Celebrate 4th of July With Sweet & Spicy Cherry Cola Ribs and Bourbon Baked Beans!

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It’s Fourth of July!

Why not host a memorable gathering to celebrate the Fourth of July with a sticky sweet smile on your face! What could be better than delicious sweet and spicy Cherry Cola Ribs and Bourbon Baked Beans! I suggest buying baby back pork ribs, in particular, from Costco – they are high quality, priced appropriately and are easier to eat and less fatty than pork spareribs. Add some delicious fresh fruit or a crunchy slaw and you will have a crowd pleasing meal. Enjoy!

Jill Fisher, a good friend of mine going waaayyyyy back to high school, has a B.S. in Food Science and Nutrition and is a licensed Personal Chef. She teaches cooking classes at Conejo Valley Adult School and Williams Sonoma in Thousand Oaks. Jill has also written articles for local food magazines such as 805 Living. To contact Jill, let us know!

Cherry Cola Ribs

4 - 12 oz cans cherry cola (flat)

2 cups cherry preserves

2/3 cup Dijon mustard with horseradish

3 Tbsp soy sauce

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Easy Breezy Mac 'N' Cheesey - Yum!

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Here is an easy, weeknight version of mac 'n' cheese that doesn't utilize processed cheese, canned soup or Kraft products, courtesy of Master Chef, Kirk Leins. Get more cooking videos and free recipes at www.NoTimeToCookDinner.com.

EASY BREEZY MAC 'N' CHEESEY (serves 6)

2 C Barilla elbow macaroni
2 C sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 C Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
1 16-oz container of whole milk ricotta cheese, or small curd cottage cheese
1 8-oz container of sour cream

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Classic Humor With Debbie Downer on Saturday Night Live - 5/1/04

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I caught this from Saturday Night Live rerun last night and had to share it.  This initial appearance of Rachel Dratch as "Debbie Downer" is classic because the actors couldn't stop laughing through the skit, which also features Linday Lohan.  According to a Wikipedia article about Debbie Downer (gotta love Wikipedia), part of the reason for uncontrollable laughter was that the actors hadn't rehearsed with the "wah wah" sounds heard after Debbie's cynical, depressing lines.

Where (Not) to Smoke in Thousand Oaks, Calabasas and Moorpark

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Most of you have heard about last week's Moorpark City Council vote last week to prohibit smoking in most public places.  The new law, which becomes effective in August, is summarized below along with other state and local bans.  There are no federal smoking bans, though roughly 70% of the country has some type of workplace smoking ban (inversely, 30% of the U.S. population can still smoke at work).

State of California

Smoking in enclosed workplaces and within 20 feet thereof has been banned in California since January 1995.  The law also applies to restaurants and bars.  The law has certain exceptions, such as workplaces with up to 5 employees (assuming no minors and all employees consent), up to 65% of hotel rooms, etc.  Since 1/1/08, smoking in a car with a minor has been illegal in California.  Since 1/1/02, it has been illegal to smoke within 25 feet of a public playground (unless you are smoking on a public sidewalk within 25 feet of the playground, in which case it is perfectly legal).

City of Calabasas

The City of Calabasas smoking ban has been in place since 3/16/06 and outlaws pretty much all public places, both inside and outside...streets, sidewalks, parks, restaurants, stores, you name it. You are allowed to smoke in your home and in designated smoking areas.  You are also allowed to smoke in any outdoor area in which no non-smoker is within reasonable distance and due to the time of day you

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Mama Don't Take My Kodachrome Away!

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This past Monday, 6/22/09, Eastman Kodak announced it is discontinuing Kodachrome, the film it has manufactured since 1935. Kodachrome is now yet another relic of the past, like VHS tapes, 8-track tapes, cassette tapes, GM, analog TV and unsliced bread. But the film certainly has its place in history, including its use in this well known 1985 Steve McCurry photo of a young Afghan girl.

While Kodachrome will soon be gone, it will forever be memorialized by Paul Simon's 1973 song named after the 35mm film that peaked at #2 on the Billboard charts. I love this song.

When I think back
On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder
I can think at all

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Celebrate Father's Day With This Easy Whiskey BBQ Flank Steak Recipe

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Whiskey BBQ Flank Steak with Grilled Tomato Relish

Here is an easy BBQ recipe for Father’s Day! Light up those grills and serve up a delicious meal for Dad. Just add some grilled baked potatoes or corn from your local Farmer’s Market and a beautiful green salad or fresh fruit and you have a delightful meal to celebrate the Dad in your life.

For the steak:

1 flank steak (~ 2 lbs)

½ cup salad oil

½ cup tomato juice

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup brown sugar

3 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tsp pepper

1 GENEROUS dash of Jack Daniels

Using a sharp knife, score the steak on each side in a diamond pattern and place in a shallow glass pan.

Combine the marinade ingredients. Pour over steak. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning once. Let stand at room temperature for an hour before grilling.

Light the grill. Brush the rack lightly with oil. Remove meat from marinade and grill about 4 inches from heat until rare, about 3 minutes per side. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Carve the steak crosswise on a slight angle into ¼” slices.

Grilled Tomato Relish

4 tomatoes, halved

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

Salt & pepper

Place tomatoes on a medium heated grill, cut side up, and brush lightly with olive oil – 1 to 2 Tbsp. After about 3 minutes (when bottoms are brown), turn them over and continue to cook about 3-5 minutes (until soft). Remove tomatoes from grill and allow to cool until able to handle.

Combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, onions and garlic in a sauté pan. Cook until onions are soft. Stir in basil. Add the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Should resemble a chunky salsa. Serve with steak.

Jill Fisher, a good friend of mine going waaayyyyy back to high school, has a B.S. in Food Science and Nutrition and is a licensed Personal Chef. She teaches cooking classes at Conejo Valley Adult School and Williams Sonoma in Thousand Oaks. Jill has also written articles for local food magazines such as 805 Living. To contact Jill, let us know!