Remember superlatives in school? Best dressed, most popular, most likely to succeed? Well, I was actually voted funniest in middle school before I had any idea I was the class clown, but in high school I was all over the place. I ran the German club as the prez, worked for the yearbook staff and tried my hand at pep squad among other things. Along the way I met one of the coolest and funniest people I'd keep in touch with from high school, heck ... just about the only one I keep in touch with from those days ... Christina Common. Oh she's got a different last name now just like many of my girls from high school, but she hasn't changed a bit! We ran for school office on a combined ticket, hung out in the neighborhood on weekends and just generally behaved like kids ... we were trouble back then, but always in good fun so when I was asked if I wanted any guests to come cook with me, the first people I thought of were my girls! I only have a few and Christina was just as crazy as me in school, plus she had an artistic side which is really what brought us together in the first place. So, today's
Cooking for Real features me and my only girl that's a mommy, perfect for the holiday on the way. We still have great jokes about our art teacher and built our campaign for student council around great artwork for advertisements. We were two peas in a pod at times and she even joined the Air Force after graduation like I did, so keeping in touch was easy because we have so much in common. It's hard to do when you are moving around and maybe a few months go by without a chat, but then again it makes the bond that much more lasting that we can hold on from the good ol days!
She flew in all the way from the big state of Texas with her hubby and for a full day we cooked and laughed and did our best to look natural with tons of people on the crew watching. I consulted with her before her visit about the menu and we came up with some good stuff. We decided on fajitas and then she gave me her recipe for cheesecake, she's an amazing cook and mommy. The coolest thing I find about this is now my buddy from high school and I have a recipe together on Food Network's website. Just like we have a piece of art we both worked on for our high school yearbook ... what a full circle. Catch Cooking for Real:
Deep in the Hearth of Texas today at noon and Monday May 4, 2009 at 4PM ... because, did you know shows air weekdays at 4PM now? Check em out!
Here's our menu together ....
Here we are during taping ...
Thanks Christina for taking time out of your hectic schedule as a mommy to come play with me here in NYC. You were one of the best parts of James Madison and Eden Roc for me ... it wasn't easy being the new girl and you made it all laughs for me. I'd take on the mean girls with you anyday :-). Love you for that and more.
Posts
17 comments:
What class were you in at Madison? I was '89. Love your show / recipes!
Just saw your show with your friend Christina! I remember my Mom making cheescake the very same way in the 50's -- the sour cream/sugar/vanilla topping was part of the recipe -- on the Kraft Cream Cheese box!!
http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/sour-cream-topped-cheesecake-54904.aspx
I've been experimenting with "low carb" cheesecakes and totally eliminate the crust -- I butter the sprinform pan and dust it with crumbs, as you'd dust it with flour. Splenda instead of sugar in the filling and topping. Not a bad cheesecake at all!! Love your show!
My 10-year high school reunion is this summer (yesss, I know...I'm still just a baby; I hear it all of the time) & there are a select few people that I keep in touch with. Having those friends that you don't see for like...5 years...and then y'all get together & it's like no time has passed at all...those are the best friends a girl (or guy) can have. I can't wait to check out this show on Monday. It's after 4 PM EST & I am in Kentucky Derby mode right now (I see a few more mint juleps in my future).
(Tear) Aww girl - I had a blast since the first day I met ya! Thanks again for the invite and the great time in NY! I will always get a laugh from you with the simple phrase, "Hey Mr. Mack... you wanna a Tic-Tac??" Congrats again on following your dream! I'm proud of everything you have done and become!
Sunny, let me tell you I love your show. You always have such great recipes. You are the only FN host where I'll watch your show and then make the dish the next day. And it's always great!
I saw you left a comment on my blog (A Lil' Butter). It had been dormant while it was getting redesigned (check it out!) but I'm back now! Keep up the great work!
That's so sweet of you to have friends on the show. Especially long time pals.
Great story. As someone who's nearing his 10-year high school reunion, I know what it's like to reconnect with some old friends.
Flank steak fajitas look awesome. I've been doing fajitas lots lately with my stove-top Emeril grill pan. Your chimichurri marinade sounds wonderful. I'm a big fan of that Argentina favorite!
Love the blog.
Hi Sunny. You are great. I never miss your show, Cooking for Real. It comes on in Philadelphia on Saturday morning.
I am 74 years old, and I was born and raised in the Tioga section of Philly. As a young girl in Tioga, 90% of the people in the community were white, and there was a bakery at Broad St. & Erie Ave. called Bogaslofsky's. They made the best cheese pie ever. I used to go there on the weekends and purchase a whole pie, and believe me, it was not yucky. I have never seen a cheese pie since I have grown up. I don't think people know how to make them anymore. Such a loss. I wish you had known about this pie. You would have loved it. I no longer can eat cheese, but I sure enjoyed it then.
Keep up the great show. I've cooked many of your recipes, and my husband of 43 years is a convert to your recipes. He was just a meat & potato man, but between you and Rachel Ray, he's now a healthier eater.
Thank you.
Katherine
mai-ly, i was in the class of 93! i bet we brushed shoulders in the hallway! i was a freshman in 89 ...
lin in vabch, yaaaaay! that recipe is pretty darn close, eh? people don't realize how simple to make and yummy homemade cheesecake is right?! thanks for watching!
nikki, hope you like the show when you catch it, christina and i are just the same as we were back then ... happy chicks. how bout the derby win, eh?
love you christina!!!!!!!!
t.p. jefferson, thanks so much! i really appreciate not only the viewership, but your support on tasting the recipes! fajitas are great and smart as far as budget is concerned right? keep up the foodie work!
mise en place, yeah, i didn't know i'd be allowed to have guests, cuz some shows have em and some don't ... when they said i could give it a try, i was too happy to include my girls! i only have a few, but they are the best! we're like that as chicks, right?!
downwithabsolutes. thanks! remember how we connected with high school friends before myspace??? classmates.com and stuff ... now we can reach anyone from 10 years ago with a good internet search ... ahhh if we grew up with this stuff we'd be lightyears ahead right?!? kids are lucky ... welcome to the blog!
Keep hearing you mention Sonic. I used to run one in Kansas. My kids worked for me. Great place to work! Love you, Love your show! Go Sonic!
I put you on pause - I saw you pressing the graham crackers in to the spring form pan - then I had to walk out. BUT, I'm gonna finish watching when I get home because we're going to talk about you tonight on the radio show tonight. It's the pilot - details are on my page under the "radio" link - just in case you're free at 10PM CST.
You're just such an inspiration. My co-host (a TRUE FOODIE) loves you. I told her that you visited my page a few times and she lit up. You have some die hard fans here in Chicago Sunny - please know that.
kateej, first, thank you so much for watching! you know, i am gonna have to look into that cheese pie for you now ... we'll see if i can bring it on the show! sorry you can't eat cheese anymore, that would totally stress me out ... cheese is like bacon for me, truly makes things better, right? if i do the research and come up with a recipe, i'll eat and extra slice just for you :-). thanks again for watching and it's really an honor to bring new ideas and recipes into a strong 43 year marriage. that's something to feel neat about. thanks for sharing katherine!
anon, sonic onion rings are the best and second to that is the cherry limeade, am i right?!?!?!?!?
dtdub, omg you are doing radio too? i gotta get on the dtdub train, i've been fallin off. my bad, have a great show and remember, no dead air! :-)
Hi Sunny! Greetings from Chicago, have not stopped by in awhile. Happy Belated birthday, hope you're well. I'm still cooking and still reaching for my dream!
Alex
Sonic...ahhh the good ol' days:) I would like a cherry limeade slush please...I remember going to sonic to see a friend when she worked there. She drove a green VW bug. Good times... :)
Keep up the great work! All the best!!
Soapdish:)-->just passing through..
Sunny,
Good theme to continue...So if you had one of your 'boys' from high school on the show . Who would be your most likely pick?
alex the food diva, thanks! i'm 34!!! long time no hear! hope you are well...
SOAPDISH!!!!!???? awwww what a blast from the past. how's my best smelling friend from madison doin? teeheehee lol ... those were the days, good times indeed. and i was soooo mad my dad sold my vdub when i went off to the military. came home to nuthin, no soapdish and no bug :-(. lol ... man, hope you've been well. i check up on ya through mutual friends. remember the train tracks????? omg ... still haunts me. keep in touch fool! hope you like the show, who knew, eh?
anon, i hung out with the boys ... many of them, from my school and others ... so like havin kids, i can't pick a fave, i just know i have great memories and they were the times that shaped who i am today. :-)
Post a Comment