American Heritage Lunch

When language is cleaned up or edited to be more politically correct I can't help but think of George Carlin.  The cafeteria at my place of employment offered a "Special Holiday" meal and dubbed it the "American Heritage" lunch.  Really?  It's not Thanksgiving?  Well, why not call it the "Historically Incorrect Celebration of the Pilgrims and Native Americans," or the "No One Ate Any of This but We Like It," or to pretty things up a bit and add some flair, "Autumn Offerings?"  

Honestly, can't you hear George Carlin ranting about the ridiculousness of this lunch title? Granted, I work with people from a wide variety of cultures, but guess what, we all live here.  The jig is up.  America celebrates Thanksgiving and has attached a certain menu to the tradition.  Does anyone believe the people who ate this meal hundreds of years ago enjoyed a nice pumpkin pie with whipped cream?  No.  Did the foremothers spend the night talking about Black Friday bargains or Christmas shopping in any way shape or form?  No.  Was anyone watching a game of any kind?  No.  But, still, American Heritage?  

Maybe if the meal included roast duck, or venison, or some other game meat with a hunk of bread and a single vegetable then it should actually be called a replica American Heritage meal.  However, if serving the traditional turkey, stuffing, sweet potato (or yam - I'm still learning about the geographical defining differences), cranberry sauce, beans and gravy - well then, it is Thanksgiving.

By the way, on or near May 5, our cafeteria celebrates, "Cinco de Mayo" and a few times a year offers random "Sushi Day," and a special "Super Bowl" menu, but mostly we love our grilled foods, specialty sandwiches, and some of the soups.  Doesn't matter what they are called.  Thinking of the humor of George Carlin also leaves me feeling Fed Well.

Cherry Danish with Sausage

Sometimes a person just wants an unusual combination of foods.  The balance found with a sweet and salty dish can be extremely satisfying and with just a look, a woman can certainly order or purchase whatever foods will fill the craving.

Craving.  Did I use that word?  No, I'm not pregnant, but I do believe everyone should give into their food cravings within healthy reason.  If pickles and ice cream are really something you want, then yes, enjoy.  I have also been known to indulge in french fries with a salad - the perfect balance of good vs. culinary evil.

So what did I have one morning at work for breakfast from the employee cafeteria?

Yes, a cherry danish and a sausage patty.

The most satisfying part was dipping some of the sausage pieces into the cherry ooze.  Would I order it again?  You bet.  The only thing I would change would be to warm up the danish for a few seconds in the microwave.

What is the most unusual food combination you have eaten?  Please share so all the odd combo lovers can feel the camaraderie and still maintain being Fed Well.

Deconstructed Faux Shepherd's Pie

Ground beef, chop meat, whatever you may call it, the ingredient seems to reappear in the same old recipes in this house.  Meatballs are the number one choice, tacos, meatloaf, and chili are the standards.  When I buy groceries I don't always have a plan for all the items I purchase and this week's mystery was how to use this meat in a way I was not tired of and would be appealing to at least 3 out of 4 family members.

A variation on a Shepherd's Pie seemed to be the answer, but honestly, I did not feel like doing much work.  

I began with a large saute pan of onions, celery and carrots in a splash of olive oil with salt and pepper.  

Once the veggies were a little soft, I added the ground meat directly to the pan to allow the vegetables some more cook and soften time.  

The mashed potatoes were prepared and served separately as was the brown gravy (which is a cheat - I use Bisto granules  

Visit Bisto)

Creative, quick and fairly painless we enjoyed the less than glamorous but packed with familiar flavor meal.  It's a dish we don't have very often and though the vegetables were a bit more crisp than some may prefer, we enjoyed the modernized version.

Some flavor combinations, like meat and potatoes, are classic and while they may be revised through the generations, the profile stays the same.  The results leave the diners with a sense of comfort and a feeling of being quite Fed Well.

Tilapia with Garlic Cream Sauce and Pasta on a Tuesday

Making dinner for a family of four, or three or any number other than one really, can be a challenge.  Someone inevitably doesn't like an ingredient whether in the background or the main part of the meal and lucky me, my family is not shy about sharing their thoughts with me.  Here is a short sample of the "please try not to make frequently (or not at all) list,"

baked potatoes - I love them!!!

pasta - I could eat it four nights a week, but I am allowed baked ziti

grilled chicken - one son really prefers only fried chicken cutlets

any kind of soup with beef in it

tilapia - same son who does not enjoy grilled chicken  

"unusual" vegetables - my husband only admits to liking corn, broccoli, string beans and raw veggies in salad so all squash family is out, eggplant is a no-no and anything his mom didn't make when he was growing up.

And so I took a huge risk in preparing the following dish which includes both pasta and tilapia on a night when my younger son was home for dinner.  

I assembled the following ingredients:

The Fish

bread crumbs

butter

half and half

oregano

garlic

salt and pepper

chicken stock

cornstarch

one lemon

The tilapia was placed on a baking sheet then one side sprinkled with bread crumbs to coat, salt, pepper, oregano and then sprinkled with lemon juice before broiled.

The thin spaghetti was prepared according to package directions then drained.  In the hot pot, melt one half stick of butter with about 3/4 cup of half and half.  Whisk about a tablespoon of cornstarch with approximately one cup of chicken stock then add mixture to butter/half and half mixture.  Add garlic and oregano to taste as well as more salt and pepper.  Dump pasta back in pot with sauce to coat then remove spaghetti with tongs and use remaining sauce to drizzle over fish.

Even the skeptic was happy.

I COULD NOT STOP EATING THIS DISH!

Every so often I rebel against the cries of family members and simply cook what I want.  They will adapt.  Also, in all fairness I should confess I cannot, will not, not with a fox not in a box, eat cabbage.  I can't think right now of any other foods that don't leave me feeling Fed Well (though I know I love some far more than others)!

Sunday Snack in the Sun

On an unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon, I have decided to abandon regular chores and simply enjoy the sun with a book.  Since I was old enough to read I have been a fan.  Not only would I escape reality by devouring entire series or favorite authors as I was growing up, I also read everything with words from the back of a cereal box to my mother's gossip magazines.   Today, I try to finish "White Teeth," which was a loaner from a co-worker/friend. 

 Wikipedia link to info about "White Teeth"

The sun is warm and comforting, but at high noon, I am ready for a bite to eat.  Some crackers, a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese and halved grape tomatoes with salt and pepper are the answer.  Simple, satisfying and full of flavor - the tomatoes are crisp and juicy to the bite.  Healthy snacking may take a second or two longer to put together than simply ripping open a bag of chips but leaves me feeling Fed Well while I linger a bit longer in the sun to read and escape reality.

The White Wolf Restaurant for a Special 40th Birthday Dinner

White Wolf

For my sister's special 40th birthday dinner, we went to a special restaurant to her - the one in which she recently had her wedding reception.  The owner greeted her by name and offered his birthday congratulations.  Very nice personal touch.

My husband has a "thing" for French Onion soup.  He has likely tried hundreds of varieties over the years and so it was no surprise he sampled the White Wolf version. When I looked over he had eaten it all so it must have been quite tasty :)

I started with a potato pancake appetizer and shared a few with my Mommy.  Though my mother enjoyed them, she said, "They are good.  Not as good as my mother's, but good." 

Potato pancakes are kind of like tomato sauce.  I have never had the same type twice.  These were kind of like deep fried mashed potato patties.  My favorite version are the shredded potatoes with shredded onion that is mixed with very little flour then fried in a cast iron skillet.  These were delicious in their own way.

I often select an appetizer as a main course, especially if I know I will be having dessert.  Tonight I ordered the pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and sage.  The seasonings and spices screamed autumn.  Even the photograph captures some of the flavors.  The pasta itself was tender and the filling was savory pumpkin that was dense enough to be considered "meaty." 

A popular entree at the table was the Chicken Cordon Bleu.  My mother ordered hers with a baked potato...

while the Mr. ordered his with rice.

My sister enjoyed the Eggplant Caprese and her husband had the pasta special of the evening.  My younger son had the pulled pork sandwich.  All were given thumbs up or forks up reviews.

We talked about the devastation left behind from Hurricane Sandy, whether company's should offer Martin Luther King Day or President's Day as paid days off for all employees, education, alternative uses of foods and beverages by female inmates (for example, hair dye made from Tang) and the food in England.

Our server, Sara, took the cake my mother brought into the kitchen and lit the 4 and 0 candles.  A variety of employees, including the chef, came out singing, "Happy Birthday."  I love how when they plated the cake a dollop of whipped cream was added.

Here's hoping my sister had a joyous and happy day turning 40 and wishing her a lifetime of feeling loved and Fed Well.

Recovering from Hurricane Sandy with Laughter and a Diner Dinner

We were lucky - correction, we are lucky.  The storm came and went, we lost a few pieces of siding that were easily replaced and power for a few days.  We are not in the middle of the devastation but we are in the struggle to find gasoline.  We have lost beloved areas of our past family vacation spots at the New Jersey shore and are beyond words watching those who have lost loved ones, their homes, cars and battle to recover life as they knew it before October 29 and the uninvited Sandy.

In an effort to conserve gas, my older son (24) and I took one car to run some errands and met my younger son (19) out at a local diner for dinner.  I had already been laughing at myself thanks to my older son's spot on impersonations of some of my silly antics.  For example, we went to make some changes to our cell phone service plan and an electronic sign in is now required.  When faced with the flat touchscreen keyboard for some reason I switched from using my index fingers to my ring fingers.  ????  It was a sight.

Next, grocery shopping.  This experience is comical in itself because my older son will pretend he is going to throw two gallon jugs at the cart from the opposite end of the aisle or simply try to prevent me from pushing the cart by holding the other end with two fingers.  Back in the car, for some reason we started quoting funny lines from "Talladega Nights" "Kiss me on the lips" and then of course, "Step-Brothers" "So much room for activities".

We arrive at the Americana Diner and are immediately seated in a booth.  Let the laughter begin.  My sons end up quoting entire scenes from movies including "Pulp Fiction" Big Kahuna Burger scene (R rating for language) - though my sons did not use the F-bomb in their re-enactment.

How did we get to Pulp Fiction?  My younger son ordered the Hawaiian Burger - triggering the Kahuna Burger memory.  The menu version is grilled pineapple, Swiss and ham.  The modified and personalized version my son ordered includes a swap - instead of the ham - bacon!

I was able to snag a few of those crispy fries!

My older son ordered a classic cheeseburger (medium-rare) with waffle fries.  
 

 I confess, I also sampled a waffle fry!

I ordered a slice of quiche which came with a salad. Not exactly classic diner fare and no jokes could be made but I enjoyed my order.

By the time we left I had laughed so hard my sides hurt.  My sons had imitated me - in good nature and honestly, quite accurately.  It was nice to be out and away from reality for a little while but the feeling of being Fed Well came when we returned home to a warm house powered by electricity.  Made me forget for a little while that I only had 1/4 tank of gas and what the rest of New York and New Jersey was going through.  Laughter (and a good meal) are the best medicine.