My Big Fat Italian Sandwich

We had a grand time at my folk's house at Smith Mountain Lake this past weekend. My Dad took the kids sailing on the Mirror Dinghy, they fished, swam and played, and we went to my girlfriend's parents home for lunch and rides on the Sea-Doo. Those Sea-Doo's are a blast! My Dad said it was an expensive day because he had to go home and get him one. I relaxed a lot. Nice huh? Mom prepared some easy and kid friendly meals and was ready with a ton of snacks for hungry, water-logged kids. I did manage to make one thing. I had boating on the brain, so I thought to make one of My Big Fat Italian Sandwiches that reminds me of a boat. My cousin Maryanne brought this sandwich to a cookout once and it was gone in minutes. It is a fancy Italian Sub all dressed up for parties. The Giardiniera Mix makes it extra special.

My Big Fat Italian Sandwich
16 oz jar Giardiniera Mix*, drained
4 ounces cream cheese
6 oz sliced provolone cheese
3 oz sliced Capicola
4 oz sliced Mortadella
3 oz sliced salami
1-2 Roma tomatoes sliced, seeds removed
3-4 Romaine leaves, torn
sliced Vidalia onion
one pound loaf soft Italian Bread

In a food processor, process Giardiniera Mix and cream cheese until well blended, put aside. Using a serrated knife cut out center of loaf, careful not to cut through bottom or edges, be sure to keep the cut out piece whole, you will use that to top the sandwich. See picture upper right. Click to enlarge. Starting with cheese, layer in bottom of "boat". Then layer capicola, mortadella, and salami. Be sure that the meats go up the sides of the "boat". This will help hold the filling. Spread the entire amount of giardiniera mix over meat then top with onion rings, sliced tomatoes, and lettuce. Now take the piece you cut out of the bread and trim it so that there is only a one inch thick piece, so it will be the crust and one inch of the inner bread. Carefully place that on top of the sandwich pressing down firmly on the entire loaf. Wrap very tightly in foil and chill up to 12 hours. To serve slice into 1 1/2 inch thick slices. Serves 4-6.
* Giardiniera Mix is found in the Italian section of your grocery store or in the pickle section. It is a mix of peppers, carrots, pickles, and cauliflower.

Robin Sue

Cooking Salon: Brie and Fig Appetizer

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

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

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

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.

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!

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.

Friday Night Food: Chicken Satay

You won’t need to frequent your favorite Thai restaurant for satay anymore. This recipe is fantastic. Serve with white rice and veggies for a main meal or alone as an appetizer. Thanks to my brother Rob for this one. Another perfect Friday Night Food. You have 24 hours to get what you need to make this succulent meal. Grab your canvas bag and run!

Chicken Satay
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in long thin strips
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 T. Asian chili sauce or more to taste (I use Sriracha)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, white & green parts, sliced thin
1 recipe Satay Sauce

Combine the soy sauce, oil, chili sauce, brown sugar, cilantro, garlic, and green onions in a large bowl. Add long strips of the chicken and toss well. Marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Thread each strip on to a 6 inch wooden skewer. Heat a greased cooktop grill to med-high heat and cook chicken for about 2-3 minutes on each side. You may grill these the same way on an outdoor grill. Serve with Satay Sauce. Serves 6.

Satay Sauce
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup water, hot
1 T. soy sauce
2 T. lime juice, about 1 lime
2 T. Asian chili sauce or Sriracha
1 T. brown sugar
1/2-1 t. curry powder
1 clove garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced thin

Whisk the peanut butter and hot water together in a medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Transfer to a small serving bowl, and put aside to use for dipping the finished chicken. Or you may purchase a Thai peanut dipping sauce from the Asian section of you favorite grocer. I sometimes use “Lee Brand” from an Asian grocer.

Hosting Book Club

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again.....

In my book club, we have read some books that have been challenging (boring), fascinating, unforgettable, emotional, and adventurous. Sometimes we are able to serve some of the foods that are described in the book as our snack for the evening. For “Princess Bride” we ate plenty of chocolate and a chocolate “ball” that represented the “pill” that was made by Miracle Max for Westley to get him well again. For “A Day No Pigs Would Die” we snacked on bacon, crackers and cheese, and chocolate cake with nuts on top (you’ll have to read the book to figure that one out! Ewww…!) And for “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” we sampled cotton candy, popcorn, fruit kebabs, lemonade and other boardwalk goodies. However, this time we read the gothic romance and thriller, "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier, a gripping and suspenseful read.


We dined on tea items reminiscent of Manderly, the looming mansion described in the novel. Here was our menu and if you click on the highlighted words you will find the recipes...

On page 24 of "Rebecca" the protagonist is sipping her citronade explaining her unusual name to Mr. de Winter. Therefore we sipped lemonade and of course hot tea as well. Page 187 describes the visit the new Mrs. de Winter makes to her husband's grandmother and with great joy it was "watercress day." We joined them with these delicious (best egg salad I have ever had) Watercress and Egg Salad Sandwiches only I added 1/2 tsp. curry powder and served them closed. Early on in the book a foreshadow occurs describing the relationship between the soon to be Mrs. de Winter and Mr. de Winter while eating a sour tangerine. I transformed the sour dish into a sweet dish of St. Joe's Oranges, recipe to follow. On page 10 the narrator describes how she is served ill carved ham due to her lowly status. We nibbled nicely carved Ham and Cream Cheese Pickles, a tasty finger food treat where salty meets creamy and crunchy. And then came the chocolate mention on page 87 and chocolate must always be copied. "Chocolate Bars, the easiest dessert and the most appreciated." Susan, a fellow book club member and I blurted that little saying out at the same time. Jinx! But it is true, do not fuss over dessert, simply set out an array of chocolate bars on your prettiest plate and you will have happy guests. Plus it is du Maurier's birthday today so chocolate was in order.

After each member discussed her thoughts on the book we had a little contest naming the un-named Mrs. de Winter. She is the narrator of the story and our low self-esteemed protagonist who does posses an unusual, lovely and fitting first name, but the author chose not to reveal it. We took it upon ourselves to reveal the poor gal's name and here it is: Emilia. From this day forth the second Mrs. Maximilian de Winter is hereby Emilia de Winter. Has a nice ring, don' it?

St. Joe's Oranges
6 oranges, peel and pith removed
olive oil
fresh cracked black pepper

Slice oranges and arrange on pretty plate. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with pepper. Serves 6-8.
Note- The above version is the sophisticated version. Here is how we make them most of the time. Leave the peel on and slice, then drizzle with vegetable oil and sprinkle with sugar. Everybody digs in and goes to town. They love peeling the "wheels" while eating. The name of this dish comes from my cousin Joe of California who created it.


I hope this has inspired you to either read "Rebecca", join/start a book club or both. Happy Reading!

PS I'm in 2 book clubs- so much time, so little books.

Friday Night Food- Macho Nacho Dip

Come Monday morning we aim our tunnel vision right for Friday night. And tonight is Friday night! Work outside of the home is on hold for two days, school is out and we can kick back and relax. Friday deserves its own food. Something lofty, special, distinct even. When Friday comes I want Friday Night Food, appetizer-ish nibblings to a perfectly grilled steak or muscles with bread for dipping, or marinated shrimp on a bed of linguine, not Tuesday's or Wednesday's fare. Macho Nacho Dip qualifies as Friday Night Food in the appetizer-ish nibblings department. It's creamy, spicy richness on a bed of Tostito Chips® screams, "It's Friday night!"

Macho Nacho Dip
1 lb sausage regular or hot, browned, drained
1 can Ro*Tel® tomatoes, original, undrained
8 ounces cream cheese

In a large skillet mix all ingredients and cook on medium high until the mixture is creamy and thick. Move to a bowl and serve with Tostito Style Chips® or Frito Scoops®. You may also pour this over a pile of Tostito Chips® and sprinkle with cheese, olives, and jalapeno peppers. Yippee! It's Friday Night!

Hey there's more...

How 'bout these to go with your Friday Night Macho Nacho Fest in February on Leap Day.

Frozen-Frozen Margaritas
One 12 ounce can frozen limeade
1 1/2 cans dry white wine
1/4 can triple sec
4 cups crushed ice

Blend in blender until slushy, add a little water if needed. Pour into four 16 ounce Solo® plastic cups. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 24 hours to 6 months. Remove from freezer at least one hour before serving and serve with a straw and a wedge of lime. Or microwave at 20 second increments until slushy. Double or triple the recipe and store in freezer and remove as needed.
Note: For those of you searching Wegman's right now for canned wine and canned triple sec, wine and triple sec do not come in cans, you are using the limeade can to do the measuring!

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

As I perused my recipes last night, I rediscovered this dip recipe that I must have made at least four times last summer, to rave reviews and recipe requests. I have resurrected it for the Super Bowl party that we are attending tomorrow evening. This creamy, spicy dip mimics the eating of chicken wings minus the mess. Served up with celery chunks makes it even more like the real thing.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip
2 chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
8 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (or more if you like it spicy)
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
1-1 1/2 cups shredded three cheese blend (I used cheddar, Monterey jack, mozzarella)
Place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high, in one minute increments, until heated through, smooth, and creamy. Place in a crock pot on low to keep warm. Serve with celery cut in one inch pieces. This also goes well with corn chips or tortilla chips.

Go Patriots!

Cheese Fondue

This past Christmas, I gave gift packages containing my family's favorite things. A favorite game, cookie, and Mexican Cocoa Mix along with a list of our favorite movies, books, and recipes. Lately, I have been enamored with every one's favorite things. I believe I appreciate favorite things so much because they are sweet little condensed versions of the good things in life. These items have been greatly researched, forever tried and true, and repeatedly pleasurable. So why not indulge others to bequeath some of their favorite things? I may try some and like them enough to embellish my own favorite list even further. Some may even challenge me to over step my comfort zones into new and exciting genres that would have never crossed my imagination.

My new favorite thing is Cheese Fondue. At least it is my favorite in the "What to Serve at Friday Night Gatherings" category, as I must categorize all my favorite things because to have one favorite thing would hurt the feelings of all my other favorite things. I know Cheese Fondue was trendy years ago, and I am a little behind in falling in love with it, but I was busy loving other things back then. The other night I had some girlies over as our men braved the elements to attend the D.C. Auto Show. I whipped up some Swiss Cheese Fondue which I had purchased from Trader Joe's. Yes, it was premade and just needed a gentle nuking. We dipped gnocchi, roasted rosemary potatoes, chicken and roasted garlic sausages, carrots and celery, apples, and three artisan breads. It was cheesy love. This was a wonderfully balanced meal with the lush green salad we served along side and so simple for a "Friday Night Gathering". This will be repeated in my house again and again (until a new favorite comes along, so I am fickle) and if men attend I will add a queso fondue, beer brats, and corn chips just to guy it up. Think about your favorite things, write them down even, and share with others the best in life.