Originally posted in Cooking With Alice, this has become a holiday classic....
Here's one that I really wasn't looking forward to, just reading the recipe it sounded bad, even though the ingredients each on their own appeal to me. But together, not so much. White rice, sliced red and green peppers and a vinaigrette of Dijon, oil and white wine vinegar, tossed together. I used the rest of the box of converted rice, as my pantry is beginning to be quite full of half used "specialty" items, sort of like the ghosts of recipes past. Alice allowed for it to be served cold or at room temp, I opted for cold, like my revenge. I also went out on a limb and tossed in the rest of the artichoke hearts I had leftover from last night, a nice touch if I do say so myself. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....
Episode Note: "The Voice of Christmas" [I will admit that this was a "lost" episode as far I am concerned. I swear I had never seen it growing up, and six months ago if you had asked me if there was a Christmas episode I would have vehemently said no, and possibly bet money or some other tangible item in defense of my position.] It's Christmastime, and there is a flurry of activity at the Brady residence, decorating the tree, shopping for presents, etc. The holiday is to culminate with a Christmas morning church service with Carol doing a solo of "O' Come Ye Faithful." But tragedy strikes when she comes down with laryngitis a few days before. All hope seems to be lost that she'll be able to sing and the kids feel as though Christmas is ruined. Little lisping Cindy decides to take matters into her own hands and pleads to the big man himself, the department store Santa, to restore her mother's voice. Mike tries to explain that might be beyond Santa's bailiwick, but Cindy disagrees, saying Santa can do anything. With the family so glum, and Carol bedridden, it is up to Alice to explain to the kids what Christmas is really all about. They rally, and so does Carol, Cindy's wish come true. In the end, they celebrate a very Brady Christmas morning at home, and Carol sings like an angel at church. I believe, I believe, it's silly but I believe....
Originally posted in July 2013 in honor of my second favorite yuletide holiday - Christmas in July. Enjoy.
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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The story of Cincinnati chili is really all-American, dream that is. Immigrants searching for a better life, settled in southern Ohio and concocted a spaghetti topping using spices (cocoa and cinnamon are they key) inspired by their homelands of Greece and Macedonia. And then they topped it with mounds of crap. Like I said, quintessentially American. The most famous Cincinnati chili franchise is Skyline, where you can have a 3-Way (spaghetti covered with chili and topped with a mound of shredded cheddar cheese, not romano), 4-Way (a 3-Way with onions or beans, or a 5-Way (a 3-Way with onions and beans). Now I know what you are thinking, but get your mind out of the gutter, this is family blog. At our house we like it one way and one way only: spaghetti and chili (which technically would be a 2-way), oh and oyster crackers for a salty crunch. And this recipe comes from an original Cincinnati kid, Kit Kitteridge:An American Girl (doll). Kit is a 10 year old girl living one day at a time through the Great Depression and of course has a cookbook full of meal stretching tips and table talker cards for easy dinner table conversation. Sweeter than regular chili, and a nice change from spaghetti bolanese.
One Day at a Time, CBS 1975-84. Here's the story of recently divorced mother, Ann Romano (Bonnie Franklin), and her two teenage daughters Julie and Barbara (Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli, respectively), who move to a an apartment in the big city (Indianapolis) to forge a new life. Ann's job at the PR firm Connor & Davenport constantly has her beating her head against the glass ceiling. As does the teenage angst at home, which required constant visits from the smarmy building super, Schneider (Pat Harrington). As with most Norman Lear sitcoms of the era, this show too reflected the ever evolving role of women in the 1970s, and featured some awesome bell-bottomed fashions to boot. Of course Barbara and Julie got older (and Phillips went to rehab) and the inevitable occurred: The Cousin Oliver Syndrome. The writers brought in the cute kid, Glen Scarpelli (a poor man's Scott Baio), to liven things up as Ann's stepson. The show did manage to eke out nine seasons, which is not too shabby for taking it one day at a time.
The Recipe:
2 pounds ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tblsp vinegar
2 tblsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp cayenne (optional, if you want to heat things up)
15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 pound spaghetti
Crumble beef into a large pot or dutch oven. With the heat on medium-high, stir and cook meat until it is brown. Drain the fat an return the meat to the pot on the stove. Add the onions, vinegar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and garlic powder and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and the cinnamon, allspice and cocoa. Bring to boil. Turn heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the pasta and drain. Serve the chili over a bed of the spaghetti any way you like it. Serves 6.
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A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, (you know, before the internet and a proliferation of cook books on every subject) I discovered this recipe for Pasta Rustica. Well really it was about 15 years ago, and it was embedded on a page of a Williams-Sonoma catalog. It is divine, and a great dish when you have a large group to feed, sort of an easy unlayered lasagna. Penne, chicken sausage, ricotta, mozzarella and tomatoes make for a casserole that at first bite you will think that you've died and gone to potluck heaven. (It's also really good cold the next day, just sayin).
As a follow up to his hit comedy The Jerk, Steve Martin decided it was time to take on a dramatic role in 1981's Pennies From Heaven. And, we all know well that turns out when a comic decides to go drama, just ask Jim Carey and Will Farrell. As an added bonus, Martin decided to make this a vehicle for he and his then girlfriend, Bernadette Peters. And, we all know that's a recipe for disaster, just ask Madonna and Sean Penn. Set in the grand style of MGM's musicals of the 1930's, Martin plays a down on his luck sheet music salesman who daydreams in big musical numbers and cheats on his wife. Nice. And who wouldn't cast Christopher Walken in a role where he sings and dances? But wait, there's more. There's even a blasphemous spliced in scene of Fred Astaire dancing cheek to cheek - who, had he been dead at the time of the film's release, would have turned over in his grave. Despite it's featured song "Yes, Yes", critics and audiences said No, No.
The Recipe:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes in puree, coarsely chopped (sometimes I just use puree, but that's just me)
Salt, to taste
1 1/4 cup ricotta cheese (I often use the low fat kind, but that's just me)
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmagiano-reggiano
1 pound penne pasta
In a large dutch oven over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Stir in herbs. Add tomatoes and puree and bring to a boil. Reduce heat heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-12 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x 13 baking dish. Cook pasta, Drain well. In a large bowl, toss pasta with sauce mixture, ricotta and mozzarella. Spread in baking dish and sprinkle with parmagiano. Bake until tip of pasta are crusty, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Feeds 6-8 as a main. Enjoy your Astaire way to heaven.
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