You might recognize these as Sloppy Joe’s, but when I ran across a wiki article that mentioned that they are also known as Yip Yips I had to go with it. Yip Yips is just way too much fun.

Turns out what I have always called Sloppy Joe’s has a bunch of aliases: Yip Yips in southeast Illinois, Wimpies in northeastern Pennsylvania, and Slushburgers in the midwest. What do they all have in common? Ground beef, ketchup, seasonings, and a big mess. [click to continue…]

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It’s been a great start to the football season, and even though I have been zipping back and forth between the east and west coast the last couple of weeks, I have been able to sit down and catch a couple of games. My only problem with watching football is that I have to catch it in real time. I just can’t get into games saved on the DVR (if it is recorded and the game is over, what’s the point?). This means that I have to watch commercials-and not just any commercials, but commercials of the worst kind: fast food, beer, and certain prescription drugs targeted to older men to make them “feel” better. Ugh.

Most of the time I try and zip out of the room during commercial breaks or occupy myself on the web or with a magazine. But sometimes I just sit there and try to endure, as meatball subs and hot wings dance across the screen. So that’s where I got the inspiration for this post: a Quiznos meatball sub commercial. Sad but true. [click to continue…]

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I have not always been a good friend to leftovers. I tried to treat them right, boxing them up all nice and tucking them safely away in the fridge. Honestly, I’d plan on seeing them again, maybe the next day for lunch or a late-night bite. But things just never seemed to work out. Plans would change, I’d want something different, I don’t know, something more fresh. So I’d blow them off a few times, and then after a few days, they usually got dumped. I know, I know, not the most responsible actions, but I was young and worry-free.

Nowadays, like a penny pinching granny, I try not to waste anything that enters my kitchen. Creative reuse of leftovers is more time efficient, cost efficient, and gives more respect to those who grow, pick, transport, or prepare my meals. I still don’t like to eat the same thing twice, so I usually try to integrate leftovers into sandwiches, salads, soups, or pasta dishes. [click to continue…]

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August is tomato time. Once you’ve tasted an heirloom tomato in the height of its season, you’ll never go back to chomping on those winter imports. An August heirloom offers bright flavors, gentle acidity, and a juicy deliciousness that is out of this world. This is the time of year to break out your fresh tomato recipes. Maybe a Caprese Salad with sliced tomatoes, fresh sliced mozzerella (packed in water), a bit of fresh basil, a splash of balsamic vinegar, and a drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil. It’s perfecto!

Or, you could go with my favorite late-summer snack: the B.L.T. And if you are feeling even more daring, check out Eggs on Sunday and try Amy’s B.L.A.T., which adds a bit of avocado for extra creaminess. With football season approaching, this is going to be my Saturday (college gameday) lunch for the next couple of weeks.

Whatever you do, don’t cook your August heirloom tomatoes (unless you’re canning for the cooler months). They are really at their finest when they are fresh, warmed by the sun, and not refrigerated. If you need some more fresh summer recipes, check out these food blog gems:

Simply Recipes: Homemade Tomato Juice (or the ultimate Bloody Mary)

Lobstersquad: Gazpacho

Bitten: Fresh Tomato Sauce

Kalyn’s Kitchen: Summer Tomato Salad

101 Cookbooks: Heirloom Tomato Tart (o.k. it’s cooked - against my rule, but doesn’t it look good?)

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After last week’s Spotted Pig excursion I spent a lot of time talking burgers with my friends and family. We all agreed that while tuna burgers, turkey burgers and even andouille burgers can be exciting, to achieve true burger bliss it doesn’t get any better than a well-cooked classic cheeseburger.

The basics of the classic cheeseburger are ground beef, bun and cheese - that’s it. It is straightforward, simple and clean. You won’t see any guacamole, chipotle sauce or other fancy fixings on the classic cheeseburger, but maybe a couple of embellishments like ketchup or mayonnaise (or my favorite, a combination of both). To create truly memorable classic cheeseburgers, you have to source the best ingredients and use the best techniques. [click to continue…]

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This past weekend my neighbors were grilling it up with their friends from graduate school (and since they just finished up the spring semester, it was quite a party). As the guests pulled in, I realized that I had completely forgotten about the get-together so I scrambled to throw some bites together. I had just finished re-reading one of my favorite cookbooks, The New Spanish Table, and tapas were on my mind.

In looking over the recipes from The New Spanish Table I was surprised to see how easy some of them were, especially the egg section, which was filled with recipes for deviled eggs and other simple egg dishes. Without much else to bring, I threw together an egg salad spread and crossed my fingers that the dish would go over ok with the guests (nobody wants their plate to be left untouched at a potluck). [click to continue…]

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Last month’s issue of Eating Well boasted a whole bunch of burger recipes by Bruce Aidells (legendary sausage maker and all around pork expert), and I was inspired to throw together something new for the grill. I don’t want to keep any secrets, so I’ll be honest: I am a complete burger fanatic. In fact, back when I was a vegetarian, one look at a nice juicy burger was my biggest temptation, practically propelling me from the veggie wagon. Now that I am an omnivore, I am able to eat burgers guilt-free, and sometimes I feel that I need to make up for lost time. [click to continue…]

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It might be my inner-hippie coming through but I really try to pay attention to coincidences – you know, those moments when it seems that the universe is trying to tell you something and all things converge to point you in one direction. For all of you skeptics out there, don’t worry, I have proof: the banh mi sandwich. Here is my story…

It all started on a typical Monday morning when I was doing typical things, chatting with my friend, Dara, while we prepared for a catering event. Like everyone else I know, a good part of our Monday talk is catching up on what happened over the weekend. Unlike everyone else I know, our Monday conversations are usually centered on what we ate, what we cooked and what was new at the farmer’s market. This is when the banh mi first entered my life, as Dara casually mentioned she had been out to a Vietnamese sandwich shop and ordered one of these tasty delights. It sounded interesting (crusty baguette, meaty filling, tangy carrot and fresh cilantro), so I made a mental note to find out more. [click to continue…]

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In celebration of the Patriots historic season I thought it would be fun to create a regional specialty for my Super Bowl party - baked beans. Traditionally, baked beans are the supper item on Saturday nights in New England. I am not sure if that is still the case, but it is for sure that Boston is known as Beantown (although I have read that locals do not call it that.) As I was doing a little web research on baked bean history I stumbled onto a Saveur article about a specialty sandwich that would be perfect Super Bowl eats. Baked beans are the star of the sandwich so let’s begin there. [click to continue…]