Al Dente

Almost Edible Photo: Deep Fried Macaroni and Cheese

It's nearly 11:30, and I skipped breakfast this morning (I know, I know, most important meal of the day and all that, but I had an early meeting, and then starting answering emails, and now it’s almost lunchtime, so why eat breakfast), which means that I’m starving, and almost anything might start me salivating, and start my stomach to growling loudly enough that the person in the cube next to mine is starting to look at me strangely. But, even so, I don’t know that there’s anything I could contemplate having for lunch that would make me hungrier than the below photo of deep fried mac-and-cheese, taken from the Biggest Menu. Mac-and-cheese is already a serious favorite, but then deep fried (which naturally makes anything better), and in easy-to-handle bite-sized form? I think I might just faint.

 

--A.J. Rathbun

What's a Picnic Without Pickles?

Growing up, pickled green tomatoes made regular appearances at the dinner table. In the fall, you might also find spiced crab apples. In the summer, pickled watermelon rind. And what's a picnic without pickles?

For a long time, it seemed, pickled vegetables and fruits were disappearing altogether from the table, but I'm hoping that a renewed interest in canning will change all that.

Even if you choose not to take a stab at pickling yourself though, you can still indulge in the world of chow chow, pickled beets, sauerkraut, even whiskey cherries, thanks to Portland's Picklopolis, one of my latest finds at the Portland Farmers Market.

--Tracy Schneider

Red Robin Nutrition Now Available

I've been waiting years to find out just how nutritionally bad my monthly trips to Red Robin are. I had heard rumors that the burgers were about 1000 calories each. Well, my wait is finally over and the rumors are true.

I'm not sure exactly when they added nutritional info to their website but it has been recent and it's long overdue. "The Customizer" shows you the nutritional values for everything on their menu--even the alcohol. You have to click on the "Build Your Meal & Calculate Your Nutrition" link which activates a Flash pop-up. They've annoyingly removed any direct links.

My usual dinner, consisting of the Whiskey River BBQ Burger, fries, and a couple Blue Moons, clocked in at 1,921 calories. I haven't been to RR in a few months, which may explain my recent weight loss.

"The Customzier" is kinda fun. You can customize your burger any way you want. So let's say I wanted a Royal Red Robin burger with an extra patty, chicken, and some fish. Here's what a 2,148-calorie  "Super Royal" burger looks like.

But what if you want 150 burger patties instead of just the two? Your burger is now almost 50,000 calories. I got tired of clicking after 150 and the burger goes off the screen after about 10 patties. If you happen to max out the system, let me know.

--Spanno

Baking Beans: A Tribute to Grandmother's Secret Recipe

At least once every summer, I try to recreate my late grandmother's special baked beans to take to a family picnic. Her recipe was legendary among friends and family, appearing in a 1962 cookbook published by the Young Ladies Auxiliary in Seattle. But I remain convinced she didn't list some secret ingredient that made them so addictive.

The original recipe calls for small white beans, but I've taken license and subbed Great Northern beans, which seem to hold their shape better through the long, slow cooking process. Instead of the can of tomato sauce, I've successfully experimented with ketchup. And, occasionally, I'll change things up by swapping out the bacon and using salt pork instead. Or, making a veggie version by incorporating a splash of liquid smoke.

These exercises yield mixed results, always judged by the sharp palates who well remember Nana's baked beans. The constructive criticism can feel as stinging as a rebuke from American Idol's Simon Cowell. Bottom line: They're good, but they're not in the same league as Nana's.

This year, I was determined to get it right, especially because I was cooking for a family gathering to celebrate my daughter's graduation from Garfield High School, whose famous alums include Jimi Hendrix and Quincy Jones.

Then, in the middle of making pulled pork and baked beans for 75 people, my oven conked out! Was somebody trying to tell me something? Thank goodness my neighbor, Liz, offered to let me use hers after I sent out an SOS on Twitter. She didn't even mind that her house smelled like pork and beans for days.

This time around, I added the burned sugar at the end, and I didn't skimp on the amount. I also added boiling water to the caramelized sweet stuff to make it easier to pour into the pot. And, guess what? I think I came awfully darned close. Even my Auntie Eileen went back for seconds and my nephew Nick, pictured above at the graduation celebration cookout in West Seattle's Lincoln Park, couldn't wait for the party to get started before sneaking a sample of baked beans.

Nana's Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1 pound small white beans (wash and place in a baking pot or dish)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup bacon, cut in small pieces
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 small can tomato sauce, or 2/3 cup ketchup

Directions:
Put all ingredients in baking pot or dish. Bake covered in a 350 degree F oven for 5 hours. To finish, place 1/4 cup white sugar in flat pan and brown over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and dark. Add 3/4 cup of boiling water. Add to beans and bake another hour. Do not stir. Season to taste with salt and additional brown sugar if needed.

Serves: 8 to 10

--Leslie Kelly

Satisfy Your Cravings With a Potbelly Milk Shake

My sister has sworn off bread and sweets this week. She needs to fit into her wedding dress on Saturday and decided this was the best tack to take. As a result she is craving malted milkshakes from Potbelly Sandwich Works.

I had never had a Potbelly milkshake, so felt duty-bound to give them a try. The shakes, made on-site, are thick and come topped with an adorable little daisy-shaped butter cookie that sits on the straw.

I am still mourning my favorite specialty milkshakes, the Tangiers Taxi, a chocolate-orange milkshake, from Seattle's long-gone Cafe Counter-Intelligence, and the chocolate mint Frango milkshakes from the long-gone Frederick & Nelson's department store. But I'm always game for a chocolate malted, though they're rarely available these days outside of traditional burger joints. So I was delighted by Potbelly's relatively inexpensive and highly recommended shakes.

Potbelly Sandwich Works began as an antiques store on Chicago's Lincoln Avenue in 1977. When the owners began selling sandwiches as well, their business skyrocketed and the antiques became merely a backdrop for the sandwich shop that emerged. The local shop was purchased in 1996 and has since expanded to twelve states and the District of Columbia. If there was one in Seattle, I think I'd be in trouble. Where do you go to satisfy your milkshake cravings?

Hamburger Shoe

Does this hamburger shoe count as a health-conscious meal? Or just fast food? Dinner on the run? Anyone?

 

--AndreaLeigh

Easy Appetizers: Cousin Bob's Sweet Mini Peppers and Other Veggies on the Barbie

An invitation to Cousin Bob's house is something we look forward to every summer. Bob's garden is exquisite, and we love to sit out on his little patio tucked next to the kitchen to take in the view.

Bob is a terrific cook. Whatever he surprises us with for supper is delicious, though we always beg him to serve us his signature peppers.

Bob broils them, rubs off their black skin and sprinkles them with salt, pepper, and a little dried thyme. Then he'll coat them lightly with olive oil and some fabulously thick balsamic vinegar. We never get enough.

We've begun to reproduce his peppers every summer ourselves, though we grill them outdoors over charcoal rather than in the oven under the broiler. I can't think of an easier first course than grilled vegetables.

Our favorites are Bob's sweet mini peppers and fresh local asparagus. Last year grilled heirloom tomatoes were all the rage. You can make simple grilled veggies fancier just by skewering them. Try mushrooms and cherry tomatoes with chunks of onion, eggplant or zucchini. In this July's Country Living, Virgina Willis, author of Bon Appetit Y'all, suggests fresh baby okra with slices of jalapeno peppers. That's a combination that never crossed my mind. If you have others, let me know. I'm always on the lookout for something new.

--Tracy Schneider

Wine in a Box: Can the Flavor Beat the Low-Class Image?

This weekend I noticed something I haven't seen since college -- wine in a box. And yes, someone brought it up in conversation, but not to declare surprise at this display of bad taste but rather the contrary. People were commenting on how good the wine was. I took my last sip of a red wine from a respectible California winery and took a splash from the tap on the box. They were right, it was better.

Well, it seems The next time someone tells you box wine is gauche, you can tell them you drink it for the superior flavor. According to SciGuy at chron.com, scientists published a paper in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry documenting how when they compared bottled wine and boxed wine, wine in the bottle contained more substances that can contaminate the wine's flavor and odor.

So at your next party, display your boxed wine proudly.

-- Martha Snodgrass

The Food Processor Bible and an Easy Cheesecake

I love my Cuisinart food processors and rely on them daily to crank out family friendly food. Over the years, I've collected many food processor cookbooks and one of my favorites is The Food Processor Bible by Norene Gilletz. Published by Vancouver's Whitecap Books, this book is an absolute treasure trove of food processor recipes and ideas.

Gilletz is a Toronto-based cook, author, and teacher who has more than thirty years of food processor experience under her belt. I've never met Norene in person, but I've spoken to her many times over the phone. She's one of those  generous cooks who has a knack for creating simple recipes and delicious food.  Her recipes are suitable for Kosher and non Kosher cooks alike.

About two years ago, I decided to try Norene's Easy Cheesecake recipe, which I found in The Food Processor Bible. The cheesecake lived up to its name. It took just a few minutes to whiz together in the processor. The results were so outstanding that I started bringing this cheesecake to dinner parties, potlucks, and teacher luncheons. 

Last year, I carted it to a remote lakeside cabin for a massive July 4th party.  On site, I topped the cheesecake with fresh raspberries and blueberries and piped the perimeter with some fresh cream. The cheesecake was such a hit that I still have kids asking me to bring "that yummy cheesecake" to the next party.

So, if you are gearing up for a party, try Norene's Easy Cheesecake. It's always successful.

Easy Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust:
18 single graham wafers (about 1 1/2 cups crumbs)
6 tablespoons soft butter or margarine, cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons sugar (granulated or brown)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:
4 cups (2 pounds) cream cheese, cut in chunks
  (half cottage cheese may be used)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs (or 2 eggs plus 4 egg whites)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
Topping of your choice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. For crust: Break wafers into chunks. Process on steel blade until coarse crumbs are formed. Add remaining crust ingredients and process until blended, 5 or 6 seconds. Press into sprayed 10-inch springform pan. Wipe bowl and blade with paper towels.

3. For filling: Process cheese with sugar until blended, about 15 seconds. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Process until smooth and creamy, 20 to 30 seconds longer. Pour over crust.

4. Place a pie plate half-filled with water on lowest rack of oven. Place cheesecake on middle rack. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. When done, edges will be set but center will jiggle slightly. Turn off heat and let cheesecake cool in oven with door partly open for about one hour. It will firm up during this time

5. Refrigerate. Add desired topping and chill for 3 to 4 hours before serving. Can be made a day or two ahead.

Makes 12 servings

--Melissa A. Trainer

Serious Barbecue with Chef Adam Perry Lang

Check out Chef Adam Perry Lang, author of Serious Barbecue: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking, grilling some steak in Jimmy Kimmel's backyard with Adam Carolla, Joel McHale, and Jimmy Pardo.

Jimmy Kimmel's backyard is amazing. He's got a massive pizza oven, a massive gas grill with infrared burner, a Big Green Egg, and even a kegerator. And everything is built-in. It's what I imagine heaven is like.

See or download the podcast at Adam Carolla.com.

--Spanno