Royal Wedding Week: Bacon Butties

Look up there on my Navbar, my Cooking Salon is now taking reservations!

Because Prince Harry ordered Bacon Butties to be served at the close of the huge Wedding Bash in the wee hours Saturday morning, he should be King. I find Harry more interesting than all the Royals rolled into one. He is a naughty boy, but always the life of the party. Bacon Butties are the cousin to our BLT's which I love but find the Butties a nice alternative. I mean who can deny crispy bacon, thick sliced country bread, and slabs of butter? Some like it with brown sauce or HP sauce, I like mine with just the butter thank you very much. Rumor has it that a Bacon Butty is a sure fire way to cure a hangover, so if you drink too many pints or Royal Engagement Ring Bubblies, practice the Butty System, it will keep you safe.

Bacon Butties
Thickly sliced country bread
3-4 crispy pieces of bacon per sandwich
butter

Spread bread with butter, top with hot crispy bacon, and the second slice of bread. Serve with HP or brown sauce if you want.

Missed Something?
Royal Engagement Ring Bubbly
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
New Classic Cream Scones

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Royal Wedding Week: Classic Cream Scones My Way

You know what's coming don't you? Yup, Shortcut Queen strikes again. Well it is Royal Wedding Week and while others may call me lazy, I have dubbed myself the Shortcut Queen. Do you remember the Pool of Butter Biscuits I made on here a few months ago? I took that same concept and applied it to my Ma's Classic Cream Scones recipe. Cooking with me is like playing "Name That Tune." I can make that recipe in 7 steps, but Robin Sue can do it in 3. And I must say, "wow!" These scones came out light and fluffy with a fantastic crispy crust on the bottom. Not the typical dried out, crumbly scone you are used to from your Auntie Eleanor, but more like a cake that tastes like a scone. Cakone. Sconake. Sconke. Eh, we'll let the Queen decide.

New Classic Cream Scones
2 cups cake flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 stick butter
1 T. sparkling sugar

In a large mixing bowl mix the first 6 ingredients until they just come together, do not over mix. Meanwhile melt butter in the bottom of an 8 inch round baking pan while the oven is preheating to 400 degrees. As soon as the butter is melted, remove from oven and pour scone batter over top of butter and shake the pan to be sure it does not stick. Spread the batter to the edge of the pan (I used my fingers). Be sure the butter overflows over the batter and sprinkle with sparking sugar. Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 6 or 8 even wedges. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven, run a knife around the edges and flip onto a plate, then over again onto another plate so the top is facing upwards. Serve warm with jelly, jam, or berries, and fresh whipped cream, clotted cream, or butter. Serves 6-8.

Missed Something?
Royal Engagement Ring Bubbly
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

Tomorrow for Royal Wedding Week: Bacon Butties, because Prince Harry says so.

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Royal Wedding Week: Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

What do you get when you discover three ideas and combine them? The perfect Egg Salad Sandwich. Other than the Cucumber Tea Sandwich, I really enjoy a good Egg Salad Tea Sandwich. I have had some really good ones and I have had some very horrendous ones. But after discovering these three ideas from other blogs, I have come up with my favorite Egg Salad.

1. Cathy of Noble Pig introduced me to scrambling the eggs for egg salad instead of hard-boiling. Score! No boiling, icing, peeling, or chopping.

2. The Kitchn ran a post on how to make the most creamiest of all scrambled eggs. So the time I saved in not hard-boiling the eggs just went to the long process of making a low and slow scrambled egg. But very much worth it as it is the best and only way I will eat scrambled eggs now.

3. Nick at Serious Eat ran a post for the most delicious Egg Salad I have ever had. I made a few changes such as using tarragon vinegar in place of white wine vinegar.

There! Egg Salad fit for the Queen of England Herself.



Big Red Kitchen's Favorite Egg Salad
6 large eggs
2 T. heavy cream
2 T. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
2 T. mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp tarragon vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh chives, thinly sliced
unsalted softened butter for spreading
16 slices very thin bread

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Meanwhile scramble eggs with cream, salt, and pepper. Pour into melted butter and turn heat on low. While continuously stirring the eggs, cook until creamy. When they are done they will look like wet cottage cheese. About 15-20 minutes. Worth it I tell ya! Let cool completely and add the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard and chives. Stir well. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Spread the inside of each slice of bread with softened butter, and then one slice with the egg mixture. Top with the other slice of buttered bread and cut off crusts and cut in half. Store in an air-tight container layered between damp paper towels and chill until ready to serve. Makes 16 halves- using Pepperidge Farm's Very Thin Bread.

For more information about making the best Tea Sandwiches, storage, amount for entertaining, and the best bread, please read yesterday's post: Cucumber Tea Sandwiches.

Don't forget to toast the new couple with Royal Engagement Ring Bubbly.

These dainty little sandwiches are also perfect for bridal and baby showers!

Tomorrow in BRK for Royal Wedding Week: Classic Cream Scones my way.

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Royal Wedding Week: Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

There are so many places around my way offering Royal High Teas this week to help celebrate the Royal Wedding. I am going to stay home and watch it in the comfort of my own home while wearing my jammies. It will be quite early. I should have a good British style breakfast but I thought dainty sandwiches would be easier to digest so early in the day, plus I can make them the night before and pull them out when Daelyn and I get hungry.

Before we talk Tea Sandwiches, we must talk about the four items that make tea sandwiches a success.

1. Thin, fresh bread.
2. Fillings done right. Not too soggy.
3. Buttering the inside of each piece of bread.
4. Proper storage of tea sandwiches.


Firstly, for a nice and proper tea sandwich, the bread must be fresh, moist, and thin. Fresh and moist are easy, you can either make it or purchase your favorite brand but thin is another story. To get thin bread, you can purchase it already sliced very thin or you can cut it yourself using a Slice-a-Slice if you are lucky enough to find one on Ebay or your grandmother's attic. But another easy way is to roll over it a few times with your rolling pin or a wine bottle just enough to deflate it a bit.


Secondly, for a Cucumber Tea Sandwiches to be right, you have to drain the cukes by laying them on a few layers of paper towels or tea towels and sprinkling them with a few pinches of salt. You do not want the fillings to be super soggy, or your sandwiches will be soggy.


Numero Three. Butter the bread. The butter is a nice barrier to keep the fillings from getting the bread soggy.

And lastly. Store the tea sandwiches in an air-tight container between layers of damp paper towels. Store the sandwiches in your refrigerator until ready to use. I like my tea sandwiches to be made ahead of time so that the flavors marry well. I have even made them the night before and they are perfect for tea the next day. I like my tea sandwiches served chilled but you may serve them at room temperature if you would like, but make sure to keep them sealed up until ready to eat.

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
1 English or seedless cucumber peeled and thinly sliced
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 stick of unsalted soft butter
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1/2 tsp dill weed
14 slices very thin, fresh bread

Drain the cukes by laying them on a few layers of paper towels or tea towels and sprinkling them with a few pinches of salt. Let set about 30 minutes and pat the tops with another towel. Meanwhile mix the cream cheese with the dill weed and add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Spread one side of each piece of bread with a thin layer of butter then with a layer of the cream cheese mixture. Top one of the slices with the cucumber slices, all slightly overlapping and top with the other piece of bread. Cut the crusts off using a gentle sawing motion with a bread knife. Cut in half or fourths depending on the size sandwich desired.

When planning a tea and trying to figure out how many sandwich halves per person, I have seen numbers all over the place. Of course it will depend on the variety of sandwiches offered, the amount of other dishes served, and the time of day. I have usually gone with 6 halves per person. That sounds like a lot but depending on the size of your bread, the sandwiches can be quite small and I would rather have leftovers than run out.

Yesterday's Post: Royal Engagement Ring Bubbly

These little sandwiches are also perfect for bridal and baby showers!

Tomorrow for Royal Wedding Week in BRK: Egg Salad Sandwiches fit for a Queen!

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Royal Wedding Week: Royal Engagement Ring Bubbly

I know, I know. Some of you are probably rolling your eyes and could care less about the Royal Wedding, but I am a romantic at heart. Doesn't every little girl dream of being a princess (or a rock star?) I did. Thirty years ago I remember getting up very early so not to miss a minute of Princess Di's wedding. On Friday I will wake my little Princess Daelyn at 4 or 5 am to see Kate and William's Wedding. I have already enjoyed explaining the British Royalty to my three children and they seem fascinated by it all. Since I enjoy a little bling in my life, I created this drink to look like Lady Di's/Kate's engagement ring. So while little Dae and I curl up on the couch to watch the Wedding of the Century we will sip these bubbly drinks- the grape juice version, eat some tea sandwiches, along with scones with cream and jam. And don't forget the tea! We will be downing plenty of tea. Pinkies out. Clink.


Royal Engagement Ring Bubbly
Wilton's White Sparkling Sugar- from Michael's
Wilton's Silver Pearlized Sugar- from Michael's
Chilled White Sparkling Grape juice or (Champagne or Cava for adults)
Neon Blue Food Dye
Lemon wedge

Mix four parts white sugar with one part silver sugar. Place in a shallow dish. Rim each glass with a lemon wedge and dip in sugar. Pour white sparkling grape juice or champagne in each glass. Place a drop of blue dye in each glass and stir gently with a stirrer. Serve immediately.

Tomorrow for Royal Wedding Week in BRK: Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Rice Krispies Treats "Biscotti"

I found this fabulous idea to make Rice Krispies Treats into "Biscotti" shaped cookies from my friend Amy over at Dinners for a Year and Beyond. Amy makes her Rice Krispie Biscotti dipped in semi-sweet chocolate for a perfect pairing with a cuppa coffee, and just the right size for an after school treat. (Go see!) I took her idea and changed it up a bit for Easter treats to share with friends and neighbors. Amy's site is loaded with the delicious meals she makes for her clients. I keep hoping she will move down here to Virginia to be my Personal Chef.


Begin. First things first, you must make a double batch of Rice Krispie Treats. I added a twist by browing the butter to give a nice nutty taste to the Treats. Then spread the entire batch over lightly greased parchment paper and press it into a 25 inch by 7 inch loaf, shaped just like giant biscotti. Be sure to press the treats until they are quite dense. I whacked mine several times with my palms. Felt good.


Once the biscotti are cooled, using a sharp knife, cut a little off the ends then cut every inch. You will get 24 biscotti treats.


Melt Wilton's Colorburst Pastels Candy Melts according to package directions. Pour the melted Melts into a tall narrow juice cup and dip each treat until about 1/4 is covered in the coating. As you pull each treat out of the candy coating, scrape the bottom along the top of the cup to remove any excess.


Sprinkle with your favorite Springtime sprinkles and let set.


Once set, wrap each "Biscotti" in a cellophane bag and secure with a twisty tie. Tie each with a curling ribbon and share with friends and family.


Have a little Candy Coating left? Dip some broken pretzel pieces and bag 'em up too. Some lucky person with receive the best salty-sweet treat ever!

Rice Krispies Treats "Biscotti"
1 stick butter
2- 10 ounce bags large marshmallow
12 cups crispie rice cereal

In a large pot brown butter over med-high heat. Stay close so it down not burn. You want it to be a warm brown color. Add marshmallow and stir until smooth. Add cereal and gently fold until the cereal is coated with marshmallow. Then spread the entire batch over lightly greased parchment paper and press into a 25 inch by 7 inch loaf, shaped just like giant biscotti. Be sure to press the treats until they are quite dense. I whacked mine several times with my palms. Once the biscotti are cooled, using a sharp knife, cut a little off the ends then cut every inch. You will get 24 biscotti treats.

To Decorate
2 packages Wilton's Colorburst Pastels Candy Melts
sprinkles
24 Cellophane bags and twisty ties
curling ribbon

Melt Wilton's Colorburst Pastels Candy Melts according to package directions. Pour the melted Melts into a tall narrow juice cup and dip each treat until about 1/4 is covered in the coating. As you pull each treat out of the candy coating, scrape the bottom along the top of the cup to remove any excess. Sprinkle with your favorite Springtime sprinkles and let set. Once set, wrap each "Biscotti" in a cellophane bag and secure with a twisty tie. Tie each with a curling ribbon and share with friends and family.

***Now I know "Biscotti" means twice baked and one of you smartie pants are going to pick on me for calling these "Biscotti" when really no oven was harmed in the making of these treats.

How I do an Easter Egg Hunt.


He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Pizza and Wings Part II: Buffalo Wing Meatballs

I worked in Pizza Hut long before wings were on any pizza parlor's radar, but whoever invented not only Buffalo Wings but that they should be served with pizza deserves a medal or a parade. I mean, as long as I am getting all messy digging into pizza, I may as well add a few napkins to the party and eat some wings. I like my wings with celery to put out the fire and blue cheese dressing for some tang. My kids like ranch dressing. Sillies. What do they know?

This recipe was pretty simple to create since Buffalo Wings have one major flavor- Buffalo Wing Sauce. I tossed in Blue Cheese crumbles for some tang and chopped celery for crunch. Funny thing was, after I made them my friend Sheila reminded me that she had made them too and the recipe was on her blog, Alice and the Mock Turtle. Wish I had remembered that, I would have been able to go to bed much earlier. So now you get two versions! Go see her Buffalo Turkey Meatballs- she mixes the Buffalo Wing Sauce with butter. Swoon.

Buffalo Wing Meatballs
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound 80/20 ground beef- ground chicken needs a little fat (and flavor)
3 slices fresh bread, crumbled
2 eggs
3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce, I used Texas Pete's
3/4 cup celery, finely diced

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well. Form into 1 inch balls (these are a bit gooey) and bake in 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Makes about 30 meatballs. Remove from oven and brush with more sauce. Place three on a wooden skewer and freeze on a tray. Once frozen, wrap in waxed paper and store in zip topped bags with small cups of Buffalo Wing Sauce and ranch or blue cheese dressing. Pack 1-2 skewers and sauce containers in each lunchbox along with some fresh fruit and veggies and maybe a homemade cookie too. I tell my kids to reheat for about 30 seconds in the microwave since they are defrosted by lunchtime.

Yesturday's Post- Pizza and Wings Part I: Pizza Meatballs

Need more in your freezer?
Cheeseburgers
Chicken Sandwiches
Lasagna Purses
Pizza Burgers
Pizza Meatballs
Breakfast Cones


What other favorite foods would you like to see in meatball form?

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Pizza and Wings Part 1: Pizza Meatballs

Did I ever tell you that I was a waitress at Pizza Hut for a few years during college? No? Well I was. At what was probably the busiest Pizza Hut in all of South Jersey was where I first learned to move faster than any other waitressing job I had ever had. That very first summer and only fresh out of training, HQ came out with this brilliant plan that we were to get Personal Pan Pizzas out to the customers within 5 minutes or their pizza was free. We slammed a stopwatch down on the table, ran to place the order, sloshed drinks all over the place, and finally got their pizzas to them, all the while taking more orders and racing some more. What HQ forgot was that we wanted good tips, because everyone knows 10% on a $5 Check is worth slaving for, and to get those good tips, we dashed to get the food out to our customers while neglecting the all-you-can-eat-salad bar which was emptied in 30 seconds flat upon opening. No waitress wanted to leave her station to refill a stupid salad bar. We fought, yelled, customers stormed out, and when it was all said in done, that $4.38 jingling in my apron after 2 hours of H-E-Double Toothpick, felt mighty fine. HQ called it all off after 2 weeks. Smart.


Now that I am all grown up, I will occasionally order Pizza and Wings to be delivered so that I can take a break from cooking. I love the combination of the spicy wings and cheesy, gooey pizza. That got me to thinking that they would make great flavors for meatballs. On sticks. For my kids lunches.


First up, Pizza Meatballs crafted to taste just like Pizza Hut's Supreme Pizza, and you know what, they do. Brought me right back to those summers at the HUT. My kids? They love them.

Supreme Pizza Meatballs
1 pound Italian Sausage, out of casing
1/2 pound ground beef
6 oz. pepperoni, finely diced in processor
2 slices bread, finely diced in processor
2 handfuls sliced mushrooms, finely diced in processor
1/2 red pepper, finely diced in processor
1/4 large red onion, finely diced in processor
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. fennel seed
2 eggs
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 handful Parmesan cheese

One recipe favorite Marinara Sauce

After dicing the stated ingredients in the food processor, place the entire list of ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. I used my very clean hands. Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Makes about 36 meatballs. Let cool completely and place 3 on a wooden skewer. Roll each skewer of meatballs in sauce, shake off excess, and freeze on trays. Once frozen, wrap each one in waxed paper. (If you are using jarred sauce, simply dip the entire skewer in the jar). Place the leftover sauce in individual containers and place in the freezer with the skewers in zip topped bags. Place 1 or 2 skewers and sauce containers in each lunchbox, along with some fresh fruit and veggies, oh and maybe a homemade cookie too. I tell my kids to heat the meatballs for about 30 seconds since they are defrosted by lunchtime.

More in the Freezer, more in the Lunchbox!
Cheeseburgers
Chicken Sandwiches
Lasagna Purses
Pizza Burgers
Pizza Meatballs on a Stick
Buffalo Wing Meatballs on a Stick
Breakfast Cones

Tomorrow: Buffalo Wing Meatballs

Where did you work as a teen?

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Basket Cake

I won't hold my breath or anything but I think Spring has finally sprung. I can remember my Ma making beautiful Basket Cakes full of handmade fondant fruits and vegetables, and painstakingly decorating the sides of the cake with an intricate basket weave with her decadent buttercream frosting. But you all know me, right? Yup, the shortcut girl. No intricate basket weave here, or fondant fruits that take days to make, but good ole-fashioned Robin Sue shortcut heaven. Ready to start? Let's do this thing...


And you thought this Wilton's Sweetheart Pan was for Valentine's Day only? Naw, turn it over and you have the perfect basket pan.


I chose to frost this right in the pan since these make great little Easter, Mother's Day, Baby Shower, Wedding Shower, or Springtime gifts. Next week my little ones and I will make these for Easter to give to as gifts, but we will use 8' round foil pans that we will simply shape into hearts. Easy Peasy.


Once you have baked your cake in the pan, frost the pointy half with white buttercream frosting, and the bottom part with lilac colored frosting. To smooth the frosting, dip your angled spatula in milk, shake off, and smooth icing, wiping spatula on the edge of the frosting bowl with each pass.


I always wanted to take basket weaving, not. I am an instant gratification kind of gal and doing the basket weave with the fork is not only simple but fast. Let your icing set up a bit while you flit about getting your decorations ready, this way your fork won't stick to the icing. Now here is the trick, gently press the fork into the icing on a horizontal and drag it softly in the direction of the handle, then turn the fork vertically and press and drag again. Continue with that technique to cover the entire basket being sure to alternate the pattern on the next row down until it looks like this...


Most normal people would use green colored coconut for the grass but we have a little one with coconut allergies.


Instead I grated Wilton's green candy melts in my zyllis cheese grater and sprinkled it generously over the center line, pressed it in a bit, then sprinkled some more. If you can use coconut, place it in a ziptop bag with a few drops of green food dye and shake away until it is the desired shade of green.


I went very basic and whimsical on the decorations- jelly beans and a food safe black marker (I like Foodoodlers- I've had mine for about 6 years stored in the fridge, they work every time). I love little bumble bees, inchworms, lady bugs, and dragonflies, they remind me so much of my own childhood and how I used to love to watch them.


My children were thrilled with all the little critters to the point that my oldest very animatedly shouted, "Mom you HAVE to sell these cakes for $50, how did you get them to look so professional." Giggle.


The three of them were so excited that they all ran up to the neighbors and invited them for tea and cake. So cute. Now all that is left is the edging...


I used a simple "s" chain, linking "s's" all along the edge and across the middle of the basket. I added a few more critters to the edge and declared it a masterpiece. Although now that I look at it, it's a bit wonky, isn't it? I think I must have been high on that cup of buttercream I wolfed down.

Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
3 cups or 12 ounces cake flour
1 1/2 cups or 10.5 ounces sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

In a large bowl whisk together all ingredients and store in a labeled zip top bag with the following instructions for baking the cake.

Directions to Make Basket Cake
One Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
12 T. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs

In a large bowl and using a mixer on medium speed, mix cake mix with butter until mixture is crumbly. Add vanilla, mix. Alternate mixing in milk and eggs, mix 30 seconds. Then with the mixer on medium, beat the batter for exactly 1 minute, no more! Pour into greased Wilton Sweetheart Cake Pan and bake in a 325 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and decorate.
*This pan is for 5 cups of cake batter which this recipe makes.

Buttercream Frosting
2 pounds powdered sugar
2 sticks butter, room temperature
4-6 T. milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 drops Fiori di Sicilia- because it is the true essence of Spring!

In a large bowl using your stand mixer or hand mixer, beat all ingredients together until smooth and spreadable. Do not make it too soft or your frosting will not hold its shape when you pipe it onto your cake. Leave 1 1/2 cups of frosting white and color the rest with about 7 drops of neon purple food coloring. Frost the cake as directed above and using the Wilton 1M tip decorate the edges using an "s" chain pattern as seen in the photos above. Decorate with jellybeans as you like or...

Other Basket Cake Ideas
Easter- All white. "Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow."

Wedding/Bridal- all white cake, frosting, coconut, and 5 white Jordan Nuts for health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity- very Italian.

Baby Shower- Pink or blue basket filled with frosting flowers, animals, or baby things- all made of frosting or candy of course.

Mother's Day- Her favorite color and filled with her favorite chocolates or if it were for me, chocolate covered strawberries. Hint. Hint.

For more cake ideas, go to my Dessert Page.

Thanks to Wonka Candy for sending me all kinds of candies to fill the Easter Basket. SweeTarts Jelly Beans, Double Yummy Gummies, Wonka Exceptionals Scrumdiddlyumptious Chocolate Eggs (my favorite), and a variety pack if individually wrapped classic candies, like Bottlecaps, YUM! I think every kid would love some Wonka Candy in their basket, don't ya think?

If you make this cake, link me, and I would be happy to share the link to your site so that everyone can see all the variations and creativity out there. I'd love to hear from you!

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

More in the Freezer: Pizza Burgers

That is not some kind of orange cookie, it is the secret to my Pizza Burgers. Growing up in New Jersey we would visit our favorite deli, and if we weren't in the mood for a cheese steak we could get a Pizza Burger, a beef burger with a slab of mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce. What a messy, finger licking sandwich it made! It kind of rivaled the Chicken Parmesan Sub. So you know I have made Frozen Cheeseburgers for my children's school lunches, but now have upped the ante by giving them these really delicious Pizza Burgers. Now about that orange disk in the photo up there. That is my pizza sauce frozen in 2 1/2 inch disks to place on the Pizza Burgers. Let me show you how I built these things...


First I pressed 2-2 1/2 pounds of 80/20 ground beef in a jellyroll pan that had been sprinkled with about 2-3 tsp of Italian Seasoning. In the photo above is the onion version I used for my Cheeseburgers and Sliders. You want to make sure the beef is about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle the beef with a little salt (I like Penzey's Seasoned salt since it has no MSG) and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 18 minutes. Cut into squares the size of your buns, well not your buns but the burger's buns, and place on a tray and freeze.

Spoon your favorite pizza sauce into 2 1/2 inch disks onto a silpat or plastic wrap and freeze. Once the burgers and sauce disks are frozen, build your burgers by placing a burger patty on the bottom bun, top it with a slice of mozzarella cheese, then the pizza sauce disk. Put the bun lid on top and wrap in waxed paper, place in zip topped bags, and freeze.


Reheating times will vary per microwave, but mine took about 1 minute while still wrapped. Be careful, they can be very hot.

BRK Pizza Sauce
28 ounce can Pastene Kitchen Ready or crushed tomatoes
Olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. fresh chopped oregano, or 2 tsp dried
8 fresh basil leaves torn, or 1 tsp dried
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp sugar
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat a few swirls of olive oil. Add garlic and herbs and stir for about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, sugar, pepper flakes and some salt and pepper to taste. Simmer about 20 minutes on low or until the sauce thickens a bit. *adjust your herbs to your liking, I like mine spicy sometimes, and sometimes I like it simple with just a little garlic. But for the burger it is really good spicy. Freeze in disks for your Pizza Burgers.

* The reason for freezing the sauce in this manner prevents the bread from becoming prematurely soggy.

I hope your kids or hubbies like these in their lunchboxes as much as mine did. Oh and don't forget your bib!

See Foodalogue's Pizza Burger! Yeah, it's a NJ/NY thang.

Need more in your freezer?
Cheeseburgers
Chicken Sandwiches
Lasagna Purses

Tomorrow in BRK- a really, really cute and super simple Easter Basket Case Cake. I'm the Basket Case not the cake.

See you soon!

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

H.R.H. Hen Night Steak and Guinness Pie

The world's a titter over the upcoming Royal Wedding between Wills and Lady Kate. Oh I can remember getting up very early to watch his mum Diana's wedding. I was glued to the TV the entire day, hoping upon hope ole Charles would hurry up and kiss that gal, because everyone knows kissing a princess turns every toad into a real prince. Finally the "balcony kiss" came and went and Charles remained the same toady bloke. But what a dream to see this young shy girl become a princess! A dream and a shame. Poor girl. Now I am looking forward to getting up very early on April 29th to witness William's wedding. Actually Harry is so much more handsome. I think it will take a lot to get him tied down, but are those princes really ever tied down? Hmmm.

I some how missed an invite to Kate's Hen Party and I can't seem to find my wedding invite either. The mail is so slow. Stupid mail. As we approach the wedding of the century and in honor of all things Brit, let's celebrate our own Hen Night with a classic pub dish of Steak and Guinness Pie. A Hen Night is Britain's answer to the bachelorette party, one last hurrah before tying the knot. It can be as calm as a dinner out with the girls, or as wild a whooping it up at a local pub. Let's go for the whooping it up part, shall we?

Do not let the length of the ingredient list keep you from making the deeply rich and flavorful pie. Once everything is in the pot you can walk away and spend time catching up on all the Royal Wedding Gossip over at the Daily Mail.


A good stew has four major parts- veggies, meat, gravy, and seasonings. Get these right and you will have a fantastic stew every time.

Steak and Guinness Pie
Veggies:
2 large onions, chopped
2 large stalks celery, sliced
4 large carrots, sliced
small bag radishes, trimmed and halved- I am liking radishes better than potatoes in stew

Cook over medium high heat in a Dutch oven with a few splashes of olive oil, until onions are translucent.

Meat:
2.5 pounds stew beef, cut in bite-sized pieces
handful flour
2 big pinches Kosher salt
fresh black pepper
2 spoonfuls paprika- Thanks Graham!

Add to veggies and stir. Lower heat to medium and add gravy and seasoning ingredients.

Gravy:
1 can Guinness Draught
about 1 cup good organic chicken broth- I always use chicken over beef, have yet to find a good beef broth and did not have any homemade.
2 big spoonfuls tomato paste

Seasonings:
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 full sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 heaping tablespoonfuls Dijon mustard

Cover and simmer over medium heat for one hour, stirring occassionally. Uncover and simmer another one hour over low, stirring occassionally. Add one handful of shredded sharp cheddar cheese and simmer another 15 minutes until stew is thick. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Meanwhile...

For the Pie:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Defrost 2 sheets puff pastry. In a deep casserole dish place one sheet of pastry and prick with a fork. Bake about 5 minutes. Add stew and top with second sheet of pastry. Brush with 1 egg yolk whisked with 2 tsp. water. Bake for 15 minutes or until pie is golden brown. Serve with buttered peas and a Guinness. Serves 6-8.

God Save the Queen!

Will you be watching the Royal Wedding? Do you remember Diana's?

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club

Tea 'n Toast Tuesday: A Momma's Play Date

I look back at my thirties as the decade of birthing, nourishing, and raising our babies. What a decade! I think I could sum it up with words like exhausting, frumpy, chaotic, selfless, lonely, worrisome, precious, happy, sweet, tender, and priceless. Such contrasting terms for that time in my life. Today when I ponder on those years, I think, "I would never go back!" but if I think too hard, I could fall in a heap of tears and pine to hold those little babies again, just one day to cuddle them, feel their sweet breath on my neck as they nuzzled in for a nap.


Lonely. As a young stay at home mother I could go days without seeing another adult during the day. Nap times, sick babies, chores, errands, exhaustion, potty training, or poor weather kept me from a normal and fulfilling social life. Oh sure, I had a girl's night out occasionally, but sometimes backed out because I was so tired. There was MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) too, but I am talking about the day to day social life. So in trying to keep my busy life simple, and fit in some kind of social life, I started having "Tea 'n Toast Tuesdays." I set up a tray with my favorite tea things and kept it covered in my pantry. I created little post cards and would give them out to gals in the neighborhood or church who I wanted to get to know, or who looked like they could use a day out. See, it was not a play date for my kids, it was for me!


The visits in the late afternoon on Tuesdays, were kept short and sweet, and were a breeze to set up and clean up. How simple is tea and toast? Very. I would offer an assortment of nice breads, butter, jams, Nutella, and honey along with a variety of teas, cream, sugar cubes, and lemon wedges. Toddlers gnawed happily on toast as they played underfoot and we mommas could get a good chat in before the little ones fell out with each other. Keeping it simple made my life easier but also made my guests feel welcomed and pampered without really being over the top.


Other things I kept on hand to make my visits pretty but simple were a white table cloth that could be bleached (just in case of spills), a package of pretty paper napkins, and nice chocolates. When my guests left, I would wash the dishes, place them back on the tray, and place the tray of tea things back in my pantry all ready for the next visit.

Try your own Tea 'n Toast Tuesdays or a Coffee in Chaos Day!

How do you or did you create a social life for yourself as a young mother? Please share your tips in the comments below.

Robin Sue

For More Big Red Kitchen...Subscribe/Newsletter/Fan Club