Quick Cod Poached in Fennel, Onion, Tomato and Basil

What a busy week! You too? If you've been looking for a quick and easy Lenten dinner that uses only one pan and is easy on the waistline, here's something for you.

This simple dish simmers together thinly sliced fresh fennel and onion along with slivered tomato and fresh basil. Once the veggies are ready, cod fillets are nestled down into the mixture to pick up all the rich, fresh flavor and is finished with a sprinkle of fennel pollen to really jazz things up! That "easy on the waistline" part? There are only about 375 calories per satisfying serving.

While you're at the store (or the Strip District) buying your fish, grab a bag of salad mix, some crusty rolls from the bakery, and there's nothing else you need to get dinner on the table in no time. The only thing that could make that better would be dessert...so why not splurge those saved calories and pick up a few cookies while you're at it?!

Cod Poached in Fennel, Onion, Tomato and Basil

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 fennel bulb, fronds removed, cut in quarters lengthwise and sliced thinly across the bulb
• 1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly across
• 3 fresh tomatoes (I use Campari tomatoes, but Romas would work well, too), sliced lengthwise, then sliced across into julienne pieces - approx. 1 C
• 6 large leaves basil, sliced across thinly 
• 4 nice sized cod fillets - or use your own favorite mild fish
• fennel pollen - look for it on Amazon...you'll be glad you did for fish and veggies

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet on top of the stove, then add the veggies and basil. Let simmer until tender. Season the code with salt and pepper.

When the veggies are ready, move them to the sides of the pan and nestle the cod into the center of the pan and let the fillets gently cook through until flaky. To finish, sprinkle a couple of pinches of fennel pollen over the cod and veggies and serve.

Sweet & Spicy Baked Butterbeans, Brisket & Bacon

The holidays are over and I'm still dealing with a few bits and pieces of the Ghost of Christmas Dinner Past. Admittedly, this was a friendly ghost...there's nothing spooky about a great big smoked brisket!

Ahhhhhh, the brisket. Not to brag here, but this was the best brisket I've ever smoked....hell, it's the best brisket I've ever eaten! For sure, I've upped my skills over the years, but it was the quality of that huge cut of beef that made all the difference. 

Have you been to Butcher on Butler in Lawrenceville yet? Thank goodness I found them. Right after coming back from our trip to the Bourbon Trail, I hit them up for some really good thick-sliced bacon to recreate the Bacon in a Glass with Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce we'd enjoyed at OBC Kitchen in Lexington, KY. Whoa! Best. Bacon. Ever! My version kicked some major bacon butt, too...again it's the quality of the meat. I knew right then and there where I was getting my Christmas brisket. (You can bet the bacon recipe will be hitting Dinner Plan-it soon.)

Okay, back to the brisket. I put the 11 1/2 pound deckle-on, spice-rubbed beauty on to smoke Christmas Eve. Christmas morning there was a miracle of a gorgeously smoke-ringed, juicy hunk of brisket waiting to be sliced for dinner. Opening the door of the smoker was just like opening a Christmas present!

After using the leftover brisket in sandwiches, brisket hash, and such, I had one last hunk...and I was looking for something a little different to use it all up. A one pot wonder perhaps...and so a nice pot of rich, hearty, smoky beans with brisket and bacon - and a little heat and sweet was born.

Sweet & Spicy Baked Butterbeans, Brisket & Bacon

• 1 lb large lima beans, soaked overnight according to package directions - reserve the soaking water!
• 1/2 lb thick sliced slab bacon cut across into 1/4" lardons (yes, I got it at Butcher on Butler!)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 large jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) fire roasted diced garlic tomatoes
• 3/4 pound smoked brisket, cut into 1/2" squares
• 2 T instant coffee powder
• 3 T maple syrup - the real stuff, not fake pancake syrup
• 1/4 C blackstrap molasses
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 1/2 T Jane's Crazy Salt
• 2 T Mike's Hot Honey
• LOTS of fresh ground black pepper
• 4 C reserved bean soaking water - add chicken stock if you don't have a full 4 C

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Using a large ovenproof Dutch oven or large, deep enameled casserole dish, saute the bacon long enough to release the fat. Add the onion and jalapenos and saute until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. 

Cover the dish and bake for 4 hours. Increase the oven temp to 400 degrees, UNCOVER the casserole dish and continue baking another hour. 

NOTE: I went back to B on B for my good luck New Year's kielbasa to tuck in with some good ole Pittsburgh sauerkraut. When I picked up my order after waiting in a long line with other meatlovers in the know, the meat sticks were still warm from the smoker. Meat heaven!

Brunch-Time Bacon Lettuce Tomato Potato..The BBLTP

Here's a super simple take on a lunch classic transformed into a brunch treat....a BBLTP....brunch-time bacon lettuce tomato potato. So simple, it's almost a Quickie. Truthfully, if you have a baked potato on hand, it IS a quickie because it's a simple dish that's quick and easy to make.

Besides mimicking the flavors of my favorite in-season-tomato summertime treat, this hearty breakfast is a real stick-to-your-ribs meal. 

Take a baked Russet potato, scoop out enough flesh to hold one or two eggs (depending on the size of the potato and the size of your appetite), break an egg (or two) into the hole and bake until set. Sprinkle with pre-cooked crumbled bacon (store bought to keep with the easy theme here), a little chopped tomato, shredded lettuce and (not shown in the pic) a side of a little mayo blended with a smidge of lemon juice. What's a BLT or BBLTP without mayo?!

The perfect accompaniment? Well, a Bloody Mary, of course. Isn't that the answer to any brunch question?

The BBLTP

(Brunch-Time Bacon Lettuce Tomato Potato)

• 1 baked potato, cooled - take a thin slice off the top and discard (or butter and eat...bonus for the cook!), scoop out enough flesh to hold 1 or 2 eggs - Make these the night before to this step and brunch will come together in no time
• 1 or 2 eggs per potato, depending on the size of the potato AND your appetite
• a handful of pre-cooked and crumbled bacon, warmed in the microwave - I get mine at Costco
• shredded Romaine lettuce
• finely diced fresh tomato
• freshly ground black pepper 
• kosher salt
• butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 



First season the inside of the potato well with fresh ground black pepper, a little kosher salt, a pat of butter and a sprinkle of crumbled bacon. 

Break the egg(s) into the hollow of the potato and bake until the eggs are set. I like mine runny - makes a nice extra bit of sauce - but, if you like yours hard, go ahead, it's YOUR breakfast! Usually takes my oven about 30 minutes, yours may take more or less time. Remember, it's how YOU like it.

Remove from the oven, plate and garnish with bacon, tomato and lettuce.

And don't forget the mayo!

Texas Eggs In Poblanos

If you really use your imagination...and kind of squint your eyes a bit...do you see the resemblance of a poblano half to the state of (yeeeeehawwwww) Texas? Me too! Do real Texans make eggs this way? I really have no clue, but why not?! It makes a great name for a brunch dish that comes in a Texas-shaped edible container anyway.

Spicy chorizo, smooth and creamy avocado, sharp cheddar, sultry cilantro and some other TexMex regular customers all gathered 'round the kitchen this morning for quite the satisfying brunch. It didn't take a lot of Sunday morning effort, either. In fact, you could cut the peppers, grate the cheese and fry up the chorizo the night before. From there, it's a snap. 

While the eggs are baking, it even gives you lots of time to make a nice pitcher of Bloody Maria's or even a Michelada. I'm sure that's what they'd serve up with Texas eggs in Texas anyway. Saddle up for brunch, pardner!

Texas Eggs in Poblanos

Serves 1

• 1 poblano pepper, (choose a nice big round one instead of a flat one - holds the egg) cut in half lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
• 2 eggs
• 1 link Mexican chorizo, fried and crumbled
• 1/2 C or so of grated sharp cheddar
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 avocado, sliced and dipped in lime juice
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 T chopped fresh cilantro plus additional for garnish
• 2 T sweet onion, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• green Tabasco

Set the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the pepper halves into a shallow casserole dish and break an egg into each half. Bake approximately 20 minutes or until the egg is set the way you like it.

While the eggs are baking, make the fresh salsa. Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro and salt to taste. Add a dash (or MORE) of Green Tabasco (I LOVE this stuff!) and spoon onto a serving plate. 

When the eggs are done, nestle them into the salsa, surround them with shredded cheese, sliced avocado, the cooked chorizo and garnish with more cilantro and lots of green Tabasco or even a little salsa verde.

This presentation is lovely...but right after the pic, I mixed everything up and piled it on top of the peppers. Maybe not as pretty, but easier eating! And that's what counts.

NOTE: Of course you can double, triple, quadruple the recipe to serve as many as you need!

Brunch Time Tomato Shrub Spritzer

My nearly 48 year obsession with that tomato-based brunch cocktail known as a Bloody Mary has taken a new twist. Still tomato-based, still using vodka....but instead of a heavy tomato juice I used a bit of tomato shrub I made from an overabundance of tomatoes from a recent CSA pickup.

Picture this. A tall glass of ice, a little vodka (or maybe a wee bit more), a touch of beautiful tomato pink shrub, a hint of Tabasco and a bare splash of seltzer...voila! Who knew that traditional brunch cocktail could be made light and refreshing?! Okay Will Groves...YOU did. Thank you Will Groves, Butterjoint and the Pittsburgh Cocktail Week class I took at this very fine establishment!

What's a shrub, you ask? It's a simple method of preserving fresh fruits - and sometimes vegetables or herbs - in a sugar and vinegar solution. The shrub can then be used in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and vinaigrettes. You know...I bet it might make a mighty fine drizzle over roasted or grilled chicken, too. I'll have to give that one a shot! It's basically one of the methods employed, before the age of modern refrigerators and freezers, to save the freshness and flavor of summer.

Now why would a craft cocktail bar have an interest in preserving? Because Butterjoint is the bar inside of Pittsburgh's North Oakland restaurant, Legume. Owner of both Legume and Butterjoint, Chef Trevett Hooper is renowned for his expertise in preserving - particularly pickling. The fruits of his passion grace the menu at Legume throughout the year. Will Groves, Bar Manger at Butterjoint, serves up an array of very creative cocktails made of some intriguing shrubs and other pickling products he and Chef Trevett have made throughout the year.

Chef Hooper shares his knowledge on a regular basis via hands-on classes right in the restaurant kitchen. The post on Dinner Plan-it last year at the sauerkraut makingclass? That was at Legume with Chef Trevett at the helm! So you know it's only natural then that the bar side, and Will, shares knowledge and expertise, too. Education is part of the DNA at Legume and Butterjoint!

The shrub class? The bar was packed with eager learners, all in our places (with bright shiny faces), each student equipped with a bar glass of papery-husked ground cherries, a deli container of pineapple pieces submerged in sugar and another deli container of vinegar produced by none other than Chef Trevett and his staff. 

We husked ground cherries and plopped the freed fruit into a glass while Chef and Will spoke about preserving methods, the varieties of shrubs and pickles they make at Legume and Butterjoint and various uses for the resultant pickled products. Then we got down to business.

Ground cherries, sugar and pineapple were laboriously crushed together into a sweet, juicy pulp with aid of the biggest muddler I've ever seen. Almost the size of a baseball bat...well, a kid's bat anyway...the job was done quickly and efficiently. 

Next we.......put lids on the vinegar and the pulpy mass and took it all home! The next steps were undertaken several hours later instead of in class. And then again several hours after that. And then some aging was in store. You see time, patience and waiting is involved in a good shrub. According to Chef Trevett, the purpose of preserving is to "capture moments of time." So well said.

Baseball bat or muddler...YOU be the judge.

 

The bottled result of our labors were beautiful. And delicious! So good, in fact, the next day I put up a batch of tomato shrub and a separate batch of tomato basil shrub. My friends Jenn and Michael of the blog 101 Achievements (who were seated next to me at the bar for the class) were inspired to make tomato shrub and prune plum shrub. Yes, shrubs are that good and that easy to whip up! Another bonus of making shrubs is that it can be made with less than perfect fruit since you're just going to smash it all up anyway.

Confession time here...I didn't wait the entire recommended time to try my tomato shrub.  (You're not surprised, are you?) Without waiting for the aging and mellowing, it still made for a perfect brunch cocktail that tickled the palate with a tart, sweet, lightly vinegary, tomato-y and energizing zinginess. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to go cold turkey on my old favorite Bloody Marys. How very nice, though, to have something new in my arsenal of Sunday brunch cocktails that's both old and familiar, yet new and deliciously different at the same time. You know, it just might be time to have a few friends over for brunch...and new cocktails!

Brunch Time Tomato Shrub Spritzer

• 2 ounces tomato or tomato basil shrub - more or less to your own liking
• 2 ounces vodka
• a few drops of Tabasco - more or less to taste (more for me, please!)
• a splash or 2 of seltzer or club soda
• ice

In a tall glass filled 3/4 of the way with ice, stir together everything but the seltzer or club soda. When it's well combined, add a splash or two of soda or seltzer, give a gentle stir and garnish. Serve with a straw. 

Tomato Shrub

• 8 ounces coarsely chopped very ripe tomatoes
• 8 ounces sugar
• 8 ounces organic vinegar - cider vinegar works nicely, but you can vary this according to your tastes...rice wine vinegar or champagne vinegar would work beautifully
• (optional) a couple of fresh basil leaves torn and mixed in with the tomatoes at the beginning

Put tomatoes in a plastic or glass wide container, add the sugar on top and just let it sit, undisturbed and unstirred for several hours until the juices are drawn from the tomatoes and the sugar becomes wet.

Muddle the tomatoes and sugar until well incorporated. Cover securely. Let sit for 4 hours. Stir or shake and add the vinegar. Stir well, cover and let stand for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. Strain out the solids with a fine mesh sieve, pour the liquid into a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate at least 5 days to mellow. After that, it's ready to use in cocktails, sodas or whatever your heart desires.

Check out more shrub recipes online and enjoy! OR...look for a shrub class at Legume or Butterjoint and get there!


   

Bloody Maria - Verde-Style

Those of you who have been following Dinner Plan-it for a while, know of my penchant for Bloody Marys. Those of you who just stumbled upon this blog also now know of my not-so-secret favorite cocktail!  Blame it on my Uncle Harry who mixed these vodka concoctions for weekend brunches back in the 50's (yes, I was way too young to be drinking them...but those sneaked sips had me hooked!) and served them with my very first ever Eggs Benedict. The man could COOK!  And he mixed a mean cocktail.  (He also made one refreshing ADULT snowball in the summer with shaved ice, sloe gin and chocolate syrup, too...that's for another post...maybe in the heat of July or August.)

A while ago, my Restaurant Week post prominently featured a Bloody Maria from Verde Kitchen + Cantina.  I have to tell you this is THE best in the city.  Smooth yet with a kick of heat and subtle undertones of mysterious Mexican peppers, Verde's version is divine. Like all of my favorite Bloodies, Verde's is a homemade mix.  What makes their Bloody so special? Hannah, Verde's lovely bar manager, shared with me the secret of a couple of the ingredients - fresh garlic and dried guajillo peppers.  Could I duplicate their subtly spicy red magic?  I gave it a try.

I toasted a few dried guajillo peppers in a dry skillet, covered them with water and simmered until they softened. After the guajillos were cooled and moved to a big glass bowl, I tossed in a few cloves of garlic, some jalapenos, lime AND lemon juice, celery ribs, cumin, mesquite smoked salt (my new find!) along with a few other goodies and let it mellow out overnight in the fridge. How did it turn out?

It was WONDERFUL!  Did it match the sublime Verde version? Nope. Is it one of my best homegrown versions? Absolutely! I'll be making these regularly for brunch at home, but I'll STILL be looking forward to Sunday, Bloody Sundays at Verde.

Oh! Here's a little preview of coming attractions...I served these at a fun brunch on our deck last Sunday to some food blogger friends and cocktail cohorts. Recipes for Szechuan Smoked Pork Belly and Grilled Pina Coladas coming up! Soon. 

Bloody Marias - Verde-Style

• 2 T. wheat free Tamari - or soy sauce if gluten isn't an issue for you
• 2 ribs celery - sliced thinly across
• 2 garlic cloves - smashed, left whole
• 1 large jalapeno - sliced thinly
• 2 t. mesquite smoked salt
• 2 t. cumin
• a handful of cilantro leaves
• a large dried guajillo pepper - broken into large pieces (you can find these in the Mexican section of Giant Eagle or (more fun!) Reyna's in the Strip District)
• the juice of 1 lime
• the juice of 1 lemon
• a bottle of high fiber V-8 - I think it gives a better mouthfeel and substance to the mix

Start by toasting the dried chile in a dry skillet (I love cast iron for this) over medium heat. When it smells warm and toasty, cover with water, bring to a boil, lower heat immediately and simmer until it is soft and pliable. Remove and cool.

In a large glass bowl, add all of the above ingredients along with the toasted and softened guajillo pepper pieces. Stir and refrigerate overnight, covered.

The next day, remove the solids from the liquids with a large slotted spoon or spider and squeeze all the liquid from the solids letting the liquid fall back into the bowl. Once all the solids have been removed you have Bloody Mary or Bloody Maria base! Transfer to a glass or plastic pitcher and refrigerate until cocktail time. 

Assembly: In a pint glass or Mason jar, pour 1 1/2-2 ounces of mezcal, tequila or vodka - whichever you prefer (I like smoky mezcal in a Bloody Maria). Add the Bloody Mary base 2/3 of the way of the glass, add ice to the top and garnish with fresh lime. Stir gently. Enjoy.

Four Cheese 16-Layer Lasagna Melanzane

Lasagna and melanzane.  Not only do they rhyme, it's a natural flavor pairing...kind of like lasagna and eggplant parmigiana had a baby.  For the triple threat rhyme, they could name their adorable little offspring Lasagna Melanzane Parmigiana!  Or not.  (Sometimes I do get carried away...)  Regardless, I'm grateful those very kind Italians made their word for eggplant rhyme so well with lasagna!

Somehow, in my fevered little brain, I originally thought I'd reduce the calories in lasagna by substituting half of the pasta with eggplant slices.  With ALL THAT CHEESE?!  What difference do a few less pieces of pasta make?  Not much difference in calories, but the eggplant goodness ADDS texture and lends meatiness to quite a substantial vegetarian dish.  This ain't diet food!

Do you remember the Fresh Tomato Basil Summer Sauce I made and posted a little while back?  That's what I've used for the sauce. Chunky and thick, Summer Sauce provides an extra fresh basil-y, garlicky zip to the dish that is smoothed out by all the cheeses - silky ricotta, freshly grated parm, slices of mozz and topped with slices of smoky provolone at the end.  

Don't have the time or the inclination to make your own sauce?  Barilla makes a very good Spicy Basil Tomato pasta sauce - I use it all the time in recipes - and if you don't like it spicy, it comes in just plain Basil Tomato.  Here's the link for the my Fresh Tomato Basil Summer Sauce: http://dinnerplan-it.blogspot.com/2012/09/fresh-tomato-basil-summer-sauce.html   

Is this a lot of work?  Yes.  Is it worth it? Yes!  My suggestion...make it on Sunday and whip it out on Meatless Monday for a heat and serve dinner that satisfies!

Four Cheese 16-Layer Lasagna Melanzane

• 8 lasagna noodles, Cooked just halfway, drained (use gluten-free lasagna noodles to make this gluten-free - I used Boles)

• 4 cups tomato sauce, homemade summer sauce or Barilla spicy basil pasta sauce (or your own fave sauce, but be sure it's thick and chunky)
• 12 ounces ricotta cheese, part skim milk
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup cream, or buttermilk (that's what I used...gives a nice tang)
• 2 tablespoons granulated garlic, divided
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, part skim milk, sliced
• 8 ounces provolone cheese slices, the good smoky provolone!
• 1 large eggplant, top & bottom removed, sliced in half lengthwise, sliced across into thin slices (I like to leave the skin on for gorgeous color!)

Mix the ricotta, parm, 1 T. granulated garlic, salt & pepper and cream (or buttermilk) to taste together well.  Set aside.
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large, deep lasagna pan, spoon just enough sauce to cover the bottom.  Make a layer of 3 noodles across using part of another noodle to patch the end if necessary. 
 
Continue the layers like this:  1/3 ricotta, sprinkle with granulated garlic, s&p, 1/2 the slices of mozzarella, 1/2 the eggplant slices, 1/3 ricotta sprinkled with granulated garlic, s&p, the other 1/2 of mozzarella, a layer of sauce, a layer of noodles the same as the 1st, the last 1/3 of the ricotta sprinkled with granulated garlic, s&p, the last 1/2 of the mozzarella, a layer of sauce, the last of the eggplant, the last of the sauce and finally, cover the top with the provolone.  Whew!
 
Cover the lasagna loosely with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours covered.  Remove foil and continue baking another 20-30 minutes until browned and bubbly.


Let the lasagna rest 15-20 minutes before cutting into squares.

Crispy Grits Cakes Eggs Benedict with Lemon Aioli

First on the list of plans on Sunday morning wasn’t a dinner plan, it was a brunch plan!  Last week some silky parmesan cheese grits accompanied dinner one evening…some were leftover.  Of course, that too was planned.  The leftover grits were spread into an oiled pan to about 1/4” thick, covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated until Sunday morning.  Cut into rounds and crisped in the skillet, they made a beautiful base for Eggs Benedict!

I’d intended to make a homemade hollandaise, but the morning was just too damned busy (you know how THOSE Sunday mornings are!) so I cheated.  Instead of hollandaise, I made a quick lemon aioli to drizzle over top of the eggs.  What’s hollandaise but egg yolks, butter and seasonings in an emulsification and what’s mayo but egg yolks, oil and seasonings in an emulsification?  Yeah…you see where I’m going with this.  The result?  Fantastic!

Here's the dish:

Crispy Grits Cakes Eggs Benedict with Lemon Aioli

• 2 grits cakes - cut into rounds 3-4" in diameter with a BIG biscuit or cookie cutter
• 2 slices Canadian bacon
• 2 slices tomato, good, fresh summer ones!
• 2 eggs, poached however you do yours

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard, Colemans!
• just a pinch of cayenne

Preheat a skillet, add a drizzle of vegetable oil and sizzle up the Canadian bacon and the cheese grits rounds in the same pan.  When done, place one round topped with the Canadian bacon on each serving plate.  Top each with a tomato slice and a poached egg.  Drizzle with lemon aioli and serve!
 

Aioli:  Blend well the mayo, lemon juice and dry mustard.  Warm in microwave - just take the chill off.  

Don't have a cheese grits recipe?  Here's the one I used:

Parmesan Cheese Grits

• 1 cup yellow corn grits - I used Bob's Red Mill
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 T. butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parm - I used the good stuff, Parmaesano Reggiano

Bring broth and cream just to a boil.  Whisk in the grits very slowly and continue whisking constantly until they're all in.  Lower the heat to medium and continue stirring occasionally until the grits are creamy and completely cooked - maybe 15-20 minutes.  Stir in butter completely, then the parm - again, completely.  

Grits will be thick!  They will pop and bubble!  Be very careful and don't get burned. Enjoy as a side with anything grilled or whatever strikes your fancy....use the leftovers to make the crispy grits cakes!

Swiss Steak....Bordering on Italian Steak!

Swiss Steak

SWISS Steak?  While the name says "Swiss," clearly this recipe has had major influences from across the borders of Switzerland...the southern border, the ITALIAN border!

My mom made this all the time when I was a kid.  Her version came without the garlic, without the oregano and basil, without the red wine, without the red pepper flakes...I liked it back then, but my own family's tastes have changed and gotten (arguably) more sophisticated over the years.  Somehow the recipe segued into what it is today...a jazzed up Italian-style, rich, hearty, beefy family favorite.

Back then, when Mom served up her Swiss steak, it came accompanied with mashed potatoes, tomato-y sauce drizzled over the potatoes, Argo canned peas (ugghhh...a shiver goes down my spine from the memory!) alongside.  (Those damned peas were my dad's favorite vegetable...and that's a stretch even referring to those greyish, mushy orbs as a vegetable.)

Today I serve the fork-tender, slow-simmered steak in somewhat the same style as Mom - with mashed potatoes still drizzled with a tomato-y sauce.  Only now it's a spicy, rich, garlicky sauce redolent with wine and deep, rich flavors.  But no canned peas for my group!  Usually we enjoy bright green al dente broccoli alongside or a few beautiful stalks of asparagus.   SO much better!  I think Mom would agree.

You know, I've thought about calling my version "Italian Steak"...come on, with the red sauce, the TRULY green veggie and white potatoes on the plate you've already got the colors of the Italian flag!  I couldn't bear to change the name though...I have to hold onto at least part of the family tradition...and the memories.

Swiss Steak

• whole bottom round stead, about 1" thick, cut into approximately 6 pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 2 large green peppers, sliced
• 28 ounce can of tomatoes (break up the tomatoes)
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 1/2 t. basil
• 1 T. oregano
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• granulated garlic, to taste
• 1 C. red wine, or more if needed

Remove all fat from steaks, cut into serving pieces, season well with granulated garlic, salt and pepper and brown in oil in a hot, large electric skillet (with tight fitting lid to use later).  When browned, remove from pan.

In the same skillet, add garlic, green peppers and onions; saute 5 minutes.  Remove veggies, put steaks back into skillet and cover with the veggies.  Add tomatoes, wine and seasonings.  Cover with lid (told you you'd use it later!), reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours or until fork tender.

Check often to be sure there is enough liquid in skillet and, if not, add a little wine or water.  Do NOT let it dry out.

Old Bay Bloody Mary

Old Bay Bloody Mary - My Version

Before I even begin to give you the recipe, I have to be honest....besides, anybody who knows me well will call me out on the celery stalk in the glass.  Busted.  That was just for show because I was desperate for a garnish!  I WILL NOT sully my bloody Mary with one of those things.  You could put an eye out!

In a pint Mason jar:

• About 1 ½” – 2” Absolute Peppar in bottom of jar
• Juice of ½ a lime
• 3-4 shakes Worcestershire sauce
• Mound of horseradish on end of fork
• 3 - 4 shakes celery bitters (optional, but awesome!)
• Bunch a hefty shakes of Old Bay

Stir, then add:

• Spicy V-8 to 2” or so below rim
• Ice cubes           

Stir again and top with a couple more shakes of celery bitters and a good squeeze of a lime wedge.  Enjoy.  Repeat.

           

If desired, rim glass with Old Bay or Old Bay mixed with crisp-cooked finely minced bacon!

NOTE: Not only the Huevos get a Baltimore credit today, so does the best bar in Baltimore - okay, the best bar anywhere!  John, owner and mixologist extrordinaire at Bad Decisions in the Fells Point area of Baltimore, taught me the celery bitters trick.  And, naturally, the Old Bay gets Baltimore credit as well!

Sweet Red and Green Stuffed Bell Peppers

Sweet Red and Green Stuffed Bell Peppers

Crisp, cool fall days and beautiful, stuffed red and green peppers are a perfect tummy-warming match.  Look for red bell peppers at the farmers’ markets while they’re plentiful and cheap!  This is my favorite recipe.

                     

• 4           sweet red and/or green bell peppers 
• 1           pound  ground beef, extra lean
• 1/2        cup  instant rice -- uncooked
• 1/2        package  dry ranch-style dressing mix
• 1           small  onion -- finely minced
• 1           egg
• 1           can  tomato soup
• 1/2 T.    Worcestershire sauce
•  1 t.       granulated garlic
•              salt & pepper to taste
• 1 t.        oregano
•  1/3 C.  ketchup (Heinz, of course!)

Cut the tops off the peppers and pull out the seeds and insides.  Set aside.

Lightly mix all ingredients (but peppers, of course) together lightly. (Use only 1/2 a can of the soup.) 

Stuff the mixture evenly into peppers and snuggle them into a casserole dish with sides about 4” high to hold them upright.  Mix remaining 1/2 can of soup with a little white wine and ketchup to sauce consistency and pour over top of peppers.  Bake at 375 for an hour.  If you want (and I usually do), mix a little ketchup mixed with a little

NOTE:  I use the British version of Heinz Tomato Soup when I make these because it is gluten-free (but always check the label for yourself - things change!).  Find it in the International Aisle of Giant Eagle…in the British section, naturally!