Kitchen Encounters

~ A Hot Dog with a Salad On Top? Only in Chicago! ~

As I've mentioned before here on Kitchen Encounters, aside from a few layovers at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, my direct experiences with Illinois are limited to three: #1) Pickalilli (a highly-seasoned, bright-green colored, sweet pickle relish), which my neighbor Jane (from Champaign, IL) gave the recipe for (about 18-20 years ago); #2) One Chicago-style deep-dish pizza at Uno's Pizzeria on Rush Street, and; #3) A Chicago-style hot dog in full regalia, which I ate at the airport. It was love at first bite! Making a Chicago Dog is called: Dragging it through the garden! A bit about the Chicago-style hot...... View full recipe for "~ A Hot Dog with a Salad On Top? Only in Chicago! ~"

~ Sweet Home Chicago: Italian Beef Sandwiches ~

Have I ever eaten an authentic Chicago-Style Italian Beef Sandwich? Technically, no, because I didn't eat it in Chicago, BUT I ate one, more than a few times, in Philadelphia. I think it counts as enough experience to write this post because they were sold and marketed as Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches. I will probably hear a few "boo's" from my Philadelphia friends and readers for my next statement, but: I like this sandwich better than the Philly's famous cheesesteak. And, for any of you hard-core Chicagoland folks: before I decided to post this, I asked the necessary questions of...... View full recipe for "~ Sweet Home Chicago: Italian Beef Sandwiches ~"

~ Melanie's Favorite Way to Skewer & Grill Shrimp ~

Shrimp are persnickity. They must be cooked correctly. There is no middle ground. If they are not cooked enough, they are distastefully undercooked and raw. If they are cooked too much, they are ridiculously overcooked and rubbery. Perfectly cooked shrimp are just cooked through, opaque in the center, juicy and succulent. Cooking shrimp to perfection using moist heat cooking methods, like steaming or boiling, where the shrimp are surrounded by moist heat or immersed in hot liquid, is a simple matter of timing, which varies depending upon the size of the shrimp. In the case of pan-frying or sauteing, the...... View full recipe for "~ Melanie's Favorite Way to Skewer & Grill Shrimp ~"

~ Orecchiette Pasta w/Basil-Tomato-Garlic Sauce ~

In the late Summer, when fresh basil and garden tomatoes are plentiful, this is an exceptional dish to serve. I want to say I worked really, really hard to come up with it, but I did not. Joe and I will be living in this house 16 years come this November 1st. The very first Spring after we moved in, in 1997, while I was decorating my dream house, Joe was planting his dream garden. Near the end of August, I was affectionately referring to him as "Mr. Greenjeans", and his garden, "the basil and tomato farm". One afternoon, when...... View full recipe for "~ Orecchiette Pasta w/Basil-Tomato-Garlic Sauce ~"

~ When Life Hands You Lemons: Make Lemonade! ~

When I have an excess of lemons, besides an occasional lemon meringue pie, "real deal" lemonade is what I love to make with them. It just so happens, I have a dozen lemons in my refrigerator right now. Over the weekend, I hosted a baby shower for my friend Jeanne's daughter-in-law Lisa, and, because the majority of the Cocolin clan is Greek, we served Greek cuisine, which, besides spinach, feta and lamb, is known for is famous avgolemono (avh-goh-LEH-moh-noh) sauce and avgolemono soup (lemon sauce and lemon soup). Because lemons were part of our theme, we served lemonade at the...... View full recipe for "~ When Life Hands You Lemons: Make Lemonade! ~"

~ A Summer Comfort Food: German Potato Salad ~

Every now and then, my world, or the world in general, gets stressful, overwhelming, and, just plain crazy. When that happens, I head into my kitchen to cook something that makes me happy. It has been such a week here at Kitchen Encounters. Retreating into my kitchen to cook comfort food is easier to do in the Fall and Winter months, because I have a long list of comforting casseroles, soups and pasta dishes in my repertoire. Today, I decided to put some nice thick pork loin chops on the grill and mix up a batch of warm and comforting...... View full recipe for "~ A Summer Comfort Food: German Potato Salad ~"

~ Lemony Orzo & Shrimp Salad w/Cucumber, Feta & White Balsamic Vinaigrette, or: What I Cook for Me ~

Every once in a while... scratch that. Every once or twice a year, I have a day off. I mean a real day off, just to wander around my own little paradise and do whatever I want. What constitutes a real day off for me? Here it is: The housework, my blog and my e-mails need no immediate attention. I have no appointments or commitments and my phone isn't ringing off the hook. My husband is out-of-town for the day (and he took my mother-in-law with him... to visit her family). It's just me without makeup and three poodles... watching...... View full recipe for "~ Lemony Orzo & Shrimp Salad w/Cucumber, Feta & White Balsamic Vinaigrette, or: What I Cook for Me ~"

~ Blueberry-Kiwi-Watermelon Salad on Baby Greens w/White Balsamic Vinaigrette (My heatwave salad!) ~

The heatwave on the East Coast is well over a week old now and the 90-100 degree temperatures show no immediate signs of dropping. My three poodles and I are lucky. Our AC is functioning (as best it can) and our power has remained on, so, we've been holed up in a comfortable house watching movies and playing indoor "puppy games".... throwing and fetching tennis balls and toys down long hallways, and, barking at birds, butterflies, rabbits and squirrels through glass windows. Joe's been picking up groceries for me on his way home from the office. While I welcome complete...... View full recipe for "~ Blueberry-Kiwi-Watermelon Salad on Baby Greens w/White Balsamic Vinaigrette (My heatwave salad!) ~"

~ Sweet Corn, Grape Tomato, Black Bean & Vidalia Onion Salsa (It's Great On or In Fajitas or Wraps) ~

One of my favorite things about the Summertime is making fresh salsa. Unfortunately, even at the end of June in Central Pennsylvania, it is a few weeks too early in the season for me to rely upon fresh produce from our backyard garden (cilantro, green and red bell peppers, jalapenos, tomatoes, etc.) or locally grown sweet corn. That being said, when Joe came home from the grocery store with a bag of unseasonably awesome sweet corn this past weekend, I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to make salsa with the leftovers! A bit about salsa: "Salsa" is the...... View full recipe for "~ Sweet Corn, Grape Tomato, Black Bean & Vidalia Onion Salsa (It's Great On or In Fajitas or Wraps) ~"

~ Jesse's Smokin' Rib Rub a la Jesse's Mom (Mel) + (My Tips & Techniques for Gas Grill Smoked Ribs) ~

Once a year, for many years now, our son Jesse, who lives in Pittsburgh, smokes ribs for Joe, myself and whatever family and/or friends that happen to be here in our Happy Valley backyard! He loads up his Jeep in Clampett-like style with his Weber smoker, wood, bags of wood chips, special charcoal, welding gloves, an ax, pots and pans, plus, a keg of his favorite beer, his personal lawn chair, lucky hat and a small tent! For as long as he has been doing this, each year I have tried to elicit his help in drafting a recipe for...... View full recipe for "~ Jesse's Smokin' Rib Rub a la Jesse's Mom (Mel) + (My Tips & Techniques for Gas Grill Smoked Ribs) ~"

~Sweet Potato, Apple, Vidalia Onion & Pecan Salad~

It's the first week of June and barbecue season is in full swing here in Melanie's Kitchen. Over the Memorial Day weekend we grilled thick, juicy Kobe beef cheeseburgers , and, over the past week we've made grilled chicken quesadillas and T-bone steaks too. I've got ribs on my mind for the upcoming weekend, so, before I start posting those rib recipes, I thought I'd take a moment to share one of my favorite side-dishes to serve with them! It is no secret that I am a lover of pretty much everything and anything that can be made with potatoes,...... View full recipe for "~Sweet Potato, Apple, Vidalia Onion & Pecan Salad~"

~ Quesadillas: Grilled Guajillo Chile Chicken Thighs w/Vidalia Onions, Black Beans & Queso Fresco!!! ~

Thank-you to everyone who commented so positively about the ~ Sweet Heat: Strawberry & Guajillo Chile Sauce ~ recipe, which can be found in Categories 6, 8, 13 or 22. In that recipe, I posted a picture of this sauce drizzled atop one of my favorite quesadillas (pictured here), which was the inspiration for the sauce recipe. When four of you e-mailed me this past weekend to ask where the recipe for the quesadilla chicken filling mixture could be found, then, one person contacted me with a detailed request for me to "please post the recipe for those scrumptious looking...... View full recipe for "~ Quesadillas: Grilled Guajillo Chile Chicken Thighs w/Vidalia Onions, Black Beans & Queso Fresco!!! ~"

~ A Simple, Summertime Treat: Pineapple Cobbler ~

When I think of warm and comforting fruit cobbler, I don't usually associate it with Spring or Summer, and, pineapple is not the first fruit that pops into my mind when it comes to making cobbler either. In fact, it has never occurred to me to make cobbler with pineapple. That being said, Kitchen Encounters has been paying tribute to pineapple recipes all week, and, I just happened to have a nice-sized bowl of fresh pineapple chunks leftover in my refrigerator. It was my intention to eat it "as is" for a snack today with some strawberries (which are also...... View full recipe for "~ A Simple, Summertime Treat: Pineapple Cobbler ~"

~ Pina Colada + Strawberry Daiquiri = Lava Flow ~

If you've been following Kitchen Encounters this past week, you've noticed that it's been "feature the pineapple week". Yes folks, right here in Central Pennsylvania, my husband Joe managed to grow three gorgeous pineapples (in large pots on our deck), which were all ripe and ready to harvest. Using them as my inspiration, I started by my making my ~ Pineapple, Avocado, Tomato and Onion Salsa ~, which can be found in Categories 1, 8, 10, 13 or 14! I used the salsa as my topping for a very old and special Mexican recipe: ~ Tacos al Pastor (Shepherd's-Style Tacos)...... View full recipe for "~ Pina Colada + Strawberry Daiquiri = Lava Flow ~"

~ Pineapple, Avocado, Tomato and Onion Salsa!!! ~

Seven year ago, uh, seven long years ago, my husband Joe sliced the tops off of three grocery-store-bought pineapples. He planted them in large pots. He brought them indoors, into our heated garage, for the Winter, which as they grew was quite a chore. He pampered and spoiled them outdoors through the Pennsylvania Spring, Summer and Fall seasons. For seven years, I have complained vehemently about the space these massive, heavy plants take up, not to mention the mess created by the amount of water they require and drainage they produce. Today, with three happy, healthy, homegrown, perfectly-ripe pineapples to...... View full recipe for "~ Pineapple, Avocado, Tomato and Onion Salsa!!! ~"

~ Dear Perfectly Baked Potato: Your Crispy Skin and Fluffy Center, Make My Steaks Taste Even Better!!! ~

Here in Happy Valley, April showers did bring May flowers, and, with that, the official start to grilling season. I am here to tell you, Joe and I were not the only couple in the neighborhood putting steaks on the grill this past weekend. Actually, we put quite a few steaks on the grill on Saturday night. It was Penn State's Graduation, and, a son of friends was part of the pomp and circumstance. While the graduates were off celebrating (into the wee hours of Sunday morning), we old folks retired to the hot tub for cocktails and a late...... View full recipe for "~ Dear Perfectly Baked Potato: Your Crispy Skin and Fluffy Center, Make My Steaks Taste Even Better!!! ~"

~ Asian Chicken Salad w/Honey-Sesame Dressing ~

Everyone loves chicken salad, or at least I think everyone does, and every chef or family cook has at least one or two "go to" chicken salad recipes in his or her repertoire. In the heat of the Summer, nothing is more pleasing than light and refreshing Asian fare, and, whenever I serve my "spaghetti salad" (as my kids affectionately named it), my family comes flocking to the table! A bit about "spaghetti salad": Back in 1986 my husband and I left our kids with my parents and headed to Japan and Taiwan for two weeks (on a business trip)....... View full recipe for "~ Asian Chicken Salad w/Honey-Sesame Dressing ~"

~ Shrimp & Pasta Salad w/Lemony Garlic Dressing + (Three Tips for Properly Preparing Pasta Salad too!) ~

This light, refreshing, satisfying main-dish pasta salad is a favorite of mine. It's full of Greek-syle flavors, which Joe and I love, and we especially enjoy eating it during the Summer, instead of a hot meal. Besides that, it's perfect to serve when I'm entertaining outdoors and want something that holds up well in the heat. Tonight, however, it's being served for dinner in Melanie's Kitchen for two practical reasons: Over the past weekend, my family celebrated Russian Orthodox Easter, and, I just happen to have a few dozen leftover cooked shrimp in my refrigerator, and; the sun is out...... View full recipe for "~ Shrimp & Pasta Salad w/Lemony Garlic Dressing + (Three Tips for Properly Preparing Pasta Salad too!) ~"

~ Think Spring: The Classic & Elegant Deviled Egg! ~

Today is the first day of Spring. Just saying it puts me in a good mood. With Spring comes more than just planning for the upcoming Easter holiday. It means warm breezes, leaves on the trees, green grass, pretty flowers and planting. Culinarily, I've ordered my ham for Easter, been feasting on the season's asparagus for a couple of weeks now, and, my butcher is working on butterflying a leg of lamb for me to grill as I type this. For some reason though, like countless other foodies, when I "think Spring", deviled eggs immediately come to mind! And: Deviled...... View full recipe for "~ Think Spring: The Classic & Elegant Deviled Egg! ~ "

~ The New Meaning of "Outstanding": Iberico Pork ~

Last Thursday afternoon, my friend Jami (Jamison Steffen), the Executive chef of The American Ale House in State College, PA, knocked on my kitchen door. "Mel, I took the liberty of ordering something for you that I want you to try and I think you're gonna love." He handed me a paper bag which contained three vacuum-sealed pieces of astonishingly beautiful looking pork, unlike any I'd ever seen before. As we often do, he and I sat at my kitchen counter for a few minutes and caught up on our two families and local foodie news. Chef Jami then gave...... View full recipe for "~ The New Meaning of "Outstanding": Iberico Pork ~"

~ Mardi Gras Shrimp Remoulade a la Galatoire's ~

The New Orleans festival known as "Mardi Gras" means "Fat Tuesday", with "Mardi" being the French word for "Tuesday", and, "gras" being the French word for "fat". The festivities start on January 6th, or the Twelfth Night Feast of the Epiphany, and carry on until the day before Ash Wednesday, or Fat Tuesday. The Mardi Gras festivities (parties, parades and feasts) will carry on until the stroke of midnight tomorrow night, when lent begins. Mardi Gras is a legal holiday in New Orleans and has been an annual event for two centuries! I've never been to New Orleans specifically to...... View full recipe for "~ Mardi Gras Shrimp Remoulade a la Galatoire's ~"

~ Fresh Broccoli Salad w/Bacon, Havarti & Chicken ~

With Christmas a few days past and New Years a few ticks of the clock away, I needed a refreshing change of pace today. Something, anything, that would make me feel a little bit better about all of the rich foods I've been cooking and enjoying for the past week. I found some lovely broccoli at the market, and, for some reason, when I saw it, this "oldie but goodie" of a recipe immediately popped into my head... crunchy, tangy, slightly sweet and lightly-dressed with bacon, cheese and chicken in it too: this just what the doctor ordered to cure...... View full recipe for "~ Fresh Broccoli Salad w/Bacon, Havarti & Chicken ~"

~ Chili Cheddar Cheeseburgers w/Chile-Lime Mayo (or: The Labor Day Last & Best Burger of Summer) ~

Happy Labor Day everyone! I hope each and every one of you has had a wonderful weekend and are enjoying your holiday today. Melanie's Kitchen has been buzzing with activity since Friday night. As I've said before, for those of us who live here in Happy Valley, Labor Day is not just a long, relaxing weekend followed by the first day of school on Tuesday. It is the start of the Penn State/college football season, and for Joe and I, the morning of the first game is almost as exciting as Christmas morning. That being said, the fanfare of tailgating...... View full recipe for "~ Chili Cheddar Cheeseburgers w/Chile-Lime Mayo (or: The Labor Day Last & Best Burger of Summer) ~"

~ A Gingered Shrimp & Ramen Noodle Slaw-Salad (for tailgate, a Labor Day picnic or school lunchbox) ~

Right now it is a relaxing Friday afternoon, but in a few short hours Melanie's Kitchen will be anything but quiet. It's is hard to believe that today it is the eve of the Labor Day weekend. Where did my Summer go? One or two more weeks of August would have gone a long way to help me avoid the harried feeling I am experiencing right now. Let me explain: For many of us living here in Happy Valley, this weekend is not exactly an end-of-Summer, relaxing Labor Day weekend followed by the first day of school on Tuesday. It...... View full recipe for "~ A Gingered Shrimp & Ramen Noodle Slaw-Salad (for tailgate, a Labor Day picnic or school lunchbox) ~"

~ Superb, Super-Sized, Deli-Style Sandwiches for: Picnics, Tailgates or Back-to-School Lunch Boxes ~

The Summer heatwave is over and that means that Labor Day is right around the corner. For those of us living here in Happy Valley, this means two things: The last picnic of Summer and the first Fall Penn State tailgate. In both cases, because the weather is still quite mild, I often pack sandwiches to take to the park or the stadium... and I don't mean one of those 7-foot-long, boring, tasteless, semi-soggy, store-bought hoagie- or submarine-type sandwiches either. That being said, it was after partaking in one of those oh-so-aweful sandwiches (about 20 years ago at a tailgate...... View full recipe for "~ Superb, Super-Sized, Deli-Style Sandwiches for: Picnics, Tailgates or Back-to-School Lunch Boxes ~"

~ 4th of July Yankee Doodle Dandy Macaroni Salad ~

"Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony, stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni?" If you've always quizzically wondered why Yankee Doodle would name his feather macaroni, this post will give you "the scoop". As I wrote back in November, I'm sure there is a percentage of you who think macaroni was invented by Kraft foods, but food historians are pretty certain it had its humble beginning in the kitchen of Thomas Jefferson, who returned from a trip to Paris with a macaroni maker/press which he bought in Italy. Thank-you Thomas Jefferson for bringing/introducing macaroni...... View full recipe for "~ 4th of July Yankee Doodle Dandy Macaroni Salad ~"

~ Spit-Roasted Pineapple a la Steven Raichlen ~

Back in February I had the pleasure of assisting The GrillMaster himself, Steven Raichlen, with a live cooking demonstration that he was giving at Penn State's WPSU-TV studios. Every February WPSU invites a Celebrity Chef to host their fundraiser/Connoisseur's Dinner. As WPSU's cooking consultant, to date I've worked with Lidia Bastianich, John Folse, Joanne Weir, Martin Yan and Steven. Besides prepping their demo food to their specifications and making sure their demo executes as flawlessly as possible, it is my "job" to prepare a tasting of all recipes being served that day to a studio audience of about 125 people....... View full recipe for "~ Spit-Roasted Pineapple a la Steven Raichlen ~"

~ My Moist, Juicy, Grilled Thai-Style Turkey Burgers ~

In one more day, June will be over and plans will be underway to celebrate the 4th of July holiday. If you're like me, you are about to enter the part of the Summer where the novelty of grilled steaks, chicken and hamburgers is starting to wear off. All sorts of fresh fruits and veggies are available and plentiful, there is no better time than now to put them to good use, and I'm proud to say I've been doing just that. A couple of days ago I posted my recipe for ~ My Sweet 'n Spicy, Summer Tropical Fruit...... View full recipe for "~ My Moist, Juicy, Grilled Thai-Style Turkey Burgers ~"

~ My Sweet 'n Spicy, Summer Tropical Fruit Salsa ~

Newsflash... salsa is not just for tomatoes anymore! If you're looking for a change of pace to spice up your Summer menu, my tropical fruit salsa is your answer. While I love to serve it on top of grilled white fish (like grouper and sea bass) with steamed rice, it is delicious on cheesy Tex-Mex nachos and chicken quesadillas. That being said it pairs equally as well with Thai-Asian fare like my recipe for ~ Crunchy Thai-Style Deep-Fried Coconut Shrimp ~, found in Categories 1, 11, 13 & 14, and my Thai-Style Turkey Burgers. In fact, I developed the recipe...... View full recipe for "~ My Sweet 'n Spicy, Summer Tropical Fruit Salsa ~"

~ Holy Guacamole! It's the Second Day of Summer! + (Everything You Need to Know about the Avocado!) ~

Not too long ago, we were told the world was coming to an end. Well, Holy Guacamole! We are all still here and enjoying another fabulous Summer! One of the things I enjoy the most about Summer is making garden salsa from an array of vegetables that have been freshly-picked right out of my husband Joe's garden. That being said, whenever I make salsa, the avocado lover in me comes out and I feel compelled to make guacamole to accompany the salsa. Even though avocados are available year-round, for some reason I gravitate to them in the Summer. When I'm...... View full recipe for "~ Holy Guacamole! It's the Second Day of Summer! + (Everything You Need to Know about the Avocado!) ~"

~ How to: Grill Great Sizzling Summertime Pizza ~

We're quickly approaching the height of the Summer season here in Happy Valley. Everyone is spending lots of time outdoors and eating fresher and lighter food. That being said, every once in a while my family needs and wants pizza. For about 4-5 Summers now, instead of turning on my ovens inside, I've been grilling personal-sized pizzas outside. Truthfully, we think they rival even the best pizza shops in this college town (and this town is full of pizza shops). It took me a couple of tries to come up what I consider to be the best method for grilling...... View full recipe for "~ How to: Grill Great Sizzling Summertime Pizza ~ "

~ June 15th: It's Time for Mel's "Big Pink Drinks" ~

Tomorrow is June 15th, which is a sort-of celebration each year at the Preschutti household. It is the official opening day of our tennis court and our tennis season. As long as the sun is shining, we will invite a few friends over, play doubles, make grilled pizzas (our annual opening-day menu) and drink pink drinks... Joe and I built our dream home and current residence in 1996 (after our sons had either gone off to college and/or moved into their own apartments). In November, right after we moved in and immediately after our sons' initial visit and house tour,...... View full recipe for "~ June 15th: It's Time for Mel's "Big Pink Drinks" ~"

~ Mel Meets Solaire: the Portable Infrared Gas Grill ~

Last weekend (over the Memorial Day Holiday), our son, his wife and our grandson visited GrandMel and JoePa here in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. In years past, my son Jess (who is an expert griller and smoker) would bring his Weber smoker and spend the entire day in our gazebo tending to his fire and several racks of baby back spareribs, while my husband Joe would fire up his big Viking gas grill and barbecue the chicken, steaks, sausages, etc. This year, because I now have a cooking blog, Jess surprised me by bringing his new toy, which he was pretty...... View full recipe for "~ Mel Meets Solaire: the Portable Infrared Gas Grill ~"

~ Another Sloppy Joe? There is one? You Betcha! ~

Where I grew up, where I live now, and pretty much where a lot of you live, a sloppy Joe sandwich is a nostalgic sandwich made of sauteed ground beef, celery, onion and a sweet/savory ketchup sauce served on a cottony, soft white roll. For the most part, moms and working-moms everywhere have their mother's or grandmother's recipe tucked away in their recipe box, where it will remain unchanged until they pass it along to their children and grandchildren as well. You can find my family's version, ~ School's Out: Time for the Good Ole' Sloppy Joe ~ (pictured below)...... View full recipe for "~ Another Sloppy Joe? There is one? You Betcha! ~"

~ School's Out: Time for the Good Ole' Sloppy Joe ~

It is June and I've decided to let the kid in me come out today. What I most remember about June back in the '60's was that last school bus ride to the end of Ye Old Hauto Road and my brother's and my half-mile walk home. We'd enter the kitchen door and place our lunch boxes and our report cards on the kitchen counter. We'd run into our respective bedrooms and trade in our school clothes for play clothes. I'd emerge in a pair of shorts, a frilly tank top and a pair of brand new white Keds. David...... View full recipe for "~ School's Out: Time for the Good Ole' Sloppy Joe ~"

~ Mel's Top 5 Tips for: Grilling 5 Perfect Steaks ~

At about this time every year (shortly before the Memorial Day holiday), one of my students, a friend or a guest at my house will inevitably ask me: "How does one cook the perfect steak? The kind that is tender, juicy and pink in the middle. I can never get mine timed right." That is a harder question to answer than you might think, because there is no magic formula for me to hand out. I want to start by saying that grilling in general is a very arbitrary sport and all sorts of things, including the weather, affect the...... View full recipe for "~ Mel's Top 5 Tips for: Grilling 5 Perfect Steaks ~"

~ Mel's Spicy Honey-Mustard BBQ Sauce for Pork ~

It is pretty much impossible for a picture to describe how delicious a barbecue sauce is and in the Preschutti household we consider this one extraordinary. I can't say I would use it on anything other than grilled or smoked pork ribs or pork chops, because I developed this sauce to go specifically with the flavor of pork, and more specifically, pork ribs. That being said, if you or someone you know is having a pig roast, this is the sauce you want to serve with it! Joe and I have traveled to "The South" on several occasions, and once...... View full recipe for "~ Mel's Spicy Honey-Mustard BBQ Sauce for Pork ~"

~ Apricot-Mustard Sauce: For Dipping or Drizzling ~

In the late 1970's, two women, Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins founded and opened a small food shop in Manhattan named: The Silver Palate. For that period in history, they had an extremely unique concept: gourmet take-out meals, for all courses and all occasions. It wasn't long before their shop met with rave reviews and national acclaim, which was followed by The Silver Palate Cookbook, then a second book, The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. A line of specialty food products was then marketed to, and found in, gourmet food shops across America, which made it possible for all of...... View full recipe for "~ Apricot-Mustard Sauce: For Dipping or Drizzling ~"

~ Buttermilk, Blue Cheese 'n Chive Salad Dressing ~

I couldn't think of a better way to start May off than with anything other than this post. It is Spring, the sun is shining, the chives have come up in the garden, my husband cut the tennis court and then cleaned his big, shiny, stainless steel Viking grill. It seems that everything in Mel's universe today was aligned for Joe and I to kick of the grilling season with a couple of thick, juicy T-bones, baked potatoes and a fresh, crisp salad topped with my super-delicious Buttermilk, Blue Cheese 'n Chive Salad Dressing! Blue cheese dressing is undoubtedly one...... View full recipe for "~ Buttermilk, Blue Cheese 'n Chive Salad Dressing ~"

~ A Hearty Fifteen Bean, Ham & Vegetable Soup ~

I don't make this soup after the Easter holiday just because it is the perfect use for the leftover ham, not to mention the flavorful ham bone. I make it because I love it and so does my entire family. This being said, I always make a very big batch of it, portion and freeze it, to have on hand all year long. If you have a big enough pot, you really should consider doing the same. That being said, for your convenience, I have written my recipe to be easily cut in half or quartered! While this soup is...... View full recipe for "~ A Hearty Fifteen Bean, Ham & Vegetable Soup ~"

~ Mel's Texas-Style Chili Sauce & Texas Chili Dogs ~

In the 1950's, '60's and '70's, my hometown of Tamaqua, PA, had two "hot spots" to eat hot dogs: The Coney Island and The Texas Lunch. Both establishments were triangular in shape and were located at opposite corners of Broad Street's "Five Points", the town's main thoroughfare. Both served lunch daily to at least 100 people, but only had counter seating for 12 and 6 respectively. The hot dogs were literally passed out the doors to customers standing on the sidewalk, like buckers of water to a fire (while pending orders and money were shouted and passed up the line)....... View full recipe for "~ Mel's Texas-Style Chili Sauce & Texas Chili Dogs ~"

~ Blackened Flank Steak & Bacon Sandwiches ~

My story about making these sandwiches revolves around my son Jesse's high school graduation party... I'm pretty sure that was back in 1995 (you know you're are getting old when as a mother you don't remember exactly what year your son graduated from high school). We had about 50 family members and friends coming to our house for his party and Jesse pretty much told me, "I don't care what you serve as long as you serve my favorite blackened flank steak sandwiches and shrimp wrapped in bacon." At the time, I was a big fan of Chef Paul Prudhomme's...... View full recipe for "~ Blackened Flank Steak & Bacon Sandwiches ~"

~ Mel's Best Broiled 'n Baked Baby-Back Spareribs ~

Every grill master, including my husband Joe, son Jesse, cousin Victor and neighbor Bill, has his own method for cooking the perfect rack of ribs. Each of them spends many relaxing summer afternoons tending to his customized grill and/or smoker. Behind closed doors, they each concoct secret spice rubs and barbecue sauces. "To marinate or not to marinate" is their burning question and spirited ongoing debate. My following recipe likely breaks every rule in their "big barbecue book in the sky", but it produces perfect ribs each and every time! I developed this simple oven method for preparing perfect ribs...... View full recipe for "~ Mel's Best Broiled 'n Baked Baby-Back Spareribs ~"

~ Creamy Baked Corn Casserole ~

If this isn't a picture of something you KNOW you're just gonna love I do not know what is! Almost nothing is more midwestern than corn casserole, but do not presuppose that I'm talkin' ordinary or boring fare here folks. I best describe it as simply exquisite. If you have never tasted a properly prepared corn casserole... oh so steamy, creamy, crunchy, sweet and peppery... you've missed out on one of the best comfort foods known to sweet corn lovers (not to mention growers of sweet corn). Worry not... I'm giving you my recipe, which I am certain you will...... View full recipe for "~ Creamy Baked Corn Casserole ~"

~ Bacon-y Baked Beans ~

I have three recipes for baked beans in my repertoire: Classic Boston, Hilda's and Bacon-y. All three are wonderful in their own right, but Bacon-y are the ones my son always asked me to make, which was great because they are also the easiest of the three. Once you have your bacon fried and chopped, the beans take about 5 minutes to mix together and then bake for about 1 hour. How easy it that! I like to make them several hours in advance, or even a day ahead, then reheat them, as with many foods: they just taste even...... View full recipe for "~ Bacon-y Baked Beans ~"

~ My Homemade French Salad Dressing ~

The technical definition for French dressing/salad dressing is: 1) a simple oil-and-vinegar combination, seasoned with salt, pepper and various herbs, or, 2) a commercial American dressing that is creamy, tartly sweet and red-orange in color. The latter is the dressing that captivated my younger brother David during his early teen years. His favorite brand was (and still is) manufactered by Kraft Foods and is named Catalina. David would cover (drench) very large chunks of iceberg lettuce with this tangy, orange dressing. In my adult years, I too found myself using copius amounts of it to dress on of my favorites:...... View full recipe for "~ My Homemade French Salad Dressing ~"

~ Carolina-Style Pulled-Pork BBQ/Sandwiches ~

Two of our three sons, at two different times, lived in North Carolina. I also have a father-in-law, "Doc" Weidaw, who retired to and lives in North Carolina. Upon their return home to PA, both sons begged me to develop a recipe for the famous North Carolina pulled-pork sandwiches they had grown to love. No arm twisting was necessary. I've tasted these sandwiches on trips to "The Carolinas" and I can tell you they "reign supreme" in the sandwich category of my foodie world! Our third and youngest son Jesse adores these and asks me to make them for tailgate...... View full recipe for "~ Carolina-Style Pulled-Pork BBQ/Sandwiches ~"

~ Mel's Creamy Crunchy Cole Slaw ~

I'm trying really hard to think of something fun to say and write about cole slaw! What I think is: cole slaw is another one of those misunderstood foods I write about every now and then. It is amazing to me just how many people say they don't like cole slaw, then admit they've never tried it because they just don't like cabbage or anything made with cabbage. I grew up loving my grandmother's pepper-slaw, my mother's stuffed cabbage rolls and my dad's homemade sauerkraut, so admittedly, I am at a loss with folks who have this mindset. Hopefully I...... View full recipe for "~ Mel's Creamy Crunchy Cole Slaw ~"

~ My Favorite Potato & Egg Salad ~

I have a confession to make: I am a potato salad snob! I want the classic Grandma's-type with no hype... nothing cool or trendy with a goofy name or fancy ingredients. My favorite potatoes for potato salad are: creamy Yukon Golds and small "new" reds. While I peel the Yukons and cut them into large, bite-sized chunks/pieces, I halve or quarter the small reds, leaving their soft peels in tact, which adds rustic color and extra nutrition to the potato salad (like I eat potato salad for its nutritional value). For the most part, I always boil my potatoes until...... View full recipe for "~ My Favorite Potato & Egg Salad ~"

~ The Corn Chronicles: Perfect Corn on the Cob ~

What a wonderful gift the Native Americans gave to the world. Everything on the corn plant can be used: the husks for tamales, the silks for tea, the kernels for food and the stalks for fodder. Modern day horticulturists developed our two most popular varieties: white (Country Gentleman) and yellow (Golden Bantam). White corn kernels are smaller and sweeter. Yellow corn kernels are larger and fuller-flavored. The hybrid (Butter & Sugar Corn) produces ears speckled with both yellow and white kernels: Almost nothing beats a serving of fresh, steaming corn on the cob lacquered with sweet cream butter and sprinkled...... View full recipe for "~ The Corn Chronicles: Perfect Corn on the Cob ~"