, I immediately removed them from the heat and seasoned  them with sea salt, a sprinkle of sugar, a handful of basil leaves and drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  Serve over grilled french bread.        

Barbecue Chicken Breast and Grilled Vegetable Salad

Here is a classic example of using up whatever happens to be available in the freezer and refrigerator without having any idea of what the result will be.   It was late and I had no plan for dinner, but I was leaning in the direction of a dinner salad.  It was also one of the first really summer like evenings we have had so far this Spring and, having just cleaned the grill, I wanted to put it to good use.  I always have lettuce and standard salad fixings available because I have some form of a salad almost every night.  Boneless skinless chicken breasts are also one of the basic items I always keep in the freezer because they are incredibly versatile and very quick to thaw.  The only items not normally in the vegetable crisper is this beautiful baby zucchini and the tiny super sweet peppers.  I saw them in the market recently and could not resist. 

To create this dinner salad, I combined lettuce, cucumber, onion and cheese in a large mixing bowl and tossed it with dressing.  I grilled the chicken breast, zucchini and sweet red peppers until the chicken was cooked through, about 10 minutes per side, and the vegetables until they were tender but still had some texture.  I plated the salad greens first and topped them with the sliced chicken breast and grilled zucchini and sweet peppers.    

A few quick tips.  When the weather starts getting warm, keep you salad greens in the refrigerator until the last possible second, just before sitting down to eat.  Even if you prepare the salad in advance, store the whole thing, bowl and all, right in the refrigerator. That way, your salad is sure to stay cold and crisp and not turn into a wilted luke warm pile of icky green leaves.  Secondly, when grilling boneless skinless chicken breast, or any other type of chicken, turn down the heat.  Grilling over too high of a flame will result in flare ups which will torch the outside of the chicken leaving it burnt on the outside and raw on the inside.  A more moderate heat will ensure even cooking while still creating that great crust that we all love from grilled food.  Finally, when grilling vegetables, I find it works best to keep the vegetables as whole as possible and, if necessary, cut them down after grilling.  This reduces the chances that the vegetables will fall between the grates, will also ensure a more even cooking and prevent your vegetables from burning or over cooking and turning to mush.    

Classic Lasagna

Another perfect rainy day meal to prepare!  Even better is that this lasagna really did not take all day to prepare and was actually quite easy.  Even best is how good it was, I mean really good!  There are plenty of times when I fix something for dinner and I think, eh, not great but it's food.  There are other times when I actually feel that I'm not half bad at this cooking thing.  But then, every once in a blue moon, I hit the mother load and, I'm not embarrassed to say, I impress myself.  This was the ultimate lasagna!  I beg you to make it.  Better yet, (here's a shameless self promoting plug) contact me and I'll come over and make it for you or teach you to make it.

The first place to start it with the sauce.  I sauted 1 small chopped onion in olive oil in a large sauce pan until soft.  Then, I added 1/2 pound ground round beef and 1/2 pound Italian sausage and sauteed the meat with the onions until cooked through.  To the cooked meat and onions, I added 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoons dried oregano (I think if it's possible to have a dried oregano addiction, I have one!), 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of sugar.  After cooking for a few minutes I added 1 large can of crushed tomatoes and 1/2 can water and reseasoned with a little salt and pepper.  I brought the sauce up to a big bubble and then turned it down to simmer for about 45 minutes. Then I removed it from the heat and let it sit until I was ready to assemble the lasagna. 

That's really the hardest part of this meal.  While the sauce was "resting", I combined 1 container of ricotta cheese with 1 egg and wisked it together until well combined.  I shredded 2 cups of mozzerella cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan and set them aside too. 

Now it's time to assemble.  I tried really hard to find fresh lasagna noodles, but, no surprise that none were located.  Because I strongly dislike the lasagna noodles with ruffled edges and refuse to use them, I opted for the Barilla no boil noodles.  For this lasagna, I used an 8x8 square pan.  I started by coating the bottom of the pan with a few good spoonfuls of the sauce and placed two noodles on top.  Then, I layered on about 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, 1 cup of mozzerella, and enough sauce to generously cover the top.  Next, I placed two lasagna noodles on top, covered them with the remaining ricotta cheese and a few more spoonfulls of sauce to cover well.  Final layer was two more noodles, the rest of the sauce, the remaining mozzerella and the parmesan cheese. After photographing it because it was too beautiful to resist, I covered it with foil and baked it for 50-60 min. at 375 degrees.  Then, I removed the foil and baked it for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese browned and let it rest for 15 minutes (at least) before cutting and serving.  Here is it fresh from the oven. 

I served it with just a simple side of salad greens dressed with a bit of red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.    

Layered Chicken Taco Salad

Well, this was the final installment of the leftover chicken from Saturday night.  Not too bad that a 4 lb. chicken gave me 3 dinners and 1 lunch including spatchcock chicken on Saturday night, cherry walnut chicken salad on Sunday night (and lunch on Monday), and last night I had this tasty layered chicken taco salad.   I think the chicken cost me just under $5.00 which made these last three dinners (and one lunch) just under $1.00 per serving plus a little extra for produce and pantry items.  Pretty good stretch of a buck!

I heated 1/2 can of refried beans with a little bit of water to loosen the consistency and a few sprinkles of chili powder, cumin and coriander.  At the same time, I heated some shredded chicken breast seasoned also with chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, salt and pepper, a few spoonsfuls of taco sauce and about 1/4 cup of water.  Once the chicken was heated through and the sauce reduced, I placed the beans in the bottom of a shallow bowl  and topped it with the chicken taco meat.  I added a layer of 1/2 cup of shredded mild cheddar to the chicken when it was still hot and let the cheese shrink and melt.  Finally, I added a 1/2 chopped tomato, chopped red onion, 1/2 chopped avocado, jalapeno slices, a dollop of sour cream and freshly torn cilantro leaves. Serve with tortilla chips and lots of extra hot sauce!  

Cherry Walnut Chicken Salad

After my Saturday night spatchcock chicken, I am going to need to come up with a few ways to creatively (hopefully) use up the substantial amount of leftover chicken meat tucked away in my refrigerator.  Chicken salad used to be one of my very favorite sandwich fillings when I was young, though I have never been able to recreate the exact flavor and consistency.  Perhaps it just the perfect image I have of it in my mind.  Anyway,  later on in life, when I worked at a local gourmet grocery/deli, I was introduced to apricot chicken salad which was one of the most delicious things I had ever tasted.  The perfect amount of sweetness from the dried apricots against a tiny bit of tang from Dijon mustard mixed with sour cream and mayonnaise.  Since then, I have tried many creating and experimenting with many chicken salads including curried varieties, versions with fruit, without nuts, onion, no onion, vegetables, different dressings....you name it.  They all are very good, though I still have not settled on a favorite.  This one, is pretty close to the top of the list, however.    

I chopped 1 chicken breast (which in my case was left over from a roasted whole chicken, you can certainly substitute boneless, skinless chicken breast or supermarket rotisserie chicken) into substantial bit sized pieces and placed them in a big mixing bowl.  To the chicken I added diced celery, diced red onion, a handful of tart and sweet dried Michigan cherries, and a handful of walnuts freshly toasted in a 375 degree oven for 5-10 minutes and salt and pepper.  I made a dressing of equal amounts of mayonnaise and sour cream added it a spoonful at a time to the chicken salad until it was dressed just enough to hold the everything together. 

I grilled two slices of a hearty French peasant bread and slathered both sides with mayonnaise.  I added a bed of shredded lettuce on which I placed a heaping spoonful of chicken salad.  Topped it with sliced tomato, a red onion ring and several slices of cucumber.  The perfect combination of sweet cherries and salty walnuts, tender white meat chicken and crunchy fresh vegetables on perfectly toasted artisan bread.  To me, an ideal sandwich.

Spatchcock Chicken with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette

I know it sounds funny and if you have never heard of spatchcock chicken you are probably wondering what in the world I am talking about. However, it is actually not nearly as exoctic as the name indicates.  Spatchcock chicken is simply a whole chicken, butterflied, with the back bone and breast bone removed.  It is a good way to cook chicken, particularly on the grill, because it is much more uniform in thickness which allows for an even cooking time.  You can also enjoy a whole chicken in a fraction of the amount of time it takes to cook a bird which was not butterflied. 

I made a marinade of the zest of one lemon, the juice of one lemon, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, about 1 teaspoon of honey, several sprigs of fresh thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil.  I poured about 1/2 of the marinade over the chicken in a shallow backing dish, covered it with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.  I reserved the other half of the marinade to drizzle over the chicken and to dress the salad (sparingly!).

I wanted to grill the chicken, but I was afraid that I did not have enough propane left in the tank and there is nothing worse than running out of gas when you are halfway into cooking dinner. I really wanted that nice seared skin, so I devised a plan.  I placed my long cast iron griddle in the oven and preheated it for about 45 minutes at 400 degrees.  I placed the chicken, skin side down, on the griddle and left it to cook in the oven for 20 minutes.  Then, I carefully flipped the chicken over using several sets of tongs and spatulas in an effort to keep the chicken from coming apart.  After I finally got it placed on the griddle with the skin side up, I let it cook for another 30-40 minutes.  After removing it from the oven, I placed it on a plate and drizzled a bit of the reserved vinaigrette. 

A perfect Spring dinner is created when a delightfully tender and flavorful leg quarter is served over a tossed salad with an extra drizzle of vinaigrette.

All American Cheeseburger

I can not think of a better way to end the week, than a good old fashioned all American Cheeseburger!  This was my first on the grill this season, so it was extra special.  There are a few tips for making really good burgers, whether they are on the grill or seared on the stove.  First, do not over handle the meat but shape and form it just enough so that it stays together but do not compact it.  Secondly, keep the edges similar in thickness to the rest of the patty and avoid tapering off.  It seems that when the edges are thinner than the center of the burger, the hockey puck effect is encouraged (you know, when the patty poofs up in the middle and the burger begins to resemble more a meatball than a hamburger) and no one wants a shrinky dink burger.  Finally, it is very helpful to actually indent the center of the burger with your thumb.  By following this step and keeping the edges thick, you are virtually assured a perfect burger.  

I formed this patty out of about 1/4 - 1/3  pound of ground round and made a disc which was a little bit thinner in the center.  No seasoning, other than salt and pepper right before I placed it on the grill.  I placed the patty on the grill directly over high heat and let it cook for about 4 minutes, undisturbed.  Then, I flipped it one time and cooked it for another 3 minutes without touching it.  For the last minute I applied the cheese and let it cook long enough for the cheese to completely melt.  Onto a sourdough bun with a thick slice of Vidalia onion, dill pickle, ketchup and mustard and it's pure heaven!

I also made some chip dip by roasting a whole head of garlic for 1 hour at 325 degrees.  Then I mashed the garlic cloves in a bowl and added 1/2 container of thick Greek yogurt, 1 -2 tablespoons of sour cream, fresh chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a tiny bit of chipotle puree I happen to have on hand.  This was the first time I have made chip dip with Greek yogurt and, while it was good, I definately prefer straight sour cream with spoonful of mayonnaise for good measure.  However, the Greek yogurt certainly cut the fat and calories and, if that is a concern, the difference was too dramatic.  In either case, roasted garlic chip dip is very tasty.     

Pork Lo Mein

I still had a little bit pork left from the pork butt roast that I slow cooked and pulled the other day.  I did not want it to go to waste, but I also wanted something a little different than the same old BBQ pork sandwich or pork taco.  So I decided on an Asian pork lo mein.  It might sound a little strange, but I figured that pork fried rice is pretty mainstream so why not try pork in a stir fry.  Happy to report that I was, indeed, correct.  This meal was so easy, I literally prepared it in about 10 minutes, and it was delicious (not to mention healthy). 

The lo mein noodles, unlike Italian pasta, only need to be cooked in simmering water for about 3 minutes.  Then, drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet I heat up several tablespoons of canola oil and began to stir fry some chopped red onion, sliced sweet pepper and 1/2 bag of broccoli slaw (perfect for stir fries because it holds up and stays crunchy better than cabbage).  When the vegetables were a bit wilted but still crunchy, I added 2 chopped cloves of garlic and about 1 cup of shredded pork. After tossing to combine, I added the lo mein noodles and a sauce made by combining soy sauce, rice vinegar, Asian garlic chili sauce, a tablespoon of fresh grated ginger, a bit of water and a tablespoon of cornstarch.  Mix the sauce and the ingredients together thoroughly and let it simmer on a very low heat for a few minutes to heat everything through.  Serve with a garnish of fresh chopped cilantro, chopped green onion, a drizzle of soy sauce and a dash of hot sauce.       

Maryland Crab Cakes, Home Made Tartar Sauce and Crispy Salad Greens with Lemon Vinaigrette

Growing up in Baltimore, MD, I unknowingly came to take for granted the abundance of fresh seafood made available to us straight from the Chesapeake Bay.  The most wonderful sweet, succulent Blue Crabs freshly steamed and caked with Old Bay Seasoning and piles of beer steamed peel and eat shrimp.  Since living in the Midwest for the past 5 years, I have had to find alternate sources for crab meat because simply accepting that I would not be able to enjoy Lump Crab Cakes as long as I live here was absolutely not an option.  The concept of pasteurized crab meat was something I was not familiar with and was, obviously, skeptical.  The freshness is not something you want to mess around with....ask anyone who has had the unfortunate experience of eating a bad crab!  However, shopping in the local Sam's Club, I noticed a container of pasteurized lump crab meat that actually looked quite impressive. Since it was only about $15.00 per container, I figured I did not have a lot to loose.  Fortunately, my $15.00 was not wasted.  So, here are my Maryland Crab Cakes, Home Made Tartar Sauce and Crispy Salad Greens with Lemon Vinaigrette. 

The first step when making crab cakes is to gently pick through the crab meat and remove any bits and pieces of shell without breaking up the lumps.  Place the crab meat in a bowl and add 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon of mustard, a handful of freshly chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning and 1/4 to 1/2 cup bread crumbs (use only enough to bind the mixture together).  Combine well, still being certain not to break up the lumps of crab meat and form into patties.  There is great debate as to whether you should broil, bake or fry crab cakes.  I use a combined method by preheating a cast iron skillet in a 425 degree oven with several tablespoons of canola oil and butter.  I place the crab cakes in the screaming hot skillet, which browns the bottoms of the cakes, and cook them for about 15 minutes total, flipping them over once.  The result is a nice crunchy crust and a fluffy interior without the cakes falling apart, as they so often do. 

A crab cake is not complete without tartar sauce.  I make mine by combining mayonnaise with sweet pickle relish, dill pickle relish, a few chopped capers, chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice.  It is probably best to make the tartar sauce a few hours before its time to eat and let the flavors come together in the refrigerator. 

I decided to pair my crab cakes with a salad, for something a little bit lighter, rather than the usual french fry accompaniment.  I washed and thoroughly dried some crispy, fresh romaine leaves and tossed them with a  lemony vinaigrette made by combining lemon zest, lemon juice, a bit of red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil. 

If I closed my eyes and clicked by heels three times, I just might have believed I was back home in Baltimore!

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork with Sweet and Sour Cole Slaw and Chipotle Sauce

Lately, I have been so rushed come dinner time, that I have not been able to devote a sufficient amount of my time to making dinner that I would ideally like under more normal circumstances.  A lot of my friends do not understand why I come home and actually cook dinner, as opposed to picking up carry-out or eating cereal, particularly when it is just for me.  Who better for, I ask?  To me, the perfect way to spend several hours in the evening is busy chopping, sauteing, stirring, roasting or frying. I love the way the kitchen feels, my favorite knives have been my nightly companions for almost 20 years, and the aromas remind of what was going on in my life all those times before when I made a particular dish.  It is not a chore or a necessity, it is time when I feel the most comfortable, the most like myself.  Lucky for me, I had the time and inspiration yesterday, a cold and rainy spring day, the perfect day to slow cook a pork picnic roast.

I seasoned a 4 1/2 pound pork picnic roast, or Boston butt with a mix of chili powders (ancho, pasilla and chipotle), cumin, coriander, oregano, garlic powder and salt and pepper and placed it in a shallow roasting pan.  I also crushed 5 or 6 cloves of garlic and roughly chopped a sweet onion and placed them all in the pan with the pork roast.  After adding about 1/2 inch of water to the pan to prevent it from scorching, I placed the pork in at 275 degree oven for 2 hours, uncovered.  I checked on it every so often and added a touch of water, when needed, to the pan.  After two hours, I covered the pan with aluminum foil to keep the pork from drying out and from burning on the the edges.  I cooked it for an additional 2 1/2 hours for a total of 4 1/2 hours.  I let it rest for 30 minutes, at which time, the bone slide easily from the roast.  Using two forks, I shredded or pulled the tender, moist pork and discarded any unappetizing pieces of fat.

Traditionally, a pulled pork sandwich, which I actually served on a flour tortilla, includes a sweet and sour cole slaw, which, in my case, was no exception. I thinly sliced 1/2 head of savoy cabbage and combined it with some packaged broccoli slaw as well.  The dressing was made from red wine vinegar, salt, sugar, cracked black pepper and canola oil.  After tossing it well, I placed the slaw in the refrigerator for several hours before eating.  

I prepared a simple chipotle sauce by placing 1/2 mayonnaise in a food processor with 1 chipotle chili in adobo, the zest of 1/2 lime and the juice of 1/2 lime and combing well until the chili is fully incorporated into the sauce.  

As I said, I served my "sandwich" on a flour tortilla because it suits my taste, however, please feel free to use the more traditional hamburger bun for your sandwich, if you prefer.  I slathered on a layer of chipotle sauce, followed by a healthy pile of pulled pork and a spoonful of slaw.  A few firey pickled jalapenos were the perfect finishing touch.  Looking forward to the leftovers for tonight's dinner too!     

Caramelized Salmon Filet and Jasmine Rice

A very simple dinner and usually one my favorites, but for no apparent reason at all, my heart was not in this meal last night.  I had made a trip to the supermarket earlier in the day with the thought of having salmon for dinner in the back of my mind.  When I saw the beautiful Scottish filets which were on display in the seafood case, I decided then that was going to be my dinner. As I continued with my day, however, my desire for the salmon lessened.  Have you ever had that feeling when you just don't want what's for dinner?  As the afternoon progressed into the evening and the evening morphed into night,  I continuously delayed cooking hoping that I would find some inspiration.  I did not. So, while it really was delicious and I do recommend that you make it and I was very thankful to have it (don't get me wrong), here is my uninspired undesired salmon and jasmine rice.

I prepared the salmon filet by patting it dry and placing it in a shallow dish to marinate.  Next, the marinade was made by combining Dijon mustard, honey, Asian garlic chili sauce, a minced clove of garlic and some olive oil until an emulsion is formed.  Pour half of the marinade over the fish and let it sit for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, I preheated the oven to a hot 450 degrees and placed a stainless steel skillet in the oven to preheat as well.  When the pan was hot, I removed it from the oven, coated the bottom with a small drizzle of canola oil and placed the fish in, skin side down.  I cooked the fish for about 15 minutes until the glaze of the marinade just started to caramelize and the salmon was still moist on the inside.  I set it aside to rest while I made the rice. 

I use a standard ratio of twice as much water to rice and I assure you, it makes a perfect pot everytime.  Last night I used 1/2 cup of  a wonderful aromatic Jasmine rice to 1 cup of tap water, a pat of butter and a pinch or two of salt.  Bring the pot just to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and turn the heat down to low.  Set a timer for 18 minutes.  When the time is up, remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Remove the lid, fluff with a fork and return the lid to the pot until ready to eat.  The rice will stay warm in a covered pot for quite a while. 

Place a fluffy bed of Jasmine rice on the plate and nestle in your salmon filet.  Drizzle over any leftover marinade and enjoy!   

Happy Mother's Day Steak Sandwiches at Dave's House

Yesterday was Sunday, obviously, but it was also Mother's Day!  We decided it would be in our best interest to invite Nan to one of our houses for dinner and give her a Sunday off.  My brother hosted the event and choose to prepare a down home favorite of steak sandwiches with home made french fries.  He really enjoys taking every opportunity to fire up the grill once the weather turns favorable and, as usual, he did an excellent job cooking the New York strip steaks to buttery tender, medium rare, charrred on the outside, perfection.  He cooked them over high heat (he said about 570 degrees) for exactly 4 minutes per side for these monster 1 1/2 inch thick steaks.  

A pot full of slowly caramelized onions with a touch of his secret ingredient (a sprinkle or two of dill) was the perfect accompaniment. 

My brother, however, does not like cheese and, therefore, did not provide a cheese option to those of us who do.  A steak sandwich, while delicious on its own, in my opinion does not achieve the pinnacle of perfection without a melty cheesy layer.  Being the polite guest that I am, I did not complain.  Though, perhaps this will provide him with a hint the next time I am invited (if there is a next time).  

After just receiving a fryer for his birthday last week, Dave was anxious to fire it up and bang out some crispy fries.  I thought they were delicious!  While not tasting like they came from a fast food restaurant, they had an even better homey texture and flavor which could not be beat. Dave, was not impressed, though.  Not sure why. 

My contribution was in the condiment department.  I made a horseradish mustard mayonnaise by combining (you guessed it) mayonnaise, horseradish, Dijon mustard and a dash or two of Worchestershire sauce.   I also prepared a chipotle lime sauce for french fry dipping by mixing 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce with mayonnaise, lime zest and lime juice.  Quite tasty, if I do say so myself.   

The feast was finished off with a brownie sundae (or plain brownie for those of us dietary challenged folks) thanks to my sister-in-law's brownies, mint chocolate chip ice cream, hot fudge sauce and whipped cream! 

BBQ'd Chicken Pizza

For whatever reason, I get in the mood for pizza on Saturday night.  Fortunately, with some left over chicken and a frozen ball of pizza dough in the freezer, this bbq'd chicken pizza was ridiculously easy, and outstandingly delicious. 

I took a ball of dough from the freezer in the morning and placed it on the kitchen counter for a few hours until it was thawed but still very cold.  I put it back in the refrigerator until and hour or so before it was time to make the pizza, then I put it in a large bowl a tablespoon of olive oil.  I covered the pizza dough with plastic and left it in a warm part of the kitchen to relax and come to room temperature.  Meanwhile, I gathered my toppings including sliced onion, left over shredded chicken from the Friday night salad, sliced sweet red and orange pepper, mild cheddar cheese, pickled jalapeno slices and some bbq sauce. 

After the dough came back to room temperature and was easy to roll out, I rolled it very thin and placed it on a baking sheet coated with sprinkling of corn meal.  Next, I topped the dough with some bbq sauce (any kind is fine, you use your favorite), chicken, onions, sweet pepper, jalapeno, cheese, and a sprinkle of oregano.  I baked it in a 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Let it rest for a few before cutting into it...if you can!

Dinner Salad of Roasted Chicken, Blue Cheese Crumbles, and Granny Smith Apple with Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette

This dinner was so much fun!  My sister, who eats salad every at least once a day and sometimes twice, dreams about how great it would be to have a salad bar in the kitchen island with an enormous variety of fixings.  Well, this was a mini version of her fantasy. 

I roasted a chicken breast in the oven and, after removing the skin, shredded it into large sized chunks and placed it in a bowl to line up in salad bar. For the croutons, I cubed a loaf of roasted garlic bread, seasoned it with olive oil, salt and pepper and toasted them in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  Next, I thinly sliced red onion, diced a granny smith apple, and crumbled some Danish blue cheese.  I placed them all in their little individual bowls along with some dried cranberries, toasted walnuts and sunflower seeds.  Then, when it was time to assemble, you simply choose your preferred ingredients to create the perfect salad.

I topped mine with a deliciously easy balsamic vinaigrette made from balsamic vineger, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Chicken Parmesan with Fresh, Chunky Tomato Sauce

Chicken parmesan is one of those old time Italian restaurant favorites. For some reason, it seems to be a dish that people do not prepare at home very often.  However, after fixing it for dinner last night and being reminded how satisfyingly delicious it is and how easy it is to make, chicken parmesan will certainly be a part of my regular dinner rotation.

The first thing I did, in preparing for this meal, was to make the fresh, chunky grape tomato sauce.  It is guaranteed to be one of the easiest sauces you have ever made.  Place 1 or 2 minced cloves of garlic in a cold sauce pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a few hot pepper flakes.  Turn on the burner and bring the garlic and oil up to temperature.  Cook until the garlic sizzles and turns golden brown.  Tumble in a container of grape tomatoes and stir to combine with the garlicky oil.  Cover the sauce pan and cook just until the grape tomatoes begin to burst, about 5 minutes.  Uncover, turn off the heat and drizzle in 1tsp. balsamic vinegar, sea salt and a handful of basil.    

I placed a boneless skinless chicken breast between two pieces of plastic and pounded it out to an even thickeness.  Next, I dredged the chicken breast through some flour, shook of the excess and then dipped it in an egg bath.  After shaking off the excess, I rolled the chicken in some fresh bread crumbs.  I preheated a large skillet with some olive oil and placed the chicken in the pan long enough to brown both sides, but not cook it through.  Top with a few spoonfuls of fresh tomato sauce and several slices of fresh mozzerella cheese and cook in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  Remove when chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted and bubbly.  Serve the remaining sauce over spaghetti with a grate or two of fresh parmesan cheese.  

Cinco de Mayo Steak Tacos with Black Bean, Fire Roasted Tomato and Pineapple Salsa

What else could I possibly eat in celebration of Cinco de Mayo than a steak taco?!  It was my first time grilling this season, so I was especially excited to be preparing a marinated flank steak and some sweet thick cut onions as toppings for my favorite food!  I also made a fresh salsa with black beans, pineapple and fire roasted tomatoes.  Delicious and healthy, what more could you want?  

I marinated the flank steak with a paste made from cumin, coriander, ancho chili powder, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, sugar, red wine vinegar and canola oil.  I rubbed down the steak and let it sit to absorb the flavors for about an hour before grilling.  I then grilled the steak over a high flame for about 5 minutes per side for medium rare.  After letting the steak sit and relax for about 10 minutes after grilling, I sliced it in very thin slices against the grain.  It was a perfectly cooked, deliciously tender and boldly seasoned steak which was perfect for filling up a corn tortilla.  Top the steak with grilled sweet onions, a spoonful of black bean salsa, some avocado, a dash of habanero hot sauce and a dollop of sour cream and you have just created a perfect taco!

To prepare the black bean salsa, which was used as a condiment and a dipper for chips, I rinsed and drained one can of black beans and placed them in a large mixing bowl.  To the beans I added 1 can of drained fire roasted tomatoes, 1 can of drained chopped pineapple, 1/2 chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons of chipotle puree, 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin, juice and zest of 1/2 lime, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro and salt to taste.  Mix well to combine.  I have never made this before last night and, after anticipating it all afternoon, I can tell you it was one of the tastiest things I have ever tasted!  Try it, I promise you will love it!        

Seared Filet, Blue Cheese Sauce and Scalloped Tomatoes

Nothing hits the spot like a tender, medium rare steak when the mood hits you.  This little filet mignon was seasoned simply with salt and pepper, seared on both sides in a skillet and cooked to a perfect medium rare in a 375 degree oven.  I topped it with a blue cheese sauce made from crumbled blue cheese, sour cream, a touch of mayonnaise and salt and pepper. 

The scalloped tomatoes was a dish I have made once before after seeing a version by Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.  One of my favorite side dishes, it is the perfect accompaniment with steak!  The only thing that will make it better is when I can use sweet, plump summer tomatoes.  Please take a look at my entry from March 11, 2010 for the recipe.

Fajita Burger

Here is how my thought process went last night while I was preparing for dinner.  I wanted a burger and I had the ground beef on hand, but no bun.  It was getting ready to storm outside and I just did not feel like making a run to the grocery store just for a bun.  I looked around the kitchen and found some left over crusty french peasant bread from a night or two ago and decided I could create some sort of an open faced burger.  I realized I had onions and an orange pepper so I got them sauteeing in a skillet with some canola oil.  Since I love Southerwestern type Mexican food, I decided to combine the flavors and ingredients used to make a fajita with a burger.  Thus, the Fajita Open Faced Burger on Texas Toast was created.

I brushed the thick sliced bread with some butter and place it in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes to get nice and toasty.  The onions and orange peppers were already sautee slowly in a skillet and my burger was in a pan cooking over a medium high flame for about 5 minutes per side.  Meanwhile, I made a sauce for the burger by combining mayonnaise, ketchup and some hot sauce.  When the peppers and onions were cooked all the way down and were sweet and caramelized, I hit them with a few dashes of Worchestershire sauce and placed them ontop of the burger while it was still in the pan.  I topped the peppers and onions with a handful of pickled jalapenos and some white cheddar cheese and placed the pan in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt.  

To assemble, I spread a layer of the fajita burger sauce on the Texas toast and placed the onion, pepper, jalapeno and cheese topped burger on the toast.  A few dashes of hot sauce for good measure and the Fajita Burger was complete!

Dave's 34th Birthday Feast of Nan's Fried Chicken and Southern Cooked Green Beans

Last week was Dave's daughter  Zoe's 1st birthday and this week was Dave's 34th birthday.  It is tradition, our family, that the birthday celebrator gets to choose his or her birthday dinner which Nan makes.  This year Dave chose Nan's famous, and seriously, themost delicious in the whole world, fried chicken, rice and gravy (trying to cut back a little on carbs AND they made minute rice which I would not eat, EVER!) and slow cooked green beans in bacon with vinegar.  

Nan's fried chicken is made the old time Maryland way which, in my opinion, is the only way fried chicken should be made.  She lightly dredges the chicken pieces through some flour, seasons with salt and pepper and fries them in a stainless steal (not cast iron) frying pan which was preheated with about 2 inches of oil.  After each sides browns for a few minutes, she places a lid on the pan until the chicken is cooked through.  Once cooked, she removes the lid and does a final turn to ensure all pieces of evenly browned and crispy.  This method makes a moist, tender, delicious chicken with the most flavorful but lightly crunchy exterior.  A little sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of honey and you have the best fried chicken in the world! 

To make these green beans start by rendering the fat from about 4 or 5 pieces of bacon cut into 1 inch pieces.  Add 1 1/2 of green beans and sautee them in the bacon drippings stirring frequently for about 10 minutes.  Add 1 box of good quality, low sodium, chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cooked for about 45 minutes.  Drain the chicken stock from the pot, add many tablespoons of butter, a good seasoning of salt and pepper and a healthy sprinkle of cider vinegar.  I don't even like green beans, but when prepared in this way, I ate all of the beans on my plate and loved each and every bite.  

Dave's Super Southern Birthday meal was concluded with his favorite Peach Cobbler.  This is also an old school southern recipe that has been around for ages.  I don't know it, however, because I don't bake!  I try, but it's always a disaster.  If you want the recipe, please feel free to ask and I (and Nan) will joyfully give it to you.  It really is scrumptious, particularly with vanilla ice cream!

Homestyle Meatloaf with Macaroni and Cheese

Saturday is always a good day for making comfort food and even though the weather is getting better I was in the mood for an old fashioned meat loaf and macaroni and cheese.  However, when I went to the grocery store yesterday afternoon,  there on display in the middle of the produce aisle was an enourmous flat of fresh locally grown asparagus.  Despite the fact that I do not like asparagus, I could not resist adding a bag full to my shopping cart.  Not knowing exactly how to incorporate the asparagus into my meal, I decided I would try adding it to the macaroni and cheese because I was pretty confident that, at least, the deliciously cheesy sauce would mask any indentifiable asparagus flavor.  It actually turned out to be delicious and a great way to hide some vegetables from your kids or other picky eaters in your house!

The most flavorful meatloaf is a combination of ground pork and beef, which is what I used.  I made a little mini meatloaf, so I just needed about 3/4 of a pound of each.  To the ground meats I added sauteed and cooled chopped onion, chopped red pepper, a chopped clove of garlic and about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.  Then I incorporated 1 egg, a few shakes of Worchestershire sauce, and 1/4 cup of fresh bread crumbs.  After mixing the ingredients until combined but not overmixing, I free formed a small loaf and placed it on a parchment lined baking sheet.  For the glaze I brushed the outside of the meatloaf with ketchup, layered on several strips of bacon and sprinkled on some brown sugar.  I baked the meatloaf at 375 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.  It came out with a beautiful crispy bacon, brown sugar glazed crust over the top and the interior was moist and delicious!

After cooking the noodles for the macoroni and cheese, according to the directions on the package, and adding the chopped asparagus during the last 3 minutes, I drained them and set them aside while I made the cheese sauce.  In the same saucepan that I cooked pasta, I melted 2 tablespoons of butter and wisked in 2 tablespoons of flour.  After cooking the flour and butter just long enough to cook out the raw flour taste, but not long enough to take on any color, I added 1 cup of milk and wisked, vigorously.   Bring the milk to a simmer and cook until thickened, then and add a pinch of nutmeg, a tablespoon of mustard and a few shakes of hot sauce.  Remove the milk from the heat and add 1/2 cup of cheddar and 1/2 cup of gruyere and combine until smooth.  Combine the cheese sauce with the pasta and asparagus and pour into a baking dish.  Top with bread crumbs and some grated parmesan cheese and place under the broiler until the top is brown and crusty and the cheese is bubbly.  Let sit for a few minutes before enjoying!  

Crunchy Fish Taco

If you have not yet tried a fish taco and you think it sounds a little strange, try these and I am certain that you will become a fan. This technique is also a great way to incorporate more fish into the weekly dinner rotation and, because they are fried chicken tenders, chances are your kids will like them too!

Fish tacos are frequently topped with crunchy cabbage and thinly sliced red onion. The combination of the texture of the cabbage and bite of the onion is a great combination with the fried fish. I thinly shredded 1/2 cabbage and added it to a bowl with 1/2 red onion, also sliced thin. The sweetness of Mango is delicious accompaniment as well and, since they were ripe and ready to eat at the grocery store yesterday, I decided to add 1 cubed mango to the bowl with the cabbage and red onion. Next, the juice of 1 lime, a tablespoon of honey drizzled over the top, a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Combine well and chill until it is time to assemble the tacos.

For the star of the fish tacos, the fish, I used 2 Tilapia filets. They work perfectly here because they are a mild, firm, white fish, but if you have another you prefer such as cod, grouper or even catfish, feel free to substitute. I set up a breading station with flour, 1 beaten egg and panko bread crumbs. Tilapia filets have a natural score down the midde which makes them easy to cut in half creating a more managable "fish finger" to fry. Dredge each fish finger in the flour, then dunk in the beaten egg, and finally coat each piece with the panko bread crumbs. Fry in about an inch or two of hot oil for about 5 minutes or so on each side or until they are golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel and immediately season with sea salt.

When it is time to assemble the tacos, warm a flour tortilla over a gas burner set to low until warm, or in a dry warm frying pan. Place the crispy fried fish on the flour tortilla and top with the cabbage, red onion and mango slaw. If you like hot sauce, now is the perfect time to experiment. I like the smoky heat of chipotle hot sauce with the sweetness of the mango in the slaw, so that's what I used. You can certainly substitute any hot sauce you like or even use pickled jalapenos, jarred salsa or homemade pico de gallo as well. A dollop of sour cream finishes it off.

I would enjoy hearing other variations you have made of fish tacos or, if this is your first time trying them, let me know how it turned out . Send in a photo, I'd love to see!