Mason Jar Meals: Fair Food Edition- Corn Dogs

Lately I have been taking my children's favorite lunches and converting them to Mason Jar Meals. This means that original recipes are being baked up or packed in jars for their lunches. With a little creativity and adaptability I have been able to surprise them with some really fun, homemade lunches. Do you remember your first Corn Dog?


Corn dogs are a favorite Fair Food for most, but are so doggone greasy. Years ago I came up with this baked version that we all enjoyed very much.

Now to just get it into a jar...


Baked Corn Dogs in Mason Jars
3 cups yellow self-rising corn meal mix
6 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar

6 hot dogs cut in half- I like Applegate's organic/uncurred

Preheat oven to 375°. In a stand mixer, mix all of the ingredients together leaving out the hot dogs of course! Once the mix is smooth, pour into 12 very greased 1/2 pint mason jars- filling to a scant 4 ounces. Place the hot dogs in the batter according to the picture, standing right up in the center of the batter. Bake for 2o minutes or until corn bread is cooked through and golden. Let cool slightly, then run a sharp knife around each corn dog to loosen from the side of the jar. Let cool completely, lid, and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve. I have my children remove their frozen lunches from the freezer the night before school to defrost overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat, remove lid and microwave for about 45 seconds or until desired temperature. Glass will be hot, so take caution. If you ran the knife around it well, it should slide right out of the jar! Serve with a side of mustard or ketchup, or even chili and cheese. Makes 12 Corn Dogs.


NOTE!- If you would like these baked and on a stick, then stick a stick down through the hotdog before placing in the batter. Bake the same, run a knife around the jar to loosen the corn dog, and remove from jar by turning the jar over and letting the corn dog slide out. Makes a very cute presentation on a buffet, but I did find it a bit harder to eat off a stick, just like real corn dogs- always biting into that dang stick!

Many have written me saying that their school does now allow glass jars. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water! It is a good idea to fill your refrigerator with Mason Jar Meals for busy nights, after-school snacks, and to share with a neighbor who may be ill or just had a baby. I have jarred up leftovers for "fend for yourself nights" when I do not feel like cooking. What a lovely break!

Scroll through here for some more Mason Jar Meal ideas.


Tomorrow- Mason Jar Meal: Fair Food Edition- Sliders

Happy Birthday Dad!

Robin Sue

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A Tart Above All Other Tarts: Tartefillete

French Comfort Food. A tart graced with bacon, potatoes, and cheese- Camembert cheese that is, baked atop this tart, cream side down, rind side up creating a crisp topping, with the creamy cheese oozing down into all the nooks and crannies of the bacon and potatoes. I spied this tart in the America's Test Kitchen Cook Book and decided to bake it up my way, using nutmeg as the major seasoning over thyme, increasing the bacon, then adding a drizzle of balsamic glaze, resulting in a tart that had a perfect balance of spice, smoke, and sweetness.


Tartefillete
1 Purchased pie crust, I used Trader Joe's
12 ounces applewood smoked bacon
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
3 large golden potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/4 inch slices
1 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
8 ounce wheel Camembert Cheese
1/3 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 T. sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Press pie crust into a 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom. A 9 inch pie plate will work fine. Line crust with a piece of foil and fill with beans. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges start to go golden and bottom is set. Remove beans and foil and put crust aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. Spoon out some of the bacon grease leaving about 1/4 cup grease in the pan. Add onions and potatoes and fry until potatoes are tender and browning. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Spoon potato mixture into the tart crust and crumble and sprinkle bacon over top. Slice wheel of Camembert in half to make two equal wheels, cut each wheel into fourths and place cheese side down over top of bacon. Place back in oven and bake another 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and rinds are golden. Let rest 10 minutes before removing from the tart pan. Meanwhile, heat vinegar and sugar over medium heat, stirring, until the fluid has reduced to a scant 1/4 cup. Drizzle over tart. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 8-10.



Of all the dreams I live and dream, family is the most important.

You will be missed my dearest Uncle Cliff.








"...and the living weep"

Robin Sue

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The Next British Invasion! SORTED!

Day 24- The Art of Wearing Your Fat Dreams


Barry, Mike, Ben, and Jamie

Have you seen these guys yet? I think I just upped my cool meter by meeting and chatting with Ben Ebbrell online over the last few days. Here is a group of guys who, over a few pints during their Uni years, understood the challenges of cooking while students, thus provoking Ben to jot down some of his recipes that could be cooked up back at their flats. Roommates caught on, friends of friends caught on, and before they knew it, SORTED was born, launching a huge foodie community amongst their peers and beyond.

SORTED is made up of real guys, a real community, personal contact, and a very interactive website, Facebook Page, and Youtube Channel. Their message: "cooking shouldn't be a chore. SORTED shows this by knocking down the barriers around food and making it fun and accessible to all novice cooks."

Here's a little behind the scenes banter with Ben...

When you and your friends dreamed up the Sorted idea in the pub, did your family think you were crazy to pursue such a whim?

Ben: SORTED has been this dream that, as friends, we've all been ploughing on with for a good few years now... and it's one that we've genuinely believed in from the start, wanting to, in some way, make a difference! At the start, our families didn't quite get it. No doubt they thought we should go and get 'proper' jobs in the beginning... especially in the early days when we were having to do both! But as time progressed and they realised that were were able to treat it as a 'job' and yet enjoy every moment they realised we were onto something. Never once feeling as if we were 'working' and yet able to have a small influence by opening the eyes of our audience (young online generation) to an alternative way with food.... social cooking. It goes without saying though that our families have been forever supportive... even when they weren't quite sure!


When did you know you were on to something big?

Ben: To be honest... we still question on a daily basis what we are doing. Some days we have to pinch ourselves to reassure us that we aren't dreaming. Able to play around with SORTED, do what we love, and get others involved. When we started it was just our friends, then friends of friends. As the numbers grew and we realised that these were more people watching and sharing the videos than we could possibly know on a personal level we knew it meant something. It started around a pub table and now it feels like SORTED is the world's largest pub table... all chatting together and sharing their foodies stories.

What should every novice cook have in their kitchen?

Ben: Every student or novice cook needs...

1) a simple spice rack... the secret to making the same ingredients taste so amazingly different each time you cook.

2) tupperware... never ever throw away leftovers. Stash them to enjoy the next day as the same meal again or use it as the basis for a new idea. Wasted food is wasted money!

3) friends or family to share the cooking process with... not just the eating of the food, but the choosing of what to cook, the actually preparation and then of course tucking into the end result.

Here is their very fun, funny, but very informative video on how to make Butternut Squash Ravioli. It is a must to click on Mike's tears to watch the Onion Video, I found myself chuckling over Barry's antics, and swooning a bit (OK, a lot) over Ben's accent.





What an exciting dream to watch unfold! I've subscribed to their Youtube Page so I can join in each week to watch a new recipe. From pub table to a huge online presence, these SORTED guys are working diligently to make their dreams comes true. Subscribe to their youtube page, join their facebook page, and get involved. There's nothing like being a part of a dream, and an even cooler foodie community.

Robin Sue

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Samosa Bites

Little by little I will teach myself how to cook other cuisines. I have been craving Indian food, so I thought to start there. Where to begin? I have been following Kathy Gori of The Colors of Indian Cooking on twitter for a while, and she has mastered all kinds of Indian dishes, a perfect place to start. I love Samosas, decided to seek her expertise, and start there.


Look I already had all the Indian spices, a gift from my friend Bobby, and therefore was ready to begin.

One thing to remember about cooking Indian is to have everything chopped, in place, and ready to go. This dish goes very quickly once you start.


Hot peppers. Love a little heat.


Kathy's filling was spot on for the amount of heat, spice, and flavor I was seeking. These taste just like the samosas I purchase from my favorite Indian shop, maybe even better. Hehe. I am giddy that I actually made real Indian food- minus the fillo shells of course, close enough. You can use mini shells, Kathy's Fillo sheet method, or a more traditional samosa dough- your choice. I like my little fillo shells, and will stick with them for when I need a quick appetizer. Plus I am not much for messing with the mess of dough. You all know me by now, right?

Mini Samosa Bites- Recipe adapted from Kathy's Samosas
One large baking potato, about 1 pound
3 T. olive oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/3 cup onion, minced
1-2 green chilies, chopped fine
1 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/3 cup green peas
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp. amchur powder (mango powder found at Indian markets), opt.
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 packages Mini Fillo Shells, 30 shells total
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped for sprinkling
Mango Chutney for dipping

Scrub and pierce potato. Microwave until tender but not mushy. Put aside. Get all your ingredients chopped, measured and ready to go. Now peel the potato and mash lightly. In a large skillet heat oil over medium high-high heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds and stir until they begin to pop. Add onions and stir continuously until slightly opaque. Add chilies, coriander, peas, and salt and cook another minute, stirring. Add garam masala, amchur, potatoes, and cilantro and fold together until well blended. Add more salt if needed, mix, then fill each mini shell with about 2 teaspoons of the potato mixture. Bake in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes or until shells are golden and filling begins to brown. Place on a serving platter, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve with mango chutney on the side. Makes 30. Can make filling ahead, but do not fill shells until needed to avoid sogginess.

I am keeping a jar of the filling in the freezer along with a few packages of the mini fillo shells for on the spot last minute appetizers.

Many of my Indian friends were happy to share some of their spices, so if you are new to this and do not want to purchase a ton of spices, ask some friends for a few pinches of theirs. Some may even blend up their favorite garam masala recipe for you!



One of my dreams is to learn new things, whether it be a new cuisine or master a CrossFit technique. To do this, I have to do this. I can say things, but doing them is a whole other game. Dish by dish, I can teach myself how to cook a few Indian recipes, training and more training, I will someday get that muscle up at CrossFit. I am turning my "say" into "do". Are you?



Happy Anniversary Ma and Dad! 49 years!

Robin Sue

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1-2-3 Tiny Turtle Pies

These remind me of these, but all grown up. If you have stalked BRK for a while you know that I like to use these little Fillo Shells for a variety of sweet and savory one bite treats. I have been on the turtle kick lately, and got to craving some turtly treats again. With some Rolos, mini fillo shells, and some pecan halves, I came up with this teeny, tiny, mini mouthful.

1-2-3 Tiny Turtle Pies
one package mini Fillo Shells
30 Rolos
30 large pecan halves

Place shells on a baking sheet and fill each with 2 Rolos. Bake in 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until the Rolo's are nice and melty, and the shells start to turn golden. Remove from oven and top each with 2 pecan halves, pushing the pecans down into the melted candy. Makes 15.

More Fillo Cup Recipes:
Mini Baked Brie Cups
Cannoli Bites
Brie Bites
Crab Rangoon
Nutella Bites


I live with three children who feel they are entitled to proclaim their boredom. "I am your mother, not your entertainment," I tell them each time I hear the dreaded "B" word. Or I shout out a list of chores that sends them running. When I do hear that phrase from them, I try to teach them that bored people are boring people and they must go find something to do or create. I am rarely bored, my mind wanders from one wonder to the next, constantly questioning, "what can I make or do now?" How do you turn boredom around?

Robin Sue

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To My Son: Chicago

"I hate poetry, it's stupid," my son states daily. "No, no! Poetry teaches you about life, man's emotions, and writing, it is beautiful," I defend. "It's stupid!" He proclaims again. My dream is that someday he will see and understand the power of word and how it can rule the world, bring down a nation, break a man's heart, lift one's spirit, describe the tiniest of detail, and drive a point home.

The Chicago History Museum hosts the most informative Architectural Boat Tours in the city of Chicago. It is a beautiful tour given by docents who are learned in giving in depth details including names, dates, architectural styles, and more about Chicago's buildings and her architects. I was pleased with these facts, and even more pleased when my docent listed books for us to read, including Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City. But there was one moment while in the lock when the captain of the boat turned the bow back to face the city, and the docent, with raised hands, belted out "Chicago" by Carl Sandberg, bringing some to tears, most to cheers, and all to burn.

CHICAGO
by Carl Sandburg
HOG Butcher for the World,
Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat,
Player with Railroads and the Nation's Freight Handler;
Stormy, husky, brawling,
City of the Big Shoulders:

They tell me you are wicked and I believe them, for I
have seen your painted women under the gas lamps
luring the farm boys.
And they tell me you are crooked and I answer: Yes, it
is true I have seen the gunman kill and go free to
kill again.
And they tell me you are brutal and my reply is: On the
faces of women and children I have seen the marks
of wanton hunger.
And having answered so I turn once more to those who
sneer at this my city, and I give them back the sneer
and say to them:
Come and show me another city with lifted head singing
so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.
Flinging magnetic curses amid the toil of piling job on
job, here is a tall bold slugger set vivid against the
little soft cities;

Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping for action, cunning
as a savage pitted against the wilderness,
Bareheaded,
Shoveling,
Wrecking,
Planning,
Building, breaking, rebuilding,
Under the smoke, dust all over his mouth, laughing with
white teeth,
Under the terrible burden of destiny laughing as a young
man laughs,
Laughing even as an ignorant fighter laughs who has
never lost a battle,
Bragging and laughing that under his wrist is the pulse.
and under his ribs the heart of the people,
Laughing!
Laughing the stormy, husky, brawling laughter of
Youth, half-naked, sweating, proud to be Hog
Butcher, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat, Player with
Railroads and Freight Handler to the Nation.


To my son, I give you this poem, that some day you will understand the gifts and power in Words...

Notes on the Art of Poetry
by Dylan Marlais Thomas
I could never have dreamt that there were such goings-on
in the world between the covers of books,
such sandstorms and ice blasts of words,
such staggering peace, such enormous laughter,
such and so many blinding bright lights,
splashing all over the pages
in a million bits and pieces
all of which were words, words, words,
and each of which were alive forever
in its own delight and glory and oddity and light.

Day 19- The Art of Wearing Your Fat Dreams. What dreams do you share?

Robin Sue

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Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Buns Part II

Day 18- The Art of Wearing Your Fat Dreams

Gino's, Pat's, or Tony Luke's? We could argue who has the best Philly Cheese Steak for hours. So I am going to say mine, because my kids like them, especially in Mason Jars for lunch. Yesterday I showed you how I made Stuffed Buns and today is Part II of this little series. Go read Part I so you know what I am talking about in this post, but come right back here.


How To...

1. This time I am using the take and bake French Baguette loaves that I purchased from my local grocer (Trader Joe's) to make these stuffed buns.

2. For the filling I browned up some shaved beef (also from TJ's but most markets carry it), drained the cooked beef well, seasoned with salt and pepper, and let 5 slices of provolone cheese melt over top. Once the cheese was all melted I stirred the meat and cheese together well so the cheese was evenly distributed. You could brown some onions first then add to the meat to cook in them, but my kiddos like it plain.

3. I used the same technique as with yesterday's buns, by slicing the rolls the desired length, and slicing open leaving one side attached, like a clam shell. Then pulling out the innards, filling with the steak mixture, piping the edges with beaten egg whites, and closing the buns to seal.

4. I brushed these with an egg yolk whisked with a teaspoon of water followed with a sprinkle of Penzeys Sandwich Sprinkle, and baked in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

5. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely before storing in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

I was sure to make these the exact size of wide mouth pint-sized Mason Jars for my children's lunches. One pound of shaved beef with the cheese made 6 pint-sized cheese steaks.


It is probably a blessing that our school does not have a lunch program after seeing what some schools serve the students, plus what they charge for that grub they call food. It is not easy making lunches for three kids five days a week, all who have different likes and dislikes. Some days this is a big obstacle. This year instead of the dread it has caused in the past I am trying to embrace this task, get creative, and enjoy pleasing my family with my cockamamie ideas creations. How do you overcome big tasks?

Robin Sue

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Stuffed Buns Part I

Day 17- The Art of Wearing Your Fat Dreams

Wherein she glues her buns together. After touring Germany and Austria this summer and exploring the countless bakeries, I was always drawn to the beautiful rolls stuffed with all kinds of savory fillings and topped with cheese, especially the pretzels. In efforts to keep my children's bellies full, and full of homemade treats, I created these rolls for them to be eaten for breakfast, an after-school snack, or even their lunches. The cool thing is that the filling is sealed inside the buns, which keeps the fillings from spilling out all over, and keeps the buns pretty fresh. And with using already baked buns from the bakery, I have cut out the steps of mixing, kneading, rising, rolling, and forming the buns. Remember I love a good shortcut. These buns reminded my children of the Hot Pockets that they beg for in the gorcery store, always to the answer- "no, mom will make you her own version."


One version of the bun was a ham and scrambled egg filling with colby-jack cheese melted on top, and the other version an all natural breakfast sausage and egg scramble with pepper jack cheese melted over top. So how did I get the filling into the buns? Easy...

Come on in and follow along.



Go to your nearest bakery that bakes up the freshest and most tender Kaiser Rolls. Slice the rolls open leaving one edge intact- like a clam shell, and pull out some of the tender innards saving them for another recipe. Now here is the trick to getting those buns put back together and holding the filling inside. Ready for this?


Fill the bottom well with your filling of choice and pipe beaten egg whites around the lip of the bottom bun, close bun, press lightly to be sure that glue has sealed the bun closed, and top with a slice of cheese of choice. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 8 minutes. The meringue will seal your fillings in the bun for a fun surprise for your family.

Cool each bun completely and wrap in waxed paper and store in a zip topped bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, keep the bun in the waxed paper and place on a microwave safe plate. Heat at half power for 40 seconds, then on high power for 10 second increments until heated through. My son likes these finished up in the toaster oven to crisp up a bit.


Notes
1. Beat the egg whites until light and fluffy but not stiff, more on the soft peak side.
2. 2 egg whites should seal 8 buns.
3. I spooned my egg whites into a plastic bag and cut the tip for piping. I have also spooned the egg whites on the bun, so either way, you pick.
4. Be sure your fillings are on the dry side so the buns do not get very soggy. I was thinking a pizza filling but they would be very soggy.
5. When you close the bun, some of the egg whites will ooze out-don't press so hard that it all oozes, only enough that the egg is sealing the top to the bun, I used my finger and smoothed the eggs whites around the edge. This is meant to be rustic, not perfect.
6. You can use whatever type of bun your want whether multi-grain or whole wheat, but it must be soft, not chewy, nor overly crispy like a French roll.


You can see that while I am living my dreams, I daydream about creating snacks and meals for my family. I have made some big flops when my kids will say, "don't make that one ever again mom," to, "you have to make these again, now!" Of these two buns they liked the sausage version better, so I will make those for them more often and see if I can find another filling that would please them. My failings only prompt me to try harder and experiment more. What have your failings done for you?

Tomorrow come back and see how I made Stuffed Bun Cheese Steaks for the Mason Jar which my kids cannot get enough!

Robin Sue

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Another Reason I Blog

One thing was very clear, we both desperately love our families, and our blogs are the extention and evidence of that love. Here I am in Chicago with Himself, he in a confernce, I doing a little blog work and seeing the sights. But another reason for choosing Chicago out of all the destinations he has this year, I wanted to meet Biz. We have been following eachother for about three years now and over that three years it has turned into a friendship. You know you are friends with someone, when one day you open their blog and see the headlines that her husband has cancer, and you cry too, and pray like it were your own family.

Neither of us shied away from pulling out our cameras and taking pictures of the food or eachother. We laughed how we make our families wait until we are done taking pictures of our meals before they could dig in. We both blog for the same reasons, to get our recipes down, we wish that someday our children and grandchildren would read our blogs and understand our daily lives, to share with others a little piece of our world, and our blogs are a huge creative outlet for us.

Biz shares her daily meals and recipes on her blog, bits about her family, job, workouts, and living with diabetes. She has encouraged and helped hundreds of men and women over the years to lose weight and get healthy. During the summer of 2010 I joined Biz with her 100 Days of Summer Challenge where she encouraged us to set up goals to get healthy over the summer. That summer I lost the rest of those inches on my body that were holding on for dear life. She is a fantastic cheerleader!

Biz and I discovered that we blog for much of the same resason, but agreed that one of the most satisfying reasons for blogging was the friendships we have made along the way. Thanks Biz, talk to you soon girl!


BRK is one of my biggest dreams. This little place I have cut out for me has been a place of healing, creativity, fun, and sharing. When I started blogging over three years ago, I had no idea I would make friends through it, I had no idea that there would be fan mail (love and hate), I had no idea other doors would open for me, and I had no idea I would still be at it. If you are living your dreams, what are some benefits you did not expect?

Robin Sue

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Best View of Chicago?

The biggest question here in Chicago, more so than will the Cubs ever break the curse and win a World's Series again, is "where is the best city view?" I found it, quite by mistake and later confirmed by my tour guide. Through the floor to ceiling windows in the Ladies Room on the 96th floor in the Signature Lounge of the John Hancock Building are the most spectacular views of Chicago. Sorry gentlemen, this one is for us gals only.


Serendipity, one of life's special little gifts. Something unexpected, out of the blue, and always well received. Yesterday was a terrible day in Chicago, cold, pouring buckets of rain but Himself and I made a grand day of it by huddling in one of those tourist trap trolley tours. In drenching rain it proved the best way to see the city. The tour guides were extra fun, the tips extra high, because everyone was making lemonade out of lemons. When Himself and I stopped for cocktails at the Signature Lounge, where we spent some time, literally, in the clouds, I accidentally happened upon the best view of Chicago. Sometimes when you are not looking, life hands you a special gift. Take it.

Been to Chicago? I have two more days here and want to eat the best Italian Beef Sandwich, and best Chicago style dog. Suggestions?

Robin Sue

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More Mason Jar Meal Ideas Part II

Now for that bottom shelf. Who doesn't like a little pudding after a meal? Especially after a nice and easy (super easy!) creamy chicken curry? Here we go, jars 5 and 6 revealed...

5. Homemade Tapioca Pudding- Make tapioca according to package directions on the side of the Minute Tapioca box. I like to add an extra egg and vanilla. I also let this cool to room temp in a large bowl with a piece of plastic wrap down right on top of the pudding so that it would not get that film on top- that would be game over for me if my kiddos got some pudding glop in their mouths. I doubled the recipe which filled 12 four ounce jelly mason jars. My kids have also requested my Rice Pudding. Next time.


6. Super Simple Creamy Chicken Curry with Cilantro Lime Rice

1/5-2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
16 ounces favorite jarred salsa
1-2 T. curry powder of choice- I used mild for my kids
1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups basmati rice rinsed 3 times and drained
3 cups water
1 tsp. kosher salt
juice and zest of one lime
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, rough chopped

one lime cut into 6 wedges

In a large skillet with fitted lid, cook chicken, salsa, and curry. Simmer covered for 30 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Using two forks, shred chicken. Place 1/2 cup chicken mixture in a six wide mouth pint jars.

Bring the rice, water and salt to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and cover, simmering until rice is tender and water absorbed. Fluff gently with a fork and add juice and zest of one lime, and cilantro. Fluff with fork until the lime and cilantro are blended evenly. Place 3/4 cup rice over chicken mixture, top with lime wedge, cool completely and lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. *I am testing them in the freezer and will update soon to see if the sour cream "breaks". To reheat, remove lid and lime wedge, and microwave for 90 seconds, jar will be hot, turn jar over into dish to remove contents, squirt with lime juice and enjoy.
Makes 6 lunches.

Note- This would be great with coconut milk in the rice (or the chicken even) but we have coconut allergies here and I couldn't do it. Give it a go and let me know!

This Curry recipe was adapted from my friend Michelle's site One Ordinary Day.

Having my refrigerator looking like this, stocked with delicious food for my family makes me happy. It is my dream to have my refrigerator look like this all the time but it takes so much time and energy, often cooking 3-4 hours straight, then having a big kitchen clean up. Dreams are free, carrying them out- a great cost, but worth it. Are you working daily on a dream of yours? What is it?




More Mason Jar Meal Ideas Part I

Robin Sue

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More Mason Jar Meal Ideas Part I

Trying to keep up with my children's growing appetites is like trying to run up the down escalator. I may get two steps ahead and fall back three! They are hungry all the time, and with food costs rising, my $40/day food budget, and buying as much organic foods as I can afford, makes me work even harder in the kitchen to stay on track. Then to top it all off, I am competing with commercial food products that my kids ask for all the time, like Hot Pockets, Pizza Bites, and Hostess Cupcakes. No. So I keep cooking as much from scratch as I can to avoid preservatives, additives, MSG, excess sugar, and other unpronounceable ingredients on food labels.

Here are some more MJM Ideas...

1. Steel Cut Oatmeal- Make according to package directions and place in 8 ounce mason jars. I added a bit of brown sugar and milk to each jar. You can add nuts, fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, maple syrup, etc. To reheat, remove from jar to a microwave safe bowl, mush up oatmeal, and heat on high for 1 minute. Stir and eat.

2. Homemade SpaghettiOs- I can get ten 8 ounce wide mouth jars from this recipe. I have made this twice now and Manischewitz has the cutest teeny tiny eggs bow pasta in a 12 ounce bag. So now we call them SpaghettiBows.

3. Homemade Marinara Sauce for Mason Jar Stromboli.

4. Mason Jar Stromboli




For the dough...
2 T. yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 cup very warm
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp. Kosher salt

about 12 Provolone Cheese slices
about 18 slices Genoa Salami
Italian Seasoning for sprinkling
Garlic Salt for sprinkling
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling


In a large bowl place yeast and sugar. Pour warm water over yeast and let set for 2 minutes, then stir in flour and salt. Kneed until a soft dough ball forms. You may have to add pinches of flour if the dough is still sticky. Roll out on a large floured surface into a big rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Lay out 2 rows of cheese, you can use provolone or a blend, I used provolone and Munster because that is what I had. Then lay out three rows of salami. Sprinkle with garlic salt, Italian Seasonings, and Parmesan cheese. Starting at the end farthest from you, start rolling the dough toward you being sure you are making a tight roll. Pinch the seam closed. Using a sharp knife, cut the stromboli into 12 rolls. Place in greased 8 ounce wide mouth mason jars. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Cool completely before lidding. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Serve with a small jar of Marinara Sauce. Reheat unlidded in the microwave for 30 second increments until desired temperature. Jar will be hot, use caution. Makes 12.

Note- You may use your favorite pizza dough for this recipe being sure to cut the slices no wider than 1.5 inches so not to over flow the jars. For more on how to make stromboli, check out my tutorial here.

Don't forget to pack fresh fruits and veggies with your Mason Jar Meals!


Ma asked me once, "what is your desire for Big Red Kitchen?" My answer, "to share my ideas and shortcuts in the kitchen in hopes that I have made someone else's life a little easier when it comes to feeding their family." I AM wearing my fat dreams everyday in the BRK. Are you wearing your fat dreams today?





Tomorrow in BRK- More Mason Jar Meal Ideas Part II, the bottom shelf- numbers 5 and 6.

Robin Sue

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Message on the Bottle

Day 10- The Art of Wearing Your Fat Dreams

Last Saturday Himself and I had the opportunity to help the owners of Catoctin Creek bottle their new batch of Roundstone Rye Whisky. About 20 of us gathered, were assigned specific tasks, and in under 90 minutes bottled over 700 bottles to be shipped all over the US. Scott and Becky, the husband and wife team who own Catoctin Creek, informed us to write anything we wanted on the bottle labels, avoiding political statements of course. There were many, many bigredkitchen.com labels going out there, maybe you will find one in your neck of the woods. Now that would be cool!


Here is the beginning of the assembly line with the guys bottling, corking, sealing, then on to the labeling tables. That is Himself on the far left bottling and managed to avoid a Lucy moment.


Here we are at the label station. Not only did the labelers have to get the labels straight, we had to keep our eyes open for the little fruit flies who like to dive in and get drunk drowned.


Drinking whisky could be a very religious experience. Himself is such the joker.

He is quite the romantic too.



Here is a little about Scott and Becky. It was so neat hearing about their dream, and watching how very hard they have worked to achieve it. And yes you are reading the labels correctly- it's organic! Have you ever participated in helping someone live their dreams? If so, how?

Robin Sue

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