It’s hot here in Texas, and no-cook meals reign supreme. I had to make an appetizer to bring to a “gathering” last week, and made a plate of turkey, provolone, and pesto sandwiches. I cheated and bought the pesto from Central Market — no complaints. The rolls came from Royal Bakery, located at 1841 Fairview, which I had not previously been to.
This bakery supplies rolls to practically every restaurant in Houston that makes po’ boys. I couldn’t wait to go in and see what other baked goodies were waiting for me. But guess what? They only had po’ boy rolls and they sell something like 9000 each day. Beautiful, soft, pillowy po’ boy rolls.
Here’s the camera-shy owner, handing me my change. (The rolls set me back 60 cents a piece — what a deal!) I’ve since discovered that they sell a few other things — giant hamburger rolls and some other sandwich rolls, but po’ boy rolls are their bread and butter, so to speak.
And here’s my sandwiches:
And speaking of no-cook meals, last year we had an unprecedented drought and a record number of days of triple-digit temperatures, which resulted in burn bans across the state for most of the year. Our son is a Boy Scout, and this meant no campfire cooking on campouts. To help the unimaginative, Boy Scouts of America sent around a list of no-cook meal ideas, mostly stuff that no self-respecting scout would eat (at least not in front of other scouts) — including a “candle” recipe (which actually came from a Betty Crocker kids cookbook in the 1970s) that involved a pineapple ring, a banana, some Miracle Whip, and a cherry. When assembled, the dish looks likes this:
Just like a candle, right? Who among you is brave or insane enough to serve this to a bunch of 13-year old boys? And why would you want your food to look like a “candle” anyway? Apparently, though, “candle” food is more popular than I realized. Check out these other “candles,” for example:
I was surprised I did not find a bagel/hot dog “candle,” but I suppose it’s reassuring to know that there is a “candle” floor below which you dare not venture. Needless to say, I won’t be adding any of these “candle” recipes to my permanent recipe file. Or my temporary one.
Meet Baby I See You, a recent estate sale find. This doll has crazy eyes that appear to be following you. Or maybe they really do follow you. As the box threatens, “Walk to the Left. Move to the Right. Wherever you go, you are never out of sight.”
It should come as no surprise that this doll was still in its original packaging (i.e., never played with), where it has been safely twist-tied down for nearly a quarter of a century (“Gee, grandma, thanks for the stalker doll.”). Until now.
This is one creepy doll. Even my teenagers have requested that I “get it out of the house.” (Fat chance of that happening now that I know they’re scared of it.) I’m not sure, but I think the Littlest Stalker may have been the inspiration for Glenn Close’s character Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction. You have to admit, the similarities are hard to ignore — the wild blonde perm, the crazy eyes . . . .
“Walk to the Left. Move to the Right.
Wherever you go, you are never out of sight.”
“I’m not gonna be ignored, Dan.”
They should have named this doll Baby I.C.U., not Baby I See You, because I’ll tell you, if I ever stumbled across this creeper doll in the middle of the night, I would have had a heart attack. In fact, if I’d had one of these dolls when the kids were little, I would never have needed to hire a babysitter — just plunk this demon doll down in the middle of the room and my kids would have sat there until we returned, too terrified to move.
But alas, I did have to hire babysitters. Chela was one of the first ones I trusted to watch my daughter. Chela did some housekeeping for us, and after the kids were born she would babysit for us occasionally. I remember when we found out we were pregnant with my daughter and excitedly ran out to buy “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” When I came home the next day after Chela had been there, I found a note taped to the book that read “Is it you, Angel?” She knew before we had told a single soul. Long after she became too sick to work due to complications from diabetes, she would still call on everyone’s birthday. She also checked in every year after receiving our Christmas card, to tell me how great the kids looked and remark on how much they’d grown, and fill me in on what her beloved son Manny was up to.
Usually, I’d order pizza for the kids and their babysitters. But one time, I had 2 leftover stuffed poblanos in the refrigerator, and I told Chela she was welcome to have them. When I came home, she looked at me, and said simply, “Oh, those peppers . . . .” This was high praise, indeed. I think of her every time I make them.
Chela passed away a few years ago. She was only 48. About a year before she died, she wrote a farewell, which her family printed and handed out at her funeral. She said that she was not sad and was ready to go. She said she looked forward to being able to eat whatever she wanted, even “a whole box of cookies with a lot of sugar.”
Inspired by recollections triggered when I sprung Baby I See You from her cardboard prison, and in memory of my special friend Chela, I’m sharing my recipe for Stuffed Poblanos. They aren’t difficult to make, but be careful handling the peppers when you’re peeling them, so as not to tear them.
14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups grated cheddar, colby jack, or monterey jack cheese
Instructions
Preheat broiler. Using a small knife, slit peppers lengthwise down one side, being careful not to cut through to other side. Place peppers on foil-covered baking sheet, and broil until beginning to blister and blacken. Turn peppers using tongs, and broil other side. Set aside to cool. When peppers are cool enough to handle, gently remove seeds and peel off skin.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until golden. Add garlic and saute one minute more. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon as necessary. Add corn, tomatoes, parsley, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne, and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
Carefully spoon filling into the peppers, dividing evenly among peppers. Place in an ovenproof baking dish, and sprinkle remaining cheese over peppers. Place under broiler 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted. (If prepared ahead, bake at 375 degrees until heated through and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.) Serve hot.
And here’s my sandwiches:
