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Oh the humanity. If I could list all of the failed chicken soup recipes I’ve tried, Ina’s, Joan’s, American Test Kitchen’s, on and on. I’m being a little harsh with the word “failed.” Failed in the sense that they failed to rise to the Gold Standard of Chicken Soup for TheDadReport.com family. And that would be Max’s Deli in Highland Park, IL. If you’re ever near there, GO. Really hungry? The answer is Mish Mosh. Mish Mosh = chicken soup, kreplach, rice, matzo ball, noodles. Oh, don’t forget the brisket sandwich on Challah. (That’s pronounced Hall-uh, not Chal-uh, ugh.) A close second is the chicken soup at The Stage Deli in NYC. I digress.

After much searching, the winner is from the Pioneer Woman Cooks. This chick has mad skills. Here is her recipe, with pics yo! When you print out her recipe to make the soup, and you will, note I have some mods. Her recipe is simple, fast and delicious. My mods are as follows, I’m sure you’ll have some of your own.

- 1 Carrot instead of 2
- 2 Teaspoons of Season-All Seasoned Salt instead of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- Deleted 2 Teaspoons of Jane’s Crazy Mixed-Up Salt or other salt blend
- 3 Teaspoons (heaping) of Better than Bouillon Reduced Sodium Chicken Base instead of 2 Tbs chicken base (See, I name names bitch)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Celery Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Locally, the TDR team is very partial to the Chicken Soup at the Hollywood Diner in Rockville, Md. A very close second is the soup at Woodside Deli in Silver Spring, MD. Woodside is in desperate need of a renovation, so just don’t look too close at any one surface. Taking kids? Sit more to the front, the walls are covered in old black and white pics. Toward the front, the pics are more or less from US History, (A subject they don’t teach anymore) toward the back the pics are more or less Fluffy Soft Porn, (A subject you can’t get away from) think naked pin-up gals. All are covered in the requisite 50 year old Woodside dust. Clean the fricking pics will ya! Drives me nuts. Oy!

We love us some pancakes here at TheDadReport.com. I like mine with Diet Coke the elixir of the Gods. Anyhoot, my long time best friend Joel (he, another elixir/pancake aficionado) turned us on to a home version that beats ALL comers. The recipe is from GQ magazine, May 2008.

“OH MY FUCKING GOD these are FUCKING GREAT PANCAKES.” Can you believe my wife talks like that? Actually she doesn’t, it’s what I was thinking upon first orgasmic bite. Good thing my kids can’t read minds, or this blog. They really are that good. Oddly I couldn’t find a link to them so I typed em up here with my own little paws. Try them and let me know what you think.

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GQ’s UnGodly Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup whole or low fat milk
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled plus additional butter for frying
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Mix with a fork to combine.  In a small bowl, beat together the buttermilk, milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a fork just until combined.  (a few small lumps
are okay, don’t over mix).  The batter can sit for up to an hour.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Add a tablespoon or two of butter. When it begins to froth, use a large spoon to pour the batter into the pan.  Don’t overcrowd.  No more than three pancakes will fit in a 12-inch skillet.  If desired, press mix-ins (blueberries, etc) into the pancakes at this point.

When bubbles are visible through the batter on the uncooked surface and edges are golden brown, after about 4 or 5 minutes, flip.  Cook 2 to 3 minutes more.  Serve with warm maple syrup and more butter.

Makes 12 four-inch pancakes

Another Holy Grail has been secured, perfect roast chicken. This recipe comes from none other than Ina Garten. We’ve made this gem about a dozen times and it is flawless every single time. The chicken comes out so moist and flavorful it is incredible. Lisa, who has taken over the mantle of “gravy queen” from my dear departed mother, makes gravy from the pan drippings . . . ooohhhh channeling Homer Simpson . . . Within seconds of the platter hitting the table, it’s all over. We generally make it with mashed potatoes and green beans. BTW, if you’re making green beans from a can, throw in one strip of bacon (per can) and then stand back. The recipe calls for four lemons, we use two. We also substitute chicken stock for the white wine. Ina’s roast chicken recipe will become a favorite, guaranteed.

We’ve been fooling around with recipes to try to get that authentic Chinese food-at-home for years. We’ve gotten sort of close. I am happy to report that our quest has come to and end thanks to fellow blogger Emily at Eat Close To Home. Emily has 3 basic sauce recipes, Brown Sauce, White Sauce and Spicy Orange Sauce.

We made the Brown Sauce, good God it’s good. Our only suggestion is to make 50% more sauce than the recipe calls for cuz we like lots of sauce.