Aunt Jean’s Tucson Skillet Tacos

By Andrew Hunter
For The Family Table, a blog for busy families

The Darland side of my family, that’s my Aunt Jean and Uncle Dick, and cousins David, Julie and Greg, live in Tucson. As a kid, Tucson seemed like a million miles away, and it truly was because instead of flying for a visit, in those days we piled into our “wood” paneled station wagon and drove the 1,951 miles southwest from Ann Arbor.

When we got there, the leafy green farmland I loved became a sandy hardscape with prickly cacti and scrubby brush that I feared. I thought we had landed on the moon.

I have lots of fond memories, though, once I acclimated to the foreign land. But one that stands out is my Aunt Jean’s tacos.

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Diver Scallops for One

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

In an effort to keep my vacation memories and affect glowing bright, my 30-minute dinner for today’s post consists of a remake of a dish I ate at Ford’s, a little-known lobster shack (until now) that opened about four years ago on the coast of Connecticut near Mystic.

Now I must have driven by Ford’s a bunch of times but the sign is small and sits on the side of the road and could pass as a place to just purchase lobsters.

One of my main goals in the great state of Maine while on vacation, including the road trip to and back from the Hudson Valley to get there, is to seek out and try as many lobster shacks as possible. How Ford’s has evaded me till now is a mystery.

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Hail, the Caesar Salad

By Ben Mims
For Cooking Newbie, a blog for beginner cooks

One of the greatest salads ever created (and I’d venture to say, the most popular in America) is the Caesar salad. It’s simple, spicy and tangy, and makes use of romaine, one of the most versatile lettuces that’s not iceberg.

I love a Caesar salad as a side to a hefty meat lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, pizza, or any red-blooded Italian-American dish. And even though that wasn’t its original purpose, lets be honest, that’s how everyone loves it.

Many people are intimidated about making the dressing from scratch because they’re worried about raw egg yolks or anchovies and having to make croutons. And while I can’t advocate using a store-bought dressing, I can offer a simpler variation.

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Food to Comfort and Nourish

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Recently, a friend who had a stroke was flown to San Francisco for intensive care. His wife and children, all from out of town, rushed to the hospital to be at his bedside. Since he was in the ICU, only a limited number of people could visit.

In wondering how to show support, I decided to bake up a batch of brownies to take to the hospital for the family. It was a small thing, but I thought something home-baked might provide a measure of comfort.

It seemed to be so appreciated by the family that the next day, I pondered what else I could do. Since there were young grandchildren involved, continuing to bake more sweets didn’t seem like such a good idea. It was Saturday, so Steve and I went to the farmers’ market, where we picked out white peaches, nectarines, crisp champagne grapes and the sweetest organic strawberries. I lined a shallow Costco box with parchment and filled it with pre-washed fruits for Steve to take to the hospital, along with a paring knife and napkins.

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Opening Day

By Andrew Hunter
For The Family Table, a blog for busy families

The boys look forward to a few special days each year. The big ones like Christmas and their birthdays are obvious, but one of their favorites is opening day of apple season.

We make the trek east each Labor Day weekend on the Pomona Freeway toward San Bernardino, then exit into the foothills where Los Angeles peels away to orchards that support communities in existence to grow, harvest and sell apples.

Snow-Line, Riley’s and Willowbrook apple farms host scores of visitors with hot fry cakes, fresh pressed cider, and “mile high” apple pies. Our favorite is Snow-Line because it’s a simple assemblage of red barns, orchards for picking and a hillbilly musician who takes his break between songs with a cold can of Coke in his dilapidated old red Cadillac parked in the shade.

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