The Grinch Was Here

The menu was set; it was chosen with care. 

St. Nicholaus had already been there.

At kickoff we were poised for a clinch for da Bears.

Then what to my wondering eyes did appear?

Fumbles, Interceptions and a Real Smear!

Yes, Coach Trestman, please do throw away that tape. I will do the same with the recipe for Philly Cheese Steak Dip. This was not the Christmas gift I was hoping for.

Traveling to Philly

Our first place Bears are traveling to Philadelphia to play on Sunday night. The Eagles and 'da Bears share the same record and Sunday's game is just as important to the Eagles who want to win the NFC East. So .... what will you cook to ensure a win?

Philadelphia is interesting in foody terms. They are the undisputed inventor of one of my all time favorites - Iced Tea. Just like me, the Dutch pour iced tea year round. Philadelphia is home to a holiday favorite - Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Corned beef hash, meat loaf and Peeps are also Philadelphia favorites along with - wait for it - Philly Cheese Steak.

So cooks, what do you think is the best dish or combination of ingredients to defeat the Eagles and help 'da Bears soar to victory?

The Weather May Have Been A Factor

My apologies for the first quarter! Planning for a noon kick-off involves going to the 9:30 church service. This gives me time to get home and finish cooking for da Bears.

Pulling out of the driveway on schedule, I found myself stuck in a snow drift. No amount of rocking, digging ,etc. worked. 30 minutes and two neighbors later, my car was freed. However, I was now on schedule to attend the 11:00 service.

When I returned home, the game was tied 3-3. I began cooking right away but the delicious Blueberry French Toast was not ready to eat until we were trailing Cleveland. Happily, soon after the first bite, da Bears and Cutler began their recovery. Once Cutler found Jeffrey the day was back on schedule. Bears win 38-31.

Here's today's winning recipe:

Blueberry French Toast (6 servings)

Ingredients:
1 loaf of French bread
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 cups fresh blueberries *
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp. melted butter
Powdered sugar

Preparation:
The Night Before The Game - Assemble the dish
Slice the bread diagonally into 10 to 14 slices, about 1/2" thick. Place in a 13" x 9" glass baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk lightly. Carefully pour over the bread, turning the slices to coat completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Bake the dish
Preheat over to 450̊ F. Butter another 13" x 9" glass baking dish.

Combine sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and blueberries and pour into the baking dish. Place bread, moist side down on top of the blueberry mixture. Lightly brush the top of the bread with the melted butter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until toast is lightly brown and berries are bubbling. Remove from oven and dust the top with powdered sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serving the dish
To serve, place a slice or two of bread on a plate and spoon the berry mixture over the top.

*you may use fresh frozen blueberries, but store-bought frozen berries tend to be too mushy. If using frozen, do not allow to defrost.

Let's Play the Cleveland Shell Game

Who will take the field on Sunday against Cleveland - Cutler or McCown? And will the starter stay in the entire game? As I thought about Cleveland's strategy as they planned for either Cutler or McCown, it occurred to me that we cooks might play a shell game of our own.

With that in mind, I offer you 3 possible recipes for Sunday's game:

• Perch Chowder: A recipe from the Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources using Lake Erie Perch
• Queso Fundido: A favorite at Cleveland's Luchita's Restaurant 
• Blueberry French Toast: Cleveland is home to one of Ohio's largest Blueberry Farms in Mansfield

The choice is yours OR you might have another trick up your sleeve. Happy Cooking and Go Bears!

Perch Chowder
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
4 slices of bacon
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion (Vidalia, Walla Walla, or similar)
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
1 lb. perch filets (or other mild white fish)
1 8 oz. can cooked potatoes, diced
1 cup water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1 8 oz. can creamed corn
1/4 tsp. dill

Preparation:
Cook the bacon and reserve two tablespoons of bacon drippings. Place the drippings in a large pan that has a cover. Add onion, carrot, and celery to the pan and cook for about five minutes, stirring. Stir in the fish, potatoes, lemon juice, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 10 minutes. Blend in the milk and the corn. Stir and heat - do not boil - until heated through. Sprinkle each serving with the crumbled bacon and dill. Makes four servings.

Queso Fundido
Ingredients:
1/2 tsp. lard or bacon fat
1/3 cup well-drained canned tomatoes
1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 mild fresh green chile pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
2 oz. chorizo sausage
Flour tortillas
Sliced jalapeno pepper for garnish

Preparation:
Heat lard in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the next five ingredients and saute until tender. Stir in the sugar and salt.

Gently melt the cheese in a double boiler over medium heat until the cheese is just melted and combined.

Meanwhile, cook the chorizo in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add the meat to the cheese mixture. Stir in the tomato mixture and heat thoroughly. Pour into a stoneware crock or au gratin pan. Garnish with sliced jalapenos. Serve with a serving spoon and warm flour tortillas.

To eat, scoop a little of the mixture unto the middle of a tortilla, roll up and fold in the edges. It's okay to eat with your fingers.

Blueberry French Toast 
Prep Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 loaf of French bread
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 cups fresh blueberries *
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp. melted butter
Powdered sugar

Preparation:
Assemble the dish
Slice the bread diagonally into 10 to 14 slices, about 1/2" thick. Place in a 13" x 9" glass baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk lightly. Carefully pour over the bread, turning the slices to coat completely. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 1-2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Bake the dish
Preheat over to 450̊ F. Butter another 13" x 9" glass baking dish. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, and blueberries and pour into the baking dish. Place bread, moist side down on top of the blueberry mixture. Lightly brush the top of the bread with the melted butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until toast is lightly brown and berries are bubbling. Remove from oven and dust the top with powdered sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serving the dish
To serve, place a slice or two of bread on a plate and spoon the berry mixture over the top. Makes 6 servings.

*you may use fresh frozen blueberries, but store-bought frozen berries tend to be too mushy. If using frozen, do not allow to defrost.

Texas Toast

The ESPN announcers were all going with Dallas. Even Coach Ditka had harsh words for the offense but, at the end of a cold night, da Bears were back in first place tied with the Lions. So what happened? McCown happened: 4 touchdowns and over 300 yards. Jeffries happened to catch an  Amazing catch in the end zone for a touchdown. And the player passed over by Dallas in the draft - Matt Forte - took the field with bare arms and incredible talent. Yep, da Bears happened and it was great.

Coach Ditka's number was retired at half time. It was good to see him standing on Soldier Field again, being applauded and rooting for his Bears. Congratulations Coach!

What did you cook for Mike Ditka Day and this delicious 45-28 victory? I focused on the basics and chose a nice Ribeye and looked to Michigan for a bit of seasoning. Saugatuck Michigan boasts a quaint and bustling tourist town and a lovely lakeshore. They also are home to the Spice Merchants. My Texan stomping Ribeye was rubbed with Coffee BBQ spices, Saugatuck Steak Rub, Porcini Sea Salt, Porcini Powder, fresh ground Black Pepper and Garlic Powder. It was allowed a good time out to get to room temperature and then grilled. If you don't have an indoor electric grill, I highly recommend it. You may want it for the Playoffs.

Monday Night Football

Ready or not, da Bears are headed for prime time this week against the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. McGown will take on the Cowboys and Tony Romo - the pride of Eastern Illinois University.

 The Cowboys will face Matt Forte who they passed over in the 2008 draft in favor of Felix Jones. Not the best draft choice ever.

The 6-6 Bears are one game behind the Lions for the lead in the NFC North. Romo's Cowboys are tied with the Eagles for the lead in the NFC East at 7-5. So da Bears need some powerful cooking to help them as they host the Cowboys at Soldier Field. What's on your menu?

Inconceivable!

So many opportunities to win but ....I really don't even want to talk about it. This is not Robbie Gould's fault. This is not Trestman's fault. This is actually The Grinch's fault and, apparently, The Grinch lives in Michigan. I really don't even want to talk about it.

I was prepared to enjoy a lovely win. Minnesota has been struggling and it was the Thanksgiving holiday - which I really love. The stage was set. I made a delicious Thanksgiving Soup (sage is the key to this one folks). My cooking group's cookie exchange was later that day so I was baking, eating soup and watching football. A perfect Sunday afternoon until .... The Grinch stole the game and the new father's joy. Aaargh!

Even though I don't want to talk about the outcome, I will share the recipe for Thanksgiving Soup. Quantities are up to you and what you have left over. However, as I said earlier, sage is the key.

Ingredients:
Turkey (cut in chunks)
Chicken broth
Cooked wild rice
Leftover gravy and vegetables
Bay leaf (optional)
Sage, salt and pepper

Directions:
Add turkey, vegetables, rice and broth into a large pan

Add chicken broth, sage, salt and pepper to taste

Simmer until warm and serve.