Sweet Potato and Corn Potatonik

My very good friend, and a former restaurant chef, Kate wrote to me recently with this tantalizing tidbit: "Just discovered potatonik while reading a local obituary, and after Googling it realize that this could change everything come Thanksgivikkuh! Might be the perfect dish for blending the flavors of both traditions."

Well, remarkably - given that I work and live in the Jewish community - I had never heard of this. (Who's been holding out on me???) So, of course, I immediately did a search and found a recipe from Mark Bittman for his grandmother's recipe. A potatonik is essentially a giant latke!

But for Thanksgivukkah - the fabulous, once-in-a-lifetime overlapping of Thanksgiving with the first day of Hanukkah - we needed to incorporate some of those Thanksgiving flavors into this potato dish. So I adapted the recipe significantly while following the basic procedure, adding sweet potatoes and corn and just a bit of cornmeal.

I fried it up, watched it sizzle, flipped it (a little less than gracefully, so patching was required), cooked it more on the other side, and then plated an enormous, golden, crispy melding of Jewish and Thanksgiving culinary traditions.

Serve it with both Brandied Cranberry Apple Compote and sour cream, and enjoy every little celebratory bite!

Sweet Potato and Corn Potatonik

1 pound sweet potatoes
1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup corn kernels
3 eggs
3 tablespoons cornmeal
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup oil

Peel the sweet potato and trim the ends; grate into a large mixing bowl. Grate the potatoes and add to the sweet potato; stir together with the onion, corn, eggs, cornmeal, salt, and pepper.

Heat the oil in a 13" skillet, then carefully spread the sweet potato batter into it, flattening the mixture. Cook over medium-ish (bit more than medium, but not quite medium-high) heat for 15 minutes. Slide the potatonik onto a large platter, then cover with another platter; flip, then slide the potatonik back into the skillet and cook for another 15 minutes.

Slide potatonik onto a serving platter, then serve by cutting into wedges.

Makes 12-16 servings.


And here are some other dishes for your Thanksgivukkah feast (or for either Thanksgiving or Hanukkah, whatever you're celebrating in the next few days!):

Kugel Latkes

Loaded Baked Potato Latkes

Burek (Spiced Beef Egg Rolls)

Provolone Fritto con Marinara (Fried Provolone)

Curried Potato 'n' Pea Latkes with Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce

Pumpkin Apple Bread

Sweet Potatoes Baked with Rosemary

Pomegranate Molasses-Glazed Carrots

Butterscotch Pumpkin Pudding

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Loaded Baked Potato Latkes

"These are the best latkes ever!"

Jeremy has spoken. You should listen.

These combine all the crispiness of fried potatoes with all the goodness of a loaded baked potato that's been cut open and filled with cheese, green onions, bacon, and sour cream. These are a very good time.

You'll notice that I didn't use real bacon - you may substitute this fine ingredient, if you'd like to. When I prepare Jewish food for posts, I always respect the dietary laws that forbid combining meat and dairy products and also ban anything having to do with pig. But really, truly, even with fake bacon, these were exceptional.

Chanukkah is a minor holiday that began this past Saturday at sundown, but it's a festive and fattening party which celebrates the miracle of one day's worth of consecrated oil having lasted eight days. The Eastern European (Ashkenazic) tradition is to eat latkes, the Israeli one offers sufganiyot [soof-GAHN-yoht] - jelly doughnuts.

Fried foods reign supreme! Especially these latkes ....


If you'd like to try other celebratory foods during Chanukkah, here are some options:

Spiced Beef Egg Rolls

Doughnut Delights

Provolone Fritto con Marinara

Curried Potato Latkes

Reuben Latkes


Loaded Baked Potato Latkes

• 4 cups hash browns, defrosted
• 2 tablespoons matzah meal
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons water
• 4 pieces Morningstar Farms Bacon Strips, chopped
• 2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 4 scallions, chopped fine
• oil, for frying
• sour cream, for serving

In a large mixing bowl, combine hash browns, matzah meal, egg, and water; let rest for 5 minutes.  Stir in bacon strips, cheese, and scallions.

Pour oil into a large skillet to 1/4" depth; heat over medium heat.  Take 1/4 cupfuls of latke batter, and fry for 5 minutes per side until golden; drain on paper towels.  Continue frying until batter is used up, stove and countertops are greasy, and your entire house smells of cooking oil ... ah, the traditions of Chanukkah!

Serve immediately, with sour cream.

Makes 10 latkes.

The American Lighthouse Cookbook

I received a lovely gift, the other day: a review copy of The American Lighthouse Cookbook: The Best Recipes and Stories from America's Shorelines, by Becky Sue Epstein and Ed Jackson.

In its introduction, this exceptional cookbook states that it "couples food with the romance of the seacoast, adding a dash of history and wrapping it in the very current 'eat local' movement." Lighthouses from around the country - from as far away as Eldred Rock, north of Juneau, to Buck Island, off St. Thomas in the Caribbean - are featured. Fascinating stories are shared about the lighthouses themselves, about their communities, about many of the ingredients, and much more.

In looking through the book - an activity which just draws you in, page after page - I learned about Matinicus Island, Maine, which is "headquarters for the National Audubon Society's Project Puffin, which studies this jaunty-looking (and formerly endangered) bird." I discovered a new treat, the Smith Island Cake: a luscious 10-layer cake that was named "Official Cake of the State of Maryland" in 2008. And I learned a new tidbit about my own state: "Michigan now has more lighthouses than any other state in the country: 124."

The Great Lakes region - from Minnesota to Wisconsin, Illinois to Michigan, and Ohio to New York - is represented with some lovely recipes which highlight the beauty and bounty of the area. White fish, pasties, lake perch, cherry pie ... good ol'-fashioned wholesome dishes shine.

After much deliberation - you know me, I always want to make and eat everything! - I settled upon a simple but stellar dish of fried potatoes featuring a hint of curry. I had each of the ingredients on hand, which of course simplified my decision-making process. And this also meant I could be impatient and just start cooking, without having to plan, shop, and only then start to satisfy my cravings.

Bill's Famous Potatoes are served at the Sand Hills Lighthouse Inn in Ahmeek, Michigan, near the tippy top of the state along Lake Superior. Owners Bill and Mary Frabotta had "dreamed of restoring the lighthouse," and were finally able to finish doing so in the mid-1990s. It's now "a charming inn filled with modern conveniences and historic style, open year-round." And the hearty breakfasts served to guests include homemade Danish Coffee Cake, egg casserole, specially blended freshly ground coffee, and these exceptional potatoes which are tender inside, crispy outside, and perfectly seasoned.

The cookbook is divided by region, and then each lighthouse featured within a regional section offers a menu of several dishes. For example, the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New Castle, New Hampshire, offers recipes for a fall supper of Corn Chowder, Mashed Turnips, Baked Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Maple Syrup, Roast Striped Bass with Onion and Fennel, and Upside-Down Apple Pandowdy. And Faro Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo, on the Morrillos Peninsula in Puerto Rico, offers a "Menú Para el Día de Acción de Gracias" - a Thanksgiving feast of Fresh Fruit Cocktail, Green Salad, Rice and Pigeon Peas, Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic, Roasted Turkey with Puerto Rican Beef Dressing, and Sweet Papaya with White Goat Cheese ... sigh.

The American Lighthouse Cookbook showcases dishes from the familiar to the exotic, all of it delicious.

Bill's Famous Potatoes
(slightly adapted)

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" dice
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of sugar

Place potatoes into a large mixing bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, Italian seasoning, onion powder, curry powder, salt, and sugar.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and start to brown them for 2-3 minutes. Cover the skillet and turn heat down to medium; cook for 5 minutes, stir, then cook for 5 more minutes 'til potatoes are just tender. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 more minutes until potatoes are golden brown.

Serves 2-4 as a side dish.

Herbed Redskin Potato Salad

It's the 4th of July, and many people are celebrating at barbecues or picnics.  And what better dish to offer at these events than a simple salad that goes with any- and everything?

This potato salad doesn't have mayonnaise; so not only does it keep well, without need of refrigeration, but it's also perfect for vegans who often have difficulties finding food they can eat at get-togethers.  Eggless mayonnaise is an off-tasting, poor substitute for the luscious "real thing."  So why bother approximating traditional creamy potato salad when you can make a version that is light and still delicious?

The beautiful red-pink potatoes I used for my salad were purchased at the Dixboro Farmers' Market, freshly dug just that morning.  This new venue is growing each week, with vendors offering everything from greens to baked goods of all varieties (traditional Southern treats, scones, pretzels, cupcakes, and even vegan goodies), honey, eggs, meats, and more.  You can even now buy a barbecue dinner prepared by serious enthusiasts who serve from a chuck wagon; they also prepare fruit cobbler in cast iron skillets.

Michelle Hartmann, one of the market's managers, says that the goal is to achieve a sense of community - picnic dinners, kids playing baseball, support for area farmers, a gathering place.  And ideally, a trip to the Dixboro Market could substitute for one to the grocery store, as a weekend's worth of prepared items, ingredients, and treats can be purchased locally from friends and neighbors.

Michelle and her managing partner, Jason Gold, are also looking for musical acts to perform family-friendly sets on Friday evenings at the market, to add to the festive atmosphere.  If you've got a recommendation, please send an email: info@DixboroFarmersMarket.org or hartmannwebmail@gmail.com.

Enjoy your holiday, as well as this potato salad!


Herbed Redskin Potato Salad

1 pound small (1"-2") redskin potatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
juice of 1/4 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 cup freshly minced mixed herbs - basil, parsley, tarragon, oregano

Fill a medium saucepan with salted water; bring to a boil, then add potatoes.  Boil for 10-12 minutes, until fork-tender; drain potatoes and place into a medium mixing bowl.

Combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and herbs; pour over potatoes and stir to coat.  Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

"Chopped Challenge" - Spiced Potato and Bacon Pasties

My very good blogging buddy Angela - who features lovely simple but sophisticated recipes on Seasonal and Savory - offered the following for my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients that I would then have to use in creating dishes:

"Hmmmm...how about harissa, oranges, and bacon"? 

Since no course was mandated, I thought about making an appetizer of roasted chickpeas with crumbled bacon in a coating of orange and harissa ([hah-RIH-suh] = a very spicy, vibrantly colored North African pepper sauce).  I gave serious consideration to making a sweet, spicy and salty dessert.  But then I had a new idea ....

Angela spent some time in Michigan's Upper Peninsula ("da U.P., eh?" as they say up there with their quaint Finn-Canadian-ish accents).  Thus, she is well acquainted with the requisite Northern dietary mainstay: the pasty [PASS-tee], a hand-held pie that miners could bring with them for lunch.

Now, no self-respecting Yooper would serve a pasty flavored with harissa - it would be a sacrilege.  Chopped beef, potatoes, onions, rutabaga, salt, and pepper - that's it for the filling.  But I'm a troll: someone who lives under the bridge - south of the Mackinac Bridge, that is - in the state's Lower Peninsula.  No one expects me to know how to make a proper pasty anyway, so why not have some fun with it?

Pasties are dry ... very dry.  You'll note that the above listing of essential ingredients doesn't include any kind of liquid to bind them together.  And those starchy vegetables are served in a crust.  This serves a practical purpose, of course, to make them more transportable.  But "dry" is an understatement when talking about pasties, as is "bland."  The harissa was very welcome for livening things up a bit.

Ketchup is the usual accompaniment to pasties, though sometimes gravy is served.  Rather than incorporating the required oranges into the main course itself, as I was doing with the harissa and the bacon, I thought they would lend a brightness to a sauce which, as far as I'm concerned, is a mandatory condiment for this dish.

So for my 500th post (wow!), I offer you a hearty winter meal with a nod to Michigan's history but featuring a unique flair!  Everything turned out perfectly, with great flavor.  I like to call these "Troll Pasties," with love and affection for both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas!

 

Troll Pasties

Filling:
1 large baking potato, cut into 3/4" dice
1 large rutabaga, cut into 3/4" dice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon harissa powder (or use 1 tablespoon prepared harissa and eliminate the water)
2 tablespoons water
6 strips bacon
1 small onion, chopped


Preheat the oven to 400F.  Stir the potato, rutabaga, oil, and salt together in an 8"x8" baking dish.  Stir together the harissa powder and water; pour over the vegetables and stir to coat.  Bake for 1 hour or more until the vegetables are golden and very tender.


Cook the bacon in a large skillet; dry bacon on paper towels and crumble.  Drain most of the fat from the skillet and saute the onion just until translucent.  Stir the bacon and the onion into the potato mixture; cool to room temperature.

Crust:
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon cold water
1 egg


Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Mix in the shortening until the mixture resembles meal.  Add the 1/2 cup of water bit by bit; mix with your hands until the dough holds together well and forms a ball, using more or less water as needed.  Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest for 30 minutes.


Preheat the oven to 350F.


Divide the dough into 6 portions.  One by one, roll a portion into a 10" circle.  Place 2/3 cup of the filling onto half of the dough.

Lightly dampen the dough around the filling, then fold dough over to form a semi-circle.  Trim the rough edges, then crimp the edge of the dough; press the edge with a fork to seal the pasty.

Place onto a greased baking sheet.  Repeat to make the remaining 5 pasties.  Combine the egg and 1 tablespoon water; brush over the pasties.


Bake the pasties for 50-55 minutes until lightly golden brown.


Gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1-1/2 cups chicken stock

juice and zest of 1 orange
juice and zest of 1 lemon

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and salt; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Slowly add the stock, incorporating each addition before pouring more.  Add the juices and zest; bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until thickened.

To serve: Place 1 pasty onto a dinner plate and serve with gravy.

Makes 6 generous servings.

Poached Eggs with Spinach and Hash Browns

It's Groundhog Day, but don't worry - I'm not Andrew Zimmern and I'm not roasting any rodents!

Instead, I'm inspired by two sources for today's simple but comforting recipe that would be great for a breakfast, light lunch or supper.

For starters, we must honor Punxsutawney Phil, whether he sees his shadow or not.  According to Animal Planet, "groundhogs go wild for succulent green plants."  Well, spinach is one of the most vividly green vegetables there is, with many nutrients and fabulous flavor no matter how it's served.

And then, of course, there's the Bill Murray movie "Groundhog Day," in which the main character lives the same day over and over again until he has learned some necessary lessons.  He is redeemed as he purges himself of his narcissism, realizing that others have needs and learning to contribute to - rather than only take from - the universe.

How this character and his repetitive, self-absorbed existence relate to poached eggs, spinach and hash browns is an inside joke which I'm not going to explain; but trust me - today is the day to serve this dish.


These items combine to make a really delicious meal that is a testament to the beauty of what can be accomplished with just a few simple ingredients, as long as they're well chosen. There's no need for rich sauces, cheese, bacon, or other accoutrements; this is perfect just as it is.


Poached Eggs with Spinach and Hash Browns

Hash Browns:
4 tablespoons light olive oil
2 cups frozen shredded potatoes
generous pinch of sea salt

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes and press down to make a flat layer. Cook for 5 minutes, carefully flip the potatoes (it's okay to flip them in sections then press them back together), then cook for another 5 minutes until both sides are golden.

Eggs:

3 cups water

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

2 large eggs

Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan, then turn the heat down to simmer.  Break each egg into a 1/4-cup measuring cup, and carefully slide the eggs into the water.  Cook the eggs for 5 minutes.

Spinach:

2 tablespoons light olive oil

1 large garlic clove, minced

4 cups baby spinach leaves

pinches of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the spinach, salt and pepper; cook just until the spinach is wilted.

To serve:  Place half of the hash browns onto each of two serving plates.  Top with the spinach, then carefully use a large spoon to scoop out the eggs and place them on top of the spinach.  Serve with fruit and with rye toast, if desired.

Serves 2.

Neeps 'n' Tatties with Drambuie Sauce for Robbie Burns Day

Last year, my Robbie Burns Day post about Scottish Oatmeal Shortbread was selected as one of the "Best of the Blogs" for January 25, 2011 by the prestigious Food News Journal - a huge thrill!  That's a hard act to follow, I have to admit.  But I think I may have done it today with this traditional dish - Neeps 'n' Tatties.

"Neeps" are turnips and "tatties" are potatoes.  Boil 'em, mash 'em ... good, simple, hearty fare for a bitter winter's day.  To translate, so to speak, what Robert Burns - the national poet of Scotland, born on January 25, 1759 - wrote in Up in the Early Morning, "Cold blows the wind from east to west."  Warmth and comfort are what we seek these days.

But why not dress up this basic dish with a bit of glam from Drambuie, "A secret elixir of herbs, spices and heather honey, crafted with aged Scotch whiskies"?  Why make a boring gravy with broth if I could celebrate my heritage - one-quarter Scottish, and my maternal grandmother was proud to be descended from the Rob Roy MacGregors - with a more flavorful addition?  The Drambuie's sweetness is a nice balance to the sharpness of the turnips; and potatoes, of course, are perfect with virtually any gravy.

Robbie Burns is usually honored on his birthday with Burns Suppers featuring the dreaded haggis - sheep innards (heart, liver, lungs) mixed with oats, onions, and spices and then cooked in a sheep's stomach.  Even if I could find all of the ingredients, I can assure you I have no interest in serving anything this authentic for the celebration!

But neeps 'n' tatties is not only fun to say, it's a delicious dish to eat since "I'm sure it's winter fairly."


Up in the Early Morning (1788)


Cauld blaws the wind frae east to west,
The drift is driving sairly;
Sae loud and shill's I hear the blast-
I'm sure it's winter fairly.

Up in the morning's no for me,
Up in the morning early;
When a' the hills are covered wi' snaw,
I'm sure it's winter fairly.

The birds sit chittering in the thorn,
A' day they fare but sparely;
And lang's the night frae e'en to morn-
I'm sure it's winter fairly.


Neeps 'n' Tatties with Drambuie Sauce

Potatoes:
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fill a medium saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil.  Add the potatoes; boil for 10-15 minutes, until tender.  Drain the potatoes and mash with the butter, milk, salt and pepper.  Place onto a serving dish.


Turnips:
1 pound turnips, peeled, cut into 1" pieces
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons milk
pinches of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Fill a medium saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil.  Add the turnips; boil for 5 minutes, until tender.  Drain the turnips and mash with the butter, milk, salt and pepper; place onto a serving dish.

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
pinch of kosher salt
1/3 cup Drambuie
3/4 cup milk


In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; whisk in the flour and salt, then cook for 1 minute.  Slowly add the Drambuie and the milk, whisking until smooth.  Cook for 5 minutes over low heat.


Serve the Drambuie sauce over the neeps 'n' tatties.


Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Frugal Floozie Friday - The Heidelberg

On New Year's Eve, my BFF Wendy and I decided to have dinner at a place that we hadn't been to for quite some time: The Heidelberg, an Ann Arbor institution and today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature.

We were bidding "Good riddance" to a wretchedly bad year, and wanted to imbue 2012 with all of our very best hopes and wishes and dreams for happiness.  So we ordered food that was indulgent and celebratory.

The cheesy, bacon-topped decadence pictured above is a plate of the German Potato Skins, which are served with a strong (but not overpowering) garlic sauce.  Rather than finding the usual potato beds stuffed with fillings, these are closer to being roasted potatoes inundated with generous quantities of all the goodies.  At only $7.99, this is an excellent Frugal Floozie Friday deal; it could easily have made an entire meal for two, and would be a great dish to split among four friends and enjoyed with a soda.  This falls well within the mandatory $5 budget per person, as do all of the restaurant's appetizers.

Our entrees were well over that price range, so I'll spare you the temptation of seeing them; they were quite good, though, and so large that they provided us with dinner as well as with the next day's breakfast.  Let's just move right along to another Frugal Floozie Friday option - sharing dessert with a loved one.

The Heidelberg's desserts are $6 each, which places them outside of our budget for individual servings.  But they are so rich that, truly, you could split them - sharing both the joy and the calories - and not feel at all deprived.

Our server, Travis, who was utterly charming (Wendy and I had notions of playing yenta and fixing him up with her daughter, since they're both interested in international economics and are studying Chinese), presented us with an astounding tray of sweets to choose from.  He smiled brightly while leading us into temptation though, really, we didn't need much nudging to find our way there all by ourselves.

Wendy couldn't decide between the carrot cake and the Key lime cheesecake.  So, given that she planned to start training for the Detroit Free Press Marathon once the new year officially began, she decided to provide herself with some incentive to run ... she ordered both.  Atta girl!  Both selections were rich and moist and sublime.

I paid no attention to most of the offerings because I had already eyed one which featured chocolate and caramel and creaminess - the Snickers cheesecake.  And yes, it was as luscious and decadent as it looks!  Snickers + cheesecake ... is there any way to go wrong with that?  It would be a perfect treat to share with a date, sighing happily together as you enjoyed it.

The Heidelberg was warm and welcoming, with very friendly service.  Wendy and I had a grand time there, sending 2011 on its way and happify-ing ourselves for the new year.

The Heidelberg
215 N. Main St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-663-7758



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"Ann Arbor Tailgates" - Cookbook for a Cause

Buy a cookbook and help the homeless.

Alpha House - a shelter for homeless families in Washtenaw County - has published a cookbook just in time for holiday shopping: Ann Arbor Tailgates: Your Favorite Recipes. It features stories and photos in addition to recipes, and it is most entertaining.

You get to meet Super Fan I, whose game uniform includes a superhero's mask created as an homage to the famous Wolverines' helmets; he offers recipes for "To Hell with Notre Dame" Gumbo and "Smash the Spartans" Apple Cake. There's also Go Bleu Cheese Spread and Go Blue Martinis, perfect for cheering on The University of Michigan's Maize 'n' Blue.

If you know someone who likes to cook, let me assure you that it's not possible to have too many cookbooks. If you know rabid football fans, those folks need this cookbook for new tailgating ideas. If you know someone who likes to entertain, there are great party recipes, from dips to chilis to desserts. Truly, this cookbook would make a great gift for anyone!

Ann Arbor Tailgates costs only $20, and $15 of that is a charitable donation which may be tax deductible. And just look how easy it is to buy copies:

1) Click on this link and buy it online. Or,

2) Contact Helen Starman, Director of Development at Alpha House: 4290 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 (734)822-0220. The cookbook can be picked up at no extra charge or mailed to you or your gift recipient for $3.50/copy.

Alpha House needs all the support we can give it, as it's really so much more than a shelter. As Executive Director Nicole Adelman states in her introduction to the cookbook:

"More than providing just a bed and a roof, our goal is to support families in securing and maintaining their own homes."

And how successful is the amazing, dedicated staff in helping their remarkably strong and resilient clients to achieve this? "In 2010, 100% of the families who left Alpha House in our Home Based Support Program were still housed one year later."

Okay, enough nudging! Let me show you one of the great recipes you'll find in your new cookbook.

It took me a long, long time to decide what to cook for this post; there were so many choices, and we all know that decisions are not my strongsuit. Something rich and hearty, like Poppy Seed Ham and Cheese Rolls? Something lighter, such as Mediterranean Eight-Layer Dip featuring hummus and vegetables? Something as sophisticated as Kahlua-Espresso Truffles, or something more family-friendly like Strawberry Pretzel Salad? Or something wildly different, namely the Vodka-Infused Gummy Bears? (I know I've piqued your curiosity! You've gotta buy the book now!)

What to make? What to eat?

It came down to which ingredients I had on hand. And so the winner was Baked Potato Chips, contributed by Maize Marvel: hand-cut potatoes baked in just a touch of olive oil, sprinkled with kosher salt and black pepper and served with a green onion dip.

This simply-prepared snack was so amazingly (a-maize-ingly???) good! I'd baked only one potato's worth of chips, then promptly ate them all by myself. I was sorely tempted to slice up another potato to make a second batch, but I decided that gluttony was not an attractive trait. I particularly liked the slightly overdone caramelized bits - they were crispy and extra flavorful; and I was generous with the pepper, so the chips were a bit spicy, too, which was a perfect complement to the creamy, zesty dip.

Helen Starman - whom you'll be calling to order copies of the book - offers the following: "I am so excited that you made the potato chips – I love them ... the chips are so tasty and addictive"!

So, I've given you one recipe. To get the others, buy a cookbook and help the homeless while doing your holiday shopping.

Baked Potato Chips with Green Onion Dip
(slightly adapted from the recipe submitted by Maize Marvel)

Chips:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large Yukon Gold potato, sliced very thinly
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325F. Brush the oil over a baking sheet, then place the baking sheet into the oven for 10 minutes.

Lay the potato slices onto the hot baking sheet without overlapping them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, then bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes, then flip the chips over and bake them for another 5 minutes or until done to your liking.

Dip:

1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 large green onion, chopped
sprinkle of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and serve with the chips.

Frugal Floozie Friday -- The Bomber

It's Frugal Floozie Friday, and today's feature offers the most gargantuan quantity of food yet for our measly budget of $5 per person! What you see in the photo is the infamous Bomber Breakfast, found only at the Bomber restaurant.

Jeremy recently had an early morning appointment, and his dad, Stuart, and I went along with him. Afterwards, we decided we could use some breakfast; and so we ended up at this Ypsilanti institution:

"The Bomber opened in 1936 as Baldwin's Diner. In the 1940s the name was changed to the Bomber, only to be discarded in favor of Bob's Barbecue in the mid-1970s. Finally in 1986, the name Bomber returned and the current owners John Sebestyen and Johanna McCoy purchased it in 1995".

The restaurant is noted for the historical artifacts linings its walls - everything from uniforms to posters to autographed photos to rifles - not to mention the 24 model airplanes which hang from the ceiling. It is also noted for friendly service, generous portions, and the kind of atmosphere that encourages eating, reading the paper, having just a little bit more coffee, chatting with other customers, and making oneself at home.

The signature dish - the Bomber Breakfast - is so enormous that it was once featured on the Food Network's "Top Five Overindulgences" show. There is enough food, truly, to feed a family of four: a pound of hash browns with cheese and onions, 2 full slices of toast, 4 eggs any style, and a choice of 6 sausage patties or 7 sausage links or 10 slices of bacon or 2 slices of ham. (Our waitress told us, upon seeing our eyes glaze over, that we could mix-'n'-match if we wanted to.)

So, how much does this platter full of food cost?

$9.95.

And since Stuart and I split it - though we couldn't finish it, despite valiant efforts! - it came in at under our mandatory $5 per person limit.

As though this wasn't enough indulgence, Jeremy ordered an obscenely rich and decadent breakfast for himself: Chocolate Hazelnut French Toast. A half order - 2 portions of thick bread filled with luscious Nutella, dipped in batter and drenched in syrup - costs only $4.95.

The Bomber also features weekday breakfast specials for $4.50, featuring everything from traditional pancakes and eggs and oatmeal to breakfast sandwiches. There are many items on the menu which could qualify for our Frugal Floozie Friday mission.

The Bomber is a great place to go for a hearty breakfast or lunch, and is easily a place where you could become a regular.

Bomber
306 East Michigan Ave.
Ypsilanti, Michigan
734-482-0550


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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.

Fried Potatoes with Red Pepper and Blue Cheese

I woke up early one Saturday morning ... well, I always wake up early, that's not newsworthy! I'm a "late to bed, early to rise" kinda girl, a notoriously poor sleeper.

So first I made a cup of coffee, because that is always the #1 priority of the day. And then I set about figuring out what to eat for breakfast.

I'm not usually a fan of sweet things to start my day ... pancakes or cinnamon rolls sometimes call to me, but not often. I'm someone who also doesn't believe in traditional breakfast foods, such as oatmeal or toast. Give me leftovers of spaghetti and meatballs! I'll happily eat re-warmed Chinese food! It's hard to know what I'll be craving at 6:30 in the morning.

And so, recently I was tired (oh, so tired!) of eggs. I didn't want Cheerios. I'd already polished off any leftovers from the week.

But then I found half a baked potato ... and I had a red pepper ... and there was a bag of walnuts ... and a brand new container of Gorgonzola was staring back at me as I peered into the refrigerator.

And thus, an exceptionally fine meal of fried potatoes with lots of other goodies tossed in for protein, flavor and color was born!

Fried Potatoes with Red Pepper and Blue Cheese

1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large baked potato, cut into 1/2" dice
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola

Melt butter and oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the potato, onion and red pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper and walnuts; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 more minutes until the potatoes are golden and the vegetables are softening. Place the potatoes into a serving dish and top with the Gorgonzola.

Serves 1, but could easily be multiplied.

Creamy Potato and Gorgonzola Soup

This, I have to say, is a truly great recipe. I always offer good ones -- what use would I be to you if I didn't??? But some are admittedly more stellar than others. And if you're a fan of blue cheese, I cannot urge you strongly enough to make this. Yes, I know I sound conceited! But trust me -- I was told by a loved one who shared the meal with me, "This is a 10 in my book!"

I made the soup on my snow day 2 weeks ago -- the day that 15" of snow had been predicted with warnings of an apocalyptic snowmageddon. 8" later, with the roads clear by the afternoon because it turned out to be just an above-average dumping for a Michigan winter rather than a life-altering experience to tell the grandkids about decades later, my 4-wheel-drive Suburban and I were ready to go on an adventure to the grocery store. Sure, I'd stockpiled to be prepared; I didn't need any groceries at all. But while watching the snow fall, I'd had a vision that needed to be realized: potato soup with blue cheese swirled into it.

So I plodded along a snow-covered side street until reaching a main road that was clear, and then I meandered into the grocery store that had maybe a dozen employees and half as many customers. I found my Yukon Gold potatoes, I found some good Gorgonzola, and I already had vegetable stock at home. But some good crusty rolls or nice bread or some sort of accompaniment was still needed.

But none of the lovely things in the bakery section had any kind of kosher certification (which I now need to seek, since I'm staying at the home of a friend who keeps kosher), with the exception of two choices that had been baked in one of the Detroit area's most noted observant bakeries; they cost $5 for a dozen small rolls that appeared to have been sitting around for awhile waiting for someone to show them some love. I looked in the frozen section and found kosher challah dough -- whole wheat, even -- but it would have needed to be defrosted and then baked. So I settled upon a package of mini whole wheat pita breads, $1.79/dozen, and bearing a proud seal of passing kosher inspection. Nutrition and fiscal responsibility!

I started making the soup as soon as I got home, and it came together perfectly as though it had been pre-ordained by the universe. No wishing that I'd added this or that, no regrets that I'd added that or this. It was perfection on the first try.

So if you need a quick, simple, rich and luscious bowl of comfort to get you through a cold winter's day, this is it ... truly.

Potato and Gorgonzola Soup

3-1/2 cups diced Yukon Gold potatoes (peel 'em if you want, but I never bother)
1 cup water + water to cover potatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola, plus extra for serving

Place potatoes into a medium saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain, then return potatoes to the saucepan and mash them. Place the saucepan back on the burner, and turn the heat down to medium.

Slowly whisk in the vegetable stock and the 1 cup of water until well blended. Add the salt and lemon pepper. Whisk in the Gorgonzola, and cook for 10 minutes until heated through.

Place soup into serving bowls and top with a bit more Gorgonzola.

Serves 2-4.


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International Week -- Polish Dill Pickle Soup

One of my dearest friends in the world, Connie, is 100% Polish; she's also married to a man who's 100% Polish. They are some fabulous cooks, and make a kielbasa that is a true work of art and a most generous gift some years at Easter. (There are too many demands and insufficient quantity to feed all of the ravenous hordes, so I have resigned myself to not being on the "in" list every year ... alas!)

Anyway, Connie is a great cook, as I've already said. So when I went to a horrendously bad Polish restaurant last year, where the one and only redeeming food was the dill pickle soup (don't even ask how leaden and flavorless the blintzes were ... with a filling made from canned mushrooms!), I asked Connie if she would share her recipe with me. (She did; here's the post from AnnArbor.com. And that's her son Andrew, one of Jeremy's best friends, doing the "bunny ears," fyi.)

Connie's soup is very easy to make, and it is some seriously astounding comfort food. But the soup at the restaurant had some flecks of carrot, potatoes, and dill, which Connie's lacked.

So I tinkered a bit by using the original recipe as a base but then adding the other ingredients. It's still Connie's soup, in my opinion, just with a bit more stuff in it.

And it was truly, wonderfully, amazingly delicious!

It may sound odd to pour in juice from a pickle jar, but why use plain ol' water when you can add some depth of flavor? Connie's late mother-in-law used to add a bit of vinegar in her version of this Polish classic; but there's an entire jar full of brine just waiting to find a purpose other than swimming around cucumbers! Do it Connie's way, which she learned from her own mother, whom we call Busha ([BOO-shuh] = grandmother). Busha is in her late 90s now ... the woman knows a thing or two!


Polish Dill Pickle Soup

1 pound pre-cooked kielbasa
1 cup water + water to cover kielbasa
1 tablespoon bacon fat or butter
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup juice from a jar of dill pickles, preferably Polish
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chopped dill pickles
1 teaspoon dried dill
slices of caraway rye bread, toasted and buttered, because as Connie puts it: “Of course, you have to have a good rye bread to go along with it.”

Place the kielbasa into a medium saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 1/2 hour. Remove the kielbasa from the saucepan saving the liquid, and slice to desired thickness.

Heat the bacon fat in a small skillet and saute the onion just until translucent. Add to the reserved cooking liquid.

Add the 1 cup of water, the pickle juice, salt and pepper to the saucepan with the onion. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and carrot; cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine the sour cream and the flour in a medium bowl, then slowly stir in 1/2 cup of the broth until smooth

Whisk this mixture back into the saucepan, bring just to a boil (small bubbles around the edge of the soup), then remove from heat.

Stir in the chopped pickles, the kielbasa and the dill. Serve hot, with the toasted rye on the side.

Makes 4 generous servings.

Bagger Dave's Bowl Game Burgers

Okay, let's just get the humiliating truth out of the way at the very beginning: the state of Michigan got its butt whupped on Saturday in football.

There's no way to argue that there were good battles but that better teams won fair match-ups ... pffft. Both the University of Michigan and Michigan State University lost their bowl games by unbelievable margins:

Gator Bowl: Mississippi State 52, Michigan 14

(Just one of many reasons Michigan's head coach, Rich Rodriguez, lost his job this week)

Capital One Bowl: Alabama 49, Michigan State 7

Oy ....

So, it's a good thing Tom and I had some excellent food to compensate for the football, huh???

We don't have cable, so we had rather a dilemma trying to figure out where we were going to watch our football. We'd watched other Michigan games this season at Famous Hamburger and at Cottage Inn, which specializes in pizza, pizza and more pizza. Both have large t.v. screens. And neither has had many other customers besides us during the games: most people either watch at home or in bars, or they're one of the 110,000 that UM's football stadium -- The Big House -- can hold, so we've had exceptionally congenial service.

But Tom had the flu last week, so pizza was much too rich to consider as an option while his system was still recovering. And our other regular hangout was going to be closed for New Year's Day.

So, we figured Applebee's would be open and have multiple televisions; but would we have good access for watching or would it be too loud??? Well, it was a viable option at least, so we aimed in that direction. And then on the way to Applebee's, Tom remembered a burger place nearby that he'd heard good things about.

We drove by ... it was open.

We drove by more closely ... there was a t.v.

Serendipity had brought us to Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern.

We seated ourselves with a perfect view of the UM game, and then proceeded to peruse the not-exhausting-but-still-daunting-nonethless menu.

Our server, Alan, was warm and friendly and utterly charming. I apologized for his having to make multiple trips to our table, explaining that my brain goes into paralysis when presented with too many excellent menu options. He replied that he also has the same problem (he even told us a story about it, so I knew he wasn't just humoring me!) and was completely sympathetic. Whew! 'Cause there were a lot of fabulous choices all calling to me, and calling loudly. This was going to take some time.

Salad, to start the new year with some semblance of health? Nah, that's not football food! Burger!!! It's a burger joint, and an honored one at that:

“Burger Battle Winner 2010” ... described as “Remarkably succulent” by the Ann Arbor Observer, and also named “Best Burger” by the Ann Arbor Family Press

Okay, then, did I want one with lots of stuff like chili or peppers or cheese? There was a Tuscan turkey burger with mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette and basil; a Cajun-spiced burger with my beloved blue cheese; and even a gargantuan burger called a Train Wreck featuring two patties, fries, an egg, cheddar, onions, mushrooms and a special sauce ... now, where was Jeremy when he was needed to polish that baby off???

Hmmm ... perhaps simplicity, to really let the burger shine. So I used my do-it-yourself worksheet to "Create (My) Own Legend."

I selected beef (vs. turkey or vegetarian), lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mayonnaise on a honey wheat bun. Tom had virtually the same thing, with the exception of the mayonnaise and having chosen a sesame seed bun.

But once that decision had been made, would we get fresh-cut fries? Sweet potato fries? Freshly made Saratoga potato chips with sea salt??? Oh, that last one could not be resisted! One easy choice in the mix, thank goodness.

Alan came back and reviewed our selections with us, to make sure that there would be no mistakes. And yet, when our order appeared there seemed to be something wrong ... we each had two burger patties rather than the one we'd expected.

So we checked with Alan to make sure nothing was wrong and that the orders hadn't gotten mixed up; nope, there was nothing wrong -- the burgers all come with double patties. He apologized for the confusion and we assured him that there was no problem whatsoever; rather than feeling jilted for paltry portions, there was actually extra food -- very generous portions -- that we hadn't anticipated ... whee!!!

Alan then watched me do my "food blogger" routine -- I took the requisite photos. (And I apologize for the blurriness -- I was hungry, distracted by the miniature electric train whirring around the room, watching the game, schmoozing, etc.) He asked if I always take pictures of what I eat, and I answered that I write a food blog; he asked if I take pictures of what I cook, too, and I explained that I take pictures of everything I eat and make, even though I know it makes me seem odd. We all have our little quirks!

And so, we dug in ... and oh, the burgers were so, so good!!! Juicy, flavorful, dripping down my hand -- everything you want in a burger. Thank goodness we had extra napkins! Very little conversation took place, as Tom and I just ate happily, looked up to check on the game, smiled at each other, and ate some more.

The potato chips -- though that seems such an insufficient word for these treats! -- were a deep golden brown, crisp, very lightly salted, and absolute perfection as an accompaniment. I love sweet potato fries and may very well try them on a repeat visit to Bagger Dave's (yes, there will be many!); but truly, I can't imagine them being better suited to these burgers than what we ordered.

Then we were pleasantly surprised when the manager stopped by our table to apologize for the confusion over the burger patties. We assured him, too, that there was no problem whatsoever; it was our delirious oblivion as we perused the tantalizing menu that had caused the puzzlement over the quantity of food, nothing more. We had a lovely chat, which ended with him telling us that Alan is a very talented magician. Needless to say, Alan was then called over to show us his coin trick.

Truly dexterous and graceful, Alan wound a coin the size of a 50-cent piece through and around his fingers, placed it into his palm and then made it disappear, retrieved it, and just kept doing this fluidly as he talked about having begun serious training and practice when he was 14. He is very gifted, and it was absolutely delightful to spend a few minutes chatting with him as he blithely continued his illusions ... :)

Tom and I had a fabulous time at Bagger Dave's -- excellent (and generous!) food, charming hosts, whimsical entertainment, and even Tootsie Rolls to end our meal. And I'm thrilled to say that this is a Michigan-based franchise that proudly supports our state's food products (craft beers and cheeses, among them), sponsors local youth sports, and supports our area's non-profits with fundraisers.

And what was that we spied on the shelf across the room, with bright yellow labels displayed proudly??? Could it be ... our favorite peanut butter, the beautiful Michigan product Koeze's, for making the grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches??? Ah -- kindred spirits! We may not have watched the disastrous Gator Bowl at our house, but clearly Tom and I felt right at home ....

10 for '10

Sam Sifton, who has the best job on Earth -- restaurant reviewer and food critic for The New York Times -- wrote up a list of his favorite restaurant meals of the past year.

And so, I thought: "Hmmm ... what have I, who so relish my food, eaten this year that was particularly spectacular?" (Yeah, I'm sorta stealing Sam's intellectual property here; let's call it an "homage," instead, shall we???) I started thinking back and looking through my blog posts to come up with a sampling.

But then, how would I arrange this? Would I stick to restaurant meals, to avoid the ego-coddling of including my own recipes? Well, I'm pretty enamored of some of the things I've prepared this year; why shouldn't I take pride in a job well done??? Would they have to be dishes I've already written about or ones I had pictures of? For the most part I do have a record, between my own personal blog and my writings for AnnArbor.com.

And then I just thought: "Stop deconstructing and obsessing! If you liked it, share it with your loved ones!!!"

So, in no particular order -- 'cause I had enough trouble making the decisions about what to include on the list, let alone having to decide which was incrementally better than another -- here are my 10 favorite foods from 2010:

Olives all'Ascolana (fried stuffed green olives) at Silvio's Organic Pizza. Fresh and hot from the oil, fragrant, crispy, tender, salty, juicy, and utterly unique, these little tidbits were a fabulous treat! You could very possibly devour platesful of the addictive little things before you realized you'd overdone it. Fortunely they're served only by the dozen, so that you don't have to worry about excess. But no one said you couldn't order another round ....

The cheesy potatoes Tom's sister, Sandy, served at the family's Christmas gathering. Tom has told me that I shouldn't take pictures at the holiday meals for fear of being thought a tad ... um ... odd (shall we say?) by his loved ones, so I can't show the dish to you. But they were a creamy, rich, gooey, luscious, soul-soothing mass of hash browns baked in a thick sauce of sour cream and sharp cheddar cheese. Who needed to eat the ham (which I actually couldn't, because of the sodium nitrite which gives me migraines) when you could just indulge in the bliss of the potatoes???

The maple-glazed salmon from Tom's birthday lunch at The Real Seafood Company. It was sweet, it was tender, it was flaky, and it didn't have the raw center that many trendy chefs pass off as "rare." (If I want sushi I'll order sushi; and, as you can see from the descriptive blurb under my blog title, I never order sushi!) The salmon was cooked to absolute perfection. That it was served along with fennel (one of my very favorite foods) that paired perfectly in a slaw along with green apple strips, as well as being accompanied by tender-crisp roasted vegetables, only made it more delicious. The pumpkin cheesecake served for dessert was lovely, but the salmon was absolutely the star of my meal. This plate was vibrant and colorful and nutritious, but it gave every impression of being truly decadent.

A true work of art at Giordano's Restaurant and Pizzeria in Chicago: a deep-dish spinach pizza. Handmade just for us, there were nearly 45 minutes of anticipation before Jeremy and I laid eyes upon this beautiful specimen. Once it arrived, it was difficult to destroy its perfection ... and yet, of course we did! Pure hedonism, a doughy crust layered with cheeses and spinach and sauce -- an utter masterpiece from its tantalizing appearance to its seductive aroma, and finally its rich, salty, yeasty, sweet, savory, spicy, explosion of flavors. This pizza was unbelievably, indescribably fabulous!

The banana pudding ice cream from Happy Cream Ice Cream and Deli in Detroit. (Oh, my heart is broken! I just found out the shop has closed when I looked for the link! Very sadly, another small business owner's dream has died ....) Not only is there divine intervention connected to this ice cream, as I ate it on the night Tom and I were visited by an angel; but it was so rich, so creamy, so smooth, so generously portioned, so infused with love and pride by the man who recommended it to me with a smile ... oh, it was utterly sublime. Every part of the comfort food that is banana pudding -- from the custard to the banana slices to the softened vanilla wafers -- was contained in that paper cup. It was a thing of true beauty. I am so, so thrilled that I was able to try it while the shop was open!

My triple orange brownies absolutely had to make this list! Still warm from the oven, these are too soft to be considered fudgy; and yet, there is a sticky layer of combined chocolate and marmalade at the bottom that is reminiscent of a candy filling. The orange flavoring doesn't overtake the chocolate, and neither is it hidden -- instead, the two predominant players do a seductive dance wrapped tightly in each other's arms, moving in unison as their hips sway and their passion ignites. These are so good that you will be spoiled and may never want to eat any other brownies again. I'm not kidding -- make the recipe for yourself and you'll find that I speak truth.

The Mexican chocolate loaf cake baked by the River Street Bakery and bought at the Ypsilanti Food Co-Op. This "cake baby," as Tom and I called it as we lovingly cradled it to make sure it didn't get mushed (since it was so tender), was an intensely deep, dark chocolate cake with a thin chocolate glaze ... after all, who can have too much chocolate??? When we first took tiny tastes of it, we thought it was rich and delicious; we were also very impressed at how moist it was, given that the cake is vegan. As the flavors lingered on our tongues and we compulsively consumed more and more of it with no ability to resist, the hints of cinnamon and cayenne started to shine through. There was nothing too spicy or overpowering, merely chocolate paired with perfect complements.

Shalimar, where Tom's and my favorite meal is Murgh Saagwala (chicken with spinach), Dumm Aloo (potatoes in a spiced tomato-yogurt sauce), and -- of course! -- the assorted naan. Yes, I should be picking one of those items and featuring it; but read my last post about this amazing restaurant -- how could I ever possibly choose just one item, when the entire place is one great big "favorite"??? Tom and I ate dinner at Shalimar on our first date ... it has tremendous sentimental value to me, in addition to extraordinary and luscious food. The ambience is sophisticated and romantic, the service is professionally polite rather than effusive, and the food is perfectly spiced and prepared exquisitely. Thus, this entire meal constitutes a favorite rather than any individual item ... no further explanation needed!

Note: For those who read about our recent anniversary breakfast at The Broken Egg and are feeling a bit confused because you thought our first date had been there rather than at Shalimar: Tom and I started that date with breakfast at The Broken Egg. We proceeded to go for a long walk and then warm ourselves up with tea. After that, we found we were hungry and in need of dinner ... thus a meal at Shalimar. It was all on our first date! It was just a 15-hour date ... :)

Love Bugs from Decadent Delight, which are kinda sorta reminiscent of Twinkies. But they are Twinkies not on steroids, but rather Twinkies which have gone to finishing school to acquire some sophistication. These treats are not just adorable and a perfect size to share with someone you love. They are tender, flavorful cakes frosted and coated with any number of tempting options, enrobing pastry cream or chocolate or Jeremy's personal favorite -- a passion fruit filling that could easily just be eaten with a spoon without any other flavors or textures intruding upon the sensual experience. Everything I've ever eaten at Decadent Delight -- from tarts to cookies to cakes to cinnamon rolls -- is absolutely swoon-inducing.

Roasted Cheddar-Herb Almonds, which are a very recent addition to my repertoire but an exceptional and noteworthy one nonetheless. These give every indication, upon first inspection, of being everyday almonds that have a bit of something stuck to them. Try one ... go on. To quote Jeremy when he first tasted them: "Mmmmmmm ...." No words, just closed eyes and "Mmmmmmm ...." Salty, savory, a variety of flavors from the mixed herbs -- each sensation offers something different and enticing for your tongue. You'll find yourself swiping a few more, then a few more after that. You'll give up any pretense of just nibbling and grab them by the handful with abandon. Yes, these almonds are that good. They really are ....

There were many, many other items that coulda been contenders: the spiked Granny Smith applesauce or the coconut macaroons from my dinner at eve ... the Zzang! bar from Zingerman's ... the buttery pumpkin cake that Sandy served at Tom's family's Thanksgiving feast ... the fabulous array of beautiful foods (grilled salmon and potatoes and sweet potatoes and salad and so much more!) served at a lovely dinner by Tom's and my dear friend Martha ... the French chicken with fennel from Joan Nathan's new cookbook ... my good friend Marcie's creamy salmon blintzes ... the cheesecake I made for Jeremy's birthday last January, from a recipe that was first given to the family at the baby shower held for my ex-husband's impending birth in 1960 ... my beloved friend Wendy's buttercream frosting, made from her grandmother's recipe, for which a cupcake is a mere carrier for the addictive fix ... a hot dog eaten on a gorgeous summer day ... the roasted squash soup topped with a blue cheese crouton at The Real Seafood Company ... my own ginger shortbread cookies ... the peppermint Jo-Jo ice cream from Trader Joe's, with crushed cookies mixed into it ... the gingerbread cookies that my good friend Doris shared with me ... peanut butter granola from the Ypsi Co-Op ... the gorgeous salad with fresh oranges and strawberries that I ate at my Mother's Day lunch at the Sidetrack Bar and Grill ... the sweet-tart chocolate-covered Balaton cherries that my dear friend Marilyn gave me for my birthday ... the gingery granola that was part of an extraordinary gift basket from my priceless boss/friend, Rob ... my Mafioso pasta sauce ... the summer rolls and potstickers at Big Bowl in Chicago ... the cream-filled puff pastry at Silvio's ... the raw vegan chocolates that Tom's friend/co-worker Daniel makes ... Talenti gelato, any flavor ... Honeycrisp apples ... garlic scapes grown by my fellow Michigan Lady Food Blogger Diana Dyer, served on pasta and in salad ... the garlicky cream sauce with mussels at Conor O'Neill's (which we'll be feasting on again for Jeremy's birthday, January 10, so stay tuned!). I could go on and on, but I'm getting hungry!!!

There's a beautiful Italian phrase which sums up the year in food for me: Chi mangia bene sta molto vicino a Dio. ([KEE MAHN-juh BEH-neh stah MOHL-toh vee-CHEE-noh ah DEE-oh) = He who eats well is closest to God.) God has blessed me enormously this year with good food, and especially with loved ones to share it with. May each of you be granted those blessings as well in 2011 ... :)