Jim Bailey is a third generation Yankee Chef, with his first, in a series, of cookbooks due out in October/November of 2012, entitled The Yankee Chef. Jim currently writes for a number of New England publications, as well as staying busy with YouTube instructional videos on cooking, and he avails himself liberally as a judge at food competitions throughout New England. You can email him at theyankeechef@aol.com or visit theyankeechef.blogspot.com for more information.

Welcome Manchester. I am very proud to be part of the Manchester Journal, my first column in Vermont and I look forward to a long and dedicated partnership with this newspaper. My name is The Yankee Chef and I look forward to hearing from all you folks in the form of

questions, recipe ideas and your feedback. In the meantime, let me just tell you that although I am a trained chef and New England 'Food Historian, my way of cooking reflects the ease of preparation, cost effectiveness and simplicity in presentation that defines our Yankee heritage.

Summertime Grilled Cakes

We all love crab cakes and to many of us, there is no other grilled cake. BUT! You will be so surprised at the flavor of these Summertime Cakes you may just add them to your next menu. Clean, crisp and satisfying, even without the added protein. If you still want that briny taste of crabmeat, go ahead and splurge by adding a 1/2 c. squeezed crabmeat to this recipe.

1 small zucchini, grated, excess water removed*

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1 small summer squash, grated with excess water removed

1/2 c. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

1 c. dried bread crumbs

1/4 t. cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

1 t. minced garlic in oil

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 T. olive oil

Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Using a heaping tablespoon form the mixture into 8 patties. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once heated, add patties and cook until golden brown. About 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with a side of Creamy Cucumber Salad Dressing and you are good to go!

* To do this, after you grate the zucchini, put the grated zucchini into paper towels and squeeze to release the water)

Smoky Strawberry Streusel

Yes, I know everyone has had some type of streusel before, but very few have used strawberries in their streusels, let alone prepare it the way I am going to tell you. It is remarkably delicious and strawberry season is coming to a close, so jump on this recipe.

2 qts. strawberries, hulled, halved

1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

2 T. lemon juice

1/2 t. cinnamon

Streusel Topping:

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. brown

sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

3 T. chopped walnuts

6 T. cold butter or margarine, cut into pieces

Get out an 8 x 8-inch casserole, baking pan or glass ovenware. Mix strawberries and 1/4 c. flour* in large bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon; mix well. Spoon into prepared dish.

For streusel, mix together flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt. Add butter and blend with your hands until you have a moist mixture with some small pieces of butter still in tact. Sprinkle over strawberries.

Make your own smoke pouch for your grill simply by putting 1 or 2 cups of wood chips(that have been soaked in apple juice for an hour) in a large piece of foil and crimp tightly. Poke a couple of holes in the top and set either directly onto your coals or on the burner in a propane grill. When the pouch starts smoking, place the dessert onto the rack(keeping the pouch in place), close the lid and bake/smoke for 30 to 35 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with real vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. You can also bake this in your oven for the same amount of time at 350-degrees F. Now remember, you will see a lot of smoke so don't be alarmed. The taste of this dessert tinged with the flavor of the smoke will make it all worth while.

* A suggestion. I use the same amount instant tapioca that I grind in a blender until it is like powder. Not only does it thicken this dish as well but you will never get that off-flour taste sometimes noticed.

The Yankee Chef ..........It's Just That Simple!

theyankeechef.blogspot.com