Chicken Muenster

You call it Parmesan, I call it Muenster. Chicken Parmesan is the most popular and most misleading of all Italian foods. I challenge any of you to find even a trace of Parmesan cheese in yours served in your favorite trattoria - no, mozzarella is the common go-to. And, it used to be my cheese of choice until I saw an episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate and someone picked a restaurant in New York that used muenster on their parmigiana. Intrigued, I tried it. It was supremely better. The muenster gives it a creamier, richer flavor. Now I wouldn't be caught dead using mozzarella on my Parmesan. Why the lie? I've no clue. But chicken with cheese by any other name wouldn't be as savory.

Created by the folks that brought us Leave it to Beaver, and undone by the popularity, color and camp of Batman, The Munsters ran from 1964-66 on CBS.Hard to believe that the show only lasted two seasons and 70 episodes (seems like a lot more in re-runs). I'm sure the concept of a wholesome working class family that resembled monster movie stars from the 1930s seemed like a sure thing. Starring Fred Gwynne as our head of household Herman and Yvonne Di Carlo as his enchanting Lily, visits to 1313 Mockingbird Lane always felt like everyday was Halloween. Rounding out the cast was Al Lewis as Grampa (who went on to own a trendy Italian restaurant in NYC in the late 80s that sadly lacked the vision or copyright to serve Chicken Munster), Butch Patrick as ghoulish son Eddie, and poor homely cousin Marilyn (played by two different actresses who must both have gotten bored out of her gourd while the rest of the cast spent hours on end in hair and make-up). Oh, and who could forget family pet Spot, the dragon under the stairs? One thing is for certain, the theme song is among the best in the biz...

The Recipe:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed and pounded to 1/4 in thick
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
4-6 slices muenster cheese
1/2 cup oil of choice
tomato sauce, warmed


Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Dredge the chicken in the flour (shaking off the excess), the egg and then the bread crumbs. Heat the oil in a 12 in saute pan over medium-high (or just hold over Spot's flame). Add the chicken and fry, turning once, until golden on both sides and cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towel and drain. Remove the towels and top each piece of chicken with sauce and cheese. Bake the chicken until the cheese is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Serve with pasta and more sauce. Serves 4.

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The Ghost and Mr Chicken Pot Pie

I am republishing my very first post in honor of the occasion that yesterday was the second anniversary of this blog. I am probably not the only person surprised that it has lasted this long. Funny thing, when I originally wrote this, I titled it simply "Chicken Pot Pie" - even though I was using the Don Knotts tie in, I was afraid to be too goofy or out there. Boy, how times have changed! I think I hit my stride with Who Jell-O Shot JR and have been off to the races ever since. A very big thank you to my readers from the US to Russia to China , Australia and the Ukraine and lots of countries in between, without whom I would not be nearing the 3000 page view mark. 

Chicken pot pie is a staple at our house. This recipe was originally cut out of the Detroit Free Press 15 or 20 years ago and was based on the pot pie they used to make at the Hudson's Department Store restaurant. As any Detroiter  knows, Hudson's has been gone for many years, and has had three incarnations since then (Dayton's, Marshall Fields and now Macy's) so I have no idea if they still make it. But I do, at least once a month, or whenever we have rotisserie chicken, the next day with the leftovers. This recipe just has a top crust. I use the Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets. I have tried other puff pastry, including Trader Joe's, but have found the PF to be the best. You will also need four individual casserole dishes (1-2 cup capacity). Mine are Pyrex and are so old, I don't even know where they came from, but I suspect they were the result of a late-night Home Shopping Club purchase in the 1980's.

I call this the "Ghost and Mr. Chicken" pot pie in honor of the unsung actor of his generation - Don (or should I say Donald?) Knotts. A true comic genius, and not just for his work on the Andy Griffith Show and the aforementioned film, but also let's not forget The Reluctant Astronaut, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, all of the Apple Dumpling Gang movies, The Shakiest Gun in the West and the pinnacle of his career (at least for me) Scooby Doo. Just hearing Scooby say "Don Knotts" makes me chuckle. Now, some of you are like "hey, what about Three's Company?" and I will say that once Norman Fell was gone, I no longer watched that show. But, for you Mr. Furley fans, this one's for you too.

The Recipe::

1 sheet frozen puff pastry. thawed
3 tbs butter (or margarine - I go back and forth)
1/4 c flour
2 c chicken broth (fat free works great)
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked
1/2 c frozen peas and carrots, thawed
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

In a medium skillet, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute, whisking. Add the broth, whisking until smooth. Heat to a boil and cook until thickened (about 2 minutes). Season with salt and pepper, add the chicken and the peas and carrots. Divide evenly among the casseroles. Cut the pastry sheet into quarters, make 2 one-inch slits in each piece, and place on top of each casserole. Bake for 20 or until pastry is puffed and golden (like the Oscar statue that Don Knotts never received).

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Pork and Mindy

One of my all-time favorite simple summer dinners is grilled butterfly pork chops and asparagus. Yep, nothing tastes better than the other white meat and some fresh asparagus. I just throw the chops on the grill, and after tossing the green stalks with olive oil and salt, place them on the top rack on some foil and let them cook. When the meat is done, so is the veg. Like, I said, simple perfection. But only Michigan asparagus. Grown on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan in places like Hart (the asparagus capital of Michigan and home to the Asparagus Festival where a queen is crowned annually) and Shelby, Empire and Acme. Yes, Michigan asparagus is the finest you'll find, but it is in peril. Allow me to get on my soap box (or in this case, my vegetable crate) for a moment and warn of the dangers of the US anti-drug policy in Peru and how it is killing domestic asparagus. You see, our government is paying farmers in Peru to grow asparagus instead of heroin, and then floods the US market with the fruits (or vegetables) of their subsidized labor. Say Yes to Pure Michigan asparagus and leave the rest.

Perhaps the most bizarre TV spin-off ever was 1978s Mork and Mindy from of all shows, Happy Days. And that was BEFORE they jumped the shark. I know. Set in Boulder, Colorado, an innocent alien, Mork from Ork (Robin Williams) lands in the lap of Mindy (Pam Dawber). (As an aside, I never cared for Pam Dawber, even though she is a Michigan native, mostly because she's married to hunky Mark Harmon and in 1978 I wanted to marry Mark Harmon). Anyhow, Mork and Mindy become friends and his quirky behavior and rainbow suspenders seem to fit right in. And it's the 70s, so no one seems to question the fact that they are living together in a Three's Company kind of way.With catch phrases like Na-Nu, Na-Nu and Shazbot, the series altered the everyday vernacular of American society. Whoa, that was a little deep for show that eventually had our two protagonists marry and bare a child played by Jonathan Winters. Yeah, talk about shark jumping. This is Mork from Ork signing off.

The Recipe:

Boneless Butterfly Pork Chops, split
Asparagus (Michigan made preferably, in case your weren't paying attention)
Salt, to taste
Olive oil, to taste

Pre-heat  a gas grill on high for 10 minutes. Line the top rack with foil. Pat dry chops and salt them. Cut off ends of asparagus stalks and place in a wide, shallow bowl. Sprinkle with salt, drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands. When is grill is heated, turn down to medium heat. Place chops directly over heat and asparagus on foil. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, turning once after 10 minutes. Kay-o.

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Hold the Phone, Chuck (Roast)

I've only made a roast once before in my life, and that was during "Cooking With Alice" (see New House Pot Roast). It's not that I don't like it, but it's what my mother made what seemed to be every Sunday as I was growing up (when she wasn't making her other speciality - reservations) and I just remember it being kind of dry and having to use lots of ketchup. This recipe intrigued me 1.Because I got to use my retro chic crock pot (aka slow cooker; see Courthouse Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce)  and  2. Because of the gravy.I do love me some good gravy. A chuck roast, beef broth, wine, herbs) I used rosemary as I didn't have the thyme).carrots, onion and a lot of time.  Speaking of time, it took nine hours - here's a million dollar idea - someone should really invent a fast slow cooker.

Night Shift, the 1982 comedy classic starring Michael Keaton (before he was Batman),  Shelly Long (pre- Diane Chambers), Henry Winkler ( after he was The Fonz) and directed by Ron Howard(after he was Richie Cunningham and before3 he was Bald) all capped off with a theme song by Quarterflash. What more could you want? That's an all star tv cast for a motion picture theatrical release movie that is never shown on TV, and you can't even buy the DVD for a dollar. Oh, and did I mention some of the best movie lines ever? A burned out  Wall Street banker looking to rest in peace, Chuck (Winkler) and a total goofus nephew of the boss, Bill (Keaton) end up on the night shift  in the city morgue. Needless to say, Chuck's reception to Bill is a bit chilly. Bill is an "idea man" who carries around a tape recorder so he can remember his brilliant visions. With notions like feeding tuna mayonnaise ( you know to speed up the tuna fish process)  leads to the best lines like "call Starkist" and when staid Chuck stops the fast talking Bill in his tracks, his exuberant nature leads him to utter "hold the phone, Chuck". Of course,  all of the bickering and conflict lead them to start a prostitution ring to liven up the night. Sounds like a risky business proposition, I know.Comedy ensues and the two polar opposites end up as bosom buddies.

The Recipe:

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 boneless chuck roast, trimmed, seasoned with salt and pepper (3-4 lbs)
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups sliced onions
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 in pieces
3 large celery ribs, cut into 2 in pieces
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high. Sear roast on all sides, 10 minutes total. Transfer roast to slow cooker. Stir flour into saute pan, cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute more. Deglaze pan with wine, cooking until liquid evaporates. Stir in broth and Worcestershire, bring to a simmer, scrapping up any brown bits. Transfer broth mixture to the slow cooker, add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaved (be sure not to leave anything out). Cover and cook until meat is tender, on high heat setting for 4-5 hours (you know, the "fast" setting if you are in a hurry) or on low for 8-9 hours. Discard thyme and bay leaves before serving. Serves 6-8.

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Dark and Stormy Bar Trek

My question Mark doesn't stop to ask why, he just knows that he has never met a duty free shop he didn't like. And, having the ability to make a Dark and Stormy at home in Michigan was just too tempting as we departed from Bermuda. The dark and Stormy is indeed the national drink of the idyllic tropical isle, although I must admit I prefer the Rum Swizzle, but more about that in a minute. The essential ingredient is Gosling's Bermudan Black Seal Rum - and although on our three visits I have never seen a seal, let alone a black one, who am I to judge? Second, a good ginger beer - if you can find Gosling's, all the better, but Reed's or Barritts will work just fine. The dilemma with Bermuda and it's fine drinks is the mode of transportation - motor scooter. Driving on the left-hand side of the road, at night. So, after a trip to our favorite bar - The Swizzle Inn (home of the Rum Swizzle cocktail)  - where the motto is "Swizzle In, Swagger Out" - it is a bit dicey finding one's way back to the hotel. My advice, do try this at home.

Stark Trek, my least favorite show ever to grace the glowing living room tube. Ever. But alas, I must admit it is part of American pop culture. Captain Kirk, with the very sensible Mr Spock as his side kick, and crew boldly went where no television show had gone before (and I wish I could say since, this generation has been tortured by The Next Generation, now Voyager, too Deep Space Nine and a failed Enterprise). William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, blah, blah. They had trouble with tribbles, I know, And fans, excuse me, Trekkies. from around the globe still proudly attend Comic Con jamborees and speak Klingon to one another. Freaks.
All I can say is "damn it, Jim Beam me up, Scotty."

The Recipe:

2oz Gosling's Black Seal Rum
8oz ginger beer
ice, ice, baby

Pour rum over ice, add ginger beer, stir. Lime if you have them. Serves 1. Don't drink and warp drive.

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