The Other Woman Cooks

Nobody needs convincing that a juicy grilled cheeseburger is summer’s favorite All American party meal.  One juicy bite will have them belting out America the Beautiful on this Memorial Day weekend. But anyone who thinks crafting a classic burger is as easy as slapping down ground meat on a grill has another thing coming.  My spouse AKA Farmer Paul is grill master around our house. Read on for his ten top tips for making perfect burgers and start this year’s backyard cook-out season with a surefire success. 1. Buy Good Meat Ground sirloin steak or rib-eye with a meat-to-fat ratio between 75-25 and 80-20 makes the best tasting burger ever. Never assume the leanest meat is the best. It'll be as dry as cardboard by the time you're done grilling it! 2. Chill the Meat First Before you even form the patties, put the meat in the fridge for a half hour or so.  Getting it colder helps it stay fresh while you work it into The Perfect Patty. Wash your hands th...

Shoot, who doesn't love a perfect golden crusted grilled cheese sandwich? There's even a Baltimore based  restaurant chain  dedicated to the joys of every mom's fall back dinner special. With a big flavor boost from homemade lightly herbed bread sliced thick, the classic grilled cheese sandwich is still the perfect partner for a bowl of homemade tomato soup . Both recipes below are easy and delish. HERBED GRILLED CHEESE BREAD 3 cups bread flour 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder 1 tablespoon finely grated cheddar 1 teaspoons fresh ground sea salt 1/2 teaspoon dried winter savory (or oregano) 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon very warm tap water 1 quarter ounce package quick rise dry yeast 1 teaspoon honey Combine flour, milk powder, cheese, salt and herbs in food processor with a dough blade attachment. In a small bowl mix warm water honey and dry yeast. Allow yeast mix to sit 3-5 minutes. Using 1 tablespoon oil, grease ...

It was a big accomplishment to buck national trends and reelect our Democrats in Massachusetts. Can't help myself, friends, I'm a partisan cook when it comes to stirring up a political stew. It's been a busy week. Now, the only thing I want is to put my feet up, watch a couple of movies from the local library's DVD collection and relax. Sent JP to choose the flicks while I cooked up an old recipe of a childhood favorite. Sloppy Joes are simple really, and pretty basic. Hearty enough to settle down hungry tummies without much fuss and yummy, too. We're ready for a lazy evening and a weekend of doing nothing much at all! SORTA SLOPPY JOES 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound ground meat (lean beef, turkey or veal work well) 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon seasoning rub (try McCormick's Montreal or Penzey's 4S) 1 medium onion, grated 1 small red bell pepper, chopped 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 2 cups tomato sauce 1...

I have no idea who won the Pancake Day race in Olney. Mardi Gras beads have been stashed away. Paczkis and other sweet treats are indulgences of yesterday. Ash Wednesday, the sobering season of Lent starts with a no meat fast day. On the menu -- hot satisfying veggie paninis. Panini literally means little bread, Italian for a sandwich. Delicious and nutritious vegetarian panini is easy to prepare using ingredients you may even have on hand. Fresh mushrooms add a thick meaty texture to a vegetarian treat. Try other types of sliced mushrooms, grated Swiss cheese and spinach for a different taste. And if Father Michael happens to ask about Lenten sacrifice, I'll simply say we had grilled cheese sandwiches for supper. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. As for Friday's fish, I'm thinkin' lobster roll. Waddaya think? MOLTO PORTABELLA PANINI 1 tbsp olive oil 2 large portabella mushroom caps 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves 1 red pepper, roasted, p...

A day at the beach with shrimp or lobster rolls, a bag of potato chips and a cheap wine cooler sounds like heaven about now. You might recall that I started daydreaming about summer back in January . I know that warm days are not in the immediate forecast. Hell, the Weather Channel warned me that another dusting of snow is on the way. But there's something to be said for indulging in a little bit of fantasy -- so I headed to Costco this afternoon and bought a pound of precooked shrimp to mix up a batch of yummy shrimp salad. After all, winter is only a temporary affliction. Tomorrow I think I'll drag the grill out onto the patio. Stay tuned. SHRIMP SALAD 1 pound large cooked shrimp, chilled, peeled and coarsly chopped 1 tablespoon capers 2 sweet gherkin pickles, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped ( dried just won't do)\ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon red cayenne pepper In a medium bowl stir together...