Archive for Seafood

Real Men CAN Cook

Thursday, November 4th, 2010
Mr Food Easy White Clam Sauce Real Men CAN Cook

Mr. Food's recipe for Easy White Clam Sauce is almost as good as my husband's secret recipe!

From Mr. Food Head Writer Helayne

I was starving. It was my day off and I was on the highway driving home from babysitting at my daughter and son-in-law’s house, which is three hours away from home. I had left my house at 5 am so that she could get out for the day, and I could spend quality time with my baby grandson. By late afternoon, I had to hit the road to get back home, because it was a weeknight and I needed to get to work the next day.

There was no time to stop at those crowded and rather unappealing service plazas where fast food is king, and I really didn’t feel like eating fast food. I just kept listening to the radio, and tried to distract myself from my grumbling stomach. I was figuring that when I got closer to my exit, I’d call my husband and tell him to run out and pick up a pizza. Well, revive me. I called him, and he was COOKING dinner! Now, after thirty-some years of marriage, I know that my husband’s idea of cooking is to fire up the grill and cook a steak or some burgers – and usually that’s on Sunday or when we’re having company. We’re not talking about any competition here for Mr. Food.

But, little did I know, even though you think you know someone really well…there’s always a little surprise left in store now and again. So what was he making? The most delicious linguine and clam sauce I’ve had probably…ever! I don’t know what he added to it, but I make it (and I cook all the time, and frankly, I think I’m a darn good cook) but I have to give credit where credit is due. I couldn’t get over it! He even made sure to heat up some garlic bread to go with it. A whole meal…including clearing the table, and loading the dishwasher. I could definitely get used to this.

Now I insist that my husband make his “special dish” all the time. I’m so proud of him…and who knows? Maybe he has more cooking skills up his sleeve! Thinking about this reminded me of a funky little holiday I came across a couple of years ago called “National Men Make Dinner Day.” It’s held on the first Thursday of November each year and, in fact, we shared a super recipe for Fettuccine alla Vodka for a show we aired about National Men Make Dinner Day. That was a really good pasta recipe, too. You should try it. And since my husband’s recipe is “his” secret, the best I can do is share Mr. Food’s recipe for Easy White Clam Sauce for you to enjoy.

Of course, I’m partial to my husband’s version but this one is truly my second favorite! You might have a husband or boyfriend who’s always comfortable in the kitchen, and this amazing feat that my husband pulled off might sound rather uneventful to you. But believe me, this was a big deal to me…and it was a whole lot better than the take-out I was imagining we’d wind up having to get that night. Less money, too. Now I guess my husband figures I’m going to expect this treatment all the time and, you know what? Since I’m blogging to the whole world about it, he just may have to come up with a few more surprise meals for me! I hope you’re reading this, dear!

If he does, I’ll let you know. Meanwhile, if you have a guy in your life who cooked you a great meal, please share the details here at MrFoodblog.com or post a photo of it on our Facebook page (look for Mr_Food)! After all, real men CAN cook…and they should be proud to show off their skills, just like the rest of us!

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Categories : Pasta
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My Trip to Mississippi for Everything Catfish

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

I have to tell you…I’m not easily impressed. That’s why my recent trip to Mississippi to visit the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish farms was such a surprise. I was blown away!

Shooting at the catfish farm 300x200 My Trip to Mississippi for Everything Catfish

I’m definitely a fish-lover, along with being a big supporter of all things “made in the USA,” when they’re available and affordable. So I was looking forward to visiting the farm-raised catfish farms recently when my production team and I headed out to Jackson, Mississippi. Boy, it was hot!

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The corn bread, the catfish and everything was oh-so-tasty at Cock on the Walk

And, when we landed, we were starving, so we headed off to get our first taste of the area’s catfish at a restaurant called Cock on the Walk that sits right on the edge of the Delta. We were greeted by a feast, and lots of Southern hospitality. The fried catfish was incredible – meaty and fresh-tasting. We just couldn’t get enough. Of course, there were all the fixins’, as well, like fried green tomatoes, pan corn bread and sautéed greens. That sure was good eating!

Outside Cock on the Walk2 300x200 My Trip to Mississippi for Everything Catfish

Outside Cock on the Walk

Then it was off to work, checking out the catfish farms. This is where I was the most impressed. Let me tell you, any negative thoughts I had about catfish were dismissed when I saw how these ponds were managed. The water is constantly refreshed, the fish are fed food that floats so they feed off the top, not the bottom, and the harvesting method is as natural as can be.

Seeing how catfish farming is done 150x150 My Trip to Mississippi for Everything CatfishNext we went to visit a processor, where we actually followed the entire process from the truck delivering the fresh live fish to the end of the line where they’re shipped to our markets. Again, the plant was very impressive, extremely clean, and the attention to quality was second to none. I was also blown away by how much fish just one plant processes on a daily basis. Guess how much: close to half a million pounds a day!

Then it was off to a quaint little restaurant, The Crown at Antique Mall, where we had a 5-course catfish meal. The catfish bisque was one of the best soups I’ve ever had; the catfish entrée, which I’ll be featuring on an upcoming show, was to-die-for; and the Southern desserts….well, they were amazing and, no, they didn’t contain catfish.

Catfish Antipasto Salad TN1 My Trip to Mississippi for Everything Catfish

Catfish Antipasto Salad

To wrap this up, let me say that, if you’re not already a U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish-lover like I am, please don’t “judge a book by its cover.” Try some. As a matter of fact, you should try it in my recipes for Catfish Antipasto Platter and Grilled Catfish Po-Boy sandwiches from yesterday’s and today’s TV segments. I promise you’ll love the taste and the price of catfish. With just one bite, you, too, will be saying…”OOH IT’S SO GOOD!!®”
Catfish Poboy TN My Trip to Mississippi for Everything Catfish

Catfish Po-Boy

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Packet Cooking is Perfect for Camping and Home

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
Smores on the Grill RE1 Packet Cooking is Perfect for Camping and Home

Mr. Food's S'mores on the Grill are sinful and so easy!

From Mr. Food Team Member Jaime

Since you’re just getting to know me, I will share this about myself: I have never been described as “outdoorsy.” However, being a good sport, not to mention outnumbered by my son and husband, I decided to try camping for the first time. In a tent. Outside.

I let my husband worry about the sleeping bags, tools and finding a location. I decided to handle what I know best: meal planning and grocery shopping. I thought that, just because we were eating in the woods, it didn’t mean we couldn’t have a nice meal. This is when I learned about packet cooking.

The first recipe I tried was Mr. Food’s Orange Chicken Packets. You do all the prep work at home: slice it, dice it and wrap it up. You can even season the packets ahead of time so you don’t have to bring your spice rack with you. Dinner at the campsite was a breeze! I made the packets at home, labeled them and placed them in the cooler. When it was time to cook, we tossed the tasty bundles on the grill. Plus, there’s no mess — you just throw away the foil.

Shrimp and Corn Packets RE Packet Cooking is Perfect for Camping and Home

Mr. Food's Shrimp and Corn Packets make a terrific grilled packet meal!

Another packet recipe from Mr. Food you may want to try is Shrimp and Corn Packets. And did you know you can also make dessert in packets? How about ooey gooey S’mores on the Grill? (Do I have to tell you which one was my son’s favorite?)

After doing packet cooking for our camping trip, it occurred to me: Why can’t we do this at home? It’s a nice change-of-pace dinner that I can do ahead of time, and it’s easy cleanup, too. It’s just like camping, only with air conditioning and without bugs!

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Family Vacations are the Best

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
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Ethel and me with our son and our 3 younger grandchildren

Ethel and I are back from a very unique vacation. We traveled around the Northeast with our 3 younger grandchildren, showing them where we raised our own family, touring prospective colleges and eating at our family’s favorite restaurants, from Villa Valenti in Wynantskill, NY, to Cap’n Jack’s in Wakefield, RI, to Venus de Milo in Swansea, MA.

We had a blast! Ethel and I always love being with the kids, and we enjoyed introducing them to so many of our hometown friends. It was great to see the kids’ reactions to fireflies, drinking fresh mineral water in Saratoga Springs, NY, breathing in the crisp pine-scented air of the Adirondacks, and driving along hilly roads, none of which we have in South Florida!

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Me with Banquet Manager Joe Silva, showing off the world-famous baked stuffed lobster at of one of my favorite restaurants in the world, Venus de Milo in Swansea, MA. What amazing food and service they deliver time after time!

The kids enjoyed learning about their family history, and we ALL enjoyed laughing over dominoes at night. Of course, probably everybody’s favorite thing was all the amazing food we shared at our favorite restaurants and at our friends’ homes.

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Making family memories!

Family vacations are really special, and this intergenerational one was a real gift, for the kids and for us. We shared fun experiences and made wonderful memories. Whether you stay home or go away this summer, I hope you can have fun times and make great memories with your family, too.

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