What's For Dinner?

In this historic age of Covid-19 home quarantining, with restaurant and bars shuttered down for the near future, I like everyone else, have been cooking almost every meal at home.
You may be asking yourself why this is a big deal?
Because My Guy and I eat out nearly every single night.

I don't tell you this to brag or to sound pompous, I tell you this because since the kiddos left the nest, our lifestyle is such that we both work and enjoy a dinner out that has been prepared for us. No dishes and no clearing the table. Don't get me wrong, I love to cook and when I do, it's always a treat, but it's a rare occasion indeed.

But it wasn't always this way. Back in the day, when Frick and Frack were little, I used to make dinner every night. After the morning school rush, the kids safely tucked onto the school bus, I would call my friend and commence our usual conversation. "What are you making tonight?", and we bounced culinary ideas off each other and let the inspiration flow.

Back in those 'olden' days we didn't have the internet to look to for inspiration. No Pinterest, no food blogs, no wealth of recipes at our fingertips. Nope, we only had our good old recipe box filled with family recipes and cook books for guidance. So cook at home, I did and it's a pleasant but distant memory. I can't really remember any family favorites from back then, other than my home made spaghetti and meatballs and tacos, which are still in the rotation on those rare occasions that I do cook, but these days I am left to my devices. Literally, hello my trusty iPad.

And you know what?
I'm killing it!

Yup, so far, dare I jinx myself, I'm on a roll! Even My Guy, who is the PICKIEST eater in the world, a fact that has been well documented through the years here at The Daily Dandy, is loving everything I have cooked! And I've added caterer to my list of skills because I'm sending dinner over to my parents, who live next door, almost every night. But I think the silver lining in all of this madness that our life has become today is that we eat dinner together, at the set dinner table every night.

Fritters (my son's girlfriend who lives with us, and her name is an inside joke) and Frick set the table and we all clear the table and clean up, together. It's a silver more valuable than any sterling you can string on your neck or adorn on your fingers. It's the true familial bond that illustrates the age old adage 'Food is love".

Yes love. Its is what's for dinner....

The Clean Plate Ranger

Americans are fat. We all know that we are bordering on obesity. We've heard the statistics over and over again. On average, Americans are 23 lbs over their ideal body weight. The fact is that American's are becoming more accepting of a larger sized self. The older I get, the harder it becomes to loose "that 10 nagging pounds", and I've finally discovered why.

Because my parents drilled into my head, at a very young and impressionable age, to eat everything on my plate.

I don't blame them, really, because their parents drilled the same thing into them. In fact, if we are looking to place the blame, we can blame World Wars 1 and 2. As a result of World War 1, our government created the "Clean Plate Club" because of the limited amount of food in the country. The Clean Plate Club, first established in 1917, was a movement that began after Congress passed the Food and Fuel Control Act . The act enabled President Woodrow Wilson the power to regulate the distribution of food, which was becoming scarce. Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover as the head of this task and his job was to make sure that the precious food Americans had didn't go to waste.

Hoover targeted small, school aged children, with the Clean Plate Club pledge:

 “At table I’ll not leave a scrap of food upon my plate. And I’ll not eat between meals, but for supper time I’ll wait.”

And so it began a generation of Americans who were taught never to waste food. That generation were our parents parents, who then raised our parents to believe in the same pledge. Then along came the Great Depression and World War 2 and once again food in America was scarce. The Clean Plate Club was re-established in schools across the country and another generation reinforced the importance of never wasting food. They taught their children and so on and you see where I'm going with this?

Flash forward into the future, and here we are Super Sizing everything and eating whatever and whenever we want to, yet we still fell the need to never let it go to waste. Old habits die hard, and Americans continue to overindulge and take home "doggie bags" so that not a scrap goes to waste. I noticed that when a large plate of food is put before me I immediately feel a pang of guilt, like I need to finish it and if I don't I've committed a crime of some sort.

And we wonder why we are 23 lbs. over our ideal body weight? Go figure.

My Grown Up Christmas List

Something for Frick.
Something for Frack.
My Guy is next. Check off the list, that.

What to do about the family swap? A $75.00 gift for a man or a woman whom never seem to stop.
Shopping online? Better do it now.
Not going to get caught wondering when it will get here and how.

Do I have enough bows, wrapping paper, ribbons and tape?
Where are the tags to put on the wrapped presents we make?
Sales here, sales there, the retailers are swarming.
Prices are dropping because the competition is warming.

Gotta make the homemade ravioli that my Grandmother made.
The sauce, turkey, fixings, cookies, cakes, and the Christmas treats I'd never trade.
Frick wants sausage and cinnamon rolls to eat.
Frack doesn't care, he's happy with every food he meets.

Bones for the dog and put up the tree.
It sounds like a lot, but it gives us all glee.
Christmas is a feeling more than a wrapped up gift,
and these "things" give us numerous memories through which to sift.

Making a list gives me the direction which gives me a push and a shove,
because through it all, everything I do is done with much love.

El Jefe And The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I recently watched the movie "Chef" on On Demand. It was good and I recommend it highly for a light fun movie watch, BUT I will caution you....DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE HUNGRY. This movie is food porn at its highest degree and after viewing it I found myself absolutely ravenous!

Since watching the movie, I can't stop thinking about the grilled cheese sandwich the chef cooks for his son. I have watched the clip below from YouTube about 6 thousand times and I think I got it down, but I'm literally guessing on the type of cheese he uses. I'm thinking the orange cheese is sliced cheddar mixed with some Gruyere, to make that yummy, cheese pulling goodness. It's just about all I can do to not make it grilled cheese night every night in our house! 

I recommend the movie, but the grilled cheese and Cuban sandwiches are the reason to watch. 

And do yourself a favor and have something with you to eat. Something you really like because your are going to need it.

This is the clip from You/tube. I couldn't get it to embed for some reason. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BTfctEmg5w

Taco Bell

Tonight is taco night in our house.

The thing about taco night is you think about it all day long until the time comes to bite into the juicy, meaty concoction. Nothing says lovin' like a spicy, delicious taco. My kids love to stuff theirs with all their favorites and My Guy has come to like them too. 

We make two different kinds in our house: chicken and beef and we serve lots of delicious fixins'. I buy the Gordita Kit from Old El Paso and season the chicken from the recipe on the box. I may or may not add diced onion and use chicken broth instead of water when I cook the chicken. But when it comes to the taco meat, my kids like it just the way the taco Gods intended; plain and spicy. We always have two kinds of "shells": soft and hard. Frick likes hard shell and My Guy likes soft shell. I like to use a lettuce wrap for my "shell".

The toppers are crucial in my house. We dice tomato, (has to be super small) shred lettuce, and of course shredded Mexican cheese. We also crush nacho cheese Doritos to sprinkle on top, sour cream guacamole and salsa, and recently we discovered a spicy Chipotle Ranch dressing that is a fantastic taco topper and now a staple on our taco night. 

The last constant on our taco night is unconventional and started out as a bit of an accident, but it is always there. We make couscous. Sometimes the couscous goes on top of theTaco and sometimes it's a side dish, but it's a constant on our dinner table on taco night. It's a great way to get my family together at the dinner table, which is becoming increasingly difficult these days. For that, I am grateful.

Is it dinner time yet? Suddenly I'm really hungry. 

Plating Pretty

This week it's all about food...

So I'm watching Sunday Morning on CBS on Sunday and it was all about food. Food is love, where I come from, and the Sunday morning program served to solidify that fact. There was an interesting piece about a new staple in American restaurants called "plating".

Remember when your food was presented to you in a way that served the important food groups? A protein, a starch, a vegatable and so forth. All compartmentalized, like the paper plates with the sections spaced out, your food was placed on the plate side by side. Today, with the popularity of cooking shows and reality cooking competitions, that has changed. "Plating" the food has become the norm and even some chain restaurants are getting into the phenomenon. Plating, or food styling, is a way to present the food in the most artistic and appetizing way possible, like wrapping a present, the presentation is just as important. We are learning from the pros, by following food shows and competitions, and designing our plates to be things of beauty.

Food bloggers take pics of the foods presented to them on their blogs and social media sites are all abuzz with the pretty and pleasing presentations of food on a plate. The garnish, tying the plate together to make it a work of art.And they may be on to something.

Take a simple turkey dinner; instead of loading the food on in different sections, the food is sometimes presented from the inside of the plate out. All of your mom's favorites, piled expertly and beautifully with the gravy drizzled over it like the garland on a Christmas tree, the gourmet way is now the trend in our food obsessed culture. 

So on Thursday, don't lop a bunch of your favorites on the plate with no rhyme or reason, instead think of your plate as your own personal masterpiece. You may have more than a few people at the table who will ask you for a bite from your own "plating" Picasso.

Death Row Dinner

If I was to face the firing squad tomorrow, I would have no problem choosing my final meal.

Without question, it would be my very own spaghetti and meatballs. Nothing spells lovin like a heaping plate of awesome. Growing up, my mom's recipe was a sure thing to bring us all home, together at the table for mom's spaghetti and meatballs. I have since perfected the recipe and now they all come home for my brand of spaghetti love. It's the kind of dinner that everybody is dreaming about all day. I could never share the recipe here. Sorry, but then I'd have to kill you-as this treasured concoction has been handed down from mother to daughter and will continue from mother to daughter. It's a sacred bond.

Electric chair tomorrow? What would be your choice?

Burger Bonanza

Ever have a juicy, delectable burger that you find yourself craving the next day?  I have found the ultimate burger that has been my go-to BBQ staple this summer. I served it recently to some friends who said, "best burger ever!" and that's not the first time I have served them. 

The story goes like this:

My mom and dad were at a Lowes dept store, picking up some home improvement stuff. My dad was perusing the magazines at the checkout line and he found this recipe. On the way home they decided 

to buy the ingredients and try them. The next day mom was on the phone raving about these burgers. About a week later, my dad copied the recipe and gave it to me, without me even asking. Since they were so highly recommended, I made them later that week and they did not disappoint. 

Just in time for the labor day BBQ, I present you with the best burger recipe EVER!

You can thank me later...

Beef Burgers with Blue Cheese and Caramelized Onions

You will need:

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 Medium yellow onions, chopped about 2 cups

1 1/2  Lb. ground beef (preferably 85% Lean)

1 Tbs. chopped fresh Tarragon

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce (preferably Lea & Perrins)

4 oz. blue cheese crumbled (about 1cup)

4 Brioche or challah rolls, split

Heat a gas grill to medium high or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire.

Melt the butter in a 12 inch skillet over medium low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until golden and soft; about 20 minutes; reduce the heat to low if the onions begin to brown too quickly. 

Meanwhile in a large bowl, thoroughly mix the beef, tarragon, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce with your hands. Form the mixture into four 1/2 inch thick patties.

Oil the grill grate. grill the burgers, covered, for 3 minutes. flip the burgers and top with the cheese. Cover and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a burger registers 130 degrees F for medium rare; about 4 minutes more or 145 degrees F for medium, about 6 minutes more. 

When the burgers are nearly done, toast the rolls cut side down on the grill until browned and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the burgers in the rolls, topped with the caramelized onions.

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/beef-burgers-with-blue-cheese-caramelized-onions.aspx

Hot Diggety Dog!

It's the second word in the old classic advertising campaign for American car maker Chevrolet,

"Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet."

Hot dogs are as American as all of those beloved things, and a summertime staple on everybody's grill. How you like your hot dog can be compared to how you like your coffee, right?  Mustard, onions, ketchup (must be Heinz) and relish are the classics, but there is a new wave of foodies that are challenging and old American classic. 

Celebrity Chef Rachel Ray showed us how to dress up the hot diggedy dog in new and exciting ways on GMA this morning! She prepared 7-Layer Hot Dogs with such ease, and set my stomach churning and yearning for this delightful  take on-what?- designer hot dogs?

Rachel Ray's 7-Layer Hot Dogs

Ingredients

1 cup canned spicy vegetarian refried beans

Half palmful ground cumin

4 Jumbo hot dogs (butterflied open only if crisping on griddle)

(Cooking Spray, if crisping)

4 good quality hot dog buns

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

1 cup corn chips, such as Fritos, lightly crushed

1 cup crema

Guacamole

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

Salt

2 avocados

1 large jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped

Small handful of cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1 large or 2 medium cloves garlic, pasted or grated

Pico de Gallo

2 to 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno chile, minced

A couple tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1 lime, zested and juiced

Salt and pepper

Cooking Directions

For the Guacamole

In a medium bowl, douse the onion with the citrus juices. Salt liberally and let stand 10 minutes. Scoop the avocado flesh into the bowl. Add the jalapeño, cilantro, and garlic and mash with a fork until fairly smooth. Adjust the salt.

For the Pico de Gallo

In a small bowl, add the plum tomatoes, onion, chile,cilantro, lime juice and zest and season with salt andpepper.

For the Hot Dogs

Place a medium pot of water over high heat and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low, add hot dogs and cook until heated through. This will only take a few minutes. If crisping the dogs, place a griddle or skillet over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add the hot dogs cut side down first to the pan and cook until crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn over and crisp the other side for another minute.

To assemble:

Slather some refried beans on the inside of the bun and add a sprinkling of the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses. Place a hot dog in the bun and top with some crushed fritos, guacamole, pico de gallo and dot with crema.

Holy guacamole! I know what's for dinner tonight. Rachel the great, also served up several other options for creating a hot dog smorgasbord. Check these out:

Seattle Dog

Spread the hot dog with cream cheese, then top it with grilled onions and sliced jalapenos.

Pastrami Reuben Dog

Wrap the hot dog in pastrami, layer on a slice of Swiss cheese, melt. Top with sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing.

In a Pickle Dog

Top the hot dog with pickle relish, cucumber wedges and dill pickle wedges. Sprinkle with celery salt.

Pimento Cheese Dog

Spread the hot dog with store-bought pimento cheese, then sprinkle with crushed buttery crackers, such as Ritz.

It looks and sounds soooo fun! I'm serving 7 layer and Pastrami Ruben Dogs tonite!

I'll let you know how they come out...

Baby, It's Cold Outside.

Nothing says lovin like a heapin, hot bowl of chili. I love all kinds of chili, as long as it's got a kick to it, and when the weather gets cold and icy, there's no better time for some hot lovin.

I'm always trying new kinds of chili, too. I just got a new recipe for chili that looks easy, but the recipe makes 16 gallons of chili, and I'm not sure I could feed that many people in my house. I'll keep you posted on how that one turns out.

While I love a good beef chili, the past few years have seen me coming back to my new favorite recipe, and it's not the chili of my dreams. Nope, its a vegetarian chili that is every bit as rib stickin', tummy satisfying as it's older brother, and it comes from Emeril Lagasse.

I stumbled upon the recipe a couple of years ago when I had been served a delightful bowl of veggie chili that had me yearning for more. I think I googled vegetarian chili recipe and his was the first to come up. A Food Network 5 out of 5 stars recipe, it's tattered and stained print out has been my go to chili for the past few years because it never disappoints.

Do your tummy a favor and give it some warm lovin. Cuz Baby it's cold outside...

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon taste
• 1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
• 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean and cubed
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespooon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 3 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable stock, or water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Cooked brown rice, accompaniment
• Sour cream or strained plain yogurt, garnish
• Diced avocado, garnish
• Essence, recipe follows, garnish
• Chopped green onions, garnish

Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.

To serve, place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with Essence and green onions and serve.

Barbara Lynch, You Did Your Girl Julia Proud!

"I was 32 when I started cooking. Up until then, I just ate." Julia Child

So I gotta tell you what I did last night, cuz it was one of the coolest things I've done in a while. As you may know, yesterday was what would have been the famous TV chef Julia Child's 100th birthday. It was a pretty big deal, especially around here where she lived for many years. Google even spelled out their name in "Julia-esque" fashion yesterday.

My BFF, had emailed myself and another girlfriend a few weeks back and had shared with us this email:

Join Chef Barbara Lynch and her team on Wednesday, August 15th - what would have been Julia's 100th birthday - for an entertaining and delicious tribute to America's first lady of cooking during national Julia Child Restaurant Week.    As part of the national JC100, a 100 day celebration of Julia and her incredible legacy of culinary teachings, Menton will be among 100 restaurants across the country to participate in Julia Child Restaurant Week by presenting recipes from the JC100 (100 of Julia's most cherished recipes that were handpicked from the 3417 in her cookbook canon by a jury of culinary luminaries including Judith Jones, Dorie Greenspan, Amanda Hesser, Thomas Keller, Danny Meyer, Jacques Pepin, Ruth Reichl, and Anne Willan). The festive fête will commence with passed hors d'oeuvres and then continue with a seated dinner. Guests will be arranged at communal tables to encourage the sharing of stories and laughter, while enjoying a four course menu with wine pairings. The four-course menu will feature recipes from the JC100 selected by Menton's chefs, along with a few Julia-inspired surprises.

So I said, "Hell yes!" and the three of us made a plan. Last night we arrived at 6:30 and were immediately welcomed into the gorgeous Menton restaurant by a well dressed man carrying a tray of rose champagne! Oh, yeah! I couldn't have been happier. We then proceeded into an open reception filled with glamorous guests. Passed hors d'oeuvres like tiny pancakes topped with salmon mousse and cheese puffs, were plentiful and the rose champagne flowed freely. I noticed on  one of the high top bar tables, a jar filled with Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.? I thought they seemed a bit out of place amongst such opulence, but I figured that there must have been a reason. 

My suspicions were confirmed when Chef and Menton owner Barbara Lynch approached us at the reception and spent 15 minutes chatting with us like she had known us forever. Barbara, a South Boston native, and a Boston "Celebrity" chef could not have been more humble or interesting. She chatted with us about food, Boston and a wee bit about Julia and she shared with us that Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers were Julia Child's favorite snack!

After a few too many rose Champagnes, in beautiful glasses, we retired to the main dining room for dinner. We shared a table with two couples who's wives were both celebrating their birthday's and more wine, a 2011 Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose in Magnum was served along with tiny, scrumptious, croissants. We toasted, and chatted and made small talk with our new and gregarious table guests and the first course was served; Heirloom Tomato Provencal, with Sourdough, Herbs de Provence and Anchovy. Did I see black tomato's? It was outstanding. 

Did I mention that the wine was flowing? I hardly doubt that a moment went by that my glass was not tended to nor my questions answered with such passion and knowledge. Barbara Lynch stood up and spoke and told of how she met the famous Julia and a bit about some of their first dealings. It was fascinating to hear first hand, about the kind of woman Julia Child was and it was quite evident that Barbara and the staff had put a lot of time and care into making this event a memorable one. 

It was then on to a new glass and a  2007 Chateau Simone Palette Blanc and a mini baguette of bread. After a short video of Julia clumsily, yet matter of factually showing the viewer how to cut and clean several large fish, the second course was served: Bourride; Monkfish with Saffron, Camarones. Light, yet full bodied and utterly delightful. At this point, I was enjoying myself so much, I could have retired home at that point a happy girl. 

The rest of the evening flowed smoothly like the next wine, that was served in a triple over sized red wine glass, a 2006 Chateau Simone Palette Rouge, that was dreamy. The Saddle of Lamb, served with Ratatouille, l'Anglaise and Rillette is pictured above. At this point I had begun to drink just as much water as wine, which was very smart, and just when I thought I couldn't eat another bite they blew me away. 

"Cooking is like love; it should be entered into with abandon or not at all." Julia Child. 

Barbara came out to speak of her last trip with Julia, when she was ill, yet still full of life, and she asked her what would she like to eat. A ninety something Julia Child responded, "I think I would like In-and-Out Burger". She shared with us those last memorable moments with a culinary icon and her joy for good life and good food was almost palpable. She ignited the final course, a Baked Alaska, for all of us and we stood and sang "Happy Birthday" to Julia. 

The final dessert wine was served, a 2007 Chateau Soucherie Coteaux du Layon et Chaume, and the Baked Alaska was plated and served with Brown Butter Rum and a fig jam. 

I could hardly help myself. It was the most scrumptious dessert I have ever had the honor of being served and the same goes for the evening I had just experienced. 

To the staff at Menton and to Barbara Lynch: Outstanding,...Bravo on a job well done. Somewhere in heaven I know Julia is smiling. 

Fried Green Dreams

I had a dream about Fried Green Tomatoes last night.

Bizarre? Yes, I'm aware of the absurdity, but it still happened.

I think it was stuck in my subconscious because I was reading an article in one of my food magazines last week about Fried Green Tomato sandwiches. I was thinking about the fact that even though I have never had a fried green tomato, I crave them.

This is what I know about Fried Green Tomatoes:

• It was one of my favorite movies. It stars Mary Louise Parker and Mary Stuart Masterson, Kathy Bates and the late, great Jessica Tandy. It's one of those movies that when it comes on I have to stop what I'm doing and watch it. It was the first time I had ever heard of Fried Green Tomatoes and I have been curious about them ever since. 

• They are a southern thing. Who the hell came up with this recipe? Leave it to the Southerners to fry up a tomato that's not ripe and make it  delectable. I know only Frick and I would try them in my family, but I think I will make them sometime soon. I bet they are just as good cold as they are warm, too. 

So in honor of my fried green dreams, I searched the internet for a good recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes and came up with this one from AllRecipes.com:

Best Fried Green Tomatoes (how could I go wrong?)

Ingredients

• 4 large green tomatoes
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick. Discard the ends.
2. Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs and salt and pepper on another plate. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat.
3. In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes, they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain them on paper towels.

Ode To Fried Clams

Fried clams, you make my knees go weak.
You manage to ruin my perfect diet streak.

Your presence is like kryptonite.
Why even bother to put up a fight?

Sitting in Cape Cod, you are all I see,
Your golden goodness grabs hold of me.

Oh how you look and taste!
Of your numerous deliciousness, I could never waste.

You bring on the summer joy,
And leave me giddy like a wee, small boy.

Was it worth it? Yes! Although it won't be pretty.
Cuz what comes next is kinda shi*ty...

Happy Weekend Bloggers! Go out and get your fried clam on!

The Silence Is Deafening

It was one hell of a week, and I feel like I have been on vacation forever. Not that that's a bad thing, but it's slowly back to the drawing board today.

How was your week bloggers?

A few observations:

• Ray Allen signing with the Miami Heat for 3 million LESS than what the Celtics offered was like a knife going straight through my heart. I feel terrible and every time he hits that crucial outside shot wearing a Heat uniform I will feel the pain of that deal.

• Being back is great but being away is better. Food tastes better when you are away. Your clothes somehow look better and the time spent with family doesn't get any better when you are all away from your own surroundings. Believe it or not there was no drama! There were even a few miracles. How about that?

• A true sign of summer here in Boston; Adam Sandler and his crew have been out and about filming the movie, "Grown Ups 2", The always gracious Sandler poses with local kids for pictures and his crew and cast bring Hollywood  $$$ to the city. Last year they filmed this years, "That's My Boy" in our own sleepy little Cape Cod town. I have yet to see it. Anyone out there see it yet? 

• Frack comes home tomorrow night from Africa!! I can't wait to see his little face.Nuf said.

• The weather? I can't say enough. It has been glorious and summer in New England is truly a beautiful thing. Years ago, I met an old woman on the beach. She was sitting next to me and we struck up a conversation. She was fascinating. We talked about a lot of topics, kids, family, life, literature and world events. I really enjoyed talking to her. I told her I was divorced and I summarized my awful divorce for her, but told her that I was lucky to have found someone new to love.(this was before I got married) When we had packed up to leave, she left a note on the windshield of my car thanking me for the lovely conversation and she left me with something I never forgot. She wrote. "A life without love is like a year without summer." I often think of her when I am sitting at the beach. 

• Why is it that a hot dog tastes better at a hot summertime BBQ than any other place in the world? Well, it maybe better in Fenway Park, but that's in the summer too! A hot dog with mustard is quite possibly the summer's most perfect food. That, and some juicy watermelon. Then there's a S'more on a beach fire under the starry sky. Ahh, these glorious days of summer are truly a joy.

• Today, being the first day back to normal after a week, will be great. I still have that vacation glow and life's little problems won't seem so bad. I can't say the same for tomorrow, but for now I still have today. 

Killing Me Softly

So I'm watching Rachel Ray the other morning while working out, and it just so happens that the entire show dedicated to burgers...

Ok? I'm there sweating it out, trying to attain a summer lean and she's cooking up burgers that would make a dead zombie salivate. It was like a bitter sweet nirvana. Now, everybody in The Daily Dandy household loves burgers but nobody more than My Guy. I would have to say that a juicy, delectable burger is his most favorite go to food in the world. He like them plain, too. Nothing except ketchup. Me? The more toppings, the better.

This book is not for the slight of heart. One look at the cover burger reveals Ray's  natural zest for hearty eating. The text book size cookbook contains over 200 recipes including: Sloppy Chipotle Joe's, Bloody Mary Cheeseburgers, Portebello Burgers, French Onion Burgers, Boeuf Bourguignon Burgers and my personal favorite, Brooklyn Beer Chili Sliders. There are also other recipes done Rachel's way for fries, ketchup and interesting toppings.

I wonder what Wimpy would say about "The Book of Burger" if he were alive today? Would he gladly pay you on Tuesday if he could buy the book today?

I'm not sure about Wimpy, I think he'd probably rather have the burger, but I'm thinking it's the perfect Father's Day Gift for My Guy. That way I can add it to my cookbook collection pronto!

I Love Me A Nice, Big SANG-a-wich..

I'm loving the changes I've made my in diet, because it keeps me fit and helps me to stay on track and stay in my jeans. Being sugar-free isn't easy, but I've come to get used to the foods I can and can't eat. I get to eat whatever want (EXCEPT sugar) two meals a week, and I usually end up splurging on dinner foods. One of the things I miss is having a sandwich. I miss the good old, wholesome yumminess of having a big old sandwich.

I was watching Rachel Ray's show yesterday and I learned that April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Really? Who decides this stuff? Anyway, this just served to get my sandwich mojo flowing and I decided that tonight would be National Grilled Cheese Night in The Daily Dandy household.

Rachel had a "Grilled Cheese Sammie Smackdown" and she made 3 types of delectable, yummy, gooey grilled cheese goodness. Today I'm sharing the recipe for the one that lit my taste buds ablaze and made me get all giddy with the anticipation of a Grilled Cheese dinner night!

Grilled Deviled Ham and Cheese

Ingredients

• For the Deviled Ham:
• 1/2 pound prosciutto cotto, coarsely chopped
• 1 small rib celery from heart, coarsely chopped
• 1 Fresno chili pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley tops, a small handful
• 1 large clove garlic, grated or pasted
• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard, such as French’s
• 2 round tablespoons pickle relish
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, such as Lea and Perrin’s
• Black pepper
• 
  
• Good quality salted butter, melted
• 8 hand-sliced slices good quality white bread, cut 1/2-inch thick
• 8 deli slices Swiss cheese, such as Jarlesberg
• 8 deli slices yellow cheddar cheese

Preparation

For the deviled ham, pulse-process ingredients in food processor into almost-smooth, very finely chopped spread.

Liberally brush 1 side of 8 slices of bread for 4 sandwiches with the melted butter. 

Build sandwiches: bread with the butter side facing down, 2 slices Swiss cheese, some deviled ham, 2 slices cheddar cheese, and another slice of bread with the buttered side out.

Grill sandwiches over medium heat on nonstick griddle pan until cheese is melted and they’re deeply golden.

All 3 of Rachel Ray's Grilled Cheese recipes can be found HERE.  

And I'm just warning you...you may be thinking about you favorite "sang-a -wich" all day long.

Three Words Wednesday

Cut. It. Out.

Now visit my poll on the sidebar, then give me your three words.

I Was Just Thinking....

Is it just me or did Beyoncé have the shortest pregnancy in the history of the universe? I mean, didn't she like, just announce her pregnancy at the VMA awards? I think that was in September and if she was three months pregnant at the time, that would make her eight months pregnant now. Is there some super expensive, Fast Lane, Fast Pass sort of VIP baby delivery ticket that you can buy that the general public doesn't know about? Cause I'm thinking thats how Beyoncé delivered a baby on Saturday. And in record time. (no pun intended) I read this morning that they rented out an entire floor in the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York with a price tag of $1.4 million for the delivery. Evidently this is how the rich and famous give birth these days.


It's a My Tommy, Tim Tebow match up for Saturday and are you ready for some football? I feel good about this one and I think it's going to be a great game. I might be a little worried, though. Even though Tommy and the Pats handled Tim and the Broncos with no problem on week 15, and I think they will again on Saturday, I think Tim Tebow is Jesus's homeboy. I'm just sayin, the kid's got momentum and the good Lord on his side. That can't hurt when you're playing football. I still predict that the Patriots will prevail because I believe in My Tommy.

I discovered this weekend that I'm a hard-core foodie. I love to read about food. I love to cook food. I love to eat food. My favorite magazines are Rachel Ray Every Day and the Food Network Magazine. I spent several hours organizing my magazines, compiling new recipes and reading new recipes on Sunday. I don't throw out my food magazines, I file them away by month and year so that I can refer back to them when I need to. Doesn't this sound slightly obsessive? The fact that I start every day thinking about what's for dinner may be an indication of how important food is in my life.

I also discovered this weekend that I'm going blind as a bat. (are bats really blind?) I find myself wearing of my reading glasses more and more frequently. Take for example that while I was going through all of my recipes and magazines I was wearing my reading glasses. When I took them off I found it harder and harder to focus on any type of print in front of me, i.e: my cell phone. It's like going from regular TV to HD. It wasn't that long ago that I used to brag about how great my eyesight was, but just this year that all changed and quickly. Dang, getting old sucks. Oh well, if you know anything about me, you know that I now have 6000 stylish pairs of reading glasses and that I turned being "vision challenged" into a fashion triumph. The Candy Bar is a proud distributor of Eyebobs.


I have some exciting new goals for 2012, some of which will be announced right here, on The Daily Dandy. So stay tuned, you hear?

Today I'm Channeling Sofia Vergara

And it's not why you think.

I just finished up, literally,(cuz I was too lazy to do it last night) cooking a Latin inspired dish for Frack's theatre company to enjoy tonite at their upcoming high school's show rehearsal. It's a spicy, sumptuous, salsa inspired dish that is always a crowd favorite. I've been making this dish for years, and as the recipe in the book, "America's Best Loved Community Recipes" says:

"Marcie Benne and her friends often have small dinner parties and pot lucks, and Marie usually brings her specialty, Enchiladas Con Pollo. She tells us that this is a dish she can serve confidently. "They will always be delicious."

I am living proof that true to her word, they always are! Today I decided to share this little gem with you, so that you can unleash your inner Sofia Vergara too.

Enchiladas Con Pollo from "America's Best Loved Community Recipes"


This is the finished product for tonite

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese (8 ounces)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (10 ounces)

1/3 cup chopped tomatoes

1/3 chopped black olives

1/4 cup chopped green chili peppers

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 16 ounce jars taco sauce or salsa (3 1/2 cups)

10 6 to 7 inch flour or corn tortillas

Chopped black olives (optional)

Chopped tomatoes (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 3 quart rectangular baking dish.

2. In a large bowl , stir together 1 cup of the cheese, the chicken, tomatoes, olives, chili peppers and onion. Add 1 cup of the taco sauce or salsa and mix well.

3.Place the remaining taco sauce in a shallow dish.(like a pie plate) Dip the tortillas in the sauce, one at a time, covering each side with salsa.

4. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up, on a cutting board, and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. (this will be very messy but keep going) Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas.

5. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the enchiladas and return to the oven, about 3 minutes. Garnish with chopped olives and chopped tomato, if desired. Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.

Spice up your life and enjoy!

Crack Cakes

So I attended a FAB event last night that served gourmet appetizers and finger foods. It was a girly girl, fashion benefit and auction for the Ellie Fund, a wonderful charitable organization that supports women with breast cancer and their families. It was a beautiful and fun event and all the ladies that attended had a fantastic time buying raffle tickets and bidding on gorgeous fashions for a great cause. Among all the gorgeous tables decorated with brie cheeses, chutney, clove spreads, hummus and vegetables were the most beautiful displays of cupcakes.

Cupcakes dressed in the pink and white breast cancer ribbons with white frosting and a small red carnation on top.

There were vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes and carrot cupcakes and they were amazing! Almost every woman at the event either had a cupcake while at the event or could be seen taking home one or two cupcakes on a plate. While I abstained from eating the gorgeous confections, it got me to thinking about cupcakes and why we are reduced to a kid in a candy store window at the sight of a gorgeous one. I spotted on woman sitting away from all of the activity of the night, quietly enjoying her cupcake in peace. The look of enjoyment was evident in her quiet smile and contented gaze.... And I was across the room.

Yet I can't blame her. What is it about cupcakes that make us happy? Crack cakes, as they are referred to in The Daily Dandy household, are the dessert of choice any time the subject is brought up. I even bought a fancy, super duper cupcake container to house and keep fresh 3 dozen cupcakes at once. Creative artists can turn a single cupcake into a masterful object of everyone's desire and of course, they have become so trendy with cupcake bakery's popping up all over.The idea behind one small cake giving so much sensory pleasure and without too much guilt can be comforting,

Now if they could find a formula to remove all calories I think cupcakes could be petitioned as one of the four basic food groups.