Norm Matthews

Charlie suggested tacos today since it was Tuesday and when I said OK, he started looking for a place to get delivery but I said I'd make them. Tacos mean guacamole and that means ripe avocados and the only places to be sure to find ripe ones are at one of the Mexican groceries nearby. Two of them have taco bars and tables to eat-in and store made salsas. Fresh made Pico de Gallo is a better tasting salsa on tacos than any commercial taco sauce I have tried.

It seems like whenever I don't feel like planning dinner, like yesterday, I default to steaks on the grill. A local grocery usually has these KC Strip steaks at a good price. Just toss them on the grill, pop some corn in the oven and get a salad from the grocery salad bar. I was going to make hash browns bur Charlie suggested steak fries and that was easier... a little messier but overall easier. Charlie asked for his to be skewered. He puts an Asian sauce on them.

Charlie was telling a friend just now that I used to make these a lot when he was in elementary school and he'd eat one on his way to school. School was only 4 blocks away. I originally made 6 at a time, then 8, now I made 12 eggs this time. They always run out too quickly. 4 are already gone and they just came out of the oven ( I ate 2 of them) There are several versions of where Scotch Eggs originated but the most likely one, in my opinion, is that they were first sold in 1830's in an English costal town at an eatery called William Scott and Sons. They were called Scotties but later the name became Scotch Eggs. Originally they were coated with a rich creamy fish paste before being sprinkled with bread crumbs. Sausage replaced the fish paste merely for packaging reasons. The source of this information says that he recently visited that town and they still use fish paste. The recipe I have been using for the last few years comes from a cookbook titled "Irish Bar Food". I like it not only because it tastes better than other recipes I have used but it is baked instead of frying. The coating tends to shrink and pull away from places on some eggs when deep fried.

A couple years ago I found a store bought spaghetti sauce that was better tasting than any I'd tried before. Charlie told me it was from a local restaurant and he'd eaten there, and it was very good. We have gone together a couple of times. They are best known for their chicken Spiedini. While at the store a couple days ago I saw some packaged chicken spiedini from that same restaurant so I got a package and a bottle of their sauce and made it today. It tastes pretty much the same way as it did when we ate there this year, about a week before Fathers Day.

Thank you for the compliment and suggestion. For anyone who does not get the link, here it is: http://normmatthews.blogspot.com/

We liked the marinated, skewered and grilled steak that we did a little while ago well enough I that we did it again. This time I left it in the Teriyaki sauce a little longer and cooked some onions and mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil and added in the meat when it was done on the grill. We also had rice, and corn cut off the cob and cooked with some salt, butter, cream and rice syrup.

I almost always post recipes on my blog. There is a link to it at the bottom of this post.

Charlie loves Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches so when I showed him a recipe for Philly Cheesesteak Meatloaf, he was all for trying it. The picture that came with the recipe looked like it was topped with cheese as well as having it in the middle but it didn't. All the cheese was in the center and I didn't want to take it apart by then so when it came out of the oven, I grated the rest on top and put it under the broiler for a few minutes.

I wasn't planning to cook today, just eat something left over but there wasn't anything. There was one steak, not enough for two and some shrimp in the freezer. They were quickly defrosted , skewered and so was the steak. Steak was marinated a few minutes in teriyaki and the shrimp in Japanese BBQ sauce. They were grilled and we had them with rice and kimchi. Charlie had his with Yum Yum sauce. I didn't even think to take a picture until this was all that was left.

Yesterdays trip to the farmers market led to this very pleasant summer meal; Corn, tomato salad, and fried okra. It all went so well with a grilled steak. We had some Missouri peaches last night.

Yesterday, I used the smoker to do a chicken, pork ribs and BBQ beans. We had them with vinaigrette coleslaw. There will be leftovers for a few days.

I went to the Korean grocery this morning and got some fresh kimchi, kimbap and marinated beef for bulgogi. All I had to do for supper was turn on the rice cooker and grill the bulgogi.

Garozzos Italian Restaurant is acclaimed to be possibly the best Italian restaurant in the area. Last week Charlie and I went there and each of us had a version of their famous Spiedini di Pollol . I had the one with crushed tomatoes and Charlie had the one with artichoke hearts and Alfredo sauce. We got there at 3:30, half an hour after they opened and were the only patron there at first. Someone must have been caught off guard in the kitchen because Charlie's, although delicious, the chicken was waaay over cooked. I said I wanted to try to make a version of theirs sometime soon. That turned out to be today. Yesterday Mary from Michigan, an online friend since long before Facebook, posted a recipe for a cake that looked scrumptious. So I made it today too. It has become both our new all time favorite cake. I spent more time in the kitchen today than I have in a long time. By the time I served the Speidini, I was too tired to think about a garnish.

I have made the recipe in that book for Kalbi and I imagine some others too. We have at least half a dozen Korean cookbooks. I also have the" Korean BBQ" book and have made around 5 or 6 recipe from it. Charlie's favorite is" Discovering Korean Cuisine- Recipes from the Best Korean Restaurants in Los Angles"© 2007, and he frequently calls his mom in Las Vegas to ask for her recipes.

I found the smallest whole brisket I've ever seen yesterday and cooked it today. It still took 8 hours though. We had BBQ beans and Viniagrette Coleslaw and cherry BBQ sauce with it. Charlie wants it chopped up, mixed with BBQ sauce and served on a bun with cheese and the coleslaw for a sandwich tomorrow.

Thank you for the link. I copied it.

I looked up a recipe for that. I want to try it. I expect I'll have to order on line some of the ingredients.

I grew up in a working class community in Kansas City called Strawberry Hill. It is on the high bluffs above the Kansas River. Cattycorner across the street from our apartment, there was a tavern that served food and welcomed children and women. ( Unlike most beer joints at that time in the area) Once in a while Dad would take us over there for shrimp. That shrimp tasted a lot like this French recipe which is cooked in a vegetable stock then left to cool in the stock, adding its flavor to the shrimp and turning the broth into consommé of shrimp. I decided to serve it with rice and some broth and corn on the cob.

I smoked pork loin ribs today.

In taking lots pottery classes I had a Japanese instructor. I married a Korean and one of her friends told me that a back at that time a 'joke' was for one Korean potter to tell another "Quick, wash your hands. Japanese soldiers are coming.

a few days ago the thought of lasagna briefly crossed my mind and left quickly since I didn't think cooking and baking all morning this time of year was a good idea. Then yesterday Charlie said "Dad you haven't made lasagna in such a long time. Would you make some soon?" Today was cool all day so I made it this morning. It was done about two thirty.

I only live with my son. He gives me a hug nearly every day but no kiss.

I made an Italian style meal with chicken in a creamy garlic and cheese sauce over pasta.

This was an early taco dinner for me and a late lunch for Charlie.

Yes. One is Nappa cabbage and the other is daikon radish.