It’s a funny thing knowing that your electricity is about to go out. For me, it’s all about picking your last meal.
I didn’t realize how much I loved simple food until racing against the storm front that is creeping up the East Coast, I pulled salmon from my freezer and grits from my cupboard.
The meal had to be quick and easy. So I kept it simple with only four ingredients each for the salmon and grits.
Preheat oven to 325. Sprinkle Salmon evenly with Salt and Pepper. In a griddle pan, heat Olive Oil to medium high. Place salmon skin side up in the pan and sear 2 minutes. Repeat for 1 minute per side. Put on unlined cookie sheet and place in oven to cook through.
Pan Seared then baked Salmon (with a Parmesan Chicken back up just in case I got picky…)
Cheddar Grits
3 Cups Water
3/4 Cups Grits
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Slices Sharp Cheddar
In a sauce pan, ring Water to a boil and stir in Grits and Salt. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Stir frequently for 5 minutes. Roughly break up Cheddar Slices and stir into Grits.
Let Grits sit for 2 minutes and spoon onto a plate. Top with Salmon and enjoy by candlelight (since the real lights are about to go out anyway!)
There are plenty of ways to order a proper Philly Style Cheesesteak and more than a few variations on the original. Though I hail from Boston, home of the lesser-known Steak & Cheese, I have spent enough time living in and around Philadelphia to grasp the nuances of this traditional treat.
Here’s what I know: Cheesesteak (for the purist), Cheesesteak Wit (that’s wit Cheese Whiz for the unfamiliar diner), Chicken Cheesesteak (for the “health conscious”), Roast Pork Au Jus Sandwich (for the adventurer) Cheesesteak with Broccoli Rabe, Fried Onions and other various toppings (for the connaisseur).
It is a staple sandwich, but people find interesting ways to make it their own – - Lettuce, Pickles and Peanut Butter anyone? Here are some Philly Style fixin’s for those who want to recreate it at home.
Fried Onions
1 Lg Vidalia (sweet, white) Onion
1 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
2 cups Vegetable Oil (or enough for a deep fryer, if you have one)
Thinly slice the onion into strings (cut onion in half and place flat side down, then cut lengthwise across the whole onion). Cover Onion Strings with Buttermilk and refigerate for 30 minutes.
Mix Flour, Yellow Corn Meal, Salt, Pepper and Cayenne Pepper in a bowl or plastic bag. Strain, but do not rinse Onions and toss them with the Flour mixture until lightly and evenly coated.
In a deep saucepot or fryer, heat oil until it reaches about 375 degrees. Drop in Onion strings and gently stir until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel, add to Cheesesteak and serve.
Broccoli Rabe
1 bunch Broccoli Rabe
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add Broccoli and cook until just tender (about 3 minutes).Drain and cool.
In a large saute pan, Heat oil and add Garlic to soften. Stir until Garlic is golden brown. Toss in Broccoli, Salt and Black Pepper. Coat and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add to Cheesesteak and serve.
Peppers and Onions
1/2 Green Pepper
1/2 Red Pepper
1 medium Onion
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Course Ground Salt, to taste
Course Ground Pepper, to taste
Slice Peppers and Onions in to 1/4 inch pieces. Be careful to remove any seeds.
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Toss in Peppers and Onions. Season evenly with Salt and Pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until just soft. About 6-8 minutes.
With the rise of Cross Fit came the rise of the Paleo Diet and now healthy eating seems to be all about protein and veggies. Having taken one semester of Beginner’s Anthropology in school, I consider myself a professor of the Paleolithic Age. Actually, I slept through most of the class and until now…I thought they ate bark.
So, as a renegade student of Anthropology and an adult who hasn’t watched the Flintstones for quite some time, I quickly ran out of ways to pair Brontosaurus Burgers with Long Grass Salads. Alas, I had to move on to modern day proteins and actual lettuce.
Seafood and Salad…over it. Steak and Salad…over it. Chicken and Salad…way over it. Pork and Salad…is that even a thing?
Sliced Italian Sausage over Salad
I decided it was. So I created my first neo-paleo Italian Sausage Salad.
Preheat Oven to 375. Brush Italian Sausage with 1 tsp Olive Oil and place on shallow, aluminum-foil lined baking pan in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes turning occasionally.
Whisk 4 tsp Olive Oil with Lemon Juice, Sea Salt, Garlic and Pepper until mixed evenly. Place in refrigerator to chill.
Wash and roughly chop Red Leaf Lettuce. Toss with Sliced Sausage (1-inch thick), Red Onion and Salad Dressing.
Growing up in a household with southern roots, fried fish is one of those sacred recipes that is never to be touched. It has been, is and always will be made the same way as your great grandmother made it.
Luckily, I got my great grandmother’s fried fish, fried chicken, fried bread…fried everything recipes during a summer crash course in Littleton, NC. The thing with a town that small in rural North Carolina is, if you don’t cook, you don’t have anything to do.
So I cooked and I studied and I burnt myself and I laughed and I fished for my own Catfish in a creek. My previous experience with which amounted to the magnetic fishing game below.
Melissa & Doug’s Magnetic Fishing Game
I had a wooden rod, string, a safety pin and a cricket that my Great Grandma Dell had to hook because I was too squeamish. When we would return from our fishing trips (she caught about 20 and I hooked 4…maybe) I would take a tick bath and then get to work in the kitchen.
You would think that I am talking about some distant time between 1901 and 1955, but I am only 30! This was literally 1991 and 9-year old me learned to fry a catfish like a seasoned pro.
Today, most of our Catfish is farm-raised or aquacultured and has become one of the most sustainable and eco-friendly fish that we eat. Due to special programs that include free-flowing waters and diet regulation, these former bottom feeders have risen to the top of cleanliness and deliciousness in the past few years.
Southern Fried Catfish
So here’s to a good old recipe using the modern catfish!
Mix Cornmeal with Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Ground Pepper and Onion Powder. Sift on to a large plate and set aside. In a wide bowl, whisk together Dijon Mustard and Buttermilk.
With one hand (wet hand) dip Catfish Fillets in the Milk mixture and lay flat on the Cornmeal mixture. With the other hand (dry hand) dust top of fish with the dry mix until covered. Remove fillet and shake off all excess. Repeat with each fish fillet.
Heat large pan with 1/8 cup Olive Oil to medium high heat. Add 1 Tbsp Butter and lay two fillets in pan. Fry for minutes per side. Drain pan into hot oil safe container and repeat with remaining fillets.
Serve with over Rice Pilaf with diced and pan softened celery, peppers and onions. Top with Green Onion and garnish with Lemon Slices.
For Rice: Prepare Rice Pilaf using box directions and add sauteed Celery (small dice), Red Bell Peppers (small dice) and Yellow Onion (small dice)
For an additionalrecipe check out this video on How to Prepare Catfish Fillets:
As I have admitted to you before, I am a not so secretive hoarder of classic as well as unique cheeseburger experiences. What I may not have mentioned is that I am also very interested in the marriage of delicious and sometimes unexpected flavor combinations. I get this from my father…King of the Banana and Mayonnaise Sandwich.
While I don’t tend to get quite THAT carried away with my flavor profiles, I do love to bring two different cuisines together to create something bigger than the sum of the parts. Yes, I am still talking about food and yes, it deserves quite the dramatic introduction. The Fajita Burger is another gift from Chef Victor Orsini. Its like going out for Mexican and ordering a juicy cheeseburger or heading to a burger bistro and getting fajitas. In short, it’s delicious and the best of both worlds!
Season Smashed Burgers with Fajita Spice. Grill for approximately 4-5 minutes per side from frozen or 3-4 minutes per side from thawed, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Melt Cheese over Burger and place on Grilled Bun. Top with Peppers, Onions, Guacamole and Sour Cream to take the classic American Burger south of the border.
I crave burgers. I think its un-American not to indulge in the strong desire for a big, juicy, overly dressed burger at least once a month. Of course, I don’t suggest going to the drive-thru to get your fix. Mainly because the food is disgusting, filled with things you should never put in your body, and none of them can spell “through” correctly. The last part is a little off topic, but “thru” is a really annoying – - even unappetizing word.
When I get this craving for a burger, I rarely think – “You know what would really do the trick? A turkey burger.” That’s mainly because Turkey Burgers don’t usually have that guilty pleasure feeling that cravings are all about.
That changed forever when Chef Victor gave me his recipe for Aloha Turkey Burgers. Even the name sounded delicious and now I have a new, non-guilty pleasure! The recipe is below so you can say, “Aloha” to healthy cravings.
Aloha Turkey Burgers
1/4 Cup Lite Teriyaki Sauce
1 Can (8 oz) Pineapple Slices, drained and reserve 1/4 Cup Juice
Stir Teriyaki Sauce and Pineapple Juice in a small bowl until evenly mixed. Toss Red Onion, Tomato, Lemon Juice and Olive Oil.
Grill Turkey Burgers, brushing with Teriyaki mixture until cooked through (approximately 4-5 minutes per side). Place Pineapple Slices on grill and cook until lightly marked.
Assemble Burgers on Whole Grain Bun with your choice of Pineapple, Lettuce, Cheese, Onion and Tomato mixture.
Sometimes, even when you have all of the ingredients, you just can’t seem to recreate the meal that you loved at your favorite restaurant. I often feel that way about salads. They may seem simple, but the dressing on a salad is often more important than the salad toppings themselves and can vary so much from restaurant to restaurant and from bottle to bottle.
There is a restaurant called Aegean, near my hometown, that has the best Greek Salad ever (well, not including the ones in Greece probably). They top the salads with amazingly fresh seafood and actually sell their house dressing in amazing bottles that you can refill at the restaurant for just a few dollars.
Sadly, I no longer live there and its a long commute for a meal, so I decided to recreate the meal to the best of my ability. The first step was finding an equally masterful greek dressing. I tried a bunch…I even tried making my own, to no avail. Enter Gazebo Room – - a secret family recipe for the last 50 years. At least according to their site.
When I can’t make something on my own, I really like to find something that says Secret Family Recipe…or Family Tradition. That usually means grandmama had something to do with it and that usually means it will be delicious.
Brush Tilapia with Soy Sauce, Mayonnaise, Pepper and Garlic Powder. Toss Cucumber with Pepper, Lime, Garlic and Salt. Place both in the refrigerator and let marinate for 30 minutes.
Grill Tilapia for 5 minutes per side on aluminum foil or bake for 15-20 minutes at 350.
Toss Lettuce with Feta, Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Dressing. Top with Tilapia and serve.
Who cares about Spring Cleaning? Not this girl…I’m all about Spring Eating. That means getting fresh ingredients and combining them in interesting new ways. After all, isn’t the whole season about new beginnings?
Spring Eating is bright, light and colorful. I find that my healthiest meals have at least 3 colors (this one featured a few shades of green, red and white) to them and integrate fruit and vegetables with a lean protein. Cooking with color and lean protein is a great way to lighten your load right before beach season.
For a fancy cookout or luncheon this season, try Seafood Stuffed Avocado as a first course:
1 lb Shredded Crab and Lobster meat (you can also use one or the other)
2 Tbsp Flavored Mayo
1/2 medium Onion, diced
2 medium Avocado, peeled and halved
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1 medium Tomato, chopped
1 Cucumber, skinned and diced
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic
Mix Crab, Mayo and Onion. Cover and refrigerate.
Lightly season Avocado with Salt and Pepper. Grill flat side down until slightly warm with grill marks on the flesh of the avocado. Stuff each Avocado half with 1/4 of the Seafood Salad mixture. Arrange on plates with Diced Cucumber and Tomato.
Crab Stuffed Avocado with Tomato and Cucumber Salad
Whisk together Lemon, Olive Oil, Pepper, Salt and Garlic. Lightly pour dressing over stuffed avocado and cucumber/tomato salad. Serve Cold.
Le Hoagie Francaise: Salmon, Brie and Fresh Dill on French Baguette
I love France! I love the language, I love the atmosphere, I love the art, I love the music, I love the shopping. In short, j’aime la vie francaise! Most of all…I love the food!
Every meal in France is an event, even if you just go down to the corner cafe. The dishes are inspired from simple country cooking to fine dining in luxe restaurants. I was lucky to visit France while a close family friend was studying at the famed Le Cordon Bleu. I believe it was pastry week and I am certain it was a diet disaster! But as they say, “When in France…” or was that Rome?
Hmm, anyway to really immerse yourself in the French Cuisine, you don’t have to go all Julie and Julia cooking a million recipes in half a million days. You don’t even have to “Master the Art of French Cooking” (although it is my favorite cookbook). You just have to take simple, fresh ingredients that combine in bright and interesting ways to create excitement for your tastebuds.
As you may know, today is National French Bread Day. So, I figured I would take this opportunity to mesh my American heritage with a little French sensibility. Thus, I give you Le “Hoagie” Francaise…
Let’s face it, we are not going to give up our burgers. They are THE American Classic. They are better than baseball and apple pie. They are one of those deliciously consistent meals that you just know you will enjoy. If you want a burger…nothing else will really do. However, if the world wants to get serious about the whole health situation, we need to modify some of our favorites to make them healthy.
Luckily, there are a ton of ways to make burgers that taste great and satisfy cravings without padding some extra buns on your buns. You can use leaner meats like turkey or buffalo to make your burgers, but if only a classic juicy, beefy burger will do…cut the carbs by making a Naked Burger!
Season Ground Beef with Salt, Pepper and Worcestershire Sauce. Mix evenly and divide into four patties (or just get pre-made patties and add seasoning if you don’t feel like making them).
Grill over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side (or until desired “doneness”). If you don’t have a grill, you can pan sear over medium heat for 5 minutes per side or broil (high) for 8-10 minutes, flipping once. Top with Cheese as soon as you remove burgers from heat.
While burgers are cooking, season onions and tomatoes with salt and pepper. Saute until soft and slightly charred.
Wash and dry Lettuce and be careful to leave the lettuce leaves whole. Arrange burger and toppings on lettuce. Fold lettuce into a “pocket” and enjoy!
A full Monty Naked Burger and a modest Naked Burger
Memorial Day weekend is next week! Do you have your grill ready? 2 days ago
@ruthschrisHI The best steaks in the world, in the best place in the world?! Your restaurants must be a little slice of heaven! #happyfriday4 days ago
RT @hype413Inc: @RastelliDirect has added new products for spring including new cuts of pork, salmon & lobster tails. Discover more: https:… 5 days ago
It’s a funny thing knowing that your electricity is about to go out. For me, it’s all about picking your last meal.
