Cooking Salon: Brie and Fig Appetizer

Turn up your sound, put your dancing shoes on, and enjoy this Cooking Salon!

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Brie and Fig Appetizer
1 pound brie
1 jar Fig Spread (World Market)
1 box crackers

While brie is still cold remove top rind. Place top back on, re-wrap brie and leave out until cheese is room temperature. When ready to serve remove top and place on decorative platter with fig spread and crackers. So smooth and creamy, watch it disappear!

Note- I hope you enjoyed the first of many ©Big Red Kitchen Cooking Salons. I coined the term ©Cooking Salon a few years ago when I wanted to teach cooking lessons in my home. I thought they would be themed lessons or Salons. A salon is "a regular gathering of distinguished guests." Sound familiar? This is the first of many Salons. These are much more fun than hosting one in my home as I don't have to run around cleaning my house top to bottom! I will be on vacation for a few days and will answer comments on Monday, so be sure to drop in and say hey anyway. Have a great weekend and I will virtually see you on Monday.

BTW- Just updated Blogs of the Month for August. Pop over and and see who I picked!

Robin Sue

GORP for Travel

Don't you just love it when little ones squat down? It think it is so cute. If I did that I would never get back up again. My friend Amy and I have been taking our children to Washington, DC these last two weeks. We live nearby so why not? The kids are enjoying the short Metro ride to the Mall, visiting the museums, eating ice cream, riding the carousel, and watching all the people in the park. The city is beautiful with its marble white buildings and historic monuments. I like the feel of the city, with its hustle and bustle. Below is a picture of the fountain just outside of the Art Museum. It is a wonderful fountain that folks can sit around and place their feet in the water. Some are there napping, while others are chatting with a friend, others enjoy the art work surrounding the fountain, it's nice, really nice. I love how the Washington Monument peaks out over the trees.


While on our little excursions, the kids are always hungry but I fail to lug snacks with me as it is just too much to carry. We treat them to ice cream or some other type of snack but I find that it is a sure fire way to blow the budget. My mom suggested that I bring popcorn which is a good idea due to its light in weight nature. But then I remembered my mother-in-law's GORP. She had made it for a trip we all made together to Cannon Beach, Oregon. We couldn't stop eating the stuff. We call it Gramma's GORP. GORP simply stands for good ole raisins and peanuts. The great thing about GORP is that the ingredients can be changed up to suit your needs. We have nut allergies so instead of nuts we can add more dried fruit or a second type of cereal for a different texture. My MIL sometimes uses whatever cereal she has left in the pantry, so that nothing goes to waste! GORP is a perfect snack for running around DC or anywhere else. Mix up a batch today for your next day trip, I know I will.


Gramma's GORP
One box Total cereal
1 cup chocolate, white, butterscotch, or peanut butter chips
1 cup raisins, I use dried cranberries
1 cup peanuts, may substitute another nut or cereal
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar

In a large (huge) bowl mix the dry ingredients, gently. Sprinkle with sugar and slowly drizzle the butter over the cereal mix. Roll up your sleeves and get in there! Gently mix the cereal mix until the sugar and butter are evenly distributed. Pour into an air-tight container to store. Remember you can make this according to your own tastes, this recipe is just the basic elements.

Epilogue- We visited the Sculpture Garden on the Mall and found the "Wish Tree." It was designed by Yoko Ono. The idea is to write your wish on the provided tags and tie them to the tree. My daughter, Littleness went right to work creating her wish. When Amy and I turned around she was almost done writing out her wish on the tag but was having trouble spelling "teacher". We helped her out and here is what she wrote. Click on the picture for a closer look. The "h" in "wish" is hiding behind the leaf. Littleness is five. We spent a long time at that tree reading the wishes. Some were for love, some for peace, some generous, while others selfish, many for new Legos, and some just beautiful. The wishes will be saved and later sent to the artist and compiled in a museum for many to view. If you could put a wish on that tree what would it be?

Robin Sue

About Big Red Kitchen

Big Red Kitchen was was developed as a living historical document comprised of my recipes and stories to bridge my past with my children's future. But it soon became more than that. BRK morphed into a virtual gathering place for friends, family, and others who share the desire for good food and the intimacy experienced when breaking bread as one.

I guess it would be nice if you knew a little bit about the girl behind BRK. My name is Robin Sue, because when it came time to name me, my parents had exhausted all options for a girl's name. Every time my mom suggested a name, my father would say, "no, I have a cousin named that and she has a lisp," or "no, I have a cousin named that and she is cross-eyed," or "no, I have a cousin named that and she has webbed toes." He did not have a cousin Robin. Sue is my aunt's middle name. I am half Italian, half Texan. I have a brother, Rob, the dude at Attifood with an attitude. I wonder why when they named Rob, dad didn't say, "no, we have a daughter named that?"

I have been married to Himself for 15 years and we have three very cute children. I am an avid reader, wannabe gardener, occasional traveller, and dabbling photographer. Other than being a full-time housewife, I enjoy being a very part-time Botany and Biology teacher because I marvel at God's creativity, diversity, attention to detail, color palette, and sense of humor. I do have a list of the things I want to do before I die but I can't find it nor can I remember anything on it, so I guess I am already living my dreams.

My philosophy on cooking and entertaining is this:
When it comes to cooking, it is not so much that one has to be good cook, it's more that one knows a good recipe from bad. It is better to master one thing and become known for it. Nothing is ever easy, ease is an effort as well. With food in one hand and drink in the other, tales are spun with reckless abandon. Perfection is pride stepping on your creativity. Paper plates are essential. Write "welcome" in the dust rather than waiting for a clean house to open your home. Laugh when your guest's child vomits on your couch because next month your child will pee on your girlfriend's sofa. When it all seems to be going wrong, just smile and nod.

Would You Like a Tour?
If you are new to my site, Welcome! Let me highlight some of the features. Blogs of the Month is a section of my blog devoted to food blogs I have chosen to shine some light on for the world to see how truly great they are. Standing Ovation! is my own little applause given to other food bloggers' recipes I have tried and liked. Then step in to my ©Cooking Salon, where you become a distinguished guest in my kitchen as I, your salonnière, cook up some simple and delicious dishes. My Recipe Box is a virtual place for all my recipes, all organized so nicely and neatly. Come on in and stay a while, make yourself at home, and subscribe if you like what you see here.

Regarding Comments:
I love the comments I get, in fact it's what keeps me going. I do encourage you, no, I respectfully ask you to leave a comment on any of my posts. I am a very social person and I love engaging with my readers. I think those of you who have commented have added so much to my posts and most of the time I am learning from you! I do prefer clean comments free of naughty words though!

New to Commenting?- Click on the word "Comments" at the bottom of the post (story). Type your comment then click on "Select Profile." Choose Anonymous if you do not have a Google Account or any other account (you can make one too if you want). If you want, you can type your name in your comment if you choose Anonymous. Once you have completed your comment, click "Post Comment." Very easy, no accounts, no passwords, right Ma? My mom comments using Anonymous all the time.

Robin Sue

Big Red Kitchen Gets a New Look

Well the poll is closed and the final vote was 17 to 14 in favor of the new header vs. the old. Many more readers made their opinion known through comments, email, phone calls, gossip, and mental telepathy in favor of the old header. Many felt that the old header spoke more about what this blog represented but really liked the quote in the new header. I listened. Did you hear that Ma? See the new old header above? It's the new Big Red Kitchen!

I have been updating a few things around here as well. My friend Rindy thought my mug should be on the About Page so that people could realign their preconceived notions of what I look like. Were your envisioning an angel maybe? Oh by the way, I don't always look that awful.

I have also have a new Navigation Bar up top to direct you around the site. A fairly new feature is Standing Ovation! That is when I try another food blogger's recipe and highlight it on my blog. Click on Standing Ovation! to see who received a Standing Ovation! Blogs of the Month is along the same line, I highlight food blogs I enjoy. Take a peak there as well. And if you are really bored and need a lift, you can click on the pretty frosted pink cake and see what I am doing throughout my day. Oh wait, that could depress you. If you want to banter about nothing with me, join Twitter.

Stay tuned, on Monday I will have a new About Page. Yup more info about your's truly. Some things may surprise you. It could be shocking. Everyone who knows me should shake in their shoes for what I may reveal.

PS- You gals at my Dad's office, thank you for voting I hope to hear from you soon.

Robin Sue

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This is one of my go to recipes when I want to serve an hors d'oeuvres that is hot and savory. I received this recipe from my sister-in-law, Tonya, my brother's wife. She does a fantastic job when planning menus for her gatherings. I based some of my rules on her example. I think you may be surprised that there is a packet of ranch dressing in this dip. Well let me be the first one to tell you that that one ingredient alone takes this dip over the top. This goes together quickly and is usually gone immediately. Bring it to your next cookout and come home empty-handed but full bellied.

When hosting a cocktail party that is centered around heavy hors d'oeuvres, I have created the following guidelines for myself:

10 Commandments of Hors d'oeuvres

1. Serve an odd number of hors d'oeuvres: 3,5, or 7.
2. 1-10 guests/3 types hors d'oeuvres, 11-20/5, 21-30/7, being sure to double and triple recipes if necessary.
3. Choose one of each: savory, sweet, spicy
4. Choose from a variety of hors d'oeuvres: canapes, wraps, rolls, spreads, dips, cheese flight, sushi, bruschetta, pastry, crudités, and crackers.
5. Choose one of each: hot, cold, room temp
6. Include fresh fruit and vegetables.
7. Have some vegetarian choices.
8. It must be something that can be eaten with one's hands and is not messy.
9. Be sure you have a way to keep hot things hot and cold things cold.
10. Be sure that many of the items can be made ahead of time.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1– 10 ounce package chopped spinach, drained well (squeeze as much liquid out as possible)
8 ounces sour cream
1 jar artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and chopped
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 package (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

In a microwave safe bowl mix all ingredients until well blended. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir well and microwave one more minute or until mixture is hot and cheeses are melted. Serve with long, soft French loaf, sliced. Serves 6.

Note- In addition to the hors d'oeuvres, I like to put a out a nice box of Godiva Chocolates or any other specialty box of chocolates. I open the box to display in the middle of the table on a lovely pedestal dish. A delicious centerpiece.

Ladyfingers Part 2: Blueberry Charlotte

And you thought I was making tiramisu with those lovely Ladyfingers I baked up in yesterday's post. No sir, it is blueberry season and what a lovely way to showcase these healthy, juicy, and very joy provoking berries. This is a show stopper, creamy and delectable. We were all mmm-ing while eating it. I got this recipe from my mom. You can take the easy way out and use blueberry filling from a can (inhale sharply) and purchased Ladyfingers. These products still produce a lovely dessert. I was feeling adventurous so I made my own blueberry filling and Ladyfingers. Or I have this attraction to messing up my kitchen.


You can bake the Ladyfingers ahead of time and store in an airtight container for a day or two, or they freeze well. The blueberry filling can also be done the day before. This dessert is best when assembled no longer than 6 hours before serving. You want it to chill at least that long to set. Any less than that and it may be too soft.



Blueberry Charlotte
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 pint heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 packages Ladyfingers, or 1 batch home baked
1 can blueberry pie filling, or recipe below

Whip cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until creamy. Set aside. Whip cream until very thick. Don't go too far or you will have butter! Add cream cheese mixture and blend until smooth. Line an 8 inch spring form pan with Ladyfingers, bottom and sides. Fill with cream cheese mixture then top with blueberry filling. Chill for 6 hours. Serves 10.

Blueberry Filling
4 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar
4 T. cornstarch
2 T. butter
juice and zest of one lemon
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. vanilla

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring first 6 ingredients to a simmer. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until filling becomes thick and glossy, stir in vanilla. Cool completely before topping cake.

Ladyfingers: Part 1

"Fetch me that Ottoman, and prithee keep your voice low, said the Emperor; and steep some lady's-fingers nice in Candy wine".

Those were the words of John Keats in his poem, 'The Cap and Bells.' I like Ladyfingers. They are delicate, pillowy, vanilla, and lightly sweet. I have had them crispy and spongy and I enjoy either one. The crispy version is wonderful to dip in hot tea and the spongy, perfect for all kinds of layered desserts. I remember my mom using ladyfingers in her desserts. They were the sponge kind. It wasn't until I moved to Europe that I had the crispy type and I was hooked. I think I ate a whole package myself the first time I purchased them. But I have never thought to make my own until now. A little search sent me to the Joy of Baking's web site for a wonderful version of this cookie. The instructions were precise and very detailed. They are a bit of work and I messed a few bowls and utensils, uttered a few "ughs", then turned out a beautiful, tender cookie. I did not get the stated 54. I produced 31. I think piping this type of thin batter takes some practice. The end result was wonderful. The ladyfingers added such a freshness to the dessert. The Joy of Baking is a wonderful site that I will have to spend more time studying.

One wonders what will become of this. Doth one?

Note- And you thought I was so smart quoting Keats. I'm a science geek, I bombed English Lit. I read that quote on Joy of Baking. I will now hang my head in shame.

Update- If you are visiting from Food Gawker, welcome! I'm Robin Sue, stay a while and look around. You can now view Part 2 of Ladyfingers and see the delicious Blueberry Charlotte that these Ladyfingers were used. If you like my blog go ahead and become a subscriber. You may also be interested in the following dessert posts:

Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Peanut Butter Bars
Grilled Saturn Peaches In Praline Sauce À La Mode
Push Pops
My Dulce de Leche Recipes

Who Has an Opinion?

Knowing that most people do not like change I still did it anyway. I needed a change. Changing seasons, wardrobes, and hairdos are a part of life and now so is my blog header. I stare at that cooktop many times per day and I wanted something else, something new and special, a different thing about Big RK that I enjoy. So I changed the header. Maybe it was too much too fast, done without warning, or a care to how you felt about it. The shame of it all. I need your help. Does the new header identify with the emotion, thoughts, and content of this blog? Do I sound needy? Am I whining too much. OK, I'll stop.

Here is the old header, the one you have visited since this blog was born. Sniffle. It is of my cooktop with all the tea and coffee things to the right and knives, salt and pepper to the left. The tea kettle is always in that one spot ready for tea. I feel that other than the kitchen table, the cooktop is were all the action takes place. At least the good action. If it were a picture of the sink, that would be bad action. Dishes. Shudder. Click on the pictures for a better look.


Below is the new header. The red drapes that hang in the BRK were designed by me and sewn by my mother-in-law. I love bees and Fleur De Lis, they seem so royal together. The pottery on the left is part of my Polish pottery collection. I have decorated my entire kitchen with it. I picked up most of the pieces on my jaunts to Poland while living in Germany. Each piece has a story to tell. Finally the quote, "a regular gathering of distinguished guests." That is the essence of my home, a gathering place for our distinguished guests. I feel that way about my blog too. When you visit the BRK, you are my most distinguished guest.


I have put a poll on my side bar so let me know your thoughts. Or just give constructive and gentle (please) criticism in the comments box.

If you have been visiting me a while, thank you, I appreciate your loyalty and comments, but have you subscribed to my RSS? It's right there on the side bar, go ahead, it will make you feel so much better. By doing so, you will be alerted when I make a new blog entry. If you are new to my blog, welcome. Come on in a sit a spell. If you like what you see, subscribe as well. What is RSS?

Thank you for letting me use you all today. Nothing like free labor. As Bartles and Jaymes used to say, "thank you for your support."

UPDATE- Although the poll results displayed the new header with a 3 point lead over the old header at close, I received emails, phone calls, and gossip that the old header was truly favored. I went back to the old with the new quote and font color. I like it. I like red and gold together, very nice. Thank you for voting and helping me define the feel of this site. Oh, you gals at Dad's office thanks for voting! Someday maybe I'll hear from you.

Hearts of Lettuce Salad

Isn't that picture dreamy? Doesn't it remind you of years gone by when we used to sit for hours after church on Sunday eating a wonderful supper and sipping lemonade then taking a long slow stroll. That's what we did yesterday. We had good friends over after church for just that. Eating. Sipping. Strolling. The above picture is of the children cooling off with a nice wade in the stream below our house. It was about a half a degree cooler down there.


Hearts of Lettuce Salad is an oldie but goodie. I had many of my older clients order this when I was a waitress so long ago. I had to laugh at the price of these simple salads too. Six bucks for a chunk of lettuce, iceberg no less! It is probably more now. This is a nice salad, a pretty salad. I like the tray of individual wedges and toppings. We joked with our friends and said that we were having a Wedgie Bar because everyone loves a good wedgie. Do you have friends whom you can be silly? Well the wedgies were a hit and I really liked these with my homemade Ranch Dressing, bacon, hard boiled eggs, shredded cheese, and tomatoes. I think everyone liked picking out their own wedgies.


I also served Rotisserie Roast Beef Sandwiches, a platter of watermelon, and my Easy Mac and Cheese. Oh and lemonade and limeade too.



Keep your eye on the cute little girl in pink. She is mine as well as the two toe-headed boys.


Do you think Diddle Boppus had to go potty or was she just lifting her shorts up to prevent them from getting wet?






You decide....


I have a list of things my children will never do. I think we all have (had) those lists. I will never have a child who picks their nose in public. Cross off. I will never have a child misbehave in a restaurant. Cross off. I will never have a child who has temper tantrums. Have two. Cross off. I will never have a child who holds their privates, especially in public, when they have to go potty. Cross off. Tear up list and just, well, surrender and laugh.

Epilogue- Diddle Boppus did "fall" in at one point but we will never know if it was a true fall or if she left a small donation to Wolftrap Creek. Or maybe she just had a Wedgie....Smile.

I will never have a child who picks their wedgies in public. Cross off. Give it up already.

Standing Ovation! Kung Pao Chicken

Imust say that I have times when I am craving Chinese food. I get on these kicks that I have to have Chinese food NOW! The problem is, it is very hard to find decent Chinese around here, not the people, the food. The people are fine, it is the food that is the problem. Too greasy, too bland, to dry, to MSG-ish. You see my dilemma don't you? Or how about this one: too inconsistent. I will finally find a place that is very tasty then go back and have the worst meal of my life. I guess they do not follow the recipes to a tee.


My Dad is an engineer and had the pleasure of working with many nationalities, so I must say we ate well. The dinner parties were grand to say the least. And there was my Mom in all those ethnic kitchens making mental notes as she watched the ladies cook and answer her many questions. She collected some really nice recipes along the way. I have taken a liking to Kung Pao Chicken but she does not have a recipe for that one. I was on my own. Low and behold the other day I was looking through all the food galleries and came across Bobby's Kung Pao Chicken from blogchef.net and I have to say it is a really nice recipe. It was quick, tasty, juicy, and everything a Kung Pao should be. The beauty of stir-fry is that you can adjust the recipe to your own tastes. I only tweaked his recipe a little as I did add some more red pepper flakes, I like it to clear my sinuses, and increased the peanuts to 1/2 cup because I want a peanut or two in every bite. Love that crunch. He also stated that one could add some vegetables so I added some big wedges of vidalia onion. This dish served over a bed of rice wins a Standing Ovation! Thanks Bobby for filling my Kung Pao Chicken void.

Be on the lookout, your blog could be next!


PS- If you know of any good Chinese restaurants in the DC Metro area let me know so I can support my Chinese Food addiction. Oh our Dim Sum place closed too, so if you know of one give me a shout.

Rogel de Dulce de Leche

Itook the kids to one of our favorite hangouts; Lake Anne. Going there is like a trip back in time. It is a very retro 1970's village in the middle of Reston, VA. There are restaurants, an old-fashioned pharmacy with lunch counter (run by an El Salvadoran family who make the best Pupusas ever- I had the rubueltas, the kids, ice cream cones), a used book store, some thrift shops, a chocolate shop, coffee shop, and the best of all is the chlorinated fountain that children are allowed to play. When we go we usually hit the book shop first. I could spend hours in there but not this day, the kids were restless. But while I was in there I parked myself in the cookbook section. They have some treasures that's for sure. I am a sucker for old cookbooks, especially any Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks before 1960. I have a few from the 50's all on various topics: salads, kids food, quick dinners. On this day I was looking through a book on South American Cuisine that was full of so many pretty pictures, then low and behold, I saw it. This cake. I was in love. I am crazy for layered desserts. In the past I made a beautiful and delicious Mille Crêpes Cake which I posted about at attifood.com. When I saw this cake I knew that I must try it. Dulce de leche is layered between crispy cracker-like wafers then topped with Italian meringue. This cake is beautiful, very unique, and delicious.

This recipe is famous in Argentina so I had a bit of a time trying to figure a few things out. The recipe calls for 1/2 T. 96% alcohol. I did not know if that was a flavoring or an item that does something magical to the dough. The closest thing I had to that level of alcohol content was Rum 151. So I used that. After a bit of research I found a recipe that called for Sambuca. Darn, that would have been good, although my dough was very tasty indeed. All the measurements are in metric, the only thing I did translate for you is the temperatures. This recipe works well if you have a kitchen scale. If you want to be a good baker you should invest in a scale anyway. The picture in the book was a close up of the layers so I did not know how to frost the cake. I feel like I blew it in a way by frosting the sides because my research, done too late, showed cakes with the meringue only on top. Some Rogels were simply dusted with icing sugar. C'est la vie. Either way, this cake is very dressy and sophisticated. Oh, I also learned another name for dulce de leche, milk jam. Cute.


Rogel de dulce de leche
For the Dough:
200g flour
1 T. sugar
4 egg yolks
1 egg
1/2 T. 96% alcohol, I used Rum 151, can use Sambuca or Grand Marnier would be nice
25g butter, softened

One can Dulce de leche

For Italian Meringue:
4 egg whites
250g sugar
6 T. water
1 t. vanilla

Place the all the ingredients for the dough in a food processor and pulse until the blade chases a ball of dough. There may be some crumbles that remain. Remove dough from processor and form into a large ball, kneading a couple of times to incorporate all the pieces. Divide into 8 smaller balls, about 45g each. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Now, roll out the balls into 6 inch circles that will be very thin. Poke with fork and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes on each side or until disk is completely dry, do not over cook. Cool on racks.

To make the meringue, place the sugar and water in a small sauce pan and heat to 248° or until a thick clear syrup has formed. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and add the hot syrup while running the mixer on high. Add vanilla and continue beating until mixture cools, about 10 minutes. Assemble cake by gently spreading about 2 T. dulce de leche on 7 of the disks. Place a small amount of dulce de leche on your cake dish to "glue" the first disk. Stack the disks, dulce de leche side up ending with the plain disk. Pile the meringue on top of cake then work small amounts down the sides of cake sealing the disks. Decorate if desired. I simply used a single mint sprig. The cake will be 6 inches wide and 4 inches tall. The original recipe states that it feeds 4 but I say it serves 8, it is very rich.


Note- To cut this cake, take a pointed, sharp serrated knife and stab it through the center of the cake. Gently saw, holding the knife vertically toward the edge of the cake. Be sure you have cut the final layer before removing the slice.


Note- The Origami Bird was done by my son Mr. Doots. He thought it would look nice with the fancy cake that Momma made.

In Remembrance of Leanne Sasso Lusso
2/26/71 - 7/17/06
Miss you cousin.

Leftover Ice Cream Cake

As if there would be leftovers! Pah. We are an Ice Cream Cake family. When I was little, my Mom would make one big birthday cake for my brother and I as our birthdays are only three days apart. We always requested an Ice Cream Cake. So now that we have our own children she makes them one as well. In December we have five birthdays to celebrate, meaning five names piped in icing across the cake. Two of my own children are Christmas babies, 24th and 27th. I know.


So now we have this honkin' huge Ice Cream Cake box with only half a cake left taking up the freezer. What to do? What to do? Here are three possibilities, which by the way are perfect for Summertime:

1. Cut entire cake up into individual pieces, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in zip-top freezer bags, in the freezer of course. Take out what you need at least 10 minutes before serving and viola! Another party.

2. This one is hysterical. It comes from my friend Joyce, she is a very clever girl. Her son had just had his birthday party and she was sick of this cake, and its monstrous box, taking up her freezer so she dumped the rest in the blender added a little milk and wingo, popsicles. Brilliant! I just put my leftovers in a bowl, added a little milk to thin out and mashed with a fork. Spooned into cups, implanted stick, froze and enjoyed. My kids loved these pops. They said that each bite had a different flavor, some with frosting, some with cake, and ice cream throughout. Remember Dreyer's Take the Cake, same concept and way cheaper than visiting a Cold Stone Creamery. That Joyce she's a genius.

3. Sometimes the kids have a hard time eating Ice Cream Cake. It is hard to poke with a fork, it flies off the plate if they cut it with the fork, or they eat it too slowly and it gets soupy. So with leftovers, I cut into 1 inch by 2 inch pieces, skewer with a wooden skewer, refreeze until hard, wrap individually, and store in zip-top freezer bags. The kids say that this is a great way to eat this cake, plus they can eat all the icing off more easily. Kids.

Note- This is a homemade Ice Cream Cake by yours truly. These are easy to make. Bake cake, cool completely, cut in half, slice each half open, spread three of the slices with softened ice cream, stack on top of each other ending with the plain slice of cake, freeze until firm, frost, decorate, freeze again. This is the frosting I used. I baked an 8x8 inch cake and it ended up becoming a beautiful 5x9 inch loaf that was about 6 inches tall. No big rules with this one, just have a good ole time. But work quickly.

Grilled Saturn Peaches In Praline Sauce À La Mode

When I had my parents over last week, I wanted to serve a dessert that screamed Summer. It also had to be simple and delicious. Ice cream is always a simple and welcomed dessert especially when it is accompanied by a gooey sauce and some seasonal fruit. The Saturn Peaches are out in abundance and incredibly flavorful and juicy so they were the perfect choice. This Praline Sauce is my secret weapon. Is it pronounced Praw-lin. Or Pray-leen? Anyway, it will have you licking the bowl and anything else it touches. Spoon, finger, countertop...


To grill the peaches simply wash, core, slice in half, brush with oil, sprinkle with brown sugar, and grill skin side down first then flip. It only takes a minute per side. Be sure your grill is greased and your exhaust fan is on if you are doing this inside. Caramelized sugar equals smoke. Outside no worries. Here they are. Beauties ain't they. I know ain't ain't a word. It's Texas talk. Learned it from my Dad.


Praline Sauce
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup Buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons Light corn syrup
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 cup Coarsely chopped pecans

Combine the sugars, buttermilk, butter, syrup, and baking soda in a heavy saucepan. Bring to the boiling point, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and nuts. Cool completely before serving. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.


PS- This Thursday, July 17th is National Peach Ice Cream Day. So grab your canvas bags and hit the markets for all the makings of this recipe to celebrate in flavor.

Dig Deep

You remember this picture from Friday, don't you? It's Monday and I promised the answer to the UFO. Just a little longer, let me talk first. I got this recipe from my old roommate, Sara. I met Sara in 1990 at Deborah Heart and Lung Center in NJ. We were both going through the ICU preceptor program, she SICU and I MICU. We happened to live next door to each other in the Nursing Quarters behind the hospital as well. Those were the cutest little studio apartments. It was a greatroom which included a small kitchen with an Easy Bake oven, no lie, it was about that big, a walk-in closet, and large bathroom. Perfect for a single nurses who worked 12 hour night shifts.

Sara and I became great friends, she was even my maid of honor! When my folks moved out to California, Sara's family adopted me and I spent many Sunday afternoons at her folks' house. Sara had 7 other brothers and sisters so it was a full house with them and the grandchildren. The best though were the feasts. Her family could cook some amazing foods. And that is how I got this recipe. It is called Dig Deep.


Some of you may know it as Seven Layer Salad but Sara's family called it Dig Deep because when her mother made it, she layered it all in a huge and very deep lasagna pan. Hence the name Dig Deep because we had to dig deep if we were going to get to the lettuce. Plus it is just fun to say. Dig Deep, Dig Deep, Dig Deep.


I thought it would be interesting to layer the ingredients in individual cups, just for the wow factor of course. I loved it this way. Very pretty on a tray. The great thing about this salad is that it can be made ahead, even up to 8 hours, so that the flavors will marry. Romantic huh? Either way this salad is delicious and beautiful.






Dig Deep Salad
One head Romaine, not just the heart
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
frozen baby peas
shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp
3 hard boiled eggs

Dressing:
One heaping cup mayonnaise
2 t. white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sugar
pinch kosher salt

Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Wash and spin very dry. In 6- 9 ounce plastic cups fill halfway up with lettuce. Press lettuce down firmly until the cup is filled halfway, don't worry it will bounce back when turned over. Now layer the following items in this order being sure that you can see the items in each layer and tamping down each layer firmly before adding the next ingredient. Also be sure that there is at least 1/2 inch head space for the dressing, so tamp hard!

1 T. red onion
2 T. peas- I did not defrost
2 T. cheddar cheese
one piece bacon crumbled
1/2 hard boiled egg chopped

For the dressing; mix the ingredients for dressing well and divide evenly over the 6 salads. Be sure to spread the dressing to the edge of each cup. Top with dried cranberries, nuts, seeds, or what ever else you think is pretty. To eat, either Dig Deep! Or turnover on to plate as shown above. Enjoy. This can also be layered in a small glass casserole dish. Serves 6.

Company Pork Tenderloin

My folks came over for dinner the other night. It is nice to have them over for dinner, they had me over for dinner many years. I wanted to make something special and I have been saving this recipe just for that purpose. Although we get together most Sunday nights with them and my brother's family, this was more formal. I actually called Mom, set the date and time, and ended the phone call with, "OK, I'll see you tomorrow night at 6:30." Yes very proper of me.


We dined on this Pork Tenderloin recipe, Crash Hot Potatoes from The Pioneer Woman, bread, and something else. Everyone loved the dinner. Mom said that this Tenderloin was her new favorite tenderloin. Have you ever had Pork Tenderloin rubbed with cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon. No? I didn't think so. How about that same rubbed tenderloin topped with spicy, garlicky brown sugar that forms a delectable crispy crust while roasting? I didn't think so either. Well now you can. Try it this weekend and wow all your family and friends.

While eating, my Dad just sat there and "moo'd." That's what my Mom calls it when Dad is eating and saying, "Mmmm, mmmm, MMMM!" I call it "mmmm'ing" but she calls it "moo'ing." The dinner was fantastic as well as the company, especially when the company does all the dishes. I'll make this meal again and probably invite those people again too.

Now look a this picture below. What on earth is that thing at the bottom of the picture. A UFO? Unidentified Food Object. Hmmm. Any guesses? Stay tuned for the answer on Monday. Ma and Dad don't let the answer slip. Or you either, Himself. It's a cliff-hanger...hanger...hanger...


Oh look more aliens. Naw, these are what the kids ate for dessert while the adults ate.....another blog mystery. These are Orange Sherbert/Vanilla Ice Cream Push Pops with a gum ball at the bottom because, by golly, that's how I got them from the ice cream man when I was a little girl. There is no ice cream man in my parts so I make these for my little ones. Oh the memories.


This is what happened to Littleness' gum ball. She is 5 and reads at the 2nd grade level and got in line twice when God was giving out curiosity. "I don't know how it got there" was her first response but then I got this out of her, "I did it on pupose (she can't say her "r's"), I wanted to see what would happen." A 15 minute spa session with blobs of peanut butter, enduring mom laughing while grabbing the camera, and a bath in the afternoon is what happened.


She's a doll though.

Standing Ovations! Carne en Palito

I have recently begun to write about recipes I have tried from other Food Blogs. I am now dubbing them Standing Ovations! You can see BRK's Recipe Index on my side bar for the Standing Ovations! I have posted in the past and have now properly tagged them as SO's! This week I am featuring some recipes from Laylita's Recipes. Layla has a beautiful blog highlighting her Ecuadorian heritage and the wonderful dishes she grew up eating. Lucky us. If you haven't been to her site, you must. I am getting quite an education in Ecuadorian cuisine and life. By making her recipes, I feel I have travelled far from my kitchen to sample some wonderful new foods. For this meal I made her Carne en Palito which was a huge hit with my entire family. They devoured these thinly sliced, tender strips of beef on a stick. The flavor was fantastic. I chose to try two of her sauces to serve with this meal. The Balsamic Chimichurri Sauce and her Salsa de Mani which is one of the best peanut sauces I have ever had. Both of these sauces went perfectly with this meal and both were so different from each other it is hard to pick which one I liked best, so I won't.


I served this meal with my Great Grandmother's style of making French Fries, very thin and very salted, I call them Potato Sticks. See my notes on French Fry making. The sauces were a great accompaniment to the Potato Sticks as well. This meal hit a big home run at our house, it was almost as good as the Grand Slam Home Run we saw the other night at the Bowie Baysox game. In that one play, they edged out the Erie Seawolves for the victory, sorry j*amy! Stay tuned for some more Standing Ovations! Your blog could be next.


Thanks Layla for your fantastic recipes! I give you a Standing Ovation!

Dulce de Leche Pie

Another good reason to keep a can of dulce de leche on hand. This recipe is from my sister-in-law, Donna. She lives way over on the other side of the country from me in Washington State. But she can still send some of the best recipes my way. She'll call me and say, "You-have-GOT-to-make-this-new-recipe-I-tried!" The fun thing is, I rarely have to write these recipes down as she is explaining them to me, they are that simple but pack a tasty punch. This pie is one of those really simple and extremely delicious and elegant recipes. Beware as this pie will feed about a hundred people as it is so rich that you will only need slivers. Just a sliv is what we say in our house, just a sliv.



Dulce de Leche Pie
one prepared Oreo crust
one can dulce de leche
2 cups heavy cream whipped with 1 t. vanilla and 2 T. powdered sugar
8 mini Heath Bars, crushed

Gently and evenly spread dulce de leche on the bottom of the pie crust. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with Heath Bars. Serves 8-10. Very rich and luscious!

Three Day Chicken

We don't know the right name for this chicken, I just know that it is good and worth the three days it takes to marinate. My cousin, Maryanne is a tremendous cook. She lives in Revere, MA on the same street as her parents and my other auntie and uncle. I have known Emmanuel Street and its people all my life. Saint Anthony's bells toll daily and the most welcome ring is at five o'clock, when the aromas of cooking waft through the streets calling all the kids home for dinner. Maryanne just got me hooked on a little Italian paper called The Boston Post-Gazette. She has me reading John Christoforo's column called Nanna and Babbononno and Vita's Recipes from the Homeland. Some of these articles remind me of the stories my family told me about my own Italian grandparents. So if you are of the Italian heritage give these a read.

The cookouts that my Auntie Josie put on were ridiculous with food. She put it all out there. Salads, all kinds of meats, appetizers, vegetables, desserts including Italian pastries, and the good bread. Maryanne and her parents, Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Mary would come down with a pan of Maryanne's famous chicken wings. These juicy wings are scrumptious and a big hit at all the cookouts.

I called her the other day to get the recipe because I remembered these wings and wanted some now! Then she told me she marinated them three days, I would have to wait. My hubby isn't a big fan of wings as it is little meat and a lot of mess to eat, so I used boneless thighs which worked out just dandy. I have to warn you that these are good but my family likes this type of dish on the sweeter side and this is a more savory chicken. Next time I make this I will have to add a little brown sugar for their tastes. I will make mine separate! This is a very tender and flavorful chicken.

Three Day Chicken
3-4 pounds wings, drumettes, or thighs, whatever your mood
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. fresh ginger, crushed
3 T. whisky, I used Jack Daniels
few pinches fresh black pepper

In a large bowl mix the marinade and add chicken. Cover and let marinate for three days, stirring once per day. When ready to cook. Preheat oven to 425°. Line a pan with sides with foil and place chicken, discarding the marinade. Bake for 18 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 170°. I am finding that a thermometer is crucial in cooking meats as it helps me avoid over cooking. Serves 6-12 depending on the cut of chicken you used.



Note- I am hooked on fried plantains ever since I have been getting the best Cuban chicken at a little place in Arlington called Caribbean Grill. They have the best of everything there. Cuban rice and beans, spinach, plantains, and fried yucca. The sauces are killer. It is cash only, so hit the ATM before visiting.