Hannah, Hubby Swap Places; Flay Grills
All week long in The Early Show series, "Trading Places," the show's anchors trade jobs with their spouses.
On Tuesday, it was the turn of Hannah Storm and her husband, NBC Sports golf host Dan Hicks.
"You'd think," Hannah said, "as an anchor myself, I could step right into his golf shoes. Let's just say I found out his job is definitely a lot harder than it looks."
At first, Hannah admitted, she thought Dan had it made in the shade. Make that, the sun, such as shone on the Trump National Golf Club course at Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. earlier this month for the Michael Douglas and Friends charity golf tournament, which airs next month.
She thought Dan's was a dream job, taking him to some of the most beautiful golf resorts in the world, and enabling him to hobnob with celebrities. Compare that to her gig, which requires her to wake up at four in the morning.
"Yes, poor Dan, he's got it tough," Hannah said, sarcastically, "riding his golf cart, talking about his favorite sport all day long. Even the celebrities at the Douglas golf tournament knew who has the harder job."
"Please! Hannah's got the tougher job!" remarked actress Cheryl Ladd.
"I'm sticking with her, Dan," kidded Michael Douglas. "I don't know how to tell you!"
As Hannah got set to try Dan's job, she conceded, "I used to be a network sportscaster, but had never done golf play-by-play, and I quickly found out just how tough it was.
"I went to the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, N.C. CBS golf anchor Jim Nantz agreed to slide over to the analyst's chair to give me a shot. Even in rehearsal, I was getting nervous.
"You realize pretty quickly that calling golf is more than talking in hushed tones about guys in funny pants. There are 18 holes to cover, and at any given time, dozens of golfers on the course."
Hannah treated viewers to a peek behind the scenes of covering golf for TV, such as what it's like in the booth and production truck.
At one point, Nantz jokingly held up a sign saying, "She's good. I'm in trouble!"
On The Early Show set, Dan told Hannah she'd done real well, except her tones weren't quite hushed enough.When it came time for Dan to trade places and assume Hannah's job, he got to host a segment of The Early Show Tuesday with star chef Bobby Flay.
It was all about grilling techniques, and included several of Flay's favorite recipes and a menu filled with items that can be prepared on a grill, even fruit!
Dan got to test his skills on the grill. He seemed to know quite a bit about grilling.
As the segment wrapped up, Hannah told Dan he'd done an "awesome" job and, what's more, she kidded, "Now dinner is ready for tonight!"
BOBBY'S RECIPES
Perfect Grilled Filet Mignon with Balsamic-Herb Vinaigrette
Serves: 4
Balsamic Herb Vinaigrette
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1. Whisk together vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
2. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified and stir in the herbs.
4 filet mignon, 8-ounces each
1/2 cup Balsamic Herb Vinaigrette
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat grill to high.
2. Place steaks in a baking pan and pour ¼ cup of the vinaigrette over. Turn to coat with the vinaigrette.
3. Remove the steaks from the marinade and season with salt and pepper on both sides. 4. Place steaks on grill and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, about 2-3 minutes. 5. Flip over and continue grilling until cooked to medium-rare doneness, about 2-3 minutes longer.
6. Remove from the grill, drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Dressing
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise
1 lb asparagus, trimmed
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup pure olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette, above recipe
1/4 pound ricotta salata
Fresh parsley leaves
Finely chopped fresh chives
1. Heat grill to high. Brush all of the vegetables with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the peppers on the grill and cook until charred on all sides. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove skin and seeds from the peppers and cut into ½-inch thick slices, place on a platter.
2. Place the zucchini on the grill, flesh side down and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3-4 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking until just cooked through, 2-3 minutes longer. Remove and cut crosswise into ½-inch thick slices; place on the platter with the peppers.
3. Place the asparagus and tomatoes on the and grill for 3-4 minutes or until just cooked through; place on the platter with the zucchini and peppers. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the ricotta salata and more herbs.
Maple Glaze Grilled Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream & Macerated Blueberries
Serves: 4
1 pint blueberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into ½ inch thick slices
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Fresh mint sprigs, optional
1. Place blueberries in a bowl, add the sugar and stir to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then mash slightly with a fork.
2. Heat grill to high. Place pineapple on the grill and cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. 3. Flip over, brush with maple syrup and continue grilling for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate, top with a scoop of ice cream and some of the blueberries and garnish with fresh mint sprig.