Mind Your Mushy Peas and Qs

Mushy peas are a decidedly British side dish - a must with fish and chips. And it seems to be one of the green veg offered at most London food establishments. I had mine at the aptly named Mad Hatter Pub. Our waiter was a bit nutty and had carrot orange spiky hair and every time he approached the table you didn't know what was going to happen. The recipe that follows is courtesy of  Jamie Oliver, who I respect immensely for not only his take on British cuisine, but also for his campaign to get healthier food into American kids. He takes a short cut however and uses frozen peas, while traditional recipes call for marrow root peas (mmmm, don't they sound scrumptious?) that must be soaked overnight. Either way, it's like really tasty, gourmet baby food. All that I'm saying is, give mushy peas a chance.

Now, maybe I've been living under a rock (even I prefer on the rocks), but I was always under the (false) impression that "Mind your p's and q's" was all about good manners. Wrong. Imagine my surprise to find this common admonition (unlike most that derive from horse racing - "by a nose", "photo finish", "neck and neck") is actually an English drinking reference. And I quote: 'Mind your pints and quarts. This is suggested as deriving from the practice of chalking up a tally of drinks in English pubs (on the slate). Publicans had to make sure to mark up the quart drinks as distinct from the pint drinks.' You know, so after drinking like a lout, they knew how must your bill totaled. Brilliant, truly brilliant, and so much more useful than "mind the gap".

The Recipe:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
1 handful fresh mint, leaves picked
1 pound (500 grams) frozen peas
2 large knobs butter (I have no idea how much this is, but it's my new favorite saying)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped onions, mint, and peas. Cover and leave for a few minutes to steam. Mash with a potato masher. You can do this with a food processor as well, just pulse it until smooth. Whether mashing or pulsing, when it's done add the butter and season very carefully, to taste.

Professor's M.I.Tea

Here's how this process usually works: usually I am inspired by some dish or recipe. Then I think of a clever (in my mind anyway) pop culture tie in. Then I cook it, photograph it and by Thursday or Friday of each week I begin to formulate a post in my head occasionally jotting down ideas or funny lines. By Sunday of each week I begin writing said post in paragraph form. By Monday I put the finishing touches on it and Tuesday do one last proof read before publishing. That's on a good week. Sometimes, however, I draw a complete blank. Completely uninspired and desperately grasping at straws. And then fate plays her hand, and a post like this one falls into my lap...

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with the death of Russell Johnson (who played the Professor) this week I was forced to Return to Gilligan's Island ( the cookbook, that is). And, what better than the Professor's own breakfast drink of champions? The recipe calls for ice tea mix, lemonade mix, cinnamon, cloves and TANG. Yes, the quintessential 60's beverage. No longer available at my local grocery, I did find that I could've ordered it online but I didn't have time -  a man is man is dead here people. Luckily I had an orange powdered energy drink substitute in my pantry (don't ask). Turns out TANG (which was invented by the same guy who brought us Cool Whip and Pop Rocks) has actual health benefits, too, like caffeine and B vitamins. Who knew it was so good for you, other than the geniuses at NASA that it is? I guess it is rocket science after all.

So you are the smartest guy on a deserted isle with six other castaways and all you have are your wits, a transistor radio, an odd assortment of college text books (which most of us would take on a 3-hour Hawaiian cruise) and unlimited amount of coconut shells. How do you spend your time? Re-inventing the wheel for bicycle (aka Gilligan) powered "machinery" and eating bananas of course. The Professor was also the only one of the magnificent seven to have their own hut, but I can only surmise it was to give him alone time to invent ways not to get off the island. Far be it from me, however, to attempt to explain the inner workings of a brilliant mind. Theoretically, It wouldn't be a quantum leap to make the argument that both MacGyver and Survivor were Gilligan's Island spin offs. Just saying....

The Recipe:

1 cup TANG powder
1 cup instant tea
1 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 10-ounce package lemonade mix

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients. Store the mixture in a jar. To make beverage add 2 or 3 tsp to 1 cup boiling water. Makes about 68 servings - enough to last a lifetime or until rescued. 

Herbie Goes Bananas Bread

So I originally started making bread while visiting my much older sister. She was ahead of her time, with a rudimentary, non-electric bread maker that resembled a large golden bucket with a churn that aided in the kneading and rising of the dough. Doing macrame and making bread in 1970s San Francisco was her thing and she can be credited for turning me to Beard on Bread, James beards bread bible as it were and a lifelong love of carbohydrates. And being 12, for my first foray I selected to make banana bread - left to my sisters devices it more assuredly would have been zucchini. Anyway,  fast forward blank number of years and I'm still making it, from Beatd's original recipe. Moist and flavorful, but not overpowered by the bananas - and for the record I'm not nuts - that is say I never add them.

The Herbie movie and TV franchise, started in 1968 with feature film The Love Bug and went on to Go Bananas, Ride Again and Go to Monte Carlo all before winding up as an ill fated 1982 TV show starring Bill Bixby (so sad to see Mister Eddie's father go wrong). Truly  movies made for the drive-in, never has so much been made with so little (a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle that is). By the way, Lindsay Lohan and her spate of blasphemous Disney classic remakes will not be discussed here, ever. Enough said. Anyway, with Dean Jones in the driver's seat (although, Herbie didn't always need him) and Michele Lee (who went on to star in the absolutely most fab show ever - Knots Landing) riding shotgun and some Buddy Hackett for good measure, Herbie, wearing number 53 and living the dream as a race car, was the little engine that could.

The Recipe:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (2 large or 3 medium), I like my bananas green, so a great use for the nasty ones

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (purely optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lavishly butter a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.

Cream the butter and gradually add the sugar. Mix well. Add the eggs and mashed bananas and blend thoroughly.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Combine the milk and lemon juice, which will curdle a bit. Slowly and alternately fold in the flour mixture and milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (sing to yourself "some dry, some wet, some dry some wet to the tune of "Sunrise, Sunset". Blend well after each addition. Stir in the nuts. Again, at your own risk.

Pour batter into the pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the bread springs back when lightly touched in the center.

A Close Shave Ice

Shave Ice: It's not a snow cone. A decidedly Hawaiian treat, consisting of mounds of shaved (not crushed) ice firmly packed in a cup and loaded with tropical  flavors like mango, pineapple, guava and the more mundane like cherry and blue raspberry. Eaten with a spoon, not sipped or gnawed at like an ice cream cone. The ice has the texture of feathers and melts in your mouth like candy floss. And shave ice stands are as ubiquitous as plate lunch joints in Hawaii. Commercial machines are quite expensive, but we did manage to purchase a home model quite reasonably last summer. It of course doesn't have the blades or the power really needed to do the job, but it's a nice substitute between trips to the islands. A-Lo-ha.

Wallace and Gromit, a decidedly British comedy duo from the hands and imagination of Nick Park. A man and his dog ( who clearly the brains of the operation) who enjoy afternoon tea, cheese and crackers and of course zany inventions (like the Knit-O-Matic). After their cheese holiday to the moon, our stop motion claymation friends find themselves unwittingly embroiled in a sheep/wool smuggling scheme headed by the evil robot dog of Wallace's love interest and wool shop owner, Wendolene. Gromit gets framed for the caper and is sentenced to life, leading to one of the funniest dog prison film sequences ever. He does manage an early release and vindication for being a model prisoner, and being the brains of the pair, exposes the real criminal. A Close Shave won the 1996 Academy Award for Animated Film. It's crackin' good.

The Recipe:

Kids, don't try this at home. Get the first plane to Oahu.

But, if that's not an option, get your hands on a home machine. It's best to start from a block of ice, never cubed. Mound and pack the shavings to the size of a softball in a cup. Add fruity flavors and enjoy.

Yuletide Pepper Salad

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....

Do Ahead Holiday Breakfast Casserole

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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One Way at a Time Cincinnati Chili

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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