Breakfast for Supper

by DBPSmith on Wikimedia

Although I have cooked a couple of times this week, breakfast for supper wasn't done by me. I was invited to my landlord's for supper on Tuesday and they were having dried beef gravy with toast (aka creamed chipped beef or SOS). I love dried beef gravy, so I accepted the invite. I had my gravy in a bowl and dunked my toast rather than soaking my toast under the gravy. I like the combination of the toasty crunch of the bread with the thick sauciness of the gravy.


My friend who made the kedgeree the other day was there and decided in the middle of us getting our food that he would make another batch of kedgeree. Kedgeree is a British breakfast dish that consists of smoked fish boiled with the water used to cook the Basmati rice that goes in the dish all of which is blended together with diced cooked onions and boiled eggs, curry powder (or garam masala), cumin and turmeric. The first time he made it, he didn't get all the bones out of the fish, so the pleasure of eating was ruined by the concern over when the next piece of bone would appear in my mouth. And, there was just a bit too much heat the first time because he put a bit more garam masala in that it called for. So, he decided the night I was there eating another breakfast dish for supper to make another batch of kedgeree. Don't ask because I can tell you I don't have the answer. All I can say is that the second batch was far superior to the first batch. And, he hadn't even used smoked fish. He bought boneless whiting and made it with that and used the proper amount of garam masala. It was delicious! Of course, I was a bit too full when I left the house that night since I had eaten two different dishes (the "some" he gave me to try was a bowlful!) The curry flavor was obvious, it wasn't fishy, there were no bones, it didn't taste "eggy" (which is good because I detest hard boiled eggs) and the cumin and turmeric added just enough smoky flavor that I didn't know he didn't use smoked fish until after I'd eaten it.

Image from RecipeKey.com

But, just so you know, I have cooked this week, even if it wasn't much. I made scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa on Monday for breakfast, grilled cheese for supper using shredded cheese I had on hand (no sliced cheese on hand) and then apple-cinnamon oatmeal pancakes for breakfast this morning. I want to share with you that adding fiber to your pancakes is so easy! And, heart healthy, too. The thing I like is that the texture of the pancakes doesn't change at all. They're still the light and fluffy pancakes you would expect to get from a mix (I use the complete kind of mix - just add water), but they get an added element of fiber and oats when I add the dry oatmeal (or in this case, Irish porridge). I don't do anything special - I just mix the oats in with the mix and cinnamon before adding water. So, it's a great way to "sneak" added fiber and nutrition into pancakes for your family. Unless they see you making them, they won't know.

Dancing On The Big Screen

Written by my friend Otis Buckley

When it comes to watching television on my expertsatellite.com, there is one show I wait all season for. The program "So You Think You Can Dance" is a favorite of mine and keeps me on the edge of my seat every week. I think deep down I must be jealous of just how good these kids are. I love music and love to dance, so this is a natural for me. Unfortunately, at my age I can only dream what it must be like to be on that stage. Every week the dancers improve, to the point you would certainly think they are professionals. The costumes are fabulous, as well as the make-up. I wish I could say I always agree with the judges, but most of the time I believe they are wrong and expect way to much of such young kids. Their criticism is helpful, I'm sure, but it can be a little hurtful at times, which can sway the way the viewers vote. You begin to be familiar with the dancers and can see them dancing on other reality shows, as well in some movies. If you love music and dancing, you must try and watch this show when it airs this coming season. You may find yourself waiting impatiently for the next week.

Lack of Motivation Keeps Me Wordless

Wow. I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted here. I haven't wanted to cook and because of that I haven't written anything. This lack of motivation hasn't really let up. I'm sure part of it is because I hate cooking for just me. My daughter rarely eats what I make or doesn't come home in time for dinner. I don't like putting out the effort to make something no one will eat, or not eat much of.


But, I have eaten. And, I've enjoyed what I ate.


We wanted to go to Red Lobster for their $15 four-course special, but there were so many people there that they were standing outside waiting for their numbers to be called. That's not for me. So, we went to Don Pablo's Tex-Mex instead. I usually have something traditionally Mexican, but this time I went for one of their Texas barbecue choices. I got their half-slab of ribs and the grilled chicken breast. They were delicious!! Lots of meat on the rib bones and juicy and tender boneless chicken. I might opt out of the BBQ beans next time because they were not quite what I expected, but everything else was great.


Then I had the opportunity to go to Texas Roadhouse. I swear, I died and went to heaven that night!! I had the pulled pork and grilled chicken combo. The chicken breast was butterflied (about twice the size of what I'd had at Don Pablo's) and slathered in a rich, spicy BBQ sauce. The pulled pork was tender, smoky and saturated in the same sauce. I had the option of two sides, so I chose salad and a baked sweet potato. All this for the same price Don Pablo's charged me for the meal I had there. The salad was crisp and fresh, but I was disappointed with the ranch dressing. It was very sour-creamy, as though it had been thinned too much with buttermilk. Otherwise, it was a very nice salad with shredded cheese, chopped hard boiled egg and croutons. The baked potato came with cinnamon butter and brown sugar, but I only used the cinnamon butter. The potato was so perfectly cooked there was nothing left but the skin when I was done. 

We also had their Cactus Blossum (their version of a Bloomin' Onion) and it was delicious! I had plenty of leftovers to bring home. I only ate half of the chicken, half of the ribs and a small portion of the onion to bring with me. Their rolls are also delicious, too, and come out fresh every 15 minutes. So soft with honey butter to put on them, they're wonderful!!


A couple days ago, we went to Bassett's Memphis BBQ that just opened near us. I had pulled brisket and pulled pork with macaroni and cheese and collard greens. The macaroni and cheese and the collard greens were outstanding! I love collards cooked like they cook them. I'll take them any day over spinach. The meats were smoky and tender with loads of spicy BBQ sauce and more on the table if we wanted it. The meal was just about as heavenly as the one I'd had at Texas Roadhouse.


Then there's tonight. Again, I wasn't in the mood to cook. But, this time, my guy friend cooked for me. He'd been wanting to make Kedgeree for a while now. It didn't sound too appealing to me, but I reserved judgment until tasting it since it contained Basmati rice (I love it), garam masala (I love it, too), smoked fish (never had it - couldn't pass judgment) and hard boiled eggs (I don't love them at all). It actually wasn't half bad. Even with the eggs in it - the flavor of the eggs wasn't noticeable and the fish having been smoked didn't taste fishy. But, there were bones and that really detracted from the pleasures of eating it for me. I had to be on constant alert to make sure I didn't swallow any fish bones. If there was a way to make it with boneless smoked fish, I'm sure I'd enjoy it a whole lot more.

Dinner at Don Pablo's

It was my turn to treat my friend to dinner and I had chosen Red Lobster. It had been years since we'd been there and their $15 for four courses was a definite attraction. I wanted to go. So, off we went, knowing full well it was Saturday, but hoping that we were early enough to beat the dinner rush.


OMG!! There were people standing OUTSIDE waiting to get in! Sorry, but that's not for us. We had tentatively decided to get barbecue if Red Lobster was crazy busy, but the BBQ place was about five miles away and we still had to go to PetSmart to get our babies food. Since PetSmart was where we were, we decided to pick another place to eat.


The area where we were is lousy with eating establishments (to use a colloquial term), so we had a wide array of choices. We opted for Don Pablo's since we both love Mexican food (and I knew I could get Sangria for cheap). 


It's funny that I'd never noticed the barbecue options on the Don Pablo's menu before, but last night I did. And, that's what I decided to get. Tom decided to change his usual ordering pattern as well by ordering carnitas.


I ordered the "Texas Two Step", a plate full of Rio Grande ribs and a mesquite grilled chicken breast, both slathered with barbecue sauce, sharing a large platter with Mexican rice and smoky beans. The ribs were surprisingly meaty. I say surprisingly because I had ribs once at Applebees that were almost entirely bone with barely enough meat to hold the bones together. But, Don Pablo's ribs had plenty of meat on them. The chicken was tender, moist and left me wanting more. The ribs were also very good, but I was full by the time I got to them. I even shared one with Tom and still brought a couple home to enjoy today. 


Tom's carnitas turned out to be pulled pork without BBQ sauce and were accompanied by soft flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, guacamole and sour cream. He'd opted out of the pico de gallo. I tasted a piece of his pork and it was delicious and tender. It wasn't long before his plate was empty.


Although the barbecue sauce they used wasn't as full-flavored as I'd have had at the barbecue place we'd considered, it was still delicious and satisfying. I'm glad we went.

Still No Chicken Cooked

See? I told you I shouldn't have said anything about planning to cook chicken. I ought to know better.


That said, you know darned well I haven't gone without eating. I've been enjoying Chocolate Malt-o-Meal hot cereal. I first discovered this wonderfully tasty cream of wheat product when I moved to Utah. It's still pretty hard to find here in New Jersey, but when I do, I grab it.


I've also eaten out a couple of times. One night I ate at the Happy Buffet with my friend Tom. It's always pretty good, but I was hesitant because the two times before that, I had some unpleasant after effects. But, I decided to avoid two of the items I suspected were involved and learned that I was right about them. Nothing untoward took place later that night. It's a shame because I liked both items. I don't know how I knew which things were the culprits, but I did.


Then, I went to Sonic with my daughter. Well, actually, I went to Chick-fil-A with my daughter and then to Sonic for myself. She ate her Chick-fil-A while I ate my Sonic. I didn't care much for their fries and won't get them again, but I totally enjoyed the "Ring Leader" sandwich and the Coke Zero with sugar-free cherry syrup. I'll either get Tots or Onion Rings the next time. 


Last night we decided to treat ourselves to pizza. We ordered Dominos. They had a coupon for a Specialty pizza for $11.99 with the option of a medium one-topping for $5.00. We do love pizza, so I got both. I personally LOVE the Fiery Hawaiian while my daughter wants plain Hawaiian, so I split the difference and got half of a Hawaiian plain and the other half fiery. OMG! I might leave the jalapenos off, but I think adding that hot sauce just totally MAKES that pizza!! (I know, but I've never been much on conformity.) Of course, I've been eating pizza ever since, but heck! It's good!!!


So, that ends today's post (today being Friday, even though it's just after midnight Saturday). Hopefully, I'll have more to post without too much time passing.

Best Laid Plans

In yesterday's post, I said I would be cooking chicken today because it was going to be a cool day. Well...it WAS a cool day, but I slept half of it away. I don't know why - I just couldn't stay awake. Eventually, though, I did decide to cook and, as is often the case when I make plans in advance, I didn't cook chicken. 

I went rooting to see what we had, thinking we might have a meal "kit" on hand that I could use the chicken with, but instead I found Hamburger Helper Four Cheese Lasagna. I knew I had hamburger in the freezer, so I got a pack out and put it in the microwave to thaw. I also got a can of corn and a can of peas out to add to the dinner along with the meat, noodles and sauce packet. It was far from gourmet, but it met the need and tasted reasonably decent. I added ketchup to mine, but that's a personal thing. 


There is enough left that my daughter can take some to work for lunch and I can have some for breakfast instead of the chocolate Malt-o-Meal I've been eating. But, then, I might still have the Malt-o-Meal and have the Helper for lunch. I'll decide tomorrow.


You know, there's really nothing wrong with Hamburger Helper. It's true that all processed foods (or almost all) are high in sodium, but if you want something quick that tastes fairly decent that you can tweak here and there, it's not a bad way to go. And, there are plenty of off-brands out there that match it pretty well in quality, so it's nice to have a few tucked away for a day when you just have no creative juices flowing. It comes together quick and can be changed up with ground chicken or turkey - or even ham. I'll never turn my back on Hamburger Helper.

I love Checkers!!! (know as Rally's in some areas)

I love Checkers. Part of it is because they're the cheapest fast food around. But, if they weren't good, I wouldn't go back, so the rest of it is because I really like what I get there. 


I haven't been there for a while, but tonight I was able to get a Spicy Chicken Combo. I love their Spicy Chicken. It's not huge in size, but it's huge in taste. There's no ignoring the fact that it's spicy, either. It's wonderful! I always eat the fries first, though. I like their fries, too. But, once I'm done the fries, I'm ready to dig into that tasty sandwich. It's not a huge piece of chicken, but there's enough of it to get some in every bite. I do wish they had a larger one, but I really don't need a larger one.


Other than having some oatmeal pancakes for lunch (I am really liking them - I add oats to my pancake batter and some cinnamon and they're DEELISH!), I haven't done much in the way of cooking. I think, though, I'm going to make something with chicken tomorrow (or is that today - it's after midnight). I have two containers of chicken broth frozen plus plenty of chicken quarters, so I might try again for some creamed chicken or I might actually break down and make some potpie (no, not the kind with a crust). 


I think I'd better do something while the temps are down here because I know I won't want to be in the kitchen when it gets hot again. Knowing me the way I know me, I won't know what I'm doing until I start to do it. I'm not a big fan of pre-planning! It drove my mother crazy when she'd ask, at breakfast, what I was planning for supper and I'd say I didn't know. It drove ME crazy that she needed to know at breakfast! LOL 


However it turns out, I'll let y'all know. That's part of the fun in coming here. Until then....

Jersey Girl's Italian Pork Gravy - A Great and Easy Recipe

I tried a new recipe today. I can't remember what I was doing when I found it, but I know that the blog's title drew me in. A Jersey Girl Cooks. That got my attention because, you see, I'm a Jersey Girl,too. I have fine-tuned it a bit geographically. My other blog is called A South Jersey Girl Writes. That's where I post my writing efforts that aren't food related. So, I just had to take a look at what she had to offer. That's when I found Mama's Sunday Pork Gravy. 


It looked fantastic and oh so easy (something very important to me, of course, being the lazy cook that I am). I have never been able to make a decent pasta sauce from scratch. I could "doctor" the jarred stuff, but without it, my efforts were lacking significantly. Initially, I thought I'd use a couple of my chicken leg quarters, but then I remembered some pork chops I had in the freezer. I thawed them and this afternoon, I began to make this recipe. I'm so glad I did.

Lisa's end result

The recipe calls for one can of crushed tomatoes and one can of tomato puree. I didn't have it, but I did have two cans of crushed tomatoes, so I used both of them. Instead of six cloves of garlic, I used three teaspoons of garlic juice. I didn't have onion powder, so I used dried minced onions instead. So, I was as true to the recipe as I could be and it turned out really well.

My end result, not as dark and rich

The pork chops provided additional flavor and depth to the sauce (or gravy, as Lisa calls it in her blog. I like her explanation - gravy contains meat or is meat based while sauces do not). I may have used a bit too much red wine in de-glazing the pan, but the sauce (er, gravy) still turned out wonderful. The meat was tender and fell off the bone. The cats, of course, were thrilled to have the bone when I was done. I can definitely say that this is a recipe I will be using again!

Meals at Midnight

That's right. You don't have to be a college student to decide to cook dinner at midnight (or just past, in our case). I just didn't feel like cooking yesterday and my daughter had a date, so she wasn't here to eat. But, when she got home from the movies, she asked if I had made anything because she was hungry (apparently, the date didn't include dinner). 


I had thawed a pound of hamburger, but when it's hot and humid, I'm not always anxious to go into the kitchen to work on a meal. So, we will "graze" rather than dine. But, by midnight, it had cooled some, so I offered to make some hamburgers (which I have been craving for a while). Or spaghetti and meat sauce. But, she wanted green beans and tomato sauce. I knew we only had a single can of tomato sauce which wouldn't be enough for this very simple, yet tasty, meal. 

She went to the pantry and pulled out that can and a can of diced tomatoes and two cans of French style green beans and I went to work. I browned the beef, then added the drained green beans followed by the tomato sauce and tomatoes. We usually serve this with fried potatoes, so I quickly cooked up some frozen French fries to go with.


I prefer this with straight tomato sauce, but it wasn't bad. My personal tastes are to use a single can of beans with their liquid plus ground beef and at least one can of tomato sauce. But, my daughter is a huge fan of French style green beans, so we got a double helping. Season to your taste - we added fresh ground salt and pepper. 


Although it was late, it was just what we both were looking for. Something a bit more substantial than tuna or peanut butter, yet reasonably healthy. Yeah, it was late, but heck - you're only young once (well, I can dream, can't I?)

Meatloaf - a Successful & Delicious Effort

I made meatloaf for supper tonight. It turned out pretty good. The last time I made it, although it tasted decent, it fell apart because I had put too much liquid in it. This time, I backed off on the liquid and I think I did good.


Since there are only two of us in the house, I only used a pound of meat. To that I added diced bell peppers and onions, two slices of bread and some Kozlowski Farms Spicy Mexican fat-free salad dressing I picked up at Ross's. I didn't measure. I eye-balled it after leaving out the milk, oatmeal and egg that I put in the other one I made a couple weeks back. I also put some ketchup on top and then sprinkled white sugar lightly over the ketchup to make up for not having brown sugar (and to keep it from being too sweet). 

After an hour at 350 (I didn't preheat), it really turned out nice. The bread and the vegetables kept it from just being a big, thick burger and the salad dressing added moisture and flavor (I've used salsa before, too). I've used that salad dressing as marinade, too, and hope I can find some again. It was even tasty on salad! LOL


I tossed a potato in the microwave to go with my serving, but didn't do any other vegetables. I waited so long to even begin, I was hungrier than I should have been from waiting. I didn't want one more thing to wait for. But, the key to my knowing I'd done well was that my daughter had a second helping. She is not always easy to please. 


I just wish I'd used two pounds - I could sure go for a meatloaf sandwich tomorrow!!

The Challenge is Over

For two straight months, I participated in two separate blogging challenges, posting daily - first in alphabetic order and then in reverse order. During the second challenge, I added a couple more challenges (actually three plus one for writing an article a week - again in alphabetic order) and got a little lost and overwhelmed by what I'd put on my plate (see - a perfect foodie analogy!) But, I finished the daily blog challenge (a day late) and have taken a few days off to rejoice in the temporary lack of mandated posting.

My other blog challenges are posted on my sister blog, A South Jersey Girl Writes. I still have to write my blog post for one of those challenges. It is due no later than tomorrow. Another is due on Monday. Thankfully, they're each one per week, so once I'm caught up, I should have little difficulty keeping up. I've also begun writing news articles for Gather. Their requirement is eight per month - two per week. I got seven in last month. I hope to make the minimum this month. One is done - seven to go.


I've been out to dinner a few times since the Memorial Day weekend began. It's been nice to get away after a few weeks of going nowhere. The first outing was to the Elgin Diner. I posted about that as one of my reverse alpha postings. Then, I went to the Colonial Diner where I enjoyed "The Big Pig". That was a pulled pork sandwich topped with crispy bacon, cheddar cheese and five huge onion rings. It also came with French Fries. They also had a wonderful seafood bisque on the menu that I enjoyed.


Then I went to the local Chinese buffet and ate WAY too much for my comfort. But, I still enjoyed it (until later that night, of course). Pizza, General Tso chicken, stuffed shrimp, sweet n sour chicken, Wonton soup, fried rice, and my first fresh papaya in years! I thoroughly enjoyed that papaya.


Last night, we went to the Colonial Diner again and this time I ordered the meatloaf with potato pancakes and applesauce. It came with soup or salad plus dessert. I had salad, three good-sized slices of meat loaf, two potato pancakes and a small plate full of applesauce. I've had far better meatloaf. I was very disappointed in that, but the potato pancakes and applesauce were very good. My cats enjoyed the last slice of meatloaf, though. They were very happy cats!


Tonight, though, we went to Gagan Palace, an Indian buffet in Stratford, about eight miles away, if that. They had goat curry and lamb Do-Pyazza plus chicken tikka masala, aloo & chana (potatoes and chickpeas) plus several other vegetarian choices (including Palak Paneer, a spinach and cheese cube dish). Of course, the naan was plentiful (a flat bread baked in the Tandoor oven). And this time, I tried the Sambhar soup - a VERY spicy vegetable soup whose heat quotient was so high I couldn't taste it after the first spoonful. So, I didn't finish that one. The little bit I did taste was actually pretty good, but it was far too hot for me to eat again. I finished up with some fresh watermelon and mixed fruit in a fruit sauce that tasted a lot like mango. The fruit was obviously fresh, so I can only guess that they make it themselves. I didn't eat any goat because none of the pieces was bone-free. The lamb was delicious as was the chicken. I also enjoy the Navarattan Korma, a blend of nine vegetables in a creamy sauce. Basmati rice with peas is also on the menu and a must with the saucy selections offered. Despite the searing heat of the spice-laden soup, I enjoyed my meal.


I plan on making dinner tomorrow night, so hopefully I'll be back with news about that.


Time for Caturday!!


Cats of the past.

This is Pepper. She is Chloe's mama.

This is Johnny being held by my daughter when she was around eight.

This is beautiful Chelsea. RIP 1980

             

Atlantic City Southern Cuisine = Deliciousness!!

Tonight (Wednesday), I was treated to dinner in Atlantic City at a restaurant I hadn't heard of before. We went to Redding's Ultimate Southern Cuisine on Pacific Avenue about three blocks north of Caesar's Casino and a block west of the famous boardwalk. I can tell you right now, it was DELICIOUS!!


My dining companion ordered the fried chicken with macaroni and cheese and 4-green stew (collard, mustard, turnip and cabbage). I had the fried catfish with the same sides. We both ordered the Southwest chicken soup (the soup of the day) and were brought a basket full of some of the best cornbread I've ever had.


When our dinners arrived, our plates were filled to overflowing with food. He said that his chicken was excellent, crispy and juicy. My fish was perfectly done with a light, flaky crust that didn't overpower the fish and allowed the catfish to remain moist and tender. The macaroni and cheese was some of the best I've had in a very long time, cheesy without being purely cheese, yet not straight sauce, either. I don't know that I can describe it adequately. The greens were excellent. I've never had mustard greens before, but there's no way I could tell you if they were in there or not. They all came together as a single unit - not even the cabbage stood out. I would eat this any day over spinach. I did add butter to mine, but I add butter to all vegetables. 


The soup was the most disappointing thing we had. It was mostly broth, not heavily seasoned - really, not much seasoning at all. There wasn't much hint of it being a Southwest recipe except for the strips of crisp tortilla that were laid on top before it was served. At $5.00 per serving, this was the least value for the price that we had. There wasn't very much in the bowl, which was made to look larger than it was - very wide, but also very shallow. The soup wasn't bad, but it could have been much better. They apparently have a different soup every day, though. This was just one of them.


The cornbread was perfect: just the right amount of sweet, moist, easy to eat with or without butter. And, the iced tea - I haven't had tea that tasted homemade since my mother used to make it. They offered sweet tea, but I opted for unsweetened with Sweet-n-Low. Excellent.


Our surroundings were warehouse-like (high ceilings with exposed beams and ductwork), yet modern in all other aspects. Seating was plentiful and a full-service bar on the far side separated by a tasteful acrylic wall divider to minimize the noise exchange. All in all, I had an amazing meal experience. 


We didn't go to gamble, so we returned home by the original road to the shore just for the ride after having gone down on the Atlantic City Expressway. I had originally balked at driving an hour just for dinner, but I'm glad I did. It was a very nice evening.

Back in the Kitchen Again

As you probably already know, if you know me or have read my blog, cooking is not my favorite activity. It's just not a gene I inherited from my mother who epitomized homemaking. Yet, I've done more cooking or food prep in the last couple of weeks than I have in a long time. I jokingly said on a Facebook post, "What the heck's wrong with me?!?" after a particularly productive day.


I froze just over 10 lbs of chicken leg quarters after buying them at a super bargain price, froze chicken broth created by my friend who was making chicken curry for us one night, froze ham broth from cooking my ham bone with a bag of frozen green beans, froze the beans for later use, then cooked pinto beans using some of the ham for seasoning and froze them, and so on. I made a great bean soup using a container of beans and a container of beef broth, baked a couple of leg quarters for my daughter and, finally last night, boiled another leg quarter with the intention of making creamed chicken today. 


Well, the creamed chicken didn't come to fruition. I just didn't feel like waiting for the crescent roll cups I'd planned to bake, so I decided to make some drop dumplings. I didn't have any baking mix, but I did have some "complete" pancake mix, so I used that. I added some parsley and some poultry seasoning to the dry mix and added water to make the dumplings. I had already pulled the meat off the leg quarter and added peas and corn that were leftover from our baked chicken dinner (normally, I'd use peas and carrots) to the broth I'd made last night to which I also added poultry seasoning, Adobo seasoning, salt, pepper, minced onions and celery. Since the broth was already at a rolling boil, I just dropped forkfuls of the batter (the same fork I mixed it with) into the broth. I meant to thicken the broth as well, but didn't think about it until after the dumplings were nearly cooked. So, I made a quick flour and water slurry and poured that in past the dumplings that I pushed to one side. Stirring to prevent lumps, I then added a lid to make sure the dumplings cooked completely through (I hate dumplings that are dry in the middle).


Although I think the combination of corn and peas made the broth a bit too sweet, it turned out pretty good. More like a thick soup than anything else, but good. The one leg quarter wasn't enough to make the creamed chicken I'd planned, but it was plenty to provide flavor and some meat for this dish. I had two helpings, so I obviously wasn't too disappointed.

R McRayne's Recipes

Thinking of Creamed Chicken Again

Back in March, I posted about the Creamed Chicken that my mother used to make and that I was attempting to reproduce it for dinner. It turned out great. I'm thinking of making it again with a single chicken leg quarter. There's enough skin and fat on that one piece to provide loads of flavor in the broth, but I'm not sure there's enough meat. I'd have to make a much smaller batch.


I also do not make pie crust. Period. It isn't that I haven't tried. It's that what I end up with really can't be called pie crust. It's more like short bread because it crumbles into powder so readily. My mother was the baker, not me. I can make a decent cake if I'm using a tube pan or cupcake papers, but forget anything with layers. So, making the pie crust shells for the creamed chicken just isn't going to happen.


What I'm thinking of doing is opening the crescent rolls I have in the fridge and putting them in the cup cake pan, each one making a 3-cornered "cup". So, it won't hold the filling - I'd end up breaking the crust shell into pieces anyway. I just haven't decided.


No matter what I end up doing, I'm going to cook that leg quarter so I don't lose it. I can decide what to do with the finished product later. 

The Creamed Chicken I made in March

Dining at Midnight (sort of)

Well, actually it's just past 1AM and I haven't left yet. My friend decided to bar hopping with friends in the city, but his brother is hungry as am I, so I am about to leave and will finish this when we're back. Unfortunately, I'm going to miss the episode of Storm Chasers where they actually intercept a tornado. Bah!


Home again and there was more to this than something to eat, unfortunately. But, we did go to one of several 24-hr diners in our area (Colonial Diner) where I had a delicious cup of seafood bisque and one of their pulled pork specials called "The Big Pig". YUM! Mounds of pulled pork on a Kaiser roll topped with crispy bacon, cheddar cheese and onion rings with French fries on the side. I also got a Diet Pepsi which I immediately knocked to the floor with the menu because I never even saw her bring the drinks. Scary, huh?


So, while we were eating, I get a call from my friend (my dining companion's brother) who wants to know where his brother is and can we come get him in Philly because he's had too much to drink. OMG! This is the third time in a month that he's pulled this stunt. I've told him I would never again "rescue" him because he's old enough to be responsible for his own actions. But, no, he calls me over and over again until I give the phone to his brother and then keeps calling to find out if we're done eating, etc. I finally hung up on him telling him to call his own brother since he had his phone number and to leave me alone so I could finish my meal!


His brother tells him we'll be there in 40 minutes (after telling him everything I'd already told him about where we were and what we were doing because he didn't listen the first time). We get done, I pack up the half sandwich and fries I had left and we leave the diner, getting on Rt 295 to go to Philly to pick him up.


We're just about to our exit when my phone rings yet again and he wants to know where we are. When I told him, he tells me he's already on the train from Philly to New Jersey, don't come to Philly. OMG!! WTH??? So, OK - we saved bridge tolls, but will you please stop this craziness? Before we can even get to the next exit to go to the train station, the phone rings AGAIN wanting to know where we are. He is so damned annoying when he drinks. Then a mile later, ANOTHER call wanting to know where we are. I had to holler at him to stop calling, that we were on our way and we would be there. He drives me crazy, this one. Seriously crazy - like I really need to be pushed any further in that direction.


So, at the train station, despite the fact that they are both going to the same destination, the brother drives his car home alone and I drive my friend home in his car and now I have his car at my house. Lunacy!!! What did I do to deserve this?? They say no good deed goes unpunished. What the heck did I do???


So, now I'm home, my friend is in possession of my leftover half sandwich and fries (and a single onion ring), and my cats were beside themselves at the fact that I was out at such an odd hour and only now coming home. All three of them looking out the front windows, pacing back and forth. My unusual behavior apparently got their attention big time.


I'm glad, though, that we have such diners. Big cities have pizza places and the like that are open round the clock, but the suburbs don't usually have that. But, diners in Jersey - they're a special breed. I have to admit, that's one of the things I like about being a Jersey girl.

Colonial Diner, Woodbury, NJ

The Fabulous Elgin Diner - A Bit of the Past in Present Day South Jersey

We parked where the white truck is.

Today I had the pleasure of stepping back into the past when we ate breakfast in the wonderfully maintained Elgin Diner in Camden, New Jersey. It can be found on Mt. Ephraim Avenue just a few blocks from the border of Mt. Ephraim. There was a time when this was the perfect stop on the way to the shore for many people since Mt. Ephraim Avenue becomes the Black Horse Pike which is the original route for most people to Atlantic City. Times changed and things became bleak for Camden in general, but this part of Camden lived on with its proximity to Rt. 130, Lady of Lourdes Hospital, and several state and federal offices across the street. Yet without warning, the diner closed in 2007, despite having been featured on Al Roker's Diner Destinations on the Food Network.

Isn't this great? All original!!

But, new owners decided there was still life left in this 1958 Kullman diner and reopened in early 2010. We immediately went back for breakfast because they were one of the few places that served grits for breakfast. I had come to love grits during one of our brief road trips to Savannah a few years back. Unfortunately, the new owners didn't have grits on the menu - but the breakfast was still good and we were happy to see this wonderful historical gem open for business.

The buffet sits where the free-standing tables are in this photo.

Today, we went back again for their newly instituted breakfast buffet (weekends only). All You Can Eat for $6.99, this breakfast also includes coffee and juice. Up for grabs on the buffet table were scrambled eggs (perfectly done, still moist, not overcooked), potato wedges, hash browns, hash browns with peppers and onions, sausages, scrapple, fried whiting, pancakes, French toast, sausage gravy & biscuits, dried beef gravy and a big bowl of fresh fruit. You could also order (one time) omelets and fried eggs if you wanted plus toast. But, the most pleasant surprise was seeing the big bain marie full of grits!! Hot diggity!! Needless to say, I had that along with my eggs, both gravies and potatoes, cranberry juice and coffee.


The buffet runs from 8AM - 2PM and I plan to return, you can count on that.


I want to thank RetroRoadMap.com for the wonderful photos I've borrowed. They show the diner as it sits today. If they ask me to removed them, I will, but you will find a link in this paragraph to their site so that you can find other retro eateries all across this great country.

Easy Peasy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters

Not too long ago, I bought 10 lbs of chicken leg quarters for $5 at our new local grocery. I packed three to a bag and froze them. I thawed a bag yesterday and got to work on dinner today with two of the three quarters in the bag.


I got out my vintage Pyrex baking dish, got out the chicken and just didn't feel like doing the marinade I had planned. I had wanted to marinate the chicken in sour cream that had been seasoned with a variety of seasonings. So instead, I coated the chicken with the sour cream and then sprinkled the seasonings over the sour cream (I used chili powder, Mrs. Dash's original, paprika, poultry seasoning, Adobo seasoning and salt). Then I covered the dish with foil and put it back in the fridge along with the third quarter I have other plans for.


When it was time to start baking, I got the dish out of the fridge, uncovered it, lightly sprinkled bread crumbs over the now enriched sour cream, poured some chicken broth around the leg quarters and put it in the oven at 350 (with the foil lightly on top). About 15 minutes before taking it out of the oven, I took off the foil and started my sides of peas, corn and microwaved "baked" potatoes. Total baking time (I didn't pre-heat) was about an hour.


Now, I'm not a fan of dark meat, but will eat it. But, this chicken was so moist, so flavorful, so tender, I couldn't believe it was dark meat. I really dug into it. Even my daughter complimented me on it (she's one tough cookie when it comes to being happy with food). The cats were doing everything in their power to be offered pieces, so it must have smelled good to them as well.


The only things I'd do differently the next time is to cut off the excess fat and skin and to leave the foil off for longer so the skin would crisp up really nice. But, as far as flavor is concerned, I'm all about doing chicken this way again in the future. I just wish I'd remembered to take a picture!

Looks like mine but click for recipe

Guillermo’s Fine Italian Cuisine & Guillermo’s on Broadway

Let me introduce you to Guillermo’s restaurant, now open in two locations in Gloucester County, NJ. The first location is situated on the corner of Salina Road and Egg Harbor Rd in Washington Township. They are situated in a small strip mall in one of the fastest growing communities in South Jersey. But, don’t let the strip mall image stop you from trying them.

This is not some pizza joint with hoagies and steak sandwiches. This is a full-blown Italian restaurant that serves top quality Italian dishes such as Salmon Diavolo, Lobster Ravioli in a spinach alfredo sauce, Chicken or Veal Scallopine, a divine sounding Chicken Harrington consisting of sautéed chicken breasts, scallops and fresh asparagus in a light garlic cream sauce over capellini, and the usual pasta dishes served with marinara sauce, meatballs, sausage, Aurora sauce, Alfredo sauce or Carbonara style.

We have eaten at Guillermo’s many times and have never had a bad meal. We usually go for their prix fixe Sunset Menu. All meals on this more limited menu are $12.95 and include soup, salad, garlic bread, entrée and a beverage. Although they don’t serve alcohol, they do allow you to bring your own. If you forget the bottle, there is a liquor store conveniently located a few doors down.

The ambiance of Guillermo’s is definitely upscale without any hint of haughtiness. It’s not a dive, yet you do not have to dress to the nines to dine here. The service has always been fast and attentive. Dishes can be tailored to your tastes (if you don’t like mushrooms, they can be left out of your order). That’s something most restaurants can’t offer.

They recently opened a second location in the small town of Pitman on South Broadway called Guillermo’s on Broadway. They are located directly next to the rescued and refurbished movie theater. The same menus are offered in Pitman as are offered in Washington Township and, despite Pitman being a dry town (no alcohol sales at all), BYOB is permitted. Dinner and a show side by side - who needs dinner theater!!

Huckleberries

Have you ever eaten huckleberries? Have you ever seen them? For years, I thought they were a type of blueberry since they look and taste so much alike. But, they’re not.

When I was beginning my teen years, my friend and I would go into the wooded area behind her house and pick them just to eat. I though it was so cool that these berries were just sitting there, no one wanting them, and we could have as many as we desired. Those days are gone since the area behind her house has since become a township park and the wooded area cut back dramatically to accommodate it. Plus, we’ve both since moved away (I returned), married, divorced (in my case), had children, grandchildren and lost access to both of the homes of our childhoods. Things just aren’t the same.

Part of the confusion lies in the fact that huckleberries are called blueberries in some parts of North America. The blue varieties’ look and taste is similar to that of blueberries. Huckleberries also have a red variety, which makes confusing them a bit more difficult. Another difference is that blueberries have many tiny seeds while huckleberries 10 larger seeds that are very noticeable when eating them. I imagine that the red berries resemble cranberries since all three berries belong to the same plant family, Ericaceae.

Whatever you can do with blueberries, you can do with huckleberries, be it jams, syrups, jellies, pies or cobblers. So, don’t hesitate if someone offers to give you some fresh picked huckleberries.These berries are harder to come by in the marketplace since they are not cultivated like blueberries and cranberries. Their rarity makes them a very special treat indeed. (link to HuckleBuckle in the image)

Indigo

Indigo yarn

Indigo, that color that sits between Blue and Violet on the rainbow spectrum (you all remember Roy G. Biv, don’t you?). That was my first introduction to such an exotic sounding word – Indigo. Elementary school is when we learned that mnemonic technique to help us remember the colors of a rainbow or of light through a prism. It’s a word that has long been a part of my vocabulary (as has the wonderful Crayola colors “burnt umber”, “chartreuse” and “periwinkle”, although I still wonder at times just what “umber” is).

You’re probably more familiar with Indigo than you realize, though. Indigo is the traditional color of blue jeans. A dye that originated in India (see, I told you it was exotic!), indigo is produced using a derivative of the Indigofera plant through oxidation of the amino acid tryptophan. It is the oxidation process that releases the color used for dying cloth.

It was most heavily used in the Mediterranean regions and throughout Asia. Recipes for making dying wool have been found on 7^th Century cuneiform tablets out of Mesopotamia. It increased in popularity in Europe after explorers opened sea routes to trade with India and the Spice Islands, thus avoiding the overland tariffs imposed by Persia and Greece who acted as middlemen in the spice trades.

But, there is something calming about the color of original blue jeans, don’t you think? Something that makes you think “comfort”? I’m always disappointed when I find something I like in the indigo color, be it pants, blouse, purse or something else and the fabric is so synthetic that it feels almost plastic. It’s almost an insult to denim. Polyester pants dyed to look like denims just don’t cut it in my book. It just ain’t right, as some might say.

Indigo-colored foods are popular in the holistic care industry. Some assume that because the color indigo affects our sight and hearing, then eating foods of that color help with treatment of diseases related to eyes, ears and nose. This is something I have a hard time connecting, myself. I understand that dark green, leafy vegetables are high in iron, but eating a specific colored food just because the color is calming seems a bit over the top.

That’s not to say that there aren’t benefits in indigo-colored foods. You have blueberries, plums, eggplants (which actually are more purple), huckleberries, etc. There’s no doubt that these foods are full of antioxidants and great additives to your regular diet. But, to eat them simply because they’re indigo colored (or red or yellow or orange or green) comes off as a bit too Feng Shui for me. How about you?