Frugal Floozie Friday - Gabriel's Cheesesteak Hoagies

When I first met Mary Catherine Smith, the fabulous host of "Brazilian Sol" on WEMU (Saturdays at 9 p.m.), she recommended Gabriel's Cheese Steak Hoagies as a great place to visit for my Frugal Floozie Friday column: good, honest food served for good, honest prices.

Well, it's taken awhile to get there, but Craig and I had lunch at Gabriel's recently and it definitely proved to be a tremendous value!

It's easy to stay within our mandatory $5 per person budget, with hearty sandwiches that are readily split. Costing just over $5 each, you can supplement your half with a bag of chips and a cookie to make a complete comfort food meal and still stay within our financial limits.

The menu is small, focusing on what the shop does well. You can order a cheesesteak hoagie, a steak hoagie, a Lunchmeat Special, or a ham and cheese sandwich. Prices range from $5.14-$5.54, with extras (cheese, mushrooms, peppers, or Provolone) costing anywhere from 20-69 cents to add on. A bag of chips will set you back a whopping 89 cents.

A small, quaint, tremendously friendly diner, Gabriel's is welcoming to everyone but vegetarians - there aren't any options for you beyond the Garden Salad for $3.49.

But carnivores can celebrate at Gabriel's for not much money!

Gabriel's Cheesesteak Hoagies
2585 East Michigan Avenue
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-483-5846
Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Mary's Fabulous Chicken and Fish

As with so many restaurants around town, I'd driven past Mary's Fabulous Chicken and Fish dozens of times, always thinking, "I need to try that place!" Not only does it bear my name, but how many times do I use superlatives like "fabulous"? Just as there is undoubtedly a drinking game that encourages a swig every time Guy Fieri says "Winner, winner, chicken dinner" on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," when I get my own show on the Food Network there will be a drinking game - sips of coffee only, though; I can't condone anything stronger - associated with my effusive adjectives.

But I digress ....

Jeremy and I went out to lunch on our first really truly Spring-y day recently, with no coats, sunglasses on, windows open. And as we drove past Mary's, we decided the time had come to try it.

The menu is fairly extensive, with many family-friendly dinner packages available. There are also frugal options that meet our mandatory $5 per person budget.

Jeremy ordered the cheesesteak hoagie, asking for no peppers (which he loathes), for $4.99. A foot-long sandwich, it was generously filled with meat and was a hearty lunch.

I ordered the two-piece chicken luncheon special, also for $4.99, which offered chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, cole slaw, and a roll. It was a good-sized lunch, with all the traditional fixin's.

Other options that come in under the $5 budget are a two-piece fish plate with fries for $4.99, a ten-piece order of chicken nuggets for $2.89, and a variety of chicken snacks - mix 'n' match wings, thighs, or breasts - ranging in price from $2.59-$3.95. You can even choose a large order of gizzards (which was selected for take-out as we ate) for $3.99.

There's a table to sit at; but the bulk of the business is clearly take-out, as four different orders were placed and filled as Jeremy and I sat and enjoyed our meal.

Mary's does make good chicken, and it's worth stopping by to get some.

Mary's Fabulous Chicken and Fish
3220 Packard
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
734-971-5703
CASH ONLY



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Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joe Sandwiches

I hadn't eaten Sloppy Joes for ages, until very recently. Remarkably, there was a bit of the filling left over - how'd that happen? That never happens!

But this time, it did.

Sure, I could've made one more of the same ol' same ol' ... but why? Why not spiff it up a bit, make it extra ooey, gooey, messy, and delicious?

And thus, the Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joe Sandwich!


Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joe Sandwich

2 slices sourdough bread
schmear of brown mustard, to taste
very thin slices of red onion, to taste
2 slices Pepper Jack cheese
2/3 cup leftover Sloppy Joe beef

Schmear butter on outsides of bread; lay butter-side down onto a plate. Schmear insides of bread with mustard, and top with cheese and onion.

Spread beef onto one piece of bread, then carefully top with the other piece to make the sandwich.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and grill the sandwich for several minutes per side until the outside is golden and the cheese has melted.

Makes 1 large sandwich.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Siam Cuisine

Siam Cuisine is today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature, where there are a variety of delicious treats available for less than our mandatory budget of $5 per person.

Craig and I enjoyed a really lovely lunch there recently, before heading off to an afternoon of holiday shopping. Rather than splitting a dish - though there are many that meet our criteria - we decided to sample an assortment of appetizers.

We shared each of these, except for the Tao-Hu Tod (pictured at left) - "deep-fried bean curd, served with sweet and sour chili peanuts sauce."  It cost a mere $3.50, and Craig loved it. The Chicken in Peanut Curry Sauce (at right), served with a dipping sauce as well, was wonderfully flavorful and tender; it was very, very good.

The beef salad pictured above was a generous serving for $5.25 - just over our individual budget - and enough to share with another appetizer for a light meal. Crisp, fresh vegetables topped with zesty, but not spicy, chili-sauced beef strips ... it was an excellent dish.

The Po Pia Tod - "Spring rolls stuffed with shredded chicken" - were crispy and not at all greasy. Overstuffed, like a comfy chair, they were a substantial starter. And at only $2.95 for two, the order can easily be split with a dining companion leaving room financially, and otherwise, for another option to round out your meal.

Our final choice was the Geaw Grob, which cost $3 for 6 large beautifully fried, crispy-on-the-outside and tender-on-the-inside shrimp. These were served with a cucumber chili peanut sauce for dipping, which was a perfect complement.

Siam Cuisine is at the front of the Braun Court strip of restaurants and small shops, in a warm and cozy house. Service is very friendly and welcoming, making customers feel very much at home.

So, for good food, good service, and good value, head over to Siam Cuisine for your next meal.

Siam Cuisine
313 Braun Court
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-663-4083



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Pita Pita

Jeremy and I ran several errands recently, and decided afterwards - frankly, even before we were done - that we were hungry. We decided to stop in at Pita Pita.

I hadn't gone in looking for a Frugal Floozie Friday feature; I was just looking for lunch. But as Jeremy and I perused the menu, it was clear we'd serendipitously found ourselves a place to post about!

Just as Jeremy will order a Reuben if he sees it on a menu (with one exception: he will never again order what he deems the worst Reuben he's ever eaten, which he'll readily rant about if you just ask him about it!), I will order fattoush if I find it. It's so simple - just vegetables, toasted pita bits, and a light dressing - but it's so, so good! The sumac that is integral to the vinaigrette is what makes it perfect, with just a hint of sourness. I ordered the small portion for $3.95, and you can see that it was an enormous plateful! That alone could have kept me happy, but this was just a portion of my meal.

For $4.95 - just under our mandatory $5 per person Frugal Floozie Friday budget - I also ordered the large Sujok sandwich, filled with spicy Lebanese sausage, tomatoes, garlic sauce, and pickles. There is another sandwich listed on the menu with this very same description, the Mecanik Sausage sandwich; but our waiter very nicely explained that the Sujok is less intense, so I thought I'd give it a try. Jeremy doesn't like very spicy food, and this would give him a chance to taste the dish, too.

Sandwiches are easily a foot long, and can readily be shared; if you split the fattoush and a sandwich with a dining companion, you've still come in under budget and feasted on a generous quantity of fabulous food for a stellar price. The sausage was very flavorful, not at all lost among all the other tastes. And while Jeremy raved about his own sandwich, he liked the sausage so much that he actually debated trading the remaining halves so that we could each have a portion of both delicious treats.

Jeremy had ordered the beef shawarma, filled with tender beef, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and Tahini sauce. It, too, was an ideal balance of tastes and textures, with no one flavor overpowering the others. It was exceptionally good.

I had to ask for a take-out box, as I couldn't finish both the fattoush and my sandwich. As a waitress brought this to me, she asked if we'd like any rice pudding. Oh, it sounded wonderful! But there was no more room at the inn for dessert. She explained, though, that there was simply a large quantity still left, and she was generously offering to give some to us.

Scented with rose water, sprinkled with cinnamon, and drizzled with honey, the rice pudding was creamy and fragrant and wonderful! I had brought it with my lunch the next day, and enjoyed it at my desk after just warming it up slightly in the microwave. At $2.50, this is another great option for a treat that costs very little while offering enormous satisfaction.

Pita Pita's menu features hummus and bana ghannuje that cost $3.95 for small servings; six different salads that come in at under $4 for small sizes; 20 different sandwiches that cost less than $5 for large portions; and an extensive vegetarian menu. There are many, many options that will allow you to eat well for very little money!


Pita Pita
2649 Washtenaw
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197
734-528-3333



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Beef Stroganoff - Progresso Recipe Starter

I received a very generous gift last week, that couldn't have come at a better time. Progresso has a new line of products, called Recipe Starters; they're prepared sauces which only need the addition of meat, vegetables, maybe a pinch of this or that ... et voilà! Dinner is served.

In the height of the final crush at work before the High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah, which just ended last night, and the upcoming Yom Kippur and Sukkot), I've worked long hours and 6-day weeks. Dinner has not exactly been a priority! Potato chips and blue cheese dip had become standard fare. Yeah, I know better; I have lots of fruits and vegetables on hand, I have a beloved crockpot ... it just wasn't happening.

So along came the big box of dinner assistance - yay!!! I sauteed, chopped just a bit, stirred, and sat down to a lovely hot dinner of Beef Stroganoff. Jeremy helped me to polish it off, and we both ate very well with minimal fuss.

I still love my chips 'n' dip, but a hearty, substantial meal was really, really nice ... :)


Our giveaway winner for tickets to Saturday night's CRUSH Birmingham, the fundraiser for The Children's Leukemia Foundation of Michigan, is Paul Kittle - Mazal Tov!!!


Check 'em out on AnnArbor.com:
Yesterday: Brown Sugar Baked Bananas
Today: Raspberry Coffee Cake


Beef Stroganoff à la Progresso

• 1-1/4 pounds ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 roasted garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 ounces small white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 18-ounce can Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Portabella Mushroom Cooking Sauce
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• generous splash of Tabasco sauce
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• prepared noodles, for serving

In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef over medium heat; drain.  Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms; saute until vegetables are tender.

Combine Progresso cooking sauce, salt, pepper, mustard and Tabasco sauce; pour over ground beef and cook for 10 minutes over medium-high heat, to thicken sauce a bit.  Stir in sour cream and cook 5 more minutes.

Place noodles onto a serving platter, then top with stroganoff.

Serves 4-6.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Red Rock Downtown Barbecue

Red Rock Downtown Barbecue came with a tremendous reputation; I had heard nothing but stellar reports about its offerings. Sometimes, when you have such expectations (for a book, a movie, whatever), you can only be disappointed by reality. But I am here to say that Red Rock more than met my hopes, and is deserving of every rave review it's received.

Not only is this Ypsilanti restaurant serving great food, but it offers exceptional Frugal Floozie Friday deals, too. The Boulder sandwich Jeremy ordered - filled with beef brisket, pork, and bacon - is definitely large enough to split, so that it will come in at an even $5 per person. But you might want to save that for another time, because there are other items that cost even less ... I'm serious!

The side dishes cost $3 each, and are generously portioned. The Country Potato Salad pictured above was very good - creamy, zesty, crunchy.

But the star of the show - the star of the entire meal - was the Macaroni and Cheese. What you see above is the small version ordered off the side dish menu; it was enough that I could very well order it for a full meal! And I'd be lucky to finish it ... though it was so exceptionally rich and smoky and luscious that leaving any behind would be unforgivable. Jeremy and I literally scraped the bottom of the dish to make sure we didn't miss any of the goodness!

I also ordered two of the sliders - beef and pork - for $2.50 each. But guess what? During Happy Hour, all appetizers are half-price! So that means each slider is $1.25. One slider + one side order of mac 'n' cheese = $4.25, which is obviously well under our mandatory frugal $5 per person budget. And such amazing food, too, for such a meager amount of money!

Our server was very friendly and helpful, telling us a bit about the history of the restaurant and how recipes were developed, as well as letting us know about each of the four fabulous sauces. The meats are prepared with a dry rub and smoked; then you can mix 'n' match with more flavor to your heart's content. From sweet to spicy, and not neglecting the all important North Carolina vinegar sauce, there is a condiment to suit any taste.

Despite being a shrine to all things carnivorous, Red Rock also offers a number of vegetarian options, from the spectacular macaroni and cheese to a variety of salads and side dishes. A meal could easily be made from all the choices, and would offer an ideal "do it yourself" buffet either for those who don't eat meat or those, like me, who can't decide which fabulous option to choose.

I had heard rumblings that Red Rock could even rival what has become a Detroit institution: Slow's. I was dubious, and yet .... Jeremy and I both agreed that while we adore Slow's, Red Rock - particularly the mac 'n' cheese - wins the showdown.

So, what are you waiting for?  Go eat!

Red Rock Downtown Barbecue
207 W Michigan Ave
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-340-2381
Kitchen Hours:
Sunday: 12 - 11 p.m.
Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - midnight
Happy Hour: 3 - 6 p.m., 9 p.m. - close



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Mani Osteria

Mani Osteria was recently named one of the country's best new pizza places by Food & Wine magazine. You wouldn't think it could be a Frugal Floozie Friday feature with that kind of reputation, but it is!

I met my friend Kate, who was in Michigan for an annual family vacation, for dinner there recently; she was going to be heading back home the next morning, so I left it up to her to choose where she'd like to eat on her one evening in town. We had never met before, having only exchanged witty and pithy messages and comments on Facebook. I knew that she had worked as a chef, and also that she is likely the only other person alive who'd ever heard of Gary Numan's "Telekon" album or even knew that he'd recorded any songs other than "Cars." A kindred spirit - how could we not meet for dinner while we had the chance?

It turns out that Kate is also as indecisive as I am, given that neither of us is a picky eater. I often think life would be easier if I didn't like so many foods - I'd know which one or two would pass inspection, and then I'd be done. But Kate and I kept talking, debating options, talking, considering choices, talking, and trying valiantly to narrow down the potential selections; everything looked good, which only makes my brain hurt. We were both "impressed by the wait staff not pressuring us," as Kate noted, since this really did take a fair amount of time.

We decided to start with the carpaccio - beautifully thin slices of raw beef - served with arugula, Parmigianino, capers, and a spritz of lemon. As Kate said, she "was a bit hesitant to go with the meat on such a hot day, (but) it was just so light and tasty."

Other appetizers that could easily be split among two would be the Roasted Olives for $6, the Arancini for $7, or the Pickled Tomatoes with Ricotta or Isabel's Meatballs for $9 each.

The beef was, to use an overworked but still accurate phrase, meltingly tender. The arugula had just the right peppery bite, and the flavors all combined beautifully, distinct and yet in harmony. At $14, it could come in at our mandatory $5 per person budget if shared with 1 or 2 more people; and that would be a sufficient portion, even given the lightness of the dish, considering the generosity of the pizza that followed.

An even more difficult decision than choosing an appetizer was choosing a pizza. This combination sounded wonderful, but was perhaps heavy for a hot day. This other one was seemed maybe a bit spicy. Decisions, decisions! But we finally settled upon the Red Onion and Pistachio pizza which also features goat cheese, rosemary and chili flakes.

It turns out that Kate's sister, Amy McNulty, who lives in Ann Arbor, orders this regularly when she and her husband eat at Mani. We hadn't known, we just honed in on it for its flavors and textures. At $15, and with 6 slices, it is a perfect Frugal Floozie Friday option for a party of 3-4; as it was, I went home with leftovers since Kate had no refrigerator at her hotel to store the treasure in.

The crust was perfectly crisp, yet chewy rather than cracker-like. Each flavor, from the thinly sliced onion to the crumbled cheese, is perfectly portioned such that none overwhelms the others. Not only that, but Kate told me that Amy describes it perfectly: "Each flavor is discrete." You note the pistachio's richness, and yet, it's not the sole flavor you detect. You taste the chilies as they tingle your tongue, but they aren't pervasive.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time and had to go.  The perfect Frugal Floozie Friday feature is the gelato, available in seasonal flavors for precisely $5, but we didn't have a chance to try it. Perhaps we'll start with dessert when we go back ...?


Mani Osteria
341 E. Liberty
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-769-6700
Tuesday - Thursday: 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday: 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Saturday: 4 - 11 p.m.
Sunday: 4 - 9 p.m.



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Mongolian Tartar-Style Steaks

At the internationally-influenced picnic I recently served, I veered from my tendency to cook foods from my favorite cuisines - Jewish and Italian.  I cooked some tremendously flavorful steaks that were so easy to make that they hardly warrant a recipe.

Marc Cramer's Imperial Mongolian Cooking: Recipes from the Kingdoms of Genghis Khan is one of the more unusual and interesting cookbooks I have in my collection.  I bought it at the late, great, and much missed The Savvy Traveller bookstore that used to reside across Michigan Avenue from The Art Institute of Chicago.

When Jeremy was younger and our family would take weekend trips to Chicago, it was simply understood that I would visit the bookstore.  And I would spend a long time there.  And if anyone wanted to meander off to grab a snack when they got bored while I perused, they were welcome to leave and then come back ... everyone knew where to find me.  I'd be looking through books about year-round trips around the world, books about volunteering in exotic locales, books about quaint towns in foreign countries, and cookbooks devoted to ethnic cuisines.

But, as you can well imagine in a day and age that can't even support the behemoth that Borders once was, a little bookstore devoted to all aspects of travel and foreign locales couldn't possibly survive.  It closed in 2007.

Thus, not only did I take a culinary trip to Mongolia in preparing the recipe I'm going to share with you, but I also travelled back to Chicago, back to my favorite bookstore, and back to the many dreams and vicarious adventures that were fostered there.

Mongolian cooking is not just about choosing proteins, vegetables, and sauces, then stir frying it all together - a la Mongolian Barbecue - on a searingly hot surface.  The Mongol Empire once stretched across land now known as Poland and Hungary, across Armenia and Iraq, as far south as Vietnam and as far north as Russia.  Therefore, it incorporates a wide variety of influences and ingredients.

But typically, Mongol cooking is very meat-oriented; vegetables did not grow readily in the cold center of the territory, so only hardy varieties (potatoes, onions) would have been available.  Yak was popular, but beef and lamb make excellent substitutes.  Dairy products, as well, are essential to the diet, and yak milk is the base for cheeses and beverages.

These steaks, then, which are grilled and then accented with Asian flavors and scallions, are very representative of Mongol cooking.  They take just a few minutes to cook and a minimum of ingredients, but they offer a maximum of flavor.

Mongolian Tartar-Style Steaks (Tatar Uhriin Mah)
(slightly adapted from Marc Cramer's Imperial Mongolian Cooking: Recipes from the Kingdoms of Genghis Khan)

1 pound, total weight, thin-cut round steaks
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard
1 teaspoon sesame oil
pinch of red pepper flakes

Preheat outdoor grill to medium.  Lay the steaks onto a platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill 3 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

While steaks are cooking, combine remaining ingredients.  Remove steaks to a serving dish and drizzle sauce over them.

Serves 4-6.

Italian Baked Rice for International Picnic Day

It's International Picnic Day - what a perfect celebration for June!

I could have served an American-style picnic today, complete with fried chicken and potato salad.  But I thought that "international picnic day" should be interpreted not as a universal day for picnics, but rather as a day for a meal filled with foods from around the world.

So my international backyard picnic lets us travel to Italy with a baked rice and cheese dish that is reminiscent of risotto, but requires less attention.  Dream of Morocco with fragrant spiced carrots.  Enjoy vibrant Mongolian seared beef, complemented with some simple feta-topped grilled vegetables, then finish the meal with light and tender Hungarian sour cream cookies.  Add a bottle of Spanish wine, and the picnic is complete!

Since I served so many lovely foods at my picnic, I'm going to make them the focus of this week's posts.  Today I'll share the recipe for Bomba di Riso [BOHM-bah dee REE-soh], the rich rice dish, with the other recipes to follow in subsequent days.

To make this casserole - which could easily serve as an entree, served with fruit and salad - all you need to do is cook some rice, stir in some eggs and cheese, and bake ... that's it!  It's a great change from plain ol' rice or potatoes, and there's a hint of nutmeg to offer an exotic nuance.  Some fresh spring peas or asparagus would be a lovely addition, stirred into the rice before baking.

Bomba di Riso
(very slightly adapted from Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen by Joyce Goldstein, from my good friend Mary Schuman)

1-1/4 cups white rice (Arborio preferred)
2 eggs
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
very generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into small dice
1/8 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 1-quart casserole dish.

Prepare the rice according to package directions.  Remove from heat, then stir in eggs, shredded Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Place half of the rice mixture into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.  Spread the ricotta over the rice, then top with the mozzarella.  Spread the rest of the rice mixture over the top, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and starting to turn golden.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

The Brisket Bake-Off

I recently had the enormous good fortune to judge the Sisterhood's 3rd Annual Brisket Bake-Off at Temple Beth Emeth, Ann Arbor's Reform synagogue, at which I probably ate four days' worth of food - really, I'm not exaggerating!

Remember, there's always a lot of food at Jewish events, because everyone is afraid there will never be enough.  And we all know that while other people are social drinkers, I'm a social eater - I'll happily and heartily sample everything when I'm at a party, a buffet, or other gathering ... I'll often sample multiple times, too!  So I'd known that there was no need for me to cook a corned beef on St. Paddy's Day, because I would be feasting on brisket and many other dishes that evening.

I was one of three judges to sample 10 different briskets that had fame, prizes, and pride all riding on them.  My compatriots - Justin Hiller, of Hiller's Markets, and Lisa Saulles, who won top honors last year and thus earned her spot at the judges' table - and I all sat in front of the expectant audience.

After being introduced by charming emcee Jesse Bernstein, we were presented with samples of each brisket, one at a time, and asked to rate them on a scale of 1-5 (low-to-high) for aroma, appearance, texture, flavor and the all-important "Jewish Factor."

There were very traditional offerings, some prepared with Lipton onion soup mix - the classic that everyone remembers from childhood.  There were unique and updated entries, featuring olives or oranges or dates.  There were several that rounded out the dish with potatoes or yams or carrots.  I was truly impressed with the variety of flavors that had been offered to me, as well as the respect for tradition that was still clearly in evidence while each dish was given a personal flair.

Brisket, as you may or may not know, is a very serious business in the Jewish community - reputations are staked upon it!  It is as essential to be able to make a good brisket as it is to make matzah balls that will float, rather than sink, in chicken soup.  And I must note that each of the 10 samples was fork-tender; when given an opportunity to comment on the tasting, I noted that I had not once picked up my knife.

So there was significant anticipation as the votes were being tallied, and great joy when the winners were announced:

1st Place: Liz Wierba (who won in 2010, as well)
2nd Place: Sally Brieloff
3rd Place: Jennie Lieberman
4th Place: Susan and David Gitterman

(I apologize that I didn't get to the buffet table with my camera until after everyone had eaten; so I don't have a grand and glorious photo of each entry or of the winners' dishes, or even a definite idea whose fabulous offering is pictured above.  But I spent 13 years in Catholic schools and am essentially a secular Jew - trust that I'm suffering more than sufficient guilt for my lapse!)

And then, because 10 samples - just one bite each, but still 10! - of brisket apparently wasn't enough, there was dinner.  My friend Elaine once told me that, for someone who obsesses about food as I do, I "should have a little more schmaltz on (my) bones."  Well, I've got plenty of witnesses to attest to the amount I ate at this party, so I won't wither away any time soon!

It was a fabulous meal, offering a buffet filled with salad, green beans, a lentil-barley salad, and kasha varnishkes (a classic Jewish buckwheat and bow tie pasta dish that I adore).  Colcannon - an Irish mashed potato and cabbage dish which I also love dearly - was served in honor of St. Paddy's Day, and was a perfect brisket accompaniment because its primary ingredients are also integral to Jewish cuisine.

At the end of the long buffet table, there were 11 briskets - one extra had been provided by Hillary Handwerger, cheerfully genial hostess and one of the event organizers, because, as I mentioned before, there's always the fear that there won't be enough food!

Everyone, of course, wanted to taste the winning entries.  I had planned to simply satisfy myself with vegetables and dessert, having already eaten well during the judging.  But I didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by snubbing them, and I didn't want folks thinking that I was "brisket-ed out."  I didn't want people watching as I preferred one option and neglected another; and really, I don't know how I would have selected only a few tastes, given how much I truly enjoyed everything.

So after the first round of vegetables and side dishes, I took small samples of each of the 11 briskets - my second plate was filled - and I enjoyed it all immensely, much moreso when I could really relish the individual qualities and flavors without having to think intently about specific criteria.  Truly, I didn't need to eat again until the next afternoon.

But there was a piece of rich, moist, decadent chocolate cake calling to me, insisting that it needed to accompany my after-dinner coffee.  I succumbed to its charms.  Remember, a Food Floozie can be seduced by virtually any food ....

As though all of this schmoozing and noshing hadn't provided sufficient entertainment, there was also an amazing concert in the Sanctuary to conclude the evening.  Balkano (rhymes with "volcano"), according to its own website, "is a Chicago-based sextet that melds the soul of traditional Klezmer, the energy of Bulgarian wedding music, and the melodies of Turkish Gypsy music into an exciting original mix."  Its lead singer is Ann Arbor's and the temple's own Diana Lawrence, and the group put on a powerful, emotional, vibrant performance.

I'm very happy to say that 3% of the Bake-Off's proceeds were donated to Mazon [mah-ZOHN], "a national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and alleviating hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds."  (Mazon means "food/sustenance" in Hebrew.)  Profits remaining after this donation were dedicated to the YES Fund (Youth, Education, and Special Projects), which "represents the collective financial efforts of our member sisterhoods and donors to strengthen the institutions of our ... Movement and ensure the future of Reform Judaism."

So, you can see that I had an exceptionally wonderful evening with the Sisterhood and the members of Temple Beth Emeth!  Congratulations to the winners and many, many thanks to everyone who put the event together and who spent so many hours lovingly preparing brisket and all the other dishes.  I was thrilled to be invited to the party, and to have such an important role at the Bake-Off.

I'm already anticipating next year's event, and all the great food that awaits.  I may even be hungry again by that time ... :)

For today's recipe - Miriam Shaw's Easy Braised Brisket, one of the Bake-Off entries - go to the Food and Grocery page of AnnArbor.com ....

Burek (Spiced Beef Egg Rolls)

I'm working on a review of the lovely cookbook Ma Baseema: Middle Eastern Cooking with Chaldean Flair for the Washtenaw Jewish News. So, of course, I have to cook a number of recipes from it - just doing my due diligence!

The problem with this mission is that there are so, so many recipes that I want to prepare. But since Chanukkah began last Tuesday and doesn't end until tonight, a recipe using oil only seemed fitting for continued festivities.

And so I looked for a recipe that would not only let me try a new treat, but one which would also be easy to make in the midst of my various holiday preparations. How fabulous, then, to make Beef Egg Rolls from the Iraqi Christian culinary tradition and serve them for a Jewish celebration!

The original recipe didn't call for the allspice, but I thought it would make a really nice addition to the ground beef filling, both for flavor and fragrance. And I was right, I'm happy to say! Jeremy and I devoured these, hot and crisp and delicious as they were freshly fried.


Spiced Beef Egg Rolls
(Slightly adapted from a recipe for Burek by Margaret Butti)

3/4 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon allspice
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 cups oil, for frying
10 spring roll wrappers

In a large skillet, brown the beef; drain, then add the onion, salt, pepper, allspice and parsley. Cook until the onion is translucent, then place mixture into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold.

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil until very hot.

Meanwhile, prepare the egg rolls: lay one wrapper onto a countertop. Place <1/4 cup beef filling onto the center of the wrapper.


Fold the sides over the filling.


Roll the edge closest to you over once.


Fold the portion of dough closest to you over the filling, then roll up the rest of the way. Brush the last portion of dough with a bit of water to help it adhere when the egg roll is fully rolled. Continue with the remaining wrappers and filling.


Cook 3-4 egg rolls at a time for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel, continuing until all of the egg rolls are cooked.

Makes 10 egg rolls.

Italian Beef Sandwiches for the Northwestern Game

When people think of Chicago foods, they immediately think of deep-dish pizza and hot dogs "dragged through the garden."

But Chicago is equally famous for Italian beef sandwiches, and so that's what I'm serving in honor of the Northwestern-Michigan game on Saturday. Northwestern is in Evanston, after all, which is just outside Chicago. You know those kids hop on the train and commute in to the city all the time!

According to Wikipedia:

"Origins of the sandwich are disputed, but one early vendor, Al's No. 1 Italian Beef, opened its first stand in 1938.

One story has it that the Italian Beef sandwich was started by Italian immigrants who worked for the old Union Stock Yards. They often would bring home some of the tougher, less desirable cuts of beef sold by the company. To make the meat more palatable, it was slow-roasted to make it more tender, then slow-simmered in a spicy broth for flavor. Both the roasting and the broth used Italian-style spices and herbs. The meat was then thinly sliced across the grain and stuffed into fresh Italian bread.

According to Scala's Original Beef and Sausage Company (formed in 1925), this meal was originally introduced at weddings and banquets where the meat was sliced thinly so there would be enough to feed all the guests. It rapidly grew in popularity and eventually became Chicago's most famous ethnic food: the original Italian beef sandwich."

Now, I didn't have time to roast an entire hunk of beef; so I cheated and bought some pre-roasted and pre-sliced meat at the grocery store's deli counter.

But I did marinate the beef in the requisite seasoned broth, added both hot and sweet peppers, and made sure to soak the bun in all those tasty juices, too, before piling up ingredients in the sandwich. Shortcuts, not dishonor!

This is a hearty, substantial sandwich - it's perfect for the game!

University of Michigan at Northwestern University
Saturday, October 8 at 5 p.m. EDT
GO BLUE!!!

Italian Beef Sandwich

2 cups red wine (Flip Flop Wines Merlot - a fabulous marketing gift!)
2 cups beef stock
2 .6-ounce packets zesty Italian salad dressing seasoning
1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
1 large red pepper, sliced
4 sub buns
1 cup hot banana peppers, drained

Bring wine, stock and salad dressing seasoning to a boil in a medium saucepan; add beef, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, then refrigerate overnight.

Reheat the beef in the saucepan with the marinade.

Saute the pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes, until softened.

Slice each of the sub buns not quite all the way through, lengthwise. Spoon some of the marinade onto the sub buns. Add roast beef, making sure it drips onto the bread when you remove it from the saucepan. Top with another drizzle of marinade, and finish the sandwich with both types of peppers.

Serves 4.

Frugal Floozie Friday -- Tuptim

A friend and I recently ate a fabulous dinner at Tuptim Thai restaurant. Neither of us had been there in ages, so it seemed a perfect place to go on a Friday evening.

Tuptim means "ruby" in Thai, and the restaurant's owners extend a very warm invitation on the menu with hopes that "you will find our atmosphere as lovely and our food as enticing as that precious gem."

The atmosphere is friendly and very inviting; the exterior is a bright and vibrant red. The staff is also quite gracious, helping to create an ambience conducive to conversation.

But the food is the greatest enticement - I have never eaten anything at Tuptim that I haven't loved.

Our Frugal Floozie Friday feature is the appetizer pictured above: Curry Puffs. Delicate pillows of puff pastry stuffed with a curried potato and pea filling, these are tender and delicious! They're served with a tangy cucumber vinaigrette that isn't absolutely necessary - the puffs are wonderful without it - but which also adds a unique flavor and distinction if used for dipping. They were a perfect fit for the mission, at precisely $5.

We also ordered a Grilled Beef Salad, with tomatoes and cucumbers and a lovely vinaigrette. At $8, it exceeded our Frugal Floozie Friday $5 per person budget if ordered by an individual; and it is admittedly a perfect size for one person's meal. But since we split the salad as part of a several course meal, this also counted as a less-than-$5 per person option. The beef was tender, the vegetables were fresh and crisp, and the dressing was slightly tart, slightly sweet, and an ideal way to bring all of the flavors and textures together.

Our entree went over the budget even when shared; but it was so wonderful that I had to mention it anyway. The Basil Fried Rice with chicken cost $12, was fragrant with a variety of seductive aromas, and was probably the highlight of the entire meal ... quite a statement, given how delicious everything was!

There were several other potential Frugal Floozie Friday options at Tuptim, from spring rolls to fish cakes to dumplings, a vegetable soup with tofu and ginger and vermicelli, as well as a tapioca pudding prepared with coconut milk.

Enjoy some great frugal - but still delicious! - dishes at Tuptim!

Tuptim
4896 Washtenaw
Ann Arbor, MI 48108
734-528-5588


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Hamburger Gravy with Mashed Redskin Potatoes

Please note that this was written ahead of time, as I wouldn't be able to function if I didn't prepare at least one week ahead rather than trying to find time to post every single day! But sadly, the man I'm writing about - who was doing so beautifully just 2 weeks ago - has died quite unexpectedly; his funeral was held yesterday morning. And I'm sorry to say that our patient never got to try his requested dish ... just after I prepared this meal, freezing it to bring for the next visit, he went back into the hospital and subsequently passed away ....

The same patient whom I wrote about yesterday - who'd been in the hospital for 6 weeks, followed by weeks of rehab before finally coming home to continued therapies and a goal of regaining strength and weight - specifically requested today's featured dish: Hamburger Gravy. I'd asked him what would encourage him to eat, and this is what immediately came to mind.

But I'd never heard of it. "You mean, a hamburger patty with a gravy over it?"

An emphatic "No."

"It's hamburger - ground beef - cooked in a gravy. And it's served over mashed potatoes."

And so, I set about figuring out how to make this with just that brief description.

I'd considered adding peas and carrots, in an effort to boost the nutritional value; that was pooh-poohed immedately. This dish is not about vegetables, but about comfort. (Those colorful, healthy things can go on the side, but not in the main dish!)

Mushrooms seemed a natural addition, though, to help boost the flavor of the gravy; because of medicine interactions, I wasn't using red wine (which I would normally have used instinctively).

Pour everything over mashed redskin potatoes, with the skins adding color and texture. And, of course, they have to be lumpy - real potatoes for real food.

And I have to say that this is inspired - I loved it! It's perfect hearty, soul-soothing food, and will be even more appreciated on a cold wintery Michigan evening just a few months from now ....

Hamburger Gravy with Mashed Redskin Potatoes

Hamburger Gravy:
1-1/2 pounds ground chuck
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups beef stock (or red wine or a combination thereof)
3 generous splashes cayenne pepper sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup chopped parsley

In a Dutch oven, cook the ground chuck over medium heat until mostly browned; drain. Add the mushrooms and onion and saute until the vegetables are softened, Add the salt, seasoned salt and pepper; cook for 5 more minutes. Add the stock and pepper sauce, and bring to a boil. Combine the cornstarch and water; add to the gravy and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the parsley.

Mashed Potatoes:
1 3-pound bag redskin potatoes
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 cups skim milk
3 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring a stockpot of salted water to a boil. Cut the potatoes into halves, and cook for 15 minutes or until fork-tender; drain. Partially mash the potatoes, then add the butter, milk, salt and pepper. Continue to mash the potatoes until they become somewhat creamy but retain chunks of potato rather than being smooth.

Place a generous scoop of potatoes in a deep bowl, then pour hamburger gravy over the top.

Serves 4-6.

Bacon-Cheese Mix-In Burgers for National Hamburger Day

One night a few years ago, Jeremy had one of the great visions of brilliance in the culinary universe. He questioned the wisdom of cooking a burger patty and then slapping a slice of cheese onto it, only to have the cheese melt and ooze everywhere; and he also wondered why bacon slices were placed on top of cheeseburgers, only to slide off along with the melting cheese ...?

He thought it would be better if the bacon and the cheese were perhaps mixed into the patty before it was cooked ... sheer genius!

So we cooked and crumbled bacon, chopped some Swiss cheese, and mixed everything up with the ground beef before cooking up the burgers.

And it turned out to be a thing of absolute beauty, with the bits of bacon on the surface becoming slightly caramelized as they cooked and the tidbits of cheese starting to melt. The flavors of the mix-ins infuse the entire burger.

So, in honor of today's festivities - National Hamburger Day - I am offering Jeremy's Bacon-Cheese Mix-In Burgers. They're everything you want in a burger, and immensely good for your soul!



Bacon-Cheese Mix-In Burgers

1-1/2 pounds ground chuck
6 strips applewood-smoked bacon, chopped fine
1-1/2 ounces Swiss cheese, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, halved, sliced
4 onion rolls, lightly toasted
Dijon mustard, or other condiments to taste
tomato slices, lettuce, etc. to taste

Combine ground chuck, bacon, Swiss, salt, garlic powder and pepper; form into 4 burger patties 5" across. Cook the burgers over medium-high heat in a large skillet until well-browned on both sides but still squishy when pressed in the middle.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook until the onion is softened and starting to caramelize; the burgers should still be not quite firm in the center. (If you have a grill, which I sadly don't, by all means use it for the burgers; then just saute the onions in a skillet.)

Place 1 onion roll onto each of 4 serving plates; spread rolls with Dijon mustard and top with onions, tomato, and burger patties.

Serves 4.

Pastitsio for National Macaroni Day

We have yet another food holiday to celebrate today! And this one - National Macaroni Day - is an easy one to join in on.

There's macaroni and cheese ... pasta salad ... lots of family favorites.

But ever since having a fabulous dinner at Pegasus in Greektown recently, I'd been craving more pastitsio - an amazing dish of pasta layered with a rich meat sauce and topped with a cheesy custard ... sigh.

Pastitsio has no redeeming nutritional value whatsoever, unless you delude yourself that the fat content is neutralized by the prostate-friendly tomato sauce or that using skim milk in the topping will make it all okay! But sometimes you just need comfort food; and this particular comfort food also makes a great party dish for graduations, showers, or other events at which you'll be feeding a crowd.

It may look as though this requires a lot of work, but it really doesn't; each of the layers is very easy to make. And there aren't too many dirty dishes, either - I don't have a dishwasher, and I still wasn't overwhelmed by the washing afterwards (a saucepan for the custard, a skillet for the meat sauce, a stockpot for the pasta, accoutrements for chopping and stirring).

So please don't feel intimidated when you look over the length of the recipe. As always, just trust me ... this pastitsio is so worth making! It's rich, luscious, substantial, and a universal favorite ... :)


Pastitsio

Pasta Layer:
8 ounces macaroni

Meat Sauce:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground lamb
1 small onion, chopped
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup red wine

Cream Sauce:
1/3 cup butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.

Prepare macaroni according to package directions.

Cook the beef and lamb over medium-high heat in a large skillet until only slightly pink; add the onion and cook until meat is browned, then drain. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg; cook for 1 minute. Add wine, and cook for 5 minutes until sauce is thickened.

Grease a 9"x13" baking dish. Spread just over one-half of the macaroni over the bottom of the dish.


Top with the meat sauce, spreading it carefully.


Spread the remaining macaroni over the meat sauce.


Set aside while making the cream sauce.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk, incorporating each addition before adding the next. Add the salt and nutmeg; cook for 5 minutes, until thickened.

Place the eggs into a small bowl, and add 1/2 cup of the cream sauce to them; whisk until blended, then stir the eggs into the saucepan with the rest of the sauce. Stir in the grated parmesan.

Pour the sauce over the pasta, spreading to make sure everything is covered. Sprinkle the shredded parmesan over the top.


Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top of the pastitsio is golden brown.


Let the pastitsio rest for 5 minutes before cutting into squares. Start with smaller portions, as it's very rich; you can always come back for seconds ... and I can promise that you will!