and our I-5 off ramp....
We had more snow yesterday and more is predicted for today.
Howard Rosenthal of the Mr. Food Test Kitchen has a long and loving relationship with the culinary arts.
Indeed, the Syracuse, N.Y.-area native, whose syndicated cooking segments appear on local news programs across the country, has been cooking since the age of 6, has a degree as a professional chef and has owned and operated a restaurant, a high-end catering service and an event management company.
“You know, I love food, I love making people smile and appreciate food,” he says. “And I think if you understand the foundation of what makes a great recipe, it’s easier to build upon that. So we try to simplify everything that we do. I mean, we’re known for quick and easy recipes with off-the-shelf ingredients and that’s something that hasn’t wavered from the beginning. I feel very fortunate that I had a very long career with Art.”
Art is Art Ginsburg,
who originated the Mr. Food segments in the late 1970s. A butcher, caterer and amateur thespian in the Albany, N.Y., area, Ginsburg parlayed an easygoing manner and an “anybody can do it” philosophy into a full-blown cottage industry, with his cooking vignettes appearing on more than 100 local TV stations.
Rosenthal met Ginsburg through Ginsburg’s daughter, who was a college classmate. During that time, he also worked weekends as a caterer and eventually landed with the Mr. Food family. After college, he opened his own restaurant and catering business, which he sold in the mid-1990s to become a partner with Mr. Food.
Rosenthal and Ginsburg became fast friends and traveled the world together to health expos, fairs and other public appearances. When Ginsburg died of pancreatic cancer in 2012, Rosenthal stepped right in – with no prior television experience.
But he made clear from the outset that he wasn’t Mr. Food but rather “Howard from the Mr. Food Test Kitchen.” And he wasn’t about to attempt Ginsburg’s signature mantra.
“The first time I had to get the ‘Oooh, it’s so good’ out,” Rosenthal recalls, “Art had a way of doing it, it was very sensual in the way that only Art could do it. And when I first did it, I felt kind of creepy doing it, like I might get arrested.”
As for what he’s proudest of with Mr. Food, Rosenthal says it’s simply continuing his good friend’s work.
“I know Art’s looking down smiling and that makes me very happy,” he says. “I mean, in today’s world between COVID and politics and all the other stuff that’s going on in the world, people are cooking more at home than they have in years, probably since our grandmothers, because they are at home more, they’re experimenting more, they’re not going to restaurants. So I love to see when people are amazed at how easy cooking can be and how rewarding and really bringing people around the table.”
This Creamy Ham Casserole is an easy and simple ham casserole recipe that uses up your leftover ham and goes together in a flash. This is comfort food at its best, and it couldn't be easier to throw together, even on a busy weeknight! So the next time you're looking for a simple casserole recipe, just grab this one and get ready for a delicious ham casserole that'll please the whole gang.
- 8 ounces medium egg noodles, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup sliced celery
- 2 cups chopped cooked ham
- 1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped pimiento, drained on paper towel
- Preheat oven to 375º. Coat a 1-1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until hot. Add onion and celery and cook 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in ham and heat 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soup, sour cream, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, the pimiento, and noodles. Spoon into baking dish.
- Cover and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, and bake, uncovered, an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
***Here's a great way to use leftover ham. Or, if you don't have any leftovers, take advantage of cubed cooked ham that's available in the meat counter of your supermarket. When you need just a few cups of ham, such as in this deliciously creamy recipe, it gives you an inexpensive head start for preparing a variety of meals.
Tick Tock Day, observed annually on December 29th, reminds us to complete any unfinished business that might need addressing before the end of the year.
As the end of the year approaches, many items call for our attention. Unfinished business usually needs to be wrapped up before the end of the calendar year. Things like larger business purchases and charitable donations for the tax year may need to be transacted before December 31st.
Another thing to consider is your medical plan. Does your deductible start over? Do you have a Flexible Savings Account with funds to use? Some employers offer annual benefits that will be lost if they aren’t used by the end of the year. Time is running out.
Tick Tock Day may also be a day to look at personal goals. Did you finish reading that book? Bucket lists call our names. Where do we want to travel? We may still need to explore some exotic foods, too. Maybe your goals are grander or simpler. Whatever they are, tick-tock.
The clock is ticking. The count down has begun. Check your list. Get that unfinished business completed. Share your tips for checking off unfinished business. If you’re not sure what needs to be completed consider these timely items:
- Check the tags on your car.
- Schedule a routine physical exam.
- Change the filter on your furnace.
- Update your virus protection on your computer.
- Did you miss your last wedding anniversary?
- Order a National Day Calendar!
- Plan your vacation.
- Wind your clocks.
- Complete a honey-do list.
Tick Tock Day History
Thomas and Ruth Roy at Wellcat.com created Tick Tock Day.
