Tasty Tips from Tina - June 2009
May 28, 2009
I am so excited about this recipe. It’s called City Chicken. The best part of City Chicken is there’s no chicken. Yep, you read that right. No chicken. This comes from the “Burg”. That’s Pittsburgh for those of you who have either “A”, never read my column or “B”, never heard me talk. When I was pregnant with my oldest I craved this in the worst way. I can remember walking into Giants and seeing a sign for City Chicken. It was the first time I had ever seen it advertised outside of the Pittsburgh area. I literally ran (wobbled) up to the meat counter only to find the spot empty. I almost gave birth right there. I asked to speak to the butcher. When he came out I asked how long the wait would be for more City Chicken. He said he was out of it and there would be more tomorrow. The look on my face must have reminded him of someone telling a six year old there was no Santa Clause. My lip started to quiver, tears came down my face and I started to beg this poor man. I told him that he didn’t understand. I was pregnant and I didn’t want City Chicken but I needed it. I had to have it. Well unless I was shoplifting a watermelon under my shirt I think he knew I was pregnant. As I stood there balling my eyes out, rubbing my Buddha belly this kind soul told me to just relax and he would be right back. He came out holding a tray of 12 pieces of City Chicken. I hugged him and thanked him profusely. At that point I would have named my first born after him but I couldn’t remember seeing Meat Man in my baby name books. This particular recipe comes from a wonderful woman named Sally. Consequently Sal is the sister of our very own Ray Williams and she is from Pittsburgh. She gets extra points for that. She came to visit Ray and his family one weekend and got coerced into making City Chicken for his family and mine. That poor woman cooked for hours. She is such a trooper.
Sal’s City Chicken
Pork roast, 3-4 lbs
Beef roast, 3-4 lbs
6 - 8 eggs, slightly beaten
Splash of milk
Flour, salt and pepper
Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Wooden skews
Oil
Cut roasts into cubes to fit on skews.
Beat eggs and milk to make an egg wash
Combine flour, salt and pepper, put in shallow dish
Place Italian bread crumbs into shallow dish
Heat oil in frying pan
Preheat oven 350
Alternate pork and beef (4 cubes)
Roll in egg wash
Roll in flour
Roll in egg wash, again
Roll in bread crumbs
Fry until browned on all sides
Place skews in baking dish, add about 1/8 cup of water, cover with foil and bake for an hour at 350.
May is the month of The Kentucky Derby; so it’s only fitting that my drink recipe be for a Mint Julep.
This recipe is the “official” recipe of The Kentucky Derby from the makers of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. To make a great mint julep you have to start with a julep cup which is silver and metal. Another hint is to make sure your ice is very, very crushed, almost to the consistency of shaved.
You will need:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Kentucky Whisky
Silver Julep Cups
Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Publisher Ponders! June 2009
May 26, 2009
I have been very depressed lately over a series of events which are simply out of my control. As an owner of a GMC and Chrysler product I find myself grinding my teeth every time I turn on the radio or TV; wondering the fate of not only millions of jobs which may be lost, but also the warranties on both those vehicles and availability of parts which could be affected as well. Adding salt to the wound Tim Geithner announced last week Medicare will be broke by 2017, and Social Security will bottom out in 2034-37. Just about the time which I and millions of others can apply, but the well will be dry. The system will be broke. So this I ponder: why is the IRS continuing to take my money in addition to the employers who must match this tax? They are taking my money (and millions of others) and will not be there for me. I am not sure what most call this, but I call it stealing. You are stealing from me (and millions) and employers nationwide who are struggling to match these taxes. Gee, what happens to us when we don’t pay the IRS? I think we all know the answer that one. At what point does the silent majority get involved? One more ponder, I am confused as to why an individual would be in charge of the United States Treasury, who is not sure how his income tax error occurred, ie: not paying thousands of dollars in back taxes. Mr. Geithner told us months ago this “oversight” was a blunder of his accountant. Now Mr. Geithner tells us it was his error as he performed his income tax return himself on Turbo Tax. It is not that I ponder the fact he is an obvious liar, but why the person who controls the United States monetary system would be performing his own tax return and says he missed a line while using Turbo Tax. Mr. Geithner’s annual income is estimated at half a million dollars a year, wouldn’t you have someone prepare your return with that level of income? In addition, his resume full of academic achievement and accomplishments, seem to be lacking a finance degree which may not be required but probably should be in order to hold this diverse banking system postiton. I had three semesters of finance and was miserable the entire time, and still have one more to go, I just pray for a D, tough stuff! Does he have the experience to offset the finance degree? Yes, but according to my favorite economist Paul Krugman-he was not successful in those endeavors either.
How can you direct the U.S. Treasury Department with these faux pas continuing to surface? I am just not sure. Mr. Geithner, don’t blame Turbo Tax. Okay, with that said moving on. One good event did happen last week at the Preakness. The philly beat the stallion; way to go Rachel. Come on ladies, how many times when you were a kid would hear the boys say “you run like a girl” Okay, I was girl, and Rachel Alexandria-thanks for running like a girl! By the way, I dig Calvin Borel too! I am pleased to announce beginning in June the Thurmont Times will be expanded to Fairfield. This is good news for our advertisers as well. Even better news, Rosemary McDermott continues to recover nicely from her heart transplant in March, and hopes to be back in Thurmont within the next several months. Chuck Walmer former Thurmont Times & WTHU owner received his kidney transplant in April at University of Maryland Hospital and is recovering and doing well at home. And yet another transplant from Thurmont this month; my friend Norman Gibat received his pancreas transplant this month at Georgetown and is recovering at home and I can’t wait to see you! Thanks once again to all of the Thurmont Times advertisers which allow good news like this and much, much more to come your way each month! Breathe deeply and remember: Buy Local!
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