Warren Mulaney's Mushroom Sauce

Okay, here's the deal. This recipe is exactly the same as "Peter's Volcanic Mushroom Sauce," which I did back in July. It even appears on the very next page of the cookbook, I mean really, this is bad even for Alice. So, as you may remember, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, mushrooms, peas, tossed with pasta. Deja vu all over again. Or, perhaps I should look at it as summer reruns.

Episode Note: "My Sister, Benedict Arnold" Marcia's first high school date is Greg's arch rival, Warren Mulaney. Warren has beaten Greg out of his first string basketball position and in the Student Body President election, and according to Greg, Warren is public enemy #1. When Marcia finds out how Greg feels she feels bad and considers breaking it with Warren, but when Greg is a jerk and demands that she not see Warren, she decides to flaunt her relationship. Meanwhile, the Brady's are building a dunk tank in their backyard for the Filmore Junior High school carnival. To spite Greg, Marcia asks Warren over to help with her homework. In retaliation, Greg invites Marcia's cheerleader nemesis, Kathy Lawrence, over to the house as well. Cue lecture from Mike and Carol over using their dates to get back at each other. While Marcia and Greg are in Mike's den getting chewed out, Warren and Kathy get chummy and leave together. All's well that ends well. And Kathy's so happy it makes her cheer:
 F- F- F I L,  L-L- LMO,   O-O - ORE,  Filmore Junior High!

You for a Day Sweet and Sour Carrots

Sliced carrots cooked in a sauce of ginger, sherry, tomato puree, vinegar and brown sugar (with some cornstarch as a thickening agent). An interesting little side dish. I decided to go with a vegetable tonight after the huge amount of food consumed yesterday in celebration of Michael Jackson's birthday.

Episode Note: "The Grass is Always Greener" Yet another battle of the sexes debacle. This time, Mike and Carol both think the other has the easier household chores so Alice suggests they switch for the day. The kids are less than enthusiastic, but as Mike explains to the boys he's just trying to teach Carol that 'helping girls is a cinch compared to helping boys,' and Carol tells the girls that 'a man has to be taught how difficult it is to be a woman.'  Carol  must coach the boys in baseball, while Mike helps Marcia try to earn a cooking merit badge. Well, we all know how this is going to go. Of course, they both make fools of themselves when they step outside of their traditional, stereotypical Male/Female - Mother/Father roles. Carol attempts to teach the boys the fine art of bunting and the results are less than perfect as she pratfalls all over the backyard. Mike has equally comic results in the kitchen, slipping on eggs, dropping bowls (luckily, they were all melamine) and making a mess with the mixer all while talking a big game how men are more efficient than women. At the end of the day, neither can move a muscle, nor admit they were wrong. I guess the grass is always greener on someone else's AstroTurf.

Oh, My Nose Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal cookies and Alice doesn't even think they should have raisins. Julia and I decided to add chocolate chips, however.  I know I have covered this episode before (see "Big Man on Campus Waffles") , but I didn't do it justice, and today is my birthday, so I am taking liberties. I have to say, I have not been a big fan of my birthday in the last few years, but like most other things, this too has changed. I am celebrating this one and hopefully many, many more.

Episode Note: "The Subject was Noses" Marcia is being pursued by nice guy Charlie, who she makes a date with for the dance when he is delivering wallpaper samples to the Brady's. Then, Doug Simpson, the big man on campus asks Marcia out for the same night. Marcia, wanting to go out with Doug, but not wanting to hurt Charlie is in a conundrum. She goes to big brother Greg for advice, and he utters the immortal phrase telling her to tell Charlie that "something suddenly came up". Marcia does this and Charlie accepts the brush off. Meanwhile, just before Marcia's big date with Doug, she catches a football in the nose courtesy of Peter, uttering the other immortal words "oh, my nose". The nose swells up and when Shallow Doug sees it, he gives Marcia the SSCU excuse. Even with a broken nose, Marcia can smell a rat.. Charlie sees Marcia and her nose and loves her anyway. At the big dance, Charlie and Doug tussle, leaving Doug with not only a bruised ego, but a nose as well. The nose knows.

Harvey Klinger's Zucchini Fingers

Okay, ground turkey in zucchini, sounds great, huh? I think they are supposed to be appetizers. Alice wants me to remove the center of each zucchini with an apple corer and them stuff each one with the ground turkey, garlic, cheese, egg and bread crumb mixture. Bake for an hour and 20 minutes and voila! She suggests that they may be refrigerated overnight for the next day's munchies at the football game. I guess, if you like to eat meatloaf stuffed caterpillars at sporting events.

Episode Note: "Going, Going Steady" Marcia's in love with super nerd (and that's kind compared to what Greg called him) Harvey Klinger. The only problem is that Harvey doesn't know Marcia exists as he is completely consumed with entomology. Carol wants to interfere and help Marcia get his attention. Mike wants to but out. Carol has her way and tutors Marcia in the world of creepy crawlers in order to get Harvey's attention. The important lesson here is to teach your daughter not to be herself in order to attract boys. Anyway, the plot works so well that Harvey asks Marcia to go steady, because as he tells her a girl of 13 today is like a woman of 20, and a boy of 14 is like a man of 22. Wanting to be 'understanding, modern parents' Mike and Carol play along but it makes Carol a nervous wreck.  Clever Mike decides to use some old-fashioned reverse psychology with Harvey. He grills Harvey about his plans for the future and insinuates that wedding bells are in the offing for he and Marcia. This causes Harvey to bug-out. Marcia is less than broken-hearted as she says "Harvey turned out to be a drip" and quickly moves on to the new flavor of the week: Lester. Proving that when it comes to boys, Marcia is like a moth to a flame.

Marcia's Creamy Vanilla and Chocolate Malts

What could be better on a summer day? Vanilla ice cream, milk, chocolate syrup and dash of malt blended to perfection. Julia and I skipped dessert at Paige's birthday dinner last night just so we could enjoy these today. But no worries, since we know ice cream isn't eating. There are a lot of desserts in the book, and we will be seeing more of them in the days to come.

Episode Note: "Marcia Gets Creamed" Peter is desperate for a part-time job in order to afford a new stereo tape deck (I am assuming 8-track), but it is Marcia who lands a gig at Haskell's Ice Cream Shop. Marcia is the model employee, even breaking dates with her boyfriend Jeff (Michael Gray, better known for his work in Shazam!) in order to work. Marcia convinces Mr. Haskell to take time off, even though he tells her that if you slow down in the ice cream business, you melt. Marcia suggests hiring Peter and Mr. Haskell makes Marcia afternoon manager. Newly found power and Peter's lack of a work ethic don't mix and soon Marcia is forced to fire him. As a replacement, she brings Jan in, who proves to be the model model-employee. Impressed, Mr. Haskell decides to let Marcia go and keep Jan on in the shop. This suits Marcia just fine, as she returns to the arms of her dreamy beau, before he gets too jealous of her job and makes like a banana and splits.

Father of the Year

Today is Paige's 17th birthday. I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday. Mark and I went to Grand Rapids for the weekend, knowing it was Judy's due date, just to hang out and see what, if anything would happen. As luck would have it, she went into labor and we spent the day at the hospital with she and Denni awaiting the birth. They had not yet found out if the baby was a boy or girl. When the hard labor began, Mark and I waited outside the delivery room for the news. I will never forget the moment Denni came into the hallway, fell into my arms sobbing tears of joy, and said "it's a girl". Until Julia's birth, certainly the happiest day of my life, and by far his. I told Paige this story back and in June, and promised her I would continue telling her for the rest of her life. Never a day should go by when she should wonder how much her father loved her.

Episode Note: "Father of the Year" Marcia has decided to enter a newspaper essay contest on why Mike deserves to be Father of the Year. The only problem is, she wants to keep her entry top secret. This leads to a number of misunderstandings between she and Mike up to and including her sneaking out the house at night (out her bedroom window, no less) to mail her entry to beat the deadline. When she is discovered, and is unwilling to explain why she is out, Mike is a total hard-ass and grounds her. We see the first of many Marcia sob-fests (that Maureen McCormick, what an actress) and it is not until Mike is presented with the Father of the Year plaque that all is revealed and forgiven. Mike has egg on his face and love in his heart for his for three favorite daughters: Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.

Peter the Great Pesto

Fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese and butter of course, but no pine nuts. I guess Alice was economizing given how expensive they are and how many mouths she had to feed.  Gave me an excuse to haul out the old food processor. Served over penne, Julia's pasta of choice. Just curious, should I even mention the butter anymore, or is it a given and I should only say when it isn't in a recipe?  You decide.

Episode Note: "Lights Out" Cindy is afraid of the dark after seeing a magic show with a  disappearing lady act at a birthday party and is insisting on sleeping with the lights on, much to Jan and Marcia's dislike. Just as Mike and Carol are trying to convince her that there is nothing to fear, Peter comes home with the news that his school is putting on an old time vaudeville show (you know popular those were in the 70s).  Using the stage name "Peter the Great," Peter and Mike visit the local magic shop to pick up a few tricks, including a disappearing cabinet because as the shop owner tells him, "every act has got to have a highlight." Cindy agrees to be Peter's lovely assistant but a not so funny practical joke by Bobby where he really disappears makes her more scared than ever. Cindy relinquishes her role as assistant to Jan and wants no further part of the magic. But,  Jan the klutz lets everyone down when she twists her ankle in gym class and is unable to perform at Peter's audition. Peter is bombing in front of the judges, when at the last minute, Cindy musters her courage and with a wave of Peter's wand shows up to save the day. Oh oh oh it's magic, you know, never believe it's not so...

Sloppy Joe Namath's

Sloppy Joes, not a normal menu item for our house. When I first met Mark he would make a scary version involving ground turkey and some type of condensed soup (possibly vegetable, but I've tried to block it out). So, needless to say, they've been tabu ever since. And, anything that includes ketchup as an ingredient makes me wary, but it's not tuna, so I am doing it. I briefly toyed with the idea of making my own ketchup, but that just makes me a freak, right? So, garlic, worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, brown sugar and ground beef round out the recipe.

Episode Note: "Mail Order Hero" Okay, so we really do  need to start to worry about Bobby. Why wasn't Mike enough of a male role model that he had to seek out the likes of Jesse James, Minnesota Fats, and now he will lie, cheat and practically steal to meet Joe Namath?  I mean, if they aren't careful he's going to grow up to be a race car driver. Just sayin. Anyway, Bobby's insecurities show when he brags to his friends that he knows Joe Namath personally. When they tell him to put up or shut he feels the squeeze. Cindy, thinking she's doing him a solid, writes Namath a letter saying her brother is dying to meet him, literally. When Broadway Joe shows up at the Brady's thinking he is meeting a terminally ill fan, Bobby plays along with Cindy's ruse and weakly feigns illness, until Mike and Carol get wind of the ploy. Insert fatherly lecture #47 here about honesty, integrity, blah, blah, blah we've heard it all before and apparently no one in that house is listening.  Namath, sensing he's been had, makes an end run for the exit and quicker than you can say 'I've got a run in my pantyhose,' he's outta there.

No Girls Allowed Pork Tenderloin

Okay, so this is weird. Normally when I cook a pork tenderloin I either broil it or put it on the grill whole, usually with an apricot preserves/Dijon marinade and it is quite tasty. But that Alice is such a cut-up, she wanted me to slice the pork up into medallions first, dredge in flour and cook. Then add brandy to the pan and light it on fire - awesome. What follows is basically a pan gravy reduction with stock and butter and then the apricots at the end , which is similar to something I do with thin pork chops, red grapes, rosemary, butter and red wine. Anyway, no matter how you slice it, quite delicious.

Episode Note: "A Clubhouse is Not a Home" Another first season boys v. girls, battle of the sexes, will this group somehow form a family episodes. This time, the girls are upset because the boys have a backyard clubhouse that has denied them entry based solely on sex. Carol pleads the girls case to Mike, who sides with the boys saying sometimes men just need a place of their own (apparently an early version of the man-cave). The girls protest with picket signs to no avail. Then, Carol and the girls in a "We Can Do It" show of force, set out to build their own backyard sanctuary. Of course, they fail miserably and the men have to come to their rescue and show them how it's done. In the end, women's equality suffered a set back by this display. I  no longer wonder why the ERA never passed.  My advice for the Brady women is the next time they think  "Yes, We Can" they should  do us all a favor and "Just Say No."

Jesse James' T-Bones

T-bone steaks, in a marinade of Worcestershire (which you can always substitute with soy sauce), tabasco, brown sugar, garlic and tomato sauce. Interesting, I think I just made my own  far out-west version of  A-1. So  I marniated them for two hours and then put them on the grill. Served with corn on the cob and a side of baked beans (not out of a flashlight). Just like being out on the range...

Episode Note: "Bobby's Hero" Bobby begins to idolize the lore of the old west and Jesse James, causing problems at school, prompting a call from his teacher. Disturbed, Mike and Carol set out to show him what a truly bad guy James was, but the efforts are undone by a glamorized and heavily edited TV movie of  the outlaw's life. Determined to teach Bobby a lesson, they somehow dig up a surviving relative of one of Jesse James' victims to jolt him into reality. The old man tells a harrowing tale of violence and the murder of his father by James, because as he tells Bobby, "James was a mean, dirty killer." Shaken, Bobby has a nightmare in which Jesse James, during a train robbery, murders the Brady's. Nice.  Bobby finally sees Jesse James for who he really is. He turns in his holster and guns (literally) and assures Mike and Carol that he will pick his heroes more carefully in the future. Well, shoot, thar ain't no good way to end this so put your hands up and nobody will get hurt.

Slumber Party Sub

A crusty baguette, garlic salt, dried basil, and swiss cheese, ham, salami, bologna and sliced green pepper. Oh, and the whole thing gets buttered, of course. Now, I would have added a little oil and vinegar or maybe even a condiment or two, but I guess Alice thinks the basil/garlic butter combo was sufficient. Compared to yesterday's bean concoction, a real treat. Julia thought it was just like Folgarellis. And, in a stunning twist, I am actually making Drysdale's Stuffed Peppers for dinner tonight - they really hit a home run with us the first time and we looking forward to them again.

Episode Note: "The Slumber Party Caper"  Marcia is dying to have a slumber party with 15 of her closest friends. After some heated negotiations behind closed doors, Mike gives Carol the green light. The girls are ecstatic, the boys morose, until they devise a little plan of their own. Meanwhile, Marcia gets into some trouble at school. Her teacher, Mrs. Denton, finds an unflattering caricature of herself in Marcia's desk implying that she has features similar to a hippopotamus. The principal (played by E.G. Marshall, who turns out not to be Marcia's pal), gets involved, refuses to believe that she didn't do it, and sentences Marcia to a week of detention. Marcia is determined to punish the real culprit and in turn assumes it is her best friend Jenny. She disinvites Jenny from the sleepover without giving her a chance to defend herself. The night of the party, the boys have their fun with itching powder in the sleeping bags, prompting Marcia's friend Paula to comment how much she likes a good joke, like the one she pulled on Mrs. Denton. Marcia, mortified by her leap before looking, calls Jenny to apologize and asks her to come join the fun. All is forgiven, and for the rest of the evening there is no drama in pajamas.

Flashlight Baked Bean Sandwich

Baked beans, from a can, per Alice's instructions, mashed up with dijon mustard on some buttered (of course) bread. That's it. Nothing more. I am down to my last stick of  butter, again. I think I am going to ask for butter for my birthday this year.  Anyway, this is the strangest thing I have ever made, possibly with the exception of Sunshine Day Baked Eggs, because they take the bizarre food cake, as it were. They were eaten. That's about as much as I can say. Need to keep on, keep on, keep on movin....

Episode Note: "The Brady Braves" The most excellent Grand Canyon episode. The Brady's are camping when Cindy and Bobby wander off, get hopelessly lost, and meet an Indian boy named Jimmy who helps them find their way. Jimmy has run away from his tribe because he wants to be an astronaut, not chief like his grandfather. So Bobby and Cindy help him in return by delivering hot dogs and baked beans inside their flashlights, but he is soon discovered by Mike and reunited with his tribe. Grateful upon the return of his grandson, Chief Eagle Cloud invites the Brady's to a celebratory ceremony, and gives them each honorary Native American names:  Big Eagle of Large Nest (Mike), Yellow Flower with Many Petals (Carol), Stalking Wolf(Greg), Middle Buffalo (Peter), Wandering Blossom (Cindy), Little Bear who Loses Way (Bobby), Dove of Morning Light (Jan), Willow Dancing in Wind (Marcia) and Squaw in Waiting (Alice).  The Brady's bid final farewell to majesty of the canyon and head back home... home... home...

Cheerleader Crunchy Green Beans

Fresh green beans (lightly blanched), toasted silvered almonds, a little bit of butter. Now, this is interesting because Alice's recipe is almost identical to the one I make from Gourmet. The only real difference is that I also use garlic and she doesn't, and there is a slight variation in the tossing/cooking of the beans at the end. But, it's the same, which is good. It's funny how sometimes Alice and I are so in sync, and other times not so much.

Episode Note: "Greg's Triangle" Greg is in a pickle when he is the chair of the committee charged with selecting Westdale High's new head cheerleader. The three girls competing are Marcia, Pat Conway (played by a very young Rita Wilson) and Jennifer Nichols, who has set her sights on Greg. Jennifer goes out of her way to sweet talk Greg, pretending she doesn't know he will be the one choosing the winner. She's all over her "Greggy-poo," much to the chagrin of Mike and Carol, who see right through her. Greg, of course, is blind. He thinks he has a solution and the road to impartiality when he realizes the other three judges can vote and the majority will rule. His plan backfires when he finds himself in a 3-way tie and must cast the deciding vote. Unable to choose between Marcia and Jennifer, Greg wisely chooses the girl with the most spirit, Pat. Marcia is pleased that Jennifer's conniving got her nowhere. Furious, Jennifer dumps Greg quicker than you can say "Go Bears!" Greg finally realizes that Jennifer just may have been using him to get his vote (hello), because as he tells his father "Dad, if there's one thing I know, it's women."  Hmmm. Despite his bravado, Greg proves no match for the cutthroat world of cheerleading. Rah, rah, sis, boom, bah.

Evil Stepmother Sour Cream Enchiladas

Enchiladas, I have never made enchiladas before, so have no point of reference as far as the recipe goes.  What I do know is that there are two foods Mark detests, and sour cream is one of them, so I am keeping the name of this recipe a secret to see if he detects it in the sauce. Yes, the sauce, which also includes cream of chicken soup, something else I never do, use soup in recipes. Well, every cook does it once, I guess.

Episode Note: "Every Boy Does it Once" Cindy and Bobby watch "Cinderella" on TV prompting Bobby to see that Carol might be his evil stepmother, and Jan and Marcia are the evil stepsisters. This view is reinforced when he is pressed into service sweeping out the fireplace by Carol and then, after being forced to wear hand me down clothing, is mocked by his sisters. Feeling neglected and rejected by the whole family, Bobby decides to run away from home. Mike and Carol briefly toy with the idea of buying Bobby's love with a new bike, but see the error in their ways and opt for the good cop/bad cop routine instead. Mike gives Bobby some fatherly advice for life on the road and helps him carry his suitcase down the stairs. Dismayed by father's willingness to let him go, Bobby is relieved to see Carol, with her own bag packed, ready to go with him. Realizing that she loves the "steps" just as much as her own children, and no longer feeling like Cinder-fella, Bobby agrees to stay. And they all lived happily ever after. The End.

Chinese Checkers Pepper Steak

We do love pepper steak, although mine and Alice's differ slightly. I use cornstarch, she uses flour as a thickener. I use soy sauce, she uses beef broth. We both toss tomatoes in at the end, although they are omitted from her ingredient list, but then show up as the final step in the directions. That Alice, always trying to trip me up.

Episode Note: "The Big Sprain" While Carol is away visiting her Aunt Mary, Alice slips and falls on Chinese Checkers the kids left out on the floor, spraining her ankle. Mike insists that the kids forgo all other activities and do all of the cooking and cleaning as a punishment, but chaos quickly ensues. Burnt toast, eggs that look suspiciously like "Sunshine Day Baked Eggs," an overflowing washer, dirty dishes, etc. But this time it is Marcia who gives the lecture on teamwork, because as we know, there is no "I" in Brady. The kids band together and get the job done around the house, but they can't fix Alice's broken heart. As Marcia points out, they've sprained Alice's love life as well when she has to cancel her date with Sam for the annual Meatcutter's Ball. Alice is heartbroken that she'll miss the big dance and worried that Sam will ask another woman to go in her place. The night of the Ball, the kids do their best to cheer Alice up, but all efforts fall flat, especially when Cindy and Bobby ask her to play Old Maid. But all is not lost when Sam shows up, saying he couldn't go to the ball without his "best girl."  Mrs Brady returns and the two swinging couples are together again: Mike and Carol and Sam and Alice.

Woodland Park Potatoes

Hash browns with Alice's signature ingredient: heavy cream. Really, that's all they are. She even says to start with pre-packaged shredded ptatoes - doesn't even want me to do it myself, which is fine. This was another one that I skipped in the breakfast section so tonight we are also having bacon and eggs. Poor Mark and his next cholesterol test. As an aside, I am about half way through the recipes. There are 117 episodes, a few have more than one recipe, but for all intent and purpose we are at the half way point. I say this with a lump in my throat, which may just be the heavy cream coagulating.

Episode Note: "Doubled Parked" The kids are outraged to find that their neighborhood park is about to be bulldozed and a new court house to be built on the sight. Carol, in the true embodiment of the early 70s organizes the kids and her women's group into action and the Brady house becomes ground zero for the fight. They begin to make picket signs and protest at city hall. Alice even answers the Brady's phone 'Woodland Park, it's for the birds'. The kids canvass the neighborhood to get signatures for a petition to save the park where they have another encounter with Jackie Coogan (aka Uncle Fester and Mr. Duggan). He won't sign for Cindy and Bobby, but Alice turns on her charm and get's his John Hancock. Unfortunately for the Brady's, Mike's firm has the city contract to build the new court house and his boss, Mr Phillips, gives Mike an ultimatum - Carol and the kids must give up the fight or he'll lose his job. Mike encourages the family to keep up the dream alive and has an brainstorm of how to solve the problem. Then, in a funky, Martin Scorcese type film montage, he sits at his drafting table and sketches out the solution - move the court house to the site of the old city dump (better drainage) and leave the park as is. Proving you can fight city hall, Mr. Phillips loves it,  presents the idea to the city, and Woodland Park is saved. Flower Power to the People.

Outstanding Citizen Rosemary Chicken

Grilled chicken basted with butter (of course), white wine and rosemary. I love rosemary, it is my favorite herb. Now, I usually pan roast the chicken with olive oil,  garlic, wine and rosemary and it is delicious, but I did it Alice's way tonight. I buy butter almost every trip to the store these days, it seems. I served it with fresh pappardelle pasta and pepperonata, which is an italian dish of sauteed yellow and orange peppers with garlic in a crushed tomato sauce. Most yummy.

Episode Note: "The Hero" Peter gets his 15 minutes of fame when he saves a girl, Tina Spencer, from a falling shelf at Driscoll's Toy Shop. The girl's mother calls the Daily Chronicle to do a story on Peter and his heroics. At first, Peter expresses appropriate modesty at all of the accolades from his siblings, parents and Alice, and even when he makes the front page of the paper with the headline "Boy Hero". But as soon as he starts believing his own press, his friends and family turn on him. Peter quickly finds out how fleeting public admiration can be. The kids get tired of  Peter's exaggerated story telling of his heroism and the situation comes to a head when the Chronicle bestows upon him its Oustanding Citizen Award (must have been a slow news week) and a check for $50. Oblivious to his un-admiring fans, Peter decides spend the money on a party for himself- one which no one, not even his siblings attend. Mike takes the tough love approach, saying he needed to learn his lesson. But Carol, the nurturer, intervenes and gets Greg, Marcia, Jan, Bobby, Cindy, Mrs. Spencer and Tina to surprise him, saving the party and Peter's fragile ego.  Peter finds out the hard way that fame is fickle food.

Student Body President Pound Cake

So, who makes their own pound cake anyway? Doesn't everyone just buy Entenmann's or Awrey's and call it a day? Apparently not Alice. What I did like is that her recipe called for Amaretto, and I like Amaretto. Flour, butter, vanilla, almond extract, sugar, you get the picture. Alice said to do it all by hand, but I used my trusty KitchenAid. It should surprise no one that  Denni and I have a history regarding the KitchenAid mixer. He got one from his mother for Christmas years ago and I wanted it. He told me no. I bugged him about it for at least a year if not two becasue they never used it. Then, for Christmas, we were at Judy and Denni's and there was a box wrapped up with my name on it, from him, just the right size and weight to be the mixer. I was sure I had finally won. But, of course the joke was on me when I opened it. It was the mixer box, which got me excited (just what he wanted), but inside was a giant can of baked beans. I should have kicked his ass.

Episode Note: "Vote for Brady" Early first season conflict between Marcia and Greg when they are both nominated  for Student Body President. We see the divide of boy versus girls in the household and a lecture from Mike ensues about family first. Meanwhile, Mike and Carol try to remain impartial. Marcia devises catchy campaign slogans like "Be a Good Citizen and Vote for Marcia Brady" and promises if elected she will try to get more boys to attend the Friday night school dances. Greg uses Mike's tape recorder to record his pledges, but in a pre-Watergate conspiracy they are mysteriously erased (makes me wonder if Nixon wasn't a fan of the show). The campaign goes negative fast when Greg's fast talking manager, Rusty, wants to spread rumors about Marcia around school. This enrages Greg and he fires Rusty, prompting Marcia to withdraw from the race and endorse her "real groovy and more experienced" brother. Mmmm, going to have leave that one alone as well. Anyway, Greg wins by default and goes on to rule the school.

Brace Yourself Honey Taffy

Paige is staying with us for the weekend, so rather than subject her to Alice's cooking I decided she and Julia could have an old-fashioned taffy pull. Now, this seems like fodder for a Brady episode, but to my knowledge they never did it. They were obviously too busy at hoedowns, dunk tanks and roaring 20's parties. Sugar, water, honey, corn starch and salt boiled to 256 degrees. A candy thermometer is the required equipment and Alice actually specifies its use and temp - surprising. She says it is more fun to make than it is to eat, but I beg to differ. Constantly stirring the pot (something I am good at) to reach "hard ball" stage is no fun. Julia and Paige did enjoy the "pull" part.

Episode Note: "Brace Yourself"  Marcia, Marcia, Marcia  is 'ugly, ugly, ugly' according to her when she gets braces. Despite reassurances from her family that she is still real groovy, her poor self-image is further damaged when Alan, her date for the school dance, cancels on her (something suddenly came up) and she is sure the braces are to blame. Mike, Alice and Greg each scurry to find her a new date, but to no avail. To make matters worse, she couldn't even get a radio signal to listen to the Rolling Stones like Lori Partridge. Then, just when all hope is lost, Alan shows up, with a mouth full of metal of his own - apparently the victim of a bicycle accident. He tells her 'you act real crazy sometimes Marcia but your still the grooviest looking girl in school'. With that "compliment" the two brace-faces head out on their date. Ahhh, the good old days when kids were more worried about their hardware, not their software.

Exact Words Iced Tea

A refreshing beverage for a sunny summer afternoon. Alice's version of what my Aunt Jane used to call "sun tea" and make on her patio in Arizona. Black tea leaves and water sit outside in a glass pitcher until it sufficiently darkens, then strain and add sugar (Splenda in my case) and lemon. Probably works better in AZ or Florida, but we had just enough Michigan sun to do the trick today.

Episode Note: "Greg Gets Grounded" Bad boy Greg's defiant teenage moment comes when he is disallowed from using the family car after Bobby rats him out on some reckless driving. Going by the exact words of the punishment, Greg finds a loophole and borrows the car of a friend in order to buy concert tickets, even though he knows full well what his parents meant. Meanwhile, Peter and Bobby are training frogs for a frog jumping contest. Right. Anyway, Mike and Carol are furious when they discover he drove, but Greg points out that he followed their directive exactly: "No driving the family car."  It's true, they didn't say he couldn't drive other people's cars, although that was their intent - and so the say what you mean, mean what you say lesson begins. They let Greg off of his harsh 10 day punishment, but hold him to his exact words, putting him through the wringer at home. The night of the rock concert and Greg's big date with Rachel arrives, only to be ruined by the fact that he previously promised to take his brothers to the jumping contest. Holding him to his exact words, Mike and Carol force him to cancel his plans. Greg gets Rachel to agree to a drive-in movie afterwards which turns disastrous when the frogs escape from the backseat and wreak havoc with Rachel, her popcorn and their pizza. His lesson learned, Greg is scared straight. Literally.

Most Popular Girl Pine Nut Sauce

Pine nuts are very expensive and apparently there was a bad crop this year so in short supply. Luckily I only needed two tablespoons, because at $28 per pound I may otherwise have had to skip this one! Thank goodness for Rocky's in the Eastern Market where you can buy in bulk and just what you need. So, that said, toasted pine nuts, chopped fresh marjoram and butter (an entire stick!), served over the pasta of my choice (penne).

Episode Note: "Miss Popularity" What kind of school has a 'Most Popular Girl' competition? Apparently Fillmore Jr High, and Jan is in the running against Kathy Williams.  Jan convinces Peter to be her campaign manager and enlists the help of her siblings by making them promises she never intends to keep. Somehow Jan has the notion that people can say anything to get elected and then do the opposite after they win.She even gets Alice to make campaign fortune cookies to hand out at school. Jan continues to promise her classmates anything they need to secure their votes, and beats poor Kathy. Oblivious to the little people who got her where she is, Jan quickly becomes a pariah at school and at home. Mike and Carol lecture her about her big head and empty heart, but it falls on deaf ears until she finds out that she doesn't have a date to the dance, because, as she puts it "I'm as popular as the measles". Feeling humbled, Jan sees the error of her ways, redoubles her effort to fulfill all of her promises, and accepts a date from Peter to the dance (not going to touch that one, either).  Fortune cookie say: All promises and no humility make Jan most unpopular girl.

Lost Wallet Hamburgers

These burgers were interesting. Two thin patties with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese squished inbetween. Mark called them "surprise" burgers and said they used to have them when he was a kid. As an aside, I don't think his family watched "Good Times" afterward - possibly "All in the Family" but certainly not "Maude". Anyway, they were tasty, kind of like Mrs. Desi Arnaz Jr. Lasagna without the pasta, on a bun. Julia said the beef was like the wallet and the cheese was the money - I guess that's another way to look at it.

Episode Note: "The Treasure of Sierra Avenue" The boys are playing football in what appears to be a back alley when they discover a wallet stuffed with $1,100 - and no identification. They take it home, thinking they are rich. The girls want a share of the take, but the boys balk. Mike of course insists on finding the rightful owner and turns the wallet over to the police, bucking the "finders keepers" rule that all children live by. The boys agree to give the girls a cut if no one claims the wallet in within a week, because as their father tells them, boys need to learn early that women will cost them money. At the last minute, an elderly gentleman and his wife who are driving across the country with their life savings claim the cash. As a reward, Mr.Stoner (wonder how he got that name?) gives the boys $20, proving that they don't need no stinkin wallet.

Not So Rose Colored Glasses

It's been two months. I no longer look at life the same way. I have changed. I cry at the drop of a hat, which isn't like me. The way I use my time has changed. My family priorities have changed.  And, of course this project dominates every day, in one way or another. I never stop thinking about, and remembering Denni, and the responsiblity I feel in his absence. I wonder if we are truly not given more than we are able to handle, if a window opens when a door closes. Is this all just the "big" test that you have nightmares about, realizing that you haven't been to class all semester and it is the day of the final?

Mark and I laugh so hard when we recall all of the hilarious times we had with Denni, and then I am saddened at the thought that there will be no more. But I am saddened more by the two children who have lost their father.  I am thankful for this blog and Alice (this may be my "special" purpose), as much as I complain about it, I don't know how I would have gotten through this time without an outlet. Life has changed, time has moved on, my heart still hurts.

Episode Note: "Not So Rose Colored Glasses"  One of my personal favorites. Jan, Jan, Jan never learns that she can't win. She's having trouble in school and a vision test reveals that she needs glasses, making Jan more distraught than usual. Meanwhile, Mike has the kids' photo taken as a surprise anniversary gift for Carol. Jan gets glasses, but refuses to wear them and as a result crashes her bike into the family portrait hidden in the carport. Jan concocts a lie to get the photo retaken, but this time wears her glasses without realizing that she had not worn them in the original photo. The jig is up when Mike sees the replacement (que fatherly lecture), and Jan must come clean about the accident. Mike grounds her for two weeks from riding her bicycle, only to find out that she sold her bike to pay for the second photo.  Jan finally sees that four eyes are better than none.

Glee Club Bacon and Cheese Hot Dogs

Bacon wrapped hot dogs stuffed with cheese. Artery-clogging heaven. I remember these as a kid being called a "Swankie Frankie" and ordering them at our family's favorite hangout, The Nugget. Because we had six kids (sound familiar?) we always got the big semi circular booth in the back of the restaurant. Good Times, yes, then after dinner we would go home and watch "Good Times." But, I digress, and you can't go home again, so these were grilled on foil to keep the cheese from oozing everywhere.

Episode Note: "The Drummer Boy"  Bobby and Peter both try out for the school Glee Club, but only Peter makes the cut. Depressed, Bobby takes up the drums to bolster his spirits, but drives the family and the neighbors insane in the process. Meanwhile, all is not well for Peter. Apparently the guys on his football team are teasing him for being a "canary."  Peter is about to quit Glee, unable to take the razzing, when football great Deacon Jones drops by the playing field. Jones reveals to the team that he too is a choir boy and quickly has them all singing a different tune. Back home, Mike and Carol finally convince Bobby to abandon the drums for a new instrument. However, much to their chagrin,  he takes up the bugle, playing reveille,  becoming the boogie-woogie bugle boy of Company B(rady).

Picture Perfect French Toast

I skipped this one back in the breakfast section, thinking I would get back to it at some point and today is that day. A very simple and straightforward french toast recipe. Eggs, milk, bread and a hot griddle. Now, I usually like to add a little cinnamon in mine, but Alice didn't call for it. She did allow for a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar at the finish, which was decent of her.  A yummy recovery from yesterday's fools gold.

Episode Note: "Click" Greg is eager to join the Westdale High football team and Mike is his biggest athletic supporter, the problem is Carol. She is worried that he will get hurt. The "men" win out and Greg makes the team only to be injured in the first scrimmage. Carol knows best. His coach makes him sit out the next game and as a result Greg ends up taking photos from the sidelines of the cheerleaders. The game has a controversial play that results in Westdale's loss, and only later when Greg is developing his film in the bathroom does he realize he has a perfect shot of the play. His photo proves Westdale won and he shows his coach, who in turn shows the ref and  opposing team, resulting in an overturn of the game result. Greg the hero decides he is of more use as the team photographer and sits out the rest of the season. 2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate? GREG!

Zaccariah T. Brown's Golden Chicken Sandwich

This is sort of a bizarre egg salad/chicken salad concoction, but using only the hard boiled egg yolks (you know, the "healthy" part). And butter, but no mayo and lemon juice, mashed into a paste - seriously, Alice said to mash it all into a smooth paste and serve it on white bread. This recipe is on the same page as the tuna sandwich, which may be why I skipped over it earlier. You'd have to be living as a recluse in a ghost town to enjoy this for lunch, or breakfast or dinner for that matter. I will say that the egg yolk chunks did look a little like golden nuggets among the chicken, so maybe that's what Alice was going for.

Episode Note: "Ghost Town, USA" The Brady's trip to the Grand Canyon also played out in three parts, this is the first. Now, we know that Jim Bakkus (of Gilligan's Island and Mr. Magoo fame) played two roles in the series, one as Mr. Matthews, Mike's boss, and the other as crazy-as-a-loon prospector Zaccariah T. Brown. It is Brown that the Brady's meet up with here when they stumble into a ghost town on their way to the Grand Canyon. They decide to stay the night in what they believe to be a deserted mining town, only to discover that there is an old kook who thinks they are here to steal his  gold find (sounds familiar, but this episode came before Hawaii so it was original then). Brown locks the Brady's up in an old jail cell and takes off in their station wagon. Mike ingeniously uses all of the family's belts and socks to make a chain to reach the key and they escape, only to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. Mike and Peter decide to start walking to find help, but Greg has to stay behind and be the "man". After a few tense hours they return with Brown and their car, the misunderstanding resolved, no hard feelings, and the Brady's are on their way to one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Head 'em up, move 'em out, Rawhide.

Sneezin' Summer Nachos

Nachos at their finest. Tortilla chips, stewed mexican chicken, cheese, tomatoes, guacamole. Alice did not suggest to melt the cheese, but I once again took the liberty and put them under the broiler for a few minutes before I adding the guac and tomatoes. I had been craving nachos for a few days and this was the perfect antidote. Occasionally, it works out that what I want to eat and what is in this cookbook coincide and then all is right with the world. I also served mexican rice on the side and of course a few cervezas had to be in the mix. And no, nobody actually sneezed on them, although my allergies have been bothering me lately...

Episode Note: "Katchoo" An early first season dilemma - Jan is allergic to something and is sneezing up a storm. The Brady's scramble to find the source, and initially she only sneezes when Mike enters the room. It is soon revealed that Tiger (there's that darn dog again) also enters when Mike does. After some unscientific experiments, it is determined that it is Tiger, not Mike that is aggravating Jan's nose, and it is decided that he has to go. Mike arranges for Tiger to go live at his parents house and the boys are devastated. At the eleventh hour, Alice comes through with what amounts to be a phone call from the Governor, when she discovers that it is Tiger's new flea powder, and not that trouble-making dog, that has Jan in a fit. Bless you, Alice.

Frontier Scouts' Fabulous Fish Fry

So, if you tuned in last Friday, you know that we went on vacation, and that I was cooking with my first guest chef. Here's the story...

When planning a fish fry in Northport, Michigan, where fresh fish is in abundance, one would expect to find perch. Wrong, even though it is on every restaurant menu in the area. And Alice's recipe called for perch. So, after buying back-up lake trout right off the fishing boat we managed to find some Canadian perch at a local market. (even their fish want to be in the U.S). Back at Ann and Kevin's house, Ann and I prepared the bread crumbs and egg wash and heated the oil to 350 degrees. Now, Alice makes no mention of oil temperature, but it is essential to successful frying. Ann breaded while I fried, and I must say it was most helpful to have an extra set of hands and certainly made the whole process smoother. All in all, a good, but not "fabulous" result. If I had my way I would have done a beer batter. As an aside, we tried to stalk Mario Batali (he's Ann and Kevin's neighbor) and invite him to dinner, but to no avail. Maybe next time.

Episode Note: "The Liberation of Marcia Brady" A seminal gender equality episode. A news crew is at Fillmore Junior High interviewing girls about their views on the Women's Liberation Movement (1971, good times). Marcia pleads the case for young women everywhere that girls are just as capable as boys. Greg, furious when he watches the nightly news, challenges Marcia to put up or shut up. As a result, she joins his Frontier Scout troop and Greg forces Peter to join the Sunflower Girls. Peter performs dismally at cookie selling, but Marcia triumphs at the all of the initiation rites the boys put in her path, even as they deliberately try to make her fail.  Although she passes the tests, Marcia decides not to continue as a Frontier Scout, only wanting to prove that she could do anything he could do better (yes she can).

What Goes Up...

...must come down. The same is true for a lovely trip Up North, one must come home again. This trip is always a good time for Julia, Mark and I to relax, commune with nature, and visit our favorite Traverse City gourmet market, Folgarellis. Although I didn't know it until after he died, Folgarellis was Denni favorite spot in TC as well. He used to travel to Traverse City periodically with the Judge and they always made a stop there. He also apparently, and this is no shocker, became friendly with the family that runs it. It doesn't surprise me in the least that we would have this in common, although we never talked about it. We were always totally sympatico. It's official, up is now down.

Episode Note: "What Goes Up..." Bobby becomes afraid of heights when he falls three rungs from Peter's treehouse and sprains his ankle. While he is laid up, the Brady's wait on him hand and foot and even buy him a pet parakeet to keep him company. Bobby is soon able to walk again, but now avoids getting high, including trying out Greg's stilts and jumping on the trampoline that miraculously appears in the backyard. It is only when his beloved bird is chased out of the window and high into a tree by Tiger (I swear, why do they keep that #@!& dog?!) that Bobby overcomes his acrophobia, climbs to the top of the swing set, and saves the parakeet. Fly Bobby fly, Up, up to the sky....