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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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