I Still Ain't Found What I Was After

Midwest Pizza Salad

I like this idea.  A real Midwest theme. Toasted leftover pizza crust served as bread crumbs.  Egg, turkey pepperoni, iceberg lettuce, green apple and bleu cheese.  A homemade honey-lemon dressing hand mixed in a bowl to get everyone coated, then lots of freshly cracked black pepper.  I feel like this salad was carved right out of a summer picnic memory even though no such salad was ever served and I never attended picnics but always intended to. 

I'm always big on kitchen sink type of salads.

Back here on planet Brooklyn, Spike Lee was filming a movie on our street and we got a chance to witness him coaching a couple of female actors on how do a scene.  And then how many times it takes to get one small shot when cars and randomness continue on. How many people does it take to make a movie?  Too many. 

A walk in Fort Greene Park and a stroller invasion of nannies and rare non-working mothers. 

Another summer spent far from the Midwest and lightning bugs, chain-o-lakes, riding in cars with the windows down and drive-in movies.

I'm Going Back to Indiana

Enchilada Casserole

I forgive myself for these misconceptions because after all I am a Midwest girl even though my Mexican ancestors are turning over in their graves.  Mocking lasagna I layered homemade enchilada sauce, with corn torts, beef, beans, then corn and more enchilada sauce, topped with sharp cheddar cheese then baked.  Afterwards I laid the slice on a bed of cool crisp iceberg lettuce with chopped sweet onions, tomatoes and cheddar cheese.  A perfect memory of my moms home style enchiladas but with a goofy twist that saved me lots of work.

Just Look Over Your (Pork) Shoulder Honey

Holiday Pork Posole Quick-Stylie

A Quicker Holiday Pork Posole. Do it right or take some short cuts. Either way the end of the story should show you sitting in front of a big bowl of this amazing soup. https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/holiday-pork-posole-350820

Instead of cooking a large pork shoulder, I bought a few country ribs and a pack of cut up stew meat, browned first and then into the oven to braise.  It saves a little step if you're making a smaller pot.  Plus years ago a pork butt would be very affordable. Now they want like 25 dollars for one.  I told myself look you shouldn't even eat pork, so make a small pot, save some money, health and calories. Another change was I didn't chill the meat and broth overnight but instead made the pork and continued on with the process on the stove top, skimming the fat as I could.  I helped this by trimming the pieces of excess beforehand.

If someone really loves you, they'll make this for you and you will be healed of all current ailments.  It does wear off like a spell on Bewitched but it really does work.

I Want You Back

Chicken Chilaquiles Verde courtesy of Pequena in Fort Greene. So good that we were almost able to ignore the stroller contingent that seems to have taken over the place. It's a tiny restaurant, therefore the name Peguena. It's kinda perfect for pairs or threesomes. It's not the best place for kids. Or to be fair, I should say it's not the best place for both, people with kids and people without. Who by the way just wanna go eat their chilaguiles and chat over good coffee and have some peace. It's almost as if the old crowd, that was cute hipster lesbian couples all had kids. Every one of them. And now they're back. With their strollers.
You win mothers. For now. We'll miss you dearly chilaquiles swimming in your perfect verde sauce, with the best cheese and your two fried eggs. We loved you almost enough to ignore the babies picking up every item on the table constantly and then dropping it on the floor throughout our whole meal as we all sat cozy side by side in this tiny restaurant. By the way did I mention is a perfect setting for couples and threesomes to sit and chat over coffee and get some peace. Sniff, sniff.