In my latest Carmel A La Carte article, I explain how to make your own gluten-free cookies with two different recipes sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and your craving for a healthy guilty pleasure. I hope you enjoy!

http://atcarmel.com/blog/carmel-a-la-carte-a-tale-of-two-cookies/

The June issue features my "Smashed Potato Salad" recipe...its a great addition to any summertime picnic or Father's Day celebration!

AtCarmel June 2013

Father’s Day…Get His Motor Running….

By Lori Goldsby

Get your motor running,

                Head out to the Highway…

Looking for Adventure,

                In whatever comes our way.

Steppenwolf 1969 “Born to be Wild”

My husband and I are now “empty nesters” with a child who lives not only out-of-town but several states away, so Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are relatively quiet days.  While some couples balk at planning a celebration for someone who is “not MY parent”…I think it’s a sweet way to celebrate what a great job we did raising our kid.  He is a terrific father and he made me a better parent! So this year I’m planning a little road trip picnic to show him how much I appreciate the great job he continues to do.  If your little ones still live with you, well then by all means bring them along!!

Carmel Clay Parks has some beautiful parks right in our back yard.  You can pick one that is close to you or “shop around” for a new one on their website CarmelClayParks.com There you will see maps and a guide with services available.  This year I knew I wanted something close to the River or at least a pond feature and a grill.  I thought a grill would be fun because we haven’t cooked on charcoal for so long.  So my first stop was into White’s Ace Hardware (731 S. Rangeline Rd.) to pick up a small bag of briquettes (5lbs/$7.99) and a chimney charcoal starter ($16.99).  I don’t want to use charcoal lighter fluid—so I know I need to bring something that will entertain us while we wait for the coals to develop.  I may throw in a deck of cards but I think an old fashioned horseshoe game or croquet set will be fun.  I have no hand/eye coordination, so I never play tennis with him, but I might be able to handle a badminton game…and with just the two of us, we won’t need a net…or scorekeeper!

The picnic isn’t just about the food.  If you have a friend with an old restored car—get them to drive!  If not, plan a stop by Ooley & Blackburn (508 West Carmel Drive) to do a little “guy-style window shopping”.  They always have such a unique inventory and since they’re not open on Sundays, you don’t feel like you are wasting any of the salesmen’s time.   Either way, toss an old blanket in the trunk and dust off that old “retro” cooler to hold some drinks.  We lucked out and got to “test drive” for our picnic a ’58 Chrysler New Yorker, there were only 600 built and it’s one of only 16 known to exist! They are moving soon to 96th and Keystone and will soon have a new Mazerati dealership in addition to their vintage cars!  But onto the food…

Most picnics consist of a meat, a salad and a dessert and some cold, frosty beverages.  If you are waiting for the coals to get hot, you will probably get hungry waiting…so think about a brat, a burger or a boneless piece of chicken (bone-in takes longer to cook through) that will cook quickly and easily.  Don’t forget a lighter and some tongs!

My Smashed Potato Salad is a crowd favorite and goes with all types of proteins.  Add a nice tray of brownies that you refrigerate overnight (to help keep from melting!) and you are set!

Smashed Potato Salad

The secret to this potato salad is that the potatoes are COMPLETELY COOKED! The second secret is oil to thin out the mayo and a little lemon zest to provide “brightness” in the mayo. 

4 large potatoes               4 celery ribs, diced           1 small onion, minced                    4 hard-boiled eggs

1 cup mayo         ½-1 cup of a neutral oil (like canola)         ½ lemon, zested               salt and paprika

Wash and peel potatoes.  Place in a large pan and cover with COLD water.  Bring to a boil and keep at a high simmer until potatoes are cooked all the way through (Probably 35-40 minutes).  When you “stab” the potato with a steak knife, if it falls off as you lift it up, then it is done.  Drain thoroughly in colander and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Prep onions and celery and dice 3 of the eggs, leaving one egg to slice on top, if desired.  Salt the potatoes, smash half of them with a potato masher and chop the other half.  Toss in the diced celery and onion.

In a medium bowl, add ¼ cup at a time of oil to the mayo and whisk.  It will look like the mayo is separating—be brave!—this is for your man!  Keep whisking until shiny again and repeat…you want a thin consistency.  Add lemon zest and pour over your potato mixture.  Chill overnight.  Add egg slices and paprika, if desired.

The hubby and I went to a late afternoon matinee of "The Hangover" and ate way too much popcorn!  What was I thinking when I said we'd share a "large" tub...although we did make quite a dent in it!  

Needed to eat something green for dinner after that!  Fortunately I had all the fixings for a fabulous salad already prepped in the refrigerator!  The red leaf lettuce and baby kale mixtures were already washed, dried and torn.  I had some beautiful grape tomatoes that I had sliced for a party yesterday (Caesar Salad Bruschetta), a couple of pieces of my thai spicy bacon and half of an avocado.  I was out of blue cheese but subbed some goat cheese.  Trader Joe's sell these nifty little bags of 6 individually wrapped goat cheese "coins" --one is the perfect serving size for a large bowl of salad.  

Best salad topping: thai bacon

In microwave, cook 4 pieces of bacon for 3-4 minutes, you do not want it crispy, but most of the fat cooked off.

In a small bowl mix 1 T. of brown sugar with 1 T. of sambal olek (thai chili paste), stir and dip bacon into mixture. Brush off excess.

Line baking pan with foil, spray cooling rack with Pam or other non-stick spray. Place bacon on rack.  Bake at 400 for 4 minutes, flip and continue baking for 4 more minutes.  (For those of you who have had my thai burgers--you know you love this bacon!  I've also been serving it with my breakfast buffets!)

Need ideas for great summer main dish salads?  Still a few openings in my cooking class on Tuesday, June 18th 7pm 
$35 includes 6 new recipes, a fabulous cocktail and dessert!  Sign up with a friend and get $5 off!

This week was very busy catering a wake for a neighbor's mother and a bridal shower two days later....Both were beautiful events and celebrated life's most meaningful moments with friends and family.  Dinner for us was leftover chicken salad.  I get a lot of compliments on my chicken salad because it is so fresh tasting.  A couple of secrets...go easy on the mayo!  Use half mayo and half greek yogurt for a tangy taste.  Secondly, while those in the south may insist that a proper ladies chicken salad is all white meat, a good cook knows the flavor is in the dark meat.  Use a food processor to grind the dark meat up finely and cube your white meat.  The chicken goes further and it's tastier to boot!  Lastly, add chunks of crisp celery, seedless red or black grapes (nice color contrast!) and some pecans for more crunch!  Serve on a toasted croissant roll...mmm!

It was a lot of fun to imagine what I would serve at a "Great Gatsby" soiree...I had the perfect venue, I just needed to create an inspired menu.  Click on this link to see my recipes for Oysters Rockefeller, Pigs in Puff Pastry (bewitched a golden brown!), a Salad of Harlequin Design, Lemon Cakes for Daisy and a Gin Rickey.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013305080005&nclick_check=1

The May issue features an easy frittata recipe for "breakfast in bed"!  Make it for your mom, or make it for yourself!  The secret is spinach balls and fire-roasted tomatoes!
http://issuu.com/tombritt/docs/carmelmay/1

I love to spend a rainy Sunday cooking dinner. Nothing warms your soul more than something bubbling away on the stove or oven,  Here is one of our favorite fall and winter, and lately, rainy spring...Sunday Suppers.  The secret is a little balsamic vinegar in the ham glaze.  You'll find that is what gives it that "little something extra"  http://food52.com/recipes/14963-sunday-supper-part-i-italian-country-ham-and-beans

I recently started writing a column for AtCarmel magazine.  Here is the link to my first article "Season's Greetings!"http://atcarmel.com/blog/carmel-a-la-carte/