I didn't cook on July 4, but today I wanted to try Marlene Dietrich's hot dog recipe. I can't remember the last time I made hot dogs, but these sounded easy and delicious.
I used Hebrew National bun-length hot dogs. It was a package of six, but I left the recipe as is. It was very tasty! A sweet and sour flavor. I didn't put anything else on the dogs.
Clark Gable's Favorite Stuffed Burgers - I've been wanting to make these for along time, and yesterday was perfect!
I started with one pound of ground beef for 4 servings. Mixed the meat with salt, pepper, a hint of cayenne and just a few drops of liquid smoke. I didn't want to over-power the burgers with the liquid smoke since it's very strong. Next time I'd just a touch more, because after tasting these, it was hard to find the smoke flavor.
The hint of cayenne pepper was really nice with the contrast of the ooey and delicious center of the burger which kept in very most.
My husband grilled these for the recommended time they looked great coming off the grill.
The taste of the meat was really nice, seasoned perfectly and the stuffed center of American cheese, tomato and sliced onion melted into a nice combination of flavors with the onion flavor standing out the most, but in a great way!
When I assembled the burgers, I divided the meat in the bowl into 4 equal-ish sections. Then I took each 4th and divided it into 2 and made 2 thin round patties for each burger. (you'll have 8 thin patties in all).
Place a round-ish piece of cheese on each of 4 patties, then a thin slice of tomato, and a thin slice of onion. ( I didn't use the whole slice of onion, only about 3 small rings per burger. Then put the top patty on and seal all the edges completely.
I ate mine with just a little lettuce on a toasted sesame bun. I didn't think it needed anything else, plus I wanted to enjoy it Clark's way!
You can add your favorite toppings to this burger and I'm sure it would be really delicious!
Joan Crawford's Pimiento-Stuffed Olives Wrapped in Bacon - These were quite easy to make. I was cooking bacon this morning and just happened to remember this recipe, so I reserved 3 slices from the frying pan to make and try these. (Oops, I forgot to cook my bacon in butter like Joan!)
I just removed 3 slices of bacon from the pan when they were about 1/2 cooked and drained them on a paper towel. From there, you cut each piece of bacon in 1/2, use toothpicks to secure them around a nice big pimiento stuffed olive and bake at 350. I think it only took about 6 minutes for them to crisp up.
They are delicious! If you like olives and you like bacon, you'll love these! They provide the perfect salty treat that any cocktail party needs. Make sure to get the bacon crisp and there will be a nice contrast in textures.
I think Joan would be proud, although she'd not be happy with my burnt toothpicks. Any way to prevent tooth picks from burning? Soak them in water first?
This is #1 from the recipe above. In case you missed #2, you can see it here: Hot PEANUT BUTTER BACON CANAPÉS.
Cheers!
Signature Hits: She is best known for the 1963 #1 smash "It's My Party" and its sequel "Judy's Turn to Cry".
Frank Sinatra's Pesto Tortellini Salad - Which is also quite delicious eaten hot. The inspiration for making this recipe is that I had a package of tortellini in the freezer and I had some homemade pesto from a few days back, so it seemed like a good time to try this recipe.
I used fresh mushrooms and frozen artichoke hearts for this, and since Frank Sinatra's Bottled Pesto Sauce has been discontinued for many many years, you can understand why "we did it my way".
Start by boiling and cooking the tortellini according to the package instructions. Have the pesto and all the ingredients prepped and ready to go: cut olives, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and mushrooms.
Drain the tortellini and add enough pesto to your liking. Add remaining chopped veggies. My pesto wasn't as green as when I first made it, but it tasted just as good.
This dish is very good, easy to make and is good hot or cold! Each added ingredient brings its own flavor profile to this pasta recipe and it works together in a very harmonious way! Frank's way.
Mary Carr (née Kenevan) was a prolific American character actress celebrated as "The Mother of the Movies" for her definitive portrayals of maternal figures during the silent and early sound eras of Hollywood.
Born on March 14, 1874, in Germantown, Pennsylvania, she transitioned to film after two decades in touring repertory companies.
Over a career spanning four decades, she appeared in more than 140 films before passing away at the age of 99 on June 24, 1973
Al Lewis (born Abraham Meister; April 30, 1923 – February 3, 2006) was a beloved American character actor, political activist, and radio host best remembered for his iconic role as Grandpa Munster on the classic television sitcom The Munsters.
He was widely known for his sharp comedic timing, deadpan delivery, and colorful, larger-than-life personality both on and off the screen
Kirk Douglas' personal recipe for hamburger patties is known for its flavorful and slightly unconventional addition of red wine and bread crumbs. The recipe was famously shared in the 1949 celebrity-focused cookbook.
Reviewing the legendary Guacamole recipes of horror masters Boris Karloff and Vincent Price - We wanted side by side taste comparisons for each of these popular guac recipes so we made both. Although they both include the key guacamole ingredients like avocado, tomato and onion, here are the key differences:
Vincent Price's Guac:
Boris Karloff's Guac:
As for the tastes of each of these, Karloff's Guacamole was more like the traditional delicious guacamole that we all know and love. Very delicious! Price's Guacamole was very creamy and lemony. A nice change of pace. Next time I make it, I will probably add less mayo, as the avocados of the "olden days" were much less creamy than the Haas avocados we eat today.
My husband thought the Price's Guacamole was more like a salad dressing and would be nice used in that way. It was also smoother. He thought Karloff's Guacamole had just the right amount of onion which was minced. Price's Guacamole had grated onion which probably incorporated more with the overall dip.
So that's what we thought! Both were very good. I like both and would probably lean towards Karloff's version as my #1 choice.
P.S. Originally I was going to do a comparison of 5 guacamoles and include:
Honorable Mention: Beau Bridges Guac that has sour cream, salsa and olives in it.
Don't forget Wakimoli Salad from 1931, the recipe from Helen Twelvetrees.
Judy Blume's PORT CLYDE BROCCOLI SALAD SANDWICH - This sandwich recipe sounded weird but delightful at the same time, so I had to try it!
I started by lightly steaming a cup of broccoli tops. I removed most of the stems first. After steaming the tops, I chopped them finely. Then I went on and added the rest of the ingredients, lemon, mayo, salt and pepper. Mixed it up well to make sure it had enough mayo in it. I let it sit in the fridge overnight for sandwiches the next day.
Overnight the broccoli seemed to absorb the mayo, so I added a little more. Then I took 2 slices of bread buttered them on the inside and added a thick layer of the "broccoli salad" on the bread, made a sandwich and wrapped it in a damp paper towel and wax paper to set in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Got it out, tasted it... needed salt. (see photo #2) Not bad for a broccoli sandwich. But It didn't seem like a "broccoli salad" sandwich, so I did a little research.
It turns out that a "PORT CLYDE BROCCOLI SALAD" recipe does exist and it sound more like what I imagined. It includes crisp bacon, onions, sliced almonds (or sunflower seeds) and dried cranberries and maybe a dash of vinegar too.
So to the remaining broccoli salad mix that I had, I added 1/2 piece of bacon chopped, 1/2 teaspoon of onion, minced, a few chopped almonds and dried cranberries and a splash of vinegar. (Optionally, you can also add a pinch of shredded cheddar.) Mixed it up and made another sandwich the same way as the first. After chilling in the fridge, we had a taste.
It was much more lively and flavorful and exactly what I imagined when I read the title of this recipe. So I'm not sure if some of the ingredients of this recipe were neglected or if Judy and company just got lazy and went in for straight broccoli on their sandwiches (no disrespect!), but the 2nd sandwich was excellent and had all the elements of what a "Broccoli Salad Sandwich" should have. (Sandwich in photo #1)
I forgot to mention the rest of the broccoli salad mix was excellent eaten with the Pretzel Chips I had leftover from the Barbra Streisand Coffee Ice Cream recipe!
So it's a win win! Thank you to Judy Blume for this excellent suggestion!
Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies - Easy to make and when they come out of the oven the have a nice crinkly, crispy top. Inside they're very ooey gooey and delicious!
The secret to the success of these brownies is to get them out of the pan without sticking. You must have patience and let them completely cool, which is really challenging considering the air is filled with a rich chocolate aroma and you just want to dive right in!
Even though the pans were buttered liberally and floured, they were still sticking. (Still too warm). Next time I'll use buttered parchment paper with 2 inches of the paper overhanging on each side so they'll be easier to lift out.
I've never had brownies like this before! Probably because we always use a box mix, which we do add special ingredients to to boost their flavor, but this is out of this world. SO good! The walnuts are really needed in this, but you can make them nut-free.
You've got to make them!
Frederic Arnold Kummer Sr. (August 5, 1873 – November 22, 1943) was a prolific American author, playwright, and screenwriter who wrote in a wide variety of genres including mystery, romance, history, and early science fiction. He also published multiple works under the detective-fiction pseudonym Arnold Fredericks.
I made this because it looked pretty good and I had the ingredients lying around the house. When I first read the recipe, I completely missed the part about garnishing it with salami. I was relieved when I read that Farr says it's optional. Instead of spaghetti, I used fusilli because that's what was in my cupboard.
This recipe was strange. I expected it to be more of a light sauce, but the roux made a thick sauce. The fusilli was a good choice for this, because the sauce ckung well to the more substantial pasta. I love to cook with artichokes but the sauce was just bland. Unless you got a bite with artichoke in it, it didn't really taste like much. It also had a strange color.
We ate the whole thing but I won't be making it again. I give Jamie Farr's Artichoke Pasta a C.
If you want a taste of elegance from a bygone era, you might love Walter Pidgeon's Delmonico Salad!
We served this salad over crisp iceberg lettuce. It's a healthy retro recipe that mixes diced beets (I roasted them first in the oven in foil), tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery with peas and a hint of cheese. We used sharp cheddar.
The French/mayo dressing on the chopped salad incorporates nicely with the lettuce.
It was full of flavor and very filling and really was like tasting a salad of another time and place! I loved the combination of home made French dressing and mayo mixed together. I was great on this chopped salad.
In the 1950s, Delmonico's was the definitive hub for Wall Street "Mad Men" types, corporate executives, and political figures like Harry Truman. It was highly exclusive, maintaining rigid dress codes and pristine tableside Continental service.
The dashing Academy Award-nominated actor Walter Pidgeon loved the food at Delmonico's, and his favorite meals became a part of Hollywood history.
Purchased this book and thought this recipe was hilarious, I had to read it 5x wondering…did she really just add chicken to already made chicken soup and add garnish? Who am I to argue with the “perfect wife”