Smokey Tomato Soup and Colby Grilled Cheese with Chives, Finding our yesterdays in cooking today.

There are few combinations that go together better than grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

If I were to think about when I was a kid, there were a few meals that would come to mind as favorite things I ate. And this combo was certainly one of them. I have grand memories of sitting down to the table as a little kid at lunch on a weekend and being served a big cup or bowl of tomato soup right out of the red and white can and a grilled cheese sandwich made with white bread crisped in margarine and melty with slices of yellow American cheese oozing out of them.

 Like any comfort food memory it is inextricably tied to the time, place and mostly importantly people that I remember surrounding that food. Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches are the stuff that sweet dreams of childhood are made of. So whenever I eat them no matter the quality I am right back at that round kitchen table with my mother, grandmother Irene, father and brother having lunch and laughing talking and sharing. A food memory, a family memory, a lovely happy moment in time captured in one mouthful of the simplest of foods.

In the forthcoming book I am writing, "Foraging Memory", I explore this phenomenon of comfort food, home and history.  Personal food heritage and it's role in our understanding ourselves and our place in the world.

Although today I make a version of these humble dishes that far exceeds the culinary roots of the my recollection, originally served up from the can and the ubiquitous white bread loaf in the plastic wrapper. The taste memory remains strong and is actually the same. This soup is delicious and the paprika gives it a really round smokey flavor. The chives added to the grilled cheese seems silly but the slight onion flavor really takes the sandwich to another level, truly delicious.

Please enjoy these recipes on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon with your loved ones or dear friends. It is a delicious combo many of us might recall with joy. The joy of happy afternoons spent in the company of loved ones and of a time when we were still making the memories that inspire us today.  

Smokey Tomato Soup
( makes 6 to 8 servings )

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup dry white wine ( or vermouth )
6 gloves of garlic finely chopped
4 cups good chicken stock, I like stock not broth
3 carrots grated
3 stalks of celery finely diced
2 large white onions chopped
1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves finely chopped
1/2  teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon or more to taste smoked paprika
3 (28 ounce) cans of Italian Roma peeled tomatoes
1 pint of cream
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine melted butter, onions, carrots, garlic and dried spices in a large pot with the olive oil salt and pepper cook vegetables down till they are soft. Add white wine and let simmer till cooked into the mix.
Add Tomatoes and the red pepper flakes, basil leaves and the stock.
Stir mixture and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered stirring occasionally for about 40 mins.
Take soup in batches and blend till smooth in blender in batches or use an immersion blender
Return soup to pot and heat up and season to taste with salt and pepper.
At this point you can add the cream or not depending on your taste and heat through.
Divide and serve in large bowls garnish with chopped parsley or more basil

Colby Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Dill Pickles (Makes 4 sandwiches)

Eight slices of good quality thick white bread, sour dough or pullman loaf

12 slices of Colby Jack or Colby cheese
1 small bunch chives finely chopped

20 or so slices of good quality hamburger dill pickles

mayonaise 

dijon mustard

butter at room temperature

Method

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Very generously butter each slice of bread wall to wall on one side then spread very thin layer of Mayo (this keeps it from burning) and place butter side down on a sheet of wax paper

Heat a skillet to medium heat

Mix a few tablespoons of mayonnaise with the dijon and spread on all slices of the bread

Divide the cheese between the slices of bread

Place the buttered bread 2 at a time in the skillet and cook till each piece is toasted golden and the cheese starts to melt then add a big dallop of the chives blanketing both sides of the bread and cheese

When done hold to the side repeat till all slices are toasted and buttery warm

Put sandwiches together

On a clear baking sheet place the sandwiches and lightly press down with the spatula

Place the sandwiches in the oven and heat for about 10 to 15 mins till the cheese is melted and heated through

Remove from the oven and let stand for about 3 mins. Slice in half and serve with dill pickle chips and the soup.

Summer Roasted Tomato Risotto

I love risotto and of all the types out there tomato risotto is one of my favorites. It holds a special place in my heart because of a dear friend and roommate who introduced me to making it.

Now risotto if often thought of a a winter dish and I agree that it can be just that. All the warming and rich things that one loves to eat during the cold season. However if prepared with a lighter touch it can be a very hearty seasonal dish that can be enjoyed all year long.

This risotto has a light tomato flavor and is a delicious meal in itself with a salad and some good bread and olive oil.

So give it a try for your next meatless Monday and see how easy it is to make Summer tomatoes sing Italian.

Summer Roasted Tomato Risotto

To Make you will need:

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion finely diced
5 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
20 small campari style tomatoes on the vine.
1 large ripe tomato diced very fine with seeds and juice
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine or vermouth ( I think vermouth and tomatoes are a wonderful combo)
4 to 6 cups warm chicken broth ( can use veggie )
3 tablespoons cream cheese
1 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup shaved parmesan reserved for garnish
1 1/2 cups grated aged gouda (such as Old Amsterdam)
1 cups grated sharp aged cheddar cheese
Salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons butter
Big Fat finishing olive oil on hand
Maldon Sea salt flakes

Method:

In a 350 degree oven roast tomatoes tossed with a little olive oil and sea salt for about 45 mins
Cook onion in oil in a large pan till translucent then add garlic
Cook till garlic blooms
Add rice and cook for about 3 to  4mins. or till the rice is beginning to toast slightly in the oil and is well covered add salt and pepper
Add dried herbs and diced tomatoes and tomato paste cook another minute
Add 1 cup dry vermouth wine cook till absorbed
Slowly add stock about a cup at a time stirring until the risotto is thick and the liquid is completely absorbed then add more broth until all broth is used up or the risotto is just al dente ( slightly chewy)
Remove the tomatoes from the oven and let sit a few minutes. Then very carefully cut the tomatoes from the stems and let fall into the pot. Pour any oil and excess juice from the baking sheet into the pot;
Keep 4 sets of three tomatoes to use as garnish on the side
Then using your spoon crush the tomatoes into your risotto
At this point add the parsley
Add butter stirring vigorously. remove from the heat and add all cheeses and stir.
When creamy add a touch of finishing oil and divide among 4 to 6 bowls depending.
Garnish with Maldon salt and the remaining cheese
Serve right away!

Some Swiss food

A Swiss Dinner with my Father:

Zuercher Geschnettzeles (  Veal Strips and Mushroom Sauce)

This is a traditional Swiss dish from the Zurich region. It is the Swiss version of this sort of saucy meat and onion or leek and mushroom cream sauce which is popular in various European cuisines. It's delicious and it's the taste of what I remember about Switzerland and eating in a restaurant one night with my father. Recently upon my return to Basel, Switzerland this Spring I made this dish with my traveling companion Chef Lauren for our entire party. Again it was delicious.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs veal cutlets cut into strips
8 oz veal liver cut into strips or calves liver or porkloin
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons safflower or olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely minced
8 oz baby bella mushrooms or crimini mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup beef broth or bullion
1 1/4 cups double cream or heavy cream
5 fresh sage leaves chopped finely
salt and pepper
pinch or two sweet hungarian paprika
chopped chives

Toss veal strips and liver in flour and coat well. Heat butter in the pan and when hot quickly brown the meat. Move to a platter and reserve.

Add the oil to the pan and add onions saute till just soft then add garlic and cook till it blooms then add the sage then the mushrooms and cook till they release their water and soften about 5 to 8 mins.

Add the wine and deglaze the pan stirring to scrape and release any crispy bits. Add the beef stock and cook till it reduces by half then add the meat back into the pan. Cook this mixture for about 8 more minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and the paprika. Then add the cream and let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir and make sure everything is well coated and combined. Serve with Rosti potatoes.

Rosti ( Swiss Hashbrowns)

     Ingredients:

2 ¹⁄₄ lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 5 or 6 large potatoes)

2 tbsp. lard or unsalted butter

2 tbsp. safflower or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste

Pinch of nutmeg

Method:

Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water ad boil until they are fork tender about 30 mins.Then drain water and allow to cook in the fridge for about 1 hour or so.

Grate the cooled potatoes on a box grater using the big holes

Heat half oil in an 8 inch non stick skillet at medium high heat. When hot add the potatoes and salt them well add the nutmeg and toss them to make sure the potatoes get coated in the fat. Then use your spatula and press them gently into the pan and cook for about 20 mins. or so until they are golden brown on that side.

Cover your skillet with a large plate and invert. Add the remaining oil and heat. When hot carefully slide the potato cake back into the pan and cook on the other side for about 20 mins again.
When done slide cake onto a cutting board and season with more salt. Then cut into four wedges and serve as a side dish.

Shrimp Carbonara, Venice Style

Shrimp Carbonara the very words are enough to make you swoon. Rich bacon laden sauce covering cream and egg slicked noodles and mixed with softly sauteed shrimp. It's an Italian seafood lovers fantasy.

Sadly all too often this dish is badly represented in the US. as it is a favorite at many Italian chain restaurants. which overcook everything in this dish and smother it in a poorly done Alfredo-like sauce with bits of bacon and rubbery shrimp. Home cooked recipes as well can make the mistake of making this dish into a version of shrimp scampi with cream and bacon. I saw another version. Composed and flavor ridden unlike any I had seen before.

This version comes from my trip to Europe to do recipe and food research and is from our stop in Venice.

First off Venice is an incredible feast for the eyes let alone the stomach. It's dizzying beauty is theatrical and fanciful. It's watery by ways and canals make for a romantic and sumptuous ever changing color palette for the winding streets and slowly fading piazzas with towering roofs and drooping balconies. Casting watery moving shadows and reflected sunlight on the walls and ceilings of buildings and rooms at different times of the day. It is as charming a place as one hoped for and more inviting a place than one could dream.

It is said that you can't get a bad meal in Italy except in Venice. Well, thanks to having great guides that was not the case for me and my fellow travelers. We enjoyed many a good meal. Mostly seafood centric and found the flavors of the cuisine in Venice different for the rest of Italy. The reason for this is historical. Many many different cultures found their way to the kitchens of Venice. And being the first city on the spice route from the east also gave it a slight oriental undertone. Italian but not afraid of mixing new flavors together.

One dish that demonstrated this was the Shrimp Carbonara that I had on the second evening of our time there. My friend Ken found the most charming old school Venetian restaurant. Laid out along a canal it's windows opened on one side to the water and the rooms were furnished with dark wood and gold, marble busts and old paintings of Venice, her history and seacoast. It had a giant fireplace and a huge table in the middle with platters of antipasti draped over them, cascading down in piles of sliced and marinated vegetables and meats cheeses and smoked and brined fish. It was spectacular. Our waiters were senior and very well versed in serving up Americans a true Venetian experience. And when they offered the menu to us we all took advantage of the tasting menu. It was multiple courses of all old Venetian dishes. This version of Shrimp Carbonara on the menu was very unexpected. Unlike most versions of this this dish it was a carefully composed dish comprised of three parts. Each part was a separate flavor profile but played wonderfully off each other. No sloppy mixture of pasta, cream sauce and shrimp. No it was composed and when eaten together made so much sense. It was amazing. So here's my version of this dish. It's not hard to make but is time consuming and yo have to plan out your timing so that each part comes together at the about the same time.


Ingredients:

2 pounds large shrimp butterflied
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vermouth
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
1/4 cup melted butter
Olive oil
chopped parsley

1 pound Spaghetti
2 cups cubed or chopped bacon
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup vermouth
4 large eggs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated (plus more for serving)
black pepper (lots)
1/4 cup heavy cream
chopped parsley
grated nutmeg

1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

For the Tomato Sauce

For the tomato sauce add all the ingredients to a pot and slowly bring to a boil
Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 mins to an hour. Hold warm.

For the Shrimp: (place in the oven when you start cooking your pasta)

Place the shrimp in a bowl and mix in the oil, vermouth and salt and pepper and let sit in fridge for 30 minutes.
Mix the breadcrumbs, seasoning, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and pepper and then mix with the melted butter.
Place the shrimp on oiled baking dish place shrimp cut side up and flat
Divide the bread mixture and spoon over the shrimp then pour remaining marinade over them.
Sprinkle with the parsley
Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 10 to 12 mins or until golden and the shrimp are pink
Hold warm

For the Pasta:

Boil large pot of salted water for the pasta.
In a large pan that will fit the cooked pasta later heat oil.
Cook garlic till it blooms then add the bacon anc cook till crisp but not overdone.
Add the vermouth and deglaze the pan reducing till you have a syrup of bacon fat and wine left.
Take the pan off the heat.
In a bowl beat the eggs, cream , cheese and some pepper together
Now at this point cook the pasta till just al dente about 2 mins before the package timing skim off 1/2 of pasta water
Place the bacon pan on heat again
Drain the pasta and add immediately to the bacon mixture add 1/2 the water
Add the egg mixture and the fresh parsely to the pasta quickly tossing everything to coat.

To serve twist the pasta with tongs and pile in the center of a large pasta bowl trying to keep a space at the edge of the bowl.
When all four plates are done top with the shrimp and divide the tomato sauce between the bowl pouring it around the base of the pasta like a ring but not over it.

Enjoy the flavor combinations mix and mingle in the most unexpected ways!!

Winner! Winner! Circa 1975 Chicken Dijon Dinner

Here is a little recipe that will feed kids and please friends at a dinner party. It's a recipe I grew up with that graced family dinner table, party buffet and even picnic blanket spreads.

Just as a note of nostalgia and pop culture history I would mention this dish originated from the "Grey Poupon" dijon mustard 1970's era. It was a dish that became popular as the company tried to give customers and home cooks a variety of uses for the mustard and published recipes to promote it's sales.

My grandma and mother made this dish as one of the dishes in their arsenal of chicken dishes. My brother and I loved it while my mother loved it cause it was baked and not fried.

Raising children if not an easy thing to be sure. I don't have children but I see my friends work at like it's a job. I mean that's really what it takes to be a good parent.

One thing that I can appreciate is that feeding kids can be difficult. However, many of the families I work with I think do themselves an injustice. I see many of the very privileged mothers I work with bend over backwards to give their kids whatever they want on whatever whim.

I think that they are doing their kids a disservice. When I was growing up there was no choice as to what was for dinner. I mean you ate what there was for dinner or you went hungry. My brother was a much pickier eater than I was but we learned to enjoy a variety of foods because we were forced to eat them. Finding favorites was one thing. However, learning to appreciate all the different things that are out there is another perk of trying to get kids to "eat their veggies"

Of course making things that kids want to eat is easier than forcing them to eat things they don't want to eat so finding different versions of those things is a no brainer and fried chicken in various incarnations is definitely a winner.

This recipe is made with cut up chicken pieces but could be adapted for chicken fingers to please little eaters. And while they are eating it they won't know that's it's better than fried chicken.

Dijon Chicken
(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

12 chicken pieces (I used boneless skinless thighs)
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder
onion powder
1 jar (8 ounces) Dijon mustard
1 cup sour cream
Italian-flavored panko breadcrumbs

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Sprinkle the chicken pieces well with salt and pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
Combine the mustard and sour cream.
Spread each piece generously with the mustard mixture and roll in the bread crumbs. (because I used boneless skinless thighs I rolled these into small bundles and they turned out really nice almost like a stuffed thigh, though I've made this with regular pieces and they are very easy and delicious, the thighs also cooked longer than the 20 mins. but came out perfect)

Place the chicken on a baking sheet in a single layer and cover with foil
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 400. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown. Don't let it burn.
This may be served hot, warm or cold for a picnic.

My Daddy's Pizza Recipe

Daddy's Pizza

Another dish my father was very happy to make for us was pizza.  As with many families in the 1970's we were pretty strapped when it came to the monthly budget. The funny thing was I  never felt like we were cash strapped. 

Buying Pizza as you know is not always cheap and feeding a family of five including two growing and hungry boys on pizza was not inexpensive. Plus this was not the era of mass pizza distribution. Pizza Hut was new and other chains were not as popular nor as prolific as they are today.

Daddy's homemade pies were not doughy but a flat and crispy dough with a slight hint of nutmeg which was further augmented by the use of cornmeal on the bottom to keep the dough from sticking. It was topped with a homemade sauce of simple garlic and herbs and then topped with a variety of healthy vegetable toppings and some sausage or hamburger and sometimes pepperoni.

Who needs to go out for pizza!!

Dad's Best Ever Pizza Crust

1 pkg yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

Big pinch of nutmeg

1/2 cup shortening
1 3/4 cups boiling water
6 cups flour

Pizza Sauce

2 or 3 garlic cloves finely minced

6 1/2 cups Italian style tomatoes

3 tablespoons dried italian seasoning
1 tablespoon crushed fennel seeds
1 teaspoon sugar

Place in a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer on low for about 3 hours

1 pound of shredded Mozzarella cheese

2/3 cup Parmesan cheese grated

Toppings of your choice:
Favorites were: Hamburger, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, canned black olives, sausage, pepperoni, feta cheese, cheddar cheese.

Pizza Crust

Dissolve yeast in luke warm water 

Add sugar and salt and shortening to a bowl

Add boiling water and stir till cool

Add in yeast

Add in the flour and beat till smooth

Add the rest of the flour and beat till it comes together

Turn out onto a floured surface roll in ball

Wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight

Remove from the plastic and divide into 4 sections of dough

Roll thin and place on oiled baking sheet dusted with cornmeal

Coat with olive oil and prick with fork to make holes

Top with the sauce and desired toppings

Bake at 400 for 30 mins or until done

Funeral Potatoes, A Hashbrown Casserole to Die For!

Now this is about as Americana a recipe as you can get. But I'll tell you what, there is nothing quite as addictive as this stuff. I mean creamy, fatty, delicious potatoes drowned in a rich sauce that just makes you happy.

This recipe has been done by so many ladies all over the country for years and years with small variations in each individual recipe. I think it's one of those recipes that's made an appearance in every ladies auxilary organization and church cookbook from Florida to Alaska. And hashbrown casserole makes it's appearance on holiday tables, dinner tables and even on the Cracker Barrel restaurant menus. It's a comforting, homey and delicious dish, which is why it probably has the name it has and is associated with a time in life when comfort is high on the menu.

I made this for some friends for a dinner this winter with some short ribs. Boy, was that a wintery comforting meal. So here's my version cream of mushroom soup and all. Enjoy.

Funeral Potatoes ( Hashbrown Casserole)
 Serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:

1 lb bag shredded hashbrowns
1 can mushroom soup (Campbell's)
1 cup dairy sour cream
3/4 cup milk plus a little more if too thick
12 oz of shredded yellow cheddar cheese
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Aromat ( German seasoning salt, you could use Amino Acid Liquid Seasoning, this is my little addition to this recipe)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground Mace or Nutmeg
Crunchy onions as topping
Salt and pepper to taste



Method:

Divide the cheese leaving 4 ounces to top the casserole
Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl stirring well to combine, adding more milk if mixture is too thick. Should be pourable but not runny.
Pour into a 9x9 baking dish
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and some paprika for color
Bake covered with foil for 35 minutes then uncovered and place back in the oven for 15 minutes more or until the top is browned slightly
Enjoy.

Norwegian Cabbage Rolls a Springtime Traditional Dish

Cabbage is not what we think of as a traditional Spring vegetable. Mostly in this country we think of it as a winter veggie or as a summer vegetable chopped up and made into coleslaw.

But in Norway the appearance of bright green leafed spring cabbages is a sure sign that winter is on it's way out and Spring has sprung.

This recipe is an ode to that wishful thinking we all have this time of year that Winter is waning and Spring will bloom.

For the Rolls:

1 .5 pounds beef and pork ground and mixed together
1 small onion finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

¼ cauliflower, cut in pea sized pieces
8 big cabbage leaves, boiled for 2 minutes
1 cup chicken stock

For sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 chicken bullion cubes
2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish
Lingonberry jelly

Method:

Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).
Mix all ingredients for the rolls together really well
Divide the mix between the cabbage leaves
Fold around the filling and place the packages into a baking dish seam side down
Pour the chicken stock into the pan
Bake for 45 mins in the oven
In the mean time add butter to a small pot and melt then add flour and stir to make a roux.
Cook for 3 mins. until the flour has cooked
Slowly whisk in the milk till combined and cook till the mixture has thickened.
Add the chicken bullion and seasoning
When the rolls are done serve the rolls with the sauce and garnish with the remaining parsley and a spoonful of the jelly

Duchess Potatoes, Winner Winner Christmas Dinner

Duchess Potatoes are mash potatoes all dressed up. Like fancy bundles of baked mashed potato goodness.

Now if you have been following this blog you know how big I am on Mashed potatoes but Duchess potatoes are kinda like the royalty of mashed potatoes. Butter, Eggs and Cream nothing poor or low calorie about this dish. It's definitely a special occasion dish.

SO for Christmas this year the house feast will include these very luxurious potatoes and they will be paired with some big meat. But given the body and richness of  these beauties I think whatever the protein will be it will have to work hard to keep up. I mean lets face it all these giant holiday meals are all about the side dishes.

So if you want to make a little something that looks fancy and is stupid good make these and everyone around your table will think you worked way harder than you did and love them. Winner Winner Christmas Dinner!

Duchess Potatoes

Ingredients:

5 lbs of Yukon Gold or other yellow potato
8 egg yolks
1 stick butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons water

Method:

Cut potatoes into pieces and boil until soft
Drain really well and put on to a baking sheet then bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 mins
Place in a bowl and mash well or put through a ricer
Add the eggs and butter and cream and mix well
Add salt and pepper and taste for seasoning and adjust if you want
Let cool down then place into a pastry bag with a large flower tip ( you can get this at a kitchen store)
Pipe into small florets onto a baking sheet or two
Place into the fridge to cool
When ready preheat oven to 350 then to serve remove from fridge and brush with egg wash
Place in oven and bake for 30 mins. or until it browns.
Serve while hot. Be a winner!

Southern Party recipes: Crab Dip

In the south we have a lot of hot dip recipes. Many of them not surprisingly are based on mayonnaise. This one is no exception.

I remember going to many a open house around Christmas time or New Years and enjoying this kind of dip. In Charleston there is an old famous recipe for what is called "Meeting Street Crab Dip" and it's very rich and delicious.

This recipe is is a little bit easier and less involved but definitely yummy and keep people coming back. If you are having a get together make this and a bottle of wine and you are set. It's all you'll want to put out or you will spoil people's appetite for dinner. Or make it as part of your game day graze. Either way your guests will love it.

Crab Dip

Makes: 10-12 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Old Bay

1 cup Sherry wine

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup fresh jumbo lump crabmeat
paprika

1 loaf baguette

Method:

Preheat oven to 350. Blend cream cheese in a food processor with all ingredients except the cheese, crabmeat and bread.  Fold in crabmeat by hand in a bowl. Pour into 6x10 aluminum pan and top with cheese and sprinkle with a little paprika. Bake for 20 minutes until it's golden brown and bubbling and then serve hot with sliced baguette. 

Hungarian Goulash

So as Fall approaches I am starting to put together recipes which are going to be good for this season as well as all the way through the coming Winter which according to the news should be another brutal one.

I have a soft spot in my heart for this recipe as it reminds me of my dear friend Attila, who remains my favorite Hungarian! He was always telling me stories about the food of his homeland. He also had the funniest sense of humor. One of my favorite things he does is to inform you of the fact that in any given situation the Hungarians have a old saying for almost all situations.

For example when he undertook a job change that did not exactly go his way.  I asked why he decided to follow that particular path. He said well you know we Hungarians have a saying... "If I knew I was going to fall down... I would have sat down". Such is the wisdom of the Hungarians.

This recipe is delicious and easy and not traditional at all. But it's what I grew up thinking was Goulash. So enjoy.

Hungarian Goulash


2 to 3 pounds stew meat cubed
2 large onions chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon flour
1 heaping tablespoon Hungarian Sweet paprika
1 large can chopped tomatoes
pinch of salt and pepper
Sour cream

Preheat oil in a large casserole
Brown beef on all sides
Don't over crowd the pan or the beef will steam and not brown
Transfer meat to a plate and set aside
Add the onion and garlic and cook till soft
Return beef to pan and stir in the flour and paprika
Add tomatoes and salt and pepper and bring to a steady simmer
Place in preheated oven and cook for about two hours at 375 degrees
Remove from oven a just before serving sitr in the sour cream
Serve with mashed potatoes or short butttered and parsley eggs noodles

Pork Chops Scallopini with Mushrooms and Thyme

Pork Chops are a hard thing to cook well. Especially the run of the mill grocery store variety. Yet for so many homemakers it's a very economical option for putting meat on the table. So I have decided over the course of the rest of this year to take on the challenge of making amazing pork chop recipes and sharing them with you all. Hopefully they will inspire you to find your inner pork lover and give them a try.

This recipe started with boneless center cut pork chops in a family pack of 6 chops. I thought that two chops would be a portion but when paired with a simple arugula salad and a pan of my cornbread one chop became a meal.

I started with a regular recipe for pork scallopini with capers and a wine butter sauce. And then decided to bump up the bulk of the dish by adding mushrooms and onions. It came out really really well. In fact when we ate this we both looked at each other and said, oh yes, that's good.

So try this out this Summer and I'm sure that this recipe will be one you are making well into the fall. Enjoy Y'all!

Pork Chops Scallopini with Mushrooms and Thyme ( serves 4-6)

6 good sized center cut boneless pork chops about an inch or more thick

flour for dusting plus 1 heaping tablespoon to add to the sauce

6 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 cup white wine

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

1 medium spanish or white onion thinly sliced into rings

1 pound white mushrooms ( 1/4 sliced and the rest quartered)

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 1/2 tablespoon capers

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoons butter in the pan to medium high

Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper

Dredge the chops in flour and quickly cook over medium high heat till just seared brown on both sides

Hold to the side on a plate

Add the rest of the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter to the pan

Add onions with a good pinch of salt and pepper and cook over medium heat till softened and slightly browned just till they have some color

Add the mushrooms  and thyme and cook till just slightly softened then add 1/4 cup of wine and deglazed the pan

Sprinkle the flour over the pan and stir to combine

Add the wine stir into the sauce

Add the capers

Taste sauce and season if needed

Nestle the chops into the mushrooms and onions and capers sauce spooning some of the mixture over the chops to cover the chops

Cover and turn heat to low and simmer for about 20 mins

When ready to serve add the remaining butter lemon juice the parsley stir in slowly till mixed and melted

Serve with a good portion of an arugula salad dressed tossed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Also serve cornbread on the side.

Michigan Crack Coffee Cake and a Storied Wedding

Weddings are something that can bring out the best and worst in people both individually and collectively. As a caterer and Event manager I have seen my share of Brides, Mothers and Fathers acting out in the most insane and inappropriate of manners. True Bride-zillas I have only seen twice but the stories are varied and amazing.

Drunks, fights and screaming matches on the dance floor are par for the course. And let's not forget just plain old bad taste taken to the extreme on someone's special day. In short I hate weddings but I am kinda drawn to them because like a train wreck you just can't take your eyes off of them. Over the course of the years I have had friends ask me to help with their weddings and with one exception I have always politely declined. I just would never want to be responsible for one of my friend's special days. Too much pressure and the possibility of ruining a friendship, no thank you.

The most amazing story is from a wedding which was designed by a fellow in NYC, who we will call Eric. He's a great guy and very lovely to work with. This story started apparently when he was designing the wedding with the family. They were spending untold amounts of money on this wedding and during the planning process it became apparent the Bride was not very engaged in the whole thing. Instead of the usual involved, hands on manner most Brides take, this one simply did not seem to care if it was, "that shade of pink" or "that flower arrangement". Her mother did of course. Spending tons of cash to ensure a spectacle deserving her status and her daughters station. But the Bride was non plussed about the whole thing and this made Eric slightly suspect.

Well the big day came. The Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue had never looked so grand. The flowers, the music and the decor for the ceremony alone had cost a fortune. The Parents greeted their endless guest list as they arrived and waited for the ceremony to start. Eric went upstairs to check on the Bride who had strangely asked to be alone while she prepared not wanting the company of her entourage of dressers and bridesmaids.

As he approached the hotel room he could see that the door was slightly ajar, a strange sign he thought. He knocked. No response. He called out still no response. He slowly pushed the door open revealing the rooms contents. The Bride was no where to be found but on the bed was the dress and atop it a note and her ring. He lifted up the note and read these words, " Sorry Abe, I can't go through with it. Here's your ring back, Claire". Eric's heart sank into his shoes. There were 400 people waiting downstairs and the Bride was obviously not coming down. Oh Shit!

So he went downstairs and pulling the Groom and the Father of the Bride aside informed them gently of what was going on. The Groom was livid and was whisked away to a private room by his groomsmen with a bottle of brown liquor. The Father of the Bride seemed unmoved calm even. Eric explained that he needed to inform his guests, suggesting that perhaps the verbiage should be something akin to "I regret to inform you but my daughter has a had change of heart thank you for coming etc etc.". The Father shook his heard and said " Yeah Yeah Yeah....Got it". He then mounted the stage and took the mic hitting on it..."is this thing on".  Then he addressed the crowd. "I want to thank you all for coming today, to be with us, we spent a lot of money on this wedding and you can all go to the bar since it's paid for.... but there's no ceremony happening.... because my F&*%ing daughter FLED! Thanks!"

Now that's a wedding story!

Now as I said I have only helped one friend with a wedding and that would be my roommate of many years in NYC, Cristin Hubbard. Cristin is a Broadway actor and an amazing vocalist. She was also practically family. So when she became engaged I agreed to help put the reception together for her.

The wedding was set in upstate Michigan near the Sleeping Bear national seaside on the coast of northern Michigan. A fantastic place of natural wonder. The natural beauty aside the charm of the beach houses and the towns and the lovely natives were enough to entrance. It was a whole week of wedding activities with about 30 to 50 people, mostly family, participating. Cook outs on the beach at night followed by bonfires and sing alongs. Day trips in canoes and kyaks or antiquing. And a BBQ dinner after lake swimming and sun bathing.  A Buffet dinner at the house on the first night let to mornings spent over amazing breakfasts at the Bed and Breakfast.

This of course was coupled with the fact that I had agreed to help design and run the wedding. Her friend Mark also had agreed to help so between the two of us we came up with a plan. We visited the sight for the reception which was a rustic lodge building in a Church camp nearby the beach house she had spent every summer in growing up. A very connected and emotionally grounded choice, just like Cristin. Solid and soulful it hit the mark providing the perfect backdrop for a very special person's, special day. We visited the caterer, helped tweek a few menu items and service points and offered up my help the day of.

So then Mark and I armed with 3000 dollars in cash her father had given us set out to design and decorate the old Church Camp lodge for the reception. Aside from almost killing each other in the process we did an amazing job I think. White tuille and white christmas lights, flowers from a friends garden, sea glass and candles, blue, green, white and grey linens all came together to make a wonderful picture.

But it was Cristin, walking down the aisle of the church of her summer youth,  a beautiful family quilt adorning the altar, that really was the star of this wedding. She was the most stunning of Brides. The wedding and reception in their elegant simplicity were amazing. But the love so evident for these two people filling the room was the highlight of my experience of that wedding. I was moved beyond words. Hoping in my own heart that someday I might feel how she and her husband must have felt as the center of so much loving devotion. For after all, when the pomp and superficial things are stripped away, it's the love that makes a Wedding real. No show necessary if that is present. It speaks volumes louder than any floral arrangement or buffet dinner ever could.

So what has this to do with coffee cake you might ask? Well I discovered this recipe while staying at the bed and breakfast for this wedding. It's a simple almost stupid recipe and not an unknown or uncommon one. But I think if you try it you will agree it's addictive and ridiculously good! So I offer up with memories of weddings large and small. Memories of my dear friend from Michigan and this recipe. Enjoy Ya'll!

"Bob King Cake"

2 small tubes refrigerator buttermilk biscuits OR 1 tube Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits 

3 Tbsp. butter melted

1/2 cup pancake syrup not real maple!

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Place all ingredients in a pan and melt together over low heat 

Place in the bottom of a bundt pan

layer biscuits overlapping in the pan

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 to 30 mins or until nice and brown on top

Invert onto a plate and yum yum yum!

Truly the Best and Easiest Mac n Cheese Recipe on the Planet. It's A Little Crazy!

                                                   
                                                    The Best and Easiest Baked Mac N Cheese


OK. As I have said before there is almost nothing I love more than a great Mac N Cheese. I mean I am a little obsessed. I admit it. And there are as many Mac N Cheese recipes out there as there are wannabe rock stars and movie stars in New York and Hollywood combined. I have been all over the country and I can tell you that there are a lot of recipes and good ones at that out there. But replicating that really good restaurant chef quality experience at home, that's the trick. It's a lot of work right?

Now everyone has their own version of Mac N Cheese which they remember, make or buy. I think everyone conjours up different visions of what Mac n Cheese looks like for them and how they envision the best Mac n Cheese. Regardless of your preference it all comes down four principles of Mac n Cheese I believe. Those four principles are creamy, crusty, tangy, cheesy. In probably conjours up an image like this...

I mean doesn't that look good? My viewpoint is I want Mac and I don't want to have to wait for it. But what to do if you don't have time and you don't want to use the "Box"?

My family was never a big Mac n Cheese family. I learned to love it from going to my relatives. My Aunt Lucille made what I thought was the best Mac n Cheese is the world. She would make it for big family gatherings at her house. It was a classic old school southern baked version with plenty of cheese a creamy sauce and lots of eggs. My Aunt Martha made one I believe and also my Aunt Doris. But my Mother and Grandmother were never big on it. When we had it I think it mostly came out of a box and was just a snack for lunch or something. In retrospect that was odd given they made a lot of noodle dishes but that was really never one of them.

However, I think my real love for Mac n Cheese began in college. The Dining hall at James Madison University or D-Hall as we referred to it put out some really incredible food. One of the dishes that made it's way often into the steam table on the buffet was a Mac N Cheese like none I had ever had. So creamy and yet so substantial I fell in love with it. And I indulged in it as often as they would have it on the menu board. Usually served on Fridays when they also served fried fish it was a staple of my roommate's and mine freshman year.

Since then moving back to Charleston, one would see Mac N Cheese everywhere. I mean it's the South, we consider it a vegetable! However, it was not until I moved to New York City that the dish became somewhat of a culinary show piece in the dining scene. Comfort food became a "thing" here in New York in the late 1990's. It was a genre of food that while plebeian in it's truest form, somehow captured the culinary imagination of New Yorkers. You know it created that  feeling of "Oh look I'm eating a little bit of the small town homey goodness and look, this country style simplicity has come to the big city and makes me feel better! Yay!".  In other words it was a fad. Well fads come and go but the restaurant Mac N Cheese NYC love affair has endured.

Now I love restaurant style Mac n Cheese. One of the hall marks of  a restaurant style Mac n Cheese is that it is almost always freshly made. No gloppy luke warm squares cut out of a chaffing dish and stood up like wall paper paste on your plate.

So as I have looked for a home version I have always thought it must be one that can be served right away and fresh. I mean if you are gong to serve Mac n Cheese make it the meal and serve it with a salad and be done. I mean...Yum!

The other thing about a home version I think is that it should be easy. So many have you make a white sauce. fold in cheese, boil pasta on and on and on.  Now I have a version on the blog for stove top Mac N Cheese. It uses one pot and is very easy. But it is not the Mac n Cheese of my dreams, all crusted with cheese hot from the oven browned and bubbling. It's awesome, but I wanted more.

So this is how I came up with this recipe. One day I was looking around for a recipe for zucchini casserole and came across my cousin's squash casserole recipe that used cottage cheese and milk and eggs to basically make a custard.

Then I remembered a recipe I had read in the New York Times that had talked about using Cottage Cheese as a binder in Mac N Cheese. In the article they also talked about not having to boil the pasta. Well that made sense given I know now that you don't have to boil Lasagna Noodles. They cook right in the sauce. So this became interesting.

 The one pot Mac n Cheese used milk to cook the pasta in and make it creamy. What if you did that in the oven. Well I tried it and it worked. I mean it really worked.

So here is the recipe based partly on the New York Times article and partly on my cousins squash casserole recipe and partly on my one pot Mac n Cheese recipe. It is so close to perfect I don't know what else to say. And it's easy!

So give it a try and enjoy, Ya'll

Forrest's Best Ever Easy Mac N Cheese

1 cup full fat Cottage Cheese
2 cups whole milk
6 oz of marscapone cheese
1 teaspoons Coleman's Dry Mustard Powder
1 teaspoons Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper or Hungarian Hot Paprika
1 lb and 3 oz freshly grated Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 pound of Elbow Pasta noodles dry
2 tablespoons butter

Method:

In a blender mix the first 7 ingredients till smooth
In a large bowl mix 3/4 of the Cheddar cheese
along with the milk mixture add in the Parmesan cheese and dry noodles
mix well
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Pour contents of mixing bowl into a medium ( 9x9) baking dish (or divide among several small crocks)
or medium iron skillet
Cover with foil and bake for 30 mins

Uncover, top with remaining cheese and dot with the butter and bake another thirty minutes till bubbling! 

Let sit for a few minutes and then enjoy Ya'll! 

Breakfast Pot Pie a New Twist on Biscuits and Gravy

So my first entry about some of the exciting and fun foods that I saw and tasted in San Diego will start with this dish Breakfast Pot Pie. And why not, it's the first meal of the day so it's just seems fitting to start with it.

Now I LOVE biscuits and gravy. And as many who have had mine will tell you, I make a mean version. However, while in San Diego my friends Tom and George with whom I was staying took me out to one of their favorite places for breakfast and brunch. Snooze, the place is called, and is an interesting concept restaurant based in Denver that focuses on only Breakfast and Brunch foods and drinks served in a casual, yet very cool environment. We went twice to this place and each time we did it was packed and the wait was at least 40 minutes. I mean that's a buzz and success that most places ( including the not very busy one's surrounding Snooze) want to have.

Now let's be clear these people did not reinvent the wheel when it comes to breakfast foods, and in fact while the menu is interesting it does not step much out of the box in terms of foods that one would traditionally expect to find on a menu like this. It's more the manner in which the dishes are presented or the way that flavors are layered to give the overall dish a really great flavor effect. I mean let's face it there are only so many ways to fix eggs and pancakes but what you put on them or in them can take them from "Ordinary" to "Eggtraordinary", sorry couldn't resist that!

So to this dish. Now I have a real love for creamy delicious gravy based foods. Nope not apologizing! So when I saw this on the menu I knew I had to try it. Basically it's a portion of hash browned potatoes with a puff pasty raft tilted on it covered in a cream gravy flavored with sausage and rosemary and bits of carrots, celery, leeks and onion floating in it, topped with a sunny side up egg. Yum!

So while this seems and looks kinda complicated it is so not and if you want to impress your friends and family one morning with a breakfast or brunch dish that is different and delish this would be one to try. So here's the recipe as nearly as I can figure it. Enjoy ya'll!

Breakfast Pot Pie ala Snooze in San Diego

First thing you need is the gravy (makes about four cups)

For the Sausage Gravy:

Heat up 1 quart whole milk 

2 cloves minced garlic
2 leeks, cleaned and chopped (discarding leaves)
2 celery stalks (chopped)
1 sprig of rosemary (finely chopped)
1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage (browned and drained)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
½ c parmesan cheese (grated)
½ c all purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste 

Melt butter in a large heavy bottomed pot (Dutch oven or stock pot) over medium heat. Add leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, and rosemary and sauté until vegetables soften (about 10 min.). Stir in flour and continue to cook until the flour is well incorporated. At this point, stir in the cooked sausage, milk and parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and allow to simmer (stirring occasionally) until the gravy thickens (about 10-15 min.). Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

For the Hash Browned Potatoes: 

Saute an onion in a good amount of oil and add 1 bag thawed shredded hash brown potatoes to the pan stir and cook then let the bottom brown to golden. Using a ring mold cut the potatoes into circles and using a spatula place on the plate.

For the Pastry: 

1 Sheet puff pastry rolled out to 1/4 of inch and then cut into 4 by 6 inch squares brush with egg wash place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees till puffed and slightly browned. 

To assemble: 

Place a scoop or shaped round of hash browns on the plate, cook eggs sunny side up and place a pasty puff on each plate divide the gravy and top with the egg and garnish with a little paprika, Enjoy Ya'll!