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The world’s grooviest Home Ec. teacher: Interview with Alton Brown

Dylan Gibbs — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

One of the most respected, entertaining and enlightening personalities in not just the world of food, but in media, Alton Brown has distinguished himself as a television host, author, lecturer, inventor and guru of the great American road trip (see: Feasting on Asphalt). His work on the now-classic Good Eats on Food Network has inspired people who may not have otherwise tried their hand at making a killer grilled cheese sandwich – or a rack of lamb – to do so, and with gusto. His books similarly inspire and educate. And his somewhat quirky personality makes him a prime interviewee, as we found out:

WC!: What are you? A chef? A scientist? An entertainer?

AB: I actually have no idea; it scares me to even ponder that question. If I’m trying to secure a loan, I put “Television Producer,” because first and foremost I run a television production company and I’m the Executive Producer of Good Eats. My vocation is as a writer. A year of my time and so-called billable hours, so to speak, are spent writing, and the next portion is spent directing, and the next portion is spent in front of a camera. But from the standpoint of when people ask what I am I say I’m the world’s grooviest Home Ec teacher.

That’s as good a job description as any.

I don’t do sewing, not yet anyway. But I am trying to pick that up… I am. It’s part of Home Ec, but I don’t think I could produce a show about sewing. I don’t think it would be worth watching.

Do you have a favorite episode of the show?

For a long time, I did. We did a garlic episode once that was shot through the eyes of a vampire who had hired me to get over his fear of garlic. I really liked that show for some strange reason. But it’s been a few years since I’ve upgraded my favorite. I think I have favorite moments rather than favorite shows. I do have least favorites, which are a lot easier to pick out than favorites.

We don’t need to talk about those, though. Kind of in that line, is there a food you cannot or will not deal with on the show?

I wouldn’t do a show on food that I’m politically against.

What do you mean?

Well… I don’t like the way veal’s produced, so I probably would never do a veal show.

I see, okay.

I’ve worked a spring slaughter before; I’ve killed lamb myself. I know what it’s like to take a life in order to eat, and I don’t disagree with it, but I do disagree with taking an animal in such a way that it makes it more miserable. And I’ll probably never do shows on foods that Food Network doesn’t think anybody wants to know about. For instance, they’d never let me do a show with rabbit involved. People would be upset by that.

Do you really have a box filled with sand in your refrigerator for your root vegetables?

Yes. In one of the two refrigerators – I have two and that’s in one of them.

You’re well known for adapting tools from other trades for use in cooking. Do you have a research and development team that works on that stuff?

Hacking… no that is all me.

How do you figure out what works?

I don’t know. You know what? It’s because when I start examining a problem, so much of the time I don’t have the right tool for it. So I look around: what do I have? There are some people who think that I do it just for gadgets’ sake but there really is a purpose, to me, in looking at a job and figuring out what needs to happen in such a way that it kind of redefines the whole process. I’m really into beef jerky, and I like to make it. So this came out of a way I came up with to make dried herbs, which is strapping furnace filters onto the front of a box fan with a bungee cord. And it works really well. So why would I buy a food dehydrator when I can do this? I mean, in this day and age, we’re sold so much stuff. I’m sick of stuff. I’m sick of having stuff I don’t need, I’m sick of having stuff I don’t want. I mean, people who get their kitchens remodeled, nine times out of ten, are doing it so they can have more cabinet space for all the crap they have.

It’s more satisfying to make it yourself.

It brings a sense of adventure to it. It really does. When I was a kid, I loved movies about mad scientists and Flubber, you know, and the whole idea that a guy, or a girl, I’m not being sexist, can take their imagination and make something out of nothing. To me, I don’t invent things out of nothing. I don’t design something on a piece of paper and go to a machinist. I’m more like Sanford & Son.

I live in the Midwest and there are those who think that I live in a culinary wasteland. What would you say to those people?

I would say they need to move out of New York. I get really irritated with New Yorkers who think that there is no life and no intelligence outside the five boroughs.

In your experience, can you think of exciting or unique foods to come out of the Midwest?

Dear Lord, that would be like saying… the list would be too long to enumerate. I don’t even know how to begin to answer that. The Midwest is as valid a culinary proving ground as anywhere else in the United States. No, it is not as rich a stew of cultures, perhaps, but that doesn’t mean anything.

Well said. In this part of Indiana, people like to eat brain sandwiches. Other than frying, which is how they’re prepared here, can you think of another way to prepare a brain?

Well, brain requires high heat on the outside and relatively quick cooking. It gets nasty fast otherwise. You can pan-fry it. You can sauté it. You can pan roast it. But I think that frying is probably the best, as it is for most glandular matter, most organs are very good fried. You know what, I want to say another thing about brain sandwiches: they are important.

How so?

Because they are regional. And in a day and age when our food is being homogenized and pasteurized to death, thank God there is still a regional specialty that people can cling to. Be proud of it and cling onto it. Believe me, if McDonald’s had its way, there would be nothing but Quarter Pounders for everyone. I just despise the homogenization of American cuisine, almost more than anything else.

Do you have a tried and true grilled cheese sandwich recipe?

I use two cast iron skillets, and I get them really hot. I turn one of them upside down and put the sandwich in the bottom of one and then sandwich the other pan on top of it. Pressure is important, because it’s like a Panini, you want it squeezed some. You want heat to move to the sandwich very quickly. The goal is to have the outside essentially fried. You’ve got to put some butter on it; you’ve got to have some mayonnaise on the inside so the cheese has boundaries of where it can go, because fat makes a great boundary.

If there’s one underlying principle to cooking, what would it be?

That there are about twenty underlying principles to cooking. (Laughs)

I figured you might say that.

I can’t tell you how many times people ask for that one something, like there’s a magic bullet. Like, ‘What’s the one tool everyone should have in the kitchen?’ And I usually say, ‘A brain.’ Without it, nothing will make a lot of sense. People will ask what they can do to guarantee success in the kitchen and I’ll say if you’re working from a recipe, take it out of the kitchen, go to your living room, sit down, and read it. Because nine times out of ten, when things go wrong in a recipe application, it’s because somebody didn’t read it right.

Good advice. Thanks for your time, and I really think your show is great.

Thanks. I sometimes feel that it’s okay, that it’s pretty good sometimes. And then other times I think I’m a hack, but that’s okay too.

To Your Health: An Interview with Dietitian, Ron Nesler

Dylan Gibbs & Alison Sigman — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Clinical dietitian Ron Nesler of Deaconess Hospital isn’t a guru or a magician; he’s a professional who knows nutrition and food’s effect on the human body inside-out. The Southern Illinois University at Carbondale alum has been helping people in the area for over five years now, helping them to lose weight, to manage various conditions and diseases and to improve their overall quality of life. What’s Cookin! wanted to know more about these topics, and so we asked Mr. Nesler for some of his time, which he graciously provided.

WC: What would you say is the most common concern people have when it comes to their diet?

RN: ‘You need to put me on a diet because I think I need to lose weight.’ That’s the biggest thing that everyone wants. Or when they find out I’m a dietitian and we’re at a party somewhere and they have a plate of food… they don’t want me to see what’s on their plate. The biggest perception that people have about a dietitian is that people either think you’re a cook or you know how to lose weight.

For the benefit of the public to educate them, what is the definition of a dietitian?

There are a lot of different things; we do not just help lose weight. We help with a lot of disease states. If you come to the hospital and you have renal problems there are lots of diet restrictions you have to follow and someone has to educate you on that. We know the formulas you need, we know the rates, things of that nature, we know that. If you’re in the food service section, you might be running a kitchen: establishing diets, working with vendors, making sure the food you’re preparing is going to meet nutritional standards. If you’re a consultant dietitian and you’re going out to nursing homes, you need to make sure the facility you are working for is providing nutritious foods. Are they getting what they need? Do they need supplementation? Do they need extra portions are they following a certain diet? Things like that.

What suggestions would you make for people who don’t want to lose weight, but for those who have never actually thought about their diet? Where would the start be for those people, making sure they are eating a nice well rounded diet?

Think about the serving size. How much are you eating? A lot of people don’t understand what a serving size is. We are so trained now, we go to a restaurant and order a meal, it’s not a meal; it’s a buffet on your table. It’s just really large portions and people take that, and they translate that for home. And instead of eating a bowl of spaghetti they’re eating two bowls or even three. That’s just what they’ve grown accustomed to. So watching your serving size is a big one. Making sure you’re getting some fruits and vegetables in everyday. Just basic stuff. Watch your portion sizes, don’t eat out as much, don’t eat so much sugar, watch the fat intake, watch the sodium and increase your activity.

What sorts of trends have you seen change in the world of food and diets in the past few years?

When I was doing my undergrad and my graduate work, it seemed that the Atkins diet was in full swing – that pendulum had swung to everyone being on a high protein, low carb diet, and I think now the pendulum has started going back the other way a little bit. That’s the big trend I’ve noticed. People aren’t really going toward that anymore.

You say serving sizes is the thing, but if you can break down a pie chart to say maintain a certain weight, what is a normal percentage of carbs, fats, proteins, that sort of thing.

I was always taught in school that around 60% of calories should come from carbohydrates, 30% or less should be from fat, and somewhere around 10% should be from protein. And then your carbohydrates, the thing Atkins had right is that we do eat a lot of carbohydrates but it has more to do about the kind of carbohydrate that you’re eating, not so much that they are carbohydrates.

So like the complex versus…

Right, right. The more complex carbohydrates, more whole grain. If your diet is high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy – those things are all carbohydrates – but you should be okay eating those types of foods as long as you’re not overindulging.

As a dietitian, what in your daily or weekly routine would you consider a success?

I had a patient once… I told them that they couldn’t eat out that often they were upset, they left crying. But then when I saw them later on they were able to adjust their diet and they were losing weight. And as far as I remember, I can’t remember if I approved it before I left or they were still on their way, but they were losing weight; they were sticking to their diet; they were on their way, feeling really good. That’s what I call a success.

If people could make smarter decisions as they eat out, what sort of things would you recommend, what sort of things should they look for?

I always hated telling somebody, ‘no more than once or twice a week eating out.’ If you can keep it down to once or twice a week eating out then you’re ahead of the game. Because a lot of people, they come home, on their way home that’s the first place they’ll stop is a restaurant. I’d say one to two times a week is the maximum. Stay away from something that’s breaded. If you buy something breaded at a restaurant chances are it’s going to be fried. You can look for healthier choices on the menu. If you’re with someone else, split an entrée. Splitting and entrée not only saves you calories but it saves you money. Other things we tell patients is to order off the appetizer menus, but be careful what you’re ordering. If you’re ordering deep-fried pickles or deep-fried green beans, that’s probably not the best thing in the world to order due to all the fat and calories. If you’re going to a Mexican restaurant tell them not to set the basket of chips down because that basket of chips doesn’t end. You finish one and they bring you another one. Maybe if you have to have them, take a small handful and tell them to take the rest of them away. Just little things like that, little things you can do.

So moderation is very important.

Yes, that’s the most important thing. Moderation. We say that, we say that we say that, but people just don’t listen and yet it’s the best advice: moderation. Just do the best you can.

Drink to the Season: Your Guide to Culinary Cocktails

Stephen Dennison, BourbonBlog.com Mixologist/Beverage Consultant & Tom Fischer — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

You’re encouraged to experiment with the various techniques, spirits and ingredients that follow. Like cooking, these recipes are very personal and organic, for lack of a better word. Although reproducing a recipe is a fun and informative start, the right way is your way and the joy of mixology lies in the personal journey.

Spring

The smash is a collection of fruits and herbs that are muddled, combined with a spirit and a touch of simple syrup and then poured over ice – preferably crushed. They are generally garnished with the herb found inside the drink so that one may smell the plant while drinking. If you don’t own a muddle stick, the bottom of a bottle of hot sauce works just fine.

The first clippings of herbs, especially mints, come in first during spring, along with berries of all kinds. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries thrive in this rain-soaked environment. Cherries, apricots and oranges can also be found at your local grocer, as they find their respective seasons in their places of origin.

The Berry Smash

2 oz. Bulleit Bourbon

4-6 Berries of choice

Splash of Simple Syrup (dissolve one part sugar in one part hot water)

3 Mint Sprigs

Place berries and mint into shaker. Muddle just until the mint is bruised and the berries broken. Add bourbon, simple syrup and ice. Shake until frost forms on the outside of the tin. Strain over crushed ice in a highball glass. Garnish with remaining mint sprig.

Summer

Fruit and vegetable juice cocktails are an excellent way to express the purity of the ingredients. If you have a juicer, use it. If not, you may blend the product and then push it through a fine mesh strainer with the back of a ladle. If you desire a cleaner texture and appearance, you may also pass this mixture through coffee filters (it generally takes more than one.)

Vigorous, water-laden produce is best at this time of year. Tomatoes, cucumbers and melons of various types abound. Berries can still be had, and the first of the year’s tree fruits become available, as well.

The Cucumber Martini

1.5 oz. Hendrick’s Gin

1.5 oz. Cucumber Juice

2 Squeezes of Lime

Splash Simple Syrup

Cucumber Slice

Place Gin, lime, juice and simple syrup in a shaker tin. Add ice. Shake vigorously, for 15-20 seconds after frost forms outside the tin, adding a touch of water. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cucumber slice.

Fall

The Sangaree is an Americanized version of the Spanish Sangria – one in which various spirits are used to fortify the original chilled fruit-and-wine concoction. Here, we are macerating the fruit with the liqueur. Don’t hesitate to add more to the punch, if you like, or add additional ingredients, like vodka. For this recipe use a young red wine, like Beaujolais Nouveau, released each year on the third Thursday of November – a perfect Thanksgiving libation.

The last of the year’s tree fruits (peaches, apples, plums, pears) meet the first of the late squashes (pumpkin, winter.) A nice variation does well, perhaps with the addition of some dried fruits, like cranberries.

Thanksgiving Sangaree

(Serves 4)

1 cup fruit/squash mixture

1 cup Campari

5 oz. Young Red Wine

Splash of Simple Syrup, to taste

Macerate mixture in Campari for two to four hours. Place fruit in wine glass. Add wine. Adjust seasonings by adding a touch of the maceration liqueur and incorporating simple syrup, if necessary.

Winter

The Martini is a classic cocktail traditionally comprised of Gin (or Vodka) to which vermouth; a grape distillate has been added. Here we are using a hazelnut distillate to communicate the flavor of the season, as they do not translate well in their raw or simply processed form. Traditionally, farmers would distill whatever was left over after various preservation methods were applied to whatever they were growing, so I feel this technique fits quite well.

Winter squashes, root vegetables and preserved items find their way onto menus at this time of year. Beets, potatoes, turnips and preserved fruits abound when the land grows dormant.

The Hazelnut Martini

2 oz. Indiana Vodka

1/2 oz. Frangelico

1 Medjool Date, pitted

Lemon Twist, for garnish

Place the Vodka and Frangelico in a shaker. Stir for 30 seconds after frost forms outside the tin. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with date. Garnish with expressed lemon.

Tips for the Home Cook: 2010

Dylan Gibbs — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

• Easy cleaning (rice): Rice stuck to the bottom of your pot? Add lukewarm to cold water and soak 15 minutes to release. Use lukewarm to cold water for all starches and proteins, and hot water for tomato sauce and grease.

• Perfectly baked cookies: Chill cookie batter before baking the cookies if you want to avoid the browned edges so frequently seen on homemade cookies. Make the dough, shape the cookies, and chill them on the sheet for a while. This prevents the batter from spreading out too fast in the oven, resulting in that singed edge.

• Use unwaxed, flavorless dental floss to cut the dough for cinnamon rolls or to split a cake layer. You can also use it to sew up stuffed chicken breasts and pork tenderloin. Once the meat is cooked the dental floss just slides right out with a gentle pull.

• Double the chocolate: When making chocolate cake, dust the pan with cocoa instead of flour

• When making deviled eggs, just for a little nicer presentation, put the yolk mixture in a plastic bag and cut the tip (to make a pastry bag) and squeeze it into the egg to make a nice swirl.

• Measuring cup magic: Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

• Many Uses for the Melon Baller: Use a melon baller to seed pears. It makes a nice half-round where the seeds were – great for filling with spiced cream cheese. It's also nice for removing bruised spots from fruit when making fruit salad.

Grilled Atlantic Salmon w/Herbed Bean Salad and Summer Squash

Lorenzo's — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Grilled Atlantic Salmon w/Herbed Bean Salad and Summer Squash

Courtesy of Josh Williams, Lorenzo’s

Lorenzo’s • 972 S. Hebron • 475-9477

Ingredients:

4 – 7 oz. center cut filet of Atlantic Salmon

1/4 # ea. dried baby Lima and cranberry beans

2 large shallots

1/4 ea. red and green pepper

1/2 celery stalk

2 T chopped fresh parsley

1 T ea. fresh tarragon and cilantro

1 thinly sliced scallion (green only)

Zest and juice of one lemon

1/3 cup champagne vinegar

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 ea. medium size green and yellow squash

Method:

Soak beans overnight, and then cook in water until al dente. Rinse under cold water; small-dice vegetables and add to beans; add herbs. Make a vinaigrette by whisking lemon, vinegar and olive oil until emulsified. Toss with beans; set aside. Grill salmon – slice squash on a mandoline in thin strips; toss in oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill. To plate, lay down squash and bean salad, top with salmon and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serves four as a main course.

WHAT IS IT?

CHAMPAGNE VINEGAR – This distinctive vinegar is created using the same kinds of grapes often used to make Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc.) and employing similar methods of aging used to make such vinegars as white and apple cider vinegar. Hints of vanilla – along with the distinctive flavor of Champagne – are characteristic of this type of vinegar.

Apple Jack Glazed Pork Chop w/ Sweet Onion & Polenta Puree and Spiced Carrots

Lorenzo's — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Apple Jack Glazed Pork Chop w/ Sweet Onion & Polenta Puree and Spiced Carrots

Courtesy of Josh Williams, Lorenzo’s

Ingredients:

4 – 8 oz. bone-in center-cut pork chops

2 cups cinnamon apple cider

1 oz. Jack Daniels

1 whole medium yellow onion

1/2 cup polenta (cooked as directed)

3/4 head roasted garlic

2 large carrots

Method:

Grill pork chops until done, slightly pink in middle – set aside; pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a saucepan; add Jack Daniels; flame off alcohol, then immediately add cider. Reduce heat and then simmer until reduced by 1/3. Roast whole onion in oven for 25 minutes or until soft. When cool, puree with roasted garlic, and then add to hot polenta. Salt and pepper to taste; shave carrots on a mandoline with the julienne setting. Heat a pan, add butter, toss in carrots and sauté until soft. Then add salt and pepper, a pinch of allspice, a drizzle of honey and two leaves of fresh mint chiffonade. To plate, ladle polenta – place carrots next to polenta with pork chop on the side; drizzle with extra sauce and enjoy. Serves four as a main course.

Cole Slaw

Tin Fish — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Cole Slaw

Courtesy of Tin Fish

Tin Fish • 300 W. Jennings Station • Newburgh 490-7000

Ingredients:

4 lbs. chopped white cabbage

1/2 lb. shredded carrots

1/2 lb. shredded purple cabbage

5 lbs. cole slaw mix

1/2 large onion, finely chopped

Method:

Mix slaw with the onion; add 1/2 tsp. salt and mix thoroughly. Then add 2 T white pepper, 1/3 cup parsley flakes and 3 cups of sugar. Toss well, then add 1 1/2 cups white vinegar; mix thoroughly and enjoy.

Gong bao Chicken

China Super Buffet — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Gong bao Chicken

Courtesy of China Super Buffet

China Super Buffet • 127 N. Burkhardt Rd. • 476-8788

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tsp vegetable oil

5 dried red chilies or more to taste

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 inch piece of fresh ginger root, finely sliced

1/2 of fresh or canned baby corn

2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 cups cut mushroom

1/2 carrots, cut into small cubes

1/2 cup roasted peanuts

For the marinade:

2 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp cooking wine

1/2 tsp sugar

For the sauce:

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp vinegar

A few drops of sesame oil

2 tsp chicken stock

1 tsp sugar

1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and marinate the chicken, covered, for at least 20 minutes. Combine all the ingredients for sauce and set aside.

2. In a preheated wok or deep pan, heat the oil and stir-fry the chilies until crispy and fragrant. Toss in the chicken pieces, baby corn, mushroom, celery stalks and carrots. When the chicken begins to turn white, add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes.

3. Pour in the sauce, and when everything is well mixed, stir in the peanuts. Serve immediately.

MORE ABOUT…

BABY CORN – is hand-picked from the mother plant the instant corn silks appear from the ear tips; timing is important in the harvesting of baby corn, which is highly significant to many kinds of Asian cuisines.

Seafood Stuffed Tilapia

Steeplechase Café, Holiday Inn — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Seafood Stuffed Tilapia

Courtesy of Steeplechase Café, Holiday Inn

Steeplechase Café (Holiday Inn Airport) • 4101 Hwy. 41 N. • 424-6400

Servings 1 Prep Time 12-14 minutes

Ingredients:

1 six oz. boneless tilapia filet

1/2 cup small peeled shrimp – boiled

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

2 T butter – melted

1/2 celery rib – minced

1/2 small yellow onion – minced

1/2 red pepper – diced small

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh chopped parsley

1 T EVOO

1 1/2 T all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. fresh garlic – minced

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

In a sauté pan place 1 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). Season tilapia filet with seasoned salt and black pepper. Sear both sides. Remove from pan and set aside. In a sauce pan, add butter, and flour. Mix until smooth and slowly add heavy cream, lobster base, diced onions, peppers, celery, garlic, and black pepper. Wisk until smooth. Remove from heat and add shrimp. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, add dried bread crumbs, 2 T. melted butter, ½ t. kosher salt, and 1 tsp. fresh chopped parsley. Set aside. Place seared tilapia in a small baking dish. Cover with lobster sauce, then shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with bread crumb mixture. Place under the broiler for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

THE DISH ON FISH…

TILAPIA – is a fresh – not saltwater fish – which has been eaten in its native Africa for ages. Its relatively recent emergence as a popular fish to eat in Western cuisine has made it the third most-farmed fist in the world, after carp and fish of the salmon family.

Kricket Salad

Steeplechase Café, Holiday Inn — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Kricket Salad

Courtesy of Steeplechase Café, Holiday Inn

Servings: 12 - 15

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

20 maraschino cherries – no stems – cut in half

1 pineapple – cut into medium sized chunks

1 cup Chopped Pecans

4 cups Red Grapes

4 cups White Grapes

2 cups Strawberries – Cut in half – no tops

Pour the following mixture over the fruit and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a food processor, mix:

2 packages cream cheese

2 T vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups brown sugar – firmly packed

Cheeseburger Wrap

Beef 'O Brady's — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Cheeseburger Wrap

Courtesy of Beef ‘O Brady’s

Beef ‘O Brady’s • 8177 Bell Oaks Dr. Newburgh • 490-9464

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef

2 slices American cheese

1 12” flour tortilla

1 T mayonnaise

1 tsp. mustard

2 oz. diced tomatoes

4 pickles

Brown ground beef; melt cheese on browned meat. Add pickle, mustard, mayo and tomato to the tortilla. Place meat and cheese on tortilla and fold into wrap. Place wrap on hot skillet with folded end down. Let sit for one minute. Turn over to brown for one minute; cut in half; enjoy.

Wrap folding tip:

• Fold left and right side of tortilla up

• Fold leading edge of tortilla over filling

• Roll tortilla with filling to close

Zucchini Quiche

Cates Farm — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Zucchini Quiche

Courtesy of Cates Farm

Cates Farm • 8132 Pruitt Agnew Rd. Henderson, KY • 270-823-6150

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded zucchini

3/4 cup biscuit mix

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

1 small onion

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Method:

Stir together all ingredients. Pour into a greased 9” pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top the last 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Yields one 9” pie.

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

Cates Farm — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

Courtesy of Cates Farm

Ingredients:

1 package (18 ounces) carrot cake mix

1 egg

1/2 cup applesauce

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method:

In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, egg, applesauce and oil; mix well. Stir in the zucchini, raisins and pecans. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until muffins test done. Yields about 16 muffins.

MORE ON…

ZUCCHINI – is actually a type of summer squash with a mild flavor that lends itself well to a wide variety of different dishes, whether savory or sweet. Zucchini is loaded with such vitamins and minerals as vitamin A, C and K, plus potassium, folate and manganese. Its cultivation can be traced back over 7000 years ago to present-day Mexico.

German Potato Salad

Nisbet Inn — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

German Potato Salad

Courtesy of Nisbet Inn

Nisbet Inn • 6701 Nisbet Station Rd. • 812-963-9305

Ingredients:

10 lbs. Boiled Potatoes, peeled and sliced

6 cups vinegar

4 cups water

2 tsp. pepper

1 1/3 cup flour

8 cups sugar

1 cup diced celery

1/4 cup red pepper

1/4 cup green pepper

1 lb. bacon

3 T clear bacon grease

Method:

Cook bacon, drain and set aside. Combine bacon grease, flour, sugar, water, vinegar, salt, pepper and celery. Whisk to a boil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is clear and thickened. Pour mixture over potatoes. Stir in bacon and peppers. Enjoy!

Nisbet Inn’s Better Than… Cake

Nisbet Inn — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Nisbet Inn’s Better Than… Cake

Crust:

1 T sugar

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix well, then press into the bottom of a 13”x9”x2” pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Filling:

8 oz. softened cream cheese

1 cup sugar

Two 8oz. containers Cool Whip®

3 cups milk

6 oz. box of vanilla pudding

6 oz. box of chocolate pudding

Chopped walnuts

Mix 8 oz. softened cream cheese with one cup of sugar. Add one 8 oz. container of Cool Whip®. Spread on crust. Mix 3 cups of milk with one box of vanilla pudding and one 6 oz. box of chocolate pudding. Spread on cream cheese mixture. Spread one 8 oz. container of Cool Whip® on top and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

THE 411 ON…

COOL WHIP® - The popular topping was invented by a food chemist working at General Foods in the 1960s, and was first introduced to the public in 1967. Cool Whip® is produced at a facility in Avon, New York.

Seared Ahi Tuna

Kanpai Sushi & Asian Bistro — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Seared Ahi Tuna

Courtesy of Kanpai Sushi & Asian Bistro

Kanpai • 4593 Washington Ave. • 471-7076

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup green onions

1 T sesame oil

2 T minced garlic

1 T crushed red peppers

2 whole limes

4 lb. Sushi grade yellowfin tuna

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

2 T honey

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl excluding tuna and sesame seeds for a marinade. Marinate tuna for two to four minutes. Pre-heat sauté pan. Add 1 tsp. sesame oil to pan; sear the tuna for one minute on each side. After searing, roll in toasted sesame seeds. Slice tuna into 1/4 inch cuts – serve and enjoy!

St. Louis-Style Ribs

Corky's — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

St. Louis-Style Ribs

Courtesy of Corky’s BBQ & Ribs (Inside Casino Aztar)

Corky’s • Casino Aztar (Pavilion Level 1) • 433-4230

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb. rack of ribs

3 oz. Corky’s Barbeque Sauce (Available for sale at Corky’s)

1 tsp. Corky’s Dry Rub (Available for sale at Corky’s)

Method:

Wash and place ribs in a 260 degree smoker (we use hickory). Smoke for four hours or until the rack starts to break when lifted. Remove silver skin from the bottom of the rack. Top with dry rub and/or mop with 3 ounces barbeque sauce and enjoy!

Beef Brisket

Corky's — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Beef Brisket

Courtesy of Corky’s BBQ & Ribs (Inside Casino Aztar)

Ingredients:

10 pounds (or more) beef brisket

1/2 cup of Corky’s Dry Rub (Available for sale at Corky’s)

1 cup Corky’s Barbeque Sauce (Available for sale at Corky’s)

Directions:

Cover top of brisket with dry rub and place in a 260 degree smoker for 10 hours. Once finished, allow to set for 30 minutes. Separate both lobes of brisket and remove the fat. Cut into 3/4 inch diagonal strips, going both directions (this will give you cubes that will be easy to break apart for preparing sandwiches). Mix in one cup of Corky’s Barbeque Sauce and enjoy!

MORE ABOUT…

BEEF BRISKET – describes a cut of meat from the lower chest area of beef or veal. In addition to being excellent for barbequing, brisket cuts are the most popular for making corned beef and pastrami.

Tangy Corn Relish

Food with Flair — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Tangy Corn Relish

Courtesy of Food With Flair

Food With Flair • 112 Martin Luther King Blvd. • 250-7995

Ingredients:

8 ears of corn, roasted on a grill if possible (8 cups frozen or canned corn can be used)

3/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 whole red and 1 green pepper roasted on grill, cooled and diced small

1 small red onion, chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet gherkins

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1 red jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 T sugar

Method:

Brush corn with olive oil; sprinkle with cumin and salt and pepper. Place on grill until golden-toasted on all sides (5 to 8 minutes). Turn as needed. Cut corn from cob and proceed below:

If using canned corn, combine the remaining items in a large bowl. Toss with relish. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

Patatas Bravas

Food with Flair — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Patatas Bravas

Courtesy of Food With Flair

Ingredients:

2 lb. diced new potatoes

1 lb. plum tomatoes (substitute cherry tomatoes if necessary)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 T sugar

2 Bay leaves, crushed

Salt to taste

1 T paprika

1 T cayenne

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 small scallions, diced finely

Process:

Toss potatoes and tomatoes in olive oil; add sugar, bay leaves, salt, paprika and cayenne pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes. Thin mayonnaise with water and drizzle over potatoes. Sprinkle scallions on top.