Happiness is a Thing Called Joe

Yip Yips

I'm digging the pants off of making dishes that when I was a kid, assumed could only come from a can or a frozen box.  I believed that the manufacturers of these products held special powers to produce these unique treats.  Back in the late 60's, early 70's fast food was just being invented so these flavor bombs of salt and sugar umami tasted devilishly good.  Like Manwich's Sloppy Joe.  I can still recall the smell of my mom making these over 50 years ago.  She was the best cook but there was something very alluring about eating these new American creations, these saucy treats that felt similar to going to the drive-in.  It was a culinary adventure.  

I understand now, they had many names depending on what state you grew up in and oddly, in my husband's small town, they were named Yip Yips.  If you haven't made them in a while, I would suggest doing so immediately as they are an absolute delight.  I reduced the amount of added sugar to nil on this recipe  from my main man Chef John of Foodwishes.com but they didn't need it.  

And the Sky is a Hazy Shade of Winter

Chef John's One Pan Beef Stroganoff

This stroganoff would have been on point, had I the correct curly egg noodles.  The only downside of having fancy corner markets is that may only carry the healthier, less tasty version of common staples.  This can be an upside as well because we tend to make better choices. In this case,the noodle shouldn't overtake the meat sauce.  They should be able to absorb flavors (but not all of of the sauce, as these did) and provide a balance of textures.  So, although this was great tasting, and God knows I love me a noodle, this type was too thick and wide.  Isn't it funny when you take the time to do something correctly and with your best efforts, it still fails.  That's about how life has been going lately.

Ryan Hall Y'all's Nader Beans!  With weather being big news, you've most likely latched on to a favorite channel or meteorologist.  Ryan Hall is my choice.  A baby-faced Southerner with a positive outlook on crappy weather. Actually, the coffee beans are really good too that he sells on his site.  I bought them to support the rescue efforts done by this man and his compadres out of Kentucky and was quite surprised how good the coffee tasted.  Money has never been too appealing, and I'm hard pressed to find a long list of things I want but really good coffee in the morning, one cup, would be a nice little luxury to enjoy each day.

A puffy omelet made with American Cheese.  

As with any omelet, you could go many ways in regards to toppings or fillings with the puffy variety.  But since the egg taste is mellowed by all the whipping, the sharp tang of the American Cheese is a nice partner.  Its reminiscent of a diner omelet. 

When You're Around My Life's Worthwhile

Salisbury Steak over Smashed Sweet Potatoes

I love Chef John of FoodWishes.com and this is his recipe  He has a variety of You Tube instructional videos and has a no nonsense approach.  I've learned so many great tips from watching him.  I've also started dating a new site called Sip and Feast, a good Italian food channel that shows how to make many pasta favorites.  The chef is a dad of two cute kids that taste test his food at the end and give ratings.  Somehow these kids have managed to stay authentic and unrehearsed and are genuinely young foodies.  And Jim, the chef is from Long Island, a magical place where many a good friend has been born.  In lieu of real people, they have become my friends at night before I go to sleep.  When I watch a chef spicing and cooking their own dishes, it provides enough essence that I can then try to re-create the recipe to be similar if not correct.  It's like watching the movie without reading the book.  The detailed recipes are best if you want to make a classic recipe.  Simply seeing the ingredient list can be enough for me on occasion.  After all these years, I can only make a short list of standard recipes.  Maybe that will be something to work on going forward, however the most fun is when you get to play with your food and invent and create.