A dish made with orecchiette always seems to turn out good-looking.  Don’t let these cunning miniature macaronies fool you.  These “little ears”  are not only cute but can hold up to a symphony of flavors.  Listen to what’s in this bowl; chicken, grape tomatoes, arugula, lemon, olive oil, a bit of fresh thyme, a hint of garlic, black pepper and a four finger pinch of Pecorino Romano cheese.  Of course I dosed it with a pile of hot pepper flakes.  Heard enough?

Here is the scenario.  My better half requests cake at 11 pm on a Saturday night.  All stores and restaurants are closed within a 30 mile radius. The upside is that there is a ripe Mango in the refrigerator and the kitchen is stocked with the basics, so making a cake is definitely an option.  The downside is that it’s getting late and I need to get busy.  After reflecting on my upside (and down)… it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess where I’m going with this…I’m on it.  Usually made with pineapple, this cake is simple yet satisfying and can easily be made in a cast iron skillet with any type of fruit. Somebody stop me….

Haddock, Cod, Scrod…her name is unimportant.  This buxom bottom dweller is easy to hook off the shores of New England.  With a little white wine and the allurement of some butter, the delicate flavors are usually easy to coax out of this dense flaky prey.  But today I had my way with her, bringing along the fusilli and peas to seal the deal.  No reason to lose any sleep after what has been done.  Some times you just have to love’em and leave’em.  And besides, there are plenty of fish in the sea.

The Asiago weeps its cheesy oils as it melts into the hot griddle.  This emotional transformation from chunky wedge to slender crisp is pleasantly uncomplicated and the kitchen awakens from the odoriferous shape-shifting.  The mission was to come up with a pre-dinner snack that has zero carbs and major flavor.  Maybe something that would go with a hardy glass of Cab.  Mission accomplished.

If you don’t eat beef then look away.  If you eat beef but like it well done then go away.  Most high end steak houses will refuse to torch the integrity from your meal.  I am in agreement.  There is a fine line separating a savory delicacy from the bottom of a shoe.  With my shoe comfortably on my foot I arduously try not to put either in my mouth when preparing a fine cut of tenderloin.  Treading lightly, I seared the peppered filet and cautiously finished it in the oven.  Rested and ready, it joined the red wine porcini mushroom reduction to complete this barefoot delight.  Well done.

The history of Jambalaya, to my knowledge, has to do with snagging any creature that walks, crawls , flies or swims and boiling them together with spices and vegetables to make a big tasty Cajun stew.  Back in the day, the snagging of all the beasts in the bayou must have been difficult..  But today I picked up some shrimp, chicken and Andouille sausage at the local market.  Not difficult!  A short saute of onions, peppers and celery, followed by the strategic addition of garlic, tomatoes, chicken stock, rice, spices and the proteins and voilà.  Huge flavor, little effort.

In this corner, piled atop mounds of arugula, we have one of the most under-rated, under-used vegetables that scream with color and bleed natural sweetness.  They can be roasted, they can be boiled, they can be pickled, they hail from under the very ground we walk on…  Okay, okay, okay they’re just beets.  But look at the beautiful barrage of beet blood, blue cheese, balsamic and black walnuts.  I kind of need a beeting after that one.  And don’t forget about the rich earthy greens that come attached to these bombastic balls of bliss.  Ouch!  Beet me…please.

A tuna fish sandwich. Boring to most but not to me.  The augmentations are of the utmost importance when concocting a tuna salad sandwich.  This ain’t no tuna melt.  There is only one way I like my Hot Tuna, loud.  Getting back to the fish at hand, the gang of embellishments are what  keeps me coming back to those little round cans.  There is no denying the low tide aroma of a freshly opened tin.  After the ebb, I mix the contents with  spoons of mayo and dijon.  Chopped onion and (of course) celery are added with some fresh herbs.  Carefully fill the Buckwheat ciabbata roll with the Alfalfa sprouts and  slap on  slices of provolone and tomato.  Don’t be Stymied by the fuss.  This Chubsy Ubsy sandwich would make Miss Crabtree proud.

Broccoli crowns are available in all grocery stores all year long.  In my refrigerator you will always find at least one noggin of broccoli at any given time.  It’s usually the first vegetable to get tossed in the shopping cart.  Grill it, roast it with garlic and olive oil or eat it raw.  It is versatile and tasty.  Oh of course you can stir fry it with leftover filet and turn it Japanese with a little shoyu and sesame.  Now that’s using your head.

Why not?  It’s the first weekend of NFL action and a plate of chicken wings seems like an appropriate springboard into the season of comfort foods.  One might think preparing chicken wings doesn’t take any thought…but then again one might not know the way of the dingo.  Coat the wingettes with seasoned flour and oven fry.  Saute chopped jalepeños in butter and add the Red Hot (not Tabasco).  Toss together and serve with homemade blue cheese dressing.  Don’t over-think it!