Front Page, Above the Fold

Front page, above the fold - where everyone can see it even as it sits on a newsstand - is just about the best place for a story. And today, after a whirlwind of 6+ months that has kept me from blogging as much as I'd like to, kept me from keeping in touch with all of my friends here as much as I'd like to, I got a HUGE story (in more ways than one!) for Toledo, with primo placement, today.

Here's the story. It's a really good one, with tremendous nostalgic value and a lot of hope for something to brighten what can be some disappointing days in Toledo. The city needs a little love. We can't drink the water, unemployment is high, my paper did an entire story about blight in the city as the faltering economy has wreaked havoc here.

But today, people who are old enough to remember Tiedtke's Department Store are smiling as they think back to better days. People throughout the city who shopped at Tiedtke's or who grew up hearing about it - oh, the store is legendary for customer service and for taking care of employees! - are excited about a new, and old, tradition.

I still can't believe that, in January, food writing was my side gig and today I've got a front page headline. You never know what the universe has planned for you ....

Frugal Floozie Friday - Uptown Coney Island

After a day of thrift shopping, Craig and I needed a bit of sustenance. We were near Uptown Coney Island, so decided to stop there for dinner; a bit of comfort food, and a menu with a great deal of variety, sounded ideal.

You don't go to a diner for healthy options, so I didn't even bother looking at the array of salads. I ordered the Grilled Ham and Cheese pictured above, which came with pickles and chips for $4.99. A plain grilled cheese - triple stacked with your choice of American. Swiss, or Cheddar - costs $3.99. Or you could indulge in the classic BLT for $4.99.

A small order of the Chili Cheese Fries costs $3.29; a large costs $3.99. These were really good, as the fries were nice and crispy and held up to the chili. Often the fries are neglected in this dish (yes, I've tried enough samples to be able to discuss this!), since they're just getting buried anyway. But it's infinitely better when the fries are sturdy instead of soggy.

Craig ordered the Coney Island because, of course, it's what these places do best! A single costs $1.99, and the Coney Special - topped with seasoned ground beef, chili, mustard, and onions - can be enjoyed for $2.99. Add fries, cole slaw, or soup for $1.59, or add cheese for 39 cents. The onion rings cost $3.49, ordered separately.

There are other options at Uptown Coney Island that qualify for our mandatory $5 per person Frugal Floozie Friday budget: a Cheese Quesadilla costs $4.99; soup is available for $1.99 (cup) or $2.99 (bowl); and chili for $2.29 (cup) or $3.09 (bowl). A cheeseburger costs $4.99.

Breakfast also offers many inexpensive choices: a cheese omelette for $4.79; a cinnamon roll for $2.39; a bagel with cream cheese for $2.29; or a short stack of pancakes with either blueberries or pecans for $4.49. The Bagel Breakfast - two eggs with bacon or ham or sausage, a choice of cheese, and hash browns - costs only $3.99. And Donna's Biscuits & Sausage Gravy with hash browns or two eggs is only $4.99.

And, of course, don't forget dessert; options range from baklava for $1.99 to slices of pie ($2.99-3.99), homemade Rice Pudding for $2.29 to the Brownie Delight (a sundae) for $3.59.

A very friendly, welcoming place with good food for good prices, Uptown Coney Island is definitely worth a visit!

Uptown Coney Island
3917 Jackson Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
734-665-5909
Monday - Saturday: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.



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Penne and Peas in Swiss-Almond Cream Sauce

I needed a fast dinner recently, so I turned to the classic: pasta. As the water boiled, I rummaged through the refrigerator. I thought about topping the pasta with the simple beauty of butter and Parmesan; but I took a quick peek around, just to see what else might strike my fancy.

And then I saw the Parmesan-Ranch cheese ball I'd bought on Manager's Special, with a bright orange sticker stating that it was half-price because it was nearing its expiration date.

I love Manager's Specials! I am the queen of Manager's Specials! I buy them, then figure out later what to do with them, much the way folks buy shares of farm produce during the summer and then pick up their goodies each week and determine menus based upon the contents.

So I chopped up some of the cheese ball, which would normally be served with crackers as an appetizer, and stirred it into the hot pasta so that it could melt into a rich, creamy sauce. Some peas for color and nutrition, and dinner was served!


Penne and Peas in Swiss-Almond Cream Sauce

• 1 pound penne
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 8 ounces Parmesan-Ranch cheese ball coated with almonds
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
• grated Parmesan, for serving

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain, toss with butter.

Cut cheese ball into 1/2" pieces and stir into pasta; thin with milk. Place onto a serving platter and sprinkle with pepper and Parmesan.

Serves 2-4.

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 - Backroom Pizza

You can't get much more frugal than today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature, Backroom Pizza. It offers tremendous deals and fast service. As Jeremy put it, you get "real food at Taco Bell prices."

Two slices of pepperoni pizza and a 24-ounce soda can be purchased for a mere $3.50. Individual slices of this variety cost only $1.50, so you can even add a third slice and stay within our mandatory budget of $5 per person. Or you can get two slices of cheese pizza with your soda for only $3; bought separately, the slices are $1 each, and the sodas are $1.25. Slices are ready when you are, if you only have time to run in and grab a quick meal.

For $4.50, you can get 2 good-sized portions of spinach pie plus a 24-ounce soda. This was not what I'd expected; I'd presumed there would be a lot of doughy crust and a tidbit of spinach. But I was very happy to find a very generous layer of spinach layered within flaky phyllo dough. This was a nice vegetarian meal.

For $5, you can buy either a beef or a chicken burrito.  Jeremy ordered the latter, which came with both salsa and sour cream. It was quite large and fully stuffed - a filling option with meat, rice, and vegetables.

The menu isn't extensive, but Backroom Pizza offers fast food and good quantities of it for very little investment. And while there are no tables - it's mostly a "grab 'n' go" kind of place that caters to students on campus - there is a small counter along the wall where you can stand and eat if you're not taking your meal with you.

Be forewarned that Backroom Pizza only accepts cash. But it won't take a lot of your money to get a quick, substantial meal.

 

Backroom Pizza
605 Church St.
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104
734-741-8296



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Baked Eggs with Cheese

Jeremy has decided that he wants to learn how to cook. So he's asked me to look up a new recipe each week that he can make for dinner.

He already knows how to make burgers and pasta; so I want to expand his horizons a bit, but without nudging him to make anything too terribly complicated and frustrating. Cooking is supposed to be fun, after all!

So I thought that a lovely egg dish - perfect as a light supper or as a breakfast/brunch dish, too - would be a good one to start with.

And while these baked eggs are ridiculously simple - crack eggs into small dishes, top with cream and cheese, bake - they are really, really good. They're also sufficiently sophisticated that the end result far exceeds the sum of the very pedestrian parts.

Jeremy made an exceptionally nice dinner, and I'll happily encourage him to keep cooking delicious things!


Baked Eggs with Cheese

(adapted from the recipe for Shirred Eggs in The American Lighthouse Cookbook by Ed Jackson and Becky Sue Epstein)

kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 eggs
4 tablespoons half-and-half
4 generous tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
2 medium scallions, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 425F. Grease 4 6-ounce ramekins or shallow baking dishes and place them onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle the dishes with salt and pepper.

Break 3 eggs into each of the dishes. Top each dish with 1 tablespoon half-and-half, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, and a sprinkling of the scallions.

Bake the eggs for 15 minutes, until set but slightly soft in the center; bake for a few minutes longer if you want the eggs to be firm. (Yes, Judy of Cranberry Morning, I'm noting this just for you, knowing how you loathe those runny yolks!)

Serve hot, accompanied by fruit, bagels, etc.

Makes 4 servings.

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.

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.

Cheese Frenchees - Guest Post by Jenn!

I've gotta thank my friend Jenn - the gorgeous grillin' girl who offers succulent sauces and fabulous flavors on her blog, Jenn's Food Journey - for joining me in our 2nd Annual Michigan-Nebraska Blog Post Exchange!!! Not only is Jenn a great cook and an amazing person, but she's a huge football fan - yay! And the Huskers are her team, Nebraska native that she is.

So it's only fitting that we football lovin' girls have a friendly trade-off when our teams meet each year, feasting during the fray ... :) And oh, my word, is this dish Jenn's concocted a perfect food, or what?!?!?

Nebraska football is life. At least in Nebraska it is. We live, breath, die Big Red football. Considering there isn't much else other than corn and cows, you can see where the love for the Huskers comes from. The funny thing, when I was in college I decided I was going to find a different college football team to love - not that I was giving up on the Huskers (NEVER!!), it's just I wanted to spread my wings....so my second love in college football became the Michigan Wolverines. Little did I know that some years later, I would find the most awesome blogging buddy and she would be from Michigan. Not only would she be from there, but she would have a love for the Wolverines like I have for my dear old Huskers. Hence the rivalry began.

With this great rivalry comes the 2nd annual Michigan vs. Nebraska food blogging exchange and I am ever so grateful to Mary for suggesting and hosting this very fun exchange. It's been so wonderful getting to know Mary over the last year or so. I don't have to tell you, her loyal readers, just how amazing she truly is.

Last year for the 1st annual M vs N, I featured Runzas - a Nebraska staple. This year... Oh this year I'm getting downright mean. This year I'm sharing a treat with you that is guaranteed to make your cholesterol skyrocket just by reading the recipe! Do you think that stops Nebraskans? Heck no! We aren't afraid of anything..... especially a deep fried cheese sandwich with mayo.... What? Is that wrong? Well, then I don't want to be right.

I will admit to you, this was my first time at actually trying to make these wonderfully heart clogging sandwiches - I didn't quite get the technique down when it came to dipping the sandwiches into the batter mixture, so don't worry if things get a little messy, this is well worth the mess! Great thing about when I made these... my parents were visiting from Nebraska and had surprisingly never had a Cheese Frenchee - so I not only get to share this wonderful treat with you all, but I even got a chance to share something amazing with my parents!!

I don't know a single person outside of Nebraska who knows of these delectable little devils, so make these for friends... and don't forget to cheer on my ... oops, I mean, don't forget to cheer for YOUR favorite (NEBRASKA) football team on Saturday!!

GO BIG RED!!!

Cheese Frenchees
(Adapted from King's Food Host)

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of white bread
• 6 slices American cheese (you can use Velveeta if you want, but nothing else!)
• 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 cups cornflakes, finely crushed
• oil for frying

Directions:

Make three sandwiches, using 2 slices of American cheese and 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise per sandwich. Cut the crusts off the sandwiches and cut each one diagonally making 2 triangles.

Combine the egg, milk, flour and salt together until it forms a pancake-like batter. Dip the triangles into egg mixture and coat with cornflake crumbs. Place on a wire rack and continue until all sandwiches are made.

Deep fry in 375 degree F oil for about 1.5 - 2 minutes per side. Carefully remove from oil and allow to cool for a just a bit. The cheese will be hot and melty, so be careful... but enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!

My Yiddische Nachos (for Daniel Saraga)

In its original incarnation, this was going to be a fun and frivolous post - truly Floozie-ish. A winding tale about a ridiculous but fabulous little concoction of Jewish-style nachos, using potato latkes as the base, that was inspired by my friend and blogging buddy Daniel Saraga of The Haggis and The Herring - the culinary adventures of a nice Jewish boy and his Scottish wife.

I had written on July 30 about Totchos - nachos made with tater tots. They're unbelievable, and also unbelievably good!

Dan wrote to me:

"Walking across the office it hit me: If you can make a really thin latke (thicker than a potato chip, but not too thick - maybe made with pureed potatoes), then you've got a plate of Yiddish nachos .... Dunno if I want to even attempt it - it sounds good, but it also sounds like a heart attack on a plate."

Well, I was hooked! So we bounced ideas back and forth a bit, and decided that instead of chili or refried beans we would use cholent [CHOH-lehnt] - an iconic Jewish stew that cooks slowly over a Friday night, so that Jews can return home from Saturday morning Shabbat services to a hot meal without violating prohibitions against cooking on the Sabbath. And we decided to make it a vegetarian cholent, incongruous as that notion is (since it's traditional to battle over who gets the marrow bones that are often put into it), because we determined we should respectfully honor the dietary laws and thus prohibit any mixing of meat and dairy products despite not keeping kosher ourselves. And it's just not a proper plate o' nachos without cheese, after all.

I'm not quick-witted by any means - it's a gift I admire and envy in others. When I asked Dan what this little taste treat should be called, he immediately wrote back to me: "Well, as long as we can get Mandy Patinkin to endorse them, 'My Yiddische Nachos,' of course :-)" [YID-ih-shuh]

Dan said: "Now we've talked about it enough that I might need to actually do something about it. I might wait until December, tho." I promised to get to work sorting out some details, trying to figure out how to cook the latkes to the proper consistency, how to make a good vegetarian cholent. I wanted to be ready for Chanukkah, when latkes are the mandatory food - fried in celebratory oil as they are - which would be the perfect occasion for our dish.

I left services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, September 17, and went to the store to pick up a few things. I saw a package of soy chorizo and thought to myself that I should get some, precisely because I intended to work on Dan's inspired nacho notion after the Jewish High Holidays and knew I would need this ingredient for the cholent.

I got home from the store, turned on my computer, and was surprised to find an email from Dan's wife Meredith. I couldn't believe what I was reading - it made no sense, it wasn't possible. Tears started streaming, because what Meredith told me was such a horrific shock: her Darling Daniel, as she always called him, had died suddenly just three days earlier after making dinner for his family, which he loved to do. Sadly, the very heart attack Dan feared from this dish is what apparently took his life. He was only 37.

Meredith wrote that Dan had considered me a friend, which I feel was truly an honor; he was a good, good man, a great guy, smart, funny, with a heart that shone even through a computer screen. He left behind two very young sons - Jacob just learned to ride a bike this past summer, and their Jeremy isn't yet 2 - with a third baby, affectionately known as "J3," on the way. And he left behind Meredith, whom he cherished and who adored him in return. Even though Dan and I never met in the real world so that I could see his face light up when talking about them - we had bonded in cyberspace over food and Judaism - his love for his family was abundantly clear in everything he wrote.

And so, what should have been a silly post about devising a plate of Jewish-style nachos - as two friends bantered back-and-forth from Toronto to Ann Arbor over the nitpickiest, yet critical, details - has instead turned into a bittersweet tribute to my friend Daniel Saraga, without whom this recipe would not exist. He devised the idea and named it; and his combined respect for tradition, love of food, multi-cultural worldview, creativity, and distinct playfulness and humor all shine through in this delicious mishmash.

I debated whether to make these with a Moroccan influence (Daniel's heritage - he teased me when I used my traditional tea glasses to serve peanut butter pudding!) or a Mexican-ish one; instead, I decided to focus on the "Yiddische" aspect, leaning towards Eastern Europe. Dan and I had considered the difficulty of choosing a cheese, but never settled upon anything in particular.

So I am immensely grateful to Simone of Morgan and York, a lovely shop offering exceptional wines and gourmet foods, who took on my quandry and recommended a wonderful Cheddar. She gave me two choices that would honor the ban against mixing meat and dairy products (cheeses without animal rennet), and also a wide variety of others that I could use in further experimenting for my own supremely treyf ([TRAYF] = non-kosher) purposes, such as adding brisket to the cholent before topping it with cheese. (She also provided a personal tasting session for my Jeremy and me, which was so fantastic!) I also offer thanks to Eric the Cheesemonger at The Produce Station, another fabulous specialty food and wine market, who suggested Comté ([kohm-TAY] - a Swiss-like cheese) for its exceptional melting qualities. Together, the cheeses offer the ooey-gooey factor coupled with an "oomph" of flavor.

It makes me so, so sad that I didn't get to share the final concoction with Dan, that he didn't get to try it or share it with Meredith and the boys; I would have waited anxiously, after sending him the instructions, to read his report back about who looked askance, who dove right in, how many days the house smelled after frying all the latkes ... :) I smile as I contemplate it, and as I write this remembrance of my friend.

But he won't be writing to me, won't be making me laugh with his comments, won't be sharing this last stretch of the Yiddische Nachos adventure with me. And I realize that this loss for me so greatly and inconceivably pales by comparison to knowing that Dan won't watch his boys grow up, won't hold his new baby, won't grow old with Meredith.

Dan led me to this dish, and I hope he was guiding me as I prepared it. Either that, or he's shaking his head and offering up a pained, "Oy!" I hope I came close to approximating his vision.

With many, many thanks to Dan for the smiles, the laughter, the thought-provoking questions and comments, and especially for his kindness and his friendship. Never doubt my philosophy that people bond over food, even in cyberspace. The term "blogging buddy" is so woefully inadequate to describe some of the truly wonderful people I've met online, like Dan, but never had the thrill and privilege of meeting in the real world so that we could share a meal. I am so grateful for having known him.

May Dan's memory be for a blessing ....


My Yiddische Nachos

Latkes:

• 1 egg
• pinch of kosher salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons matzah meal
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups frozen hash browns
• oil, for frying

In a medium bowl, combine egg, salt, pepper, matzah meal, and water; add hash browns, and let rest for 5 minutes. Place into a blender and puree until just a bit of texture is left.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil at a time in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add batter by the scant 1/4-cupful and fry for 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove to a plate and continue until batter is gone.


Cholent:

• 1 cup dry kidney beans
• 1 cup dry pinto beans
• 10 cups + 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 large scallions, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 12-ounce package Trader Joe's soy chorizo
• 1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes, chopped, with their liquid
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2-1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt-free seasoning
• 1/3 cup quick-cook barley
• 1 cup beer

Place the beans and the 10 cups water into a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, and cook 10 minutes. Turn off heat, cover saucepan, and let beans soak for 2 hours or more. Drain.

Rinse the Dutch oven, then add the oil. Add onions, scallions, and red pepper flakes; cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chorizo, tomatoes, and mustard; cook for 5 more minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 5 minutes.

Place the cholent into a crockpot, and cook on "low" for 8 hours or more.

(If you prepare just the cholent, rather than the entire dish, it's a great vegan meal.)


Nachos:

• 4 ounces grated Comté cheese
• 1-1/2 ounces grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• sour cream, for serving

Place the latkes on a microwaveable serving platter, and top with 2 cups of the cholent. Sprinkle the Comté over the top and cook in the microwave until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle the Cheddar over the top without heating it. (Cheddar has a tendency to separate, so Simone recommended doing this to preserve its integrity.) Serve immediately with sour cream, a traditional accompaniment to both nachos and latkes.

Serves 4.

Beer 'n' Cheese Soup with Croutons

It got cold here in Michigan. Fall is coming. The days are beautiful and sunny; the nights are chilly, dipping down 'round 40 degrees. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm cold all the time anyway. Others vie to be the first to turn on the air conditioner in the spring; I'm the girl who beats 'em all to turning on the heat at the end of summer.

So one day, I was in the mood for soup - something warm and comforting. I'd gotten home late after work and an evening of running errands, so I relied upon convenience items to expedite my dinner. And in just about 5 minutes I found myself with a hot bowl of thick, rich, luscious cheese soup - a perfect way to end a long day, and to combat the chill in the air.

Beer 'n' Cheese Soup with Croutons

• 1 10-3/4 ounce can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup
• beer
• 2 ounces medium sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• garlic croutons

Place soup into a small saucepan. Pour beer into the empty soup can - fill it halfway, then pour the measured beer into the saucepan. Heat soup and beer over medium heat, whisking until smooth.

Add the cheeses and pepper; whisk until smooth, and cook just until soup bubbles. Pour into two soup bowls and top with croutons.

Serves 2.

Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I have a number of skills, but sleeping isn't one of them; anyone who checks emails that I send will see that time stamps can range from 12-4 a.m., which is when I can be very productive since I'm unfortunately not unconscious.  So occasionally I sit down in my favorite comfy chair and doze off when the sleep deprivation catches up with me. Not good, especially when deadlines are looming and I have a lot of work to do some evenings.  Gotta keep moving, to stave off the naps!

But one evening, it was inevitable; I'd been up in the middle of the night for several rounds in succession. However, instead of bemoaning my lack of productivity, for once this was actually inspiring! I woke up with the proverbial start, and immediately a notion flashed in my brain: pizza grilled cheese sandwich. I had bread ... I had marinara sauce I'd bought on sale at the grocery store (not my usual m.o., but apparently I was piecing this together unconsciously before it rose to the surface) ... I had both Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses ... oooh. Dinner!

I debated whether to make a cheese sandwich and then offer a dipping sauce, in a riff on the pairing with tomato soup - one of the great culinary combinations ever! But I decided to go for the full ooey-gooey factor and schmear the sauce onto the bread with a generous helping of cheese. It's not pretty, but you already know it was rich and melty and fabulous! Grilled cheese isn't supposed to be proper and tidy, after all.

I kinda feel like I've seen this before, so I'm not claiming that this is my own divinely-inspired creation. But in doing a very brief search, I'm not seeing it anywhere else, either. So I offer it as my post-doze epiphany, but also offer apologies if it turns out that I'm absconding with someone else's brilliance.

I'll also apologize for the vagueness of the directions; they're more guidance then precise instruction. We all know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich, after all! So I didn't measure anything, I just dipped and swiped and schmeared and plopped and grilled ... and devoured ... :)

Pizza Grilled Cheese Sandwich

• 4 slices bread
• butter, at room temperature
• marinara sauce
• shredded Mozzarella cheese
• shredded Parmesan cheese

Lay the bread slices on the countertop and schmear one side of each slice with some of the butter. Place 2 slices butter-side down in a large skillet. Spread some marinara sauce onto each slice of bread, then top with the cheeses. Drizzle a bit more sauce on top, then cover with the remaining bread slices butter-side up.

Cook over medium heat until the underside is golden brown, then carefully flip and cook until both sides are toasted. Cut, eat, enjoy!

Makes 2 sandwiches, serving 1 or 2 people. It's good, you might want seconds ....

Grilled Bacon, Parmesan, and Fig Sandwich

I've been thinking about a fig 'n' Parmesan combination for some time now, though I just haven't managed to act upon it before this.

But it's stuck with me. And it's stuck with me because it is bashert [bah-SHAYRT], which is Hebrew for "destiny."

I'd originally considered a savory bread pudding with shavings of Parmesan and some fig jam stirred into the custard; that may still find its way into my repertoire this winter, when the warmth of bread pudding is the perfect thing to counter the cold. But after a long day at work, I needed dinner ... and I needed a meal that didn't require too much effort. If it were going to be time-consuming or complicated, I'd have ended up just eating chocolate chips. (You think I'm kidding, but I'm really not. It had been that kind of day.)

So, fortunately for my pancreas, there was a better idea: a grilled cheese sandwich combining the Parmesan and the figs. And as I gathered ingredients together, I had an epiphany ... bacon.

There was a bit of leftover bacon flirting with me as I routed around in the refrigerator. I could hear it blowing kisses, whispering sweet nothings.

Well, how could I resist such seductive charms? I succumbed. I'm "that" kinda girl.

And I have no regrets.

This sandwich exceeded my expectations beyond my usually verbose ability to describe it. The crisp crunch of the buttery, toasted bread ... the first bite bringing sweetness, then the tingle of the mustard ... the nuttiness of the creamy Parmesan came through in the next moment, contrasting with the chewiness of the bacon. It was a perfect union of tastes and textures.

It was love at first bite.

Grilled Bacon, Parmesan and Fig Sandwich

• 4 slices good quality multigrain bread
• butter, at room temperature
• very light schmear of Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
• 4 strips bacon, cooked, cut in half
• 2 fresh Black Mission figs, ends trimmed, chopped, mashed lightly

Lay the bread slices out on the countertop, and schmear some butter onto one side of each slice. Place 2 slices butter-side down in a medium skillet; lightly schmear them with Dijon mustard.

Divide half of the cheese among the bread slices. Top with the mashed figs, the bacon, and the remaining cheese. Place the remaining 2 slices of bread on top, butter-side up.

Cook over medium heat until cheese is melting and the sandwich is golden on both sides.

Makes 2 sandwiches. I won't blame you if you eat them both yourself, in one sitting.

Julia Child Week: Onion Tart with Anchovies and Black Olives

It's Julia Child Week! Wednesday would have been Julia's 100th birthday, so there have been many tributes: special dinners at restaurants around the country, a lovely new children's book about Julia and her cat in Paris, a panel nominating her top 100 recipes, a picnic I enjoyed yesterday (which will be Wednesday's features here and on AnnArbor.com) ... oh, the festivities! Oh, the food!

I remember watching "The French Chef" with my mother many moons ago; I'd be eating my pb&j, watching as this charming woman made lovely dishes and made us all feel that we could tackle each of these steps, as well. With Julia, cooking elaborate and sophisticated meals wasn't intimidating ... it was fun!

So this week, I'm featuring a variety of Julia's recipes. I looked over the list of the top 100, but many of them were too rich and heavy for hot August days, or they would require specialized equipment or techniques. And I've written posts about lighter dishes - such as souffles and cream puffs and potato salad with vinaigrette - already, so I wanted to offer new items.

So - dedicated soul that I am! - I perused cookbooks to find recipes that struck my fancy, that were easy to make, that were flavorful, that were summery, and that were representative of Julia Child herself: at their essence, a few simple ingredients that shone when prepared properly.

Today's offering is a simple tart, which looks very contemporary - bruschetta-like, reminiscent of foccaccia. And yet, it comes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, which was originally published in 1961. The classics will always be perfect and timeless ... just like Julia Child herself.





Pissaladière Niçoise (Onion Tart with Anchovies and Black Olives) [pee-sah-lah-DEEAYR nee-SWAHZ]

(adapted from Julia Child's recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I)

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 basil leaves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 8" piece naan (or other prepared flatbread)
• 8 anchovy fillets, drained of oil
• 8 Kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
• 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

In a small skillet, heat oil over very low heat.  Add onion, basil, parsley, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes until onion is tender and caramelized.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place the flatbread onto a baking sheet; arrange the anchovies and olives decoratively on top.

Sprinkle cheese over the flatbread.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese has started to melt and tart is heated through.

Cut into 4-6 pieces and serve immediately.

(Feel free to leave off the anchovies and substitute a few more olives, if desired.  But they really marry well with the olives - strong flavors working together to enhance the whole ....)

Sweet-Tart Grilled Strawberries and So Much More at Berry Fest

I recently received a lovely email from Whole Foods Market, inviting me to enjoy some beautiful organic berries and encouraging me to share the bounty:

"Summer means getting together with friends and loved ones to celebrate longer days, warm (sometimes too warm!) weather and relaxed schedules. At Whole Foods Market, it’s also a time that we rejoice in the fresh goodness of organic berries .... (We're) celebrating organic blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries, and we’d like to invite you to join in on the fun by hosting your own berry bash!"  (Note: To that end, Whole Foods very graciously provided me with a gift card to help purchase supplies.)

Well, how could I refuse such a charming offer?  I adore berries, and I'm always happy to feed my family and friends.  Count me in!  I've been to Baconfest, then BRU Fest ... the time had come to be the hostess with the most-est for Berry Fest!

I didn't want to just make strawberry shortcake, although I love it; I wanted to expand beyond the expected.  At the same time, though, I didn't want to make anything overly complicated or exotic; rather, I wanted to serve dishes that would let the berries shine, and dishes that are easy enough to make that you can enjoy your berry fest after a long day at work or a busy weekend full of chores and errands.  I also wanted to be sure there were treats to enjoy even on those days when it's just too hot to cook.

And so, I devised the following menu:

Appetizers:
Mini Toasts with Goat Cheese and Fresh Blackberries
Blueberry Sausage Puffs with Raspberry Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Antipasto Platter featuring salami, cheeses, and Pomegranate Molasses-Basted Grilled Strawberries

Entree:
Blackberry-Fig Marinated Grilled Chicken with Spiced Blueberry BBQ Sauce

Salad:
Greens 'n' Grains Salad with Fresh Blackberries

Desserts:
Strawberry-Rhubarb Streusel Bars
Pizelle S'mores with Toasted Marshmallows and Smashed Raspberries

I also served raspberry iced tea and a bottle of raspberry-lemon sparkling water - easy but delicious beverages to complement the theme du jour.  And to keep the drinks cold, I offered ice cubes that had raspberries frozen into them, for flavor and for color.

Today, I'm offering recipes for the appetizers; the rest of the week will be devoted to the other delicious dishes.  Enjoy the bounty!

Mini Toasts with Goat Cheese and Fresh Blackberries

Jeremy really enjoyed these, telling me that the flavors of the cheese and the berries complemented each other perfectly.

1 6-ounce package Chevrie Fleurie organic soft-ripened goat cheese, at room temperature
16 Whole Foods 365 brand mini toasts
16 organic blackberries

Slice the cheese into 16 pieces, placing one slice onto each piece of toast; top with a blackberry.

Makes 16 toasts.

Antipasto Platter featuring salami, cheeses, and Pomegranate Molasses-Basted Grilled Strawberries

Everyone loved the cheeses and the salami, but they raved about the strawberries - "I didn't know you could grill strawberries," "This really brings out the sweetness in the fruit," and "The glaze really brightens the flavor of the strawberries."  I had wanted to serve something other than the usual olives, and was thrilled that the skewered berries were such a hit!

favorite meats - I served Fiorucci brand all natural hard salami
favorite cheeses - I served Seaside English Cheddar, Fontina, and a blueberry-studded Wensleydale
16 organic strawberries
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Arrange meats and cheese in slices or cubes on a plate, leaving room for the strawberries.

Thread 2 strawberries onto skewers (so they don't just spin on one stick).  Preheat grill to medium-low, then place skewered strawberries onto grill.  Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, basting with the pomegranate molasses, just until slightly caramelized.  Place strawberries onto antipasto platter and serve.

Serves 6-8.

Blueberry Sausage Puffs with Raspberry Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

I used the blueberry-flavored sausage to keep with the party's theme, but any flavor of sausage could be used for these simple, elegant, and delicious hors d'oeuvres.

Puffs:
1 17.3-ounce package of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry
8 links Whole Foods uncooked blueberry country maple breakfast sausage
1 egg
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 400F.  Lightly grease a baking sheet.

One at a time, roll each of the 2 sheets of dough on a lightly floured surface until it is just over 12"x12"; trim rough edges.  Cut dough into 4 quarters.

One at a time, lay a sausage link onto one piece of dough, at the closest edge to you; roll up, pinch dough to seal.  Cut into 8 pieces and place the pieces onto the prepared baking sheet, cut side up, leaving 2" space between puffs; repeat with remaining dough and sausage.

Combine egg and water; brush lightly over pastries.  Bake for 15 minutes until puffed and golden and sausage is cooked.

Raspberry Honey Mustard:
1/2 cup organic raspberries
4 tablespoons Whole Foods 365 brand organic honey mustard
2 tablespoons buckwheat honey

Place raspberries into a small bowl; mash thoroughly with a fork.  Stir in mustard and honey.

To serve:  Place sausage puffs onto a serving plate, and offer with a bowl of the dipping sauce.

Makes 64 puffs and about 1 scant cup sauce.

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.

Pasta ca Sucu Fintu (Pasta with Fake Meat Sauce)

One of the most memorable books I've read is the late Vincent Schiavelli's Bruculinu, America, the actor's remembrances of growing up in Brooklyn with his extended Sicilian family.  The depictions of the scenes, the characters, and - especially - the elaborate dishes prepared by his grandfather, a retired master chef to a baron, are vivid and striking.  Vincent wrote beautifully and lovingly about it all.

So when he wrote a sequel, about his first visit to Polizzi Generosa, his family's hometown in Sicily, I had to read that, as well.

Both books contain many recipes, and the latter offers a dish with an inexpensive sauce designed to replicate one that contained costly meat.  As Vincent writes: "In Sicilian, pasta cu sucu means pasta with a hearty meat-tomato sauce.  In times past, this luxury was not available to poor farmers very often.  To compensate the palate, they devised their own fintu (false) version."

And so, Vincent offers a recipe for a beautiful, rich sauce which doesn't contain any of the newfangled soy-based products now available for vegetarian dishes, or even any mushrooms that are often utilized for their "meatiness."

Instead, this very traditional recipe uses hard-boiled eggs - coated in an egg wash and cheese before frying - as an inexpensive protein to imitate meat balls.  The golden, cheesy eggs are so unique!  And the simple tomato sauce is very fresh and wonderful.

I not only love cooking, but I particularly cherish opportunities to learn about international and ethnic cuisines - they fascinate me.  So much can be learned about people from their language and from their meals.  As Vincent notes in his first book: "In addition to providing sustenance, (food) served to nourish our heritage.  Food is, after all, edible culture."

Pasta ca Sucu Fintu
([PAH-stuh kah SOO-koo FEEN-too] = Pasta with Fake Meat Sauce.  Doesn't it sound better in Sicilian?)

(adapted from Vincent Schiavelli's Many Beautiful Things: Stories and Recipes from Polizzi Generosa)

4 hard-boiled eggs
1 tablespoon + 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino cheese, plus extra for serving
1/4 cup chopped parsley
12 ounces spaghetti, linguine or fettucine

Peel the hard-boiled eggs and halve them horizontally; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat; add the onion and cook until translucent.  Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar; cook until the sauce just starts to bubble

Place the 2 eggs in a small bowl and beat them.  Place the 1/2 cup cheese into a small bowl.

Heat the 1/4 cup oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  One by one, take each hard-boiled egg half, dip it into the egg and then coat it with cheese.  (The cheese won't adhere everywhere.)  Place into the skillet, and repeat with remaining eggs.  Cook 2-3 minutes per side until the eggs are golden.

Add the fried eggs to the sauce; simmer while preparing pasta according to package directions.

Place the pasta onto a serving platter, then top with the sauce and sprinkle with more cheese.

"In the traditional style," according to Vincent, "eat the pasta as a first course, then the eggs out of the same bowl as a secondo."

Serves 2-4.

Reuben Mina and a Cute Story

Jeremy loves Passover, but not for any spiritual reasons.

First of all, there are sodas made with pure sugar, since corn - and thus corn syrup - is forbidden during the holiday.  (I almost never buy soda, but it's an annual holiday tradition.)  Secondly, my friend Michele makes the most amazing coconut chocolate chip macaroons; she generously gives me a supply each year.

And Passover is also when I serve my Reuben Mina [MEE-nuh], a lasagna-ish dish made with matzah instead of noodles.  This isn't kosher, since it mixes meat and dairy products, but it's incredibly good!  Let me tell you a little story to show just how good.

As faithful readers know, Jeremy is a connoisseur of Reubens.  He will order one if he sees it on a menu, and can rate and rank every one he's eaten in terms of flavor, portion size, tenderness of meat, generosity of ingredients, etc.  Just ask, and he'll tell you which ones are his favorites; he'll also tell you which one was the very worst ever (which would surprise many people, but he could rant for days about how it was overpriced and overrated, virtually inedible).

So one day, years ago, when I found rye matzah sitting among the Passover groceries at the store, I bought a box.  I had instinctively thought of a Reuben casserole.

I layered the matzah, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese and corned beef; I poured egg over it all to bind it together.  I baked it until it was golden, melted, and luscious.  I served it to Jeremy and to his friend Doug.  They loved it.

Then I told them there was some more left in the kitchen, and that they could help themselves to seconds.

Jeremy and Doug looked at me and then looked at each other.  The leapt up, they ran to the kitchen.  They managed to get stuck in the narrow space between one kitchen wall and the extended countertop.  They pushed.  They shoved.  They were laughing, but they still fought to see who would get to the casserole dish first.

Like something out of a cartoon, they went "pop" past the blockade and ricocheted to the stove.  They split the generous quantity of leftovers which would, frankly, have likely offered third helpings.  They were happy.

And so, although I couldn't find the rye flavor this year, I had to make a Reuben Mina while using up the leftover matzah now that Passover has ended.  How could I not?  I approximated the rye flavor with a sprinkling of caraway seeds; it's the caraway  flavor that people seem to associate with rye, anyway.  And this can be made year-round with plain or egg matzah, which is available at any time.

This dish is easy to make, rich, and satisfying.  Trust me - my son is a Reuben expert, and he says "This is (friggin') delicious!"

Reuben Mina

1 cup Egg Beaters
4 plain or egg matzot (plural of matzah)
1-1/2 pounds sauerkraut, drained
8 ounces Thousand Island dressing
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
4 ounces thinly sliced Swiss cheese, divided
1/4 pound thinly sliced deli corned beef, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8"x8" baking dish.

Pour 1/4 cup Egg Beaters into the prepared baking dish.  Place 1 matzah plus 1/3 of another matzah into the bottom of the dish.

Combine the sauerkraut, dressing and caraway seeds; place 1/3 of the mixture onto the matzah and spread it out.

Reserve half of the Swiss cheese for later.  Chop the remaining cheese and combine it with the corned beef. Distribute 1/3 of this mixture over the sauerkraut.

Pour another 1/4 cup Egg Beaters over the corned beef.  Place 1 matzah plus 1/3 of another matzah on top.

Place half of the remaining sauerkraut over the matzah and spread it to the edges.  Distribute half of the remaining corned beef mixture over the sauerkraut.

Pour 1/4 cup Egg Beaters over the corned beef.  Place the last matzah and 1/3 portion of matzah on top.  Spread the last of the sauerkraut over the matzah, and top with the last of the corned beef mixture.

Pour the last 1/4 cup Egg Beaters over the casserole, and top with the reserved Swiss cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes until golden and casserole is set.  Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting into 4-6 portions.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Morgan and York

My friend Deborah and I recently met for coffee and treats on a Friday afternoon at the wonderful Morgan & York specialty market.  It's not a restaurant; but it does offer some seating and a warm welcome for loitering, so it is today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature.

This fabulous shop sells a wide array of items: exceptional wines, sublime cheeses, an astounding variety of sausages, beautiful crusty breads, locally produced sausages and dairy products, lovely condiments, old-fashioned candies, handmade chocolates, and much more.  And - even better - you'll find knowledgeable, friendly service and the opportunity to taste, and learn about, virtually anything that's for sale.  I didn't leave until I'd purchased some paper-thin slices of the mustardseed salami with just a hint of the namesake flavor peeking through; a spicy caliente salami somewhat reminiscent of pepperoni; and a true treasure, the Dutch Boerenkaas cheese that had been described as crystalline with hints of butterscotch ... a perfectly seductive, and accurate, summary.

While I was waiting for Deborah, having remarkably arrived first (a rare occurrence for someone who runs a standard 10 minutes late), I was offered a cup of coffee to enjoy while perusing all the wonderful goodies.  As I meandered around, I could only think of what I wanted to taste, what I would cook with this or that product, what would make a lovely gift, etc.

Once Deborah arrived, we had to choose what sort of treat we wanted - cookies? bagels? candies?  We settled on pastries, and agreed wholeheartedly that each wanted her own rather than splitting anything.  I told a story of an ex-boyfriend who actually once wanted to share a 25-cent frosting shot, rather than ingest too much fat or sugar ... pffft!  We both chuckled and shook our heads as we anticipated the glee of our individual calorie and cholesterol fests.

And so, we ordered the chocolate almond croissants provided by Cafe Japon, a charming tea shop offering French and Japanese cuisine.  You wouldn't guess to look at its exterior that this baked good is a croissant, and I'm not sure that I would call it that.  But as they say, a rose by any other name ....  If you gaze lovingly at the luscious, creamy, chocolaty, crisp, flaky pastry pictured above - the croissant broken apart for ease of eating - you can imagine how wonderful it was!  And it was only $4, well within our mandatory expenditure of $5 or less per person.

Morgan & York sells a number of treats that meet the limits of our Frugal Floozie Friday budget, from coffee drinks to cookies, selections from the deli counter, chocolates, and other wonderful items.  Stop by, and you'll find yourself unable to resist the delicious offerings!


Morgan & York
1928 Packard
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-662-0798
Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday: 12 - 6 p.m.



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"Chopped" Challenge - Triple Treyf Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

Today is the first day of reporting back about my "Chopped" challenge, in which I had asked readers to suggest ingredients I'd have to use in preparing appetizers, entrees, or desserts.

I had originally intended to just pick four options to write about; but I received several extra suggestions that were just too much fun to resist.  How could I leave anyone out?  So I'll be offering my concoctions this week and part of next, as well - everyone's ideas were used for inspiration!  Thank you for making me go beyond my culinary comfort zone; it's easy to get into a rut sometimes.  This really was a lot of fun.

Because this is Day 1, I'm featuring Jeremy's suggestion: to make an appetizer using shrimp, bacon, and Co-Jack cheese.  It doesn't get much more treyf [TRAYf] - non-kosher - than this!  Bacon is taboo.  Shellfish is verboten.  Mixing meat and dairy products is a violation of the Jewish dietary laws.

And yet, they are all required ingredients.  Good thing I don't keep kosher, huh?

Jeremy loves comfort foods, particularly macaroni and cheese.  So I thought I'd make him a soup based upon that dish, incorporating the shrimp and the bacon and the Co-Jack into a luscious, creamy starter to a meal.  Of course, this is so rich that you might not even need the rest of your dinner by the time you finish a serving!

The smokiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the shrimp combine beautifully with the mild Co-Jack cheese; Pepper Jack and cayenne pepper sauce contribute just a hint of a kick.  And the macaroni adds substance, because Jeremy doesn't like soups that are primarily broth.  Whether serving a cup of this as an appetizer or making it the mainstay of your meal with a larger portion, this is a perfect solace on a cold winter evening.

This soup readily passed Jeremy's exacting standards - he loved it, and even thanked me for making it!


Triple Treyf Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup chopped cooked shrimp
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups skim milk, divided
generous splash cayenne pepper sauce
8 ounces Co-Jack cheese, shredded
3 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1-1/2 cups macaroni

In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until just lightly brown but not crisp.  Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute.

Add the flour and stir to coat the ingredients; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the salt and pepper.

Slowly add 2 cups of the milk, stirring well after each addition to incorporate it.  Add the cayenne pepper sauce and heat just until small bubbles start to appear.

Add half of the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the rest of the cheese and stir until melted.  Add the remaining 1 cup of milk.  Cook over low heat for 20 minutes.

While the soup heats, prepare the macaroni according to package directions; stir into soup.

Serves 8-10.

Note: If this isn't served right away or if there are leftovers, you can eat it as macaroni and cheese or you'll need to thin it a bit for soup; the macaroni absorbs a lot of the liquid.