O Say Can You See Food

So I was intrigued on a recent trip to my local mega thrifty acred grocery store at the over abundance of food (well, sugar laden desserts really) with patriotic themes. Now, I am no stranger to the Red White and Blue flag Jell-O, as I own my own mold and make it nearly every July 4tth. I think my reputation for boiling water and stirring is firmly established. I was, however, surprised to see that we can now make our summertime s'mores with colored star marshmallows. And, if you are not so inclined to boil water or roast on an open flame, you can purchase an eagle made up entirely of cupcakes. The confluence for our love of country and dessert may be why we are the biggest, I mean most powerful nation on earth. God Bless America.

Star Spangled Girl, a 1971 romantic comedy, based on a Neil Simon play, starring none other than America's sweetheart, Sandy Duncan. Set in radical 1960s San Francisco, Duncan plays Amy, a country rube all-American girl Olympic swimming champion, who arrives to train for a big meet and stumbles into the lives of two near do well underground newspaper men, Andy and Norman. Norman immediately falls for Amy, because of her smell and hilarity ensues. However, Amy doesn't love Norman. She loves Andy, because of his scent. He doesn't return her affections until she leaves to go back home and he realizes that her odor has permeated his life and apartment. The opening credits song is "Girl" by Monkee Davy Jones (which was also featured in a Brady Bunch episode to boost publicity for the song and film). Funny, no one ever smelled Oscar for this red, white and blue classic.

The Recipe: ( for flag Jell-O)

1 qt (4 cups) boiling water

2 pkg (4 serving size each) or 1 pkg (8 serving size) berry blue gelatin

2 pkg or 1 pkg any red gelatin

3 cups ice cold water

1 pkg (4 serving size) lemon gelatin

1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed

Blueberries and tiny marshmallows for garnish, if desired

Special Equipment: Jell-O Flag Mold (may need to travel to LeRoy, NY)

Add 1 1/2 cups boiling water to blue gelatin in a medium bowl; stir at least 2 minutes until gelatin is dissolved. Dissolve red in 1 1/2 cups boiling water in separate bowl. Stir 1 1/2 cups ice cold water into dissolved gelatin in each bowl. Spray 10 cup flag mold with no stick spray (this is very important, as getting the flag to neatly separate from the mold is quite tricky and often spells disaster); place on cookie sheet. Pour red into mold. refrigerate 45 minutes until set but not firm. Meanwhile, refrigerate blue in bowl for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, stir remaining 1 cup boiling water into lemon in bowl at least 2 minutes, until dissolved. Refrigerate 25 minutes or until slightly thickened (consistency of unbeaten egg whites), stirring occasionally. Stir in cool whip with wire whisk. Gently spread over red in mold. Refrigerate 10 minutes or until set but not firm. Gently spoon thickened blue over lemon mixture in mold. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight until firm. Unfurl, I mean unmold and serve.

Cheers to The Daisy Cocktail

I was thinking it was about cocktail time in my kitsch-en. Every year my very special group of friends who I trained with to be a docent at the DIA get together for a little reunion party, usually at the studio of Jerrie Sasson, who amongst many other accomplishments is a fabulous artist.This year was no exception, and Jerrie always asks Mark to be the mixologist. He revels in creating, reinventing, and or renaming a cocktail in honor of the event. This year, it was decided we would feature The Daisy (which for the evening we renamed The Jerrie in honor of our hostess with the most-ess). The Daisy, in one incarnation or another, has been around since the turn of the last, last century. Rum, Bourbon, and Brandy are all daisy varieties. We went with rum. One rule, never to be broken, is that it is always served over ice with a seasonal fruit garnish. I suggest you let the spirit move you, because it's always five o' clock somewhere.

Cheers (filmed in front of a live studio audience) was a sitcom set in Boston (but not filmed in front of a live Boston studio audience). Sam and Diane, will they or won't they? Yes, and then no and then Shelly Long leaves for "greener" pastures. Enter Rebecca, which I frankly never quite figured out (but I'm a bigger Parker Stevenson fan than a Kirstie Alley fan, no pun intended). Coach and then Woody (Dumb and Dumber foreshadowing perhaps?). Carla hates Cliff. Frasier loves Lilith then doesn't and moves to Seattle. NORM! The great cross-town rivalry with Gary's Old Town Tavern. An NBC juggernaut from 1982-1993. Wouldn't it be nice to get away? It is always nice go where people are all the same, you know, where everybody knows your name.


The Recipe:

2 oz light rum (or whatever moves you)
1/2 oz grenadine
1oz lime juice
1/2 tsp sugar (unless using pre-sweetened grenadine & lime, then forget the extra sugar)
ice
fresh fruit garnish


Special equipment: drink swords

Add rum, grenadine, lime juice and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and pour into an ice-filled tumbler. Garnish with fresh fruit (on little swords). Umbrellas optional. Makes one Daisy. To make a whole pitcher, repeat six times.

SLAW & ORDER

"In the blogosphere, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the eaters who investigate food and the cooks who prosecute the recipes. These are their stories."

By any other name Asian Broccoli Slaw would still taste as sweet. This is literally my go-to party pot luck and everyday side dish. I originally got the recipe from my sister Judy (yes, Judy; not one of the usual suspects, I know) , but she used regular shredded cabbage cole slaw mix. And I did too for years, until by good fortune and happenstance, Trader Joe's starting carrying shredded broccoli slaw mix. Ah Ha! An idea was born, and as it turns out, this is the only way the Julia child will consume broccoli - so a two-fer. The variation on the them is that sometimes, depending on the occasion and availability in my fridge, I will add marinated grilled chicken as well. I actually feel as if I'm phoning it in if I do, and damned when I don't make and take this with me - everyone is so happy to see and so disappointed (as if I have committed a crime) if I bring something else. I guess some people don't mind the same show, I mean recipe, over and over and over again.

LAW & ORDER, the longest running drama in American television history - 20 years on the air (only The Simpsons and Gunsmoke come close, and that is odd but good company). Who knew that NBC's answer to ABC's NYPD Blue would become such a TV phenom? Cleverly scripting each "ripped from the headlines" plot to first show the crime and the arrest by the police (that's the law) and then shifting to the district attorneys who prosecute the offenses (that's the order) for the trial and sentencing. So popular, the series spawned many spin-offs: LAW & ORDER: SVU, LAW & ORDER: Criminal Intent, LAW & ORDER: The College Years. And who can forget the dramatic sound effects, tying the whole show together? (Play the video)

The Recipe:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (optional)
1/2 cup soy ginger marinade (only if you are opting the chicken)
14 - 16 oz pkg broccoli slaw mix (Trader's Joe's brand preferred)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Ramen Noodle, Oriental Flavor (who says "oriental" anymore anyway? Sooo politically incorrect)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tblsp white vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

If going for the chicken, marinate in soy ginger for 45 minutes. Grill chicken and allow to cool before chopping. In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients (sugar, vinegar, oil, pepper and flavor packet from Ramen Noodles) until well mixed. In a large bowl, mix chicken, broccoli, almonds, and crumbled Ramen Noodles. Add dressing and toss (not throw out, mix well).

It's A Good Thing Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin

So here's a good little recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. I was a subscriber from the beginning, in 2003, when, if you prepaid, you got a nifty apron as a gift. Sadly, the Reader's Digest-sized mag has ceased publication, but I still wear the apron with pride.It also had a PBS companion cooking show, that before Rachel Ray, encouraged home cooks that they actually could.  I used to just follow my BFF Anne's simple pork tenderloin recipe, which is marinating the meat in Italian dressing for a few hours and throwing it on the grill. I still like that, and during the summer months it is my go-to meal. But, the rest of the time, six simple ingredients: pork tenderloin, salt and pepper, olive oil, apricot jam and brown mustard do nicely.. The only dilemma is that the broiler always sets off (which is really on) the smoke alarm. You know what they say,  where's there's smoke, there's dinner.

Why is Martha Stewart a dirty word? I personally am pleased to be likened with a domestic goddess icon and wear the comparison as a badge of honor (but only if it was handcrafted by me while baking a cake from scratch). Business mogul, publisher, life style diva who has truly proven her ability to survive whatever is thrown her way, Even selling goods at JCPenney, K Mart and going to jail can't bring her down. What doesn't destroy her only makes her stronger. As a demonstration of her fortitude, when life gave her lemons (or in her case, an unjust prison sentence), she made lemonade (or, in her case, hand knit ponchos for her fellow inmates). That's class, that's style, and that is a good thing.

The Recipe:

2 pork tenderloins (about 12 ounces each), trimmed of fat

1 tablespoon olive oil

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 jar (10 to 12 ounces) apricot jam ( about 1 cup)

1/4 cup spicy brown mustard (I use Trader Joe's Dijon - it has just the right amount of kick)

Remove smoke alarm from wall/ceiling; remove battery. Heat broiler; set rack 4 inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Rub pork with oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together jam and mustard. Cook over medium heat until jam melts, 3 to 4 minutes; remove from heat. Transfer half to a small bowl for brushing. Cover pan to keep remaining sauce warm. Remove pork from broiler; brush with reserved(yet, spicy) sauce. Continue broiling until pork is blackened in spots and registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer; 5 to 10 minutes more. Cover pork loosely with foil; let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Serve drizzled with warm sauce. Serves 4.