Do Ahead Holiday Casserole

This little gem of a recipe came from the Detroit Free Press many moons ago. It was billed as a quick and convenient Christmas morning breakfast - I think because of the red and green peppers - and it sure has lived up to it's name. Although, I must admit that I make it all year long as it is a perfect addition to any brunch. Sometimes in summer months I only add red pepper (as it is my favorite of the pepper variety) to tone down the holidayness of the dish. Nevertheless, the bread, sausage, egg, cheese and pepper mixture does make for a savory casserole. And, as the title suggests, you make it all the eve before, refrigerate, and pop it in the oven the next morning and as quick as Santa comes down your chimney, you have breakfast waiting once all of the presents have been opened. Now, if you are one of those families who open gifts the night before, I cannot help you. I suggest experimenting with different kinds of hearty bread, as they make the best base. And have yourself a merry little Christmas casserole now.

Christmas In July, a recently popular phenomenon. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for Christmas (at least the music) anytime of the year. No, I suspect that it has something to do with the mass commercialization of the holiday, it's all run by a big eastern syndicate, you know. From the Detroit Tigers to Hershey Park to Cartoon Network we just can't seem to get away from the six month-aversary - I just don't know if we are celebrating that it's been six months, or that there are only six months left to shop. But this little ditty should help get you into the holiday spirit....

The Recipe:

1 pound bulk pork sausage
1/2 green pepper (seeded and coarsely chopped)
1/2 red pepper (same)
6 slices of bread (about 4 cups cubed)
6 eggs
1 1/2 c milk (I use 2%)
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste (but don't taste it with raw egg, that'll make you sick and ruin Christmas)

In a large non-stick skillet, crumble the sausage and cook over med-high heat for 3 minutes. Add peppers and cook until sausage is no longer pink. If pan contains grease (is the word), pour mixture into a colander and drain well, Set aside. Coat a 8 x 11 casserole with non-stick spray and layer bread cubes in bottom of dish. Sprinkle sausage mixture evenly over bread. In a bowl, whisk eggs and milk until well combined. Pour egg mixture over the sausage. Using a fork, press the sausage and bread into the milk/egg mixture until all of the bread is moist. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake uncovered 45 minutes, until lightly brown and eggs have cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Remember, it's the thought that counts.

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Primanti (Blues) Brothers (Band) Sandwich

This post must come with a warning: If you are not an uber fan of The Blues Brothers movie, little of this will make sense. You will still find it mildly amusing, but you may feel like it's dark out and you are wearing sunglasses....

We were on a mission from the food god. Unlikely as it seems when one finds themselves on a road trip from Michigan through Ohio to Western New York and criss-crossing Pennsylvania in search of roadside attractions (like the big coffee pot and the the ice cream stand that is actually a giant sundae), historic amusement parks (Kennywood and Hershey) and the world's largest and only elephant museum, Mr Ed's (where they roast their own nuts). But yet, amongst the kitsch, we had some very good eats - soup dumplings at the only Chinese restaurant in Pittsburgh to serve them (see With Three You Get Soup Dumplings), authentic Mexican, killer Italian, diner food to die for (see Grilled Cheese, American Style) and yes, the piece de resistance - sandwiches at Primanti Brothers. Okay, this is a weird Western Pennsylvania thing, but they put french fries IN everything, even salads. Yes, I said salads, like with lettuce and tomato. Primanti, almost famous since 1933, started as a food cart catering to truckers in Pittsburgh's Strip (warehouse) district who needed an easy meat and potato lunch on the go. Their most famous menu item is the Pitts-burger, a grilled rectangle sirloin patty with provolone which is placed between two slices of thick Italian bread. In between the patty and bread is very thin vinegary cole slaw, tomato and of course a load of fries. One bite, and it kind of falls apart, and then you spend the rest of the meal trying to get the sandwich back together. And, bring cash - the Primanti brothers don't take checks or cards.

1980's The Blues Brothers, directed by John Landis and starring Dan Akroyd and John Belushi is truly a classic. In a nutshell, Jake and Ellwood Blues (eating a steady diet of four whole fried chickens- no fries- and a coke and dry white toast, respectively) are on a "mission from god" to raise $5,000 to save their beloved orphanage from the Cook County tax man. They decide to get "the band" back together (the sign should read :The Good 'Ol Boys Blues Brothers Band) and take to the road (definitely lower Wacker Drive). That over simplification is akin to saying that Pee Wee's Big Adventure is about a guy who lost his bike, but that's the premise - it's the road they take and the people that they meet (the aforementioned Paul Reubens, Carrie Fisher, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, representatives from the Illinois Law Enforcement Community, Bob of Bob's Country Bunker, Illinois Nazis, etc) that make this the best rhythm and blues revue ever. And, if you happen upon Ladies Night at the Palace Ballroom Theater, then you are even more in luck, because everybody needs somebody, you, me, them, everybody.


The Recipe:

Two slices of Italian bread, sliced thick (not toasted)
1/4 pound sirloin beef patty (shaped like a rectangle
Provolone cheese
Sliced tomato
Angel hair cole slaw (see below)
Load of hand cut, cooked french fries

For the Slaw:

1 head green cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded (it is possible to purchase Angel Hair slaw)
3 tblsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tblsp vegetable oil
Pinch of sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Toss the shredded cabbage with the vinegar and oil. Add remaining ingredients and toss again. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the Pitts-burger:

Grill the beef, melting the cheese on top. Place on one slice of bread. Take a handful of fries and place on top. Add a handful of slaw and place sliced tomato on top. Place top piece of bread, press down and slice. Open wide, serves 1.

If this all seems too much to do yourself and you want to taste the original in Pittsburgh, watch the speed limit, the police are likely to have SCMODS, but not disco pants and hair cuts.

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Grilled Cheese, American Style (2)

Reposting in honor of a revisit to the Lincoln Diner today, setting right what once went wrong - sat in the actual diner thanks to Pennsylvania's new no smoking law. Great grilled cheese.

 Maven, connoisseur, aficionado - all terms that could be used to describe me when it comes to best sandwich ever, the grilled cheese. If I were to request a last meal (which I recently read is being eliminated from some prisons due to cost cutting) I would have a grilled cheese sandwich. I have travelled far and wide in search of the best, and believe to have found it in Red Hook, New York at the Village "Half-Way" Diner. First, let me say that the visit there was part of a week long road trip of diners from Michigan, through Pennsylvania and into New York and back, so a lot of sandwiches were consumed. Along the way, we stopped at Doc's Little Gem Diner, which was anything but, in Syracuse. The Chief Martindale Diner in Craryville, New York, the West Taghkanic Diner (guess where it is?), which had a very decent grilled cheese. The Cooperstown Diner, which was just a little brick building across from the Baseball Hall of Fame that looked like it had been there since time began. The Lincoln Diner, in Gettyburg, Pennsylvania which was most unfortunate because they had added on to the original "diner" and that is where the non-smokers were seated. I guess the smokers have less time on our earth and deserve a better view. I was pregnant at the time, so sadly we couldn't grin and bare it to enjoy the diner kitsch. Good food was had at all (except Doc's, which was also in such a bad neighborhood we weren't sure our vintage sports car would be in the parking lot when we returned). But heaven on earth was found in Red Hook. Apparently, the diner has had several incarnations, thus leading to it's quirky name. It is now known as the Historic Village Diner, but the building actually says "Half-Way Diner" on the side, it's previous name. We ate there more than once to partake not only in the grilled cheese (on the east coast they make them with white American cheese, which has a slightly higher fat content - thus the luscious creaminess of each savory bite). They also serve real carved turkey and the hot turkey sandwich is what dreams are made of. Back on earth, here in Michigan, my fav is Don's of Traverse City, original location or the one in Novi (which at least looks like a diner). Mmmmmm.

Truer than the red, white and blue. Love, American Style - one of those shows I am sure my parents, had they been home or sober, would never have let me watch. But, oh how I loved it - even though I barely got the entendres, let alone the double entendres. Behind the back drop of the groovy theme song and giant heart and fireworks, the show was basically made up of a series of vignettes highlighting the hip, swinging '70s culture in the good old U.S. of A. Most were about sex, as it now turns out - little did I know. Others were about relationships in general and family, like the Happy Days pilot that Gary Marshall could not sell to a network, but aired on L, A.S. It was about the Cunningham family and their first television set and featured Harold Gould (aka Rhoda's father) as Mr. Cunningham. It was such a hit, ABC finally bought the series. But most of the vignettes were titled in the same manner: "Love and the (fill in the blank)" and ran the gamut from nudist colonies, to birth control to marriage and divorce. It also highlighted some of the best character actors of the day (ie, Joey Heatherton, Wally Cox and Schecky Greene), as well very young, yet to be stars like Harrison Ford. The show, in many ways, was like a precursor to "The Love Boat" both for it's "racy" story lines and as a vehicle for has-been actors. But, we know the Love Boat was "exciting and new" so the comparisons must end there. Love. American Style... that's me and you.

The Recipe:

Good sliced bread, some cheese (try it with the white American - you'll thank me), a fat source, and a hot griddle (yes, don't do it in a pan). You do the math.

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In The Summertime Pasta Salad

Originally posted on August 28, 2012. This is my favorite pasta salad. Try it, you'll like it.

A true test of my mettle as a cook and a hostess. Having been out of town for four days and the cupboards bare, a phone call - from a friend for lunch. In 30 minutes. Tired of eating out, the intrepid hostess suggests the friend come over. She accepts. Now the only question is what to make? First lucky discovery - a block of feta cheese in the fridge. Good start. To the pantry, where pasta choices always abound and a box of tri-color rotini is discovered (the recipe calls for farfalle, but desperate times call for desperate measures). Good, we have the makings of my stand-by pasta salad, but what about a veg? The freezer gives the gift of a bag of frozen broccoli florets courtesy of Trader Joes (yes, fresh is always a better choice, but when one has been on vacation....). Now we are cooking with gas, literally. A simple French vinaigrette (olive oil, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard) and voila - summertime pasta salad (oh, and a few garbanzo beans found in a container in the salad drawer thrown in for good measure and a bit of fiber). More good news from the freezer - half of a baguette (when warmed in the microwave it is quite yummy). All made in under 10 ten minutes once the water reached a boil. Whew!

Few songs embody a season the way 1970's Mungo Jerry's hit "In the Summertime" does. Now mind you, I am a big Sly and the Family Stone "Hot time in the Summertime" fan, but a listen to Mungo Jerry just makes me feel good. Ironically, this song was written in just 10 minutes, the same time it takes to make my pasta salad. So, you decide - yummy pasta salad or a seasonal ditty. Take a listen while you make up you mind.

The Recipe: (for a perfect world when there is time to plan and shop)

1 pound broccoli, trimmed to bite sized florets
1 pound tri-color bow tie pasta (technically any pasta will do, but their is definitely better flavor with the tri-color)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dry basil (if you have it)
1/2 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Crumbled feta cheese to taste

Cook pasta. Drop broccoli into boiling water and cook just until it turns bright green (1 to minutes). Drain pasta and broccoli, rinsing with cold water and drain well again. Combine oil, vinegar, mustard and basil. In a large bowl, add pasta and dressing and mix well. Add beans, mix gently. Add feta and mix again.
Serve immediately if guests are about to arrive, or chill until you need it.

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Dean Martin Roast-ed Cherry Tomatoes

This is one of my summertime favorites, although I'm not sure why since it involves a 425 degree oven, which is not a good mix on a hot summer day. Nevertheless, I ripped this recipe from the New York Times food section many years ago. I think it was in the "Minimalist" column - as it only involves five ingredients and it very basic in preparation. It specifies cherry tomatoes, although this time I bought "mini pearl" grape tomatoes (which sounds like fodder for another post), but really any smallish tomatoes will do. They are halved, drizzled with olive oil, bread crumbs and Romano cheese (although I use Parmesan 9 times out 10) and roasted in said hot oven for 20 minutes. When done, cooked penne and a little pasta water is added to the dish (and it makes a lovely sizzle), stir the pot  (a nice little sauce is created) and serve. Likely intended as a pasta course, we eat it as a main. You know what they say - if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitsch-en.

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast was a 1974 off-shoot of the Dean Martin Show, which was lagging in the ratings and needed a boost. For ten years at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Martin, with friends like Don Rickles, Joey Bishop and Dan Rowan skewered the rich and famous the likes of which included Truman Capote, George Washington (posthumorusly), Ralph Nader, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hubert Humphrey and Mr T (I pity the poor fool who makes fun of him). Anyway, not being a believer that many a truth is said in jest, it seems being the "Man (or Woman) of the Hour" was quite an honor. I mean who doesn't like being judged and severly burned by a jury of their peers? Now packaged and sold a a DVD set, it is one of the best selling home videos of all time - proof once and for all that what happens in Vegas, does NOT stay in Vegas.


The Recipe:

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved (or Minnie Pearl, but remove price tag first)
1/3 c olive oil, plus 2 to 3 tblsp for tossing
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 c freshly grated Romano cheese
1/4 c bread crumbs
1/2 pound penne pasta

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line the bottom of a casserole dish with tomatoes in a single layer, halved side up. Pour oil on top, season  with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top. Bake until tomatoes have wilted, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. When tomatoes are just about done, add penne to water and cook until al dente. Scoop (Brady) and reserve a cup of pasta water. Drain and add to casserole. Place over medium heat and fold tomatoes and pasta together, adding olive oil to coat, If dry, add a little reserved pasta water. Serve, passing more grated cheese (politely) at the table.  Serves 4 as a first course, 2 as a Primi. Now that's amore.

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