Whoo-hoo!! Of all the food holidays, this one is my favorite: National Nacho Day!

What’s wonderful about nachos is that there is no recipe… whatever you’ve got in the pantry or fridge will work. You don’t even need corn chips… I’ve seen nachos made with pita bread and cucumber slices. Heck, I once ate a Japanese Maki called the “Nacho Roll” loaded with jalapenos, sour cream, chorizo and seared tuna. Now that’s inventive.

For basic nachos, all you need to do is top corn chips with shredded cheese and microwave or heat in the oven until nice and melty. If you want a little heat, add fresh or pickled jalapeños or serrano peppers. Cooked ground beef, turkey or chicken will up the protein level. Sour cream, guacamole, chopped cilantro, sautéed onions and diced red or green peppers are excellent on top. It’s all up to you…that’s the beauty of nachos!

I’m going to get fancy, since this is such a special day: Sautéed Shrimp and Brie Nachos. I didn’t use jalapeños because I don’t want to mask the wonderful flavor of the shrimp and creamy Brie cheese. I added a dash of paprika for a little color and a hint of smokiness. You won’t need the oven to melt the cheese because the shrimp will be hot out of the pan.

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I know what you’re thinking: “A stew. Really? When it’s so hot and muggy?”

Yes… because this Vietnamese Beef Stew proves that it IS possible for a stew to be light, and, dare I say it, refreshing.

It’s the star anise and cinnamon combination that lifts this stew above the ordinary and gives it a playful summery flavor. Simmering it for hours tenderizes an otherwise tough cut of meat and allows the flavors to deepen and develop.

My inspiration for this stew comes from a similar dish I devoured at James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd’s restaurant, Underbelly, in Houston.

I prepared this recipe on top of the stove in my Pauli Cookware. You can also cook it in a crockpot, so that after being out of the house all day enjoying summer, you’ll have a great dinner waiting for you at home!

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Star anise is a key ingredient in this dish… read more about it in my post “What is Star Anise?”
Here’s another delicious dish I think you’ll enjoy… Seafood Cioppino.

Chicago’s Wrigley Field celebrates its 100^th Birthday today!

In honor of the centennial celebration, the ballpark is doing something really cool… they’re putting a historical twist on hot dogs.

“Decade Dogs” will commemorate each of the 10 decades that the North Side ball field has been in existence. If you look at the offerings you can really see how the American palate has become more adventurous and really embraced ethnic cuisine.

Some of the hot dogs sound absolutely delicious… others, not so much (I’m looking at you TV Dinner Dog).

Here’s a breakdown of the dogs, decade by decade, being offered at the Friendly Confines:

1910’s Rueben Dog: In honor of the invention of the Ruben Sandwich: Vienna Beef hot dog, sliced corn beef, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and Swiss cheese.

1920’s Chicago Dog: The Chicago classic hot dog: Vienna Beef hot dog, tomato wedges, pickle spears, sport peppers, diced onions, mustard, neon relish and celery salt, served on a poppy seed bun.

1930’s Cheese Steak Dog: In honor of the invention of Philadelphia’s favorite sandwich: Vienna Beef hot dog, shaved rib eye steak, grilled onions, peppers and provolone cheese.

1940’s Corn Dog Nibblers: In honor of the Corn Dog, invented at the Texas State Fair: Deep-fried mini Vienna Beef corn dogs.

1950’s TV Dinner Dog: In honor of that unforgettable foil-tray meal:  Vienna Beef hot dog, mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.

1960’s Buffalo Wing Dog: In honor of that now ubiquitous party snack, invented at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York: Vienna Beef hot dog, diced chicken, buffalo sauce, bleu cheese crumbles and chopped celery.

1970’s Pulled Pork Dog: In honor of when America woke up and smelled the smoke (barbecue that is): Vienna Beef hot dog, pulled pork, barbecue sauce, fried onions and coleslaw.

1980’s Nacho Dog: In honor of the decade Tex-Mex cooking seduced the country: Vienna Beef hot dog, tortilla strips, nacho cheese, salsa and pickled jalapeños.

1990’s Bagel Dog: In honor of when bagels broke out of the New York Delicatessens and into middle America’s strip malls: Vienna Beef hot dog wrapped in a warm bagel with deli mustard.

2000’s Dog: The Decade Dog that is the most popular will also receive the honor of being named 2000 Dog.

I don’t see me being able to eat 10 dogs at any one game, so I guess I’ll have to make multiple trips back to Wrigley.  It’s a shame the Cubs can’t match the quality of the food!

Happy Birthday Wrigley Field!

Leftover Matzo. Leftover Easter Eggs. Leftover Salsa.

Mama’s building cultural bridges one meal at a time.

Matzo Eggs Rancheros with Avocado and Cheese

For the unitiated, Matzo is an unleavened bread (well, more like a crisp cracker) traditionally eaten during the week-long Passover holiday.

Over the years, I’ve found that Matzo is a great conduit for leftovers and especially for making a quick snack:

Matzo + Pasta Sauce + Pepperoni + Mozzarella = Matzo Pizza
Matzo + Hummus + Cucumbers + Red Peppers = Matzo Mediterranean
Matzo + Refried Beans + Jalapeños + Cheese = Matzo Nachos

If you’ve never purchased Matzo, you should give it a try. It makes a fun and interesting sandwich for the kids’ lunches and a crunchy alternative to regular chips for dips and salsas. Oh… Gluten Free Matzo is available.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get back to brokering peace in the Middle East…

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