Dad's Specials

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

Father’s Day is coming up, so now is the time to start thinking about doing something special for your favorite father figure. Many of my favorite food memories are tied to my father. He is always on the lookout for a great meal, and he loved to take us to his favorite Chinatown restaurant for lunch when we went to visit him at work in Philadelphia. In fact, I can’t even remember the name of that restaurant; he called it Tommy Lee’s because he went so often, and referred so many customers, that he became friends with the owner. He is also a talented gardener and his green thumb kept our family supplied with fresh asparagus, beans, squash, melon and dozens of tomatoes throughout the growing season.

While he didn’t cook family dinners often, and I can’t imagine my father actually cooking from a recipe (and especially can’t imagine him thinking ahead a whole day to pull out the crockpot to do so), he has a few special dishes that he knows how to make and make very well – Macaroni and Cheese, Swedish Pancakes, Omelets, Lemon Ice, and lately, his famous Grilled Shrimp.

And he is not the only male in my life who can cook well but never uses a recipe. My husband and brother are the same way. What is this male aversion to following recipes? Maybe it is sort of like asking for directions when lost on the back roads. I’m not talking about chefs, but almost every guy I know that cooks casually will never use a set recipe. My brother will go so far as to call me when he has a couple of ingredients and ask how he should make them, but I am pretty sure he has never used a cookbook in his life.

One of the benefits to this manly way of doing things is a greater willingness to experiment and be more flexible. So you don’t have shallots--substitute scallions instead. You might come up with a great new invention. I also notice that guys have more of a free hand when using fats such as olive oil and butter, almost always resulting in more flavor!

In honor of the father in your life and dads everywhere, I am suggesting you take it easy this Father’s Day with a couple of simple recipes— such as baked beans in the slow cooker— that are just one or two steps; these are the kind that you can make over and over again. Another one that comes to mind is my husband’s tomato and basil salad. All he does is slice some ripe tomatoes very thin, add some torn pieces of basil, and season with sea salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. The results are delicious. Many of these dishes also go naturally with all the grilling favorites that we love to make for Dad’s special day. After you have made it once, there’s no need to pull down a cookbook or look up the recipe online because you will remember how to do it from the first time.

And what to get dear old Dad for Father’s Day? Well I know one thing I am not buying for my dad— a cookbook! The thing he appreciates more than anything else is a great home cooked meal and time spent with his family.

Serves/Makes: 8

• 1 pound navy beans
• 4 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup or barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 dash hot sauce