Kitchen Encounters

~What is a Cube Steak and How to Cook Cube Steak~

Being a grownup is hard.  My mother peddled cube steak to my brother and I under the name "funny steak".  For a period of years, her schtick worked well for her.  If memory serves me correctly, my little brother giggled at his "silly looking steak" during dinner while my mom pandered to him encouragingly with every forkful.  I just sat there and ate the chewy thing.  I found it to be just plain odd in a silly steak sort of way -- the word "funky" hadn't been invented yet.  

What part of the cow does the cube steak come from?

The cube steak is usually taken from the beef round or shoulder (which  -- both are tough cuts.  That said, it can be cut from any tough cut of beef or pork.  It  gets its name, cube steak, because it has been run through an electric tenderizing machine called a swissing machine or a cubing machine (which was invented in 1941).  It pokes enough cube-shaped imprints slightly through the surface to render it hamburger-esque in appearance.  That said, meat can be cubed at home using the jagged side of meat tenderizer.  In either case, this leads people to think the process must render it tender, but, it does not -- what it does do is make it easier to chew.

What's the best way to cook a cube steak?

Because cube steak contains very little fat or marbling, meaning it is really, really lean, you will find you're not going to get much taste from this funny-looking steak either.  It you want a naturally tender piece of cube steak, make your own at home using a more expensive steak such as a tenderloin or rib-eye -- it's unconventional but they taste great and cook up in literal seconds. 

The whole point of cooking any lean, tough cut of meat is to find a way to make it tender and flavorful.   This means cooking it very quickly or very slowly.  Cube steak can be braised, pan-fried or sautéed. It can be browned then baked in a flavorful casserole or cooked low-and-slow in a slow cooker.  Well-known cube-steak dishes included Swiss steak, chicken fried steak, and, Beiijing beef (along with other Chinese beef stir-fry recipes).  Feel free to be creative, but generally speaking, you either want to cook your cube steak very quickly or cook it very slowly combined with other moisture-filled ingredients like onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, etc. 

"We are all in this food world together.~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~Grillmarked -- Things to Know about the Flank Steak~

The flank steak is one of my favorite steaks.  It cooks quickly, it's tender and juicy when cooked and sliced properly, and, in terms of the economy, it's less expensive than many other steaks. That said, culinarily, the flank steak is technically not a steak.  It's a tough cut of beef coming from the cow's belly muscles, which is why it's important to take the time to learn how to cook it properly. For me, that's under the high heat of the oven's broiler, or, on the high heat of my grill.

What part of the cow does the flank steak come from?

Flank steak comes from the cow's lower chest or abdominal muscle.  It's about a foot long and about an inch thick.  It almost always gets cooked whole (like any other steak rather than dividing it into smaller individual-size steaks).  That said, a flank steak can be sliced into thin beef strips prior to cooking for use in culinary applications like Mexican fajitas or tacos and Asian stir-fries.  

The cut is known as the jiffy steak, Babette steak, and, occasionally, London broil.  That said, the London broil flank steak is identified by the steak's visible direction of the cross-grain.  Due to it's low fat content, it needs no trimming prior to cooking. It takes to seasoning well, salt and pepper, a dry rub, and/or a flavorful marinade.  Whether your slicing it into strips prior to cooking or after cooking, it's very important that it be sliced thinly, against the grain, while holding the knife at a 45° angle, as slicing with the grain will result in stringy, chewy pieces.

What's the best method to cook a flank steak?  

Experts say flank steak can be cooked low and slow to gradually break down the dense connective tissue, but, as I said above, and because I love my flank steak done medium-rare, my favorite methods are under the high heat of my oven's broiler, or, over the high heat of my barbecue grill grids. It's my opinion that a well-done flank steak is not well done at all.  Period.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ Grillmarked -- Things to Know about Ribeye Steaks ~

Card-carrying carnivores love ribeye steaks.  All world-class steakhouses have them on the menu and they are the number one purchased steak by backyard drillmasters.  While I'm not even close to being a drillmaster, in my food world, the ribeye is indeed my favorite steak to grill, followed by the New York strip steak.  It and the NY strip It and the ribeye steak, along with the filet mignon are considered to be the high-end cuts of boneless steaks, but, the filet mignon, which does not contain enough fat is least likely to succeed over the dry, open flame of any seething-hot charcoal or gas grill grids.  The rib eye, with its signature creamy white marbling of fat throughout, is known for its rich, buttery flavor and tender texture -- it delivers mouthwatering, juicy flavor in every bite.

What part of the cow does the ribeye steak come from?

The ribeye comes from the beef rib primal cut.  The ribeye steak is cut from the corresponding roast, the prime rib, which means this steak is sold two ways: boneless and bone-in.  That said, it's worth mentioning, the bone left in a ribeye makes it a bit trickier for the novice wanna-be grillmaster to cook because the meat farther away from the bone will cook faster than the meat closer to the bone (which cooks slower).

If you're wondering what the difference between a slice of bone-in or boneless prime rib and a bone-in or bonelesss ribeye steak is, the answer is how it's prepared.  Prime rib is roasted whole, then sliced and served.  Ribeye steaks are sliced first and cooked afterward.

What's the best method to cook a ribeye steak?

The best way to cook a ribeye steak on the grill is quickly over high heat, although they do well positioned close-up under the high heat of a broiler or in a cast-iron or grill pan on the stovetop.  No matter how you decide to cook them, be sure to let them come to room temperature on the counter for about 60 minutes (or a minimum of 30 minutes) before cooking.  This will ensure they cook evenly at any thickness.  Just prior to cooking, pat them dry in a paper towel, which will ensure they sear quickly.  Lastly, season with salt and pepper just prior to placing on the hot grill grids.  As a guideline, a 1 1/2"-thick ribeye with take about 3-5 minutes per side to cook from rare to medium-rare.  Remove from the heat and allow it to rest 5-6 minutes prior to serving.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~Grillmarked -- Things to Know about NY Strip Steaks~

Grill season is upon us.  For us carnivores, this means picking up a few of our favorite steaks and lighting the fire.  In my food world, my favorite steak to grill is the ribeye, for a multitude of others: the New York strip steak.  The strip steak is known by several names: New York strip steak, ambassador steak, strip loin steak, Kansas City strip, club steak, or the Omaha Strip, but, most people call it New York Strip.  Why?  That’s where it had its beginnings – in the great steakhouses of New York City.  It and the ribeye steak, along with the filet mignon are considered to be the high-end cuts of boneless steaks, but, the filet mignon, which does not contain enough fat is least likely to succeed over the dry, open flame of any seething-hot charcoal or gas grill grids.

What part of the cow does the New York strip steak come from?

In the event you're asking what part of the cow does the the strip steak come from, "in butcher speak":  The New York strip is cut from the short loin subprimal, which is part of the loin primal.

The loin primal is the source of many premier steak cuts – including the filet mignon. When the tenderloin is removed from the short loin, the strip loin remains. This subprimal is only about 16-18 inches long and yields 11-14 steaks, depending on thickness.  The strip is cut off the beef short loin to produce a boneless steak.  If the butcher leaves the strip loin and tenderloin intact through the short loin, the short loin transforms into T-bone and porterhouse steaks.

What's the best method to cook a New York strip steak?

New York strip steaks are among the easiest to cook on the grill but it's worth mentioning they do well under the broiler or in a cast-iron or grill pan on the stovetop too.  They can also be quickly seared in a skillet and then transferred to a 425° oven to finish cooking.  No matter how you decide to cook them, be sure to let them come to room temperature on the counter for about 60 minutes (or a minimum of 30 minutes) before cooking.  This will ensure they cook evenly at any thickness.  Just prior to cooking, pat them dry in a paper towel, which will ensure they sear quickly. Lastly, season with salt and pepper or steak seasoning just prior to placing on the hot grill.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ Things to Know when a Recipe calls for Citrus Zest --

The topic is citrus zest.  It's a common ingredient in all sorts of recipes.  In my kitchen I mostly use it in baked goods like pies, cakes, tarts, torts, puddings and custards.  That said, I use occasionally in soups, salads, sauces, many pasta, fish and/0r seafood dishes, and, of course, to garnish cocktails too.  Why?  It adds a fresh pop of citrus flavor without the tartness of the juice.  

Lemons are the most commonly zested citrus fruit, followed by limes, oranges and grapefruit. Depending on whether you need wide strips, thin chards, or fine pieces, you'll need a vegetable peeler, a citrus zester, or, a microplane grater -- it's worth mentioning that while an old-fashioned box grater can be used for any of these zesting tasks (it's what our grandmothers used), trust me, the peeler, the zester and the microplane grater do a must better job.  There's more.  When a recipe calls for both citrus zest and juice, be sure to zest the whole fruit before you juice it because it's almost impossible to zest a messy, wet piece of squeezed citrus fruit

Zesting a lemon is the same as zesting any other citrus fruit.

No matter what size or shape of zest you're in need of, it's important to avoid what's called the pith.  What's the pith?  The peel of citrus fruit has two parts:  the rind and the pith.  The rind is the colorful exterior, which is where the zest comes from.  The pith is the white cotton-like substance just below the rind that clings to the fruit beneath it.  The pith is really bitter, so, when zesting with any tool, even a paring knife, do your best to avoid it.  The goal is to remove the colorful, thin outer layer while avoiding the thicker, white pith.  Once the fruit is zested, it's important to know the zest does not have a long shelf-life so, I recommend only zesting as much as you need at one time. While it can be frozen, even then it only lasts a week or two before the quality deteriorates.

1 lemon = about 1 tablespoon zest

1 lime = about 2 teaspoons zest

1 orange = about 2 tablespoons zest

1 grapefruit = about 3 tablespoons zest

Fresh is best so only zest as much as you need. 

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ GF Manchego, Apple, Walnut & Fig Preserve Bites ~

If you entertain on occasion, it's wise to have one or two really good gluten-free recipes in your repertoire.  In the case of these delightful two-bite snacks, I love to serve them even when gluten-free is a non-issue.  On the topic of GF and speaking from my own experience, two decades ago I knew one person with Celiac's disease.  Currently I know three Celiacs.  Don't ask me to speak about people decide of their own free will to follow a gluten-free  diet without a doctors diagnosis --  a silly, somewhat irresponsible fad-diet trend which I'm starting see too much of.

One short list of easy-to-find ingredients & no measuring:

Listed in the order of assembly:

1 box Good Thins sea salt & pepper gluten-free rice crackers

apple slices, 1 thin apple slice per cracker, any type of apple will be wonderful

Manchego cheese, 1 thin slice per cracker

prosciutto or Serrano ham, 1 thin whisp per cracker

fig preserves, 1 small dollop per cracker

lightly-toasted coarse-chopped walnuts, 4-5 crunchy morsels per cracker

~Step 1.  In the order listed, assemble the appetizers:  A cracker, a Manchego cheese slice, an apple slice, a dollop of fig preserves, a few toasted walnut walnut morsels, a a whisp or two of Prosciutto.  Serve ASAP but can be covered and refrigerated 1-2 hours prior to serving at room temperature.   

Casual yet elegant & perfect for any occasion:

GF Manchego Apple, Walnut & Fig Preserve Bites:  Recipe yields instruction to make as many appetizers as you want to make.

Special Equipment List: cutting board; chef's knife; small spoon

Cook's Note: I have a handful of favorite ways to enjoy Manchgo cheese here in my kitchen, but, truth told, my favorite way is the simplest:  put a thin slice of Manchgo on a French bread slice with a dollop of fig preserves.  That's it.  Just three ingredients (bread, cheese and jam).  It is marvelous -- sometimes, when I'm hungry and in need of quick, snack, I skip the bread and use Club or Ritz crackers as the crunchy base.  Combined with a few other easy-to-find ingredients, these two-three-bite three-ingredient appetizers go from marvelous to over-the-top in a few short moments.  Try my NOT gluten-free ~ Manchgo, Apple Prosciutto, Arugula & Fig Crostini ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ A Cutlet, Escalop, Medallion and/or Paillard of Meat ~

In culinary terms, cutlet is a catch-all American word referring to a boneless, evenly-thin sliced piece of meat, sometimes but not always lightly-pounded which cooks quickly --  it is usually coated with flour or breadcrumbs prior to cooking.  Escalop (eh-SKAL-ohp) is the French word for a very thin, also sometimes flattened piece of meat, poultry or fish which requires only seconds of sautéing on both sides.  Here in the USA, the term for this cut of meat is a scallop.  Paillard (PI-yahrd), which is both a verb and a noun in French, means "to pound", and also references a lightly-pounded slice or medallion of meat, poultry or fish.  It's done with a flat-sided meat mallet and the intention is not to "smash the meat to smithereens".  Pounding should make it wider and thinner, just enough to make it even in thickness and break down the fibers, just enough to tenderize it and make it cook evenly.  A medallion refers to a coin-shaped slice of meat (beef, pork, veal, lamb) taken exclusively from the tenderloin -- only tenderloins become medallions.

Oh my ~ Tender Batter-Dipped, Deep-Fried Chicken Cutlets ~:

Try my ~ Tender Steak Scallops w/Herbed Mustard Sauce ~:

Or my ~ Pork Tenderloin Medallions w/Dijon Cream Sauce ~:

And my ~ Apple-Pie Chicken Paillard & Stuffing Casserole ~:

Or my ~ Barbecue-Sauced Sautéed Chicken Paillards  ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary, Photos and Commentary courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~Corned Beef Brisket & What Corned Actually Means~

Corned beef isn't just for St. Patrick's Day in my kitchen.  We enjoy it in several different ways more than once a year.  Corned beef is beef brisket that has been brine-cured in a solution of salt and water typically used for pickling or preserving food.  Brisket is the cut of beef taken from the breast section under the first five ribs.  It is sold without the bone and divided into two sections.  The flat-cut has minimal fat and is more expensive than the more flavorful point-cut. 

Brisket requires long, slow cooking and is best when braised.  The term "corned" comes from the English use of the verb "corn", meaning: a process in which small particles, such as grains of salt have been added to liquid.  Two types of corned beef are available and depend upon the butcher and/or the region.  Old-fashioned corned beef is grayish-pink in color and very salty.  New-style, the kind that is vacuum-sealed that most of us purchase, has less salt and is a bright rosy red.

Try my ~ Brown-Sugar-Crusted Corned Beef Sandwiches ~:

Or my ~ Deli Corned Beef on Swirl w/Sauerkraut & Swiss ~:

And, a ~ Cheesy Corned-Beef on Rye Reuben Casserole ~:

Or my ~ Lazy Lady's Homemade Corned Beef Hash ~:

Haha, and ~ Another Crockpot Corned Beef & Cabbage Recipe ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ The Pullman Bread Loaf and the Pullman Loaf Pan ~

The Pullman loaf is the quintessential white sandwich loaf. The name Pullman comes from its use in the kitchens of the Pullman Company's railway cars of the 1800s, and, the Pullman company is credited with inventing the rectangular-shaped lidded baking pans (which coincidentally resembled the shape of the railroad cars).  Baking bread in a pan with a lid is, functionally a bit different than baking bread in an open-topped pan, which, of course, affects the crumb structure. The confined space, which doesn't allow most of the steam to escape, prevents big air bubbles from forming, which keeps the crumb fine and tight, which renders it easy to slice thin, and, it keeps the crust to a minimum too. There's more. Because the Pullman loaf produces perfectly square slices, it's hands-down the bread-of-choice for making sandwiches, plus, the thin crust means there's very little waste when a perfect presentation requires trimming off the crust.

Named for the Pullman Railway cars of the 1800s.

The traditional Pullman loaf is an enriched white bread.  This means besides yeast and white flour, the dough is enriched with butter, sugar and salt, and, milk is often used in place of water.  The ratios of ingredients depend on the level of sweet or savory desired, at the discretion of the baker, but, only judicious amounts of each are used to keep the bread's signature mild, buttery flavor.  Once the dough is kneaded and proofed, it goes into the Pullman pan to rise again prior to sliding the lid on the pan and baking it in the oven.

~ How to Bake a Pullman Loaf in a Pullman Loaf Bread Pan ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy  of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ Wake up to Grands Brand Cinnamon-Roll Waffles ~

If you are a fan of cinnamon-rolls with ooey-gooey cream cheese frosting, it's time for you to meet the easiest, best holiday or special occasion breakfast ever.  Easiest.  Best.  Period.  You will not be calling anyone twice to the table that morning.  That said, you will need a Belgian-style waffle iron to make these, meaning a waffle iron with deep grids.  To make the waffles using a regular waffle iron, substitute a tube of Pillsbury's regular, smaller--sized cinnamon rolls.

One pre-made ingredient + one Belgian waffle iron = amazing.

1  tube Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls w/cream cheese glaze

~ Step 1.  Open the tube of waffles.  Remove the waffles but do not separate them. Remove the small plastic container containing the cream cheese glaze. Add 1/2 teaspoon water to the cream cheese glaze, place it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, then stir.  Set aside.  Using a serrated bread knife slice the waffles into four even sized discs (ignore the precut perforations).  Set aside.  Preheat waffle iron to medium -- initially a red light will display, then a green light will display when iron is hot and ready.

~ Step 2.  Place one cinnamon-roll disc on top of and in the center of each grid (two will fit on my Belgian waffle iron, some irons make four).  Slowly lower the lid and hold it closed about 10-15 seconds.  Let go of your grip and allow the waffles to cook another 45-50 seconds.  From beginning to end, the waffles will be cooked in 60-75 seconds.  Use a thin nonstick spatula to remove the waffles from the grids. When the green light indicates the iron is ready again, repeat process with remaining discs.

Serve steaming hot drizzled w/the warm cream cheese glaze:  

Wake up to Grand's Brand Cinnamon-Roll Waffles:  Recipe yields 4 large waffles, 2-4 servings.

Special Equipment List:  serrated bread knife; Belgian-style waffle iron; thin nonstick spatula

Cook's Note: When it comes to breakfast or bunch, I am always looking for the easiest way to serve good food. Mornings in the average family tend to have a lot of things happening at once.  I love my family and I enjoy my guests, but, back in the days when I was trying to get three kids off to meet the school bus and my husband out the door to the office, or, fast forward to when I happen to be organizing breakfast for a few overnight guests, no one appreciates having a few time-saving recipes that taste as good as they look as much as I do.  This recipe is worth its weight in gold.  Try my ~ Grands Apple-Pie-Filling Filled Cinnamon-Roll Cups ~.  

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023.

~The Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato BLT Everything Bagel~

This Everything Bagel BLT sandwich is everything one could ask for in terms of a BLT sandwich -- lots of crisply fried bacon, crunchy lettuce and fresh tomato slices served on a toasted everything bagel that's been slathered with a tangy whipped chive-and-onion cream cheese spread.  It doesn't have to stop there.  If your a fan of the turkey club sandwich, feel free to add a generous pile of your favorite shaved deli turkey atop the bacon.  If you think you'd enjoy a fried or poached egg on your bagel sandwich (even though I am not of fan), I won't call the food police on you.

Timing is perfect for breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner.

For two everything bagel BLTs:

2  everything bagels, sliced & lightly toasted

8  thick slices bacon, crisply fried,well-drained, & sliced in half, 4 slices per sandwich

1/2-3/4  cup chiffonade of Romaine lettuce, a generous 1/4 cup per sandwich

8 thin Campari tomato slices, from 3 small Campari tomatoes, 4 slices per sandwich

whipped chive-and-onion cream cheese spread

~Step 1.  For each sandwich, lightly-toast both halves of one bagel, then, generously slather each half with the chive-and-onion cream cheese spread.  Arrange the halved bacon slices, atop the cream cheese spread, on the bottom half of the toasted bagel.  Follow with a heap of crunchy Romaine and four thin Campari tomato slices.

Put a lid on it, slice, & dig it while it's still warm!

Guaranteed to be the most flavorful BLT you've ever eaten:

The Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato BLT Everything Bagel:  Recipe yields instructions to make as many everything bagel BLTs as you want to make.

Special Equipment List:  toaster or toaster oven; serrated bread knife

Cook's Note: Very special.  That's how I describe this everything-bagel sandwich.  That said, for me, every component must be "just so".  It's got to be a lightly-toasted New York-style bagel -- preferably an everything bagel, but, an egg bagel is perfectly acceptable too.  As for the requisite cream cheese, it's gotta be Philadelphia brand chive and onion spread.  I prefer smoked salmon to lox and prefer lox to gravlax, so, let's leave it at "smoked salmon, lox or gravlax, in order of preference".  Also, no breakfast sandwich would be complete without an egg or two, and a tender, light chive- and onion-laced creamy-dreamy folded French omelette (which I affectionately refer to as "upscale scrambled eggs") is what initially turned me on to this over-the-top, very-very-special sandwich.  Try my ~  Smoked Salmon & Folded Omelet Everything Bagel Sandwich ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~Mint-Chocolate-Cookie Mint-Ice-Cream Sandwiches~

A picture is indeed worth a thousand words -- especially if it only requires two ingredients.  And, if you're a fan of mint-chocolate anything (candies, cocktails, brownies, cookies and/or ice-cream), one look at the above photo will most likely inspire you to bake some cookies and pick up a pint of the best mint-chip ice-cream you have access too.  Except for a great recipe for home-baked mint-chocolate-chip cookies, which is kind of the point of this post, it is now in your hands.

My recipe for Andes Creme-de-Menthe Mint-Chocolate Cookies:

Plus, the mint-chip ice-cream brand of your choice:

Mint-Chocolate-Cookie Mint-Ice-Cream Sandwiches:  Recipe yields 1 pint of ice cream makes 6-8, 3"-round ice-cream sandwiches.

Special Equipment List:  ice-cream scoop

Cook's Note: While baking gluten-free cookies requires no special equipment, it is important the equipment you do use be spotless -- literally.  Why?  The answer is cross-contamination -- and it is very, very dangerous.  Celiac disease can be triggered by even the smallest spec of gluten. This means if you recently prepared foods using wheat flour, the first step (and it's a must) is to fully wipe down all baking surfaces, wash all hardware (mixing bowls, beater blades, baking pans, wire cooling racks, miscellaneous utensils, etc.), and, remove any products or gluten-containing ingredients that are nearby.  For an added layer of protection, I recommend placing a sheet of parchment on each baking pan that has been used previously to bake anything containing gluten.  ~ GF Creme-de-Menthe Mint-Chocolate-Bit Cookies ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023

~ Andes Creme-de-Menthe Mint-Chocolate Cookies ~

The delightful flavor combination of chocolate and mint.  It's a personal favorite of mine.  It's hard to believe, but I actually know a few folks who do not care for it.  For me, I think it kinda all started as a girl scout.  Access to those thin-mint cookies was worth the price of being forced to camp outdoors in the dark one night a year -- no words can express my hatred for camping.  As a teen, if mint-chocolate-chip ice-cream was available at our local dairy bars or ice-cream houses, that was hands-down the flavor I was ordering -- two scoops please.  As an adult, my love affair continues via Andes creme de menthe candies, cocktails, brownies, and, cookies.

Andes Chocolate Mints are little rectangular candies individually-wrapped in green foil printed with the company's logo, Andes..  They consist of a green-colored mint layer sandwiches between two chocolate layers.  Historically, in 1921, Andrew Kanelos opened a candy shop in Chicago, Illinois.  He named it: Andy's Candies.  It was a catchy name indeed, but, he soon realized that his predominately male clientele didn't like giving boxes of candy with another man's name on it to their wives and girlfriends, so he changed the name to Andes Candies.

Welcome to Mel's world of awesome mint-chocolate cookies:

2 1/4  cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2  teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2  teaspoons baking soda

1  teaspoon salt

1  cup butter, at room temperature, very soft (2 sticks)

2  large eggs

3/4  cup granulated sugar

3/4  cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar

1 1/2  teaspoons creme de menthe flavoring

1  teaspoon pure chocolate extract

1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2  10-ounce bags Andes Creme-de-Menthe baking bits

~Step 1. In a small bowl, stir together the dry ingredients:  the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and, salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl place the butter, eggs, chocolate and vanilla extracts, and, the creme de menthe flavoring. On high-speed of hand-held electric mixer, beat briefly, just to combine, about 1 minute.  Add both sugars and continue to beat on high speed until creamy, about 2 more minutes.  Lower mixer speed, add the flour mixture and incorporate it into the wet mixture until a smooth, sticky dough forms.

~ Step 2.  Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the Andes baking bits. Using a 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop as a measure, drop cookies, well-apart, onto each of 6, parchment-lined, 16" x 12" baking pans (12 cookies per pan).

~ Step 3.  Bake cookies, one-pan-at-a-time on center rack of 325° oven, about 14 minutes, until light-golden.  Do not overbake. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool, in pan, about 1 minute, then, use a small spatula to gently transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack, to cool completely, prior to storing in an air-tight container.

The perfect cookies for any St. Patrick's day celebration:

Try my GF Creme-de-Menthe Mint-Chocolate Bit Cookies too:

Andes Creme-de-Menthe Mint-Chocolate Cookies:  Recipe yields 5 dozen 2 1/2"-round cookies.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; small baking pan; hand-held electric mixer; large rubber spatula; 6, 16" x 12" baking pans; parchment paper; 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop; wire cooling rack; small spatula

Cook's Note: "I asked the maid in dulcet tone, to order me a buttered scone.  The silly girl has been and gone, and ordered me a buttered scone."  Scone.  What an odd little word.  All I really knew about them as a child was I loved them.  That said, the ones I grew up eating were round, single-serving little cakes resemblant of biscuits, not a raggedy, rough, plate-sized round cut into triangles.  So, before I sat down to share my recipe with you, I did look it up to be sure mine are indeed scones -- they are.  Scones are universal, but, they are most associated with the British and the Irish.  Try my ~ Top-of-the-Morin' to Irish Cream & Raisin Scones ~ too!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ GF Creme-de-Menthe Mint-Chocolate-Bit Cookies ~

While baking gluten-free cookies requires no special equipment, it is important the equipment you do use be spotless -- literally.  Why?  The answer is cross-contamination -- and it is very, very dangerous.  Celiac disease can be triggered by even the smallest spec of gluten. This means if you recently prepared foods using wheat flour, the first step (and it's a must) is to fully wipe down all baking surfaces, wash all hardware (mixing bowls, beater blades, baking pans, wire cooling racks, miscellaneous utensils, etc.), and, remove any products or gluten-containing ingredients that are nearby.  For an added layer of protection, I recommend placing a sheet of parchment on each baking pan that has been used previously to bake cookies/anything containing gluten.

The delightful flavor combination of chocolate and mint.  It's a personal favorite of mine.  It's hard to believe, but I actually know a few folks who do not care for it.  For me, I think it kinda all started as a girl scout.  Access to those thin-mint cookies was worth the price of being forced to camp outdoors in the dark one night a year -- no words can express my hatred for camping.  As a teen, if mint-chocolate-chip ice-cream was available at our local dairy bars or ice-cream houses, that was hands-down the flavor I was ordering -- two scoops please.  As an adult, my love affair continues via Andes creme de menthe candies, cocktails, brownies, and, cookies.

Andes Chocolate Mints are little rectangular candies individually-wrapped in green foil printed with the company's logo, Andes..  They consist of a green-colored mint layer sandwiches between two chocolate layers.  Historically, in 1921, Andrew Kanelos opened a candy shop in Chicago, Illinois.  He named it: Andy's Candies.  It was a catchy name indeed, but, he soon realized that his predominately male clientele didn't like giving boxes of candy with another man's name on it to their wives and girlfriends, so he changed the name to Andes Candies.

Welcome to Mel's world of fab GF mint-chocolate cookies:

2 1/4  cups gluten-free all-purpose flour

2  teaspoons baking powder

2  teaspoons baking soda

2  teaspoons xanthan gum

1  teaspoon salt

1  cup butter, at room temperature, very soft (2 sticks)

2  large eggs

3/4  cup granulated sugar

3/4  cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar

1 1/2  teaspoons creme de menthe flavoring (Note:  Olive Nation brand is gluten-free and what I use and recommend you use too.)

1  teaspoon pure chocolate extract

1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2  10-ounce bags Andes Creme-de-Menthe baking bits

~Step 1. In a small bowl, stir together the dry ingredients:  the GF flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl place the butter, eggs, chocolate and vanilla extracts, and, the creme de menthe flavoring. On high-speed of hand-held electric mixer, beat briefly, just to combine, about 1 minute.  Add both sugars and continue to beat on high speed until creamy, about 2 more minutes.  Lower mixer speed, add the GF flour mixture and incorporate it into the wet mixture until a sticky dough forms.

~Step 2.  Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the Andes baking bits. Using a 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop as a measure, drop cookies, well-apart, onto each of 6, parchment-lined, 16" x 12" baking pans (12 cookies per pan).  Using your fingertips, press down gently on the top of each ball of dough to flatted in out slightly -- not a lot, just a gentle press.

~ Step 3.  Bake cookies, one-pan-at-a-time on center rack of 325° oven, about 14 minutes, until light-golden.  Do not overbake. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool, in pan, about 1 minute, then, use a small spatula to gently transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack, to cool completely, prior to storing in an air-tight container.

A Perfect GF Cookie for a St. Patrick's Day celebration:

Not GF?  Try Andes Creme-de-Menthe Mint-Chocolate Cookies:

GF Creme-de-Menthe Mint-Chocolate-Bit Cookies:  Recipe yields 5 dozen 2 1/2"-round cookies.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; small baking pan; hand-held electric mixer; large rubber spatula; 6, 16" x 12" baking pans; parchment paper; 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop; wire cooling rack; small spatula

Cook's Note: "I asked the maid in dulcet tone, to order me a buttered scone.  The silly girl has been and gone, and ordered me a buttered scone."  Scone.  What an odd little word.  All I really knew about them as a child was I loved them.  That said, the ones I grew up eating were round, single-serving little cakes resemblant of biscuits, not a raggedy, rough, plate-sized round cut into triangles.  So, before I sat down to share my recipe with you, I did look it up to be sure mine are indeed scones -- they are.  Scones are universal, but, they are most associated with the British and the Irish.  Try my ~ Top-of-the-Morin' to Irish Cream & Raisin Scones ~ too!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~Manchego, Apple, Prosciutto, Arugula & Fig Crostini~

I have a handful of favorite ways to enjoy Manchgo cheese here in my kitchen, but, truth told, my favorite way is the simplest:  put a thin slice of Manchgo on a French bread slice with a dollop of fig preserves.  That's it.  Just three ingredients (bread, cheese and jam).  It is marvelous -- sometimes, when I'm hungry and in need of quick, snack, I skip the bread and use Club or Ritz crackers as the crunchy base.  Combined with a few other easy-to-find ingredients, these two-three-bite three-ingredient appetizers go from marvelous to over-the-top in a few short moments.

One short list of easy-to-find items & no measuring.  Use some or all, as long as there's bread, cheese & preserves. 

Listed in the order of assembly:

baguette slices, 1, slightly-less-than-1/2"-thick slice per crostini, lightly-toasted or not toasted, your choice

baby arugula leaves, 3-4 per crostini

apple slices, 1 thin apple slice per crostini, any type of apple will be wonderful

Manchego cheese, 1 thin slice per crostini

prosciutto or Serrano ham, 1 thin whisp per crostini

fig preserves, 1 small dollop per crostini

lightly-toasted walnuts, whole halves or chopped pieces, 1 walnut half or 1 sparse sprinkling per crostini

~Step 1.  In the order listed, assemble the crostini:  French bread slice, baby arugula leaves, apple slice, Manchego slice, prosciutto whisp, dollop of fig preserves and toasted walnut half or chopped walnuts.  Serve ASAP but can be covered and refrigerated 1-2 hours prior to serving at room temperature.   

Casual yet elegant & perfect for any occasion:

Manchego, Apple, Prosciutto, Arugula & Fig Crostini:  Recipe yields instructions to make as many appetizer as you want to.

Special Equipment List:  serrated bread knife, cutting board; chef's knife; small spoon

Cook's Note: It's my opinion that it's impossible for any one person to have one favorite cheese.  There are thousands of choices, with unique varieties available in in every region of  the world, with new varieties being created as we speak. To name a few, are hard cheeses, soft cheeses, semi-soft cheeses, crumbly cheeses, spoonable cheeses, melting cheeses, grating cheeses and blue-veined cheeses. There are cow's milk cheeses, sheep's milk cheeses, goat cheeses and vegan cheeses.  Some cheeses are processed, others are not.  Some are aged for a short time, some are aged for a long time.  The best one cheese lover can hope for is to sample as many as one can, compile a list of favorites, and learn to enjoy each one appropriately. 

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ Manchego Cheese -- What it is and How to Use It ~

It's my opinion that it's impossible for any one person to have one favorite cheese.  There are thousands of choices, with unique varieties available in in every region of  the world, with new varieties being created as we speak.  To name a few, are hard cheeses, soft cheeses, semi-soft cheeses, crumbly cheeses, spoonable cheeses, melting cheeses, grating cheeses and blue-veined cheeses.  There are cow's milk cheeses, sheep's milk cheeses, goat cheeses and vegan cheeses.  Some cheeses are processed, others are not.  Some are aged for a short time, some are aged for a long time.  The best one cheese lover can hope for is to sample as many as one can on his or her lifetime of travels, compile a list of favorites, and use them appropriately. 

Manchego is a Spanish, raw or pasteurized, whole Manchgo-sheep's milk cheese licensed to be made in four provinces in the La Mancha region (south of Madrid). Manchego is the undisputed favorite cheese of Spain.  Manchgo's texture varies depending on how long it is aged -- 60 days to 2 years. Manchego is semi-firm with a compact consistency.  It's color is white to ivory-yellow.  It has distinctive mild flavor -- fruity, nutty, tangy and sweet.  A fat content up to 57% contributes to its richness. 

The cheese curds, a 50-50 blend of the milk from the Manchego breed of sheep and calf's rennet, are pressed by-hand into specifically-sized cylindrical molds that are etched with a pattern that gives Manchego's edible red rind a pattern replicating the grass baskets the cheese was traditionally hand-pressed into. The most traditional use for Manchego is to eat it served with Spanish tapas. The thinly-sliced cheese is paired with Serrano ham and marinated olives, or, Serrano ham, figs and walnuts, and, bread. Because of its high fat content, it doesn't melt very well, but it ideal for shaving atop salad, vegetables or pasta.  To store, wrap Manchgo tightly in parchment, waxed or butcher paper and store in the drawer of the refrigerator for 4-6 weeks.

Try my ~ Manchgo, Apple, Prosciutto, Arugula & Fig Crostini ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~The Pineapple -- the Universal Symbol of Hospitality~

Pineapple was introduced to the United States in the mid 19th Century via South American trade routes north to the to the Caribbean and into the West Indies, where Christopher Columbus found them. In Caribbean native tongue, the pineapple's original name was "anana", meaning "excellent fruit". The European explorers called it the "pine of the Indies", and, when the fruit started being exported to English-speaking parts of Europe via The Columbian Exchange, the suffix "apple" was added (to associate it with their favorite "excellent fruit", the apple).

From there, the pineapple spread to other parts of civilization and was placed on sailing ships because, like oranges, they were found to prevent scurvy.  It was on one of these voyages the pineapple arrived in Hawaii, and, was presented to King Kahehameha by his Spanish advisor, Don Francisco de Paula y Marin. On January 11, 1813 the first pineapples were planted in Hawaiian soil.  In 1901, James Drummond Dole founded the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, and, within a few short years, the pineapple symbolized Hawaii. Canned pineapple entered the American marketplace in 1903 and it was a big deal.  It meant that pineapple was available to the home cook all year long -- it was no longer a rare, seasonal treat to be savored fresh.  It was very popular with the American housewife -- by 1925, recipes for pineapple pie and pineapple upside down cake began appearing on cans of Dole pineapple and Gold Metal flour.  To this day, here in the United States,  it is the most popular canned fruit next to applesauce and peaches.

If you have ever stayed in a historic bed-and-breakfast or a large trendy hotel, you have probably noticed a decorative-pineapple strategically-placed on a table, or, a picture of a pineapple hanging on a wall.  That's because the pineapple is the universal symbol of hospitality.  As the story goes, when early Imperial travelers arrived in remote Caribbean islands they discovered that natives with a pineapple hanging at the entrance to their abode were welcoming to strangers.  It wasn't long before the pineapple was widely considered a symbol of hospitality throughout Europe.  The concept traveled to America too, where almost all colonial homes had an image of the pineapple in the entry or common area. Southern plantations took up the trend too -- they began carving pineapple shapes into the columns of their grand entrances.  During these early American times, because a ripe, fresh pineapple was a pricey rarity reserved for the very wealthy, the pineapple also became a symbol for prosperity and extravagance too.

~ Eight Super-Delicious Recipes Using Pineapple ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ The Reason the Pineapple was Named Pineapple ~

I adore pineapple.  Spring and Summer, I'm rarely without some form of fresh pineapple in my kitchen or refrigerator.  Heck, my husband grows two or three in pots on our deck each year (see photo below).  Fall and Winter, I'm never without canned pineapple in in my pantry.  Fresh, it's my "go to" Summer tropical fruit, and canned (packed in 100% juice), it's not a compromise.

A bit about pineapple and pineapple pie:  Pineapple was introduced to the United States in the mid 19th Century via South American trade routes north to the Caribbean and into the West Indies, where Christopher Columbus found them. In Caribbean native tongue, the pineapple's original name was "anana", meaning "excellent fruit". The European explorers called it the "pine of the Indies", and, when the fruit started being exported to English-speaking parts of Europe via The Columbian Exchange, the suffix "apple" was added (to associate it with their favorite "excellent fruit", the apple). From there, the pineapple spread to other parts of civilization and was placed on sailing ships because, like oranges, they were found to prevent scurvy.  It was on one of these voyages the pineapple arrived in Hawaii, and, was presented to King Kahehameha by his Spanish advisor, Don Francisco de Paula y Marin. On January 11, 1813 the first pineapples were planted in Hawaiian soil.  In 1901, James Drummond Dole founded the Hawaiian Pineapple Company, and, within a few short years, the pineapple symbolized Hawaii.

Canned pineapple entered the American marketplace in 1903 and it was a big deal.  It meant that pineapple was available to the home cook all year long -- it was no longer a rare, seasonal treat to be savored fresh.  It was very popular with the American housewife -- by 1925, recipes for pineapple pie and pineapple upside down cake began appearing on cans of Dole pineapple and Gold Metal flour.  To this day it is the most popular canned fruit next to applesauce and peaches.

The pineapple is the universal symbol for hospitality too!

If you have ever stayed in a historic bed-and-breakfast or a large trendy hotel, you have probably noticed a decorative-pineapple strategically-placed on a table, or, a picture of a pineapple hanging on a wall.  That's because the pineapple is the universal symbol of hospitality.  As the story goes, when early Imperial travelers arrived in remote Caribbean islands they discovered that natives with a pineapple hanging at the entrance to their abode were welcoming to strangers.  It wasn't long before the pineapple was widely considered a symbol of hospitality throughout Europe.  The concept traveled to America too, where almost all colonial homes had an image of the pineapple in the entry or common area. Southern plantations took up the trend too -- they began carving pineapple shapes into the columns of their grand entrances.  During these early American times, because a ripe, fresh pineapple was a pricey rarity reserved for the very wealthy, the pineapple also became a symbol for prosperity and extravagance too.

Try ~ My Three-Four Bite Pineapple Meringue Tartlets ~:

Or my ~ Coconut & Rum Pineapple Upside Down Cake ~:

Or, my ~ A Simple, Summertime Treat -- Pineapple Cobbler ~:

How about some ~ Sweet Heat -- Mango or Pineapple Salsa ~:

Or, ~ Thai-Style Chicken & Pineapple Fried-Rice Casserole ~:

And there's ~ Sweet & Sour Shrimp w/Pineapple Kabobs ~:

Plus, ~ Mexican-Style Pork & Pineapple Tacos al Pastor ~:

Last, ~ Fresh vs. Canned -- How Pineapple Reacts w/Proteins ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~All-in-the-Pantry Easy Chicken & Rice-a-Roni Bowls~

Bone tired.  That was how my parents and grandparents sometimes described how they felt after a long day -- it didn't mean they necessarily had a bad day, meaning, if you think about it, even a day at the beach can leave one feeling bone tired when they return home.  It happens to all of us, and, on those days, bone tired does mean:  too tired to do one more thing.  That said, desperate times call for desperate measures and when your bone tired but hungry, head to your pantry.

I believe I could live on Rice-a-Roni.  I suppose I'd get tired of it eventually, but, it could be worth the experiment simply to see how long it would take.  I love the stuff, and, it's one of the few convenience foods I indulge in.  As a kid, if I was feeling under the weather, I always preferred a dish of chicken-flavored Rice-a-Roni over a bowl of Campbell's chicken noodle soup.  If that sounds odd, it's not, as the seasoning packet contains nothing more than dry chicken soup mix. As an adult, beef-favored and Spanish-style Rice-a-Roni have earned spots in my pantry too.

Rice-a-Roni -- The San Francisco Treat:

Italian born immigrant Domenico (Charlie) DeDomenico moved to California in 1895 to open a fresh produce store.  After becoming a successful businessman, he married Maria Ferrigno, an immigrant from Salerno, Italy, where her family owned a pasta factory.  In 1912, Maria persuaded Charlie to set up a similar business in the Mission District of San Francisco.  Gragnano Products, Inc., was born and began delivering pasta to Italian restaurants and stores throughout the area.

Maria and Charlie's sons, Paskey, Vince, Tom and Anthony worked in the family business, and, in 1934, Paskey changed the name to the Golden Grain Macaroni Company. Tom's wife Lois fell in love with a pilaf recipe she received from an Armenian immigrant, Mrs. Pailadzo Captanian, which she served at a family gathering.  After tasting the unique pilaf, which was made by sautéing a combination rice and pasta in butter before adding chicken broth and seasonings, Vince went to work developing a new product.  In 1958, his creation, named Rice-a-Roni, was introduced to the NW United States as "The San Francisco Treat".  Four years later, in 1962, it went nationwide.

Amongst Rice-a-Roni aficionados, chicken-flavored Rice-a-Roni is still the undisputed favorite.

One skillet & no stress = two hearty, weeknight meals:

2  large, boneless, skinless chicken thigh paillards (lightly-pounded chicken thighs)

freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend, for seasoning chicken thighs

2-3  tablespoons corn or vegetable oil, for sautéing chicken thighs

1  6.9-ounce box chicken-flavored Rice-a-Roni

2 1/2  cups water

2-3  tablespoons salted butter, for sautéing the dry pasta and rice mixture 

2 1/2 cups water, for simmering the Rice-a-Roni

all contents from the seasoning packet

~Step 1.  To sauté the lightly-pounded chicken thighs, place 2-3 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil in a wide-bottomed 3 1/2-quart chef's pan with straight, deep side (or a 10" skillet with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat.  Add the paillards to the hot oil in the skillet.   Season their tops (liberally) with freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend.  Sauté gently until light-golden in color on both sides, turning only once, about 6-8 minutes per side, turning the heat down, if necessary, to prevent scorching.  Turn the heat off.  Using a fork, transfer the paillards from the skillet to a plate and briefly set aside (leave drippings in bottom of skillet).

~Step 2. Add butter to chicken drippings in pan. Melt the butter over low heat.  Add and stir in the pasta and rice mixture from the box.  Increase heat to medium- medium-high.  Using a large slotted spoon, stir constantly and sauté until rice and pasta are light golden, about 3-4 minutes.

~Step 3.  Slowly add the water to the pan of sautéing rice and pasta -- steam will billow up, so, be careful.  Add the contents of the seasoning packet.  Give the mixture a stir and wait for it to return to a simmer.  Adjust heat to a gentle but steady simmer.  Cover the pan and simmer until rice and pasta are cooked through and have absorbed all the liquid, about 14-16 minutes.  Turn the heat off and let rest on the warm stovetop about 5 minutes.

~Step 4.   While the Rice-a-Roni is simmering, slice the chicken thigh pillars into thin strips. Remove the lid from the pan and rake through the mixture with a fork to fluff and separate the rice grains and pasta pieces.  

Portion Rice-a-Roni into 2 pasta-type bowls & top each w/chicken strips from 1 thigh paillard.  Serve ASAP. 

All-in-the-Pantry Peasy Chicken & Rice-a-Roni Bowls:  Recipe yields 2 hearty servings.

Special Equipment List: 3 1/2-quart chef's pan w/straight, deep sides and lid; large slotted spoon or spatula; 2-cup measuring container; cutting board; chef's knife; fork

Cook's Note: Coming up with copycat recipes for three flavors of made-at-home Rice-a-Roni made for a fun few days.  Truth told, I love developing copycat recipes -- I'm good at it too.  From sea to shining sea, as items we've come to take for granted disappear from our store shelves, many have reached out to express appreciation for these recipes.  There's more.  Many have reached out to request these recipes. ~ Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix & My Copycat Recipe ~  is one example. Try my ~ Copycat Chicken, Beef and Spanish-Style Rice-a-Roni ~ recipes.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ Cheese on or w/Your Apple Pie -- Yes or No & Why ~

I love the combination of cheese and apples.  I love to put a slice of sharp cheddar on a fresh, crisp apple slice, and, I also adore them slathered with super-soft triple-creme Brie.  Apple slices and cheese are a delightful snack.  That said, I do not cotton to cheese served with or melted atop my slice of apple pie, nor do I want it baked into the pie pastry.  If offered anything with or on my pie slice, I'm all-in with a scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream, but, even that adornment is not necessary for me to be gleefully contented with a naked slice of fresh-baked apple pie.

Contrary to popular belief, apple pie was not an American invention.  Back in 14th Century England, farmers wrapped apples in dark, inedible containers.  When stored in a cool, 35°-40° place, these containers, referred to as "coffins", preserved the apples for several months.  (Fast forward to present day -- the best place to store apples is in the refrigerator,)  There's more.  The apples of yesteryear were quite bland (and that didn't change until the creation of the Red Delicious in the late 19th Century), so, often times they were cooked into various stews containing meat and vegetables.  The English of the same era were known for encasing all sorts of "fillings"(leftover stews, meat trimmings and/or on-hand vegetables. fresh or dried fruits, etc.) in rustic, crumbly, lard-laced pastry doughs.  These early form of "pies" got baked in the hearth until the filling was hot and/or thoroughly-cooked and the pastry encasement was golden.  Chunks of various salty cheeses, which were readily available throughout the English countryside, were commonly served alongside savory pies as an  accompaniment to an otherwise uneventful meal.

The pie concept reached the shores of the United States in the 1690s via European immigrants. We Americans quickly embraced the idea, and, in almost no time, creative cooks began serving sweetened fruit and/or custard pies for dessert -- these pies were considered a sign of prosperity and often reserved for company and special occasions.  The traditional concept of cheese served with pie came along for the ride to America with the immigrants too, and it too was embraced as a savory complement to the sweetness of any dessert pie -- until methods of  freezing were invented.  Sadly, in the era before freezers,  ice cream was not an option.  To this day, places in the USA with heavy concentrations of dairy farms are still crazy for cheese-on-apple-pie -- New England, Pennsylvania and the Midwest.  In other parts of the country, mostly metropolitan areas, like New York City and Los Angeles, fall squarely in the vanilla-ice-cream-on-apple-pie camp.

 Try my ~ Love is the Sweetest Personal-Sized Apple Pie(s) ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ Love is the Sweetest Personal-Sized Apple Pie(s) ~

The only thing that could possibly be more heartwarming than a home-baked apple pie for dessert on Valentine's Day, or almost any occasion, would be a personal-sized apple pie -- for me it would be absolute perfection.  The great part about serving personal-sized pies is they're so easy to serve -- no slicing and no transfer from pie dish to plates, which means no crumbs scattering all over.  The only things it requires (next to a good apple pie recipe) are the right size pie dishes and a foolproof formula that allows you to make as many as you want without waste.

My personal-sized pie dishes are made by Pyrex and they are 4 1/2 wide, which is the mose common size of individual dishes.  FYI:  Pie dishes, which all have slanted sides, which leave them smaller at the bottom than at the top, are always measured at the widest part of the top of the dish.  Personal-sized pie tins may ba substituted, but, I prefer glass because it allows me to keep an eye on the browning process as the pie bakes.  Pie dishes that might be a little bit larger or a little bit smaller will indeed affect outcome.

For each personal-sized apple pie you will need:

1, 8-9-ounce Granny Smith apple, peeled and thin-sliced

2  teaspoons Minute tapioca

2  tablespoons cinnamon-sugar

2  teaspoons granulated sugar

1/4-1/2  teaspoon apple-pie spice

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/2  teaspoon pure apple extract or lemon juice

1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract

1  store-bought Pillsbury pie pastry (Note:  Do not roll your eyes.  By all means, feel free to try these pies with your favorite homemade pie pastry, but, experience has taught that, in THIS instance, Pillsbury store-bought pie pastry gives me the foolproof thickness and consistency necessary for the success of this recipe.)

~Step 1.  Peel and slice the apple as directed, placing the slices in a medium bowl as you work.  Add the tapioca.  Using a large rubber spatula, fold the tapioca into the apples.  Add the cinnamon-sugar, granulated sugar, apple pie spice and salt.  Fold again, until the apples are evenly coated in spices.  Fold in the extracts.  Set aside.

~Step 2.  Using a small rolling pin, roll the pie crust to a 12" diameter. This will give you the surface area to make one personal-sized pie*.   Invert the pie dish, about 1" from the perimeter the pastry.  Using a paring knife, cut a circle of pastry about 1" larger than the perimeter of the dish.  Repeat this process with a second circle of dough (which will be come the top crust).  Fit one of the pastry circles into the bottom of the pie dish and using a pair of kitchen shears, trim it to hang slightly over the perimeter (about 1/8").  Spoon the apple pie filling to the pie pastry, mounding it towers the center*.  Cut a vent into the center of the second pastry circle -- I use a mini-mini- cookie cutter for this.  Place the second pastry circle atop the pie.  Using your fingertips, seal the two crusts together and form a decorative edge all the way around.

*Note & FYI:  Each 14-ounce box of Pillsbury pie crusts contains two pie crusts.  One box, two crusts, will be enough to make three individual-sized apple pies.  Simply do the math and increase the other ingredients accordingly.   

~ Step 3.  Bake on center rack of 350° oven for 30 minutes.  Reduce temp to 325° and bake 15 more minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer to wire rack to cool at least 20-30 minutes prior to serving warm.

Only one thing left to do -- open the ice cream! 

Everyone is going to adore their own apple pie!

Try my ~ Old-Fashioned Individual-Sized Chocolate Pie(s) ~ too:

Or my ~ Personal-Sized Pineapple-Meringue Tartlets ~:

Love is the Sweetest Personal-Sized Apple Pie(s):  Recipe yields instructions to make as many personal-sized apple pies as you want to make.

Special Equipment List:  vegetable peeler; cutting board; chef's knife; large rubber spatula; small rolling pin; paring knife; 4 1/2-sized pie dish, preferably glass; kitchen shears; mini-mini-heart-shaped or other shaped cookie cutter (optional); wire cooling rack

Cook's Note:  The best apple pie recipes aren't fancy -- they're special.  Just put one in the oven and see what happens.  Word travels fast.  Everyone wants a slice of old-fashioned appleiscious goodness. "It's as easy as apple pie."  Truth told, that's a kind of misleading statement.  Baking a really good apple pie is not as easy as "A, B, C", "one, two three" or even "snap, crackle, pop".  Too many people think that just because they've baked an apple pie it automatically qualifies for awesome apple pie status.  It does not.  I have encountered more than a few nasty renditions:  from overcooked to undercooked, sickeningly sweet to vapid, and, soupy to pasty -- anything but the "pleasant and accommodating" experience Mark Twain painted in his 1885 novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (the sequel to his 1876 novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer).  Try my ~ Nothing Fancy:  Old-Fashioned Autumn Apple Pie ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~Cellentani or Cavatappi -- No Worries, No Difference~

A few days ago I made my pasta Alfredo.  I refer to is as pasta Alfredo because I don't always use fettuccine to make this classic pasta dish.  My family likes it just as much using spaghetti and I also make variations of Alfredo using linguini with shrimp,  mushroom ravioli Alfredo, and, with vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots) for rotini Alfredo all primavera.  That said, my personal favorite pasta for Alfredo is penne or cellentani (also marketed as cavatappi) -- tubular pasta loves to soak up any type of sauce.  What's more fun, not to mention fork-and-family-friendly, is Alfredo made using a combination of both -- penne and cellentani or cavatappi. 

As hard as it is to believe, there is a controversy about the difference between cellentani (chay-len-TAHN-ee) and cavatappi (cah-vah-TAP-ee) -- which are both "fork-friendly, similarly sized, tubular corkscrew whirls" (the best words I have to describe their shape).  Some folks actually claim there is a slight difference in their thicknesses, while others claim there is a difference in their ridge counts.  It makes me laugh because I've been using the two interchangeably for years and I am here to tell you there is no difference -- or at least none that should concern any cook. 

Here's what you need to know:  Cellentani were first created by the italian pasta giant Barilla in the 1960s.  The company named its new pasta shape cellentani (after Adriano Celentano, a famous Italian pop singer known for his unique "springy" dance moves).  The name cellentani was trademarked by Barilla, which prevents other companies from marketing there copycat product as cellentani.  When other brands came up their cellentani, they named their version cavatappi, which means corkscrew in Italian and references the pasta's springy shape.  So, my cooking friends, no worries, there is no real difference between these two tubular corkscrew pasta shapes.

No worries, No difference -- It's simply a different name.

"We are all in this food world together. ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~A Brief Bit of History about Classic Fettuccini Alfredo~

Alfredo is an Italian pasta dish in which any type of stranded pasta, most famously fettuccine (which means little ribbons in Italian), is enrobed in a rich sauce usually made from copious amounts of butter, cream, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and black pepper.  As the tale goes (the foodie story most told about the history of this dish)  a Roman restauranteur, Alfredo di Lelio first created it for his pregnant wife in 1914.  She had lost her losing her appetite for food or was having trouble keeping food down, either while she was pregnant or after the birth of their son.  Alfredo, set out to create a dish that would not only appeal to his wife, but would be nutritious (calorie and carbohydrate packed) as well.  He developed his dish based on the traditional pasta al burro, which was simply paper-thin ribbons of hand-made pasta with butter.  Alfredo made egg fettuccine, tripled the amount of butter and laced it with copious amounts of Parmigianno-Reggiano cheese.  His wife loved it, so, he added it to his restaurant menu.

As the story goes, as fate would have it, in 1927, the American silent film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, while honeymooning in Italy, stopped into di Lelio's Alfredo alla Scrofa restaurant, ate the dish and the two lovebirds adored it.  They loved it so much, before they departed, they presented him with a golden fork and spoon along with a picture of them eating in his restaurant.  When the famous newlyweds returned to Hollywood, they began serving fettuccine Alfredo at their dinner parties.  It didn't take long for the news to spread throughout Hollywood, making di Lelio's restaurant and his pasta dish world famous.

Try my All-in-the-Pantry Creamy Spaghetti Alfredo:

Or my Nice & Easy Spaghetti Alfredo all Primavera:

And my One-Skillet Alfredo-style Linguine & Shrimp:

Or my So Easy Mushroom Ravioli Alfredo alla Primavera:

"We are all in this food world together. ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ For the Love of Mike's Hot Honey & Ways to Use It ~

Mike's Hot Honey.  Since its foodie founding in 2010, this food industry phenomenon has gone from being a little-known condiment one could only find in trendy Brooklyn pizza shops to practically a household name.  If you've never heard of it, or simply haven't tried it yet, this sweet and spicy addictive condiment (a combination of high-quality honey infused with chili peppers), will catapult your eating pleasure to a new level of sweet, spicy and savory happiness.

So how did a humble two-ingredient condiment jettison from obscurity to cult classic? The founder -- Mike Kurtz, who as a child was a fan of sweet and spicy flavor combos.  He got his inspiration to create his own brand of hot honey while studying in Brazil.  While visiting a pizza shop, he was surprised to find a jar of honey filled with chili peppers on each table.  After drizzling it on his pizza, the rest became history. 

After returning to the US in 2004, he spent the next six years experimenting and perfecting a recipe that would become known in the food industry as Mikes Hot Honey.  He started giving his honey away to friends and family as gifts, until six years later, Mike took a job as a  pizza apprentice at Paulie Gee's Pizza Emporium in Greenpoint, Brooklyn -- a Neapolitan-style pizza shop.  Kurtz brought his hot honey in for owner Paulie Giannone to try.  After trying in on a slice of pepperoni pizza, the restauranteur asked his apprentice to start bringing in small batches of his honey to offer with their pizza.

This opportunity launched Mike Kurt'z career.  The sweet and spicy pizza pies sold at Paulie Gee's were just the beginning of the fast-moving hot-honey trend, not to mention Mike's relationship between North American pizza shops and Mike's Hot Honey.   That said, Mike's Hot Honey is great on all sorts of things besides pizza, and, his honey is available in everything from gallon-sized containers to single-serving to-go cups to squeezable packets so customers can get a Mike's hot-honey fix wherever they are.

My list of favorite things to drizzle Mike's Hot Honey on:

Pepperoni Pizza

Chicken Wings

Fried Chicken or Fried Chicken and Waffles

Chicken Nuggets

Batter-Dipped Deep-Fried Shrimp or Fish

Deli-Chicken & Bacon or Turkey & Bacon Sandwiches

Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwiches

Pancakes or Waffles

Buttermilk Biscuits

Cornbread or Corncakes

Sweet Corn or Sweet Corn Fritters

Deep-Fried Pirogies or French Fries

Baked Sweet Potatoes w/Butter

Phyllo-Wrapped Baked Brie or Nut-Crusted Deep-Fried Brie 

Any Dry Nutty Cheeses, Blue Cheese or Fresh Mozzarella

Melon Wrapped w/Prosciutto

Grilled Pineapple

Vanilla Ice Cream

Steaming-Hot Tea w/Bourbon Whiskey

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ For the Love of Arby's Original and Horsey Sauce ~

You say Arby's and I'll ask what time to meet you there.  It's no secret that I'm typically not a chain-restaurant kinda gal, but, I admit to loving an Arby's roast-beef sandwich or two drizzled with both their signature original sauce and horsey sauce.  While Arby's offers an array of 17 different sauces to pair with your favorite roast-beef, chicken, ham, turkey or fish sandwich, 'burger or salad, their original sauce and horsey sauce are my two personal favorites -- they're addicting. They're so addicting, most customers relish in the guilty peasure of pocketing a few packets of these lip-smacking sauces on their way out the door to take home -- and there's no shame in that.  Now I bring tidings of great joy -- we can buy 16-ounce bottles of both online!

Arby's is a fast food chain that was founded in 1964 in Boardman, Ohio, by two brothers, Forrest and Leroy Raffel, who wanted to sell roast-beef sandwiches (like they served in their Youngstown, Ohio restaurant) on a large scale.  The name Arby's is a portmanteau (a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example motel, from ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’, or, brunch, from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’) of the Raffel brother's original initials.  Arby's signature sandwich is indeed the roast-beef sandwich, which is made with very-thinly-sliced roast beef, American cheese and Arby's original sauce served on a sesame seed bun. Their original sauce is a unique blend of ingredients that create a sweet, tangy and slightly-spicy ketchup-based condiment.  Arby's horsey sauce is a mayonnaise-based condiment that is based on spicy horseradish root and it's creamy with a subtle kick of heat.  Both condiments, drizzled separately or together are what give the Arby's roast-beef sandwich its signature appeal -- and yes, they were concocted to play well together on the same roast-beef sandwich or 'burger.

Try one or both on your next steak or cheesesteak:

Use Arby's sauce to glaze your next chicken or game hen too:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~Easy Buffalo-Style Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen~

In my food world I am always game for finding one more way to shovel Frank's RedHot Buffalo-Wing Sauce into my family's and tailgate friends deep-fried chicken-wing loving mouths.  This lip-making, finger-licking knife-and-fork recipe for one of the simplest of things in the poultry world to cook, the Cornish game hen, is a keeper.  Pair it up with some deli-style coleslaw, potato- or macaroni-salad, or, mac-and-cheese, it's game on for a super-fun weeknight gameday dinner!

The Cornish game hen, also known as the Rock Cornish game hen, is the USDA's approved name for a particular variety of  broiler chicken. Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky cross-bred the standard Cornish chicken with a White Plymouth Rock hen and a Malayan fighting cock in the 1950s. They were bred to mature quickly and develop a large breast and weigh no 2 pounds max uncooked (with the most common weight  about 1 1/4 pounds).

Despite the "game hen" in the name, the Cornish hen is not a game bird.  While the "hen" in the name implies a female bird, males and females are sold and served as Cornish hens, meaning, many aren't hens.  Once cooked, the Cornish hen is known for its tender meat which loves to absorb flavors from creative marinades or spice rubs.

The pianist and comedian, Victor Borge was an early investor and promoter of this single-serving bird, leveraging his popularity to transition the Cornish hen from an exotic item to a common household meal who's petite size and young age give it a unique flavor and succulent texture that bigger chickens simply do not have.  That said, it's as versatile as a regular-sized chicken, so, any recipe for any chicken is easily adapted to the mini-chicken (which will cook more quickly, in approximately 1 hour depending on the recipe ).  The small size also makes it easier to achieve a crispy skin with perfectly-cooked meat simultaneously with no real need for basting.

Two ingredients + coleslaw or potato salad = one fab feast:

1-2 Cornish game hens, thawed and at room temperature

1/4-1/2  cup Franks's Original RedHot Wing Sauce

~Step 1. Remove hen(s) (cook as many as you want) from packaging and on a rack in a shallow roasting pan that has been lined with aluminum foil.  Bend/twist/fold (whatever word you want to use) the wing tips down and underneath the hen(s) -- this will prevent burning.  Do not be inclined to season the hen(s) with salt and pepper as Frank's RedHot wing sauce is nicely seasoned -- it's perfect.  Roast hen(s) on center rack of 375º oven for 45 minutes.

~Step 2.  At the 45 minute mark, remove hen(s) from oven.  Working as quickly as possible, use a pastry brush to paint the entire surface of the hen(s) with RedHot wing sauce.  Return to oven and continue to roast 5 more minutes.  Repeat the basting process every 5 minutes until an instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the thickert breast meat, reads 150°-155°, about 15-20 more minutes.   Remove glazed hens from oven, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest 5-10 minutes prior to serving -- residual heat will finish-cook the hen(s) and allow juices to redistribute.

Serve w/a favorite side -- try my creamy-crunchy coleslaw:

My Easy Buffalo-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen:  Recipe yields instruction to roast and glaze as many Cornish game hens as you want to.

Special Equipment List: appropriately-sized roasting pan; aluminum foil; roasting rack; small saucepan; pastry brush; intant-read meat thermometer

Cook's Note: What started in 1964 as late-night pub grub at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY, deep-fried chicken wings, is now found in many forms.  Truth told, there's not much that Buffalo-style chicken can't do, and applying Buffalo wing sauce as a glaze to oven-roasted chicken leg-thigh quarters, or, stirring it into some previously roasted or poached chicken is the perfect way to transition this iconic game day snack into all sorts of other appetizers, sandwiches, main or side-dish salads, or, main-dish meals.  Trust me, as a lady who loves her deep-fried wings, but, only in the privacy of her own home (where she's free to lick fingers, smack lips, pick teeth, and, drip sauce), while different, the following Buffalo-Style delicacies are every bit as enjoyable as chicken wings.  For lots of Buffalo-style recipe ideas, read my post: ~ How Many Ways Can One Say Buffalo Wing Style ~.

~ Easy Cornish Hen Glazed w/Arby's Original Sauce ~

Arby's Original Sauce.  Their unique blend of ingredients creates a sweet, tangy, and spicy ketchup-based barbecue-type sauce that gives all of their beef and chicken sandwiches extra special appeal.  In my opinion, whether you're a fan of their sandwiches or not, their barbecue sauce is addictive.  It's so addicting, most customers enjoy the guilty pleasure of pocketing a few packets of this lip-smacking sauce on our way out their door -- and there's not shame in that. That said, I bring tidings of great joy -- they've started selling it and their Horsey Sauce online!  

The Cornish game hen, also known as the Rock Cornish game hen, is the USDA's approved name for a particular variety of  broiler chicken. Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky cross-bred the standard Cornish chicken with a White Plymouth Rock hen and a Malayan fighting cock in the 1950s. They were bred to mature quickly and develop a large breast and weigh no 2 pounds max uncooked (with the most common weight  about 1 1/4 pounds).

Despite the "game hen" in the name, the Cornish hen is not a game bird.  While the "hen" in the name implies a female bird, males and females are sold and served as Cornish hens, meaning, many aren't hens.  Once cooked, the Cornish hen is known for its tender meat which loves to absorb flavors from creative marinades or spice rubs.

The pianist and comedian, Victor Borge was an early investor and promoter of this single-serving bird, leveraging his popularity to transition the Cornish hen from an exotic item to a common household meal who's petite size and young age give it a unique flavor and succulent texture that bigger chickens simply do not have.  That said, it's as versatile as a regular-sized chicken, so, any recipe for any chicken is easily adapted to the mini-chicken (which will cook more quickly, in approximately 1 hour depending on the recipe ).  The small size also makes it easier to achieve a crispy skin with perfectly-cooked meat simultaneously with no real need for basting.

Two ingredients + a side-dish or two = A fab feast a la Arby's:

1-2 Cornish game hens, thawed and at room temperature

1/4-1/2  cup Arby's Original Barbecue Sauce

~Step 1. Remove hen(s) (cook as many as you want) from packaging and on a rack in a shallow roasting pan that has been lined with aluminum foil.  Bend/twist/fold (whatever word you want to use) the wing tips down and underneath the hen(s) -- this will prevent burning.  Do not be inclined to season the hen(s) with salt and pepper as Arby's sauce is nicely seasoned -- it's perfect. Roast hen(s) on center rack of 375º oven for 45 minutes.

~Step 2.  At the 45 minute mark, remove hen(s) from oven.  Working as quickly as possible, use a pastry brush to paint the entire surface of the hen(s) with Arby's sauce.  Return to oven and continue to roast 5 more minutes.  Repeat the basting process every 5 minutes until an instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the thickert breast meat, reads 150°-155°, about 15-20 more minutes.   Remove glazed hens from oven, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest 5-10 minutes prior to serving -- residual heat will finish-cook the hen(s) and allow juices to redistribute.

Serve w/your favorite side(s) -- try my spicy rice & cornbread:

Easy Cornish Hen Glazed w/Arby's Original Sauce: Recipe yields instruction to roast and glaze as many Cornish game hens as you want to.

Special Equipment List: appropriately-sized roasting pan; aluminum foil; roasting rack; small saucepan; pastry brush; intant-read meat thermometer

Cook's Note:  Whether you are new to cooking and looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a small group of people with or a seasoned-pro looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a few quests with, you really should consider Cornish game hens.  There's more.  If you are a hungry single person in search of an easy, made-from-scratch entree, you really should consider a Cornish game hen. When I was a young chick (a new bride about 45 years ago), Cornish game hens were trendy and commonly served -- everyone, kids and adults alike, loves a succulent, personal-sized mini-chicken.  I served them frequently for years, and then, for reasons unknown to me, I kinda forgot about them.  No time like the present to correct my course. Be sure to read my post: ~ Elegantly Easy -- The Roasted Rock Cornish Game Hen ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

~ My in-a-Jiffy-Mix Double-Delicious Quick Cornbread ~

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix.  Currently priced at $1.50 for each eye-catching blue-and-yellow box, which is up from a mere 59 cents a year ago, it's been a time-saving staple in my pantry for over four decades.  A week ago, there was discussion on one of my Facebook friend's pages about store-bought cornbread mixes.  We discussed the rising cost, and, which one us "cheaters" consider the best.  As it turned out, almost unanimously (Martha White gets honorable mention), it was the Jiffy brand.  We went on to share our favorite ways to "doctor it" up.  Fun, yum and don't tell anyone it's a mix.  It's the hands-down preferred brand amongst all of us card-carrying cheaters.

Jiffy corn muffin mix-- a staple in my pantry for over 40 years:

1  8 1/2-ounce box Jiffy corn muffin mix

1/2  cup heavy or whipping cream

1  large egg, lightly beaten

1  tablespoon sugar

1  15 1/2-ounce can whole corn kernels, well drained

no-stick cooking spray, for preparing pan

~Step 1. Spray a small, 1-quart 6" x 8" x 1 1'2" toaster-oven-sized baking pan/casserole with no-stick cooking spray and set aside. Preheat toaster oven to 375º.  Open the corn kernels and drain out the excess water from from the pan.  Set aside.  In a medium-to-large sized mixing bowl, place the cream, egg and sugar.  Using a fork, whisk the three together.  Add the corn kernels and cornbread mix.  Using a rubber spatula, combine the three.

~ Step 2.  Transfer the cornbread batter to the prepared pan.  Bake on rack of preheated toaster oven for 18-21 minutes, or until surface if firm to the touch and/or a cake tester or toothpick inserted in several places comes out clean. Remove from toaster oven and place on a wire rack to cool slightly, about 15-20 minutes prior to slicing and serving warm or a room temperature.  Reheat leftovers in microwave.

When the end justifies the means, three cheers for shortcuts.

My in-a-Jiffy-Mix Double-Delicious Quick Cornbread:  Recipe yields 8, 3" x 2" portions.

Special Equipment List: large rubber spatula; small 1-quart 6" x 8" x 1 1/2" toaster-oven-sized baking pan/casserole; fork; rubber spatula; wire cooling rack; cake tester or toothpick

Cook's Note:  Breakfast, lunch or dinner, more-often-than-not, a corn muffin or wedge of cornbread is a welcome addition to the table.  Served hot or warm slathered with butter and/or a drizzle of honey, puts it over-the-top.  That said, while corn muffins and cornbread are easy enough to make from scratch (if you use enough yellow cornmeal on a regular basis to justify keeping a bag in your pantry), there is a popular and inexpensive way to speed the process up and still produce a seriously-delightful loaf of this beloved Southern staple.  It's called Jiffy brand corn muffin mix, and, at 59-ish cents a box, it's the hands down preferred brand amongst us card-carrying cheaters.  Try my recipe for ~ In-a-Jiffy-Mix Delicious Cornbread w/Green Chiles ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~Easy Teriyaki Chicken w/Ramen & Steamed Veggies~

Asian-style noodle bowls.  I love them.  If there's a noodle bowl on an eatery's menu, I am likely to give it a try.  That said, when confronted with a snowstorm the likes of what the Northeast just recovered from, neither eating out nor ordering in was an option.  That said, as long as the power doesn't go out, the peace-and-quiet of staying inside for a few days can be a lot of fun when you've got a well-stocked pantry and keep a few protein staples on hand in you freezer.  Binge-watching a few series on TV while cooking creatively in a nice warm kitchen is fun for one, or an entire family.  This quick and easy think-fast snowstorm dinner turned out so good I've vowed to make it again -- any time I, my family, or friends need to quell a craving for Asian noodles. 

An easy, 30-minute Asian-style noodle bowl?  You betcha.

2  large, boneless, skinless chicken thighs,  pounded into paillards

2  tablespoons vegetable oil + 1  tablespoon sesame oil

4-6  tablespoons thick teriyaki sauce, your favorite store-bought brand, for seasoning chicken thighs (Note:  I highly-recommend Panda Express's Mandarin teriyaki sauce.)

2  3-ounce packages ramen noodles

3-4  tablespoons additional thick teriyaki sauce, your favorite store-bought brand, for seasoning noodles

1, 10 1/2-ounce package steam-in-bag Asian vegetable medley (broccoli, carrots, snow peas and water chestnuts) 

~Step 1.  To prepare the chicken, cover a small cutting board with plastic wrap.  Unravel/unroll the chicken thighs and place them, flat and slightly apart, atop the plastic. Cover with a second sheet of plastic.  Using a flat-sided meat mallet, pound to a thickness of 1/4"-1/2".  Place oils in bottom of a 10"-12" nonstick skillet.  Place the thighs into the oils.  Using a pastry brush, liberally paint top sides of thighs with teriyaki sauce, about 1 generous tablespoon per thigh.  Heat skillet to medium- medium-high and sauté chicken until golden on the bottom, about 6-8 minutes.  Flip the chicken over and paint the second sides with about the same amount of teriyaki sauce.  Continue to sauté until browned on the second side, about 5-6 minutes.  Flip chicken over one last time and sauté 1-2 more minutes, until teriyaki sauce is nicely caramelized. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and use a chef's knife to slice each one into thin strips. Loosely tent with a aluminum foil and set aside while preparing the noodles as directed below.

~Step 2.  To prepare the noodles and vegetables, in a 2 1/2-3 quart saucepan bring 1 1/2-2 quarts of water to a boil.  Add the ramen noodles (discard the seasoning packets from the packages) and adjust heat to simmer rapidly for 3-3 1/2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Using a large slotted spoon, transfer noodles directly from saucepan to a large bowl.  Add and fold in the 3-4 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce, to taste. In the microwave, steam the bag of vegetables until cooked through.  Add and fold the steaming hot vegetables into the still warm noodles.  Add additional sauce, to taste, if desired.  Portion equally into two large pasta-type bowls and top each portion with a still-warm thin-sliced teriyaki chicken thigh.  Serve immediately.

Portion noodles & vegetables into two pasta-type bowls:

Top each portion w/a thin-sliced teriyaki chicken thigh:

Easy Teriyaki Chicken w/Ramen & Steamed Veggies:  Recipe yields 2 hearty main-course servings.

Special Equipment List: cutting board; plastic wrap; flat-sided meat mallet; 10"-12" nonstick skillet; pastry brush; chef's knife; aluminum foil; 2-3 quart saucepan; large slotted spoon; large bowl; microwave oven  

Cook's Note:  Teriyaki sticky-chicken wings and teriyaki steak or chicken chicken skewers have been two of my family's and tailgate-family's favorite game-day appetizers for decades.  Because of everyones love for the tantalizing flavor of  teriyaki sauce, I came up with a couple ways to put teriyaki flavor in my family's main-dish meal rotation too.  My recipes for teriyaki-style slow-cooker baby-back spare-ribs and easy teriyaki-glazed rock Cornish game hens pleased everyone -- the husband, the kids, and, more importantly me because both are so easy to make.  Try ~ My Easy Teriyaki-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Teriyaki Ramen w/Steam-in-Bag Asian Vegetables ~

Pantry cooking?  Snowstorm cooking?  Desperation cooking?  Covid cooking?  Refer to it in any way you want to, but, on occasion we cooks have all found ourself in a situation that calls for some creative ingenuity.  This super-quick, seriously-easy side-dish is a prime example.  One snowy night, I came up with this to serve alongside my recipe for easy teriyaki glazed Cornish came hens -- I always keep a package or two of Cornish hens on-hand in my freezer as it's not unusual for us here in the Northeast to find ourselves snowed in once-twice a Winter.  That said, this nifty little side-dish is great served as a meatless meal on its own too -- who wouldn't love a bowl of noodles and steamed veggies enrobed in a bit of flavorful teriyaki sauce.

5 minutes to an easy side-dish for 4 or meatless main-dish for 2.

Love is a bowl of noodles & veggies enrobed in teriyaki sauce.

2  3-ounce packages ramen noodles

3-4  tablespoons thick teriyaki sauce, your favorite store-bought brand (Note:  I highly recommend Panda Express's Mandarin teriyaki sauce.)

1, 10 1/2-ounce package steam-in-bag Asian vegetable medley (broccoli, carrots, snow peas and water chestnuts) 

~Step 1.  In a 2 1/2-3 quart saucepan bring 1 1/2-2 quarts of water to a boil.  Add the ramen noodles (discard the seasoning packets from the packages) and adjust heat to simmer rapidly for 3-3 1/2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Using a large slotted spoon, transfer noodles directly from saucepan to a large bowl.  Add and fold in the 3-4 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce, to taste. In the microwave, steam the bag of vegetables until cooked through.  Add and fold the steaming hot vegetables into the still warm noodles.  Add additional sauce, to taste, if desired.  Serve.

Try it served w/my Easy Teriyaki-Glazed Cornish Game Hen:

Teriyaki Ramen w/Steam-in-Bag Asian Vegetable:  Recipe yields 4-6 side-servings or 2 generous meatless main-dish servings.

Special Equipment List:  2-3 quart saucepan; large slotted spoon; large bowl; microwave oven

Cook's Note:  Whether you are new to cooking and looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a small group of people with or a seasoned-pro looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a few quests with, you really should consider Cornish game hens.  There's more.  If you are a hungry single person in search of an easy, made-from-scratch entree, you really should consider a Cornish game hen. When I was a young chick (a new bride about 45 years ago), Cornish game hens were trendy and commonly served -- everyone, kids and adults alike, loves a succulent, personal-sized mini-chicken.  I served them frequently for years, and then, for reasons unknown to me, I kinda forgot about them.  No time like the present to correct my course. Be sure to read my post: ~ Elegantly Easy -- The Roasted Rock Cornish Game Hen ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ My Easy Teriyaki-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen ~

Teriyaki sticky-chicken wings and teriyaki steak or chicken chicken skewers have been two of my family's and tailgate-family's favorite game-day appetizers for decades.  Because of everyones love for the tantalizing flavor of  teriyaki sauce, I came up with a couple ways to put teriyaki flavor in my family's main-dish meal rotation too.  My recipes for teriyaki-style slow-cooker baby-back spare-ribs and easy teriyaki-glazed rock Cornish game hens pleased everyone -- the husband, the kids, and, more importantly me because both are so easy to make.

The Cornish game hen, also known as the Rock Cornish game hen, is the USDA's approved name for a particular variety of  broiler chicken. Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky cross-bred the standard Cornish chicken with a White Plymouth Rock hen and a Malayan fighting cock in the 1950s. They were bred to mature quickly and develop a large breast and weigh no 2 pounds max uncooked (with the most common weight  about 1 1/4 pounds).

Despite the "game hen" in the name, the Cornish hen is not a game bird.  While the "hen" in the name implies a female bird, males and females are sold and served as Cornish hens, meaning, many aren't hens.  Once cooked, the Cornish hen is known for its tender meat which loves to absorb flavors from creative marinades or spice rubs.

The pianist and comedian, Victor Borge was an early investor and promoter of this single-serving bird, leveraging his popularity to transition the Cornish hen from an exotic item to a common household meal who's petite size and young age give it a unique flavor and succulent texture that bigger chickens simply do not have.  That said, it's as versatile as a regular-sized chicken, so, any recipe for any chicken is easily adapted to the mini-chicken (which will cook more quickly, in approximately 1 hour depending on the recipe ).  The small size also makes it easier to achieve a crispy skin with perfectly-cooked meat simultaneously with no real need for basting.

Quick, easy, (almost) mess-free & completely stress-free:

Two ingredients + an easy side-dish = One Asian-style feast.

1-2 Cornish game hens, thawed and at room temperature

1/4-1/2  cup thick teriyaki sauce, your favorite store-bought brand (Note:  I highly recommend Panda Express's Mandarin Teriyaki Sauce.)

~Step 1. Remove hen(s) (cook as many as you want) from packaging and place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan that has been lined with aluminum foil.  Bend/twist/fold (whatever word you want to use) the wing tips down and underneath the hen -- this will prevent the  delicate wing tips burning.  Do not be inclined to season the hen(s) with salt and pepper as all brands of teriyaki sauce are quite salty and Panda Express's teriyaki is also thick and nicely seasoned -- it's perfect. Roast hen(s) on center rack of 375º oven for 45 minutes.

~ Step 2.  At the 45 minute mark, remove the hen(s) from the oven.  Working as quickly as possible, use a pastry brush to paint the entire surface of the hen(s) with teriyaki sauce.  Return to oven and continue to roast 5 more minutes.  Repeat the basting process every 5 minutes until an instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the thickert breast meat, reads 150°-155°, about 15-20 more minutes.   Remove glazed hens from oven, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest about 5-10 minutes prior to serving -- residual heat will finish-cook the chicken and allow the juices to redistribute.

Serve w/your favorite side(s) -- try my teriyaki ramen noodles:

My Easy Teriyaki-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen: Recipe yields instruction to roast and glaze as many Cornish game hens as you want to.

Special Equipment List: appropriately-sized roasting pan; aluminum foil; roasting rack; small saucepan; pastry brush; intant-read meat thermometer

Cook's Note: Whether you are new to cooking and looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a small group of people with or a seasoned-pro looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a few quests with, you really should consider Cornish game hens.  There's more.  If you are a hungry single person in search of an easy, made-from-scratch entree, you really should consider a Cornish game hen. When I was a young chick (a new bride about 45 years ago), Cornish game hens were trendy and commonly served -- everyone, kids and adults alike, loves a succulent, personal-sized mini-chicken.  I served them frequently for years, and then, for reasons unknown to me, I kinda forgot about them.  No time like the present to correct my course. Be sure to read my post: ~ Elegantly Easy -- The Roasted Rock Cornish Game Hen ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Boxed Scalloped Potatoes, Ham & Peas Casserole ~

The day after a big holiday, us cooks aren't typically motivated to do much more than reheat some leftovers, put our feet up and relax.  My mom made this super-easy day-after-the-holiday main-dish casserole twice a year, after Christmas and after Easter, when she had leftover ham.  Our family of four loved it -- creamy-cheesy scalloped potatoes chocked full of diced ham and tender peas.   It's almost too easy to be a recipe, but, it's so easy and comforting-good it's worth sharing.

So easy & comforting-good this not-a-recipe is worth sharing:

1  7-ounce boxes Betty Crocker's cheesy scalloped potatoes

2 1/4  cups whole milk, heated on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming

2  tablespoons salted butter, sliced or cubed

1 1/2  cups diced ham (6 ounces)

1 1/2  cups frozen and thawed peas (6 ounces)

~ Step 1.  Place the  2 1/4 cups milk and 2 tablespoons salted butter in a 2-cup measuring container (or in a small saucepan on the stovetop).  Heat until milk is steaming hot and butter has melted into the milk.  While milk is heating:

~Step 2.  Place dehydrated potatoes in a 1 1/2-2 quart casserole, then, scatter the dry cheese-sauce mixture over the top of  potatoes.  Scatter the diced ham over the top followed by the thawed peas.  Add the hot milk to the casserole.  Using a large spoon, give the mixture a thorough stir.  Bake on center rack of preheated 375° oven 40-45 minutes, until top is nicely browned and bubbly.  Remove from oven and rest about 15 minutes prior to serving -- mixture will thicken a bit more as it cools a bit.

Steamy & creamy on the inside w/a crispy top: 

Boxed Scalloped Potatoes, Ham & Peas Casserole:  Recipe yields 2-4 main-dish servings.

Special Equipment List: cutting board-chef's knife; 2-cup measuring container or small saucepan; 1 1/2-2 quart casserole; large spoon

Cook's Note: I know I was not alone on this point,  Covid changed what I kept stored in my pantry -- truth told, it's not bad, just different.  In preparation for the lock down that occurred two years ago, I stocked several boxes of Rice-a-Roni, four boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese, a big box of Hungry Jack instant mashed potatoes, and, a few boxes of Stovetop stuffing mix and Betty Crocker cheesy scalloped potatoes.  Thanks to them being staples in my mom's pantry, I knew these easy-to-make convenience-food side-dishes not only have a long shelf life, they're tasty. Be sure to try my not-a-recipe for ~ Doctoring Up a Box of Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Dijon & Bacon-Wrapped Jumbo-Shrimp Appetizers ~

Bacon-wrapped shrimp is a relatively-easy appetizer that’s guaranteed to impress.  There's more. Because they can be assembled 1-2 days before the party, this make-ahead hors d'oeuvre lowers the last-minute stress level considerably .  The trick to making perfect bacon-wrapped shrimp, meaning, an opaque shrimp that is perfectly-cooked through with a layer of crispy bacon around it, is to partially-cook and cool the bacon before wrapping the raw shrimp.  Why?  Because it takes longer for bacon to cook to crispy perfection than for shrimp to cook to tender perfection.

The trick to perfect bacon-wrapped shrimp = precooked bacon.

1  pound bacon, preferably thick-sliced

2  pounds extra-jumbo (16-20 count)  shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails-on (Note:  Smaller or larger shrimp can compromise the outcome of this recipe.)

4-6  tablespoons dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon-1/2 teaspoon mustard per shrimp

your favorite barbecue sauce, chili sauce or any condiment-type sauce, for dipping, dunking or drizzling

~ Step 1.  To precook the bacon, place the bacon, side by side, overlapping slightly, on a disposable aluminum broiler pan with a corrugated bottom.  Roast on center rack of preheated 375 degree oven, about 12-14 minutes, until the bacon is just beginning to brown and is about half-cooked.  Do not fully-cook the bacon! Transfer the bacon to a work surface that has been covered with 3-4 layers of paper towels.  Let bacon cool completely.  Using a chef's knife, cut the bacon strips into thirds.  Discard the bacon drippings from the pan, but do not discard the pan, as it will be used to cook the shrimp.

~Step 2.  To wrap the shrimp in bacon, place each shrimp on one piece of the bacon.  Dollop about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of dijon mustard on top of each shrimp.  Wrap the bacon around the shrimp and secure the top with a toothpick.   As you wrap the shrimp, arrange them, side-by-side back on the pan as you work.  I place three rows of about 10-12 shrimp on the pan.

~ Step 3. Bake the pan shrimp on center rack of preheated 375° oven, 15-18 minutes.  Bacon will be golden and sizzling and shrimp will be opaque, plump, tender and succulent.  Remove from oven and rest 1-2 minutes before serveing hot, warm or at room temperature (yes, they are great served at room temp) with your favorite sauce for dipping or drizzling.

Serve hot, warm or at room temp w/your condiment-sauce: 

Dijon & Bacon-Wrapped Jumbo-Shrimp Appetizers:  Recipe yields about 32-40 appetizers.

Special Equipment List:  11 3/4" x 8 1/2" x 1 1/4" disposable aluminum broiler pan w/corrugated bottom; paper towels; chef's knife; about 32-40 toothpicks

Cook's Note:  How does shrimp sizing work?  In a shrimp shell -- it doesn't.  There is no industry standard for it. One vendor's medium, may be another vendor's extra-large and vice versa.  This explains why many new-to-shrimp buying cooks are confused by these seven words:  extra-small, small, medium, large, extra-large, jumbo, colossal.  When purchasing shrimp, the most important words to know aren't words, they are numbers. ~ Purchase Shrimp by their Count, Not by their Size ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Easy Barbecue-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen ~

Do you love slightly-sticky, finger-licking good barbecued chicken but find it a kinda unruly mess to serve?  I know I find it a kinda unruly mess to serve.  When I make it outdoors on the grill, cleaning the sticky grill grids is a task I can live without.  Plus, there doesn't seem to be a way to please everyone's preference for breast-, thigh-, leg- or wing- meat without overbuying.  Then, one day, I got it in my head make barbecued chicken indoors using the Rock Cornish game hen, instead of chicken parts.  Who doesn't love a mini-chicken all to themself?  Everyone gets a little bit of everything in one (almost) mess-free, stress-free easy-to-serve portion!

The Cornish game hen, also known as the Rock Cornish game hen, is the USDA's approved name for a particular variety of  broiler chicken. Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky cross-bred the standard Cornish chicken with a White Plymouth Rock hen and a Malayan fighting cock in the 1950s. They were bred to mature quickly and develop a large breast and weigh no 2 pounds max uncooked (with the most common weight  about 1 1/4 pounds).

Despite the "game hen" in the name, the Cornish hen is not a game bird.  While the "hen" in the name implies a female bird, males and females are sold and served as Cornish hens, meaning, many aren't hens.  Once cooked, the Cornish hen is known for its tender meat which loves to absorb flavors from creative marinades or spice rubs.

The pianist and comedian, Victor Borge was an early investor and promoter of this single-serving bird, leveraging his popularity to transition the Cornish hen from an exotic item to a common household meal who's petite size and young age give it a unique flavor and succulent texture that bigger chickens simply do not have.  That said, it's as versatile as a regular-sized chicken, so, any recipe for any chicken is easily adapted to the mini-chicken (which will cook more quickly, in approximately 1 hour depending on the recipe ).  The small size also makes it easier to achieve a crispy skin with perfectly-cooked meat simultaneously with no real need for basting.

Quick, easy, (almost) mess-free & completely stress-free:

1-2 Cornish game hens, thawed and at room temperature

1/2  cup barbecue sauce, your favorite recipe or store-bought brand

freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend (optional)

~Step 1.  Remove hen(s) (cook as many as you want) from packaging and.  place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan that has been lined with aluminum foil.  Before deciding to season the hen(s) with salt and pepper, taste the barbecue sauce.  KC Masterpiece is nicely seasoned, so, I skip the salt and only season with pepper blend.  Roast on center rack of 400°-425° oven for 45 minutes.

~Step 2.  At the 45 minute mark, remove the hen(s) from the oven.  Working as quickly as possible, use a pastry brush to paint the entire surface of the hen(s) with barbecue sauce.  Return to oven and continue to roast 5 more minutes.  Repeat the basting process every 5 minutes until an instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the thickert breast meat, reads 150°-155°, about 15-20 more minutes.   Remove glazed hens from oven, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest about 5-10 minutes prior to serving -- residual heat will finish-cook the chicken and allow the juices to redistribute.

Serve w/your favorite side(s) -- please pass the mac & cheese:

Easy Barbecue-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen: Recipe yields instruction to roast and glaze as many Cornish game hens as you want to.

Special Equipment List: appropriately-sized roasting pan; aluminum foil; roasting rack; small saucepan; pastry brush; intant-read meat thermometer

Cook's Note:  Whether you are new to cooking and looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a small group of people with or a seasoned-pro looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a few quests with, you really should consider Cornish game hens.  There's more.  If you are a hungry single person in search of an easy, made-from-scratch entree, you really should consider a Cornish game hen. When I was a young chick (a new bride about 45 years ago), Cornish game hens were trendy and commonly served -- everyone, kids and adults alike, loves a succulent, personal-sized mini-chicken.  I served them frequently for years, and then, for reasons unknown to me, I kinda forgot about them.  No time like the present to correct my course. Be sure to read my post: ~ Elegantly Easy -- The Roasted Rock Cornish Game Hen ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022) 

~ Easy Cranberry-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen ~

With the Thanksgiving holiday just a few short days away, if you or someone you know is in search of an easy-yet-elegant alternative to roasting a large, cumbersome turkey,  you really should consider the Cornish game hen. Once cooked, the Cornish hen is known for its tender meat which loves to absorb flavors from creative marinades or spice rubs -- and my super-easy, sweet-and-savory cranberry glaze is perfect for both the Thanksgiving or Christmas festivities.. 

The Cornish game hen, also known as the Rock Cornish game hen, is the USDA's approved name for a particular variety of  broiler chicken. Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky cross-bred the standard Cornish chicken with a White Plymouth Rock hen and a Malayan fighting cock in the 1950s. They were bred to mature quickly and develop a large breast and weigh no 2 pounds max uncooked (with the most common weight  about 1 1/4 pounds).

Despite the "game hen" in the name, the Cornish hen is not a game bird.  While the "hen" in the name implies a female bird, males and females are sold and served as Cornish hens, meaning, many aren't hens.  Once cooked, the Cornish hen is known for its tender meat which loves to absorb flavors from creative marinades or spice rubs.

The pianist and comedian, Victor Borge was an early investor and promoter of this single-serving bird, leveraging his popularity to transition the Cornish hen from an exotic item to a common household meal who's petite size and young age give it a unique flavor and succulent texture that bigger chickens simply do not have.  That said, it's as versatile as a regular-sized chicken, so, any recipe for any chicken is easily adapted to the mini-chicken (which will cook more quickly, in approximately 1 hour depending on the recipe ).  The small size also makes it easier to achieve a crispy skin with perfectly-cooked meat simultaneously with no real need for basting.

Quick-&-Easy to Roast, Elegant to Eat -- Elegantly Easy:

1-2 Cornish game hens, thawed and at room temperature

1/2  can jellied cranberry sauce

4  tablespoons salted butter

15-20  freshly-ground sea salt

20-25  grinds freshly-ground peppercorn blend

~Step 1.  Remove hen(s) (cook as many as you want) from packaging.  Place hen or hens on a rack in a shallow roasting pan that has been lined with aluminum foil.  Season hen(s) with freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend.  Roast on center rack of 400°-425° oven for 45 minutes.

~Step 2.  While the hen is roasting for the the 45 minutes, in a small saucepan, place the cranberry sauce, butter, salt and pepper.  Over low heat, and stirring constantly, melt the butter into the melting cranberry sauce, about 2-3 minutes.  When smooth, remove from heat.  At the 45 minute mark, remove the hen(s) from the oven.  Working as quickly as possible, use a pastry brush to paint the entire surface of the hen(s).  Return to oven and continue to roast 5 more minutes.  Repeat the basting process every 5 minutes until an instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the thickert breast meat, reads 150°-155°, about 15-20 more minutes.   Remove glazed hens from oven, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest about 5-10 minutes prior to serving -- residual heat will finish-cook the chicken and allow the juices to redistribute.

Plate & serve w/your favorite selection of sides:

Easy Cranberry-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen:  Recipe yields instruction to roast and glaze as many Cornish game hens as you want to.

Special Equipment List:  appropriately-sized roasting pan; aluminum foil; roasting rack; small saucepan; pastry brush; intant-read meat thermometer

Cook's Note: Whether you are new to cooking and looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a small group of people with or a seasoned-pro looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a few quests with, you really should consider Cornish game hens.  There's more.  If you are a hungry single person in search of an easy, made-from-scratch entree, you really should consider a Cornish game hen. When I was a young chick (a new bride about 45 years ago), Cornish game hens were trendy and commonly served -- everyone, kids and adults alike, loves a succulent, personal-sized mini-chicken.  I served them frequently for years, and then, for reasons unknown to me, I kinda forgot about them.  No time like the present to correct my course. Be sure to read my post: ~ Elegantly Easy -- The Roasted Rock Cornish Game Hen ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Elegantly Easy -- The Roasted Cornish Game Hen ~

Whether you are new to cooking and looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a small group of people with or a seasoned-pro looking for something easy yet elegant to impress a few quests with, you really should consider Cornish game hens.  There's more.  If you are a hungry single person in search of an easy, made-from-scratch entree, you really should consider a Cornish game hen. When I was a young chick (a new bride about 45 years ago), Cornish game hens were trendy and commonly served -- everyone, kids and adults alike, loves a succulent, personal-sized mini-chicken.  I served them frequently for years, and then, for reasons unknown to me, I kinda forgot about them.  No time like the present to correct my course.

The Cornish game hen, also known as the Rock Cornish game hen, is the USDA's approved name for a particular variety of  broiler chicken. Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky cross-bred the standard Cornish chicken with a White Plymouth Rock hen and a Malayan fighting cock in the 1950s. They were bred to mature quickly and develop a large breast and weigh no 2 pounds max uncooked (with the most common weight  about 1 1/4 pounds).

Despite the "game hen" in the name, the Cornish hen is not a game bird.  While the "hen" in the name implies a female bird, males and females are sold and served as Cornish hens, meaning, many aren't hens.  Once cooked, the Cornish hen is known for its tender meat which loves to absorb flavors from creative marinades or spice rubs.

The pianist and comedian, Victor Borge was an early investor and promoter of this single-serving bird, leveraging his popularity to transition the Cornish hen from an exotic item to a common household meal who's petite size and young age give it a unique flavor and succulent texture that bigger chickens simply do not have.  That said, it's as versatile as a regular-sized chicken, so, any recipe for any chicken is easily adapted to the mini-chicken (which will cook more quickly, in approximately 1 hour depending on the recipe ).  The small size also makes it easier to achieve a crispy skin with perfectly-cooked meat simultaneously with no real need for basting.

Quick-&-Easy to Roast, Elegant to Eat -- Elegantly Easy:

~Step 1.  Remove game hen or hens (cook as many as you want).  Place hen or hens on a rack in a shallow roasting pan that has been lined with aluminum foil.  Generous season hen or hens with a freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend.  Roast on center rack of preheated 400°-425° oven until an instant-read meat thermometer, inserted into the thickert breast meat, reads 150°-155°.   Remove from oven, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest about 5-10 minutes prior to serving -- residual heat will finish-cook the chicken and allow the juices to redistribute.

Plate & serve w/your favorite selection of sides:

Elegantly Easy -- The Roasted Cornish Game Hen:  Recipe yields instruction to roast as many Cornish game hens as you want to.

Special Equipment List:  appropriately-sized roasting pan; aluminum foil; roasting rack; intant-read meat thermometer

Cook's Note: I'm no different than a lot of you when it comes to weeknight dinners.  Sometimes I put a small chicken in the oven to roast, other times I fry a few pork chops, sometimes I roast or poach a turkey tenderloin -- easy to make, minimum-fuss fare.  Stuffing goes great with all of them.  That said, on a busy week day, many times, all I  have the time or inclination to make are two easy-peasy satellite side-dishes -- a bag of our favorite steam-in-bag vegetables, and, a box of "doctored up" Stovetop-type stuffing -- and there's no shame in either one.  That's why I keep Stovetop brand stuffing in my pantry at all times -- there are other brands, I like Stovetop. Click here on the blue link to get my recipe for ~ Doctoring Up a Box of Stovetop-Type Stuffing ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Chicken or Game -- What is a Cornish Game Hen ~

The Cornish game hen, also known as the Rock Cornish game hen, is the USDA's approved name for a particular variety of  broiler chicken. Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Makowsky cross-bred the standard Cornish chicken with a White Plymouth Rock hen and a Malayan fighting cock in the 1950s. They were bred to mature quickly and develop a large breast and weigh no 2 pounds max uncooked (with the most common weight  about 1 1/4 pounds).

Despite the "game hen" in the name, the Cornish hen is not a game bird.  While the "hen" in the name implies a female bird, males and females are sold and served as Cornish hens, meaning, many aren't hens.  Once cooked, the Cornish hen is known for its tender meat which loves to absorb flavors from creative marinades or spice rubs.  The pianist and comedian, Victor Borge was an early investor and promoter of this single-serving bird, leveraging his popularity to transition the Cornish hen from an exotic item to a common household meal who's petite size and young age give it a unique flavor and succulent texture that bigger chickens simply do not have. That said, it's as versatile as a regular-sized chicken, so, any recipe for any chicken is easily adapted to the mini-chicken (which will cook more quickly).  The small size makes it easier to achieve a crispy skin with perfectly-cooked meat simultaneously with no real need for basting.

Elegantly Easy -- The Rock Cornish Game Hen:

Elegantly Easy -- The Roasted Cornish Game Hen:

Easy Cranberry-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen:

Easy Barbecue-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen:

Easy Teriyaki-Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen:

Easy Cornish Hen Glazed w/Arby's Original BBQ Sauce:

Easy Buffalo-Style Glazed Rock Cornish Game Hen:

We are all in this food world together. ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022

~A Brief History of Potatoes & French Fries in France~

If I told you that potatoes were once illegal to eat in France, would you believe me? It's true and I admit to gasping when I learned this.  Where would be be without French fries in our food world? The absolute best French fries I have ever eaten are at places like church festivals, county fares and carnivals.  They're not too thick, not too thin, twice-fried, and, never frozen.  When you stand in line and wait for these fries to to come seething-hot out of the deep-fryer, get a quick drain, a sprinkling of salt and handed-off to you in a paper cone, you just know these French fries are going to be awesome.  They are the ideal American French fry.  Ever wondered why?

The best French fries in the USA are in fact Belgian fries.

A bit about French fries:  It may come as a surprise to you to find out that "pommes frites", meaning "fried potatoes" in French, were not invented by the French, even though, like many other foodie pleasures, the French played a part in making them famous here in the United States.  In 1802, my favorite founding foodie, Thomas Jefferson, after a trip to France, served "potatoes in the style of the French", at a White House dinner party.  All hell broke loose after that, and, as the story goes, before long, these golden strips of glorious goodness were nicknamed:  French fries.

Interesting side note:  Culinarily, the words "to French" mean "to cut food into long thin strips". In French, the word "frite" indicates "to deep-fry", and, my research shows they were serving fried potato strips in the White House, but no one can confirm they were deep-fried.  Click on the photo at the left to read a Historical Note from the book Dining at Monticello.

The story behind "The French Connection" to fries in the USA:

In 1756, war broke out between France and Great Britain.  During The Seven Years War, as it is called, a medical officer by the name of Antoine-Augustine Parmentier was given nothing but potatoes to eat in a prisoner-of-war camp.  In 1748, potatoes were banned by the French government because it was believed they caused leprosy and death (the birth of government regulation, which is fine by me).

Because he did not die, after the war, Parmentier spent the better part of his life changing the minds of government officials regarding potatoes, and, in 1772, potatoes were declared edible for humans and it was made legal to cultivate them. Parmentier began hosting dinner parties and serving potatoes to dignitaries like King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, and, our very own Benjamin Franklin, BUT, there is no documentation to confirm they were deep-fried either. Potatoes soon became very trendy in French social circles, which is where Thomas Jefferson tasted them and the rest is American history.  Long live the beloved potato.

If they're Belgian, how did the French find out about them?

In 1742, The Franco-Austrian War, known as The War of Austrian Succession was going on, and, much of it took place in and around modern day Belgium.  It is believed that the French soldiers were introduced to "les frites" (Belgian fries) by French speaking Belgians and Belgian soldiers.  A couple of decades later, when potatoes were declared edible in France, this was the cooking method the French imitated. This is the explanation that I believe gives Belgians the right to claim the title of: Inventors of French fries.  Why?

The French were not a frying culture prior to this period in history, the Belgians were.

Moreover, a Belgian journalist named Jo Gerard claims that potatoes were fried as early as 1690 in the Meuse valley of the Spanish Netherlands (present-day Belgium), and, it was the Spanish who introduced the potato to Europe.  Gerard writes, "the inhabitants, especially the poor people, of Dinant and Liege had the custom of fishing in the Meuse river for small fish to fry. When the river was frozen, they would cut potatoes in the form of strips and fried them."  That being said, experts concur that those fries were most likely not deep-fried, because the quantity of fat necessary for deep-frying would have been almost impossible for the peasants to get.

Who REALLY invented twice-fried strips of potatoes?

Did the Belgians invent real-deal, deep-fried, twice-fried fries, or, did the French invent the twice-fried technique and teach it to them? No one knows for sure, but, when it comes to food, the French are known for perfecting everything, so I'm not ruling this theory out.  That being said, nowadays, Belgians consume more fries than any country in Europe... with mayonnaise or flavored mayonnaise being their topping of choice (I'll have mine with garlicky, rich, smooth, classic aioli).  

Modern-day Belgians will be quick tell you that after WWI, American soldiers were served fries by Belgians who, once again, coincidentally, all spoke French.

It was these American veterans who named the potatoes French fries. This is probably true, but, because of the "fry" history preceding WWI (mentioned above), it's not how we Americans came to name them French fries.  It does, however, explain the post war boom in the marketing of French fries across the United States.  Always remember:  French fries are not fried potatoes, they are twice-fried potatoes.

French Fries aren't fried potatoes -- they're twice-fried potatoes:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Gobble, Gobble -- Cranberry-Walnut Banana Bread ~

It happens every November, and, I'm reasonably certain I do not stand alone.  Us ooks can't wait to heat our ovens and bake some goodies.  In my kitchen, quick breads and pies are perfect for November -- cookies and confections can wait their turn until December.  A loaf or three of banana bread or pumpkin bread, followed up by a short-list-selection of pies appropriate for the Turkey Day holiday (apple, pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, etc.) keeps me happily occupied.

Luscious anytime of year, but, perfect for November:

For the dry ingredients:

1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1  teaspoon baking powder

1  teaspoon baking soda

3/4  teaspoon sea salt

For the wet ingredients:

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, from 3-4 very-large, very over-ripe bananas

1/2  cup salted butter, melted (1 stick)

2  large eggs, lightly beaten

2  teaspoons pure banana extract

2  teaspoons pure cranberry extract

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2  teaspoons pure black walnut extract

1/2  cup granulated sugar, stirred together with:

1/2  cup dark brown sugar

no-stick cooking spray, for preparing loaf pan

For the add-ins:

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries (Craisins)

1 1/2 cups coarse-chopped, lightly-toasted walnuts

~ Step 1.  Preheat oven to 350°.  Coarsely-chop the walnuts, placing them on a small baking pan as you work.  When oven is preheated roast the nuts on center rack of oven until lightly-toasted and fragrant, 5-6 minutes. Watch carefully because they can go from fragrant and toasted to burned quickly  Remove from oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.

~Step 2.  Spray an 8" x 4" loaf pan with no-stick -- I use a glass loaf pan, so I can keep an eye on what's going on.  In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside. Place one banana in a 2-cup measuring container and use a fork to mash it -- keep adding bananas (one-at-a-time) to container and mash until you total 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas.  Place the butter in a 1-cup measuring container to gently melt it in the microwave.

~Step 3.  Place mashed bananas, melted butter, eggs and extracts in a large bowl.  Using a hand-held rotary beater, beat to combine.  Add sugars and beat again.  Using a large spatula, add and fold in the dry ingredients.  Using the spatula, fold in the dried cranberries and lightly-toasted walnuts.  Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan.

~ Step 4.  Bake on center rack of preheated 350° oven 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the highest part of the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool, in pan, for 5-6 minutes.  Invert pan to remove bread from loaf pan to cool completely, on rack, 1-2 hours, prior to slicing and serving.

Try a slice toasted for breakfast or brunch:

Try my ~ Cranberry, Walnut & White Chocolate Cookies ~ too:

Gobble, Gobble -- Cranberry-Walnut Banana Bread:  Recipe yields 1 standard-sized loaf/10-12 slices or servings.

Special Equipment List: 8" x 4" loaf pan, preferably glass; fork; 2-cup measuring container; 1-cup measuring container; hand-held rotary beater or hand-held electric mixer; large rubber spatula; cake tester; wire cooling rack

Cook's Note: Quick bread is an American term that refers to bread that is quick to make because it doesn't require kneading or rising time.  It originated during the American civil war, when the demand for food and bread was high.  Cooks began rapidly producing bread and baked goods that were leavened with baking soda rather than yeast.  Nowadays, the leavening agent is predominately double-acting baking powder, or, a combination of baking powder and baking soda.  For more detail, read ~ What is Quick Bread and What Defines Quick Bread ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022

~ One Potato, Two Potato -- Russet, Red and/or Gold ~

Potatoes.  Not the most exciting foodie topic, but, in our food world, potatoes, are not created quite equally.  "Honey, pick up a bag of potatoes while you're at the store."  It's an innocent request, but, depending on what type of potato comes home in that bag could mean the difference between a great outcome or a mediocre one.  There are a lot of potato varieties, but, for us everyday cooks, I'm gonna focus on the three most common ones -- Russets, reds and golds).  I've come to appreciate the subtle differences between these three, and now, to make a long story short and easy to understand: Russets (baking potatoes/starchy potatoes), Reds (boiling potatoes/waxy potatoes) and Golds (all-purpose potatoes/middle-of-the road potatoes).  

Russet or baking potatoes.  This ruddy-skinned, pleasantly-bland tasting potato is known for its high-starch content.  It's your best friend for baking. The flesh is quite dry and the skin is thick, so, it bakes up crisp on the outside while the inside gets fluffy -- perfect to soak up those pats of butter.  It's the best potato for French fries too.  The starch cooks up a crispy outside while getting that fluffy-light interior that makes for the perfect bite.  There's more.  The high starch content makes Russets ideal for making mashed potatoes because the drier texture keeps them light and fluffy when mashed -- instead of getting pasty or gluey like other potatoe varieties. 

Red or boiling potatoes. This red-fleshed, slightly-sweet tasting potato is considered waxy, meaning, it holds its shape during the boiling process.  This trait makes them, skins-left--on-or-taken-off, great for potato salad, but, makes them undesirable for mashing because they get lumpy and heavy.  They're terrific in shredded or layered applications where they cook through but still hold shape, like hash browns or potato pancakes.  There's more.  They will also soak up all the creaminess in a baked gratin/scalloped potato dish without getting mushy.  The bit of natural sugar in this potato also makes it brown nicely when sliced and fried.  This is potato of choice for potato salad as it holds its shape when cooked and and mixed with the other ingredients.

Gold or all-purpose potatoes. This yellow-fleshed, slightly-buttery-tasting potato is perhaps my favorite of the three varieties because it is the most forgiving in any application  -- I simply adore golds.  They are moister than the Russet and less waxy than the red, plus, their naturally yellow-gold color is so danged pretty to look at.  They are are just waxy enough to stand up in any sliced-or-cubed potato application, yet fluffy enough to make some of the best mashed potatoes you've ever tasted.  You can use a gold potato in any application you would use a red potato, but not vise versa -- red potatoes are simply too waxy for mashed potatoes as they just get gluey.

One potato, two potato -- Russet, red and/or gold: 

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Reipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

 

~ Let's Talk an Easy Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving ~

The frost was on the pumpkins, the leaves are off the trees, and Thanksgiving will be here in a few blinks of the eyes.  If you are one of the many trying to scale back on cost without sacrificing taste or tradition, or have no need to cook an entire bird, or simply have no desire for all the fanfare, or, simply want some white-meat turkey for a few simple turkey sandwiches (in place of over-salted deli-meat), it's worth considering purchasing 1-2 turkey breasts this year in place of a giant bird.  Two whole breasts will yield almost twice as much meat for about the same price (sans the dark meat of course), and, will yield enough of flavorful drippings to make a nice amount of gravy too.  Don't want to make gravy?  No worries.  That's optional.  Relax and enjoy.

Lots of tender all-white turkey in less time w/lots less mess:

1  whole turkey breast, completely thawed if frozen, and, removed from refrigerator 2 hours prior to roasting so it is not remarkable cold when placed in the oven

1  14 1/2-ounce can chicken stock (if you want to make gravy), or, 2 cups water (if you don't want to make gravy)

1  medium onion, coarse-chopped

2  medium stalks celery, coarse-chopped

1  teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, or, 2 medium sprigs fresh rosemary

freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend

~Step 1.  In the bottom of a 13" x 9" x 4" disposable aluminum roasting pan, place the chicken stock (or water), chopped onion, celery and rosemary (the aromatics will impart flavor and moisture into the bird).  Insert a rack into the pan and place the turkey breast, skin side up, on the rack.  Generously season the top of the turkey with freshly-ground sea salt and peppercorn blend. Cover and tightly seal the pan with a large sheet of aluminum foil, being careful to prevent any rips or tears in the foil, which would allow steam to escape during the roasting process.  If you do rip or tear the foil, no matter how small it appears to be, be sure to start over with a new piece.

On lowest rack of preheated 350 degree oven, roast:

1 hour, 30 minutes (for a 3-3 1/2-pound split, turkey breast half)

1 hour, 45 minutes (for a 4-4 1/2-pound split, turkey breast half)

2 hours (for a 5-6-pound whole turkey breast)

2 hours, 15 minutes (for a 6-7-pound whole turkey breast)

2 hours, 30 minutes (for a 7-8-pound whole turkey breast)

2 hours, 45 minutes (for an 8-9-pound whole turkey breast)

3 hours (for a 9-10-pound whole turkey breast)

~ Step 2.  Remove roasting pan from oven and allow to rest about 15 minutes.  Slowly and carefully remove the foil -- hot steam is going to escape which can burn you. Place the same sheet of foil, "wet" side up on the counter, transfer the turkey to the foil, tightly seal the foil up and around it, and patiently allow the turkey breast to rest about 30-45-60 minutes prior to slicing and serving hot, warm, room temperature or cold the next day. Do not be inclined to skip this step.

~ Step 3.  While the turkey breast is resting, pour the flavorful pan drippings through the strainer of a fat-lean separator.  You will have about 3 1/2 cups of flavorful drippings to make gravy.  After the turkey has rested, remove each breast half from the breast bone on both sides.  With the aid of a sharp paring knife, these will pull away from the bones cleanly and easily. Slice and serve warm, at room temp or cold.

Served hot or cold, tender all-white turkey meat can't be beat:

Let's Talk an Easy Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving: 3-4 hearty servings from each breast half, and, 4-6 sandwiches from each breast half.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; 13" x 9" x 4" disposable aluminum roasting pan; wire rack; aluminum foil; fat-lean separator; paring knife

Cook's Note:  'Tis the season for mashed potatoes:  the Thanksgiving turkey feast, then, the Christmas prime rib feeding frenzy, and, shortly after, the clock ticks down to the mother-of-all pork festivals:  New Year's Day.  In a moment of reflection, it occurred to me that the combined total of these three holidays equates to approximately 50-60 pounds of heavy hunks of roasted meat, and, about 25-30 pounds of potatoes mashed.  Read my post:  ~ Basic Machinations for Mashed Potato Perfection ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Fall Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Ground Beef Chili ~

Generally speaking, I'm not a Crockpot kinda gal, unless the end absolutely justifies the means with no compromise.  In the case of this recipe, and almost any chili recipe, because chili is best when cooked low and slow over a long period of time, the end definitely justifies the means -- because that's what slow cookers are designed to do.  There's more.  This chili recipe, which is chocked full of sweet potatoes slow-cooked in a scrumptious blend of tomatoes mixed with aromatic spices is perfect for Fall.  Which is why my family refers to this chili as my "Fall chili".

Sweet potato, black bean & ground beef chili -- perfect for Fall!

1  28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1  14-ounce can diced tomatoes

1  14-ounce can black beans, well-drained and rinsed

1  40-ounce can red-skinned kidney beans, undrained

4  tablespoons dark brown sugar

2  tablespoons chile powder

1/2  teaspoon ground cloves

2  tablespoons ground cumin

2  teaspoons smoked paprika

1  teaspoon sea salt

1  teaspoon red pepper flakes

10  pounces large-diced  yellow or sweet onion (about 3 cups)

5  ounces each large-diced green and red bell pepper (medium-sized 1 green and 1 red bell pepper)

16  ounces peeled and 3/4"-1" chopped sweet potato (about 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes)

2 1/2-3  pounds lean ground beef (90/10)

~Step 1.  Place the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, black beans and kidney beans in the Crockpot followed by the brown sugar and all the spices (the chile powder, cloves, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and red pepper flakes).  Prep the onion, bell peppers and sweet potato* as directed, adding them to the Crockpot as you work.  Do not add the ground beef at this time.  Using a large spoon, stir all the ingredient together.  Wipe any drips from the rim of the Crockpot and place the lid on.  Cover the Crockpot and set it to cook on high for 4 hours.  In the meantime:

*Note:  Error on the side of the vegetables being chopped too large as they shrink while cooking.

~ Step 2.  In a 10" skillet, place the ground beef. Lightly season beef with a very light sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Adjust heat to sauté, stirring constantly, while breaking up the meat into small chunks and pieces with the side of a large spoon or spatula. Cook until meat is just cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.  Do not brown the meat.  Remove from heat.  Drain and discard all excess liquid from the skillet.

~Step 3.  Stir the cooked and drained meat into the vegetable mixture in the Crockpot.  Cover the pot and continue to to cook for the remainder of the 4 hours. After 4 hours of cooking, give the chili a thorough stir and take a taste or two.  If the sweet potatoes are soft and tender, the chili is done and ready to serve.  If they are not cooked to your liking, reduce heat on Crockpot to low and cook for 30-60 additional minutes.  Can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.

Full of sweet potatoes slow-cooked in a scrumptious blend of tomatoes, beans, aromatic spices & sautéed ground beef:

Fall Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Ground Beef Chili:  Recipe yields 5 quarts/10, 2-cup servings.

Special Equipment List: 6 1/2-quart crockpot; cutting board; chef's knife; large spoon; 10"-12" skillet; spatula; ladle; 5, 1-quart-size freezer-safe food storage containers w/tight-fitting lids 

Cook's Note: Sweet potatoes were first introduced to North America when Columbus brought them over from the island of St. Thomas, where this large edible root, which belongs to the morning-glory family, is native to the tropical regions of the Americas.  There are many varieties of sweet potato, but the two most widely grown commercially are a pale sweet potato and a dark-skinned variety Americans erroneously call "yam" -- the yam is not even related to the sweet potato. Read: ~ An Inconvenient Truth - A Sweet Potato is Not a Yam ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Simply Slightly-Spicy Pasta with Butter and Garlic ~

No matter what you might imagine, people who cook all day have little-to-no desire to cook again at the end of a hectic work day -- and that's not a bad thing.  Yet, these are at the same people who conjure up the best no-fuss, no-mess, simply-delicious stuff to eat.  Trust me I know.  There was a time in my life when I did cook all day.  I won't lie, I'm rally happy those crazy days are over, but, I still love to sit in front of a movie or three to relax and enjoy one of my easy conjurings.

Four ingredients (five if you want cheese) & 12-15 minutes:

For 2 large servings or 4 smaller servings:

12  ounces farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

2  quarts water, for cooking pasta

2  teaspoons sea salt, for seasoning pasta water

6  tablespoons salted butter

3/4  teaspoon garlic powder

1/2  teaspoon red pepper flakes

2-3  tablespoons finely-grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing pasta (optional)

For 1 individual serving:

4  ounces farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

2 1/2-3  cups water

3/4  teaspoon salt, for seasoning pasta water

2  tablespoons salted butter

1/4-1/2  teaspoon garlic powder

1/4  teaspoon sea salt

1/4  teaspoon red pepper flakes

1  teaspoon Parmesan cheese, for garnishing pasta (optional)

~Step 1.  In an appropriately-sized stockpot or saucepan place the of water.  Add the sea salt and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta to the boiling water and give it a stir.  Adjust heat to a rapid simmer and cook, according to package directions, until al dente, about 9-10 minutes -- do not overcook pasta.  Drain pasta into a colander and set aside -- do not rinse pasta.

~Step 2.  Return the still hot pan to the stovetop. Over low heat melt the salted butter, then, stir in the garlic powder, sea salt and 1/4-1/2  teaspoon red pepper flakes.  Add the cooked pasta.  Stir until pasta is enrobed in butterand mixture is steaming.  Transfer to serving bowl(s), garnish with optionalParmesan and serve immediately.

Nothing fancy, definitely not gourmet, simply delicious:

Simply Slightly-Spicy Pasta with Butter and Garlic:  Recipe yields 2 hearty servings/4 side-servings, or, 1 small-but-filling just-for-me serving.

Special Equipment List:  4-quart wide-bottomed stockpot or 2-quart saucepan; colander; large spoon

Cook's Note: Meet one of my fifteen-minutes-to-make pasta-craving-at-midnight meals.  Truth told, it's more akin to my I-just-got-home and I'm starving what-can-I-make-really-fast meal -- a hot, hearty, comforting feed-me-now meal.  That said, it's also one of my go-to side dishes to serve with roasted chicken, broiled fish or sautéed seafood too -- I simply love it alongside some buttery, garlicy shrimp.  If you have homemade marinara sauce on-hand in your freezer, feel free to use it, but, trust me, when store-bought marinara sauce gets a bit of cream stirred into it, you'll get no complaints.  Try my ~ Buttery Pasta in a Silky Tomato-Cream Sauce ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Just Buttery Pasta in a Silky Tomato-Cream Sauce ~

Meet my fifteen-minutes-to-make pasta-craving-at-midnight meal.  Truth told, it's more akin to my I-just-got-home and I'm starving what-can-I-make-really fast meal -- a hot, hearty, comforting feed-me-now meal.  That said, it's also one of my go-to side dishes to serve with roasted chicken, broiled fish or sautéed seafood too -- I simply love it alongside some buttery, garlicy shrimp.  If you have homemade marinara sauce on-hand in your freezer, feel free to use it, but, trust me, when store-bought marinara sauce gets a bit of cream stirred into it, you'll get no complaints.

A tasty little side-dish for chicken, fish or seafood:

For 2 large servings or 4 smaller servings:

12  ounces farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

2  quarts water, for cooking pasta

2  teaspoons sea salt, for seasoning pasta water

6  tablespoons salted butter

3/4  teaspoon garlic powder

1/2  teaspoon red pepper flakes

2  cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce, your favorite brand

1/2  cup heavy or whipping cream

2-3  tablespoons finely-grated Parmesan cheese, for garnishing pasta

For 1 individual serving:

4  ounces farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

2 1/2-3  cups water

3/4  teaspoon salt, for seasoning pasta water

2  tablespoons salted butter

1/4-1/2  teaspoon garlic powder

1/4  teaspoon sea salt

1/4  teaspoon red pepper flakes

3/4  cup marinara sauce

3  tablespoons cream

1  teaspoon Parmesan cheese, for garnishing pasta

~Step 1.  In an appropriately-sized stockpot or saucepan place the of water.  Add the sea salt and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta to the boiling water and give it a stir.  Adjust heat to a rapid simmer and cook, according to package directions, until al dente, about 9-10 minutes -- do not overcook pasta.  Drain pasta into a colander and set aside -- do not rinse pasta.

~Step 2.  Return the still hot pan to the stovetop. Over low heat melt the salted butter, then, stir in the garlic powder, sea salt and 1/4-1/2  teaspoon red pepper flakes.  Add the marinara sauce and cream to pan.  Using a large spoon, stir until sauce is uniform in color.  Adjust heat to a gentle simmer and cook about 1 minute.  Turn the heat to low and add the cooked pasta.  Stir until pasta is enrobed in sauce and mixture is steaming.  Transfer to serving bowl(s), garnish with Parmesan and serve immediately.

Nothing fancy, definitely not gourmet, simply delicious:

Just Buttery Pasta in a Silky Tomato-Cream Sauce:  Recipe yields 2 hearty servings/4 side-servings, or, 1 small-but-filling just-for-me serving.

Special Equipment List:  4-quart wide-bottomed stockpot or 2-quart saucepan; colander; large spoon

Cook's Note: Why is this is one of my favorite in-a-hurry shrimp-loving dishes?  Glad you asked.  In my food world, lightly-sautéed shrimp are perfect when paired with some perfectly-cooked pasta that's been enrobed in a slightly-spicy tomato-cream sauce.  There's more.  It only requires few on-hand ingredients, and, there's little-to-no prep -- all of us cooks like to hear those words. Try my ~ One-Pan Shrimp & Shells in Tomato-Cream Sauce ~, it's good enough to serve to guests too.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti 

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ One-Pan Shrimp & Shells in Tomato-Cream Sauce ~

Why is this is one of my favorite in-a-hurry shrimp-loving dishes?  Glad you asked.  In my food world, lightly-sautéed shrimp are perfect when paired with some perfectly-cooked pasta that's been enrobed in a slightly-spicy tomato-cream sauce.  There's more.  It only requires few on-hand ingredients, and, there's little-to-no prep -- all of us cooks like to hear those words.  Thirty minutes later, this quick-and-easy super-delicious family-friendly meal is on the dinner table.  I like to serve it with garlic bread, and sometimes I make a salad too, but, even if this is the only thing on the table, there won't be any complaints.  PS: it's good enough to serve to impromptu guests too.

A few-hand ingredients = one simply scrumptious meal:

8  ounces medium-shell pasta

2  quarts water, for cooking pasta

2  teaspoons sea salt, for seasoning pasta water

3  tablespoons salted butter

3  tablespoons olive oil

1/2  teaspoon garlic powder

1/4  teaspoon sea salt

12  ounces large shrimp (28-30 shrimp), peeled, deveined, tails on or off, your choice

2  cups homemade or store-bought marinara sauce, your favorite brand

1/2  cup heavy or whipping cream

1/2  teaspoon additional garlic powder

1/4  teaspoon additional sea salt

1/4-1/2  teaspoon red pepper flakes

additional red pepper flakes, for garnishing finished dish

~Step 1.  In a shallow, 3 1/2-quart wide-bottomed Dutch oven, place two quarts of water.  Add the 2 teaspoons sea salt and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta to the boiling water and give it a stir.  Adjust heat to a rapid simmer and cook, according to package directions, until al dente, about 9-10 minutes -- do not overcook pasta.  Drain pasta into a colander and set aside.

~Step 2.  Return the still hot pan to the stovetop. Over low heat melt 3 tablespoons salted butter into 3 tablespoons olive oil, then, stir in the 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4  teaspoon sea salt.  Add the shrimp to the pan, arranging them side-by-side and in a single layer across the bottom.  Increase heat to medium-low.  Gently sauté shrimp in the butter until opaque and just cooked through, about 1 1/2-2 minutes per side, using a fork and/or a small spatula to flip them over.  Transfer shrimp to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving all the flavorful butter in bottom of pan.  Set shrimp aside.

~Step 3.  Add the 2 cups of marinara sauce and 1/2 cup of cream to pan, along with 1/2 teaspoon additional garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon additional sea salt and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.  Using a large spoon, stir until sauce is uniform in color.  Adjust heat to a gentle simmer and cook about 1-2 minutes.  Turn the heat to low and add the cooked pasta.  Stir until pasta is enrobed in sauce and mixture is steaming.  Turn the heat off.  One-at-a-time add the shrimp to the pasta, distributing them evenly over the surface.  Do not stir the shrimp in.  Serve immediately.

One pan & stovetop-to-table in 30 minutes (no cheese please):

One-Pan Shrimp & Pasta in Tomato-Cream Sauce:  Recipe yields 2-3 large servings or 4 smaller servings.

Special Equipment List: 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven or 4-quart wide-bottomed stockpot w/lid; colander; fork and/or small spatula; paper towels; larger spoon

Cook's Note:  Every once in a while, my ability to cook is overshadowed by my desire to cook something remarkably easy, yet good enough to serve to guests -- no special skills, tools or knowledge required.  Today is such a day.  This simple, straightforward and scrumptious recipe, taken from the pages of absolutely nowhere, goes from stovetop to table in less time than it takes to cook spaghetti, and, when beautifully plated, will trick everyone into thinking I cooked all day.  For example:  ~ Shrimp & Lobster Ravioli w/Tomato-Cream Sauce ~.  Give it a try!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ History of Canned Tuna and Tuna Salad in America ~

Tuna or chicken salad is nothing fancy -- and it's ertainly not gourmet.  Just a quick and easy-to-make lunch made from ingredients you most-likely have on hand in your pantry -- and it'll keep you smiling all afternoon too.  Why? Because besides being loaded with fat-free protein (from tuna packed in water or the meat from leftover chicken breasts, plus hard-cooked eggs), it's filling and packed-full of flavor (from all the wonderful spices in your favorite "lite" Italian dressing). There's more. It's light -- a refreshing respite from calorie-packed carbohydrates.

We Americans have been eating tuna salad for over a hundred years. The first reference to tuna salad appeared in 1907, and by 1914 dozens of recipes had been published.  Tuna salad, classically made with with celery and mayonnaise, was a spin off of  chicken salad,  with tuna salad being touted as more convenient (due to the use of canned tuna) -- a big reason for its rise in popularity.  Because of its nutritional value, it was marketed as diet food during the 1960s.

Until the 1800s, the sardine was the canned fish Americans ate.  Tuna was available, but, what did arrive on our shores was imported by and for Italian immigrants.  That remained the case until 1903 when poor ocean conditions made for terrible sardine fishing -- the sardine-packing industry almost went under. It was then that Albert P. Halfill, an executive at the Southern California Fish Company in Los Angeles decided to look for an alternative. After experimenting with halibut, rock fish and albacore tuna (the latter of which was abundant off the California coast), he decided on albacore tuna packed in California olive oil.  The next task was to sell a product there was no market for.  

The selling point for Albacore tuna was to compare it to the mild white-meat chicken breast.  Via a combination of free tastings at county fairs and free tin giveaways with the purchase of coffee in grocery stores, it caught on and went on to become a pantry staple and convenience food in American kitchens, and, a special at lunch-counters everywhere.  By 1913 there were nine plants operating along the California coast and that grew to thirty-six canneries in five years.

~ Creamy, Chunky & Crunchy Classic Tuna Salad ~:

~ Classic-Style Tuna, Egg & Shell Pasta Salad ~:

~ Super-Easy Light & Skinny Tuna or Chicken Salad ~:

~ Lighten Up w/a Refreshing Tuna-Mac Garden Salad ~:

~ Greek Pasta Salad w/Tapenade, Tuna & Tomato ~:

~ Super-Easy Skinny Tuna Salad Pita Sandwiches ~:

~ The Only Way You Will Get Me to Eat a Tuna Melt ~:

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~Classic-Style Chunky Tuna, Egg & Shell Pasta Salad~

We Americans have been eating tuna salad for over a hundred years. The first reference to tuna salad appeared in 1907, and by 1914 dozens of recipes had been published.  Tuna salad, classically made with with celery and mayonnaise, was a spin off of  chicken salad,  with tuna salad being touted as more convenient (due to the use of canned tuna) -- a big reason for its rise in popularity.  Because of its nutritional value, it was marketed as diet food during the 1960s.

Until the 1800s, the sardine was the canned fish Americans ate.  Tuna was available, but, what did arrive on our shores was imported by and for Italian immigrants.  That remained the case until 1903 when poor ocean conditions made for terrible sardine fishing -- the sardine-packing industry almost went under. It was then that Albert P. Halfill, an executive at the Southern California Fish Company in Los Angeles decided to look for an alternative. After experimenting with halibut, rock fish and albacore tuna (the latter of which was abundant off the California coast), he decided on albacore tuna packed in California olive oil.  The next task was to sell a product there was no market for.  

The selling point for Albacore tuna was to compare it to the mild white-meat chicken breast.  Via a combination of free tastings at county fairs and free tin giveaways with the purchase of coffee in grocery stores, it caught on and went on to become a pantry staple and convenience food in American kitchens, and, a special at lunch-counters everywhere.  By 1913 there were nine plants operating along the California coast and that grew to thirty-six canneries in five years.

Tuna salad, to tuna sandwiches, to tuna pasta salad:

1  12-ounce can solid white Albacore tuna packed in water, well-drained

3  cups al dente cooked medium-shell pasta

3-6  hard-cooked extra-large eggs, 1-2 eggs per 1 cup cooked pasta

3/4  cup medium-diced celery

1/2  cup thin-sliced onion, cut into half-moons, half-moons cut in half

3/4  cup high-quality store-bought mayonnaise

2  tablespoons Dijon mustard

2  tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1/2  teaspoon celery seed

1/4  teaspoon sea salt

1/2  teaspoon coarse-grind pepper

~ Step 1.  Open the tuna and invert it onto a paper-towel-lined plate to drain thoroughly, about 5 minutes.  Using a fork, carefully break/flake the tuna into large, chunky bite-sized pieces.  Do your best to avoid mashing or smashing the tuna.

~Step 2. In a large bowl, measure and place the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sweet pickle relish, celery seed, salt and pepper.  Using a large rubber spatula, thoroughly fold these ingredients together.  Add the diced celery and sliced onion and fold them into the dressing.

~Step 3. Add the cooked shell pasta to the dressing mixture in the bowl  Using the same spatula, gently fold in the pasta until it is thoroughly enrobed in the dressing mixture.  Slice the hard-cooked eggs into wedges, adding them to the bowl as you work.  Using the spatula, gently and thoroughly, fold the eggs into the pasta salad. Cover and refrigerate several hours to overnight.

An American pantry staple & convenience food that's here to stay:

Classic-Style Chunky Tuna, Egg & Shell Pasta Salad:  Recipe yields 6 cups/6 servings.

Special Equipment List: paper towels; fork; cutting board; chef's knife; large rubber spatula

Cook's Note: Wish-Bone Italian dressing.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.  To name a few: drizzled on my garden salad or slathered on my turkey sandwich, as a dip for my vegetables, as a marinade for my chicken, and, as the dressing for ~ The Retro & Original Wish-Bone Italian Pasta Salad Recipe ~.  It isn't gourmet, but, when prepared correctly, it is remarkably delicious -- try making this salad with a can of well-drained tuna folded into it too.  Just do it!

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~ Classic-Style Creamy & Chunky Rotini & Egg Salad ~

Classic-style, old-fashioned macaroni salad.  I like it a lot, almost as much as potato salad, and in my kitchen, just like potato salad, it's not restricted to Summertime eating.  That said, when macaroni salad is made with elbow macaroni, I often lose interest in it after a few bites.  Why? Texturally, in a to-the-tooth sort of way, it misses the mark, which is why I've always liked potato salad better.   Then came the day I discovered that my creamy, mayonnaise-dressed macaroni salad recipe, if made with larger pasta and chunkier pieces of eggs, puts it on the same level as potato salad.  It's the perfect accompaniment to a deli sandwich, a  'burger, or a steak.

It's classic-style macaroni salad made better:

4  cups al-dente cooked rotini pasta

6  hard-cooked extra-large eggs

1/2  cup medium-diced celery

1/2  cup thin-sliced onion, cut into half-moons, half-moons cut in half

3/4  cup high-quality store-bought mayonnaise

2  tablespoons Dijon mustard

2-3  tablespoons sweet pickle relish, more or less to taste

1/2  teaspoon celery seed

1/2  teaspoon sea salt

1/2  teaspoon coarse-grind pepper

~Step 1.  In a large bowl, measure and place the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sweet pickle relish, celery seed, salt and pepper.  Using a large rubber spatula, thoroughly fold these ingredients together.  Add the diced celery and sliced onion and fold them into the dressing.

~Step 2.  Add the cooked rotini pasta to the dressing mixture.  Using the spatula, fold it in until it is thoroughly enrobed in the dressing mixture.  Cut the hard-cooked eggs into wedges, adding them to the bowl as you work.  Using the spatula gently and thoroughly fold them in the salad.  Cover the macaroni salad and refrigerate until well-chilled, several hours to overnight.  Serve cold.

Meet the macaroni salad that's as good as potato salad:

Classic-Style Creamy & Chunky Rotini & Egg Salad:  Recipe yields 6 cups macaroni salad/6 servings.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; large rubber spatula

Cook's Note: Wish-Bone Italian dressing.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.  To name a few: drizzled on my garden salad or slathered on my turkey sandwich, as a dip for my vegetables, as a marinade for my chicken, and, as the dressing for ~ The Retro & Original Wish-Bone Italian Pasta Salad Recipe ~.  It isn't gourmet, it isn't even particularly exciting to look at, but, because when prepared correctly, it is remarkably delicious -- a time-tested family  favorite.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022) 

~ Hail to the Grill-Panned Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad ~

We Americans love our Caesar salad.  Over the course of the past four decades, the Caesar salad has overwhelmingly become America's favorite salad.  If you are a lover of a crisp and tangy classic Caesar salad, and, you love your Caesar salad with plump, tender grilled shrimp (or chicken) tossed into it, there's more.  If you are a lover of pasta salads too, you are gonna fall in love with this recipe.  Adding pasta and a protein to a Caesar salad makes sense on many levels.  Besides stretching it to feed a crowd, it turns it into a hearty and refreshing main-course salad perfect to serve at any almost any gathering -- a picnic, potluck or tailgate.

A bit about the shrimp.  When it comes to grilling shrimp, the larger they are the better the finished product.  Jumbo shrimp are my hands-down favorite.  It the time it takes to get some nice browning on the outside, about 2 1/2 minutes per side, they cook just through to their centers without overcooking them -- this will not happen with smaller sized shrimp.  Jumbo shrimp emerge plump, juicy and succulent.

Hail to the Grill-Panned Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad:

For 1 very large family-style salad or 6 smaller-but-hearty main-dish salads:

3  pounds peeled, deveined and thawed raw jumbo shrimp, tails-on, (16-20 count), 4-5 dozen shrimp (6-8 shrimp per salad)

3/4-1  cup homemade creamy Caesar dressing, or, your favorite store-bought brand, for seasoning shrimp (Note:  There's no shame in using your favorite brand of store-bought dressing to make this family-friendly salad.  Mine is made by Wish-Bone.   It's bold and tangy, and, it's got aged Parmesan cheese in it.  You'd be wise to give it a try!)

12  ounces rotini pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions, then, drained and cooled according to my directions (12 ounces uncooked pasta = 9 cups cooked pasta = 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta per salad)

1  tablespoon sea salt, for adding to pasta water

1 1/2 cups creamy Caesar dressing, for tossing into salad, divided in half, 3/4 cup to be tossed in with the pasta, then 3/4 cup more to toss in when lettuce, onion and cheese are added as directed below (2 tablespoons per salad to toss in with the pasta, then 2 more tablespoons per salad to toss in when lettuce, onion and cheese are added)

12  cups, torn into bite-sized pieces, romaine lettuce leaves (2 cups per salad) 

2  cups thinly-sliced, slices cut into half-moons, red onion (1/3 cup per salad)

6  tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (1 tablespoon per salad)

2  cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half, for garnishing salad (1/3 cup per salad)

2  cups Caesar-style croutons, for garnishing salad (1/3 cup per salad)

all the grill-panned shrimp (6-8 shrimp per salad)

6  tablespoons additional cheese, for garnishing salad (1 tablespoon per salad)

additional creamy Caesar dressing for drizzling on salads, if desired, at tableside

no-stick cooking spray, for preparing grill pan

~ Step 1.  Thaw shrimp as package directs. Using a pastry brush, paint tops of shrimp with a scant teaspoon of dressing.

~Step 2.  Spray the surface of a grill pan with no-stick cooking spray. Working in batches of 16-24 shrimp at a time, so as not to overcrowd the grill pan, pick the shrimp up by their tails and place them, slightly apart and dressing-coated side down, in the grill pan.  Paint the new top-side surfaces (the second sides) of the shrimp with a scant tateaspoon of the creamy Caesar dressing.  Adjust heat to medium- medium-high.  Cook until shrimp are turning opaque and lightly golden on the first side, about 2 1/2 minutes.  Flip the shrimp over and cook until golden on the second side and cooked through, 2-2 1/2 additional minutes.  Repeat process with remaining shrimp.  Don't have a grill pan?  Worry not, use a large nonstick skillet.  Transfer shrimp to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.

~Step 3. Line a 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" baking pan with plastic wrap and a layer of parchment paper.  Set aside.   In a wide-bottomed 4-quart stockpot bring 3 quarts water to a rolling boil and add the salt.  Add the pasta to the boiling water.  Cook the pasta to al dente, as directed, in salted water, about 9-10 minutes -- do not overcook the pasta, meaning: error on the side of ever-so-slightly undercooking it.  Drain it into a colander, and, immediately rinse it under cold water.  Why?  Bringing it quickly to room temperature halts the cooking process, and, pasta that is rinsed of its starch will not get sticky or gummy.  Thoroughly drain and transfer pasta to a 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" parchment-lined baking pan to cool completely and "dry", meaning, just long enough to dry free from water, not completely dry out, about 30 minutes.

Note:  To this point, both the shrimp and the pasta can be covered and refrigerated overnight.

~Step 4.  Before assembling the salad, tear the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and set aside.  Slice the red onion as directed and set aside.  Slice the grape tomatoes.  Set aside.  Proceed with assembling the salad as directed.

~Step 5.  To assemble one large salad or six smaller salads, place the pasta in appropriately-sized bowl(s).  Add the first half of the Caesar dressing and toss to thoroughly enrobe the pasta in it's own layer of flavorful dressing.  Add the torn lettuce, sliced onion and Parmesan cheese and second half of the dressing.  Toss again to thoroughly combine.  Garnish the top of the salad with the halved cherry tomatoes, the crispy croutons, the shrimp and a scattering of additional shredded cheese.

Hail to the Grill-Panned Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad: 

Hail to the Grill-Panned Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad too: 

Hail to the Grill-Panned Shrimp Caesar Pasta Salad:  Recipe yields 1 large family-style salad or 6 smaller-but-hearty main-dish salads.

Special Equipment List: pastry brush; nonstick grill pan or skillet; paper towels; 4-quart wide-bottomed stockpot; colander; 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" baking pan; parchment paper

Cook's Note: How does shrimp sizing work?  In a shrimp shell -- it doesn't.  Why?  There is no industry standard for it. One vendor's medium, may be another vendor's extra-large and vice versa.  This explains why many new-to-shrimp buying cooks are confused by these seven words:  extra-small, small, medium, large, extra-large, jumbo, colossal.  When purchasing shrimp, the most important words to know aren't words, they are numbers.  Read ~ Purchase Shrimp by their Count, Not by their Size ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)

~Hail to the Grill-Panned Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad~

If you are a lover of a crisp and tangy classic Caesar salad, and, you love your Caesar salad with juicy, grilled chicken tossed into it, there's more.  If you are a lover of pasta salads too, you are gonna fall in love with this recipe. Adding pasta and a protein to a Caesar salad makes sense on many levels. Besides stretching it to feed a crowd, it turns it into a hearty and refreshing main-course salad perfect to to serve at any almost any gathering -- a picnic, potluck or tailgate.   

We Americans love Caesar salad.  Over the past four decades, the Caesar salad has overwhelmingly become America's favorite salad.  It altered the lettuce industry too, as the demand for romaine has skyrocketed.  Then, the grilled-chicken-topped Caesar salad option turn this salad into the most ordered chicken item on restaurant menus -- more popular than chicken wings and chicken fingers.  Add a handful of cooked pasta to it too?  What's not to love!

A bit about the chicken:   Experience has taught that chicken sandwiches made with boneless, skinless breast are usually a "miss", meaning they are typically overcooked, dry, and tough -- not even close to the juicy, tender protein we were expecting. While the boneless, skinless chicken tenderloin is indeed a step up in terms of tenderness, for me no matter how you cook it, the more flavorful dark-meat boneless, skinless chicken thigh is the ticket -- even if you manage to overcook it a bit, it's still naturally tender and juicy.

Hail to the grill-panned chicken Caesar pasta salad:

For 1 very large family-style salad or 6 smaller-but-hearty main-dish salads :

6  boneless, skinless chicken-thigh paillards  (Note:  If grilled chicken tenderloins are more to your liking, feel free to make that substitution using the directions contained in this link.) (1 chicken thigh per salad)

1/2 - 3/4  cup homemade creamy Caesar dressing, or, your favorite store-bought brand, for seasoning chicken (Note:  There's no shame in using your favorite brand of store-bought dressing to make this family-friendly salad.  Mine is made by Wish-Bone.   It's bold and tangy, and, it's got aged Parmesan cheese in it.  You'd be wise to give it a try!)

12  ounces rotini pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions, then, drained and cooled according to my directions (12 ounces uncooked pasta = 9 cups cooked pasta = 1 1/2 cups cooked pasta per salad)

1  tablespoon sea salt, for adding to pasta water

1 1/2 cups creamy Caesar dressing, for tossing into salad, divided in half, 3/4 cup to be tossed in with the pasta, then 3/4 cup more to toss in when lettuce, onion and cheese are added as directed below (2 tablespoons per salad to toss in with the pasta, then 2 more tablespoons per salad to toss in when lettuce, onion and cheese are added)

12  cups, torn into bite-sized pieces, romaine lettuce leaves (2 cups per salad) 

2  cups thinly-sliced, slices cut into half-moons, red onion (1/3 cup per salad)

6  tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (1 tablespoon per salad)

2  cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half, for garnishing salad (1/3 cup per salad)

2  cups Caesar-style croutons, for garnishing salad (1/3 cup per salad)

6 grilled chicken thighs, thin-sliced or diced (1 thigh per salad)

6  tablespoons additional cheese, for garnishing salad (1 tablespoon per salad)

additional creamy Caesar dressing for drizzling on salads, if desired, at tableside

no-stick cooking spray, for preparing grill pan

~Step 1.  Cover the top surface a large cutting board with plastic wrap.  Unravel/unroll the chicken thighs and place them, flat and slightly apart, atop the plastic. Cover with a second sheet of plastic.  Using a flat-sided meat mallet, pound to a thickness of 1/4"-1/2" -- do not pound chicken thighs to smithereens.

~Step 2.  Using a pastry brush, paint the top surface of each chicken-thigh paillard with a scant tablespoon of the creamy Caesar dressing.  FYI:  Since marination works as a favorizor, NOT, a tenderizer, there is no need to marinate the chicken thighs in dressing for any length of time.

~Step 3.  Spray the surface of a grill pan with no-stick cooking spray. Working in batches of 2-3 chicken thigh paillards at a time, so as not to overcrowd the grill pan, place the paillards, dressing-coated side down, in the grill pan.  Paint the new top-side surfaces (the second sides) of the paillards with a scant tablespoon of the creamy Caesar dressing.  Adjust heat to medium- medium-high.  Cook until paillards are deep golden on the first side, about 8-10 minutes.  Flip the paillards over and cook until deep golden on the second side and cooked through, 8-10 additional minutes.  Repeat this process with remaining paillards.  Don't have a grill pan?  Worry not, use a large nonstick skillet.

~Step 4.  Line a 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" baking pan with plastic wrap and a layer of parchment paper.  Set aside.   In a wide-bottomed 4-quart stockpot bring 3 quarts water to a rolling boil and add the salt.  Add the pasta to the boiling water.  Cook the pasta to al dente, as directed, in salted water, about 9-10 minutes -- do not overcook the pasta, meaning: error on the side of ever-so-slightly undercooking it.  Drain it into a colander, and, immediately rinse it under cold water.  Why?  Bringing it quickly to room temperature halts the cooking process, and, pasta that is rinsed of its starch will not get sticky or gummy.  Thoroughly drain and transfer pasta to a 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" parchment-lined baking pan to cool completely and "dry", meaning, free from water, not dried out, about 30 minutes.

Note:  To this point, both the chicken and the pasta can be covered and refrigerated overnight.

~Step 5.  Slice, dice or chop the grill-panned chicken thighs to your liking.  Set aside.  Tear the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and set aside.  Slice the red onion as directed and set aside.  Slice the grape tomatoes.  Set aside.  Proceed with assembling the salad as directed.

~ Step 6.  To assemble one large salad or six smaller salads, place the pasta in appropriately-sized bowl(s).  Add the first half of the Caesar dressing and toss to thoroughly enrobe the pasta in it's own layer of flavorful dressing.  Add the torn lettuce, sliced onion and Parmesan cheese and second half of the dressing.  Toss again to thoroughly combine.  Garnish the top of the salad with the halved cherry tomatoes, the crispy croutons, the sliced chicken and a scattering of additional shredded cheese.

Hail to the Grill-Panned Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad: 

Hail to the Grill-Panned Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich too:

Try my Grill-Panned Shrimp Caesar Salad too:

Hail to the Grill Panned Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad:  Recipe yields 1 large family-style salad or 6 smaller-but-hearty main-dish salads.

Special Equipment List: large cutting board; plastic wrap; flat-sided meat mallet; cutting board; chef's knife; pastry brush; nonstick grill pan or skillet; 4-quart wide-bottomed stockpot; colander; 12 1/2" x 8 3/4" baking pan; parchment paper

Cook's Note:  Whether you're sending kids off to school, looking for something different to lunch on at the office, or yeah baby, a sandwich that will be the hit of your next tailgate party -- this sub has got your back.  It's on my short-list of most-popular house-made deli-style  submarine-type sandwiches.  It's easy-to-make and user-friendly too.  Chop and toss the ingredients together in a bowl, stuff 'em into a sub roll then go to town. It's akin to feasting on a tuna sub, only full of classic Caesar salad flavors and textures.  Try my ~ Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Subs ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2022)