Fried Chicken and Cheesesteaks

This is not a recommendation, unless you happen to be a road warrior whose company does not buy your dinner when they send you out of town. In which case, my first recommendation is to find a new job. But if that does not work, then perhaps How To Cook Without A Kitchen might do the trick. This book will give you useful tips about cooking pasta, soft boiled eggs, asparagus or even nachos using only the tools available in a standard hotel room. Any food normally boiled or steamed is instead cooked by passing water through the filter basket of the coffee maker. I would guess you never considered cooking brocolli in the coffeemaker before, eh? It actually works. For no particularly good reason, I tried it a few years ago when I first bought the book! Here is a recipe for your consideration, in case you missed the 4th of July picnic due to pressing business concerns: Hot Dogs 2 hot dogs, cut in half 2 hot dog buns small packets of mustard, ketchup and/or relish Place a clean paper fi...

As we continue our not cooking much holiday weekend, this recipe is very complicated, so pay attention! 1. Open box marked "fudge brownies". 2. Follow direction on box EXCEPT: use coffee, either regular or decaf in place of the water 3. Also stir in one bag of chocolate chips. Bake as directed. Accept applause, as somehow the coffee makes the brownies taste even chocolatier, without any hint of coffee flavor.

The simplest of recipes is just the thing for a summer picnic. Perhaps you have a reason to attend one today? One of my favorite summer salads: Fresh tomatoes Slices of buffalo or fresh mozzarella Fresh basil, chopped in long slivers. If you have both purple and green basil, even better. Combine these items in a bowl. If you really want to, add a bit of balsamic vinegar and olive oil ... but I normally just eat it plain. The fragrant basil just stuns the senses and makes this the perfect summer salad. I often eat this for a simple lunch on top of a bed of lettuce. The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitl...

For an 8 x 8 pan of MARVELOUS blondies: Mix in a bowl: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt Melt in your microwave or over the stove: 1 stick butter remove from heat, and mix in: 1 cup brown sugar Mix the brown sugar into the flour mixture, and allow to cool a few minutes. Meanwhile, combine: 2 eggs 1 Tablespoon corn syrup 1 Tablespoon vanilla Combine the two bowls. Mix in 1 cup of chopped nuts. I used macadamia nuts (don't faint. they aren't NEARLY as expensive at Trader Joes). Pecans would also be wonderful. Pour into a greased pan, and bake for about 30 minutes at 350. So one question remains: a tall glass of milk or a nice hot cup of coffee?

My very hip grandmother, who knows how to use the computer, forwarded me this tip today. "Getting a Cake to Come Out of a Bundt Pan Easily: First, lightly grease the inside and then sprinkle it with sugar instead of flour. The cake will slide out and not stick!"

I signed up for a half share of a "CSA" this year, because I was too chicken to pay the money for a whole share without trying it first. A half share means I participate only every other week. Basically a CSA means you are buying a "share" of whatever a farm (or in this case a group of farms) produces. So if the spinach crop is quite robust, but the the snow peas fail, you'll be eating a lot of leafy greens! I have been interested in the concept for a few years now because (1) it is a constant goal to eat more veggies (2) another ongoing goal is to eat a wider variety of veggies and learn how to cook them in diverse ways and (3) local produce is normally cheaper and fresher. I also just like the idea of supporting local growers, because it encourages them to continue! The CSA I joined is one called Lancaster Farm Fresh , and as the name suggests is produce from Lancaster County, PA. Some is organic, but personally I haven't joined that crusade just yet. I...

A week or so ago we did a little clam boil with friends. I layered corn on the cob, sliced kielbasa, with live clams and mussels. I added a little white wine and a little water, and then cooked it until the all the shells popped open*. We made a grand old mess while we enjoyed the feast. But the best part was the next day. I started with a simple roux - 1/2 a stick of butter went into the pan with about 1/4 cup of flour. I stirred this frequently over medium heat until it was a toasted-nut scented paste. To this I added seafood bisque concentrate, and then about 8 cups of water but if I didn't have that on hand I would have used low sodium chicken broth. I added about a tablespoon of half-sharp paprika as well. I cut the kernels off the leftover corn cobs, chopped the kielbasa into smaller pieces, and picked all the remaining clam and mussels from their shells. My sister arrived while I was making the soup, so I opened a can of clams from my pantry and added them as well (along wit...