I Heart Pancakes

Nothing says love like heart-shaped pancakes for little girls. And nothing's easier for me than to take the leftover pancakes out of the fridge, cut them into shapes and pop them into the toaster. Mom or dad gets all the credit when really it should go to Vicki's Diner, who make incredibly tasty pancakes. They now offer three types of pancakes, including the delicious regular ol' griddle cake, whole wheat and the very popular (and seasonal) pumpkin.

So first step is to take the kids to brunch at Vicki's. Yummy, easy, in and out, this is the quintessential place to dine in town with kids. Crayons, dum dums and quick service make it fun for them, a treat for me. I also love their eggs benedict, tuna melts (the jr. is more than enough) and their maple-scented sausages. Then, after consuming only 20% of the humongous portions, wrap it up and take it home. Try to keep some pancakes whole if you plan to make shapes at home (in other words cut and eat as you go...)

If you cut with precision and forethought, these huge leftover slabs of their sweet, slightly crispy pancakes will last you for a couple of days. Dig into your box of cookie cutters and go crazy. Williams-Sonoma on Central Avenue has great cooking supplies for kids, including these cookie cutters which incidentally can also transform a turkey sandwich into a dinosaur or turn regular brownies into letters.

Go further on down the road and pick up some blackberries, strawberries or blueberries at Westfield Farms - and go enjoy some java and a magazine - you just bought yourself some quiet time my friend.

-WF

Krauszers' Kaisers and Inside Out Cheeseburgers

Who knew I'd be posting about Krauszers here on my gourmet food blog?! Yet I guess it makes perfect sense, since I often dash in to quickly pick up last minute items I need to prepare dinner when it's pretty much already dinnertime. Krauszers is a Westfield staple and is always there for us when we need something in a hurry. It has certainly made my life more convenient at times, like last night...

The back story: My husband loves to buy in bulk at Costco and I had 3 pounds of ground beef in my fridge. We had tacos the other night, and then my husband has been gone all week so I froze another third of it, leaving me with a hunk of chuck to cook for 3 girls.

The challenge: Girls in the car, driving home from activities at 6:30. We are all starving and need to think quick. Do we make ziti? meatloaf? burgers? or meatballs? A unanimous vote for burgers behind us, one daughter whined that should could not eat a burger without pickles. My other daughter insisted on American cheese. I suggested english muffins. They both rejected challah and demanded hamburger rolls. I also knew I was out of ketchup. Not the best night for burgers it seemed, and I didn't have time or willpower to face a Supermarket. Help!

The solution: Krauszers! The convenience store at 727 Central Avenue by Grove Street has saved my butt many a time.

The twist: I would not have expected a big rush on rolls and cheese on the coldest day of the December'09, yet there were no hamburger rolls and no American cheese. In a hunger-induced-panic and sure I missed them, I asked the counter guy for help. He suggested some fabulous looking Kaiser rolls and I grabbed a "log" of Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Cheddar. Grabbed the sandwich slicers and some Heinz and was on my way to burger heaven.

The cooking challenge: It's f'ing cold out there and no way I am grilling. So I broke out the George Forman grill and dusted it off...but how to make cheeseburgers on that? Cheese on the inside! (aka inside out cheeseburgers) I made 2 flat patties, pressed in a square of cheddar on top of one, topped with the second pattie, and sealed the edges to prevent cheese leakage. They cooked quickly on the "grill" and after a few minutes were the perfect accompaniment to my beautifully toasted kaiser rolls.

Add pickles and ketchup and voila! Thanks Krauszers for saving my keiser with a Kaiser!

Ten Minute Latkes

These latkes are so freaking good...and only take 10 minutes to make! (IF you have a 6 burner stove and 6 huge pans..) But if you are like me and have 1 then it will take longer but is well worth it.

I'm all about semi-homemade. There is no glory in grating potatoes and bloodying your knuckles, especially for your kid's preschool Hanukkah party. I mean really. So I took a big shortcut and bought frozen "potato patties" at Stop & Shop, defrosted them and took the recipe from there. Potato Patties are also known as hashbrowns...so they are pre-shred and also pre-cooked. after defrosting, I crumbled them up then added other ingredients. That saved me the time & trouble of peeling and grating six potatoes, and spared me from the embarrassment of serving brown latkes (which happens if you grate potatoes too much in advance) and of course the dreaded finger injuries that inevitably result from over zealous grating to which I am prone.

I made a cookbook for my friend Nancy last year for her 40th, and her mother in law Roberta submitted this recipe for latkes. She's Jewish-Italian...or Italian-Jewish...I'm not sure but either way she's an amazing cook! I am including the recipe in full, in case you decide to be a purist and want to use real potatoes......do so at your own risk!

Grandma Bert's Latkes

6 potatoes (I used 8 frozen potato patties)

1 small onion

2 eggs

3 T flour

¼ t pepper

1 T salt

½ T baking powder

Canola Oil

Apple Sauce (you can try different flavored ones)

Sour Cream (not low fat) (can garnish with chives or scallions)

(just kidding….if you’re gonna have latkes…what the heck)

Directions

Peel and Grate potatoes in the longish strips size and let them sit till the water drains out. This is what makes the difference in good and bad latkes. Mushed potatoes are awful and change the taste of the latke.

Squeeze as much water out as you can before using.

If you let the potatoes sit out too long…they will turn black, so you can’t make it ahead of time.

Cuisinart the onions as well and let the water drain out of them.

This recipe is usually not enough for a lot of people…so plan on doubling it.

Add all ingredients together and lightly pack the latkes together in whatever size you like. You might like more salt and pepper. Taste after first batch and you can always add it to the second batch.

Heat frying pan first…..add oil……gently drop in latkes and cook for several minutes on each side.

“Ess Gazinterite Tattelahs!”

The Chocolate Bar

I see why it is so hard for me to blog. I can't leave my 4 year old in the tub and my dog has an innate sense that I am writing about food that doesn't come in a can and I no longer have my laptop....I have been writing this sentence since 7:30am and I am just determined to post one item today. I thought I might write about 10 but now I am settling for one....

The Chocolate Bar on Quimby Street. Perhaps most customers stop in for their handmade chocolate dipped items. Or their uniquely flavored gelatos. Or maybe even their compellingly tasteful gift baskets gorgeously wrapped in cellophane and ready to hand deliver to your favorite teacher, neighbor or friend.

I go there for the coffee. They have 3 pots of fair-trade organic brews each day and they are very satisfying. Today I got a cup of the Sumatra and was rung up by a guy with one clean hand and one glove-covered fist dripping with dark chocolate. I asked him what he was working on and he said chocolate dipped pretzels. He explained that they cook the chocolate to a very high heat then let it cool to a specific temp and then they have 5 minutes to work it to dipping temp. I was quizzing him in those 5 minutes but there was not a hint of impatience in his voice. Great service and delicious coffee with zero attitude in Westfield...wow!

Let's compare this to another big coffee place in town....the place where the comfy couches were replace by hard wood tables and chairs, with cashiers whining about drinking frappacinos and still being tired. Not tired from toddlers and errands and cooking 4 dinners for 4 family members with various culinary tastes, needs and allergies....but tired from....lethargy itself? No pity here!

My last visit to Chocolate Bar was enhanced by free tastings of the chocolate dipped potato chips they were making. Before that, I was so amazed by the concept of the chocolate dipped brownie on a stick I bought 20 and gave them as favors for my 9-year old's birthday party. Prior to that, I tried the vanilla chip gelato on a hot summer night and... it was almost as good as the coffee.

The Chocolate Bar keeps me coming back. On a street filled with once-occupied store fronts and bustling shoppes, it is now a lone survivor in a hard-hit economy. There is a reason it has outlasted it's bankrupt neighbors...the store offers great products in a relaxing setting with wonderful customer service.

Signing off for now...Good night and sweet dreams...

WF