Grilled Chicken Satay

Word on The Street
I love to travel. With my kids getting older and moving out, I am looking forward to having more opportunities to explore what lies beyond our windows. Of course, for me, that means trying new foods as well as new cultures. The world is full of really great places to eat but not all of them include white tablecloths. To really get to experience a different culture you need to try the street food.

I am sure that there are people who will disagree with me when I say that the U.S. does not really have street food. We tend to bring other cultures’ street food to us. (Boba tea, anyone?) I mean, I guess we do have street food to a degree. The hot dog carts in New York for example. And sure, the folks selling cut fruit at the corner sprinkled with Tajin (so good!) count also. We have plenty of regional specialties but, in my opinion, and I would be pleased to be proven wrong, the closest we come to true street food culture here in the U.S. would be the rise of the food trucks.

Some of the best things I have tasted came from a vendor selling their fare on the side of the road. From Kabobs to Al Pastor Tacos to Churros to Yada Pav there is a world of flavor waiting to tempt your taste buds.

Not all street food is on the street though. The hawker centers of Singapore are world-renowned and have been on my travel bucket list for some time. Remember that food scene in the movie Crazy Rich Asians? That’s my idea of heaven. And, since my calendar seems to be opening up, hopefully, we’ll get there soon. I’ve heard you can find almost anything you could desire in Singapore, though my first stop would be the grilled chicken satay as a warmup for later rounds. You can never go wrong with grilled meat on a stick.

Grilled Chicken Satay Recipe
Adapted from recipetineats
Yields 13 to 16 skewers Read more…

French Onion Soup Dip

When I Dip, You Dip, We Dip
December is here and the holiday party season has officially begun. This time of year, the parties come in all sorts of flavors. There’s the classic office party in the conference room down the hall. OR, if you’re lucky, at the local favorite lunch spot. The cocktail party with heavy appetizers at a friend’s house is a personal favorite—mainly because it could go festive and dressy or casual with lots of wine. Either way, it’s fun to get together with the people you love to spend time with. Though I admit the parties have changed as the years have gone by.

When I was in my twenties, live bands, high heels, martinis, and girly dresses were the standard. As was getting home in the wee early hours. My 30s were the family-friendly years and involved a lot of cookie exchanges or mid-afternoon get-togethers because we were all exhausted and in bed by 9. Then came the themed parties of my forties that could be anything from a tequila tasting, to a Cajun Christmas feast, to gathering around the fire for S’mores.

As I approach my fifties, I have come to realize that the get-togethers I enjoy the most are the ones when everyone brings something sweet or savory for the crowd and we spend the time just talking and enjoying each other’s company. We may or may not be wearing stretchy pants. These are the events that, to me, require something hot and cheesy. Though honestly, when is anything hot and cheesy a bad idea?

Hot dips are the water cooler of potlucks. They are always a hit and tend to be where guests gather to catch up. I am a big fan of anything with spinach or artichokes, be they spicy or not. But, at times you want something different.

This recipe for French Onion Soup Dip is for those of you who are fans of French onion soup. I like it not so much for the soup but for the cheesy crouton on top… Hence, this dip. Serve it with toasted baguette slices or crackers…

French Onion Soup Dip Recipe
Yields approximately 5 cups Read more…

Fresh Ricotta Cheese

Easy Cheesy
Many moons ago I took a cheese-making class. It was great fun and much easier than you would think. Granted, I am not currently aging my handmade cheese in my own mountain caves, nor do I plan to be. But, that would be very cool…no pun intended.

I will, however, make some of the easier cheeses from time to time to add to recipes where freshness matters. By far, the easiest to make is fresh ricotta. The first time I ever made the cheese outside of class, I used it in a lasagna that I made totally from scratch—noodles and everything. The results were ridiculously good. But, I was exhausted.

You don’t need to get quite as nerdy as I did to try making fresh ricotta. For one thing, who really has that time? And second, you will get great results using good quality pre-made pasta and sauce.

Or, forget the pasta altogether and slather this fresh ricotta cheese on some crostini. Yum!

Fresh Ricotta Cheese Recipe
Yields about 1-1/2 cups of cheese Read more…

Amy’s Pimento Cheese Spread

Graduation Board
My two sons graduate from high school on Thursday. I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence. It doesn’t quite seem real. But, maybe if I keep saying it I will be able to wrap my head around it. I mean it really doesn’t seem that long ago that I dropped them off for their first day of kindergarten—one of them excited and one of them sobbing. But now it is on to a different chapter in their life. And, like the hundreds of other graduates in their class, we will be having a party on Saturday.

Based on the number of invitations we received for grad parties, we know that the day will be much more of a rolling party than everyone gathering all at once. This means the food will have to be more passive than active. This is a fantastic opportunity for my daughter and me because we have both caught the ART-cuterie board bug that has become all the rage. Just take a quick spin through Pinterest and you will get the gist.

ART-cuterie is essentially a cheese board that combines salami and fruits and nuts as well as dips and cheeses in a though out and artful way. It’s kinda silly, really. But, they can be very pretty when displayed on your buffet table. Plus, it doesn’t always have to be made with meat and cheese. You can do a s’mores board, or something with baked goods, or fruit and chocolate. An all-veggie tray is always a good idea. You can make them as big or as small as you need or do more than one if you want even more variety. The possibilities are endless as are the combinations.

We’re planning on doing a mixed grill. So, I’m thinking that my board should have things that go well with a Summer BBQ. I am going with basic favorites like sliced cucumbers, celery sticks, and bell peppers. Since the peaches and nectarines are starting to come in, I think I might slice some up and add them along with some crisp grapes and Marcona almonds. There will definitely be sliced salami and prosciutto. For crackers, I’m going to go with some water crackers and some butter crackers. The absolute must-have for me though is Pimento Cheese Spread.

Our cheese department has our Pappy’s Pimento Cheese Spread which is darn tasty. But, sometimes I just like to do it myself so I can customize it a bit. For example, I like Amy’s Pimento Cheese Spread with a little fresh diced jalapeño for a bit more kick. I also like a little green onion—which isn’t traditional. But, I likes what I likes…

Amy’s Pimento Cheese Spread Recipe
Yields approxomately 4 cups
Read more…