A Spinach Tale

Oddly enough, growing up, I liked spinach. As in, the green, slimy spinach that was found, in a box, in the freezer section. Mama would cook it and then toss in some tangy vinegar (I think that was the key to this salt-lover's acceptance) and I'd gulp it down happily.

That algae-like spinach is every child's nemesis, so why did I like it? I have no idea. Nowadays, I don't eat that spinach anymore. I eat fresh baby spinach, steamed or au naturel in lovely salads.

Unless I'm at a steakhouse. And then I eat creamed spinach. Which of course, is food of the Gods. But really, you could probably braise crabgrass in a sauce that redolent with butter and cream and it'd taste okay. Cream sauce can vault almost any vile substance to ethereal heights.

Alas, cream and butter don't lovva my ass. Suffice it to say that I rarely allow myself to eat it.

I was grilling steaks the other night and thought about creamed spinach. And then I remembered a recipe from Ellie Krieger for healthy creamed spinach. After a quick run to the store to purchase evaporated milk, I got down to business.

I'll admit, I was dubious. A creamed spinach recipe that contains neither butter nor cream? Hmph. Sort of sacreligeous, in my opinion.

I made the recipe and served it up. The girls, naturally, would not touch it. We ate ours, and it was okay. Just okay. Next time I make it, I'm using cream instead of the evaporated milk. In my opinion, 1/2 of a tablespoon of cream per serving is not at all excessive. And really, it needs that lush note that cream delivers.

But the interesting part comes later. The next day, I turned on the Food Network, and my archenemy, Rachael Ray, was perking it up on the screen. Let it be known that I don't think she's a bad cook. It's her freaking perk that I can't abide. And the weirdo made-up words like "stoup."

Still, she got my attention, because she was making Green Eggs and Ham in cups. With creamed spinach. Which I happened to have left over in my refrigerator, along with eggs and proscuitto di Parma.*

It got me thinking. My girls love eggs. LOVE them. They also happen to love all things salty and pig-fleshed.

Could the combination of the two cancel out the yuck-factor of the spinach?

I had to try, just in the name of curiosity. I DID stack the deck in my favor by encouraging the girls to help me make the dish. I have two very eager helpers in the kitchen, and if I am not pressed for time, I am finding that my favorite times of the day are when they're next to me in the kitchen, stirring or sifting or beating some eggs. It also increases their chances of trying something new by at least 30 percent.

They happily helped out, cooing and marvelling at how cute the little egg baskets were.



~Bunny had to help, too.




~Miss D. thinks that dancing is a crucial step in the recipe-testing process.




~Admit it--they're cute.


Green Eggs and Ham
recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
serves 4-8

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted in microwave and excess moisture squeezed out
1/3 to 1/2 heavy cream
salt and pepper
dash of ground nutmeg to taste
8 slices ham or proscuitto di Parma
8 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the extra-virgin olive oil and the butter and sweat the shallots for a few minutes. Add the spinach and stir in the cream, season with salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg. Cook the spinach, stirring occasionally, until the cream has thickened, 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to your taste.

**Author's note: I didn't make the spinach Rachael Ray lists above. Instead, I substituted leftover creamed spinach from Ellie Krieger's recipe, which I've included below.

Fold each slice of ham or proscuitto in half and line a nonstick muffin cup with one slice meat (only 8 cups of the muffin pan will be used). Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cooked spinach into the cups, then crack an egg into each, making sure the egg stays whole. (hint--if you're worried about breaking the egg yolk, crack the egg into a small bowl first, then pour it into the muffin cup. Season the top of the eggs with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until set, about 15 minutes. Allow the baked eggs to cool in the muffin cups for a couple of minutes before removing them from the pan. Serve immediately.

Verdict: These little egg cups are genius! They're adorable, fun to eat, and delicious! Well, hubs and I thought so. The girls ate the eggs, but not the spinach or the crispy proscuitto cups. I think proscuitto is a little too strongly flavored for small palates.

However, I'll be making these again with some adjustments. I'll use just regular ham for the girls' cups, and I think I'll replace the spinach with some finely diced, cooked potato. THEN I think this family is in business!


Creamed Spinach
serves 4
from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 small shallots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk (1%)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons evaporated milk
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze all of the water from the spinach. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the low-fat milk and the broth and cook, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk and nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

*No, I'm not a snob because I always have proscuitto in my refrigerator. It's called Salt Addict.

Guest Post: TKW's Dad: The Old Buick

Hi Readers! I'm pleased to bring you another guest post from my Daddy-O, back by popular demand! Here he is, with more college revelry in store for you!

***

TKW, that saucy daughter of mine, has been giving her Dad a bit of a bad rap lately; it’s getting rather personal, don’t you think? She’s been bemoaning my handyman skills and inferring that any foul language that she uses is a result of hanging around dear old Dad growing up. This is just plain bullshit. Bullshit, I say!


Everybody knows that daughters should never be around their Dad when he is assembling a barbeque, doing home maintenance, watching sports on TV, discussing politics, or railing at the economy. Daughters should be outside playing with their little friends*, not pulling surveillance on Dad. And if you find any foul language in TKW Dad’s blog post, just remember who edits this thing before publication, and who publishes it. I plead innocence! Now, on to my next story.


THE OLD BUICK


Following up on the story of the Green Lantern and Chicago Style Hot Dogs, we return again to my college campus in the early ‘50’s. Back then, hardly any students at small liberal arts colleges had the wherewithal to have a car. At my school, in a small suburb, with a small downtown area, you got pretty tired of the same two beer joints every week. As lovely as The Green Lantern was, we yearned for more excitement—excitement far beyond walking distance.

Lady luck was on our side. My Freshman year, one of the dorm counselors mentioned that he had an old 1936 Buick in running condition that he would sell for $100. So four of us scraped together $25 each and purchased transportation that would reliably get us farther afield, to new and exciting places, to further our…education.

As happy as this circumstance was, however, there was a little problem. The old Buick’s starter was shot and did not function at all. This didn’t cause any trouble when all four of us were together; three guys pushed while one popped the clutch and the Buick was in business. But when one of us took the car on a date, we had to find a hill to park on, so we could get the car rolling on its own. If we couldn’t find a hill, we’d have to suffer the indignity of getting out to push while our date tried to pop the clutch. Not really the way to make a glowing impression with the ladies, you know?

But somehow, we made it work and in short order we found a roadhouse called Hall’s with great hamburgers, steak and libations. We found a place called Washington Gardens, with terrific pizza and a long bar with good—you guessed it--libations. But the most frequented place we found was called Gus’s Eat. It was just a hole-in-the-wall hamburger joint. We called it Greasy Gus’s, and I swear, the later the hour (and the more libations in our bellies), the more delicious those burgers tasted. In the early morning hours, grease puddled on the griddle and Gus’s apron would be covered in smears. We also suspected that Gus imbibed just a bit—as the night went on, the more he’d forget to clean the griddle. Fortified, he would flip those burgers to perfection while talking to himself and muttering nonsense. Colorful guy, Gus.

We took that rickety Buick all over, even into Chicago to see the Cubs play at Wrigley. The Old Hoss served us well. Finally a day came, late in the spring when some guys(author not present)were driving back to campus when the old Buick started sputtering, coughing, bucking and farting all over the place. When the ignition was turned off, that old Buick wouldn’t die--it just kept bucking and farting. So what did my creative partners do? They just pushed the old sonofabitch over the side of the road into a deeply wooded ravine and walked back to campus. Fortunately, it didn’t start a fire. Miraculously, we never heard from the police, or the administration and nothing appeared in the paper. Back then, nobody even knew of the word environmental hazard, or toxic. I suspect the Buick is still sitting down there, covered by underbrush and rusting away.

Today, I am told that Hall’s is a pizza parlor, Greasy Gus’s is a huge home supply outlet, and Washington Gardens is no more. I’m afraid that a great part of my early days have joined Scarlett O’Hara’s world and are...gone with the wind.

***

Thanks, Daddy, for sitting in for me today! You're the best, brown eyes! *ps: I couldn't go out and play with my friends while you were putting together that barbeque, Dad! I had no friends, remember? Plus, watching you was just too much fun! xoxo

Spring Libations: Pear Sparkler

One of the many (shiteous) jobs I've had in my past is Tending of the Bar. The bartending phase occurred post-college and pre-graduate school. You know, the WTF? years. Where you don't know who you are or where you want to go or what you want to be? Yeah, those. Those are some un-comfy years, aren't they?

Bartending sucked, but it didn't suck as hard as waitressing. At least when you are tending bar, you are behind the bar, so nobody can pinch (or otherwise insult) your moneymaker. And your face-to-face exposure with obnoxious toolbags is low; you just have to deal with the regulars at the bar itself and the brief walk-ups...waitresses have entire tables of jerkwads to deal with.

I've done both and believe me, give me a spot behind the bar any day. Plus, when things are slow, you get to fool around and try to create new, interesting libations. It's not altogether unlike cooking. Or chemistry. Take some raw material, shake it up, add a hint of this and a smattering of that and...viola! Some new genius drink. Or, sometimes, a vile concoction that even Sideshow Bob wouldn't ingest. But it's good fun, really.

I've been obsessed lately with infused vodkas. We have several bars in our area that are infusing vodka with amazing things--ginger, pineapple, guava, cucumber, habanero. Vodka is cool like that--it's a canvas for whatever strong flavor you want to bring.

I'm not ambitious enough to infuse my own vodka--yet--wait until this summer for that little project, but I did see a pear-infused vodka the other day and I had to give it a spin. Hangar One is a terrific vodka. I love, love, love it. But not as much as my husband loves it. He's a sucker for the stuff.

What we love about Hangar One is that they infuse the vodka with a flavor--say, mandarin orange--and yet it isn't sweet, sugary overload like a lot of vodkas on the market. The vodka smacks of orange but is barely sweet at all. And if you don't like things very sweet (like weirdo me), you're gonna love Hangar One.

The pear vodka is crazy! It's barely sweet at all, but it's got notes of cardamom and star anise, which immediately bring heat to back of your throat, and shoot me if I'm wrong, but I swear I tasted peppercorn in that stuff. It's a spicy, heady mix. Hubs and I tried it first on the rocks and decided, Whoa! It's just too packed with flavor (for us) to drink au naturel.

So I played around and came up with a wallop of a drink. It's a drink we immediately fell in love with, because it isn't too sweet, it's got a lot of flavor, it's refreshing, and it's potent. Fair warning: one of these babies will make you bubbly. Two will make you downright frisky. Which is why we forgot to take a photo of our drinks.

But damn, they're good. I dare you to whip these up on a warm evening. I bet you're going to be dancing in the yard with the kids, blasting the Lyle Lovett or the Pink or The Shins or whatever you like, before you know it. Bring on Spring.

Saucy Spring Pear Deliciousness
serves 2

1/2 cup pear-infused vodka, such as Hangar One*
1/4 cup good vodka
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1-4 tablespoons simple syrup (to taste)**
1/2 Asian pear, peeled, grated (preferably on a microplane, over the cocktail shaker)
ice
cold Prosecco, or other sweet sparkling white wine
if desired, frozen grapes***

Freeze both vodkas and cocktail shaker, at least 2 hours. Place grated pear in shaker (if you use a microplane, grate the pear over the cocktail shaker, collecting any pear juice/pulp you can get). Add 1 tablespoon simple syrup to pears and, using the back of a spoon, muddle the pears/syrup. Add vodkas and lime juice. Add ice to the shaker and shake well. Taste. If mixture isn't at all sweet, add simple syrup, by tablespoons, until slightly sweet.

Strain mixture into two highball glasses, filled with ice and, if using, frozen grapes. Add Prosecco to fill; stir well. Garnish with lime and/or Asian pear slices.

*Hangar One Pear is a lot less sweet than other infused vodkas, so depending on the brand you use, you really may have to adjust the ratio of simple syrup. Taste! And taste again!

**Simple syrup: Boil 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar until sugar dissolves. Cool completely. Simple syrup will keep well, covered in the refrigerator, for a week.

***Frozen grapes in drinks are genius! They work like ice cubes, but don't dilute the drink! Wash some grapes, put them in a plastic freezer bag, toss them in the icebox and Hey! Cool ice "cubes" that don't dilute your drink! Because diluted drinks are castrated drinks, you know.

EEK! It's Big! And Green!

Confession: I'm not a "greens" girl. I find them a little frightening, actually. First off, they're always hiding dirt--lots of it--in their fat, curly leaves. Second, they've got stiff, stringy ribs to deal with. Third, once you actually get them prepped for cooking and in the pot, they wilt down into almost nothing! What the heck? I'm not going to all that effort for a piddly pile of greens!

I also had a run in with some pretty bitter kale once, and I've been gun-shy ever since. Bitter green stuff is not the stuff of dreams. At least my dreams, anyways.

But I was drawn to this recipe because it actually uses two kinds of greens I like, baby bok choy and broccolini. Yes, the broccolini is slightly bitter, but next to silky baby bok choy, it somehow works. The bok choy melts down and is the perfect foil for the sturdier stalks of broccolini.

The dried mushrooms and black bean sauce add richness to the dish, and paired with some steamed rice, you've got a healthy and relatively easy dinner. And I even ate my greens, like the brave girl I am.

Stir-Fried Greens with Pork, Shiitakes, and Back Bean Sauce
from Sunset Best Recipes 2010
serves 4

2 boned pork chops (8 oz. total), fat trimmed
12 whole dried shiitake mushrooms*
1 1/4 cups warm reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce
3/4 lb. broccolini or Chinese broccoli
3/4 lb. baby bok choy
3 tablespoons peanut or canola oil, divided
1/2 large onion, cut lengthwise into slivers
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
**TKW's additions: 1/2 cup sliced carrot, 1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced, chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, red pepper flakes

Put pork chops on a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap airtight. Freeze just until firm to the touch, at least 2 and up to 3 hours. Cut into very thin diagonal slices.

In a small bowl, soak mushrooms in broth until soft and pliable, 20 to 30 minutes; occasionally work mushrooms with your fingers to release any grit. Lift mushrooms from broth, squeezing out liquid. Gently fold each mushroom in half, gill side out, and trim off any hard stems. *I couldn't find dried shiitakes, so I used a mix of several dried mushrooms and it worked fine.

Pour 1/2 cup soaking broth into a measuring cup and set aside. Pour 1/4 cup soaking broth into a measuring cup, leaving grit behind (add water if needed to make 1/4 cup); stir in black bean sauce.

Meanwhile, trim ends from green vegetables. Peel broccolini stems, then cut into 3-inch lengths. Rinse and set aside. Cut remaining green vegetables into 3-inch lengths, separating clusters of bok choy into single stalks; rinse and drain.

Set a wok or 5-to-6-quart pan over high heat. When hot, pour in 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat. Add pork, onion and ginger and fry, stirring occasionally, until meat is mostly cooked but still a bit pink, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a plate with slotted spoon.

Add broccolini stems, shiitakes, and reserved 1/2 cup soaking broth to pan and cover quickly. Cook until stems are barely tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Uncover and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and rest of green vegetables. Cook, stirring, until leaves and flowers wilt, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Return pork mixture to pan along with reserved black bean liquid; cook until bubbling.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Barefoot Bloggers has yet another cookie recipe in the store for us this month. The Minxes are pretty sure that Barefoot Bloggers is one awesome and rockin' organization.

I made these on an overcast, soggy day when the Minxes were restless and we were recovering from a rather traumatic incident at Miss D.'s annual school talent show. The short version: messed up music, puzzled and clueless 8-year old, frantic exit from stage in tears and hysterics.

Buzzkill. For all of us.

So the next day, still feeling a little heartsick, we rolled up our sleeves and played with vanilla-scented dough and coconut and jam.

The girls enjoyed rolling out the balls of dough and then poking indentations in them with buttery fingers. They especially liked licking the jam-covered spoons and, much to their mother's dismay, dunking the spoons back into the jam jar.

But I let them. I can always purchase another jar of jam. Mending broken hearts? If only it were so easy.



Jam Thumbprint Cookies
from Barefoot Contessa Family Style
makes 32 cookies

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale, they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and the roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is golden brown. Cool and serve.

The Spring Dessert You Need

No, readers, your eyes are not fooling you. I am posting a dessert recipe. Me, the Salt Queen, is posting a dessert on her blog. How 'bout that?

And no, it's not even a dessert I *had* to make for a project. This dessert sounded so good to me that I actually decided to make it on my own.

I do apologize to you readers with a sweet tooth. Except for the December Cookie Orgy, you have been pretty deprived of sugary delicacies on this blog. Sorry about that. As one of the few freakazoids on this planet who lacks a sweet tooth, I rarely even think about making dessert.

But this one appealed to me. Why, you ask?

Well, first off, it uses strawberries, the very fruit that announces the Rite of Spring in the Rocky Mountains. They're coming out our ears right now--big, gorgeous, juicy suckers. I cannot resist spring strawberries. They're such a thrill after a long winter of apples, bananas, pears and oranges...damn, winter fruit is boring.

Second, the strawberries are drizzled with a sugar-balsamic reduction sauce. I love balsamic vinegar like nobody's business. I could bathe in the stuff. And as odd as it sounds, balsamic vinegar loves strawberries. Trust me on this one and just try it. You'll see.

Finally, this is a dessert that your ass isn't going to hate you for! It's healthy! And fresh, and yummy, and not too sweet...which is important to me. Sugar shock sucks.

I actually didn't alter this recipe too much. I know! I usually have to tinker around with everything, but this time, all I did was add a sprinkling of toasted pistachio nuts for contrast and crunch. Serve this up on a spring afternoon and you'll make some people very happy. For kids with picky palates, I'd leave off the basil and the reduction. They'll still enjoy it, especially if you sexy it up with a dollop of whipped cream.



Balsamic Strawberries with Ricotta Cream
serves 4
from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 16-ounce container fresh strawberries, stems removed and quartered
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
2 tablespoons toasted pistachio nuts, chopped

Put the ricotta cheese, honey and vanilla into the small bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool completely. In a medium sized bowl, toss the berries with the basil and the balsamic syrup.

Divide the ricotta mixture among 4 glass bowls or cocktail glasses. Top with the berry mixture and nuts and serve.

Per serving: 180 calories

Alaskan Black Cod with Hoisin and Ginger Sauces

Now I know that some of you readers, like Amber, fear the fish. And sure, fish can be intimidating, and if you've ever had a run-in with bad fish...well, let's just say that it's hard to get your Fish Mojo back after that.

But this recipe is light, healthy and easy. And, despite the short ingredient list, really flavorful!

Delicate fish like cod and halibut really thrive under Asian seasonings. The fish becomes a blank canvas for the heady flavors of ginger, sesame and hoisin. Served with some steamed rice and a vegetable, this is a dish light enough for Spring palates, but flavorful enough to satisfy.



Alaskan Black Cod with Hoisin and Ginger Sauces*
from Bon Appetit Magazine
serves 4

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 tablespoon honey
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 1/4 teaspoons hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 7-ounce Alaskan black cod fillets
steamed rice
steamed vegetable of your choice

Whisk first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 450. Stir hoisin and chili paste together in another small bowl.

Heat oil in heavy, large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add cod, skin side up. Cook 2 minutes, then turn cod over. Spoon hoisin mixture over the fillets. Transfer to oven and bake until fish is just opaque in the center, about 5 minutes. Place 1 fillet in each of 4 shallow soup bowls. Spoon ginger sauce around fish and serve with rice.

* A few notes from me: I couldn't find Alaskan cod, but if you can, I encourage you to use it. If you can't find cod, another sustainable fish such as halibut can be used. Also, this dish is fairly salty due to the soy and hoisin. I used a lower-sodium soy sauce and found it plenty salty. We liked it with a crisp white wine, like Pinot Grigio.

White Trash Motherlode: Brazilian Hamburgers

In my house, growing up, Daddy was the sole master of the grill. Nobody else in the family touched it.

I, personally, was afraid of the thing. It arrived, unassembled, in a gi-normous box one Spring day, and Daddy vowed to put it together on the weekend. The box boasted that the grill only took about an hour (with minimal tools) to assemble.

Well, it took Daddy about six hours to put together. I remember riding my tricycle around the neighborhood and passing by our garage, and there was Daddy, counting screws, re-reading directions, throwing screwdrivers across the garage in frustration.

I'd ride into the garage on occasion, just to check on him. It was pretty swell entertainment, actually.

As dusk approached, I parked my tricycle in the garage, stood by Daddy for a few minutes and then went inside for some Hi-C.

"Is your father still out there?" Mama asked.
"Uh-huh," I said, gulping my juice.
"It's not ladylike to swill like that, Miss," Mama reminded.
"Sorry." I put down my glass. "Hey Mama?"
"Yes?"
"What does 'Goddamnsonofabitch' mean?"
My mother put down her potato peeler and looked at me sternly. "Now just where did you hear that word, Miss?"
Wide-eyed,I pointed to the garage. "Daddy said it. He's talkin' to the barbeque."

He did, eventually, get it put together, but there were a few mysterious stray screws lying around that nettled him.

With all of the effort it took to assemble the grill, you'd think Daddy would've given more thought to his grilling technique. Alas, he never did.

Daddy would cheerfully take out a plate of juicy chops or plump burgers, plop them on the grill, and then get distracted. Even when Mama remembered to set the timer, he'd somehow manage to overcook whatever foodstuff graced that grill.

Diligently, we'd chew our way through burgers the consistency of hockey pucks, slathering on copious amounts of Heinz 57 sauce.

Daddy cooked "Puck Burgers" for most of my childhood. He's gotten better at the grilling thing with age; perhaps because he's not so easily distracted anymore. Or perhaps because he got a new grill a while back--a pre-assembled one.

Anyways, the following recipe is an old one. I'm not sure where Mama got it, but it greatly reduced the chance of us getting "Puck Burgers" for dinner. The egg, water, cheese and herbs add moisture to the meat, so even if you cook them a little South of where you like, you won't need that bottle of Heinz 57.





Brazilian Hamburgers*
makes 4

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon ice water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
dash cayenne

Mix all ingredients together; shape into 4 patties. Grill 4 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Serve bunless, or open-faced.

Personally, I like mine topped with a little onion jam (Boar's Head) and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

* I do not know where these burgers got their name. As far as I can tell, there's nothing inherently "Brazilian" in the recipe. All of the ingredients are pretty plebian. Perhaps it's because the burger is served bunless/topless? Would a recipe dare to be that racy in the early 70's? Your guess is as good as mine.

Hot Stuff: Camarones a la Diabla

This recipe isn't for the faint of heart; I'm not gonna lie. I mean hey, this dish is named after the Devil himself! But if you like your Mexican food hoppin' with spice, this recipe is for you! Large shrimp are sexied up with a zingy chipotle sauce; placed in warm flour tortillas with cool avocado, cilantro and crisp cabbage to seal the deal, this recipe is a winner. Best of all, this fiesta can be on your table in about 30 minutes!

Awesome Stepkid R. straight-up loved this meal, and so did hubs and I, once we got our hands on a couple of cold cervezas to wash it down. It's a great way to heat up your cool, early Spring nights.



Camarones a la Diabla
~recipe courtesy of Martin Limas

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
12 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons granulated chicken bouillon
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

For Serving:
Warm flour tortillas
Diced avocado
Shredded Cabbage
Lime Wedges
Optional: crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until lightly golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook 4-5 minutes or until they're pink. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. In a blender or food processor, puree chipotles, onion, bouillon granules, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into the pan and return it to the heat. Bring the sauce to a boil; lower the heat and then add the shrimp, stirring to coat and heat through. Serve with tortillas and accompaniments and rice.

Veg-Head Monday: Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables

We missed Easter last week. By the time I even realized it WAS Easter, we were on the plane heading home from Hawaii. Whoops.

I could have just let things pass, but the Minxes love nothing better than a good egg hunt, so I just postponed the holiday for a week.

When Easter arrives this early in the calendar, chances are good that we're going to have to settle for an indoor version of the egg extravaganza, which seriously bums the girls out. To them, indoor egg hunt=castrated egg hunt. The last few years, they've had to settle for the castrated version, and it's made them cranky.

Happily, the weather cooperated this year. We enjoyed a 70-degree day and my parents drove up and we enjoyed a lovely Spring lunch.

Perhaps because I've been missing Greece (and thinking of our trip there about a year ago), I wanted to channel the Mediterranean this year.

This "salad" takes a little time, but it's worth the trouble. Nothing makes vegetables sing like a sizzle on the grill, some fresh herbs, a sprinkle of creamy feta, and a bath in good olive oil.

While we dug into lunch, the girls pillaged the backyard for eggs and frolicked in the sun. And while I still yearn for Grecian shores, if pressed, I'd have to say that my heart was exactly where it wanted to be this weekend. At home.



Grilled Mediterranean Vegetable Salad
serves 6-8

2 small, firm eggplants
2 zucchini
1 large red onion
1 bunch cherry tomatoes
2 red bell peppers, roasted and seeded
salt
pepper
olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup basil, chopped
good balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Heat grill to medium-high. Slice eggplants and zucchini into 1/4-inch slices. Sprinkle eggplant and zucchini slices with a healthy handful of salt; place in a colander to drain for 20 minutes.

While eggplant and zucchini drain, coat bell peppers in olive oil. Grill, turning on all sides, until skin is blackened and charred. Remove peppers from grill and place in a bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes.

While peppers sit, cut onion into wedges. Brush with olive oil and grill until slightly softened and charred. Remove from grill.

In a grill basket, place tomatoes (drizzled with olive oil) on the grill and grill until slightly blistered. Remove from grill.

Rinse eggplant and zucchini slices and pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill until slightly charred and softened, turning once. Remove from grill.

Remove skin and seeds from red bell peppers and cut into strips.

Layer all vegetables on a big platter, drizzle with good olive oil, good balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle feta and basil over the top.

Serve with crusty bread to lap up all of the veggie/olive oil goodness.