Betsy ran off for a weekend of skiing in Steamboat Springs a few weeks ago and left me at home with a fast approaching cookbook deadline.
When she came home, she barely mentioned the slopes, but said, “I had a sandwich.” I congratulated her on her sandwich but asked if there was anything specific about it.
She went on to describe this sucker. While this sandwich has no cheese in it, the final texture has a very grilled cheese feel to it. It’s really perfect after a cold day out on the mountain… so I hear…
I was a bit delinquent in my cookbook purchasing last year. I tend to pick up about a dozen cookbooks a year plus ones that publishers send me to review. Last year I only got a few new ones so I’m trying to play catch up a bit.
One book that kept popping up on my list was Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi so I finally ordered it a few weeks ago.
The first thing I noticed about the book is that the cover is padded so you can use it as a pillow in a pinch.
The second thing I noticed about it was that it’s possibly the most stunning cookbook I’ve seen. I have a bunch of stuff tagged that I want to try in the book, but I figured the latke recipe was a good start.
There are a few tricks to this latke recipe that made them, hands down, the best I’ve ever made.
The Super Bowl is this Sunday and there are many interesting stories that come with this year’s game, almost none of which have to do with the game itself.
To keep things interesting, here’s a fun drinking game you can play during the game that has nothing to do with football!
- Take a drink every time someone makes a play on words for Harbaugh (the coach brothers). Examples include: The Harbowl, Harbrawling, and ‘Hey, he’s a Harbro.’
- Take a drink any time an animal talks on a commercial.
- Take two drinks whenever someone mentions or performs Kaepernicking, which the dude is trying to trademark.
- Take two drinks any time one of the Harbaugh brothers throws something or points in an ominous fashion.
- Take three drinks if Jay-Z appears and steals the half-time show.
- Finish your drink if Ray Lewis cries or if his bionic arm turns against him and Skynet is born.
The Poll
The Links
Making Perfect Nachos – There was an awesome spread in last month’s Bon Appetit on making the perfect nacho spread. Luckily, they posted all the tips and stuff on the website as well. (@ Bon Appetit)
Brothers Quarrel – The perfect cocktail for this weekend’s game. This has some of my favorite flavors in it and I just might have to mix one for myself on Sunday… (@ Endless Simmer)
Cheesy Pull Apart Bread – I spent a lot of time looking for good Super Bowl recipes this week and I kept coming back to this one. I just plain want it. (@ Brown Eyed Baker)
Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich - Another recipe that caught my eye if you’re looking to provide a full meal before the Super Bowl. I love the hot giardiniera that goes with the sandwiches. (@ Ezra Pound Cake)
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NOTE: This is an updated post that was originally published on Macheesmo in 2009 with new photos and a few recipe tweaks.
Superbowl. Sunday. It’s not a holiday exactly, but it kind of is. It ranks up there with Thanksgiving and Christmas as times when it is perfectly acceptable to gorge yourself. In fact, it is expected.
What makes the perfect Superbowl snack? It has to be filling. It has to complement beer. It helps to be able to hold it in your hand (Unless it’s chili. Exceptions are made for chili.)
Let’s rank the five most important things about the Super Bowl this weekend:
5) The actual game. It will probably be over-hyped and unless you are a Ravens or 49ers fan, you probably aren’t itching to actually watch this game.
4) The coach story. Two brothers head coaching the two teams in the Super Bowl? I can’t wait to see the mini-series based on their childhoods.
3) Beer.
2) The Commercials. There will probably be at least three good ones. I’m guessing that one of the many Geico mascots will also be featured. Personally, I’m rooting for the talking dollar bill stack.
1) Food. Wings. Nachos. Chili. It’s all available!
Over the weekend, Betsy challenged me to come up with an original treat for the Super Bowl that was healthy(ish). This dip is what I came up with and it’s really delicious. It’s almost like hummus but has a much different flavor and might be even more addictive!
A few weeks ago I got an email from the lovely people over at America’s Test Kitchen. They told me about a new book they are launching that’s centered around pressure cookers. My first thought was to delete the email immediately and never think of it again. For some reason the pressure cooker is one kitchen device I’ve never used and, frankly, have always been a bit scared to use.
After all, I’ve watched enough Mythbusters to know what happens when you use pressure devices incorrectly. They can go BOOM. Big BOOM.
But after some back and forth they convinced me to give it a whirl. In fact, they even offered to send me a pressure cooker. They were okay with the fact that I’ve never used one before and the whole point was to get people more comfortable with the device.
After unwrapping what I was sure would be the last kitchen device I ever used, I took a deep breath, read the instructions very thoroughly, and proceeded to make a delicious pork dish in about an hour that would’ve normally taken me four hours.
This might sound weird, but sometimes I have an intense craving for vegetables. Like a pregnant woman with pickles, I just need them and I want them to be crunchy and raw and stacked as high as possible.
A salad would be an obvious solution to my cravings, but it can be hard to get excited over salad as any red-blooded American can attest.
You can get excited about this sandwich though. I don’t think I need to say much else about it. Just look at the colors. It’s obviously packed full of crunchy vegetables and is a great way to start your day.
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