Kara's Sights and Bites: Things I’m obsessed with…so far

By: Kara Kimbrough

This recipe isn’t actually used by Delmonico’s in New York City to create their famous steaks, one of which is pictured here, but the recipe does use the Delmonico cut of steak and is delicious in its own way. (Photo credit: Giada Paoloni for Delmonico's).                         

We are only a little over halfway through 2025 and I’m already obsessed with a few things. I’m referring to new supermarket products I’ve discovered; restaurant meals I can’t stop dreaming about, destinations to which I must return and travel products that made my life easier during the first half of the year. In no particular order, here are a few of my top obsessions thus far:

1.   Breyer’s Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream - It’s hot, so I’ll start with a cool treat that found a way to transform my favorite dessert – strawberry shortcake – into an ice cream. Whoever decided to combine delicious swirls of strawberries with creamy vanilla ice cream, along with the cake crumbles from Good Humor’s Strawberry Shortcake Bars is…a genius! 

2.   Delmonico's Hash Browns – Despite the present-day heat, my mind often wanders back to a very chilly January night in New York City. Jan. 21, to be exact...the night when I enjoyed one of the best meals of my life. I’ve shared details of my Delmonico’s dinner, including the outstanding salad, steak and baked Alaska. But it’s a simpler dish that I can’t stop thinking about. Delmonico’s hash browns...potatoes combined with a delectable cream sauce and cooked to a crispy finish in a cast iron skillet, then topped with crème fraiche and chives. It's a dish that I must sample again in order for my life to be complete.

3.   MoKo Double Eyeglass/Contact Lens Case – If you’ve flown much since 9/11 changed air travel forever, you understand the stress of condensing all of your vital carry-on toiletry items down to miniscule 3-ounce sizes. Trying to ensure a tiny bottle of contact lens solution is safely in my carry-on, along with a lens case containing a spare set of contacts and another containing glasses in case of emergency is stressful indeed. Imagine my excitement at finding a compact, two-sided case with space for glasses on one side, contact lens case and small solution bottle within TSA guidelines and a built-in mirror on the other. Everything fits in one handy case! I rarely order items from Amazon, but this is one product I couldn’t resist.

 4.   Butterball Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey – One of the most stressful things about cooking a turkey is the defrosting process. It can be days before the chunk of frozen meat is defrosted enough to cook, causing unnecessary stress during the holidays. Butterball finally got with the program, inventing its “Butterball Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey.” This new and improved turkey doesn’t need to be thawed before roasting, eliminating days of waiting before baking. Now, unwrap and roast…that’s it! There’s even a special brine that helps the turkey retain its moisture, resulting in a tender, golden-brown turkey.

 5.   Trot Pets Bowl Set - Speaking of travel, making sure our furry, four-legged friends are happy and well taken care of while we’re out of town is a vital part of any trip. I found a complete set of food and water bowls with compact lids, along with a matching non-slip mat, that I can fill with Teddy’s favorite food and give to my pet-sitter. This makes things much easier on the sitter, who often has a house full of other dogs to keep separated at meal time. Knowing he will feel at home when served meals from his handy, dishwasher-safe set alleviates unnecessary stress for everyone, especially Teddy. To order a set, go to: trotpets.com.

6.   Gulf Islands National Seashore – I’ve experienced my fair share of gorgeous sandy beaches and multi-colored gulf waters, but a new one caught and held my interest this year: Gulf Islands National Seashore in Pensacola. This stunning, peaceful national park contains more unspoiled, natural beauty than almost any other place I’ve visited. Miles of pristine, largely-uninhabited beaches fronting mesmerizingly-blue gulf water transported me to a private island experience. There's even an historic lighthouse in the distance to complete the picturesque scene. It's an otherworldly place that I’m longing to revisit.

 7.   Beau Rivage’s Breakfast Buffet – I wasn’t expecting breakfast to eclipse the previous evening’s meal at Coraline's, but that’s almost what happened during a recent visit to the luxurious Biloxi resort. I decided to stop by the breakfast buffet on my way out for what I though would be a quick bite. I was surprised to find a wonderland of delicious breakfast items, ranging from traditional dishes like pancakes, waffles, bacon and eggs, fruit, biscuits and gravy and related items, to elevated ones like made-to-order omelets. Eggs Benedict, cheese grits and a plethora of homemade pastries. And the piece de resistance? Hot beignets made fresh for each diner. As I sipped a cup of steaming black coffee in between bites of the flaky, powdery treat, I “almost” felt like I was dining at New Orleans’ Café du Monde.

      I’m still searching for a recipe that’s “close” to Delmonico’s hash browns; when I do, I’ll share it with you. If you visit New York City, I highly recommend booking a reservation at this historic restaurant and sampling them for yourself, along with one of their famous steaks.

     In the meantime, I was excited to find a recipe for a version of Delmonico steak. The recipe mainly referred to the cut of steak – Delmonico – not the restaurant. While it was delicious, it didn’t quite live up to the original, but it’ll suffice until I get back to NYC. When I arrive, my first stop will be at, you guessed it…Delmonico’s.

Delmonico Steak with Onions and Steak Sauce 4 (1-inch) Delmonico steaks, 8-10 ounces each 2 teaspoons extra- virgin olive oil

Steak seasoning blend, such as Montreal Steak Seasoning, or coarse salt and pepper

Onions:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 large yellow skinned onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Steak sauce:

1-1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, half a turn of the pan

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 small white boiling onion, chopped 

1/4 cup dry cooking sherry 

1 cup canned tomato sauce 

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

Black pepper

     Heat a heavy grill pan or griddle pan over high heat. Wipe hot grill or griddle with extra-virgin olive oil. Cook steaks 6 minutes on each side for medium doneness, 8 minutes for medium well. Season steaks with steak seasoning or salt and pepper and remove to a warm platter to allow the meat to rest.  

     To make onions: Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes, until onions are soft and sweet. Add balsamic vinegar to the pan and turn onions in vinegar until vinegar cooks away and glazes onions a deep brown color, 3 to 5 minutes.

   To make steak sauce:  Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, garlic and onions and sauté 5 minutes until onion bits are tender. Add sherry to the pan and combine with onions. Stir in tomato sauce and Worcestershire and season with black pepper. To serve, top steaks with onions and drizzle steak sauce down over the top, reserving half of the sauce to place on the table. (Recipe from RachaelRay.com).

Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.