German-Style Hot Potato Salad


I was in a cooking mood last weekend, and I tried out some hot German style potato salad. As usual, I googled recipes, solicited advice on Threads, and even bounced stuff off of LLM’s. I came up with the recipe below, and it paired nice with some Reubens. The bread on the Reubens was less than stellar. I need to get some better rye, & make sure it’s still seedless. (Thanks, diverticulitis!) Maybe marbled or Pumpernickel is the way to go? I’m not much of a baker, unless it’s as easy as the Cheesy Beer Bread.

Hot German-Style Potato Salad

OK. So here’s what I did:

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. red potatoes
  • 10 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 of a Spanish onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, & Garlic Powder to taste
  • Dried parsley to taste
  • Fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Put the whole potatoes in a large pot and cover with about 1 to 2 inches of cold, salted water (or chicken broth for extra flavor). Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and set them aside. (Next time I will add the other half of the onion here. I did add a bit of ham bullion to the water.)
  2. While the potatoes are cooking, place the chopped bacon in a large skillet or pan over medium-low heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain, but leave the rendered bacon grease in the skillet. (I may have snuck in a tiny bit of butter here.) This seemingly takes forever but is worth it. I seasoned the bacon with onion powder, garlic powder, & black pepper.
  3. Add the diced onion to the skillet with the bacon grease. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is soft & translucent.
  4. To the skillet with the onions and bacon grease, add the chicken broth, white vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, and ground mustard. Whisk the mixture to combine. Bring the dressing to a simmer and let it cook for about 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. I put the dried parsley in here, too.
  5. Dice, the still-warm potatoes into large 1-inch-ish chunks, then place in a large bowl. Pour the hot dressing over the potatoes and gently toss to coat. Stir in about half of the cooked bacon pieces.
  6. Let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes to allow the potatoes to fully absorb the flavors. Just before serving, sprinkle the remaining crispy bacon and fresh chopped parsley or chives over the top.

The fresh parsley made it pop. Of course, you could use Yukon Gold or whatever potatoes you have. Watch out for green ones!

I wondered if honey mustard would be good? Obviously brown mustard or German mustard or even yellow mustard should be fine. I wonder what Herlocher’s would be like? Apple cider vinegar or brown sugar should be fine too. I see proponents for and against just about every variation online.

I say use what you have on hand or what you know you like. I bet I used Mrs. Dash’s table blend at some point, too. Some recipes recommended wine instead of broth. I may try it with beer?

Is this one you make often? Have you ever tried it? What are your tips & tricks? Luckily both kids liked it, so I’m sure I’ll be making it again. Also… I really didn’t measure much…. I just go.

Hit me up with your take on the Reuben, too! I have made them a few different ways, but always with the same basic ingredients.

Reuben Sandwich & Hot German-Style Potato Salad

Also, this is a hilariously appropriate song to rock to while you’re cooking:

It’s tangential, but made the cut for my Fast Food Punk Tunes & Dad Shit playlists!

Mushroom-Swiss Meatloaf Dinner


I was hungry for meatloaf. I typically just wing it. Sometimes it’s the classic ketchup/mustard/BBQ (or A1) glaze. Sometimes there’s cheese. Sometimes it’s breadcrumbs. Sometimes it’s chunks of bread soaked in milk. Sometimes there’s shredded veggies like carrots or zucchini. Sometimes there’s hardboiled eggs inside & it’s wrapped in bacon. One time I made it in a crock pot just because someone said you shouldn’t, and meatloaf on the smoker is absolutely a win.

This was a win with the wife & kids, so I;’ll definitely be making it again!

I guess I like leftover meatloaf sandwiches enough to post about it on Threads not just once, but twice.

Tonight I had the idea to throw a bunch of stuff together, then tie it in to gravy & mashed potatoes. I could have sauteed onions & mushrooms, but this was quick easy weeknight dinner chaos. After the fact, I asked AI language models to help me write the recipe from the ingredients & prompts that I fed it, and this is what I got:

๐Ÿด

Gemini:

That’s fantastic! Thanks for the extra detailsโ€”this sounds like a truly unique and delicious meatloaf. I’m especially impressed by the use of bread on the bottom to absorb grease and the beef bouillon in the mashed potatoes. Those are great pro tips!

Based on your ingredients and methods, here is a formatted recipe. Since you eyeballed a lot of the measurements, I’ve provided my best guess for the quantities. Feel free to adjust as you like for your blog post, since you’re the true master of this creation!


My “Crazy Good” Mushroom & Swiss Meatloaf Dinner

This recipe takes classic meatloaf and elevates it with a secret ingredientโ€”a creamy mushroom sauce that’s mixed into the meat and used as a savory glaze. Served with cheesy mashed potatoes and a mushroom-loaded gravy, this is the ultimate comfort food meal.

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf:

  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • ยฝ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ยฝ cup regular bread crumbs
  • 1 cup crushed French fried onions
  • 1โ„3 can (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • ยฝ can (4 oz.)) mushrooms, stems & pieces, finely diced
  • ยผ cup shredded Swiss & Gruyรจre cheese blend
  • 3 to 4 glugs of A1 steak sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Mrs. Dash Table Blend seasoning
  • 1 tsp. ground mustard
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. seasoned salt
  • 3 slices of white bread (for placing under the loaf)

For the Mushroom Glaze:

  • The remainder of the can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 3 to 4 glugs of A1 steak sauce
  • ยฝ cup shredded Swiss & Gruyรจre cheese blend
  • The remainder of the can of mushrooms, stems & pieces
  • ยฝ cup whole French fried onions

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375ยฐF (190ยฐC).
  2. On a sheet pan, arrange the three slices of white bread in a row. These will absorb the grease from the meatloaf.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, lean ground beef, panko and regular bread crumbs, crushed French fried onions, cream of mushroom soup, diced mushrooms, shredded cheese, and A1 steak sauce.
  4. Add the Mrs. Dash, ground mustard, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and seasoned salt. Using your hands, mix all ingredients thoroughly until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  5. Form the meat mixture into a loaf shape and place it on top of the three slices of white bread on the sheet pan.
  6. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160ยฐF (71ยฐC) with a meat thermometer.
  7. While the meatloaf is baking, prepare the glaze by mixing the remaining cream of mushroom soup, A1 steak sauce, cheese, and mushrooms in a small bowl.
  8. After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the meatloaf from the oven. Spread the prepared glaze evenly over the top, then sprinkle the whole French fried onions on top.
  9. Return the meatloaf to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the glaze is bubbly and the onions are golden brown. Let rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Suggested Sides

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Prepare a box of instant mashed potatoes according to the package directions. For a savory twist, use a beef bouillon cube in place of salt. Add buttermilk along with the milk, and season with black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir in shredded cheese until it melts.

Mushroom Gravy

Prepare a packet of brown gravy mix. Once finished, stir in a can of cream of mushroom soup, a can of mushrooms, and a handful of crushed French fried onions.

Sweet Paprika Carrots

Cook canned carrots with a bit of butter, a pinch of brown sugar, and a dash of paprika until heated through.

Your dinner sounds incredible! Would you like me to draft a more detailed blog post introduction or a full recipe card for you, or do you have enough to get started?

๐Ÿด

ChatGPT:

That sounds like a seriously comfort-food feast โ€” meatloaf, cheesy potatoes, mushroom-onion gravy, and sweet carrots. Perfect blog material. I can help you format this into a clean recipe write-up, with estimated amounts for the “eyeballed” parts so itโ€™s easy to follow but still keeps your personal style.

Hereโ€™s a draft you could paste into WordPress and tweak to taste:


Crazy Good Meatloaf Dinner ๐Ÿฝ๏ธ

This is one of those meals where everything came together just right โ€” a loaded, flavorful meatloaf with a cheesy mushroom glaze, creamy mashed potatoes, savory gravy, and sweet carrots on the side.

Meatloaf

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ยพ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ยฝ cup regular bread crumbs
  • ยฝ cup crushed French fried onions (plus more for topping)
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup (divided)
  • 1 small can mushrooms, stems & pieces or sliced (divided, finely dice half)
  • 1 cup shredded Swiss & Gruyรจre cheese (divided)
  • 2โ€“3 Tbsp A1 steak sauce (plus more for glaze)
  • 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Table Blend
  • ยฝ tsp ground mustard
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp season salt
  • 3 slices white bread (to go under the loaf, absorbs grease)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375ยฐF. Line a sheet pan with foil and place the 3 slices of white bread in the center.
  2. In a large bowl, combine:
    • Ground beefs
    • โ…“ of the mushroom soup
    • ยฝ the can of mushrooms (finely diced)
    • A couple glugs of A1
    • About ยฝ cup shredded cheese
    • Bread crumbs, crushed fried onions, and all seasonings
      Mix gently until just combined.
  3. Form mixture into a loaf on top of the bread slices.
  4. Bake uncovered for 1 hour 15 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Mix remaining mushroom soup, the rest of the mushrooms, a splash more A1, and ยฝ cup shredded cheese.
  6. Spread glaze over meatloaf, top with more French fried onions, and return to oven for 15 minutes.
  7. Check with a thermometer โ€” internal temp should be 160ยฐF.

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 box instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 beef bouillon cube (use in the water instead of salt)
  • ยฝ cup shredded cheese
  • 2โ€“3 Tbsp buttermilk (in addition to milk called for)
  • Black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Prepare potatoes according to box, replacing salt with beef bouillon.
  2. Stir in cheese, buttermilk, and seasonings.

Mushroom-Onion Gravy

Ingredients

  • 1 packet brown gravy mix (prepared according to directions)
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can mushrooms
  • ยผ cup crushed French fried onions

Instructions

  1. Prepare gravy mix.
  2. Stir in mushroom soup, mushrooms, and fried onions. Simmer until thick and rich.

Brown Sugar Carrots

Ingredients

  • 1 can sliced carrots (drained)
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • ยฝ tsp paprika

Instructions

  1. Warm carrots in a pan with butter.
  2. Add brown sugar and paprika, stir until glazed.

๐Ÿ”ฅ Plate it up: thick slices of meatloaf with mushroom glaze, a scoop of cheesy mashed potatoes covered in gravy, and sweet carrots on the side.


Do you want me to make the recipe section blog-ready with your voice (like you did with your pretzel blob post โ€” casual, funny, irreverent), or do you prefer the cleaner, โ€œrecipe cardโ€ format for this one?

๐Ÿด

Perplexity:

Perfect โ€” what a feast! Letโ€™s capture your meatloaf dinner in a polished, blog-ready recipe format. Iโ€™ll give you a structured version of your meatloaf (with estimated measurements based on typical ratios), plus your mashed potatoes, gravy, and carrots as sides. You can edit the amounts if you think theyโ€™re too light or heavy compared to what you actually eyeballed.


๐Ÿฝ๏ธ Mushroom-Swiss Meatloaf Dinner

This hearty meatloaf dinner is rich with beef, mushrooms, Swiss and Gruyรจre, and topped with a savory mushroom glaze and crispy onions. A full comfort food plate with cheesy mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, and buttery carrots.


Meatloaf

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef (80/20 works well)
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ยพ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ยผ cup regular breadcrumbs
  • ยฝ cup crushed French fried onions
  • โ…“ can (about 10 oz can) cream of mushroom soup (approx. โ…“ cup)
  • ยฝ can mushroom stems & pieces (approx. ยฝ cup, chopped finely)
  • ยฝ cup shredded Swiss & Gruyรจre cheese blend
  • 2โ€“3 tablespoons A1 steak sauce (a few glugs)
  • 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Table Blend (or more to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 3 slices white bread (to set loaf on while baking; absorbs grease)

Mushroom Glaze

  • Remaining cream of mushroom soup (~โ…” cup)
  • Remaining ยฝ can mushrooms (~ยฝ cup, sliced)
  • ยผโ€“ยฝ cup shredded Swiss & Gruyรจre cheese
  • 1โ€“2 tablespoons A1 sauce
  • Handful of French fried onions (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat ovenย to 375ยฐF. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the 3 slices of bread in the center (to act as a base for the meatloaf).
  2. Mix the meatloaf: In a large bowl, combine ground beefs, breadcrumbs, crushed onions, mushroom soup (โ…“ can), mushrooms (ยฝ can, diced), shredded cheese (ยฝ cup), A1, and seasonings. Mix until just combined โ€” donโ€™t overwork.
  3. Form the loafย on top of the bread slices.
  4. Bakeย for 1 hour 15 minutes, until nearly cooked through. Internal temp should be around 150ยฐF.
  5. Make the glaze: Stir together mushroom soup (remaining โ…” can), mushrooms (remaining ยฝ can), cheese, and A1. Spread evenly over meatloaf, then top with French fried onions.
  6. Return to ovenย for 15 minutes more, until internal temp reaches 160ยฐF and glaze is bubbling.
  7. Rest 10 minutesย before slicing.

Cheesy Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 box instant mashed potatoes (prepared according to package)
  • 1 beef bouillon cube (used in place of salt in boiling water)
  • ยฝ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Swiss, or blend)
  • ยฝ cup milk + splash of buttermilk
  • ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
  • ยฝ teaspoon onion powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

  1. Prepare boxed mashed potatoes, dissolving beef bouillon in water before adding potato flakes.
  2. Stir in cheese, milk, and buttermilk.
  3. Season with pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to taste.

Mushroom-Onion Brown Gravy

Ingredients

  • 1 packet brown gravy mix (prepared according to package)
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can mushroom stems & pieces, drained
  • ยฝ cup French fried onions, crumbled

Instructions

  1. Cook gravy mix as directed.
  2. Stir in mushroom soup, mushrooms, and fried onions. Simmer until hot and thickened.

Candied Butter Carrots

Ingredients

  • 1 can carrots, drained
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ยฝ teaspoon paprika

Instructions

  1. Heat carrots in a skillet with butter.
  2. Stir in brown sugar and paprika.
  3. Cook until glazed and heated through.

โœ… Serving suggestion: Plate a hearty slice of meatloaf with a scoop of mashed potatoes topped with mushroom gravy, and a helping of sweet carrots on the side. Donโ€™t forget extra crispy onions on top for crunch!


Would you like me to keep the recipe in a conversational, cozy “blogger” style (like a story around the dinner), or a sleek cookbook style (straight to the recipe)?

๐Ÿด

Copilot:

Absolutely, Ericโ€”this meatloaf sounds like a punk rock symphony in casserole form. Letโ€™s immortalize it with a blog-ready recipe that captures the chaos, comfort, and culinary swagger. Iโ€™ll format it with clear sections, estimated measurements, and your signature storytelling flair.

๐Ÿง  Ericโ€™s โ€œDad Shit Deluxeโ€ Meatloaf Dinner

A meatloaf so good it deserves its own zine spread.

๐Ÿ– Meatloaf Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • ยฝ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ยฝ cup regular breadcrumbs
  • ยฝ cup crushed french fried onions
  • โ…“ can (about 4โ€“5 tbsp) cream of mushroom soup
  • ยฝ can mushroom stems & pieces, finely diced
  • 1โ€“2 glugs A1 steak sauce (about 2 tbsp)
  • ยฝ cup shredded Swiss & Gruyรจre cheese
  • 3 slices white bread (for under the loaf)

๐Ÿง‚ Seasonings (eyeballed, but hereโ€™s a guess)

  • 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Table Blend
  • ยฝ tsp ground mustard
  • ยฝ tsp black pepper
  • ยฝ tsp onion powder
  • ยฝ tsp garlic powder
  • ยฝ tsp seasoned salt

๐Ÿงช Glaze Ingredients

  • Remaining cream of mushroom soup (~โ…” can)
  • Remaining mushrooms (~ยฝ can), roughly chopped
  • 1โ€“2 more glugs A1 steak sauce
  • ยผ cup shredded Swiss & Gruyรจre
  • Handful of whole french fried onions (for topping)

๐Ÿ”ฅ Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375ยฐF.
  2. Form the loaf: Mix all meatloaf ingredients (except the white bread) in a large bowl. Shape into a loaf and place it directly on top of the 3 slices of white bread on a sheet pan. The bread will soak up grease and prevent burning.
  3. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  4. Make the glaze: Combine remaining mushroom soup, mushrooms, A1, and cheese.
  5. Top and finish: Spread glaze over the meatloaf, sprinkle with whole french fried onions, and return to oven for another 15 minutes.
  6. Check internal temp: Use a meat thermometer to ensure it hits 160ยฐF.

๐Ÿฅ” Sides That Slap

๐Ÿง€ Beefed-Up Instant Mashed Potatoes

  • 1 box instant mashed potatoes
  • 1 beef bouillon cube (in water instead of salt)
  • ยฝ cup shredded cheese
  • ยผ cup buttermilk
  • ยฝ tsp each: black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

Mix per box instructions, swapping salt for bouillon cube. Add cheese, buttermilk, and seasonings. Stir until creamy and punk-approved.

๐Ÿ„ Mushroom Gravy Hack

  • 1 packet brown gravy mix
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can mushrooms
  • ยผ cup crumbled french fried onions

Prepare gravy mix as directed. Stir in soup, mushrooms, and onions. Simmer until thick and glorious.

๐Ÿฅ• Sweet & Smoky Carrots

  • 1 can sliced carrots
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • ยผ tsp paprika

Heat carrots with butter, sugar, and paprika until glossy and tender. Serve with attitude.

Want to add a zine-style intro or a playlist pairing for the blog post? Iโ€™m ready to riff.

๐Ÿ„๐Ÿง€๐Ÿ„๐Ÿฅ”๐Ÿฅ•

Somewhere in there, there’s a tight recipe. Again, I didn’t measure anything, I just dumped. I tried to use common ingredients. Maybe I’ll make it different next time. This was really good though, so I may stick to it.

Not sure why they are all eager to write blogs for me. I mean. It’s helpful and all, but nah. This is my creative outlet. Or, one of them anyway. You should buy a maze book or some T-shirts. My Tee Public stuff is on sale right now.

Do you use any AI language models for anything? Do you ever ask them for assistance combining recipes or for cooking? I wonder if one of them would be better at combining all these than the others? I can’t decide which model did the best job.

On to the meatloaf… What tips & tricks do you have? I always to the bread one. Hit me up in the comments or on social media.

Chipped Ham BBQ Mac & Chips?


So, if you already have the best Chipped Ham BBQ recipe of all time, you may want to try this absolute garbage pile of over-processed comfort food.

I posted it on a few spots, but it garnered the most attention in a private food group. It also got me Zucked by Meta AI bots for calling it “ฯ‰ะฝฮนั‚ั” ั‚ัฮฑั•ะฝ ฮทฮฑยขะฝฯƒั•.”

I also posted it on Threads but haven’t got the widget to embed that here, yet. Hopefully it just becomes a feature soon. Maybe BlueSky too?

A Tale of Two Wendy’s.


I eat fast food more than a person should. I’m always on the go all over the place with work, and when I get to dine out… fast food is usually a safe shellfish-(and therefore death)-free option. Wendy’s burgers are pretty good. I like a baked potato more than fries sometimes… if I have time to sit & eat.

In my never-ending quest to be ridiculous for absolutely no reason other than self-amusement, I present this to you:

Potato Soup ๐Ÿฅ”๐Ÿฅฃ


I’ve never made potato soup before. I read a few recipes, and decided to make my own style. It wasn’t bad for the first time! I wanted to save it for later for myself, so I thought I’d share while I was at it.

I wanted something that would pair well with Reubens, and I think this hit the spot. I have been on a corned beef kick lately.

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks butter
  • ยฝ sweet onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • Handful of shredded carrots
  • lil’ bag of “bacon pieces.”
  • Cup of flour
  • ยฝ of a 5 lb. bag of gold potatoes
  • Box chicken broth
  • Box vegetable broth
  • 2 cups milk
  • ยฝ-ish cup heavy cream
  • Dollop sour cream
  • Shredded Cheese: sharp cheddar, Gouda, extra sharp white cheddar – maybe a cup combined.
  • Pepper, salt, white pepper, paprika, season-all, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley. Use your own best judgement.

Method:

  1. I sort-of peeled about half a bag of gold potatoes, & diced them up… cubes smaller than an inch, maybe ยฝ” to ยพ”.
  2. Chopped up half of a sweet onion, and a hanful of shredded carrots. Maybe 2 handsful. Hadfuls?
  3. Minced 4 cloves of garlic. Probably could have used more.
  4. Put the soup pot on the stove… melted butter over medium, sautรฉed the onions & carrots for a bit, before adding the garlic… then the bacon pieces and the 2nd chopped up stick o’ butter. I hit it with some spices.
  5. Mixed some spices in the flour, and whisked that into the overly buttered sautรฉed bits, then let it brown a lil’ bit.
  6. Added the boxes of stock, milk, cream, & sour cream.
  7. Plopped in the potatoes.
  8. Brought it to a boil, still over medium. Stirred it a lot. A lot.
  9. Let it boil for like 15 minutes… then added the shredded cheese. I eyeballed it so my “measurement” could be way off.
  10. Stirred it again. A lot.
  11. Used an immersion blender to blend about half the potatoes to thicken the soup.
  12. Let it sit while I made Reubens.
  13. Served with a smaller dollop of sour cream, bacon bits, & mix of shredded cheese on top.

Notes:

  • I bought a pack of instant mashed potatoes in case I needed to cheat and thicken up the soup. I didn’t need to, but I bet that would wok if I wanted more potato chunks & to skip the blending?
  • Ham or pork bullion/broth would probably reinforce the bacon flavor?
  • I wonder if roasting the potoates before adding to the soup would add some more flavor?
  • Parmesan cheese may have been good too?
  • Could have upped the spice with some cayenne or more white pepper, or maybe put tobaso/red hot in the serving bowl?
  • Could have used real bacon, fried it in the bottom 1st & used that grease to mix with the flour… but I didn’t feel like opening a pack of back only to use 4 or so strips.
  • Chives would be good if that’s your thing.

Any suggestions? Like I said, I wanted to pair it with Reubens. I have been on a corned beef kick. You don’t need a recipe for that, do you? Let me know if you do.


Like I said, I have been on a corned beef kick lately…

These are interesting reads on Corned Beef:

Enjoy a Celtic playlist or two, and tell me what good stuff I’m missing…

๐Ÿป
โ„Œ๐”ข๐”ฏ๐”ข’๐”ฐ ๐”ฑ๐”ฌ ๐”ž ๐”ฉ๐”ฌ๐”ซ๐”ค ๐”ฉ๐”ฆ๐”ฃ๐”ข, ๐”ž๐”ซ๐”ก ๐”ž ๐”ช๐”ข๐”ฏ๐”ฏ๐”ถ ๐”ฌ๐”ซ๐”ข.
๐”„ ๐”ฎ๐”ฒ๐”ฆ๐” ๐”จ ๐”ก๐”ข๐”ž๐”ฑ๐”ฅ, ๐”ž๐”ซ๐”ก ๐”ž๐”ซ ๐”ข๐”ž๐”ฐ๐”ถ ๐”ฌ๐”ซ๐”ข.
๐”„ ๐”ญ๐”ฏ๐”ข๐”ฑ๐”ฑ๐”ถ ๐”ค๐”ฆ๐”ฏ๐”ฉ, ๐”ž๐”ซ๐”ก ๐”ž๐”ซ ๐”ฅ๐”ฌ๐”ซ๐”ข๐”ฐ๐”ฑ ๐”ฌ๐”ซ๐”ข.
๐”„ ๐” ๐”ฌ๐”ฉ๐”ก ๐”Ÿ๐”ข๐”ข๐”ฏ, ๐”ž๐”ซ๐”ก ๐”ž๐”ซ๐”ฌ๐”ฑ๐”ฅ๐”ข๐”ฏ ๐”ฌ๐”ซ๐”ข!

Pepperidge Farm Adventure Maze


So, right before new years, I went on adventure looking for mini cocktail rye breads from Pepperidge Farm. They used to make one called Jewish Rye, and Pumpernickel.

The Jewish Rye was cool because it contained ground caraway seeds instead of the standard whole caraway seeds. I have had bouts with Diverticulitis, so I try to stay hydrated & avoid tiny sharp seeds. Caraway absolutely ruins sauerkraut, but it is good in rye bread.

Pumpernickel is cool because it essentially is named for the devil’s farts… and if that’s not cool, I don’t know what is. This is also code in my household for “I am always right.” I told my wife the name origin behind it, she said there was no way, Googled it… and, like I said… I am always right.

I know that the other manufacturer, S. Rosen, make cocktail-sized rye and pumpernickel bread… but the rye is not seedless. Apparently Hanky Panky means something entirely different in some parts of Ohio.

My wife likes to make this stuff for New Year’s that’s like swiss cheese, lemon-pepper, and mayo on the cocktail-sized Jewish Rye then toasted in the oven. It’s delicious. I like to make little mini open faced Reubens. The pumpernickel would be an acceptable alternative if I absolutely can’t find the seedless rye.

Because I’m weird and can’t leave anything alone, we have this…

I, of course, posted it on Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook. I tagged Pepperidge Farm & Pepperidge Farm Cares. To their credit, they did reply:

I did tag all the stores that I could in the photo on Instagram and Facebook, but none of them have taken the bait.

I had to turn it up a notch, to which they did not reply:

Hello, 

I was wondering if anyone had time to try and complete my maze while considering bringing back cocktail-sized Jewish Rye. 

The ground caraway was awesome, because it isn't a potential diverticulitis disaster like whole seeds are. 

My wife wpuld [sic] use it to make this delicious lemon pepper cheese appetizer, and I like to make tiny Reuben sandwiches and pretend I am a reformed King King that no longer has to eat people sacrificed to me on Skull Island. 

The mini pumpernickel is cool just because of the etymology. I mean? It has to be the most metal bread out there.  

How can you discontinue such wonderful things?

All of that just says:

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone had time to try and complete my maze while considering bringing back cocktail-sized Jewish Rye.

The ground caraway was awesome, because it isn’t a potential diverticulitis disaster like whole seeds are.

My wife wpuld [sic] use it to make this delicious lemon pepper cheese appetizer, and I like to make tiny Reuben sandwiches and pretend I am a reformed King King that no longer has to eat people sacrificed to me on Skull Island.

The mini pumpernickel is cool just because of the etymology. I mean? It has to be the most metal bread out there. ๐Ÿค˜

How can you discontinue such wonderful things?

Also, AI generated art seems to be the cool thing these days, so I tried to make this on a few different ones to go along with the blog post:

King Kong feasting upon a stack of tiny Reuben sandwiches on tiny bread.  There is a stack of sandwiches in the background resembling the Empire State Building.  it is evening with a full moon in the clear sky.  King Kong has a highly detailed face where you can clearly see his expression of pure satisfaction.

I may have to buy a gorilla suit and make some tiny Reubens with the S. Rosen bread… and convince the wife or kids to take my photo.

Or, I may have to make a maze for S. Rosen, featuring a caraway seed that must make the journey through my guys without getting stuck, causing inflammation & a possible infection. Or maybe it has to make its way through a grinder before beign added to the dough & baked?

I doubt than anyone at Pepperidge Farm or Pepperidge Farm Cares is going to complete my maze. But, if they do, you can thank me later.

As far as discussion here, which I always ask for yet rarely get in the comments, let me know what you do with mini cocktail rye or pumpernickel bread.

Also… Ler’s discuss Reubens. Russian or Thousand Island? Regular rye or marbled? Do you add anything like bacon or swap out corned beef for Pastrami? Do you ever use Havarti instead of Swiss? Grilled in a pan, or on a panini press? I should blog about Reubens. Mmm. I’m hungry.

Also, please, please, complete the maze! Send me the results, post & tag me!

The most important takeaway is that if I tell you something, I am always right. Pumpernickel.

Pittsburgh Chipped Ham BBQ


Pittsburgh Chipped Ham BBQ.

This is how we had chipped ham BBQ when I was growing upโ€ฆ

It was put in a pot on the stove & just heated until it was ready.ย  It has to be Heinz, it has to be Coke.ย  (No Pepsi, RC Cola, or Faygo.)

None of the pre-made sauce either.

It needs to go on a nice roll, like Celloneโ€™s.ย  I never added cheese as a kid, but I like it with a nice Swiss or Brick cheese these days.

Iโ€™ve done a large amount of this in a crock potโ€ฆ several pounds of meat, then eye the ketchup & Coke.

Chipped Ham BBQ

Pittsburgh Style Chipped Ham BBQ