As I’ve written previously, I’m just trying to keep it simple these days.

In that vein, I must tell you, there are very few simpler menu items for me, nor more comforting, than a good burger. Add a side of onion rings and I’m pretty much in a state of bliss.

This may sound odd because of course there is a certain amount of work involved. You have to peel and slice the onions and fry them (messily, in my case). And you’ve got to make the hamburger patties and grill them.

And yet, a good burger with something fried on the side just hits the spot.

Of course you can’t go wrong with Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, which has been sitting, all by its lonesome, on my desk for quite some time.

I dusted it off and plunged into the joy of a good burger. Delicious, all the way around.

This is a really, really good book. Straight to the point, meaty (sorry … couldn’t resist) and just happiness-inducing (if you count looking at gorgeous food photos amont the things that make you happy).

Thanks to this worthwhile little book, I made an amazing burger and some pretty amazing onion rings. My only regret is that because I don’t own a blender, I didn’t have the chance to try any of the shakes as it has been a childhood wish of mine to have burgers and fries accompanied by a good ol’ milkshake. I continue to dream.

I must say, keepin’ it simple sure is tasty.

Ciao!

Vegetarians, look away.

In several Magazine Mondays posts I’ve mentioned what a wonderful article that appeared in the March 2009 Food & Wine issue called “How to Cook Like you Own an Italian Villa“.

I’ve tried pretty much all the recipes from that article and loved them all. I would have to say that by far, the family favourite, is the Balsamic and Rosemary-Marinated Florentine Steak. One of Tuscany’s most famous “dishes” is the Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

In North America, steak is a way of life in some parts but I know that when I’ve been in Italy, there doesn’t seem to be the same focus on barbecuing meat (at least not among my family). However, I have had many people in Italy tell me that if I’m ever in Tuscany, I should take the time to try the authentic Bistecca alla Fiorentina. My understanding is that what makes this particular steak so special is the meat, which comes from the Chianina breed of cattle.

The first time that I tried the recipe I was a bit intimidated because I’ve never cooked a steak this large (three pounds). But I gamely made the trek to my butcher and lugged my three-pound porterhouse home. After marinating it overnight, we grilled it up and finished it in the oven.

Needless to say we were in carnivore heaven! I cannot recommend this recipe highly enough!

It being another edition of Magazine Mondays, I’m happy to be joined by the following people who tackled a recipe in their magazine pile:

Tamy of 3 Sides of Crazy made Watermelon Lemonade, Carrot Cheesecake with Cream Cheese Frosting and New Potatoes with Peas and Romaine Lettuce.

Margaret of Tea and Scones made Apple Blueberry Cake Cups for Two from Taste of Home.

Wandering Coyote of ReTorte made Sour Cream Ice Cream from Gourmet.

Elizabeth of Musings of The Waspy Redhead made Bulgur Salad from Cooking Light.

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

A few weeks ago, as I began hearing about people’s plans for Father’s Day, it occurred to me that ever since my father passed away in 2001, we’ve been spending Father’s Day in our own special way.

Now neither Father’s Day nor Mother’s Day were ever huge days in my family. My father always said that every day should be Mother’s Day and every day should be Father’s Day so while my parents always appreciated our little gifts and well wishes, they instilled in us the belief that honouring your parents is something you should do all the time.

I guess that’s why Father’s Day has never been a particularly tough day for us. It’s not that we don’t think about him, it’s just that we spend the day the way we always spent it even when he was alive: together enjoying a nice meal.

When I received the June issue of Gourmet magazine, I came across a feature by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez called “Sear Delight”. The entire menu is prepared on the grill and is also Italian-themed. This being Italian June, I thought that I might take it upon myself to prepare the entire menu!

So for this edition of Magazine Mondays, I give you the following treats:

Grilled Pancetta-Wrapped Asparagus

Love pancetta. Love asparagus. Enough said.

Caramelized-Onion and Gorgonzola Grilled Pizza

This was my first time preparing a grilled pizza and I loved it. I was amazed at how quickly it cooked. I was so afraid that the ingredients would spill over, though, that I was a bit ungenerous. Next time I’ll be piling on that gorgonzola dolce for sure!

Grilled Veal Chops with Arugula and Basil Salad

We grill veal chops all the time but this is the first time that we pounded the meat so thinkly. They were so tender! And the arugula and basil salad was a nice touch although I had to augment it with romaine lettuce as our arugula is just coming in so there wasn’t enough for a full salad.

Grilled Baby Artichokes with Caper-Mint Sauce

Prepping the artichokes was a total pain in the butt, however, it was worth it. These were the hit of the day and that caper-mint sauce had us all licking our fingers.

Acini di Pepe Pasta with Garlic and Olives

Some of us liked this pasta salad with the couscous-like acini di pepe and some of us didn’t. I loved it. It was garlicky and spicy but if I make it again I might add in some herbs for more of a flavour impact.

Stracciatella Tortoni Cake with Espresso Fudge Sauce

Hello, Tortoni! This was a cross between an ice cream cake and heaven. I loved it so much that I’ve already decided I’m making it for a big family BBQ that we’re having in a few weeks. And that sauce … oh, that sauce!!!

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

Look who else is taking part in Magazine Mondays: Liliana of My Cookbook Addiction made Maple Sugar Ragamuffins. Wandering Coyote of Retorte comes in with two delicious entries: Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake and Coconut Blondies.

If you have some magazine piles you need to thin out then start cooking and baking and send me a link to your Magazine Mondays post!

When I announced at the beginning of February that I would attempt to make every post this month about chocolate, a number of people left comments asking if I would attempt a savoury chocolate recipe.

Well here you have it! For today’s Magazine Mondays post, I decided to finally try a recipe for Braised Short Ribs with Chocolate and Rosemary from the January 2006 issue of Bon Appétit magazine.

I love short ribs and recently had them at a friend’s house. She slow-cooked them in the oven and then served them with polenta. They were so good that I was dreaming about them for days.

While looking for a savoury recipe with chocolate, I came across this lovely dish and thought, “Why not?!”

I halved the recipe, for starters, and I must admit that when it came time to add the chocolate and cocoa to the sauce, I wimped out slightly and added just a bit less than what was called for. Still, though, the end result was delicious.

It’s hard to put into words how the chocolate and cocoa enhanced the sauce but suffice to say there was a distinct huskiness to this sauce. The flavour was very deep and the sauce was a dark, rich colour as well.

This was perfect for a slow Sunday lunch. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Have a great week, everyone!

Ciao!

For the recipe, click here.

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