Quick chicken on the grill

I don't know about you, but I use my grill for grilling, as opposed to barbecuing. Grilling is fast, barbecuing is slow. And that's why I shy away from chicken on the grill ... it takes too long. This recipe gets around that by using chicken thighs. Sounds great for dinner tonight, if you can get home now and get it in the marinade. Makes some Asian slaw (use vinaigrette and peanuts) ...

Speaking of grilling, my colleague Laura Reiley has been knocking herself out putting together and testing "starter" grills for Father's Day. She's found some good ones under $200. Look for the story at food.tampabay.com about June 10.

Have a great weekend!!!

Barbecued Chicken with Asian Flavors
8 skinned chicken thighs (6 ounces each)
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon curry powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
Lime wedges and green onion tops for garnish, optional

Rinse chicken and pat dry. In a large resealable bag, mix brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper, curry powder and garlic. Add chicken; seal and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above grill level only 3 to 4 seconds).

Remove chicken from bag. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Lay chicken on grill rack. If using a gas grill, close the lid. Grill chicken, turning once and basting frequently with the marinade, until meat is no longer pink in the center of the thickest part (cut to test), about 8 minutes on each side. Garnish with lime wedges and green onion tops if you like.

Serves 4.

Source: "The Sunset Grill: 125 Tasty Recipes for Casual Get-Togethers and Easy Weeknight Cookouts" by the editors of Sunset magazine (Sunset Books, $21.95)

Spam ... a lot

If this isn't a sign of the times, I don't know what is. Spam sales are up 14 percent the company reports. Why? My take  to play off a famous saying: It's not the taste, it's the economy, stupid, At about $2.50 for a 12-ounce it certainly is economical.

If you're a non-Spam eater willing to experiment, this recipe's for you.

Summer Skillet Supper

2 tablespoons butter 
6 medium new potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch 
3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch
1 large onion, thinly sliced
12 ounces can Spam
16 ounces whole tomatoes
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a 10-inch skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add potatoes; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender (6 to 8 minutes). Add zucchini and onions; continue cooking until vegetables are crisply tender (3 to 4 minutes). Cut SPAM into 6 slices; halve each slice. Add remaining ingredients; stir to blend. Cover; cook over medium heat until heated through (8 to 10 minutes).

Serves 4.

Source: Pitt.edu

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

Just 23 days past Cinco de Mayo and I'm back to nachos. Shred your rotisserie bird and you've got the start of a deliciously quick meal. This recipe does a little better than piling chicken on to chips then covering it with cheese because it adds sauteed garlic and onions to the mix. Use more chicken if you'd like (the recipe only calls for one breast), or make chicken salad from the rest. To this pile of goodness, I add sour cream, guacamole and maybe some sliced jalapenos.

Here's a tip from my son's friend, Thomas, about how much cheese to layer on the chips: "Put on what you think is enough, then put on some more." How right he is. Even a big pile of cheese melts into nothingness it seems.

Restaurant Style Chicken Nachos
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 green scallions, sliced, white and green portions used separately
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 shredded, cooked, whole chicken breast
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup salsa
1/2 (12 ounce) package tortilla chips
1 (8 ounce) package shredded
Cheddar/Monterey Jack  cheese blend
1/2 large tomato, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the garlic and white parts of the green onions in canola oil until tender. Mix in shredded chicken, salt and pepper. Toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the salsa.

Arrange tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Spoon the chicken mixture over tortilla chips. Top with Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend and tomato. Bake in the preheated oven 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove from heat and sprinkle with green onion tops before serving.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Easy pasta dish

Hey there. Welcome back to real-life after the long weekend. I'm taking it you got your fill of food cooked over an open flame/ I think I did.

Today's recipe is a welcome change from the heavy offerings of the holiday weekend. I don't want to see any potato salad for at least ... a day or two.

It's Tuesday, but it feel like Monday, no?

(Regarding the photo by the Associated Press: Artichokes are grown mostly in California. Here's how they look before they are picked.)

Linguine with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Parsley
Coarse salt and ground pepper
12 ounces linguine
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (divided use)
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts in water, drained and quartered, or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup parsley, chopped after measuring

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add butter, 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup pasta water; toss to combine.

Add artichokes, tomatoes, parsley, and, if necessary, enough remaining pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta; season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Source: Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.

Friday night pizza

Doesn't pizza sound good for dinner? If you've got the energy, make this easy French bread version from Emeril. He uses his "Baby Bam" spice but I subtitute a mixture of dried basil and oregano. Honestly, with only 1/4 teaspoon who would know the difference? The crushed red pepper is optional but I always toss on a few pinches. (And I always eat French bread pizza wearing a beret. But I tilt mine to the side. Tres jaunty.)

Have a great holiday weekend. See you back on Tuesday!

Pizzazy Pizza Sandwiches
1 1/4 cups coarsely grated provolone
1 1/4 cups coarsely grated mozzarella
1 French baguette, about 20 inches long
1/2 cup red pasta sauce
1/4 teaspoon each dried oregano and dried basil, mix together
1/4 cup pepperoni slices (about 16 slices)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
Crushed red pepper, optional
Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the provolone and mozzarella cheeses in a small bowl.

Carefully cut the baguette into 4 (5-inch-long) sections. Cut off the top third of the bread horizontally and reserve top for another use. Using your fingers, gently scoop out and discard some of the soft, inner part of the bread, leaving a 1-inch shell.

Spread the tomato sauce evenly among the bread shells, about 2 tablespoons for each sandwich, and sprinkle with oregano-basil mix. Divide 2 cups of the cheese mixture among the 4 sandwiches and arrange the pepperoni slices evenly on top.

Place the sandwiches on a baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through, about 20 minutes.
Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the baking sheet from the oven, sprinkle the sandwiches evenly with the remaining cheese mixture, and return to the oven. Bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the baking sheet from the oven and sprinkle each sandwich evenly with some of the Parmesan. If you like, you can sprinkle with crushed red pepper for a spicy Pizzazy Pizza Sandwich (a pinch should be just right).

Serves 4.
Source:  "There's A Chef In My Family" by Emeril Lagasse

Rainy days and fancy grilled cheese

I'm looking out the window from the fourth floor of the Times building and if I didn't know it was May 22 in Florida, I might think it's going to snow. And with the a/c running in here, it's actually chilly. Right now, I'm thinking about comfort food for dinner. Anyone for grilled cheese sandwiches? Our buddies at Gourmet magazine don't use Kraft singles so here's a recipe from them that elevates the humble melted cheese sandwich.

Here's what I'll do: I have the fig jam (and you can buy it too at a big supermarket), and I'm going to substitute fontina for the taleggio and baby spinach leaves for the escarole. If I can't find a big sourdough round, I'll buy anything I can find in that shape ... except rye. I don't think that'll go.

If you're serving grilled cheese, you've got to have tomato soup, don't you? I'll buy Wolfgang Puck's in the carton and then give it a boost with a sprinkling of fresh basil and a dollop of sour cream (or fancier still, creme fraiche).

Let it rain. I'm ready.

Grilled Cheese with Onion Jam, Taleggio, and Escarole

4 (1/2-inch-thick) center slices sourdough bread (from a 9- to 10-inch round)
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons onion or fig jam
12 to 14 oz chilled Taleggio or Italian Fontina, sliced
1/4 lb escarole, center ribs discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

Brush 1 side of bread slices with oil and arrange, oil sides down, on a work surface. Spread jam on 2 slices of bread and divide cheese between remaining 2 slices. Mound escarole on top of cheese and season with salt and pepper, then assemble sandwiches.

Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat until hot. Cook sandwiches, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until bread is golden-brown and cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Source: Gourmet, February 2008.

Times file photo

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

Welcome to Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday when I extol the virtues of the store-bought rotisserie bird. Yes, you can eat it as is but if you take the meat off the bones and peel away the skin, you'll have the basis of a pretty good dish. Taco, burritos, salads, hash, soups, you name it.

Today I'm toasting the casserole, a true American comfort food if there ever was one. Cashew Chicken Casserole will put dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. It calls for the ubiquitous can of condensed soup; look for the low-sodium version. Same for the soy sauce. Ditto for the chicken stock.

Serve with a green salad, loaded with crunchy veggies. See you back tomorrow for some ideas for your Memorial Day cookout. Oh and by the way, I didn't get my invitation yet.

Cashew Chicken Casserole
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 can chow mein noodles
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
1/2 cup cashew nuts

Saute onions and celery with tablespoon of butter. Add mushroom soup and chicken broth. Add soy sauce. Add chicken and simmer for a few minutes. Put in 1 quart. casserole dish and sprinkle with noodles and cashews. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serves 4.

Source: www.cdkitchen.com

Got a couple of spare ribs?

I feel sort of giddy today. I guess it's because I have so much to do I don't know where to start, so I'm just sort of spinning a bit. Anyway, the new Everyday Food from Martha came in the mail yesterday with its usual slate of good ideas. I always come away with some fun inspiration including today's recipe for Chinese Spareribs with Napa Cabbage. How to make ribs in 30 minutes? Martha has us microwaving them. Interesting.

Napa Cabbage, see the beauty above, looks almost like Romaine lettuce but usually the heads are larger and it's more tightly compact, though much less compact that regular cabbage. The taste is mild; a bit more watery.

I think this is worth trying just to see if the microwave-thing works out!

Chinese Spareribs with Napa Cabbage

1 tablespoon five-spice powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 rack pork spareribs (about 3 pounds), trimmed
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup hoisin sauce, plus more for dipping
2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together five-spice powder, cayenne, 1 teaspoon, salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Rub meaty side of ribs with spice mixture, patting to adhere.

In a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish, arrange rack, standing with rib ends upward (the natural curve will keep it upright). Microwave on high, uncovered, until pork is opaque throughout, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from microwave; tent with foil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, vinegar and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cut rack between bones to separate ribs; brush with hoisin sauce. Garnish with scallions and serve with napa cabbage and more hoisin sauce for dipping.

Serves 4.

Source: Everyday Food, June 2008.

Most searched recipes

I don't know what it is about Monday, May 19, 2008, or what it says about our interest in cooking but the most searched recipe on the Food Network Web site today is Bobby Flay's Grilled Spicy Filet Mignon Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing. It does sound tasty. It's classified as intermediate, not so much because it's difficult but because there are a lot of ingredients.

Maybe a lot of Floridians noodle around on the Food Network site looking for outdoor cooking recipes. It is getting hot and grilling keeps the oven off. Better news is that the price of beef has dipped slightly, making this recipe not dirt cheap or anything but a wee bit more economical.

Over at Epicurious, Bittersweet Chocolate Souffles and Mixed Berry Jam are the top two most-popular recipes. I guess we'll go to Food Network for the entree and Epicurious for dessert.

Grilled Spicy Filet Mignon Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chili paste with garlic
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 (12-ounce) filet mignons
Freshly ground pepper
Salad:
1 head Bibb lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
3 cups spring lettuce mix
1/4 cup chiffonade basil, optional
1/2 cucumber, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
2 carrots, julienned
5 radishes, thinly sliced
8 each yellow and red cherry tomatoes, halved
Ginger Lime Dressing, recipe follows
Salt and ground black pepper

For steak:
Whisk soy sauce, lime juice, chile paste, and peanut oil together in a small baking dish. Add the steaks, turn to coat, cover, and let marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before grilling.
Heat grill to high. Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry. Season both sides with pepper and grill for 3 minutes per side or until slightly charred and cooked to medium-rare doneness. Remove from the grill, let rest 5 minutes, and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

To make salad:
While steak is resting, combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with half of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter, top with the steak, and drizzle the remaining dressing over the top.

Ginger-Lime Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Let sit 10 minutes before using.

Serves 4.

Source: Bobby Flay, Food Network

Photo from Foodnetwork.com

 

An affair of feta & olives

Today I am completely smitten by an article in the May Food & Wine about Defne Koryurek, a Turkish butcher, restaurateur and tastemaker. The photos show a gorgeous meat market in Istanbul, unlike anything I've ever seen. A designer showcase, really.

Her recipe for Poached Eggs with Baked Feta and Olives is one of the first things she served at her restaurant. I think it sounds delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And look at this gorgeous photo from Food & Wine.

I'm going to give a whirl this weekend.

Poached Eggs with Baked Feta and Olives
6 3-inch squares of rosemary focaccia, halved horizontally
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
10 ounces feta cheese, cut into 6 slabs
Aleppo pepper or chili powder for sprinkling
6 large eggs
Salt
18 pitted kalamata olives
1 tablespoon chopped sage

Preheat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat. Bring a large, deep skillet of water to a simmer. Brush the focaccia with olive oil and broil until lightly toasted. Put a slab of feta into each of 6 individual gratin dishes. Drizzle each slab with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Sprinkle lightly with Aleppo or Chili powder and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned and sizzling.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl, then slide them into the simmering water. Poach until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes. (Cook longer if you want the yolks firm.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to the gratin dishes and season with salt. Sprinkle with the pepper, the olive and sage. Serve with the focaccia.

Serves 6.

Source: Food & Wine, May 2008

Quick! Here's what's for dinner

Wow. Is it really almost 5? Time for some dinner triage to keep us out of the drive-through lane. Around this time of the day I get quite peckish and something greasy sounds good. Must ... keep ... focused ... on ... healthy ... food.

Sort of healthy anyway.

We're having super quick Eggroll Salad tonight ... after I stop at the store to load up on crisp, cold lettuce and veggies, including carrots and colorful peppers and frozen eggrolls. Once home I'll pop the eggrolls in the oven and then make the salad. I'll dress the salad with Annie's Shiitake & Sesame dressing, then cut the eggrolls in three pieces and scatter over the top.

My people love it. Well, they better or they'll have to play Go Fish.

Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday

They say the mind is the first to go, though I think it's probably the knees. If the former is true, I am gone, gone, gone. Yesterday, I gave you the same recipe as last Thursday! Yeah, the margarita beef kebabs are good, but not that good. Thing is I'm working at warp speed to get a new & improved food section together. It launches next week and there are a lot of loose ends to tie up. I tested four kebab recipes last week - all of which were great - and I wanted to give you a sneak preview. So now you've gotten a double-sneak. Send your good thoughts my way. I need them.

Wednesday is the day we salute the humble store-bought rotisserie chicken and fashion it into something else. Sometimes, though, it is what it is. That's how I feel today. Get your rotisserie bird and serve it up as is.

What you really should do is make something with tomatoes. Florida tomatoes are front and center at most grocery stores and they are delicious. (Okay, if you're from New Jersey there's no need to brag here about Garden State tomatoes.) We bought a bunch over the weekend and, honestly, they taste like ... tomatoes! Juicy, bright red, yummy.

To go with the rotisserie chicken, make Caprese Salad. Slices of tomato are alternated with disks of fresh mozzarella. Sprinkle extra-virgin olive oil over all along with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Slice ribbons of fresh basil and arrange over the salad. If you've got some good quality balsamic vinegar you can use that too ... sparingly.

Go even simpler, if you'd like. Serve sliced tomatoes with salt, pepper and a dollop of mayo. That's good eating.

Photo is courtesy of Food Network.

What to do with leftover margarita mix

Two things are conspiring today to make Southwest Margarita Beef Kebabs a good thing to make for dinner tonight. One is that leftover margarita mix sitting on the counter. Cinco de Mayo was a week ago; time to use it up and I'm out of tequila. AND ... and here's the big news ... beef prices are down. I bought a pound of sirloin to make these last week and it was only about 7 bucks. What's up?

My colleague Chris Sherman tells me that beef prices for sirloin and choice have come down because the big restaurant chains switched to other cuts when prices soared. They were using hanger steaks and other less-used cuts. That move cut into the profits big time because places like Outback are HUGE beef-buyers. so prices have dropped. Interesting, eh? Anyway, take a look next time you shop. Nice to see a price break somewhere!

Time to put beef back on the menu and this recipe is a good place to start. Yeah, it seemed weird to me too but the results are fantastic!

If I don't make them tonight, I can always have a virgin margarita. Cheers.

Southwest Margarita Beef Kebabs
1 pound chuck eye, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cup margarita drink mix
2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups melted butter
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and cut into pieces
2 ears corn, cut into 8 pieces
4 to 6 skewers, depending on size

For marinade, combine margarita mix, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Place beef cubes into resealable plastic food bag. Pour margarita marinade over beef, saving 1/2 cup of the marinade. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Thread beef cubes onto 4 skewers, alternating with jalapeno pepper and corn. Stir the reserved 1/2 cup margarita marinade into the melted butter and mix well. Grill beef kabobs over hot grill on oil racks for 15 minutes, basting with the butter mixture and turning frequently.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Thatsmyhome.com

Simple barbecue pleasures

Often, the simplest meals are the best. And those that can be made outside are doubly good because of the lack of dishes. I just love that when dinner is done and there aren't a lot of dishes.

We went out to brunch for Mother's Day yesterday but that didn't get me off the hook for dinner. Why do those wolverines need to eat so many times a day? Burgers were on the menu but I made them just a little more fancy-worthy by serving with blue cheese and thinly sliced red onions. Yes, my kid eats this kind of stuff. I made a quick potato salad with two honkin' russets, mayo, spicy brown mustard, diced red onion and grated carrot. You can keep your Yukons for potato salad ... I think the big bakers work best. I make it while the potaotes are hot and then put it in the freezer while the burgers/corn cook on the grill.

For the second time in three days, I prepared Fresh Chili Corn. Nothing to it really. On a piece of foil, place an ear of corn, a couple of pats of butter and chili powder to taste. (I used some green chili powder left over from my trip to Santa Fe, but red will do just as well.) Wrap tightly and place on the grate with the burgers. They'll be done when the burgers are.

I'm not kidding, they liked it better than the $100 brunch. Who'd a thunk it?

Smells like burned popcorn

Okay, so yesterday I'm in the doctor's office. You know, the inner sanctum where you wait for the gentle knock on the door. Why do they knock? Like you're going to send the doctor away since you are sitting there like a doofus 45 minutes after your appointment time. Uh yeah, c'mon in!

By the way, I was fully clothed.

Anyway, this most foul odor seeped through the air conditioning vent. Something was on fire. Then I hear one of the nurses on the other side of the door say "Does it smell like something is burning?" After a few minutes of debating if I should make a run for it or wait for the sirens, I recognized the smell. I, too, have left the popcorn in the microwave for 10 seconds too long. Most foul. Don't you hate that when someone does that in the office?

Thank God I didn't die because I wouldn't have been able to test this recipe for Southwest Margarita Beef Kabobs. Make them this weekend. Then use the rest of the margarita mix for cocktails!

P.S.: Get a load of the name of the popcorn popper pictured above. It says Stir Crazy if you don't have your cheaters nearby. That should be the blog's new logo. (I didn't even know they made these anymore. This was the only appliance allowed in the dorms when I went to college back when the earth was still cooling.)

Southwest Margarita Beef Kabobs
1 lb. chuck eye, cut into 1-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups margarita drink mix
2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup melted butter
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded, split lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ears corn, cut into 8 pieces

For marinade, combine margarita mix, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Place beef cubes into resealable plastic food bag. Pour margarita marinade over beef, saving 1/2 cup of the marinade. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Thread beef cubes onto 4 skewers, alternating with jalapeno pepper and corn. Stir the reserved 1/2 cup margarita marinade into the melted butter and mix well. Grill beef kabobs over hot grill for 15 minutes, basting with the butter mixture and turning frequently.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: www.thatsmyhome.com

Cutting the carbs

I know, I know. Atkins is dead (the person and the diet).

Even so, plenty of us are trying to shed some pounds on a low-carb diet. At my house, I've been making a lot of meals with reduced carbs as often as I can. I don't need them and my husband is diabetic.

My idea, and I'm not dietitian, is to cut carbs completely from at least one meal a day. To accomplish that, I've been making a lot of dishes like this crustless quiche. In fact, I've got a large container in the freezer that has crustless quiches made in muffin tins. Take out a couple in the a.m.; zap 'em for a few seconds and you've got breakfast.

This recipe, from Mark Bittman at the New York Times, is good enough for a light dinner with a green salad. To keep in the low-carb mode, use an oil-and-vinegar dressing. Or, a slice could easily accompany spinach wilted slightly in chicken broth.

This isn't the meal if you're watching fat grams, the opposite of carbs it seems. Where one is present, you don't find much of the other. So, you can sub fat-free or low-fat half-and-half or milk, but you'll up the carb count. Something has to give it flavor ... fat or sugar!

Bittman has us cooking the quiche mixture in individual ramekins, but you could make this in muffin tins (grease them well first and forgo the papers; the cooked mixture will stick) or even in a 8-inch square pan or a standard pie pan. Check for doneness at 20 minutes.

Crustless Quiche
1 cup cream, half-and-half, milk or a combination, gently heated just until warm
3 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup grated Emmenthal, Gruyere or a combination
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or hard pecorino
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Butter as needed.

Heat oven to 325 degrees and set rack in middle of it. Combine all ingredients except butter and beat until well blended.

Pour into 4 to 6 buttered ramekins (or a buttered gratin or pie plate) and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until almost firm; it should still jiggle just a little in middle. Cool on a rack, then serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
Source: Mark Bittman, New York Times

A moment of silence on Rotisserie Wednesday

I've been thinking about memorializing Irvine Robbins by eating 31 flavors of ice cream today. The co-founder of Baskin-Robbins died yesterday at age 90. Raise a cone to him!

In high school (way back in the '70s which is why I know all the words to Kung Foo Fighting) I had some friends that scooped ice cream at the Baskin-Robbins on the "Avenue," the main drag through my California hometown. Yes, very American Graffiti. My favorite flavor was Jamoca almond fudge. Turns out, that was Robbins' fave too! We used to go there all the time after Friday night games. Stop me before I start to sing ... "Misty water-colored memories ..."

But, alas, it is Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday.

Today, I'm all about a yummy side dish to go with the store-made bird. Since the roast chicken is soft and mild, I recommend something crunchy and very flavorful. An Asian-inspired slaw sounds good to me. This recipe from Bon Appetit calls for lots of shredding but you can also buy the pre-shredded cabbage. A suitable substitute. Do add the bell peppers, though.

This may make more than you need ... Get some pulled pork and pile it all high on buns. The Asian flavorings will make it all more interesting.

Then have some ice cream.

Super Slaw
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into matchstick-size strips
2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
8 large green onions, cut into matchstick-size strips
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk first 7 ingredients in small bowl to blend. (Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)

Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Source:  Bon Appétit, July 1998

AP file photo

One of those days ...

Sometimes life is like a roller coaster. You've got to hang on until things level out. (That's me at left. Well, give or take a few pounds and put the martini in a bigger glass.)

The kid's night-time activities are kicking my butt this week. Seems like the end of the school year brings so many evening must-dos. When is there time to make a decent dinner? Some weeks are better than others on that front, even then, I try to do everything I can to avoid the drive-thru.

Here's a good dinner idea if you've only got a bit of time: Greek burgers. Grill the burgers (you can buy them already formed or even frozen) and top with thinly sliced onions and cucumber and feta cheese. I'm lucky: my kid will eat feta and onions, though he pull the cukes off. Put the burgers on whatever buns you like but I favor the French buns at Publix. Thick and sturdy.

Make a Greek salad or Mediterranean potato salad by dressing cooked chunks with an olive oil vinaigrette, scallions and chopped green pepper. Don’t forget the kalamata olives. (or buy a very plain potato salad and add olives ... and more feta.)

It's quick and pretty tasty. Now, about that martini.

(Illustration from the PR News Wire and Modernmom.com)

Cinco de Wow-Oh

You guys know me well enough to know I don't need much of a reason to eat Mexican, Southwestern or Tex-Mex grub. Ah, like it's 6 p.m. (or noon or midnight) and I'm hungry?

Cinco de Mayo has me thinking of nothing else. (You also know I'm often taken by exaggeration.) Anyway, I like Bobby Flay almost as much as Mexican food and his skirt steak taco recipe is really great. It doesn't take long to put this meal together but if you're planning a last-minute Cinco de Mayo gathering, grab some fresh salsa at the store (and hope you can find ripe avocados). Tell your buddies to bring the Dos Equis and tequila.

Skirt Steak Tacos with Roasted Tomato Salsa

8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 head romaine lettuce, thinly shredded
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, halved and diced
Grilled Tomato Salsa, recipe follows
8 ounces sour cream

Heat grill to high.

Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and on the top rack of the grill while the steak is grilling.

Heat grill pan over high heat. Brush steak with oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill on one side until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook to medium-rare doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes then slice against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Fill each tortilla with some lettuce, 3 to 4 pieces of meat, onion, grilled tomato salsa, sour cream, and avocado.

Grilled Tomato Salsa
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing tomatoes
2 serrano chiles
1 small red onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
6 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Heat grill to high.

Heat oil in a small saute pan and saute the chiles, onion, and garlic until soft.

Brush tomatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides until slightly charred and soft.

Transfer tomatoes and serrano mixture to a food processor; add the lime juice and salt and pepper and process until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse a few times (there should be flecks of cilantro in the salsa.) Transfer to a bowl.

Serves 4.

Source: Bobby Flay, Food Network. Photo too!

Simply Shrimp

Okay, I'm off the chicken kick. It's so gorgeous this morning that I'm thinking we should be cooking outdoors tonight. The weather person on some channel early this a.m. says we're going to need air conditioning this weekend so it'd be a good idea to get out there tonight. Take your bug spray.

This is a very simple recipe for grilled shrimp. You can dunk it into the garlic butter outlined below or toss it over a Greek salad. I'm inclined to do that, minus the Tarpon Springs-inspired potato salad. Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber slices, red onion, kalamata olives and feta cheese. Toss on some shrimp. Opa! Ken's makes a pretty good Greek salad dressing. See you back on Monday.

Grilled Shrimp
2 pounds jumbo shrimps, shelled and deveined, tail left on
1 large clove garlic, crushed
salt
juice of 1 lime or lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
garlic butter, below

Use scissors to remove shells without disturbing tails. In a non-reactive bowl, combine crushed garlic, salt, lime juice, and olive oil. Put shrimp in bowl; stir to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Thread shrimp onto skewers and grill 5 to 6 inches from coals for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning frequently. Remove tails if cooking under broiler.
Serves 4.

Garlic Butter for Dipping
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 large garlic clove, crushed
Salt
In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add remaining ingredients; heat for 1 minute. Serve with shrimp or other seafood.

Source: www.about.com