Shortbread

I really get nothing in compensation for going on and on about how often I refer to Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. Pretty much everything I've ever cooked from it has turned out wonderfully.

I like, too, the fact the cookbook has recipes for things like popcorn. It's not hard to do but I never can remember how much oil and is it 1/2 cup popcorn kernels? That book has the answer.

This shortbread is simple to make, can be made ahead, and has limitless variations. Shortbread can be dunked in coffee or dipped in semisweet chocolate. It's hard to go wrong with shortbread.

2 sticks unsalted butter; softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 and 1/2 cups flour
scant 1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp kosher salt

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until combined
Add the egg yolk and vanilla, scraping sides of bowl if neccessary, and beat until combined.

Stir in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until combined. The dough will be sticky.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

The dough can be rolled out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out with cookie cutters, like sugar cookies. Or you can use a knife to cut dough into strips (like ladyfingers) or triangles. At this point, I like to slide the cookies in the refrigerator to chill for a bit longer. It helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.

Bake until the cookies are just firm, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely on wire rack.

Shortbread keeps well at room temperature. A batch makes a great gift!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

We've posted a gumbo recipe before but we've made a few changes here and there to get to this one. We really like this version. Gumbo seems such a cold-weather dish so we're always excited when the weather turns cool: it's gumbo weather!

1 pound of chicken thighs (Thighs are really flavorful but you can also use chicken breasts, a whole hen, or turkey.)
2 pounds andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces (We've used smoked turkey sausage, venison sausage, in addition or instead of andouille, combinations of all three - it all works.)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
2 bell peppers, chopped
2 white onions, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
2-3 quarts chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown over medium high heat. Brown the sausage, pour off fat, and reserve meats.

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the roux is almost the color you prefer – anything from peanut butter to chocolate milk to coffee will do. This gives the arms a good workout (you’re welcome!). Make a figure eight pattern while you stir to help prevent lumps and uneven cooking.

Add the vegetables and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.

Add the stock, seasonings, chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil and cook for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.

Add the chopped green onions and parsley. At this point, if possible, let the gumbo cool and refrigerate overnight or freeze. It seems to taste better if it has time to sit for a bit.

Serve over rice.

Recipe can be doubled or tripled. Make your friends happy by giving quart containers of frozen gumbo for Christmas gifts.

Ultimate Garlic Bread

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place a bulb of garlic in aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Pull the foil up around the garlic bulb, sealing it in. Roast for about one hour. Remove from oven and let cool.

(Smells so good!)

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. Add one or two garlic cloves, cut in quarters. Let heat, nice and low, while you're getting everything else ready.

Combine 2-3 tablespoons softened butter with 1/4 cup of mayonnaise. Combine and then add the roasted garlic. (To get the garlic out, just squeeze it from the cloves.) Mix that up real good and stir in 1 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar. If you want to, right along in here you can drizzle in some of that garlic-infused melted butter.

Use cheese-butter mixture to fill the bread loaf. Using a pastry brush, brush the bread with that melted garlic butter. Wrap in the loaf in aluminum foil and freeze, refrigerate, or go ahead and bake.

To cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 12 minutes.

Makes enough filling for one to two one-pound loaves, depending on how generous you are with the filling.

Goes great with soup!

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli with Pine Nuts

I first saw this recipe at Ezra Pound Cake. It's a weeknight staple.

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics – Ina Garten

1 (12-oz) bag of broccoli florets
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 tablespoon basil, julienned
Salt and pepper to season

Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they are lightly toasted. It takes only a few minutes so stay close.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a tablespoon or two of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and toss with lemon zest, remaining olive oil, pine nuts, and chopped basil.

Serves about 4. I add any leftovers to a salad the next day.

Tomato Tart

It's true love!


Up until I made this tart, I didn't like tomatoes, not even a little bit. Not on a burger or sandwich or salad. Now, though...

For Tomato Tart:

pie pastry
1 garlic bulb
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese, divided
handful fresh basil leaves
2 to 3 tomatoes tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

For the pie pastry, make your own if you are so inclined.

The recipe I use is my mom's:


Combine a cup of all purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cut in 1/2 cup shortening (it's not a bad idea to refrigerate the shortening first) and add ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time. Stir with a fork until the dough forms a ball. Roll out on lightly floured surface.

Or use a refrigerated pie pastry.

Either way, press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch square tart pan (the kind with a removable bottom although you could bake this in a 9-inch round pie pan, too). Bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly golden.

Cut off the top of a bulb of garlic and place it on a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle garlic bulb with olive oil and fold in aluminum foil to seal.

Bake for 35 minutes. Unwrap garlic and let cool. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves onto the bottom of the baked piecrust. Smear it around and moan about how good it smells.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup fontina cheese over the roasted garlic.

Slice the tomatoes and place on folded paper towels. Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and pepper and let sit for 10 minutes. The tomatoes look so pretty just like that.

Arrange tomato slices over shredded cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes or until tart is lightly browned.

Eat and enjoy warm or at room temperature. Good stuff!

Paninis at Home

Ever since I had the best sandwich ever a couple of months ago, I've been experimenting with paninis, particularly ones with grilled vegetables on nice, crispy, toasty bread. Nom nom nom nom

I've roasted eggplant and portabella in the oven, which works very well - just brush the veggies with a bit of olive oil. I've used leftover grilled asparagus. Several times I've used leftover vegetables from the vegetable fajitas at the local Mexican restaurant (It seems curious to me that they use lots of broccoli and squash in the fajitas. It's that strange or is it just me? Somehow, I would expect only peppers and onions.)

Always included is roasted red peppers and goat cheese. Something about the combination of those two, combined with heat that melts the goat cheese, surrounded by crispy yummy bread, equals magic.

Love the panini.

I don't have one of those panini presses, a grill pan on the stovetop works fine.


I just spread one slice of bread with butter while the grill pan is heating over medium heat. Fill the sandwich with veggies and use a cast iron skillet to press it all down. I cook it for 2 to 3 minutes each side.

I've typed panini so many times it doesn't look right anymore. Panini panini panini

Roasted Asparagus and Onion Risotto

We tweaked a recipe for Asparagus Risotto and came up with this one, where we roast the onions and asparagus together. I think roasted or caramelized onions are one of the best things under the sun and this risotto has become our go-to side dish recipe. It tastes rich without being heavy and is the perfect side for roasted chicken and makes a great Sunday night meal.

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
7 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (We often use closer to 1/2 cup cheese.)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put asparagus and onion pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for about 20 minutes.

In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and maintain at a simmer. Spray large heavy skillet with cooking spray and add rice. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then add the wine and cook until absorbed.

Stir in 1 cup simmering broth. Cook until broth is almost completely absorbed, stirring frequently, then add another cup of simmering broth. Repeat until only about 1/4 cup of broth remains (discard remaining broth)*, which should take about 20 minutes.

Add roasted asparagus and onion; heat through. Remove from the heat; add the butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and serve to appreciative eaters.

*This note is from the original recipe. It's odd, isn't it? One time we made it and didn't need that last bit of chicken broth. One time we used it all. Just do what feels right.

Date Nut Spread

This recipe is so simple and yummy. If you need something to bring to an office party or neighborhood open house, this is an easy one that folks will love.

A version of a spread in the famed Come on In! cookbook by the Junior League of Jackson, Miss., this is one of my all time favorite recipes. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love it.

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup chopped dates
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons Amaretto (optional)

If desired, toast pecans. While not strictly necessary, it really brings out the buttery flavor of the pecans and isn’t much trouble. Just preheat your oven to about 350°, pour pecan pieces on a baking sheet, and bake for about 10 minutes and let completely cool before chopping.

Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring well. That is it.

Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. The spread keeps well overnight and is better a day or two after it’s made.

Serve with apple slices, wheat thins, or your favorite cracker.

Unstoppable Chicken Marbella

Based on a recipe from the classic Silver Palate Cookbook, this is one of my favorite go-to dishes. Kids love it, finicky eaters love it, it smells incredible while cooking AND any leftovers make the best chicken salad. It's a win-win-win.

We paired it with the best side evah.

Chicken Marbella

4 chicken breasts (I think the original recipe called for a chicken, cut into pieces and parts)
1/2 head of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup red wine or balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pitted prunes
1/4 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice*
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
2 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley finely chopped

* Jeffrey takes issue with capers and he kindly asked me to leave them out, which I did. I don't think I could tell they were missing.

Combine garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers, and bay leaves. Put the chicken in a zip-top bag and add marinade. Seal tight and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease a casserole dish and arrange chicken in a single layer. Spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine or chicken stock around them.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with the pan juices.

Serve with some of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Serve remaining juice in a gravy boat.

(Recipe doubles easily.)

Oh My Gosh So Good

I don't think a whole lot about side dishes. (Unless they're sweet potatoes. I love sweet potatoes.) It seems like you always need something green. In the summer, that's a salad or the much-adored proscuitto-wrapped asparagus.

The rest of the year, you know, green beans or something. Just...(shrug)...green.

Then I realized how much I like this vegetable and this recipe is probably my favorite one.

It starts with sauteeing about four or five slices of bacon. I know! When the bacon is nice and crisp, remove the slices and pour the bacon grease off, reserving about 1 tablespoon. Add about 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. (I KNOW; butter AND bacon!)

The recipe called for 1/3 cup of pine nuts, which I didn't have, so I was going to use slivered almonds. Only I couldn't find them in my freezer, so I opted for walnuts. Add them to the heated butter/bacon grease mixture until they're lightly toasted.

Then you add 2 chopped green onions and 1 pound of brussel sprouts, shredded. Wait, come back! It's really good, even if you don't like brussel sprouts.

Season the mixture with pepper and seasoned salt and cook until the brussel sprouts are just tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

The end result is something that doesn't taste like cooked cabbage, or even bacon, just GOOD. We enjoyed it with the Unstoppable Chicken Marbella.

Gumbo

In my book, cooking the first soup or stew of the season is a wondrous thing. Of course, I am a big goober but cooking and smelling and eating this gumbo made me very, very happy in a way that only fall and wintry things can.

Sunday afternoon was the perfect day for it. It was overcast and looked like winter outside. There was enough of a hint of fall in the air to justify gumbo.

· 1 large chicken (young hen preferred), cut into pieces
· 2 pounds andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2" pieces

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning and brown quickly.

Brown the sausage, pour off fat, and reserve meats.


I had some cooked chicken on hand so I shredded it and added it to the mix rather than browning some chicken.

· 1 cup oil
· 1 cup flour

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil and cook the flour in the oil over medium to high heat (depending on your roux-making skill), stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a dark reddish-brown color, almost the color of coffee or milk chocolate for a Cajun-style roux. If you want to save time, or prefer a more New Orleans-style roux, cook it to a medium, peanut-butter color, over lower heat if you're nervous about burning it.

Or you can use Tony Chachere's roux mix, which is what we did.


· 2 large bags of frozen chopped onions and peppers, thawed
· 4 ribs celery, chopped
· 3 tablespoons of minced garlic

We sauteed the veggies in the skillet we'd browned off the sausage to give them a bit of flavor.



Add the vegetables and stir quickly. This cooks the vegetables and also stops the roux from cooking further.


Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.

· 2-3 quarts chicken stock
· 2 bay leaves
· Creole seasoning to taste
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add the stock, seasonings, chicken, and sausage. Bring to a boil, and then cook for about one hour, skimming fat off the top as needed.


· 2/3 cup fresh chopped parsley (we used dried parlsey because our local grocery didn't have fresh parsley)
· 1 bunch scallions (green onions), tops only, chopped

Add the chopped scallion tops and parsley, and heat for 5 minutes.

· Filé powder to taste

We couldn't find the filé powder in the cabinet, so we didn't use it.

You know how when you crave something and then you get it and it is so good? That's what this was, not to mention how much fun it'd been to get in the kitchen and enjoy it.

I like to chop and measure and stir. I like to, you know, cook, and I don't feel like I've done any cooking in a while. It felt good to be in the kitchen on a gloomy Sunday afternoon, warm and cozy and with good smells all around, looking forward to a delicious, hearty meal.



We're having it for dinner tomorrow evening and I'm already looking forward to it. I bet it will be even better than it was last night and it was plenty good last night.


This yielded a bunch. I know; I'm very scientific and accurate. The three us each had a generous bowl-ful and I put up five or so containers full, containers being an assortment of sizes. I'd say it yielded about a gallon of gumbo if I had to guess.

Greek Pasta Salad

I know summer has arrived when I make this pasta. I feel like I practically live on it all summer.

Greek Pasta Salad

12 ounces pasta, any shape, cooked

Dressing:
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best)
3 tablespoons Cavender’s Greek seasoning

Combine all and mix well; set aside. Can be made a day or two in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Whisk lightly or stir before pouring over salad.

To the cooked and cooled pasta, add:
1 3.8-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
1 4-ounce jar chopped pimientos, drained
4 to 6 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

*Can also add romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped, drained marinated artichoke hearts, water chestnuts, and/or green olives.

Toss together and add dressing, mix well. Best if made a day or so in advance. Keeps well for several days.

For a main dish, add 4 grilled chicken breasts, sliced into strips, or 1/2 to 1 pound boiled shrimp.

Pretty Much the Best Meal Evah

We had a happy yet long weekend that involved good friends and travel and dress up clothes.

Come Sunday night, jeans and ratty t-shirts felt really good. We sat outside and we grilled our favorites. Before we cooked dinner last night, we mixed up pimento cheese, chicken salad, and made a pasta salad. All before we figured out the ceiling fan in kitchen was turning the wrong way, making it even more of an inferno than it already was. So that was fun.

We had filets, proscuitto-wrapped asparagus, honey garlic bread, and red wine.

Jeffrey sprinkled the filets with Worcestershire sauce and Montreal steak seasoning and wrapped them in pepper bacon.

I don't know if it was the food or the company or a combination of the two, but it was an incredibly enjoyable meal.

Them's Fighting Words

There is a whole bunch of stuff (mashed potatoes, tomatoes) that most people like that I don't. I know that's weird. I can't help it.

Do you like pimento cheese? If not, please explain to me how this can be. I've met one person in my life who didn't "get" pimento cheese. She grew up in Virginia and told me she'd never heard of it. She was perplexed by it. "Why would anyone mix cheese and mayonnaise together? And eat it?"

There's just not much you do to help a case like that. Bless her heart.

I love pimento and cheese. LOVE IT. In my second book, I wrote a verah verah long chapter on pimento and cheese, including a bunch of different versions of it that were courtesy of the Southern Foodways Alliance. I eneded it with something like "but here's the best recipe for it ever, The End."

Pimento and cheese is distinctly summer. It makes me think of the smell of suntain lotion and the hum of window units and transister radios and the sound of flip flops on pavement and how cool the watermelon rind feels when you grasp it to take a big sweet bite. I love pimento and cheese, both for its taste and for what it evokes, even though summer is not really my favorite time of year.

A few weeks ago, Jeffrey, the child, and I had a picnic at Bear Pen Park in Cleveland. We had turkey wraps, which were fabulous: black pepper turkey, pesto mayonnaise, provolone cheese, and red onion. We had pasta salad that I made but didn't like all that much, chicken salad (which is another post) and we had pimento and cheese.


The child ate goldfish and a pimento and cheese sandwich with the crusts cut off.

I rather preferred the pimento and cheese with saltine crackers.


A warm - but not hot - day, fresh clover underfoot, blue skies overhead, swings, ducks that waddle into the pond for a swim, a picnic table, and PIMENTO AND CHEESE WITH SALTINE CRACKERS. It probably can get some better than that, but not a whole lot.

There isn't really a recipe for the pimento and cheese (I know that's annoying when someone goes on and on about something and then says, but I don't have a recipe for it - but I really DON'T have one). I make mine by grating one package (I guess about 8 ounces) of sharp cheddar. Grating the cheese makes a difference; the texture and taste is better than the packages of pre-shredded cheese. Then I grate some white onion into it. I have no idea how much; maybe a tablespoon or more? Add a medium jar of drained diced pimentos and stir in a spoonful or two of mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate overnight or for several hours.

***So ends food blogging on this post and so begins the gratuitious posting of photos.***
We love to feed the ducks.

Feeding the ducks is super fun.

Later that same day:



The Kentucky Derby party recap is up at the other blog. Not to miss: pictures of some wicked fine cheese straws.

Coming soon: A Girl and Her Grill, Part Two and Again with the Cheese-Stuffed Hamburgers.

A Girl and Her Grill...Part I - Stuffed Pork Chops with Grilled Asparagus

Hi all! Jeffrey here. I thought I'd try my hand at this blogging thing, so please be patient with me as I work on my first ever post! As you may have read, Keetha decided that she (we, I should say) needed a place to share the things that we cook in the kitchen as well as outside on the grill, so here we are.

Friday night we christened her brand new charcoal grill with a dish that has been a frequent visitor to my grill over the years...with a twist that I hadn't thought of trying before.

We began by deciding on a mutually agreeable stuffing for the pork chops. I've routinely used sausage (various types ranging from smoked venison, beef, or pork to Andouille), boudin, crawfish tails, and rice dressing, all of which tasted wonderful! On this occasion, the stuffing of choice was a spinach and shrimp dip (sort of) placed inside a small slit cut into the heart of a boneless pork loin chop. And if that weren't enough pork fat, we wrapped the entire chop with bacon to keep everything nice and moist!! (I know, I know...all I can say in my defense is that when it comes to pork fat, the more the merrier!)

Spinach and Shrimp Dip Stuffing

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 envelope Knorr vegetable recipe mix
1/4 pound cooked peeled shrimp (20 to 25/lb count)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (I'm sure you could use reduced- or no-fat. Um, we didn't.)
couple of tablespoons of sour cream
1/4 cup or thereabouts freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Beat the cream cheese in a bowl of a mixer, adding some sour cream to thin it out a bit. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Most likely better made the night before, although we didn't. You'll have leftovers, which go perfectly with crackers.

Stuffed Pork Chops

2-1 1/2" thick boneless pork loin chops

worcestershire to taste

Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste

Approximately 1/4 cup of freshly chopped parsley

2 sprigs of freshly chopped rosemary

6 slices of bacon (we used Wright's Pepper Bacon)

Cut a small slit in the chop side oppisite of the fat layer. Cut deeply, but be careful not to cut all the way through to the other side. You just want to create a pocket similar to pita bread. Stuff as much stuffing as will fit inside the slit and press firmly.

Wrap the stuffed side with 2 slices of bacon so that the entire chop is circled with bacon, and if that weren't enough...wrap 1 more slice of bacon across the chop in the opposite direction.


Add worcestershire sauce (we prefer Lea & Perrins) & Montreal Steak seasoning to taste on both sides of the chop. Finally, add the chopped parsley and rosemary to both sides of the chop, and this my friends, is what I would consider to be a beautiful sight!

After preparing the above "ingredients", we progressed outside to prepare the grill for cooking! Now, I must digress just a moment to say that The Lady had been told by well-meaning family and friends to not purchase a charcoal grill...it would be "too much trouble" and "too hard" to get just right for cooking. Well...

BEHOLD THE FIRE THAT KEETHA BUILT!!!!! (with just a tiny bit of coaching I might add) :-)

Then it was just a matter of reclining in our favorite lawn chairs (honestly, I just don't know any more Southern a term for chairs out on the lawn, or yard as we lovingly refer to them down here!) with beverage of choice and waiting for the coals to burn themselves down to a nice ashy white color for cooking. But wait, it's not quite time for those chops to be tenderly placed on the grill just yet. No true Southern grilling would be complete without first seasoning the grill with a nice appetizer. We decided on grilled boudin complete with a nice selection of Edam and cheddar cheeses.

Yes, my dear reader, it's FINALLY time! Once the boudin was removed from the grill and plated for enjoying in front of the grill with another beverage of choice, we placed the stuffed pork chops on the grill, slightly off center for a nice indirect cooking.

After the boudin and cheese were casually consumed (actually they were ravenously devoured...we were getting rather hungry by this point!), we moved back into the kitchen to prepare the asparagus.

We simply used these ingredients... a nice olive oil fortified with rosemary, thyme, garlic, and other tasty treats, worcestershire, and Montreal Steak seasoning (anyone picking up a pattern here?)

When the chops were getting close to being done, we placed the asparagus on the grill atop a grilling pan. This would be a small foil pan similar to a cookie sheet, but had perforations in the bottom to allow the charcoal to add a nice smokey flavor to them. The asparagus only needed roughly 5-7 minutes and they were done. Nice and tender with just a hint of crunch...al dente` if you will.

And this is what we ended up with after fixing a small accompanying Salad (Keetha & I chose wine & cheese dressing this time for a different take on The Salad). This was paired with a very nice Pinot noir (hey, give us a break! We're new to this wine thing so we just drink what we like! Ha!). Oh, I almost forgot about the bread. You may have remembered reading about it here.



After time spent enjoying our creation while engaged in great conversation, we retired back to the aforementioned lawn chairs around the grill to enjoy a civilized nightcap...(who could stand dessert after all that food we just scarfed down!) The dishes could wait for later!!!

So that, in a nutshell, was Keetha's and my evening. Stay tuned for the next installment of "A Girl and Her Grill" where we'll be enjoying....... (now you don't think I'd let the cat out of the bag that easily do you?!?)

Y'ALL COME BACK NOW, YA HEAR!!!

PS... I'd be rather wrong if I didn't acknowledge Keetha's assistance with this post.... THANKS KIDDO!!!!

The Salad

It’s not called The Salad because I think it’s the salad to end all salads (actually, I do kind of think that but that’s not why I call it that). It’s because we almost always have this salad with every meal. Calling it The Salad is shorthand. Generally it’s just, “Do you want salad?” and we both know what we’re talking about.

Start with whatever kind of lettuce you like. I prefer a mix of romaine and spinach and who cares what other mixed greens, as long as their color is rich and deep. You could add chopped broccoli, leftover roasted asparagus – whatever you like and have on hand.

Next, cheese, preferably Edam. If not, sharp cheddar. Just a bit grated over the top.

Then either chow mein noodles or croutons, if you like.

If we have pecans or walnuts on hand, those go in there, too. I like to toast them first but that’s not strictly necessary.

This part is what defines The Salad: The dressing.

First up, Honey Dijon Vinaigrette. It’s divine – simple and excellent.

Then you also have Wine and Cheese. I don’t know that it tastes all that much like either wine or cheese but whatever. It’s good.

There you have it. The Salad. Basically, it hinges on A) Good greens, whatever your personal preference, and B) Your dressing of choice.

Naturally, there are any number of variations on The Salad. Like a couple of weeks ago, Jeffrey made a Sunday night meal of A Big Salad, with the greens, Edam cheese, shredded chicken, pecans, fresh cooked bacon, and croutons, dressed with Wine and Cheese dressing. It was an excellent Sunday evening supper, particularly following the big dinner we’d had: honey baked ham, hash brown potato casserole, carrot soufflé, and seven layer salad.