Dentists and A Perfect Summer Dinner

I don't go to the dentist anymore for a simple cleaning.. oh, I go every six months like the good little patient I am.. but it's never that easy.. 

No, life on the other side of fifty is more complicated than that. Seems every filling I've ever had is now listed on the Smithsonian's Dental Roles as antique and has to be redone.

Redone is code word for Root Canal. 

Now my dentist, bless his heart, always tries his best to avoid the dreaded Root Canal. But my antique mouth resists all manner of dental work. It wants the cadillac of service. 

I swear one tooth looks at the other and says, how come she gets a brand new shiny crown and I have to settle for a standard old filling? 

This tooth bemoans their filling state over the coarse of a few days until BAM - a full blown toothache wakes me in the middle of the night, mouth pounding, jaw screaming... 

So here I am waiting for my dentist, bless his heart, to call me back and send me off to the special root canal dentist. Then I'll go back to my dentist for the crown that will cost me somewhere around a $gazillion dollars. 

I'm glad we had the perfect summer dinner last night. Tonight I'll be sipping soup, and taking motrin. 

Grilled Steak, Shrimp and Pesto Corn: (for two)

Not a pot in the house gets used for this dinner. Pour a nice Rose, make the pesto in advance , then sit back and let the man do the cooking:

2 Rib Eye Steaks (or meat of choice)

1/2 pound Extra Large Shrimp (about 8)

2 ears fresh shucked sweet corn

Pesto (recipe follows)

Olive Oil 

Salt and Pepper

Take steak out of fridge one hour before cooking time. 

Peel and devein shrimp. Thread on skews

Drizzle steaks and shrimp with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper (both sides)

Heat Grill to Medium High

Pesto:

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or more)

salt and pepper

Place basil in food processor, pulse a few times. Add cheese and pine nuts and process until almost smooth. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pulse one or more times.

Paint pesto on fresh shucked corn. 

Grill steaks, shrimp and corn until done. 

Slice some watermelon for dessert. 

Mmmm... tastes like summer. 

A Cook's Notes:

The pesto freezes beautifully! I freeze it in little 1/4 cup containers, then use it all winter long on pasta, pizza and chicken. 

Being "Home" and Philly Cheesesteaks

Being back in Pennsylvania brings back many memories and of course with all my siblings here we have been doing our share of reminiscing. Yesterday on the way to the pharmacy to pick up my dad's pain medicine for his trip home I even drove through some of my old neighborhood haunts.

Seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. No?

All this nostalgia made me think of Philadelphia Cheese steaks. Here's an ex-pat's updated version of the classic Pennsylvania sandwich:

Not So Philly Cheese steaks: (makes 4 sandwiches)

1 pound hangar steak (also known as skirt steak)
1 sweet onion (such as Vidalia)
4 ounces blue cheese crumbles
A-1 Steak Sauce
4 Portugese rolls (or your favorite hard sandwich roll)
2 teaspoons olive oil divided
Salt and Pepper
1 tablspoon melted butter.

Heat Grill to Medium High
Trim steak of any extra fat or have your butcher do it.
Rub with 1 teas. olive oil, both sides
Rub all over with Salt and Pepper
Set aside.

Meanwhile slice onion thinly. Heat remaining teaspoon olive oil in saute pan and add onions. Slowly, sweat the onion (very low heat) until soft, then turn up heat a bit and cook until golden.

Split rolls and brush inside top and bottom with melted butter.

Grill steak about 4 minutes per side for medium. When done, tent with foil and let rest.
Place rolls, butter side down on grill and toast about 60 seconds.

To assemble:

Slice steak thinly, on the diagonal. Place 1/4 of meat on bottom of 1 roll. Top with blue cheese crumbles, then onion, then a drizzle of A-1 steak sauce. Repeat with other 3 sandwiches.

Serve with chips and an ice cold beer.

A Cook's Notes: I did not give you the "classic" recipe for a Philly Steak Sandwich because there are hundreds of variations and an ongoing war as to who has the "best", who made it first, and whether you need cheese (what kind), onions, the proper roll, sauce, etc. Suffice it to say I wouldn't even call this a Philly Cheese Steak OUT LOUD for fear of insighting a riot.

If you don't like blue cheese, try cheddar, provolone, swiss or american, but for the love of God, please don't call it a Philly Cheese Steak or even mention where you got the recipe. If you want an honest to goodness, authentic, Philly Steak - go to Philly, just don't ask me to choose the sidewalk stand, I'd like to come back to PA.

ps: If you don't believe me as to the controversy surrounding the Philadelphia Cheese Steak - google it. You will find the history, the ingredients, the authenticity [reputted] and everything you ever wanted to know about this sandwich. Pennsylvanians are serious about this sandwich!