Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 15, 2011

10

GOOD FOOD & DRINK

 Mountain Views News Saturday, October 15, 2011 

BURGER CONTINENTAL

 If you have lived in Pasadena 
long enough, you will 
remember there was no 210 
Freeway; there was no Old 
Pasadena. Back then the 
center of attention was South 
Lake Ave., where Macy’s 
stands today. Bullock’s was 
the trendy shop where the 
who’s who of Pasadena and 
San Marino did their shopping. 
Jurgensen’s was the 
beautiful Gourmet Grocery 
Store. Long before Whole 
Foods thought up the concept. 
I do miss those unforgettable 
Turkey Sandwiches. 
And around that time two 
brothers, who just graduated 
from Blair High School, 
decided to open up a restaurant. 
Burger Continental, 
the restaurant, was small and 
had a garden shop that took 
up most of the back area. 

 Forty years later, the landscape 
has changed, but not 
completely. Burger Continental 
remains a reminder 
of an Era. While dozens of 
restaurants have come and 
gone throughout the Pasadena 
area, they continue 
to entertain and serve the 
community. Sure, they have 
gone through their changes 
as well. The Patio is now 
covered and the Fountain 
in the back now has a covering. 
I recall many an afternoon 
on the back patio 
waiting to hear my number 
called so that I could get the 
food. All of us found some 
childlike amusement in the 
number calling. I picture 
the Saturday Night Live Skit, 
where he says. Cheese Burger 
– Cheese Burger - Cheese 
Burger. I guess some of you 
may be too old to remember 
that classic.

 Don’t let the name deceive 
you. Yes, they have burgers, 
giant burgers in fact, 
but they are anything but a 
burger place. When the belly 
dancers come to your table 
you will know exactly what 
I mean. 

 They have a Sunday Brunch, 
a Breakfast -Lunch Special 
- seems as 
though there 
is always 
some type of 
special going 
on no matter the time of day. 

 On my visit this week, I 
had the Loin Lamb Chops 
“Salonica” with roasted garlic 
($14.99). They were so 
tender and delicious that I 
wish they were all you 
can eat. It happened 
that Gary, one of the 
brothers, was there, so 
I asked him the secret. 
Gary said that once a 
month he gets a secret 
supply of spices flown 
in from the Middle 
East and that only 
Customs Agent “Bob” 
knows what they are. 

 I had no idea that 
my meal needed a 
passport. I will stamp that 
passport any day! My friend 
Kevin, the bartender extraordinaire 
from Parkway 
Grill, joined me and was 
quite pleased with his Lula 
Kebab ($11.99). He gave it 
two thumbs up. A little secret, 
the pizza ($10) may be 
one of the best in town. I 
think their secret is that they 
have a very old and seasoned 
pizza oven that adds incredible 
flavor to their pies. 

 Check out the Sunday 
Champagne Brunch: it’s a 
buffet with just about everything 
on the menu. Plus, 
on any given Sunday you’ll 
find Crab Legs and Sushi. 
There is the always reliable 
fresh fruit and an omelet station. 
It’s ($19) for adults and 
($10) for kids, great place for 
a large party and families. 
Gourmet? I would not go 
that far, but a real value in 
these times when your dollar 
needs to be stretched.

Burger Continental, 535 S. 
Lake Ave., Pasadena (626) 
792-6634

Please listen to me This Sunday 
at 5 Pm on Talk Radio 
790 KABC 

Email me thechefknows@
yahoo.com

Peter Piper Picked a Profoundly Plump Pumpkin -- 

Now what does he do with it?

HOW TO ROAST A 
PUMPKIN

You can only do this with a 
freshly carved pumpkin! Do 
not use on a pumpkin that 
has been carved and sitting 
out for several days.

To bake a fresh 6 to 7 pound 
pumpkin, halve the pumpkin 
crosswise and scoop out 
the seeds and strings. Place 
halves, hollow side down, in 
a large baking pan covered 
with aluminum foil and add 
a little water. Bake, uncovered, 
at 375 degrees for 1 
1/2 to 2 hours or until fork-
tender. Remove. When cool, 
scrape pulp from shells and 
puree, a little at time, in food 
processor or blender. Mix 
with a little salt.

To freeze pumpkin puree. 
Put 1-2 cups in freezer bags 
along with spices and use in 
pies.

To use pumpkin puree for 
recipes: Line a strainer 
with a double layer of 
cheesecloth or a flour 
sack dish towel and let 
the pumpkin sit to drain 
out the extra moisture 
BEFORE cooking with it. 
Pumpkin is very moist, so 
in order for your recipe to 
come out correctly, you 
MUST strain it.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Boil seeds in water for 5 
minutes. Drain well. Sprinkle 
with salt or seasoned salt. 
Place a thin layer on a cookie 
sheet. Bake at 250 degrees. 
Stir after 30 minutes. Bake 
1/2-1 hour more or until 
crunchy.

*Squash seeds may also be 
used.

Pumpkin Smoothies

1/2 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup milk or vanilla 
yogurt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. brown sugar

4 ice cubes

whipped cream (optional)

sprinkles (optional)

Place all ingredients in a 
blender. Blend until smooth. 
Pour into 2-3 glasses. Serve 
with a small amount of 
whipped cream on top. You 
may also add orange sprinkles 
if you like. Serves 2-3.

Pumpkin Crunch

1 package yellow cake mix

1 can (15 oz.) solid packed 
pumpkin

1 can (12 oz.) evaporated 
milk

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup nuts

1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, 
sugar, cinnamon, and salt 
in a large bowl. Pour into a 
greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle 
dry cake mix over pumpkin 
mixture. Then sprinkle 
with nuts. Drizzle with butter. 
Bake for 50-55 minutes 
or until golden brown. Cool, 
served chilled. Serve with 
whipped topping.

Homemade Pumpkin 
Muffins

1 cake mix (any flavor works, 
but chocolate is our hands 
down favorite!) 1 can pumpkin 
or 2 cups mashed cooked 
pumpkin

Beat together with electric 
mixer until smooth (It will be 
really thick). Add 1 cup mini 
chocolate chips and stir. Line 
muffin tins with paper muffin 
cups and spray with non-
stick spray. Use an ice cream 
scoop to put batter into muffin 
cups (I can get 24 muffins 
from one box of mix). Bake 
at 350 degrees for around 20 
minutes. Cool and frost if desired. 
My family likes them 
just as they are when they are 
hot from the oven.

Spice cake mix is great - add 
white chocolate chips, peanut 
butter chips or butterscotch 
chips.

I have made pumpkin muffins 
with white cake mix and 
yellow cake mix too. They 
have around 120 calories 
apiece with the mini chocolate 
chips and are virtually 
fat free. If you are on weight 
watchers, they only count as 
1 point.

This is a fabulous way to 
sneak some vitamin A rich 
veggies in on the kids. Just 
don't let them see you put the 
pumpkin into the muffins 
and they will never know it is 
there. These are more moist 
than very expensive name 
brand double chocolate chip 
muffins.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 
packed

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie 
spice

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup pumpkin

1 large egg

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup milk

1/2 cup nuts, chopped 
(optional)

Combine ingredients. Stir 
just until moistened; batter 
may be lumpy. Heat griddle 
or skillet over medium 
heat. Brush lightly with vegetable 
oil. Pour 1/4 cup batter 
onto hot griddle. Cook until 
bubbles begin to burst. Turn 
and continue cooking 1 to 2 
minutes. Serve with Pumpkin 
Maple Sauce and nuts.

Pumpkin Maple Sauce

1 cup maple syrup

1 1/4 cups pumpkin

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon or 
pumpkin pie spice Mix together 
until well blended.

Visit www.LivingOnADime.
com for more easy recipes!

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com

 
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