Andy Warhol, Cookbook Illustrator

In a reminder that everyone has to start somewhere on the road to greatness, The Crossett Library Bennington College has made several of Andy Warhol’s illustrations available on its Flickr account. The illustrations were done for Amy Vanderbilt’s Complete Cookbook in 1961 and run from mundane meat cuts and placesettings to the rather more fanciful hors d’oeuvre tray below.

Andy Warhol

I think my grandmother had a copy of this cookbook as I recognize the dustcover, but I have no idea which family member might have it now…wouldn’t she have been surprised to know she had it in her kitchen all these years!

Family Recipe – BBQ Chicken Sloppy Joes

I am always looking for healthy recipes for my family. My kids (and my wife) can be picky sometimes, so when I find a recipe that everyone likes, that the kids can help with, and that is actually good for them, I know I have a winner on my hands. Enter BBQ Chicken Sloppy Joes from the Rachel Ray Yum-O Family Cookbook .

I did make a couple of changes to the recipe you will find at the link above that worked for me and my family in using a bagged Cole Slaw mix from the store and in substituting apple cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar called for in the recipe.    I also added some oven fries to round out the meal.   I’ll leave substitutions and sides up to your discretion.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick brand Montreal Chicken Seasoning
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar  (I used apple cider vinegar )
  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 can tomato sauce (14 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 4 crusty rolls, split and toasted (I used Kaiser Rolls)

The Technique:

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then add the EVOO. Add the ground chicken to the pan and, using the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, break it up into crumbles so that it can brown evenly. Season the chicken with grill seasoning blend.

Once the chicken begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes, add the onion and peppers and cook 5-6 minutes more to soften.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and hot sauce. Stir the BBQ Joe sauce into the chicken and combine. Reduce heat to simmer, let mixture bubble and then combine for 5 minutes more.

Prepare the bagged Cole Slaw

Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile the sloppy chicken onto toasted bun bottoms, then top with Slaw  and bun tops.  Serve with oven fries, more slaw or potato chips.

My favorite gift so far – Rachel Ray Yum-o Family Cookbook

Yum-O Family Cookbook

Lots of people bag on Rachel Ray (my anti-hero Tony Bourdain included) but I think she has done something that advanced the cause of eating well and bringing family into the kitchen more than most with her “30 Minute Meals” show on FoodTV and her cookbooks. She has shown people that making really tasty home made food doesn’t have to be an “hours of sweating over a hot stove” production.

As a father of 2 (and my 7 yo daughter is my kitchen shadow) I am stoked to have pulled Yum-o! The Family Cookbook out of my stocking yesterday. This book doesn’t get too complex with the flavors and keeps the recipes kid-friendly both in terms of palate and in terms of technique, while encouraging some culinary adventure by incorporating some Asian and Italian flavors and some interesting twists on American favorites.

I made the PB-J Extreme Sandwich (a traditional  toasted PBJ + honey, banana, turkey bacon and cinnamon)  for my daughter’s brunch this am and it was a big success. I threw a little twist on it omitting the thinly sliced banana (didn’t have any) and using some awesome Cinnabon Cinnamon Bread instead of the whole wheat bread it called for and Molly was stoked.

I think it’s soooo important to get our kids into the kitchen with us as early as we can and have them help us with age-appropriate tasks.   It encourages a healthy respect for food and eating and it really does get them to try more varied types of food – after all – if they help make it, they want to try it.

If you have kids and are struggling with the “same old same old” recipes and want to get your kids involved – pick up a copy today.