In celebration of Father’s Day, EIL reached out to some local dads and their families to see if they’d share a favorite recipe with us. They came through like champs! Not only did we receive some delicious sounding recipes, we got some glimpses into family time and great stories about traditions. Thanks to everyone who contributed!
It’s no surprise that when Ben Galland is asked to supply a favorite recipe, he offers up a hearty hunk of meat roasted over hot coals. “I love to grill meat. It's easily my second favorite thing to do…the first being eating it! My 7 year old loves the experience of grilling, and my 3 week old will.” Wife Kelly shares that while grilling started out as a hobby for her husband, it has become one of their best sources of quality time as a family. She says, “We all meet on our back deck with a chosen cocktail (Anson’s preference being Coke) and settle in for a game of go fish or Uno while Ben tends the grill. The newest addition to our family, Rebekah, already enjoys sitting in her bouncy seat and listening to laughing and family sing-alongs to Jimmy Buffet. The food is great, but the special times together as a family are far greater.”
In introducing his recipe, Ben says, “Red meat will always be my first love, but lately I’ve been enjoying the Pork Tomahawk cut. This cut includes the center-cut loin and an entire rib bone, providing two of my favorite parts of the animal in one cut. Sure, it looks a bit intimidating, but even a novice griller can master the Tomahawk with minimal effort. As with any good recipe, all quantities and ingredients are mere suggestions. This is what I use and how I do it.”
Grilled Pork Tomahawk
Submitted by: The Galland Family
Ingredients:
2 Pork Tomahawk chops
1 lemon
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
fresh rosemary, to taste
fresh thyme, to taste
coarse salt, to taste
fresh-cracked pepper, to taste
red pepper flakes (optional)
pinch of white sugar
Directions:
Juice entire lemon and mix with olive oil. Add chopped garlic. A handful of fresh rosemary and thyme are next, followed by coarse salt and fresh-cracked pepper. I like a pinch or two of red pepper flakes as well. Now add a smidgen of white sugar and mix all that together and let it marinate on the chops for at least a couple of hours.
Fire up the grill. While a gas grill will work just fine, my recommendation is hardwood lump charcoal. Cook chops for about 6-8 minutes on each side with the grill around 400 degrees F. Feel free to squeeze any remaining lemon directly on top right after you pull them. I always like to let any cooked meat sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Be warned: this is not date food—unless you have an awesome date! Hands will be used in attack of that rib meat, and that’s the best part! Enjoy!
Is there anything John Weaver DOESN’T do?! From his busy orthodontic practice to DJing and attending community events and participating in the activities of his five boys, he also cooks! Wife Missy says, "Our boys have grown up having their dad as the primary cook and are actually surprised when they see Mom is doing any cooking! For John, it is a stress reliever and a way to wind down with family at the end of the day. I am truly blessed!"
John shares a jambalaya recipe that has been passed down in his family. He says, “It is easy to prepare for a crowd, delicious even to picky kids and can be prepared in advance. I make this recipe every year during Mardi Gras season. The kids are not very helpful with the preparing and chopping yet, but my hopes are high!”
Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya
Submitted by: By The Weaver Family
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. chopped sausage, smoked or kielbasa
2 Tbsp. butter
3/4 lb. boneless chicken
1 cup onion
1 cup celery
1 cup green pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1/2 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 1/2 cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (converted)
1 tsp. Kon Rico seasonings
Directions:
Melt butter add sausage and cook about 3 minutes until slightly brown, add chicken, stir frequently until brown. Add 1/2 of onion, celery, peppers, garlic, seasonings. Cook until vegetables start to get tender. 5-8 minutes. Add tomato sauce and remaining celery, pepper, tomatoes & onions. Remove from heat, stir in the stock and rice, mix well. Place in large baking pan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Rice is tender but still crunchy.
The recipe Nancy Butler shared with us is a holiday favorite. She explains, “coastal families feast on oysters to celebrate special holiday gatherings. For those of us growing up in the Southwestern U.S., our families’ culinary holiday traditions came from Grandma’s secret recipes. My first Christmas as a bride was spent with my in-laws in Farmington, New Mexico. My mother-in-law first introduced me to her ‘secret recipe,’ on Christmas morning, the traditional breakfast before opening presents. She never actually measured any of the ingredients. I just tried furiously to write everything down as she mixed and stirred, using a little of this and that.”
She continues “the waffles are so tasty and come off the griddle so fast, we just stand around the waffle iron to grab one, butter it, and eat it with our fingers. All the Butler family babies teethed on these waffles. I’ve been using this recipe for over 55 years and it never comes out exactly the same. My daughter, Kelly, continues this family tradition of serving chocolate waffles at holiday gatherings. She learned the hard way not to substitute any of the ingredients, like baking soda for baking powder. This may result in having to purchase a new waffle iron. My husband, my son, son-in-law, and grandsons all LOVE these waffles and will continue to devour them every chance they get. You can bet we will be eating these on Father’s Day!”
Grandma's Chocolate Waffles
Submitted by The Butler Family
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
5 Tbsp. cocoa
10 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1 ¾ cup milk
½ cup oil (or shortening)
1 tsp. vanilla (pure not extract)
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients in large bowl. Separate eggs. Add yolks and milk to dry ingredients and beat until mixed well. Add oil or shortening and vanilla to bowl and mix thoroughly. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into mixture. Bake in waffle iron. Makes 3 - 10 inch waffles. (Note: For a good dessert, place ½ of a plain Hershey bar between two of the quarter pieces of hot waffle and top with whipped cream.)
Rebecca Parmelee says that her husband, fishing charter captain, Ashley Parmelee is the best dad ever and has a fantastic fish recipe that anyone can prepare. While still in a bit of a shock to be the father of three girls, Ashley loves nothing more than being needed and loved by those girls. “I love the way they light up when they see me in the morning and the way they snuggle with me before bed. I’m the luckiest man in the world to have four girls that love me so much.” Having three little ones can be demanding, however, and family time is very important to the Parmelees. Rebecca says that when people tell Ashley that he sure has his hands full, his response is “you should see my heart.” What a sweet sentiment! So Ashley’s quick, easy, and very yummy recipe lets you take advantage of a great opportunity for family time by going out on the boat to catch your main ingredient. Other that filleting the fish, you don’t need to spend a lot of time prepping in the kitchen or cooking. Adjust recipe ingredients based on number of fish filets you are making. Perfect for the busy family!
The Captain's Fish Dish
Submitted by The Parmelee Family
Ingredients:
Local fish (Use whatever you like best, preferably fresh-caught!)
1-2 lemons
1 medium to large onion
Capers
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Filet fish and lay in baking pan. Slice lemons and place on top of fish. Slice onion and place in layer on top of lemons. Sprinkle capers on top of the filets. (If you’re Ashley, you can’t have too many capers!) Bake for 10 minutes, so not to overcook. Remove from oven and plate. Squeeze fresh lemon on top and serve.
For the perfect sweet ending, how about this ongoing tradition at the Lambright house that Lori shared with us?! Ken makes milkshakes almost every night with Wright and Sassy. When Ken was young, his dad made milkshakes with him and taught him how to create their favorite treat. Ken likes the tradition because while they’re at work in the kitchen, he and the kids talk about how his dad taught him and they make the shakes the same way. Ken’s dad passed away when Wright was only six weeks old, so Ken enjoys telling them stories about him so they’ll know him. Once the shakes are mixed and served, Wright is the first to finish his, but Sassy drinks the most. (She might get that from her mama!) The shakes aren’t just keeping a family tradition alive, they’re also a great motivator to get the kids bathed, fed, and into their PJs quickly!
Chocolate Milk Shakes
Submitted by The Lambright Family
Ingredients:
½ cup Nestlé Carnation Chocolate Malted Milk
16 oz. milk
4-5 big scoops vanilla ice cream
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a blender. Blend until mixed. Pour into cups and serve with straws.
EIL wishes dads everywhere a very Happy Father’s Day—whether you’re cooking or not!
