Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

I feel cheated. Summer is my favorite season, the time of year when we are supposed to be spending every free minute outside engaging in some sort of water activity - pool, beach, boat, water slides, sprinklers. Instead, we are all spending the afternoons inside in front of the TV, thanks to the Head Cold From Hell (cue the mothering guilt, but I am in survival mode). Aren't these things only supposed to hit in the wintertime? Holy smokes I've been miserable. (Of course the boys, who brought this thing home in the first place, had about 3 days of the sniffles and then they were over it, while DH and I have been completely taken down. Typical.)
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While lying on the couch moaning about my aching head, aching throat, cough, and fever (this cold is apparently a better multi-tasker than even I am), I stared for a while at our bookshelves. And came to the realization I am a cookbook addict. Despite ruthlessly purging when we moved to this house 3 years ago, I am still the proud owner of 43 cookbooks. Is that excessive? It seems like it might be...but there are still at least 4 at Barnes & Noble right now that are on my wish list.
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No recipe today, since my dinner tonight consisted of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and cold medicine. But I'm sharing my latest food discovery: BelGioioso's tiny fresh mozzarella balls (pearls, I think they're called on the package). These are WONDERFUL for using in pasta salads or on homemade pizza. Just the right size.

Easy Peasy

I'm typing this through the fog of a summer cold. Ugh! Even our 5 year old, who normally has the immune system of steel, is sniffling. We've been living on ham sandwiches and watermelon, since making anything else seems like WAY too much effort. I have chicken broth in the freezer, but there's something terribly unappealing about soup when it's 105 degrees outside.

Here's an incredibly easy and fast dinner idea, courtesy of my mom. And oh so good! Pick up from the grocery store: Alfredo sauce (we like Buitoni or Classico), rotisserie chicken, bow tie pasta, sundried tomatoes (in oil), and pitted kalamata olives. Cook the pasta according to directions. Heat Alfredo sauce and shred the chicken (or use leftover beer butt chicken!). Toss with the pasta, olives, and sundried tomatoes. If you want to add a veggie, broccoli would be great in this.

Happy eating!

No Butts About It

Want to get a 5 year old boy in the kitchen with you? Here's a surefire way: make a recipe that has the word "butt" in it. Works every time.

"Beer butt chicken" is actually a recipe I've been wanting to make for years, but for whatever reason never tried it until a few weeks ago. I am absolutely a convert now. There are lots of recipes out there on the internet for this, but ultimately I just decided to do it like I would roast it in the oven. Here are the steps:

1) Rinse and pat dry a whole chicken, approx 5 pounds.

2) Open beer can, drink a few big gulps (or, if beer is not your drink of choice, just pour a little out so the can is not completely full). Set beer can into fancy grill beer-holder and place in the middle of a disposable tin pan (see picture).

3) Wiggle chicken onto beer can.

4) Brush all over with melted butter, and sprinkle liberally with seasoning of your choice (I used herbs de provence)

5) Heat grill to medium high heat. Place pan on grill, close lid, and grill for one hour and 15 minutes.

6) Enjoy! Ours was fabulous - crispy skin but moist and rich meat. There was no actual beer flavor we could discern, but the meat was wonderfully smokey. And we had perfect leftovers to use the next day for a pesto, mozzerella, and chicken pizza. So good!!

Morzo!

(Get it? More orzo? Oh I do crack myself up!!)

I am currently packing for my 4th trip in 4 weeks - and by "packing" I mean I am glaring at my ever trusty packing list, wondering why the swim diapers, shampoo bottles, books, flip flops, groceries and other necessities can't just pack themselves. You'd think they would have enough practice by now. We are headed to Charleston with the boys for Father's Day weekend, and looking forward to it. I just have to find the energy to actually get us there.

Atlanta Mom sends her favorite orzo recipe today, courtesy of Giada de Laurentis (also known around here as the Skinny Italian). Super simple for summer. Enjoy!

Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions
Makes 8 servings
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. honey
1/2 c. EVOO
6 c. chicken broth
1 lb. orzo
2 c. red and yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 7-oz. package of feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 c. chopped fresh basil
1 c. chopped green onions
1/2 c. pine nuts, toasted

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in EVOO. Season vinaigrette with S and P. Can be made 2 days ahead (cover and chill). Bring broth to boil in large heavy saucepan. Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and boil until tender, but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool. Mix tomatoes, feta, basil, and green onions into orzo. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with S and P. (Can be make 2 hrs. ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Add pine nuts; toss. Serve at room temperature. **I usually add roasted or rotisserie chicken to make it a one-dish dinner instead of a side dish!**

It's Greek to Me (Part II)

It is so stinkin' hot here in Savannah that I almost hesitate to post tonight's recipe, because who can be bothered to be at the stove and then turn on the oven when it's 104 degrees outside? Not only that, this is NOT a quick, weeknight dinner - best to make it on a Sunday afternoon. But we had this for dinner last week (with the Greek salad), and it's so fabulous I've decided it's worth sweating over. Here are my two tips for it. First, forget the whole milk and cream - just use skim milk. It takes a little longer to thicken up but otherwise you'll never notice a difference. Second, once I get the pasta, meat sauce, and bechamel all ready, I assemble it in 2 smaller pans - one for dinner that night or the next, and another one goes into the freezer for a crazy week later this summer.

Ina Garten's Pastitsio
Ingredients
For the Tomato Meat Sauce
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound lean ground lamb
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 large cloves)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Bechamel:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan or Kasseri cheese
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
2/3 cup Greek-style yogurt, such as Fage Total
3/4 pound small shells

Directions
For the sauce, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the beef and lamb, and saute over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until it's no longer pink, crumbling it with the back of wooden spoon. Drain off any excess liquid, add the wine, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the garlic, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, and cayenne, and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the bechamel, heat the milk and cream together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Pour the warm milk and cream mixture into the butter and flour mixture, whisking constantly. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and thick. Add the nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Stir in 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomato and meat sauce, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggs and yogurt and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Don't over-cook because the pasta will later be baked. Drain and set aside.

Add the pasta to the meat and tomato sauce, and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spread the bechamel evenly to cover the pasta and sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly. Set aside for 10 minutes and serve hot.

It's Greek To Me (Part I)

First, let me warn my readers - I am typing this on very, very little sleep. My husband was working this weekend, so I took the boys on a trip with friends to their weekend place in Florida. Where my 2 year old was having such a good time, he decided to to party the entire weekend.

As in all frickin' night long.

Both nights.

Not crying, not fussing, just good old fashioned partying. Singing, dancing, wiggling away...all right next to me in the bed. I'm not proud to confess it reduced both me and my 5 year old to tears around 10:30 last night...one of us was wailing I just want to go to sleeeeeep...and it's possible it was me. (Have I ever mentioned I don't do well with sleep deprivation?)

We are now home, it's 8:22 as I type this, and the boys have been asleep for 2 1/2 hours. I am waiting only for the last load of wash to finish before I fall into a coma myself. All of this is to say, I make no representations or warranties as to the quality of this recipe or blog post.

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Since it's about a million degrees out there, here's a nice crisp salad to keep you cool.

Greek Salad

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons good extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt, bigger pinch of pepper
1 head Romaine lettuce, torn and washed (I don't know who I think I'm kidding when I say "torn." I cut my lettuce with a knife. Yup, I do. I don't know what horrors are supposed to rain down on you when you do that, but our lettuce always seems to be fine, even days later)
1 English cucumber, sliced (These are the really long ones that are wrapped in plastic wrap at the grocery store. Slice it in half lengthwise, and then use a grapefruit spoon to scoop out the seeds in the middle. Then slice for your salad.)
Cherry tomatoes, halved (Or fabulous little tomatoes from your backyard garden that do infinitely better when I am out of town and my Mom stops by to water them - thanks, Mom)
Kalamata olives, pitted
Feta cheese

Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, and salt & pepper together in a large glass salad bowl. Add the veggies, olives, and feta cheese. Toss, and marvel that a salad could be so delicious and so simple.

Off to sleep, glorious sleep...

Grill, Baby, Grill (Part II)

I wrote earlier this week that we've become reacquainted with our grill after taking a break from each other, and oh what a rekindling of love it has been (pun totally intended, thank you very much).

Friday night is our family's pizza night (pizza posts are here and here), and I've been wanting to try grilling pizza forever. I hear people talk about it, I saw Bobby Flay do it, but I've never quite had the courage to do it myself. I had visions of the dough melting through the grates of the grill and causing marital strife and countless I-told-you-so's.

I needn't have worried.

Let me first say, I do not have this method perfected, so if you, dear reader, have done so, please share your tips with the rest of us. But I have learned it is actually easier than you might think. Here's my method. Roll out your dough as you normally would, but perhaps just a smidgen thinner. Get the grill to a nice medium heat, and spray the grates with cooking spray. Brush one side of the dough with olive oil, and put it on the grates olive oil side down. Let it cook for about 3 minutes, brushing the other side with olive oil in the meantime. Flip the dough, and quickly add your sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice. Cover the grill, and the let the pizza cook about another 5 minutes or so, until your cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from grill, let stand just a minute, and then try not to devour it all in one sitting.

Note: pizza on our grill seems to cook more quickly than pizza in the oven. All times posted above are approximate! But I've learned not to top the pizza with things that actually need to cook through (like mushrooms or shrimp), only things that need to get nice and hot (cheese, veggies, pepperoni, etc.). Otherwise, the pizza dough may be cooked through and ready to come off before the toppings have finished cooking. Not ideal!

Grill, Baby, Grill (Part I)

I have to admit, our grill did not get much use last summer. We love food cooked on the grill, but our youngest son was 18 months old at the beginning of last summer and in that terrible search-and-destroy stage. We learned quickly that trying to grill on the back patio with him anywhere in the vicinity was a recipe for disaster, so we pretty much gave it up.

Oh, what a difference a year makes.

He's still has his self-destructive moments, but he takes a warning of "hot" with utmost seriousness, so we are back in business when it comes to grilling. Such a treat! We are having a delightful heat wave here in Savannah - the hotter the better as far as I'm concerned - so the mosquitos and gnats aren't too bad (wimps), making for fabulous evenings outside, grilling and letting the boys run around. This was tonight's dinner; a perfect summer meal.

1) Mixed green salad with homegrown tomatoes (my poor tomato plants. They're like little martyrs back there, all bent over and shriveled up under my neglectful watch, but still producing the most amazing fruit ever), cucumber, feta cheese, and Dijon vinaigrette made in my new salad dressing bottle. Here's the recipe for the vinaigrette. Note: I've discovered that after a day or two in the fridge the flavor intensifies, so just add another ounce or two of olive oil, shake, and it's perfect.

1 oz balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 ounce olive oil

Whisk or shake to combine. Excellent.

2) NY Strip Steaks. Coat with olive oil and rub generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Set them on the counter and forget about them for a solid 30 minutes. Grill over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes each side, depending on desired doneness. Bring them in, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and let them sit for another 10 minutes.

3) Roasted fingerling potatoes (these were delivered in our farmbox this week, and holy deliciousness Batman). Dice, toss with fresh rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 425 for 30 minutes. Mmmmm.

Serve with a slightly chilled red wine or a gin and tonic, and your taste buds will practically dance with delight. Happy eating...

Today was a Fairy Tale

Do you ever have such a wonderful day that the only bad part of it is the ending? The kind of day where wonder how you got so lucky? That was our Saturday. A picture perfect summer day, morning spent on the boat and beach with the boys and good friends, afternoon naps, a tantrum-free trip to Target, drinks with hubby at our favorite watering hole, and supper club. Life is good.

I consider myself a fairly good picnic packer, as I've had years of experience. But I look like a novice compared to our friends Lisa and Lee, who might have just packed the world's most perfect picnic to accompany our beach adventures on Saturday. Tomato and avocado sandwiches, fried chicken, orzo salad, and chocolate chip cookies. A perfect combination, and I'm not ashamed to admit I was digging into all of it by 10:30 am. Mmmm. (My contribution was tuna pasta salad and fruit salad that was promptly blown out of my hands by a wind gust the second I pulled it out of the cooler).

Lisa tells me the orzo salad was Ina Garten's recipe, which follows. Absolutely fabulous. You serve it at room temperature, so it's perfect party or picnic food.

Orzo Salad

Ingredients:
Kosher salt
Good olive oil
3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta) (Lisa used 1/2 whole wheat orzo, and 1/2 regular, which was a perfect combination)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
1/2 cup small-diced red onion
3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Directions
Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Happy summer to all...I didn't have a picture of the orzo salad, so I uploaded a picture of the view from my beach chair instead. Heaven.

Cheeseburger in Paradise

It is well known among my friends and family that while I do not have much of a sweet tooth, you stand between me and a cheeseburger at your own peril. (Atlanta Mom has endured years of heading off to Johnny Rockets the moment I arrive for a visit to get my cheeseburger fix there). My favorite cheeseburger is juicy (which is not the same thing as greasy, thank you very much), not too thick and not too thin (this is a point of contention between DH and me. He thinks the thicker the better, whereas I like a burger to be a burger, not a meatloaf), and accompanied by a nice sharp cheddar cheese, ketchup, lettuce, tomato (but only if it's a good one - mealy, pinkish ones need not apply), and pickles. Mmmmm.

We love making burgers at home. Over the years we've tried all sorts of variations, but - no surprise here - Ina Garten's burger recipe is, to me, hands down the best. It makes a perfect burger every time. Recipe follows, with my notes.

Perfect Burgers
Ingredients

2 pounds ground chuck
1 pound ground sirloin (A note about the meat: no doubt that this combo of chuck and sirloin is seriously fabulous. But I've also used this recipe with ground turkey, and it was great as well, and I've gone with just ground chuck when I was in a hurry at the grocery store. So - as is usually the case - don't feel too constricted by what the recipe says)
3 tablespoons steak sauce (recommended: Crosse & Blackwell) (That's Ina's recommendation, not mine. I've not been able to find this steak sauce here, though I keep looking. Last time I made these it was with good old A1.)
6 extra-large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Hamburger buns

Directions
Carefully mix the meats, steak sauce, egg yolks, salt, and pepper with the tines of a fork, but do not mash it. (Actually, what I do is first whisk together the steak sauce, egg yolks, and salt and pepper. Then I add the meat to the bowl and gently mix it into the sauce with my fingers. This seems to distribute everything a bit better for me.) Lightly form each hamburger and lightly press into a patty shape. (I get about 10-12 burgers out of this recipe - it will vary a bit depending on how thick you make the burgers.) Make an indentation and put a thin slice of butter inside each hamburger, making sure the butter is entirely encased in the meat. (Don't skip this step! I know it seems a bit over the top, but wow - it really brings out the meat flavor and adds juiciness without being too greasy.)

Heat a grill, broiler, or saute pan and cook the hamburgers for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until almost done. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the hamburgers to rest for 5 minutes and serve immediately on buns.

These go great with broccoli slaw and potato salad. Happy eating!