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Quick Bites – The phrase Oldies But Goodies takes on a whole new meaning with these 25 Indulgent Depression-Era Desserts. Think – Sugar Cream Pie, Potato Donuts, Shoo Fly Pie, Chocolate Mayo Cake, Poor Man’s Cookies, Frozen Fruit Salad, Biscuits with Chocolate Gravy, and all the rest that could keep the sweet tooth happy even in the leanest of times. 
Insomnia? Could your midnight snack be the perp? Clean Plates indicts these Worst Foods to Eat Before Bedtime Well this could be a fun project for the news year. “Michelin-star chefs share 7 easy dinners that take almost no prep.” All the perks are right in the title.
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Shopping Finds – Came across this book on the way to something else on Amazon. “A Year Without the 
Grocery Store: A Step-by-Step Guide to Acquiring, Organizing, and Cooking Food Storage.” OK, title seems somehow odd, but the promise is quite appealing – knowing “you will always have plenty of food” {shopped in advance?} with this technique they say can be accomplished in 15 minutes a day or less. It rates 4 1/2 stars. Care and coziness and convenience! Dennis Weaver at Prepared Pantry says this about slice and bake cookies – “You can make up three or four different batches, form the “logs” and put them in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. When friends come over {or to deliver to someone who’s quarantined}, slice up a half log and bake them. You’ll have warm cookies in 15 minutes.” Click the link to see their offerings.
Also, CS Designed, Zazzle-crafted “Ice Cream Ice Cream Ice Cream/everything else” mug {with ice cream cones right in the words} – see it on the Zazzle page or preview on our CS page
{also see our ice cream tip just below}
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Kitchen Talk – All it took was a package of pine nuts {purchased for the butternut/polenta feature} to take me back to one of the best and most simple pasta dishes I’ve ever had, taught by an old school grandma, owner
of a house-style Italian restaurant in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. It’s just this – cooked pasta, diced fresh tomatoes, raisins, pine nuts, and a last minute addition of broccoli florets, all tossed in garlic butter. And here it is. And came across something that immediately moved into a high spot on the to-make list – sweet potato bread pudding with pecan praline sauce, found in Eating Well magazine. Report to follow. Oh, oh, you’re ready for the ice cream and it’s like a concrete building block? Saw this in Cooks Illustrated – warm a sharp knife under hot water and make cuts both ways across the surface, then serve up with a scoop that’s likewise been warmed. Voila!
On the Table
Feature – Trisha Yearwood’s Deconstructed Tamales – pulled pork & cheese grits & more
Yearwood’s work ethic is more like a “play ethic.” And maybe one of the reasons her dishes are so satisfying is that she clearly has so much fun making them. This tamale makeover is a perfect example.
It starts with fried cheesy grits cakes. Then Mexi-seasoned pulled pork. And then on with the corn salsa, sour cream, green onions and cilantro.
Now in the demo that accompanies the recipe, when the dish is served Trisha tells her guest to be sure to get some of everything on the fork. That prompted me to think a little differently about the “assembly.”
First, the thick and creamy grits right from the pot rather than chilling and frying, which lets them spread out on the plate. Then the pork in a thinner layer {though her piled high version is definitely more Instagram-ish}, then the toppings strewn far and wide.
Do you see how this works? Fork at the perimeter, glide path to the center, and voila! an “everything” bite. And I’m very glad she said this because you really do want all those flavors and textures to arrive as a tasty team.
Recipe Notes – Given the high heat, I added the garlic for about the last minute of cooking. Also, did not use oil in the second step of cooking the pork, though it indeed might give the seasonings a little extra kick. Avocados make a great accompaniment. And, any leftover pulled pork makes a mighty fine sandwich or tortilla wrap.
Substitutions if needed – I’ve used all different kinds of cheese in grits with good results, and in this case stirred in cheddar jack.
Next week – No-bake chocolate peanut butter cheesecake
Recipe ♦ Trisha Yearwood Cookbooks
Have a cuppa in Alexa’s room – recipes & more
You don’t have to have an Amazon Echo Show to tap into the particular tidbits we’ve linked below, drawn from its vast 
culinary bounty.
Just pour a cup and let’s talk food with Alexa. We also show the actual requests for those who are Echo owners, who should also note that in many cases she guides you step by step through the recipes.
Alexa says request: How do I make Upside Down Banana Bread? Oh my, this steals a march from pineapple upside down cake to bring a new dimension to realm of banana bread. Butter and brown sugar join forces to make caramel which goes in the bottom of the pan. Then banana slices. The banana-intensive banana bread. Bake, flip, dive in. Think this recipe from Tasty could be a keeper.
Alexa says request: How do I make General Tso’s Chicken? If you’re like me you are quite intrigued by this rather sassy mix of ingredients that deliver sweet and sour, spicy and mild, soft and crunchy. I’ve yet to ever venture making this dish, but given the ratings for the particular recipe from Epicurious, it just might be time.
Alexa says request: How do I make scalloped potatoes? I’m guessing most of us already have a recipe for this dish. But when it came up on the screen, it sure as heck didn’t look like any of the preps I’d seen, though the title told us why – this was a Scalloped Potato Loaf. A whole lot of other groceries got in on the act, including onions, ground beef, tomatoes, mozzarella, and seasonings. Demo too. This sure looks to be another winner from Tasty.
And an unexpected thing we found that Alexa can do – take photos
Would you like your own Echo Show?
Boundless information, music, movies, tv shows, videos, health tips & news, entertainment news, national news, local news, sports, weather, timer, alarm, reminders, Amazon delivery notifications, alerts, security camera connection . . . and food, food, food, all on an interactive screen.
You can browse all the styles here on this Amazon page
Cocktail Hour Buzz 
Sundowner snacks, drinks, talk – whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you
♦ What a cool {hot!} idea. Thanks to Eating Well magazine for this bit of perfection for the Valentine table – a “Boozy Hot Chocolate Board.” They even serve up a recipe for the hot chocolate, with an optional spike of Kahlua or Bailey’s. Then what makes it holiday-special is the Board, holding such toppings as candy, cookies, marshmallows, cinnamon sticks and more. The rest of the story right here {note site shows as not secure}.
♦ Nothing wrong with a classic martini, in fact well made it’s a mixology work of art. But those who have already ventured a bit beyond tradition with say a dirty tini might like to kick things up with my new addiction – peppertinis, best with jalapeno juice but also good with a splash from pepperoncinis or sport peppers.
♦ Still have some turkey in the freezer? Celeb chef Charlie Palmer suggests creating a hardy game day party snack by turning it into a birdy version of the classic French sandwich, croque monsieur, tucking in turkey instead of ham {though kinda looks like ham in the pic unless that’s smoked turkey}. He also colored outside the lines by adding a layer of pickles, though the shine on the bread would indicate he retained the traditional béchamel sauce. Extra points for topping with a fried egg and thus transforming it into a croque madame.
♦ Tasty repurposing. CooksSalon Tasting Panel member Debbie Vinson had a cup of cider vinegar glaze left over from the salmon recipe we’d featured {10.30.20 Salon} and used it in a happy merger with pork butt. After browning the meat in oil in a heavy skillet over high heat she added a bit of water, then the glaze, and let it all simmer for a couple of hours. When the pork was meltingly tender, she removed it from the pan, pulled it apart, then poured over the cidery juices. “It was wonderful.”
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07.17.20, Food Tips for Our Times
05.13.20, Featured Recipe
04.03.20, My Week
07.17.20, Featured Recipe
right in your bread? And just 3 ingredients. In the original sojourn I used French vanilla, then played with some variations. The result is sweeter than bread, less sweet than cake, with a texture kind of between French bread and pound cake. Those subsequent variations – 
10.02.20, Featured Recipe
06.19.20, Featured Recipe 
snacks made with cheese. These minis sounded so good, and then tasted as good as they sounded. Pretty easy too. One of the others that’s now high up on our to-make list is the Filled Parmesan Baskets, and then maybe the Stuffed Artichoke Hearts. If you would like to see the other snacks and their recipe links, just click on the 11.20.20 above. All are from AllRecipes, and there’s demos too. 
09.18.20, Featured Recipe
10.09.20, Featured Recipe
these rich bars have been on celebratory tables in Canada. Rich, yeah! A chocolately, nutty, graham cracker crust, topped with amped up butter cream frosting, topped with a kind of ganache where the cream is replaced by butter. Indulgent! Even so, I played with an alternate, “NaNaNo Bars,” – a bit less complicated, a bit less crumbly, and a bit less sweet, maybe more creamy. You can see details of this version if you want in the 10.09.20 Salon. 
10.30.20
11.13.20
07.17.20
11.13.20
05.22.20
In a party mood? Even if it’s just hanging with the householders, you can still dress the part with CS’ very own Party Party Party {then everything else} 
reaching beyond the Mex bowl {
marshmallow cream just as it comes from the jar, and hazelnut spread mixed with powdered sugar as for the almond butter.
adding serious flavor to any cut of meat,” later noting it can also transform mashed potatoes. There’s a link to the source but it’s incorrect – use this instead, 
with an unexpected ingredient – butternut squash. This 
and found a good home for it in a grilled cheese & tomato sandwich. A really good home. 
favorite chef, Nick Stellino, and the only major difference between my version and that one is that his is a souffle and mine isn’t, and then there are some minor variations in seasoning amounts.
stuffing as the crust, even better maybe on a turkey pot pie, or make the whole thing as a casserole. 
featured in our 
It comes from the Food Network host I mentioned previously, whose treasure of a show is Delicious Miss Brown. I just love about everything she makes, and pretty sure this will be no exception.
Every year the creators of the WFC (MMA Creative) put on qualifying events to create entry opportunities for foodies to win. In doing so, the winning competitor then secures a spot in the big show – The World Food Championships! It’s t
succulent beef short rib is nestled in soft, cheesy jalapeno grits and turns magical when topped with criollo bacon jam. It’s a fiesta for your taste buds.
The short answer is – YES! Not everyone can have a grill outdoors, so I say, get it where you can. A good ventilation system is always helpful, but you can still produce great food on an indoor grill nevertheless. I am a huge fan of gas-powered kitchen equipment, as they tend to have the most consistent cooking capabilities. However, electric is perfectly fine too. Just look for something that is heavy duty and has the highest btu output. This will help when it comes to heat retention and recovery.
waffle, yep, did the same with this bread. And what was so nice even before the butter and syrup, it had all the good flavors of the ice cream bread. 
07.31.20 Salon
prepping. But lo and behold the emporium’s site has a whole lot of recipes.
raw veggies, corn on the cob, tacos, etc, etc, etc. Now I’ve discovered how perfect it is as the rimmer for a bloody mary. Doesn’t hurt to stir some in too! My market carries Tajin but if yours doesn’t and you want to try it 
c74abc
base topped with smashed avocado, tomato, Mex onions, black olives, jack shreds, sour cream, cilantro and hot sauce {shown}. 
squash with Indian spices, baked butternut squash with cheese polenta, winter squash with gruyere gratin, savory ricotta squash tart, acorn squash saltimbocca. {thanks to 
how many 
another way I like to use that pan, and that’s to freeze {covered} individual portions of various items, in the case here cooked macaroni. Also good for rice, cooked shrimp, stuffing, frozen veggies, cooked veggies, e.g. Just be sure to treat the cups with non-stick spray so the food can be popped out and into a freezer bag. 
And so I was drawn magnet-style to this quesadilla {OK, the bacon helped}. That bacon plus homemade hash browns join onion and peppers and cheese in a tasty tortilla stack, topped with a nice fried egg, fresh tomato salsa, and chopped chives.
tastes and textures. And some of the combos replace some of the cheese with, e.g., crackers, sausages and jarred items that have a longer shelf life. There’s a huge selection on Amazon and you can narrow your search to find one that’s just right. 
adding some crunchy magic to veggie salad and potato soup. In the linked Food Network recipe the 
croutons actually top a smooth sweet potato parsnip soup. 
pretty traditional in this dish. Ree Drummond achieves that nicely with roasted red peppers and sliced pepperoncini.