North Haven Cheesesteak?!

I know what you're thinking - and, no, that title is not a mistake. I haven't gotten my geography confused. I really did have a North Haven Cheesesteak ... in the home of the parental units on Monday night ... and it was delicious!

Never one to be outdone, Papa Diva decided to flex his culinary muscles and prepare this sumptuous sandwich for our dining pleasure after our long and stressful surgical day on Monday. It was not at all Beach friendly and just what the doctor ordered! I insisted on having something green to go with - so I made my famous braised brussel sprouts. A strange pairing to be sure, but I adore brussel sprouts and will eat them every chance I get. We'll discuss those sprouts some other time - for now, let's explore the cheesesteak.

The formula is really very simple: good meat, a hot skillet, some cheese and some really good bread. Fortunately, the greater New Haven area is an embarrassment of Italian food riches - and its easy to find good Italian bread almost anywhere ... even Shaw's supermarket! And, much to my surprise, the yummy sliced steak came from Stop and Shop! I kid you not. Who knew that such deliciousness was so readily available?

North Haven Cheesesteak:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pkg. of thinly shaved sirloin steak
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• some sliced Provolone or American cheese
• a loaf of good quality Italian bread

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat and when the pan is hot but not smoking, add the olive oil. Add the sliced steak and cook until well-browned on one side, adding some salt and pepper before turning to cook on the other side. Continue browning the steak and when it is nearly finished add some cheese. Papa Diva likes to top the steak and cheese with the top half of the bread while its still in the pan and transfer the whole thing to the bottom of the roll. Its a nice touch, because it allows the bread to warm a bit while the cheese melts. (See above photo of one Diva-sized steak and one Papa sized steak!)

Prepare as written, throw your diet to the wind, serve and enjoy ... I sure did!

This recipe presents the cheesesteak in its most basic form - and that's just the way we like it. We're both purists and prefer to savor the steak and cheese unadorned. That being said, I'm nothing if not accommodating - so feel free to fry up some onions, peppers and or mushrooms to enhance your sandwich if you so desire. If the spirit moves, you might also choose to top your steak with the traditional Cheez Whiz . I'll save that for future Philly forays, where Whiz is the norm, but do as you see fit.

Its all good ... and all bad. The comfort eating stops today! I'm back on the beam and off the white bread. It was a delicious ride while it lasted and I'm ever so grateful to Papa Diva for sharing one of his specialties with us. Be warned Papa, next time the bread will be wheat! ~wink~

Finally, I'd like to express my thanks to all of you once again for your continued good wishes for my mom. I'm truly touched by the outpouring of support. One of my intentions in creating this blog was the formation of a community. Your well wishes assure me that I've done just that. I appreciate your presence here and thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Bon appetite!

Family Update ...

Greetings all! I want to thank each and every one of your for your kind expressions of good luck and best wishes for our dear Pixelgal ... she did great! The surgery went very well and she was 100% awake and looking fantastic when we saw her afterwards. Frankly, she looked better than me! I'll be keeping a close eye on Mama Diva tomorrow and if things continue as I expect them to, I should be back in the city on Wednesday ... and back to the diet on Thursday. Suffice it to say that surgical stress has taken its toll on us all . Just wait for Wednesday's post ... you'll see what I mean. Oy!

I'm hitting the hay early tonight, hoping to improve on those 3 hours of sleep I had last night. Yawn!

Thanks again, dear readers, you guys rock!

Housekeeping: Extended Version

Its been awhile since we've seen the virtual housekeeper - and, unfortunately, she'll be here for a few days. While I'd normally be getting a jump start on the Thanksgiving prep this weekend, instead I'm packing up my bags and heading off to the parental units for a bit.

Mama Diva - a.k.a. "pixelgal" - is having knee replacement surgery on Monday and, worrywart that I am, I need to be there to monitor her progress. If all goes as expected, I should be back in the city and ready to cook again on Wednesday.

I'll check in from the road with an update on Mama Diva sometime on Monday. In the meanwhile, tell me what you've got planned for Thanksgiving. Hungry Diva want to know!

Have a great weekend and make it ... Divalicious!

The Mother of Invention

Dead tired and slightly crisp - read hungover - I dragged myself out to shop late yesterday afternoon. Knowing I could not be trusted to navigate the perils of Fairway without a list in such condition, I made one. Carefully. Here's the thing about lists though - you have to actually read them. And perhaps its best to *not* write key items way up in the right hand corner where your tired eyes will fail to look ... lest you forget a critical ingredient for your much desired sauce ... like red wine for instance. Oops!

Only after I'd minced and chopped and begun to saute did I realize that I had no red wine for the sauce. Or at least none that I could rationalize opening for a simple 1/2 cup. Fortunately, I remembered the open bottle of white burgundy in the fridge and further remembered a Bolognese recipe I ran across on Dana McCauley's blog a few months ago in which she used white wine rather than red. Sweet! The sauce and I were back in business and my craving would be satisfied!

The results? Delicious! While I still prefer the use of red wine, the white gave the sauce a somewhat lighter flavor that was not unwelcome. I will post the recipe in its original form, and add that you should feel free to use whatever wine you like - so long as its of good quality.

Bolognese Sauce:

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 lb. of extra lean ground beef
• 1/3 lb. of ground pork
• 1/3 lb. of ground veal
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
• 1 large rib of celery cut into small dice
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• dash of crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 1/2 cup of good quality red wine
• one 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes (I use San Marzano)
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 - 3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• generous grating of fresh nutmeg
  
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 - 3 tbsp. fat-free half and half

Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat and add the meats, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and a dash of crushed red pepper flakes. Saute, stirring often to break up the meat, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the meat begins to brown. Drain the excess fat from the pan then return the mixture to the stove and add the wine. Continue to cook over medium high heat until most of the wine has evaporated, stirring often, about 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, dried basil, parsley, Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Allow the mixture to come to a full simmer, then reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer on low for 20 to 25 minutes or until it has thickened slightly.

Add in the half and half, stirring well to combine, and season to taste adding some salt and pepper if desired. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes while you cook your pasta. Serve over the pasta of your choice - whole wheat please, if you're on the Beach - with some additional Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for garnishing. This recipe will serve 6. Enjoy!

~~~~~~

Traditional Bolognese recipes generally call for real cream in some form. In fact, the version I used to make back in the 80s called for the meat to be simmered in cream prior to adding the tomatoes. Luscious to be sure, but I'm far too fat-phobic for that now, hence the half and half.

This is a quick and easy recipe for my all time favorite sauce. While the red wine does yield a heartier result, you can't go wrong either way. Necessity really is the mother of invention and this sauce was just what I needed to cure my aching head. Bon appetite!

While we're on the subject of mothers, I might add that today is Mama Diva's birthday. This recipe is dedicated to you, Mama Diva, the greatest mom a girl could have! If I'm funny, its because you gave me your joyful spirit; if I'm witty, its because you gave me my smarts; and, if I'm a Diva, its because you made sure I knew the sun rose and set upon me - like it should any child. Happy birthday, Mom - I love you THIS much!

Sigh

This is a picture of my pillow. I'm going to have a date with it very soon. The champagne was flowing here in Divaland last night and needless to say we were up very late indeed. I know I've been neglecting the blog these past few days - but some things are bigger than even my love of food and mascara.

I'm not going to wax poetic on that thought, or even expand on it. I'm tired, I'm happy, I'm enormously proud of our country, and I am in need of a bowl of pasta. Fear not, it will be whole wheat, and it will be cloaked in the warm embrace of a rich Bolognese sauce. I can't wait.

So charmed by the idea of that sauce am I, that I'm willing to actually get out of my pajamas and secure the necessary ingredients ... in the rain. The recipe will be posted tomorrow. I'm off to hunt, forage, cook and finally sleep.

Good morning, America, its a brand new day.

Get Out and Vote!

Voting isn't just our duty, its our privilege. In recognition of that, Starbucks is offering a free cup of coffee to those who vote today. Click the link, watch the video, get out and vote - then pop in for a free cup of joe.

Voting is Divalicious. Do it!

Notes and Notions ...

I'm late to the game in thanking Miss Caught Up for passing her lovely Kreative Blogger Award to me last week ... thank you, Amanda! I'm honored to be among those you've mentioned and return the compliment to you in equal measure!

I'd like to pass my award to the following creative and wonderful bloggers:

The Vintage Kitten - love that name and her blog is really beautiful, a feast for the eyes.

Vickie at Uncommon Artistic Endeavors - for her crafty and delicious blog!

Astra Libris at Food for Laughter - for her wonderful spirit and her yummy posts and photos.

And, Michele at Life, Lightly Salted - because she just rocks and I want to make everything she posts!

There are certainly others I'd like to highlight, if time would allow ... but this Diva is on a tight schedule today, and likely tomorrow too. I will be back with a new recipe late tomorrow but wanted to take the time to thank Amanda today and pass on my award.

In other news, I've decided that those cookie muffins from last week aren't so bad after all. We somehow managed to finish off the batch ... and in the end I'm not sorry I made them. I would make them again, only next time I'll add some nuts, skip the chocolate and allow them to be the muffins that they really are. I think they'd be a wonderful addition to any breakfast or brunch.

Lastly, here are the results of this year's pumpkin carving adventure:



















I deviated from the norm this year and did a different kind of eye ... and the husband carved his into the mask from "Scream" ... he had a little help though ... I drew the face for him. Sssshhh, don't tell!

The roasted seeds are delicious and we have so many of them we might be eating them until next year!

I'm off to have lunch with a friend, then its on to hunting and foraging for dinner provisions. So, what's for dinner in your world tonight? Hungry Diva wants to know.

Bon appetite!