Memorial Day Cooking Tips

Hey MHC! I know that you’re going to be around a grill at some point over the weekend, so I’ve decided a little Memorial Day cooking tip with you! This is how to make smoked sausage. Enjoy!

Then again, this is Memphis…do you really need to be taught more ways to BBQ?

Let’s Eat!

Love seafood? Love food period? Well, there’s one place that you absolutely have to try: Danver’s Restaurant on Kirby Pkwy. They’ve recently added seafood to their menu, and I can’t be any more excited! Being that I a down-home-southern-girl, I love some good fried fish. Whiting, Tilapia, or Catfish seasoned to perfection and fried to a good crisp that’s just enough to leave the inside flavorful and juicy will make my day! And that’s exactly what I got when I went to Danver’s.

While there, I tried the new Southern Style Catfish and Shrimp Basket. For only about $8, you get three jumbo shrimp and a decent sized catfish filet with a baked potato loaded how you like with garnishes from their famous salad bar. I always load mine with bacon, cheese, chives, and sour cream. Yum!

Well, needless to say, I was not disappointed when I bit into the catfish. It had just the right amount of crunch to it and burst with flavor with every chew. It was as if the spices were embedded right into the fish. The shrimp were great too! Though, there aren’t too many ways you could mess up shrimp unless it’s too touch or taste too seafood-y. Luckily, it was just how I like it: fried hard. (you may have to ask for this though). Plus, they were huge! They weren’t kidding when they said jumbo.

All in all, I had a very nice experience, and I will definitely be back.

Have you ever eaten here? Where was the best seafood you ever had?

Routing for the Home Team Has Never Tasted So Great!

Once again, Food Network has chosen to feature Memphis Area residents on the popular food related channel. Many of our local restaurant’s specialties have been featured, with showcases the rich, and flavorful culture of this fair city. “Down Home with the Neelys,” which stars Neely’s Bar-B-Que owners and Memphis residents Pat and Gina Neely, is now in its seventh season, with an eighth scheduled to begin filming in April.

Soon, two more Memphis chefs will be showing their culinary prowess on the network. They are Kelly English of Restaurant Iris and Viking Cooking School instructor Gail Churinetz.

Churinetz, a Germantown resident, will appear on “Ultimate Recipe Showdown” with Guy Fieri. The show airs on March 14 at 8 p.m. with Churinetz and her Crawfish Andouille Sausage Pizza battling against contestants from New York, Florida and Missouri.

English will be on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” which is co-hosted by native Memphian Claire Robinson, at 9 p.m. Friday. He says that being seen on the Food Network “is something everyone wants to do.”

I think this is great! What better residents than Memphis’ own to showcase on Food Network? I can’t tell you of how many great restaurants I’ve found in town! I find it so refreshing because I get SO tired of the same chain restaurants day in and day out.

What about you? What’s your favorite restaurant in the area?

Fat Tuesday Eats: King Cakes Aren’t the Only Tradition!

Along with throwing beads, parades, and King Cake, there’s another Fat Tuesday tradition that is often skipped over by many: eating pancakes. To me, this is an absolute thrill as pancakes are my favorite breakfast food. Actually they’re my favorite anytime food. Who can get enough of the light, fluffy, buttery goodness that is the flat cake that comes from a pan?

Well the Grace St. Luke Episcopal Church’s “Buzz Busby” Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper has been keeping the tradition alive for more than 30 years. The concept of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, came to America with the English settlers. (See, they’re not just delicious, they have a rich and syrupy history! : )

Pancake Tuesday was the traditional feast that preceded the 40 days of denial during Lent; the name comes from the practice of shriving, or seeking absolution through penance. These cakes were similar to the ones we typically eat today, and date back to the 1400s.
This is actually something new to me. Now that I know, it gives me a reason to go and flip up a batch right now! Though, I really didn’t need much of a push. : )

Are you in love with pancakes as much as I am? Did you know about this Fat Tuesday tradition? Are there others that you know of?

Looking For Something New to Take to Lunch?

Why not try this? I like to think of it as a grilled cheese sandwich to the 10th power.

Ingredients

• 8 slice(s) rye bread
• 4 teaspoon(s) sharp, hot mustard
• 1/2 head(s) (small) radicchio, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tablespoon(s) balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 pound(s) hard salami, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound(s) Jarlsberg cheese, thinly sliced
• 4 teaspoon(s) butter, melted

Directions

1. Spread 4 slices of bread with mustard.
2. Toss the radicchio with the vinegar, place on top of the mustard-spread slices of bread. Layer each sandwich with 3 slices of salami and 3 slices of cheese. Top with the remaining bread. Brush both sides of the sandwich with butter. Grill in a panini press until cheese is melted — about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Get The Knowledge For Your Health’s Sake

Flu; Cancer; Sports Injuries; Virus; Cold; Infection; Weight Issues; Parkinson’s; Aging Parents…. all of these have personally been affecting my life and/or the life of someone close to me, very recently.

I have been all over the web and living at the bookstores and library lately, trying to immerse myself in all the info I need or want to know – so I can help myself, my doctors, my family members and friends who’ve all been dealing with one or more of the above.

This is one of the best links I’ve found lately that consolidates a wealth of information on a variety of health, wellness and fitness issues.

Check it out here.