I Thought This Was A Post About Pizza, But Really It's An Homage To Our Grill

Rachel here.

So, we have a grill, right? I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before around these parts. It's kind of been our summer maker. I've been looking for work (still am, if you happen to know anyone in the Bay Area looking for someone like me...ok, plug done. Moving on...) and so we've--like so, so, so many other folks--have been a single income family. And we've been lucky to have that income (so, so, so many other folks don't even have that) and we've known it, but that doesn't mean that we haven't lamented how locally we've been living as of late. Usually we'd get away for at least a couple of days, a trip north or south for a change of scenery and a fresh perspective on our selves, our home, and each other. That wasn't in the budget this summer, though, and so our grill became the center to our little bits of get away.

We've strung lights and gotten chairs and a little table (which, mind you, just might be the ugliest table ever made, but it was free and sturdy, so here we are...and yes, I was going to paint it...and yes, that was nearly 2 months ago...and no, no I haven't yet...YET) and at night, after M has gone to bed, we've retired to sit under the giant and slightly creepy old pine tree out back, sipping wine while coals get hot and snacking on cheese and crackers while our main meal cooks.

And you know what? Not once--NOT ONE NIGHT--have I not absolutely relished every second of it. Vacation is awesome, and I hope our ability to take them returns soon, but there's something really magical about stepping out the back door and finding myself in a space that we've managed to keep exclusively associated with relaxation. My shoulders sink, my mouth slips into a half smile, my worries are checked at the door. I feel really proud of us for making this little summertime oasis for ourselves, for remembering to find a way to step away from the day-to-day so we don't get mired down in it, and for remembering to hold a space for us to come together in.

We've grilled all sorts of things. Chicken and steaks, vegetables and s'mores and whatnot. The other night, with friends who we've enjoyed several evenings out back with, John grilled up a pizza that was absolutely fantastic. He pre-baked the crust in the oven earlier in the day and then covered it with lemon zest, garlic, goat cheese, mozzarella, sliced Early Girl Tomatoes (so, so, so good--go find them and try them before it's full-blown tomato season and they're gone), torn basil, leeks (which we sauteed earlier as well) and crumbled bacon. I mean, really. This pizza was GOOD. So good that my mouth is watering right now as I write this even though I just ate half of M's sandwich and, really, I wasn't hungry when I sat down and began the post.

And tonight? Tonight we've got a date on the patio again. We'll plug in the lights and talk about our days, grabbing sweatshirts as the sun disappears and, for an hour or two, stepping away from it all.

Chicken and Peaches. Yes Peaches. Oh and Bacon

Janet here:

I was looking for something to make that said summer but didn't involve grilling. I also didn't want to spend all afternoon making it. It was too darn hot.

So I started thumbing through my cookbooks and found what I wanted in Rachael Ray's Look + Cook. (I reviewed it here if you want to more about it.) I had never made anything that combined fruit with chicken so I was intrigued. We grilled some green beans (okay, so we grilled one thing), and mixed them up with some diced shallots, olive oil and mustard. I'm here to say, it was a damn fine meal, I'm not going to lie.

Glazed Chicken and Peaches
with cheese and bacon biscuits
serves 4

Biscuits


ingredients

Jiffy biscuit mix. Yup a box of biscuit mix. You can certainly make them from scratch but these were just fine.
one cup of grated sharp cheddar
about 2 tablespoons bacon bits

method
Mix the biscuits according to the box, and then mix in the cheese and bacon.
Bake in oven following the box directions.

Chicken

ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 large peaches, halved or thickly sliced
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1 shallot choppped
1 tablespoon dried ginger or 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3/4 cups chicken stock
a little more than 1/3 cup peach preserves
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

method
Melt the butter with the lemon juice. Add the peaches to the skillet. Cook about 10 minutes until peaches are tender.

While peaches are cooking, put some EVOO in a pan and add the chicken. Cook about 10 minutes each side until tender. Take off the heat, put on a plate and cover.

In the pan that held the chicken, add a little more EVOO, chicken stock, peach preserves, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce. Cook until thickened. Put the chicken on a plate and cover with the glaze. Serve with biscuits and dig in.

Oh Mr. Postman....

Since I'm a magazine editor, I subscribe to a ridiculous number of magazines. I'm not going to even tell you how many because that would mean counting them myself and openly admitting I just might have a little magazine problem. (Click here if you missed the post on my food magazines alone.) Besides it's for work; I need to see what's going on in the business. (That's my theory and I'm sticking with it.)

I fold down pages of ideas of ideas I like, rip out recipe pages (see above revealing post), and bring magazines to my office to show my designers ideas that I love. It's like Christmas every month when they begin to arrive in my mailbox in a flurry of paper wonderfulness.

A particular favorite is the Food Network Magazine, which Rachel also gets and then we talk about what we're going to make and why. So, here's the point of this post: Rachel, I'm putting you on notice. I expect to have this sandwich sometime this week after your dad and I arrive TONIGHT!!!! in California!!!! to squeeze the Divine 9-month-old Miss M, who we have not squeezed since she was 6 months old ... oh yes and hug you as well. Get the ingredients (turkey bacon of course) and get ready. We are coming.

All Bacon All the Time

Janet here:

Clearly winter is getting to me. I am craving comfort food and have been on a baking and bacon binge — although so far not in the same moment, which is probably good. If, however, you see a post here about a bacon chocolate chip cookie some day soon, you will know I have officially gone off the deep end.

While I gave up eating red meat over 30 years ago, I remain a bacon freak and often suggest that my children order bacon when we're at a restaurant so I can snag a piece. It's a weakness I know, but there it is. Anyway, to appease my conscience, I made this dish with turkey bacon. You obviously can use the other kind and all will likely be well.

Mac and cheese is the consummate comfort food to me but for years was — sadly — off limits in our family meal cycle because Rachel got sick once after having this for dinner and basically even the mention of mac and cheese elicited a gag reflex on her part.

Almost the day she left the house, though, I brought it back. This particular version is made not just with grated cheddar but with blue cheese as well. And, then, because I clearly had not added enough calories yet, I added bacon ... lots of it. (I also made a chili with bacon the same week but more on that another time.) The reviews were raves all around. I dare you to feel differently.

Ridiculously Cheesy Mac and Cheese
serves 4 or fewer if you have teenage or older boys in the house

ingredients
3/4 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar
3/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
5-6 pieces of bacon, cooked and broken into bits
3-4 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk (or you could do half-and-half if you felt really decadent)
salt and pepper to taste
about 1/2 cup bread crumbs

method
Fill a large pot with salted water. Bring to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Remove from heat and drain out the water.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter. When it's melted, add the flour and stir to make a roux. Add the milk and stir so there are no floury blobs and until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the cheddar. Stir until the cheddar is melted in. Add the blue cheese and stir until melted.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta in a casserole dish. Add the bacon pieces and stir it all together. Taste for salt and pepper needs (likely not much salt due to the bacon and the cheeses). Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until the top is brown and the whole delicious concoction is bubbling.

Back Breakingly Good Bacon Burgers

Rachel here.

It is my distinct pleasure today to introduce to you all for the first time the culinary stylings of my little brothers (ok, little they are not--and definitely not littler than me--but any older siblings out there know as well as I do that they'll always be my baby bros). The recipe they have to offer today is--no joke--a recipe for the best burgers I have EVER eaten (and this is coming from a girl who likes her beef and likes it bloody). Read and then head to the kitchen. You won't be sorry.



Gerrit here.

For the first time in two decades S and I are taking over the helm in the kitchen arena; be afraid...be VERY afraid. Why, you ask? The menu for the evening is simply a turkey burger, complemented by turkey bacon. What's the worst that could go wrong? A charred bird?

Wrong. Try a flavor explosion in your mouth, one so powerful that the salivary glands on your tongue beg for mercy and an immediate reduction of flavor. I am, of course, speaking hyperbolically; however, the flavors are quite explosive by design, so enjoy and do not be afraid to stylize the recipe and make it your own!

Historically, we are both BIG fans of big-taste burgers. Over the years, from barbecues to fast food joints to fine-dining establishments, we have experimented and explored the wide variety of burgers out there. Our family, generally speaking, does not consume (and never has) red meat, not even the occasional burger. There is where I, and especially S, stray from the beaten path. I love beef burgers and often order one when out when presented the opportunity. S takes things one step further and is an appreciator of steaks, ribs and more, albeit rather infrequent consumption.

As mentioned the typical Reynolds household burger is of the turkey variety, and let's be real meat-eaters — it’s less flavorful than its beef counterpart. We desired to create a more flavorful burger experience, not only for ourselves, but for the beloved and beautiful cooks Janet and Rachel who have so selflessly cooked for us over the years. We decided to hit the grocery store and hit it hard; the following is the resultant beauty...

S here –
I played what could be considered the sous-chef role for most of the preparation of this meal, and will therefore give advice with regards to this side of the operation. My first words of wisdom: Be liberal in the siphoning of freshly-cooked bacon pieces for your personal supply. This is, after all, a deserved perk of being in charge of the single most delicious ingredient in the recipe.

I would also state the fairly obvious advice of trying to think a couple of steps ahead in the recipe (key with a gourmet platter like the B.B.G.B.B.) and try to anticipate what your head chef and burger master will need. Our family kitchen is on the smaller side, so the importance of keeping tasks going and ingredients flowing were evident very quickly to us.

Most of all have fun making this meal, though. I had a blast with G making this meal and I think it may be the first substantive thing I’ve ever made in the kitchen more than once. The whole idea is to treat yourself to a decadent, satisfying chowdown, and the more you enjoy creating your burger, the better it will taste. See for yourself!


Triple-Cheese Turkey Bacon Burgers avec Fried Egg
serves 4 (ridiculously large portions)

ingredients
8-10 slices turkey bacon
2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 lb. mild cheddar
1/2 lb. Sharp cheddar
1/2 lb mozzarella
4 oz. Crumbled Blue Cheese container (will last more than one meal)
4 eggs

Spices Used:
minced onions, garlic powder, Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy, Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple, Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Worcester Sauce, EVOO


method
I did not measure out any spices or sauces, however, the following philosophy should clear up any confusion and also could be the motto for Rush Limbaugh's next hiring campaign: Apply liberally.

Put some EVOO in a big pan on your biggest burner, and warm skillet to a high level. When nice and hot, cook the bacon strips (think 2-3 strips per burger depending on bun-size) and keep warm in oven once cooked.

Depending on the residual amount of bacon fat left, add a little more EVOO.

While the bacon is cooking, or your sous-chef cooks the bacon, prepare the patties. I made each patty a half pound and did not regret it for a second. Patty preparation includes: spicing both sides of the burger with every spice mentioned. My personal approach involved a light coating of each spice, evenly distributed over the surface-area of side of the burger. For the onion and garlic, I did not apply to the patties, but rather spiced the bottom of the pan and let the burger juices cook in the two flavors.

Progress to date: Bacon cooked and warming, Patties prepared, time to cook the patties!

Cook patties on pan two at a time; get another pan going if you feel like it. Flip four-six times, each time noting how the meat is cooking and adjust accordingly. (An adjustment may include making a cut in the bottom of the patty to let in more heat and to allow the flow of juices when pressure is applied with a spatula.)

While burgers cook, toast and butter BOTH sides of the bun (otherwise the burger may fall apart heehee.)

Place patties on burger with a layer of each cheddar blanketing them. Place bacon strips on top of the cheddars, add mozarella on top of bacon, add crumbles of blue cheese on top of the mozzarella. Place in oven while eggs quickly cook.

Throw eggs on top of hot pan, fry them leaving yolk in tact, and place on top of Blue Cheese.

Dot the top of burger blood red with Frank's Red Hot Sauce and add ketchup as well.

Cut in half and enjoy the layered beauty that is the BBGBB!!!!

What's for Breakfast?

Rachel here: Ok, so I'm back. Get excited. For my first post this week I made waffles. To be honest, though, I really made waffles three times. I only photographed them the last time, though, when I made them for John's birthday breakfast (along with eggs scrambled with cheddar cheese and slices of apple). The first two times I made them were for myself last week. Those times I used leftover pancake batter (things with which one can eat maple syrup have become umm...important to me as of late...like, really important) figuring they would yield slightly lesser waffles, but delicious ones (and ones with maple syrup on them) all the same.

I was wrong.

The waffles I made last week using pancake batter were totally better than the ones I made for John's birthday breakfast (sorry, sweetheart). While the waffles I made for John (and which are photographed above...clearly they were still edible) were adequate, they grew tough quickly as they cooled (not the case with my pancake batter waffles). And so, though I have a few leftover and I will absolutely dutifully eat them, below I am going to post the waffle batter recipe from The Best Recipe by Cook's Illustrated in addition to the pancake batter recipe I adapted which, to my taste, worked out much better.

Also, I should confess that part of my waffle making frenzy was the result of a desire to make some and freeze them for down the road. And yet, three batters later, there are still no frozen waffles in my house. Oops!

Oh! One more thing. If savory's more your schtick, check out my ma's egg casserole down below. She didn't have a photo, but it sounds absolutely fantastic (as in, I want it for dinner). Enjoy!

Waffles
makes 4-8 depending on size of waffle iron

Ingredients
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. cornmeal (optional...I opted...it was only sort of noticeable)
1 tspn. salt
1/2 tspn. baking soda
2 eggs, separated
1 3/4 c. buttermilk
4 T. butter, melted

Method
First, get your waffle iron going. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks and buttermilk. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff 2-inch peaks. Add the yolk/buttermilk mixture to the dries in a steady stream while mixing gently with a rubber spatula. Do not over mix. Towards the end, add the egg whites, folding them in until just incorporated. Batter should be lumpy and thick. Scoop batter into waffle iron and cook to desired crispness. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Pancakes Batter That Works for Waffles

Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 tspn. sugar
1/2 tspn. salt
1/2 tspn. baking powder
1/4 tspn. baking soda
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. milk
1 large egg
2 T. unsalted butter, melted

Method
Turn waffle iron on. Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine buttermilk, milk, egg and butter, mixing well (don't add butter when it's super hot or it will cook your egg). Pour into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into waffle iron (or onto a skillet to make pancakes--just oil the surface first!) and cook to your desired crispness and color. Enjoy!


Janet here: This casserole will feed an army, so it is perfect for brunches or, as in the debut of this particular casserole, for a baby shower or some other kind of brunchy event. I have made it with sausage, bacon, grilled veggies and lox — all to rave reviews. Oh, yes, and it's simple.

Susan's Egg Casserole
serves 12-14

Ingredients
12 eggs
9 slices of white bread, crust cut off, and cut into 1/2" pieces
3 cups milk
6 scallions, diced
1/4 cup chopped, drained pimentos
2 lbs. sausage, cut up (or bacon or smoked salmon; your choice of meat goodies. I've done all of them at various points.)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Method
The trickiest part is just remembering you have to do this the night before cooking. Toss it all into a bowl. Mix. Put into a 9" X 13" casserole pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day pop it into a 300-degree oven for 60 minutes and get ready to listen to the oohs and ahhs.