HungryChris

I'm afraid the duck with the money in it's feet, stays in the ceiling. HC

Hot wings and a pasta salad. We try to attend the 3 times a year antique show / flea market in Brimfield, MA every year. One year we had a very disappointing (and expensive) BBQ chicken at the food court there. I was inspired to plan a tailgate picnic lunch the following year, and we have done so ever since. I developed this pasta salad, based on a bruschetta made in the movie Julie and Julia, for that first tailgate picnic. We both greatly enjoyed it and it is now referred to as Brimfield Pasta Salad. HC

I met him once as a judge at a tailgate cooking event. If I had known he would be there, I would have paid way more attention to what I brought. The girl I was with had no idea who he was and was amazed that I did. That kind of let me know that I was in the company of someone not destined for my future. I thought his book, "The Apprentice" was a great read, and an insight into what an amazing life he has lead. Happy birthday, JP! HC

I should have added: "Say the secret word and win a hundred dollars." HC

OK, OK, You Bet Your Life, if I ever make duck soup again, you folks will never hear about it!!! HC

Salami grinders with cabbage slaw made it happen last night. HC

Mortadella, marinated zucchini and fried peppers on Tuscan bread with mayo and Dijon mustard. HC

The last of the pea soup with Aldi ham, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, (with Swiss Cheese) reheated from last night, made for a pretty great dinner tonight! HC

Deb and I talked about our next trip to New Orleans after dinner last night. Shrimp and grits, char grilled oysters..... This morning, I woke up with a trencherman's appetite, which I addressed with some scrapple, zucchini fries and poached eggs. HC

Yes, I think you are! Our differences aside, Deb was apprehensive about duck soup, but actually had seconds!! I call that a winner!!!!!! HC

Tonight we had duck soup with Cheddar Bay Biscuits (I had no cheddar cheese, and substituted Swiss instead). We enjoyed both the soup and the biscuits. HC

I'm making duck soup for dinner tonight. HC

Even though the clam beds finally opened for the first time in months, low tide was at 8:30 AM and the temp was at 24 F when it was time to leave the house. I chose to stay in bed. I have driven all the way there and walked all the way out, only to be driven away by the ice cold breeze at the shore, before I have dug enough clams for a decent meal. Deb was so looking foreword to a clam dinner, that I picked up some chopped sea clams at the supermarket for the purpose. HC

The 2 biggest issues I had with frying were the thermometer and what to do with the oil. I tried all kinds of thermometers that clipped on to the side of the pan, but sometimes I used a wok, and they wouldn't work. And they would sometimes suddenly shift and be in danger of falling into the hot oil. Once I got the hand held IR thermometer, that issue went away. I like to use peanut oil. I have 2 jars, I keep the used oil in. A 2 quart jar for frying fish and a 1 quart jar for frying vegetables. Once the oil is cool, I filter it through a wire sieve and it goes back in the jar. I top each jar off with fresh peanut oil, before I use it again. I like to heat the oil up to 375 F and try to only add enough of whatever is being fried such that the temp does not fall below 350 F. One of my favorite things is fried zucchini. I think those would be an instant hit as a bar food just about anywhere. So easy to make, but yet so very good and crisp. Add a little salsa or a bit of spicy ranch dressing dip or lemon and garlic aioli and they would please just about any crowd. I think they also go very well with breakfast. The French fries are a different method, I learned from @Shelby. Starting off with cool oil and gradually raising the temp until they acquire a golden brown color. I do remember the Florence Henderson bit. I hardly ever fry chicken though.

Cheeseburgers, with fries made the table last night. HC

Mortadella, roasted red peppers, marinated zucchini, mayo and Dijon mustard on Tuscan bread. It's just a winner! HC

Sausage, Cubanelle peppers, garlic and thin spaghetti with little salads made dinner last night. HC

Thanks to all you enablers, I just bought a vintage copper fondue set on EBay. I am looking foreword to sticking a fork in it. HC

Thai red curry duck with jasmine rice. HC

I feel compelled to share my one and only experience with cheese fondue. It was back in the days when here in the US, girls went to Home Economics and boys went to Shop class. Every once in a while we were invited to try something the girls had made and on one such occasion, it was cheese fondue. I have to admit that I loved it and looked foreword to having it again. Buying the pots and long handled forks kept me out of the arena, but I am temped to change that now, after this discussion. It just seems like a fun thing, like shabu shabu, that I have always wanted to try. HC

A perfectly ripened Bartlett pear, ruby red grapefruit supremes and a homemade sweetened lime acqua frizzante. HC

After returning from my monthly foray into the neighboring state of Rhode Island for wine, a trip to TJ's ( which does not carry wine) and BJ's, I made a sandwich in a whole wheat pita with mortadella, marinated zucchini ribbons and roasted red peppers. It was a messy thing to eat, but so worth the effort. Between the wine, gas and the nearest TJ's, it is so worth the effort and the 17 miles each way. It probably saves me between $35 and $50. Here is an example: On a recent trip to Italy, we acquired a taste for aperol spritzes. This bottle costs $32 in the town where I live, but is $18 where I go in RI. HC

A new exploit tonight. Korean BBQ rotisserie duck. The real problem here is that the sauce that is brushed on the duck every 20 minutes prevents you from having the duck fat for use in the future, a real drawback. The duck was great, but we have to rethink the process. HC

Me too. HC

Ham, egg and cheese on a toasted English muffin, sautéed mushrooms (butter, garlic and a splash of Worcestershire) and some of the usual suspects. HC