Donna Reed Night

  Everyone always talks about the infinite number of pop culture references on Gilmore Girls. I would guess that the average person doesn't fully get half of them with out at least some sort of research. One such reference for me was The Donna Reed Show. I knew Donna Reed only as Mary Bailey from 'It's a Wonderful Life'; I had no idea that she starred in her own series for eight years.
  When I first saw The Donna Reed Show (last year) I geeked out a little, recalling the classic season 1 episode of Gilmore Girls, 'That Damn Donna Reed' (episode 14).
  So I put on my heels, my apron and my pearls and recreated (most of) Rory's meal for Dean.

** I've got issues with this episode: Rory made a pretty spur of the moment decision to pull this evening together after a fight with Dean. Issue 1.) where did Rory get the clothes?? She clearly didn't borrow them from her mom because Lorelai made fun of the look when she saw her later, she couldn't have just taken them from Babbette's closet they are clearly not the same size. She even had matching heels. This took me out of the moment. 2.)  How did Rory have time to pull all this off? Even considering the fact that she made canned beans and instant potatoes she still had to go to the grocery store, she had to cook and set the table and back to issue #1 she had to find her Donna Reed outfit (I'm assuming this took some shopping as well), plus she stopped at Lane's to get the music. She spent the whole afternoon running around town then after finding all the stuff she had to get back to Babbette's to prepare. This was a bit unrealistic for me. But I digress. Back to the food.**

Inspired by Donna Reed Rory made steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and "lime fantasy supreme." Just thinking about this episode and I was craving steak so bad. I don't eat a lot of red meat so I needed to look up some recipes. When I saw this pic I knew I had to try this recipe if only for the amazing sauce. 

 I threw my steaks on my George Foreman grill. I got some nice grill marks, but the star of the show was the Gorgonzola Cream Sauce. I can not describe how delicious this sauce is.

 

While cooking it may not look like much but if you do it right it is so good. Like Rory I forgot the rolls. Also like Rory I did manage to make green beans--I shot my plate and started eating before I remembered to put the beans on my plate. I was just so excited about the sauce (I don't know how many times or different ways to tell you that this sauce is amazing and you NEED to try it)

I also  whipped out my slow cooker and made homemade beef stew.  When Emily and Richard were 'separated' and he was living in the pool house with Robert the valet, Emily argued that stew was not an acceptable meal. I beg to differ Mrs. Gilmore! My beef stew was all kinds of delicious!!

soon to be stew...

I didn't really follow a recipe for this one. I seasoned a couple of pounds of stew meat with salt and pepper then coated the meat with  seasoned flour.  I threw the meat in a pan with a couple tablespoons of oil on medium high heat. I just wanted to get some color; the meat cooks in the slow cooker. 

 I put water and a cup of dry red wine into the slow cooker then added potatoes, baby carrots and frozen pearl onions. I put the meat on top of the vegetables then deglazed the pan with more red wine (easier clean up and to get every bit of flavor from the pan) then I poured the wine/drippings over the meat in the slow cooker. Then I just "set it and forget it". I turned the slow cooker on low and went to work. (...or while the slow cooker does it's thing you can do laundry, wash dishes and windows, make dessert, educate the children, do all the shopping, and anything--and everything else that comes with running a household--you've got 7 hours...) When I got home the whole house was filled with a mouth watering aroma of simmering stew. 

 

I did not make Rory's dessert "Lime Fantasy Supreme" which is green jell-o and cool whip. Eating Jell-o gives me PTSD and I'm instantly brought back to staying in the hospital. Jell-o is not something that I choose to eat at home.  

                                          

I did however make chocolate souffle again (Dude calls it "Souffle Chocolate") the second attempt was even better than the first--and the first was incredibly tasty. For those of you paying attention: the extra cream of tartar totally helped my egg whites and this time the souffle rose even higher. It was really good.

In conclusion I recommend you put on full make up and pearls (and heels) and cook these meals (especially the Gorgonzola sauce). At the end of the night when you get to take off the make up and heels and pearls you'll feel like you've earned it.