FAST FOOD Introduction by Dwight Drum
Web work by Larsen & Drum Images by Dwight Drum
Racing Chef Nicky Morse
Courtesy of JEGS Racing
Racing chef Nicky Morse gives fast food a new meaning. Morse prepares gourmet meals for fast teams. It's certainly not slow food, but it's food done just right for those whose stomachs must support the brains to race and win in the highly competitive world of NHRA drag racing.
Nicky Morse
You know that I have 14 nieces and nephews, so I am "all in" when it comes to kids. I was recently introduced to Flat Stanley. I had no idea who Flat Stanley was until I got a letter from a John Sanderson in Texas. John had cut a piece of paper in the shape of a man and colored him. John named him Flat Stanley. He asked me to take him with me on an excursion.
Flat Stanley had a blast with our busy schedule. He was in Ohio coloring Easter eggs and went to a number of family dinners during the holiday. He also helped with chores around the house like working in the greenhouse getting the plants ready for the garden. He loved getting the chance to paint pottery with the boys. I had to go to Atlanta and cook for the team, so I took Flat Stanley on a plane trip to the races. He worked with me in the kitchen as well as visited with Jeg Coughlin Jr. John has a lot of catching up to do with Flat Stanley.
I would like to thank John for thinking of me and allowing me to be part of such a fun project.
I remember when Aunt Vi used to come to town when I was a kid. She is the best! She would always let me help cook. It may be helping make cookies during the holidays, or canning tomatoes in the summer. One of my favorite things was making cheese. I think that it is very important to include kids as much as possible when making dinner. The recipe that I am going to share with you this time is one for the kids. This is also fun activity for kids at a party.
Flat Stanley Fruit Pizza Bash
(Dedicated to John Sanderson in Texas)
(You need to find 6 kids for this recipe!)
Ingredients:
6 Each Pita Bread
8 Ounces Cream Cheese
½ Cup Powdered Sugar (Sifted)
2 Tablespoons Butter
¼ Teaspoon Vanilla
Your Choice Fresh Fruit
Procedure:
Bake the Pita bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until it turns a little firm (approximately 4 minutes). Do not overcook the pita bread or it will become too brittle. Remove from oven and let sit until room temperature.
Mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
This is not an adult project except for getting things ready. Make it simple for the kids to enjoy. Have a variety of fruit cut, the pita baked, and the cream cheese mix done before the kids arrive. Let the kids decorate their own pita and eat their creations.
Enjoy!
Cook Full Throttle or Go Home!
While I was at Atlanta last week I met several nice folks. Chris Lopez from Coca Cola brought over some of the executives from the Coca Cola Company in Atlanta to get a feel for the races. He brought them in the kitchen on Friday to show them the unique situation we have at the track. It is fun and interesting for people to see the world of food inside the world or racing. We discussed the BBQ sauce that I made with Citrus Full Throttle.
When they left, I started thinking about the different Full Throttle flavors. and how versatile they really are. I was thinking that the orange one would be great in a raspberry pie. I thought that the liquid would thicken a little to make it very moist, but at the same time the raspberries would give the pie structure. The orange would be a great citrus flavor, and the sweetness of the Full Throttle would complement by offsetting the tartness of the raspberries. I was sold on the idea, and I knew how the crew would love to have a piece of warm pie with ice cream. I went back to the hotel that night and wrote the recipe that I am going to share with you. Many times when I create a dish, I may have to alter it a little, but this one was a hit the first time out. I have to tell you that this is the best raspberry pie that I have ever tasted.
This is a very simple recipe and can be made in no time. Most people don't make pie crust anymore, and really don't have the time for the mess. It is fine to buy a pre-made pie crust. If you do make your own pie crust, try removing ½ cup of the flour from your recipe and replace it with ½ cup of ground pecans for an added touch to this pie.
Raspberry Pie
(Makes 1- 9 inch pie)
Ingredients:
6 Cups Raspberries (Fresh)
½ Cup Full Throttle (Orange)
1.5 Cups Sugar (Granulated)
½ Cup Cornstarch
2 Pieces Pie Dough (Top and Bottom- pre-made)
Procedure:
-Roll out the bottom dough for the pie and place it in a 9 inch pie pan.
-Gently mix the raspberries, Orange Full Throttle, sugar, and cornstarch together.
- Place this mix in the pan on the bottom dough
- Lay the top dough over the pan and crimp it to the bottom dough
- Bake at 350 degrees until done; approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Enjoy
I call this an avocado dressing because I use it as a salad dressing. It can be used for a number of other items too. It makes a great dip for chips and vegetables, or it is really good on tacos. If you are making any type of Mexican food you can replace the sour cream with the avocado dressing. I have to tell you that it does have some heat that will wake up your taste buds instantly. You will not want to use all of the jalapeno called for in the recipe if you do not like spicy food.
Avocado Dressing
(Makes approximately 1.75 Cups)
Ingredients:
1 Avocado (Remove Skin and Seed)
¼ Cup Sour Cream
¼ Cup Buttermilk
¼ Cup Mayonnaise
½ Jalapeno (Fresh /Medium Size)
1 Ounce Red Onion
¼ Cup Cilantro (Leaves)
2 Tablespoons Lime Juice (Fresh Squeezed)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice (Fresh Squeezed)
To Taste Salt
Procedure: Place all of the ingredients in a food processor. Chop until they are a smooth consistency scraping the sides of the bowl down as needed. Enjoy!
Family Moments:
I have 3 brothers, 2 sisters, 6 nieces, 5 nephews, 2 great nieces, and 1 great nephew (at this point- you never know when the count is going up). So, over the years I have learned what kids like to eat. Cinnamon toast is always a hit. If you are having cinnamon toast, it seems like there is just never enough bread in the house. Mom will start baking bread days before we need it if everyone is coming home, just so we have enough for all the meals.
I have decided to make a recipe that is easy and fun for kids (and Adults) to eat. You can make a whole basket of these in no time. They can stand alone, or they are a great addition to breakfast.
Cinnamon Toast Bites
(2 Servings)
Ingredients:
6 Inches Baguette (Cut into 1 inch cubes)
2.5 Tablespoons Butter (Melted)
1.5 Teaspoons Cinnamon
¼ Cup Sugar
Procedure:
Toast the bread on an oven pan under the broiler.
(Make sure to turn the bread so that it all get evenly toasted)
Put the toast in a stainless steel bowl.
Drizzle the melted butter over the toast, while gently stirring.
Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and add to the bowl all at once.
Gently stir until the toast is evenly coated.
Enjoy!
Teamwork:
Like most teams, our team is very serious about getting the car in the winners circle. We are also very serious about the food that we eat. I am usually a one man show in the kitchen, but I have to admit the culinary team reaches to the mechanics and their families.
When I tell you that this team is serious about eating good food- it is not a joke! They know that I am a stickler for good ingredients. I cannot wait to get to Vegas because I know that I am always going to get batch of fresh bay leaves from Roy Simmons mom and dad (Larry and Marty). They have a tree in their front yard. Victor Cagnazzi's parents always show up at the track with a new cheese or something spectacular. Steve Cultrera lives in Maine. I keep talking to him about the fresh lobsters. I think that I am going to have him help get some delivered to the track this summer. Rich Saulino's brother Carl brings a Kielbasa that is the best Kielbasa I have ever had. I admit that I hide it for myself because it is so good.
When we were in Saint Louis this year, Dave Byers had a bunch of his family and friends visit him at the track. He had a friend from Fritz's Frozen Custard bring custard for everyone. It was a hit! Dave's parents and brother came too (Anita, David, and Travis). They brought some morel mushrooms with them that they hand picked in the woods. You have got to realize that these are not easy to find, and they are very expensive. They cost roughly $60.00 per pound fresh and $150.00 to $200.00 per pound if they are dried. You can be sure that I am never going to turn down fresh morels.
Vegetarian Plate With Sautéed Morels
(Makes 1 serving)
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Butter (Lightly Salted
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon White Onion (Fine Diced)
3 Large Morels (Cut in half)
½ Teaspoon Paprika (Hot- Smoked)
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice (Fresh Squeezed)
1 Tablespoon Chardonnay (Your Favorite) (I used a 2005 Kendall Jackson)
1 Teaspoon Courvoisier
To Taste Salt
To Taste White Pepper (Ground)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Chives (Sliced) (These are optional)
Procedure:
-Place the butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat.
-Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
-Add the morels and sauté until the morels are a little tender.
-Add the smoked-hot paprika and stir until the morels are pretty evenly coated.
-Add the lemon juice, wine, and Courvoisier and sauté until the morels are almost dry.
-Add the salt and pepper.
-Remove from the heat and add chives (Optional).
The morels in the photo are accompanied by sautéed asparagus and broiled tomato slices. The asparagus was sautéed in butter and seasoned with salt and ground white pepper. The tomato slices were broiled with fresh ground black pepper and grated Locatelli cheese. Enjoy!
Fun Time
We have a lot of fun at the track. As I have mentioned many times, people on our team go on and off diets throughout the year, including myself. Roy Simons (The Crew Chief) happens to be one who watches his carbohydrates. It was Roy's birthday when we were in Atlanta. I wanted to make him something special, but I knew that I had better stay away from the desserts. There are some lo-crab desserts, but I know the way to Roy's heart. So, I made him a Roast Beef Salad for his birthday cake. Roy loved the idea.
Roast Beef Salad/ Roy's Birthday Cake
(Makes 1 serving)
Ingredients:
1 Cup Lettuce (Shredded)
5 Ounces Roast Beef (I used Filet Mignon)
1 Ounce Pickle (Spicy- Chopped)
2 Each Peppers (Hot/ Pickled)
1 Ounce Fontinella (Broken into pieces)
As Needed Red Onion (Sliced thin)
To Taste Ground Black Pepper (Telicherry)
To Taste (Salt)
See below Dressing
Procedure:
-Place the lettuce in the center of the plate.
-Sprinkle the lettuce with salt.
-Layer the roast beef over the lettuce.
-Arrange the chopped pickles, peppers, Fontinella, and red onion around the plate.
-Sprinkle with black pepper.
-Add Dressing.
Procedure for the Dressing: -Mix all of the below ingredients together.
2 Tablespoons French Onion Dip (Heluva Good)
1 Tablespoon Mayonaise (Kraft)
½ Teaspoon Spicy Brown Mustard (Guldens)
½ Teaspoon Tobasco (Chipotle)
¼ Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
Enjoy !
Recipes: This Milkshake is Hot Hot Hot! >> Enjoy!
I was in Houston last week in the kitchen with Randy Bishop and Meghan Coughlin. It was so hot and humid. I started messing around with some ideas and came up with this great shake. Randy was kind of looking at me weird when I added the honey and Meghan was not real big on the sour cream idea. But, they both agreed that the final product was wonderful. This shake is simple to make and very refreshing. I hope that you give it a try. I used fresh fruit for the recipe, but you may be able to substitute frozen in a pinch.
Pineapple-Mango Milkshake
(Makes 1 Shake)
Ingredients:
4 Ounces Vanilla Ice Cream
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 Ounces Pineapple (Fresh- Chilled)
1 Ounce Mango (Fresh- Chilled)
1 Tablespoon Sour Cream
1 Ounce Milk (Whole)
As Needed Cinnamon (Ground)
Procedure:
-Place all of the above ingredients except the cinnamon in a blender
-Puree
-Pour in a chilled glass
-Sprinkle the top with cinnamon
Added Garnish:
1 cinnamon stick
A chunk of pineapple with the skin on
A wedge of fresh mango with the skin on
-Cut a small slice in the pineapple meat so that it will sit on a glass
-Stick the pineapple chunk on the glass
-Cut a small hole in the skin of the pineapple
-Stick the cinnamon stick in the hole
-Slice the mango meat through to the skin of the mango in small slices (do not cut the whole way through.
-Cut a small hole in the middle of the mango skin
-Fan the mango so that the meat is showing
-Stick the cinnamon stick through the small hole in the skin
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