I feel that Modern Family is really one of the better sitcoms happening right now. It is funny, smart and heartwarming all at the same time. I love the togetherness of the Pritchett clan but I also love that they aren’t perfect; they reflect a lot of what real life family is actually about.
One terrific aspect of the show is the portrayal of Ed O’Neal’s character Jay Pritchett as the cantankerous grandpa. Jay maintains his relevancy by surrounding himself with younger people-his grandchildren, his step children and even his wife! Because of this, Jay is able to maintain a perfect balance of salty old man, corny dad, and understanding grandfather which makes him one of my favorite characters on the show.
Jay’s place as the head of the family is demonstrated in a terrific episode called “Great Expectations” from Season One of the show. It is in this episode that Jay makes all the grandkids have a sleepover at his house. He calls it “Jays Night” (another reference to the fact that he has a young mentality-he didn’t call it Grandpa’s Night) . It is in this episode that we come across some yummy inspiration from Jay’s character, in his dish Sloppy Jays.
Now, of course this is a recipe for Sloppy Joes only with a name change. However, I did try to make the recipe match the character of Jay. It is simple, straight forward, and a no frills recipe. I think Jay would approve.
It is so simple because it only involves 3 ingredients, yes, three! As with any other RWE recipe, you can feel free to tweak it to your taste but this has been a recipe that I have used for over 15 years and its always a big hit at my house.
You start off browning some burger.
After the burger has been browned and drained you add the last two ingredients. Medium Salsa and Ketchup. I know, on paper it doesn’t sound wonderful but when mixed together into the beef it is better than any Sloppy Whoever that came out of a can. Seriously. You also save time from cutting and chopping by using the salsa because it is already in there. The salsa creates the spice and the ketchup balances with the sweet which also reminds me of Jay. Enjoy!
Sloppy Jay’s:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup medium Salsa (I like the chunkier kind but it’s whatever you prefer)
To be honest, I am not really a romantic, light hearted plot type of girl. I really enjoy things a bit more sinister. However, I really loved this book! Blessed are the Cheesemakers by Sarah Kate Lynch was a great read from start to finish. Truth be told, I cried a little at the end! The novel centers around Abby and Kit, two people that happen to converge on the dairy farm of Joseph Fee and Joseph Corrigan just as the two are looking for a new cheese maker. Surrounded by a group of quirky but lovable characters Abby and Kit attempt to mend their broken lives and start over. This book is definitely worth checking out and cooking along with. There is of course the obvious mentioned food-cheese, (which will be a featured post a little later), but also various other treats like “Bone-Bone Chicken”, Avis’ raisin bread and a delicious sounding beef roast that Fee prepares.
Fee’s roast is the focus of today’s post. I knew when I read the ingredients that this was something I had to try. I am habitually taken in by simple recipes, and this one doesn’t get any simpler!
“”That’s right,” said Fee again, bashing thyme, garlic and lemon rind together with olive oil using an ancient mortar and pestle.”-Lynch
Just like in Lynch’s novel, I gathered the basic ingredients listed and combined them with the lemon zest and olive oil and bashed. I didn’t have a mortar and pestle (it’s on my wish list though!) so I used a measuring cup and a spoon.
It became a very delicious smelling paste so I smeared it all over the beef roast. I cut up some potatoes (white and sweet)and an onion to cook with it. I also cut up the lemon that I had zested for the paste and threw that in there as well.
After spending some time in the oven; magic happened! My house smelled amazing, the meat came out tasting exceptional and the potatoes etc. were a delicious, roasted, bunch of amazingness! I would have posted a picture of the finished product but we started eating it immediately out of the oven! Overall, I can’t say that this dish had a hand in the fates of our beloved characters in Blessed Are the Cheesemakers but it did bring a lot of joy into my house the night I made it! Enjoy!
Fee Corrigan’s Roast:
Lemon Zest of One Lemon
1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1Tbsp Thyme
1Tbsp Olive Oil
2-3 pound Roast
Mix first 4 ingredients together to form a paste.
Spread paste on top of Roast
Add any potatoes, carrots, onions to dish if desired, throw in the rest of the lemon too!
I just watched Inside Out with my kids and I really enjoyed it! It focuses on the emotions of a pre-adolescent girl named Riley and how she handles moving to San Francisco from the Midwest. All the action is interpreted by Riley’s basic emotions Fear, Sadness, Joy, Anger and Disgust (pictured above), they help Riley navigate everything that happens to her. One scene in particular that struck me was when during the move, difficulties like the moving van running late, Riley’s dad leaving to handle business, and a dark and dismal new bedroom has left Riley feeling glum and in an attempt to be positive she suggests getting pizza. Pizza. A food that is comforting and familiar wherever you get it…unless you get it in San Francisco.
Watch the full scene here:
This scene is where Riley’s attempt at familiarity ends up pushing her further into unfamiliar territory. Things that Riley thought she knew are now strange and unappealing. With all of the new things around her, Riley at first rejects them and tries to get back to her old life but eventually embraces the changes and as a result, matures. The takeaway here is that change can be good; my takeaway was that I had to step out of my comfort zone and try making a delicious broccoli pizza.
I have never made anything other than a basic red sauce-mozzarella-occasional pepperoni-pizza before so I did some research. I looked up pizza joints in San Francisco to get some insight on the pizza trends there. I discovered that vegetarian, organic and whole foods are really popular with the people out there even when it comes to pizza. Based on the research I knew I had to do a whole wheat crust and I happened to have the recipe for a great one on hand. The toppings (other than the broccoli of course) took a little more thought. However, in the end I went with some Ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, thyme, olive oil and a Dubliner cheese. YUM!
The pizza dough recipe that I keep on hand is delicious and easy. I also thought it would fit perfectly here because it is a whole wheat dough made from real food ingredients. Something I think the folks in SanFran could get behind. It is straight from Lisa Leake’s 100 Days of Real Food cookbook and I have included a direct link here:
Of course, if you’re not feeling up to making your own dough, just buy a ready made crust. No judgment here.
Once the dough is rolled and shaped on the pan it’s time for the toppings. I felt that I had to build this pizza to give it a few different layers of flavor; I really wanted to avoid a limp broccoli on plain cheese mess. So, the first thing I did was to brush the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I have no idea why but I felt that this would be a good solid foundation.
Next, I spread the ricotta cheese and sprinkled with Parsley. Since this pizza wasn’t going to have a traditional sauce on it I wanted to use a soft cheese at the base so that it wouldn’t be dry. Ricotta cheese is creamy and a little tangy so I thought it would work well.
The next layer consisted of Parmesan cheese and minced garlic. I followed that with half of the Dubliner cheese and then a sprinkle of thyme. I did that because I wanted the broccoli to sit in the pizza, not just hang out on top. I also should mention that I steamed the broccoli beforehand but still left it a little crunchy so it would withstand the oven. I also laid the broccoli on paper towels to dry it because I didn’t want any water near my pizza. I topped it all off with the rest of the Dubliner.
I took it out of the oven, my family had the same reaction as Riley, they eventually were curious enough to taste it and WOW it was delicious!! They loved it, and I can’t speak for Riley, but I will eat a San Francisco style Broccoli Pizza anytime! I am already planning on making it for my book club and for a play date that I am hosting next month.
In the film, the pizza represents how the familiar can sometimes be foreign to us. Riley eventually accepts her new surroundings and starts to enjoy the new normal. For me it was a challenge to see if I could create and enjoy a non-traditional pizza. I ended up cooking out of my comfort zone and it was a fun and delicious experience.
Broccoli Pizza Recipe:
One Whole Wheat Pizza Crust-store bought or made from this recipe:
Breaking Bad is one of my all time favorite series’. In general, I feel like the creation of conversation is what makes something brilliantly done and I can honestly say that I have argued, discussed and talked about this show…a lot. Each characters’ motivation, their loyalty and the idea of “fault” are just some of my favorite things surrounding Breaking Bad. It also has a lot of great drama and suspense which I love. It also makes me crave fast food chicken…which I also love. So, while hanging out this weekend, re-watching the “Mandala” episode (again) it dawned on me that I should recreate Walter’s meal from his first meeting with Gus at Los Pollos.
So, we begin with the research. I wanted to recreate the first meal Walter orders at Los Pollos which is a pretty basic looking chicken sandwich meal. So I begin my research with how to make a fried chicken sandwich; something with a southwest feel but still standardly fast-foodish. It breaks down to the three main parts-the chicken, the breading and the spices.
For the chicken I decided to use lime juice as a marinade. It seemed appropriately southwestern enough. Along those same lines in terms of spices I go with the standard-chili powder, paprika, onion and garlic powders, cumin and coriander. I also like a bit of heat so I threw in some ground red pepper for good measure. The spices made the breading exciting enough so that the only other ingredient I needed to add was a couple of cups of flour and a bit of confectioner sugar. Yes, sugar. While researching I read in many different places that a bit of sugar is what makes the breading at restaurants like Chick fil-a so delicious. I decided to give it a shot.
Now that I had a pretty clear idea on what I was going to do, I spent an afternoon in my kitchen channeling Los Pollos. I marinated the chicken for a couple hours. Once that was done I set up a chicken assembly line on the counter and got to frying. I used shortening for the frying because I felt that was more fast foodish. I have to admit my kitchen smelled amazing from the spices. Once the chicken had been cooked 3-4 minutes on each side I set it on a rack above some paper towels to drain.
I served it up on a potato bun and added the Los Pollos curly fries. My kids and husband actually really loved this chicken. They said it was a great combo of spicy and sweet.
In the episode, Walter’s chicken sandwich appears to be pretty plain. I kept it the same way for authenticity but this sandwich would be fantastic with some pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo or even some avocado added to it. I actually threw together a quick sauce to put on it (because I love anything with a sauce ) made out of a couple of tablespoons of Miracle whip, ketchup and relish mixed together with a dash of paprika and chili powder for good measure. I enjoyed it.
Los Pollos Hermanos Chicken Sandwich Recipe:
2-2 1/2 pounds chicken breasts butterflied and cut in half
1/2 cup Lime Juice
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1Tbs powdered sugar
2Tbs Chili Powder
1Tbs Paprika
2tsp Garlic Powder
2tsp Onion Powder
2tsp Cumin
2tsp Coriander
2tsp Ground Red Pepper
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
shortening
Marinate chicken in lime juice for at least 2 hours.
Combine eggs and milk in a bowl.
Combine flour and spices in a separate bowl.
Heat enough shortening in the skillet to cover the chicken halfway.
Take the chicken, dip in egg mixture, then in flour mixture and place in hot skillet.
Cook chicken 3-4 minutes each side, remove from skillet and drain on rack or paper towels.
Note: if outside of chicken gets too brown before inside is fully cooked lower your heat a little.
It’s February! A month filled with love, chocolate and all things indulgent. In light of all that, I decided that the novel Chocolat by Joanne Harris would be a great fit. This book is filled with all sorts of delicious treats ranging from very intricate, candy window displays to bewitching chocolate confections. While reading this novel in my snowy, rainy and cold part of the world, I couldn’t help but start to crave the chocolat chaud that was waiting in La Praline for all the visitors of Vianne Rocher. Chocolat chaud has the literal translation of hot chocolate and that is exactly what it is; not to be confused with powdery Swiss Miss packets, it is made of actual chocolate and not much else. What else could I do but make some?
To begin, I had to do a bit of research. I came across a few recipes for hot chocolate and many variations on ingredients and methods. I eventually realized that I was going to have to just get in my kitchen with a basic idea and just keep messing with it until I had something worthy of La Praline.
Of course, I started with some chocolate. Real chocolate, the kind that is delicious and bittersweet and difficult not to eat straight out of the package before it can be put in a recipe. I advise using a bittersweet that is at least 60% Cacao and of the highest quality available. Chop it into small bits and set aside.
Next, I heated the milk mixed with a dash (or two!) of cinnamon.
When the milk becomes warm, I waited until there was a bit of steam but I didn’t let it boil, I added the chopped chocolate. Whisk until all the chocolate melts and the entire mixture starts to thicken. Warning: Your kitchen will smell amazing! It is no wonder everyone that walked through the doors of La Praline was drinking this!
Once the chocolate has melted, you can serve right away for a more liquid-y hot chocolate. However, I let mine set for a bit and thicken up, giving it a deliciously thick (but still drinkable!) and indulgent texture.
In order for me to enjoy this in true La Praline fashion, I felt that some sweet embellishments were in order. Let’s note, this is super rich! I suggest serving it in small cups.
“Anouk has hers with crème chantilly and chocolate curls…”-Joanne Harris, Chocolat
I made the crème chantilly, which was more delicious than any canned whipped cream I have ever had! I was also surprised at how easy it was! I also included the recipe for it down below; it consists of heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar mixed with a whisk attachment.
The cool, fluffy crème chantilly and the chocolate curls-made with some of the bar chocolate and a veggie peeler-provided the BEST contrast to the warm thick chocolate. Overall, this was a terrific treat on a cold, rainy February afternoon.
Chocolate Chaud Recipe:
6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate (good quality), chopped
2 cups of whole milk
a dash (or two) of cinnamon
Heat the milk and cinnamon in a saucepan.
When the milk is warm (steaming but not boiling) add chocolate and whisk until smooth. continue cooking to thicken to desired consistency. Serve.
Crème Chantilly Recipe:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Combine all ingredients and whip using an electric whisk. Cream should be a soft and billowy texture but should still hold its shape when the whisk is removed. Store in refrigerator.
