Veggies on the Grill

It's that time of year again when grills all across America fire up for action.  Along side the usual cuts of meat, sausages and assorted poultry you will find veggies of all kinds.  My taste buds are deeply tuned to meats of variety and have always had a low opinion of vegetables.  Then I was introduced to a flame roasted brussel sprout.  Did you hear me a brussel sprout!  I hated these nasty little buggers.  Now I grilled them joy that often but also a whole new world of vegetables at their wonderful flavors have been opened up to me just like really

Breakfast Muffin Bread Pudding

At work we often throw out a dozen or more muffins and the waste just kills me.  So I decided to try using them to make bread pudding.  I took some day old blueberry muffins and cut them up.  Tossed them into a baking dish and added the usual bread pudding mixture of milk, eggs, sugar and "bam" there it was.  After cooling I cut, plate and finished with a blueberry sourcream topping.  

Food is art, love and life,

Christopher

A Little Something Sweet with My Morning Coffee

I love my morning cup of java!  Well truthfully I have about 12 cups, put who's counting first thing in the morning!  Like many of you sweets are not a regular habit, but on those "what the hell" go for it mornings these babies hit the spot.  Open your favorite can of biscuits and dip them in melted butter.  Roll in brown sugar and cinnamon till well coated.  Drop them into a greased muffin tin and bake.  Apply icing after cooling and enjoy.

Food is art, love and life

Christopher 

Love Affair with Burgers

Americans love their beef! On this Memorial Day millions of us will set up the backyard grill, probably for the first time this summer.   On it we will set to sizzling burger patties and roast ears of corn.  I am always amazed at how people dress their burgers and so when a friend recommended adding sausage instead of bacon, well I had to try.  Not to be out done I added a twist of my own.  Red pepper jelly and cream cheese pair up beautifully on this burger. I call this the "Alabama Slammer".

Food is art, life and love

Christopher 

Healthy Eating and Good Taste

Healthy eating can be a real challenge.  Healthy eating at your local restaurant is getting easier, but to do so is not cheap.  Packaged health foods are also becoming more available, but still pricey.  Cooking at home is still the best bang for your buck!  Good planning is essential to keeping you with in budget and let's face it quality ingredients are not cheap.  

What I do is start by choosing my Sunday meal.  This is usually my biggest spread of the week and has a fair amount of leftovers.  It's the leftovers that are key in planning the week.  For example Sunday's sweet potatoes, becomes Monday's sweet potato soup or soufflé or the leftover chicken is a delicious chicken salad.  It's all in the planning.  

Southwest Flavors on a Hot Summer a Day

Time is a factor for us all. When I can put together a clean fresh dish fast, well "shazam"!  Ready to use beans that are minimally processed are now available almost anywhere.  It's so much easier to make nutritious meals and snacks.

Food is art, love and life

Christopher 

Awesome Summer Fair

Simple Fruit Tart 
Compliments of Two Fat Ladies

When I first watched Jennifer Patterson make this luscious confection for the nuns, I knew instantly I had to try it.  This episode is also one of the many classical Jennifer moments, as she scolds Clarissa for sitting on the raspberries.  I have made this with many different fruits and have a posted You-Tube video of a peach version.  Want the recipe drop me a line.  

Food is life, Christopher

Two Fat Ladies

Jennifer Patterson hands down is my single greatest inspiration in life!  Crazy you say, but hear my story first.  Jennifer was in her 70's when fate plucked her from obscurity and a star was born.  For me that translated into the old saying "it is never to late".  She did not compromise her opinions or beliefs.  Jennifer did not bow to the politically correct.  In everything she did her passion showed and I fell in love.  She has long left us, but ever does she live in my heart and in the art I make with food!

Pork Belly Benedict

Eggs Benedict is hands down one of my favorite breakfast dishes!  The rich lemon butter Holandaise teasing the tastebuds. That warm yellow of the yolk married with salty ham all on a toasted English Muffin. Heaven, right?  Well, imagine this culinary wonder kicked up into a whole new level.  

No way,  guess again!  Pork Belly instead of bacon and a little fresh spinach will cause you to utter sounds of pure joy

Butternut Ravioli Salad

A test product I am working on at Chappy's Deli.  Butternut Ravioli on a bed of greens accented with a house dressing.  A gastronomical delight!  

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Sandwiches are a BIG part of my life.  Working for Chappy's Deli as I do, I am always looking for some great new innovation.  Chicken marinated in fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and crushed pineapple really wakes up the taste buds.  The secret that transforms this from good to wow is in the cooking.  Slow and low on the grill or in the oven renders a moist and tender treat!

Breakfast Delight

Breakfast has so much opportunity for bold innovations.  Fresh sautéed grape tomatoes, spinach, onions, garlic and a bit of basil come to life in this egg white sandwich.  The nuance that makes you go "yes" with delight is the crispy Parmesan cheese exterior of the bread!

Leg of Lamb from The Wonderful World of Cooking

The cookbook by Edward Heth, called this "Sugar Lamb".  Well I have never seen a recipe with sugar used to roast a leg of lamb before.  Instantly I knew this was the next recipe out of the 50's era to try.  Lamb being a bit pricey these days, well for that matter what isn't, I tried this with beef as well.  I can not give you any straight forward measurements on this one.  The size of your roast will determine that, but the ingredients and steps are as follows.

Salt & Pepper
Prepared Mustard
Brown Sugar
Strong Coffee

First score the leg with a sharp knife making a cross hatch pattern.  Then rub in salt and pepper.  Work it in good and if possible use coarse salt and fresh ground pepper.  Second coat the whole leg with mustard.  I used coarse stone ground mustard and again worked it into all the knocks and crannies.  Third cover the mustard coating with brown sugar.  I used about 3 cups on this 8lb leg of lamb.  Place it in a deep roasting pan.  Pour 4 cups of strong coffee into the bottom of the pan.  I roasted this for four hours at 350 degrees to reach a rare state.  I basted often during this process and the results could not be ignored.  This was a unusual way to cook a lamb for me, but possibly the best I have had.  In the picture you can see all those juices in the bottom of the pan, well let me tell you that is some great gravy material.

The Wonderful World of Cooking School Teacher Pie

School Teacher Pie from “The Wonderful World of Cooking” by Edward Harris Heth

This pie was named by the students of Miss Schneider. Each spring, she brought her class several of these pies to enjoy at recess.  Over the forty years Miss Schneider taught, this luscious confection became known as “school teacher pie”.  (I just call it Crème Brule Pie because that’s what it is!)

I choose this from Heath’s book because of the unusual nature of this recipe.  While simple, it was a bit time consuming, but let me tell you well worth the effort!  I also found that the story of Miss Schneider and her children evoked fond memories of a certain elementary teacher of my own - Mrs. Robinson.  The innocence of youth……enjoy

Pie Crust

1 stick of softened real butter.  My first attempt was with a butter substitute and well not so good.

1 cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons milk

Mix the butter, flour, salt, sugar and milk together.  Work it till a dough forms and then press it into a simple pie plate.  A deep dish will not work.  Blind bake *  for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Berry Filling

12 large strawberries hulled and halved

1/3 cup brown sugar

Toss the berries in the brown sugar and let stand for 30 minutes.  The book suggests adding kirsch, but I used amoretto which gave a nice subtle lift. 

Custard Cream

1 pint of heavy whipping cream

¼  teaspoon salt

¼ cup sugar

6 beaten egg yolks

Scald the cream in a double broiler.  To the scalded cream add egg yolks in a thin ribbon mixing continuously.  Cook gently and with a watchful eye till it thickens to custard.  Take of the heat and let stand for about 30 minutes. 

Now drain the berries and layer them into the baked, but now cool pie shell.  Pour over them the cooling custard cream and chill the whole pie for several hours.  Just before serving, sprinkle sugar across the top in an even layer and brown it in the broiler about 5 minutes.  Remove and let stand another 5 minutes and serve.  I recommend making this early in the morning, but TRUST ME this, is so worth the effort!

I would love to hear from you if you try this recipe!

The Wonderful World of Cooking Cream of Asparagus Soup

Cream of Asparagus Soup from “The Wonderful World of Cooking” by Edward Harris Heth

Funny how we go through life and things will change.  As a child I hated asparagus and for years I would not even consider the nasty looking stuff. But about three years ago I relented and tasted a piece of grilled asparagus.  Well let me tell you.. it was a tasty treat! Since then, I have explored various ways of using asparagus and when I saw this recipe in Mr. Heth’s book, I just had to try  it, and to my delight it was delicious!

Just one more reminder that if we allow for growth in life, we can discover joy in unexpected places.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

1 pound of fresh asparagus

1 quart chicken stock

¼ cup shredded spinach leaves

4 fresh tarragon leaves

1 stalk of parsley minced

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

4 scallions (I used a 1/3 cup minced red onion instead)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup light cream

1 egg yolk

Rinse and dry the asparagus and then snip the tops off about two inches long.  Then trim the very bottom off the remaining stalk.  Steam the tips for about 8 minutes and then set aside to cool.

Place the next five ingredients in a stock pot along with the asparagus stems.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer about 25 minutes.

Fry the scallions (or onions) in the butter until just browned, then stir in flour.  Add this to the stock pot stirring it in well.

Simmer for another ten minutes and then, using a emersion wand, puree till smooth. 

Cream the egg yolk and light cream together and blend into the pureed stock in a thin ribbon.  Heat gently, but do not allow it to boil.  Now add the steamed tips. 

Goldenrod Eggs "The Wonderful World of Cooking

Goldenrod Eggs From “The Wonderful World of Cooking” by Edward Harris Heth. When I started out on this adventure to re-create recipes from Heth’s cookbook, I was certain there would be challenges.  What has amazed me is how much I‘ve learned about cooking, American culture and even a little about myself. I chose this recipe for two reasons: first I love breakfast but rarely prepare it and second, this looked easy to do …. and it was.  It was so simple that I doubted it would taste good but those doubts vanished when the first fork passed my lips and delivered a rich creamy texture with an eggy goodness that had me licking my plate!

2 tablespoons real butter

1 tablespoon flour

¾ cup half & half

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons grated Swiss - almost any cheese will work and is the best way to make subtle variations on this dish. 

4 hard boiled eggs separated with the whites chopped small

4 slices of smoked ham

4 slices good bread toasted.

Melt the butter in a pan adding the flour when butter begins to bubble.  To the butter and flour mixture add the cream and heat gently until it thickens.  Now add salt, pepper and cheese; stirring until the cheese completely melts.  Mix in the egg whites and cook till heated.  Place a slice of warm ham on a slice of toast and spoon the egg white mixture over it.  Over the egg white sauce, grate one egg yolk for each piece. Enjoy!

The Wonderful World of Cooking: A journey of food

I love cookbooks.  Others read romance novels or maybe Stephen King, but for me cookbooks.  This little gem came to me as a birthday present from my sister Kendra.  Written in the 1950's "The Wonderful World of Cooking" is a well woven tale of life, simpler times and good food.  While reading the stories told by the Ed Heath, I thought often of the popular movie "Julie & Julia".  So I have decided to do my own version.  For the next few months I will recreate the recipes shared by Ed Heath in his marvelous book "The Wonderful World of Cooking".

Praline Pecan Brownies: I Cheated

I cheated when it came to making these scrumptious bites.  I started with a good quality box mix for the brownies.  Once cool I cut them and dressed them up with caramel sauce, cinnamon sauce and bourbon praline pecans.  What can I say but, WOW were these good.

Corn Griddle Cakes: It's a Southern Thing

I love a challenge! So when a customer of Chappy's Deli asked for Corn Cakes as the appetizer for their dinner party, I got fired up.
"Why, you may ask?" The answer is simple, I am a Yankee.  Never had them or made them, till now. I search for a base recipe I like and then tweak it to reflect me.  These little morsels turned out to be a smashing success.

In one bowl combine the following:
1 cup stone ground plain cornmeal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In another bowl combine the following:
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/4 stick melted butter
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup minced frozen corn
1/4 cup minced roasted red pepper
1 clove of garlic minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
1 cup fine shred Parmesan cheese

Add in dry ingredients till just mixed.  Drop spoon fulls of batter onto a medium high pan with butter.
Serve with salsa and sour cream or any number of other ideas.  Enjoy!

Slow Roasted Beef with Horseradish Aioli on a Onion Encrusted French Baguette

This amazing sandwich made a brief run on Chappy's Deli's gourmet menu.  We wanted something with wide appeal, but real eye popping appearance.  Our French Dip sandwich from the deli menu is a popular sandwich that is easy, simple and a great candidate for a makeover. With two easy to execute twist this was what we got.  Chappy's Deli has a good french roll, but when we added French's Onions to it " Shazam"! Now time for a little taste infusion and that came in the form of horseradish aioli.  Finish with traditional Swiss cheese and you have a gourmet delight.  Just another piece of Chappy's Deli Sandwich Art.