Los Amigos

I was recently struck by the fact that it has been 21 years since I cooked in a professional kitchen. 21! The time between then and now can now legally purchase alcohol! Funny thing is just how powerful the experiences of the restaurant kitchen make it seem like I just got off the 4pm to 2am shift just last night-- the smells, the sounds, the heat, the pain-- it's still fresh in my mind.

The cuisine is New Mexican, in the days long before "Fresh Mex." It's burritos, enchiladas, chile rellenos, refried beans, and a new, wildly popular dish called "fajitas." Music, a kitchen must, pumps out of a small boom box perched atop one of the refrigerators. We've come to the mutual agreement that our kitchen sound is Motown, and as three cooks and a "nacho boy" maneuver around each other with familiar ease, the hostess comes in and says that the eight-top nearest the kitchen, while not necessarily complaining, said that they prefer "My Girl" without the falsetto-karaoke backup of the kitchen staff. We laugh but with disappointment we turn it down-- you need every bit of distraction-- painkiller, really-- to dull the rush hours, the triple digit kitchen temperatures, and the endless drone of the Micros printer whining out order after order. Grease splashes up from the fryer onto the back of my hand, creating the fraternal twin of the burn on my other hand, birthed from pulling a batch of flan from the oven a half hour prior. A quick splash in a pitcher of ice water (it's there for drinking or burn treatment, whatever comes first) and I'm back in action. It hurts, but you power through these things-- orders are waiting. Suddenly, the kitchen door flies open and in comes Nacho Boy from his smoke break. He's hacking out a death-rattle of a cough and he's bright red. Seems he lit up a cigarette laced with jalapeno seeds. One of the cooks and I exchange a wide-eyed glance, wondering if our little practical joke could be considered attempted murder. Fortunately, the healing power of the dinner rush cures Nacho Boy, and we roll through the night, cleaning and prepping during the lulls, bracing for and making it through each rush.

Finally, at midnight the last order rolls out, and the big clean starts. The music gets turned back up, and our karaoke act is back. The cutting boards are bleached, the greasy floor mopped, the grill scraped, the fryer drained. We're beat but still have a crazy, euphoric energy-- it's a combination of relief from making it through another Friday night, and the sugar and caffeine from all soda we've downed during our shift. That's why, after the kitchen lights go out, you find the three cooks, Nacho Boy (breathing regularly, thank you very much), the dishwashers, and the occasional wait staff, shooting hoops at a local school yard, the blacktop court lit by the headlights of our encircled cars. We drink past-date Dos Equis liberated from the walk-in, and laugh and gossip about the night. The food. The music. The cuts, burns, and other accidents. The practical jokes. The restaurant romances. The owners and their quirks.

The fatigue finally does hit-- fast and hard, and tomorrow is another day to do it all over again, and so I head home, and take a pointless shower-- the kitchen smell takes weeks to shed. I drift off, happy in the knowledge that tomorrow is lunch shift for me, no mad dinner rush for me, but participation in a normal social life-- but still considering going back at midnight for the after-action report, and to join in on the late-night blow-off. And to make sure Nacho Boy is still breathing.

Yikes. There I went down memory lane leaving little room for a recipe. So, something quick. From that magical kitchen, perhaps. No, I will not share the jalapeno cigarette recipe-- sorry, trade secret. But here's a quicky: sopapillas. The ever versatile tortilla lending itself to a super-quick, light, and easy dessert or treat.

Obviously in the restaurant we used a deep fryer to prepare them, but in the home, you can do this on the stove-top in a skillet, or go for the electric skillet.

Sopapillas, for Four
Three 8" flour torillas.
Cinnamon
Powdered Sugar
Honey
Canola Oil-- enough to give a depth of 1/8" in the skillet.

Heat the oil to 350-370 degrees. Cut the tortillas into wedges, each tortilla should yield 8 wedges. Fry 5-6 wedges at a time-- it only takes about 10-15 seconds per side to get them to GBD (golden, brown, & delicious)-- keep an eye on them. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Give them a light coating of cinnamon and then lightly toss to evenly distribute. Shake on a good coating of powdered sugar followed by a drizzle of honey. Consume with wild abandon.

Thanks to Robin for letting my guest spot in the BRK!

Adios, Rob

Epilogue- Thanks Rob for doing such a delicious blog for me. Hey everyone, Rob is my little brother, well more like younger and a foot taller. He is a great cook and I love eating over his house especially when he smokes a roast. You can catch some of his cool cooking videos on his site, Attifood. He is famous for his Hot Chocolypto video so check him out, it will make you happy. Really!

Danish Puff Pastry

Here I am again in "Bigredkitchen". I am celebrating my invitation the way our family often celebrates birthdays, Christmas and Easter - With a Danish Puff! My wish list for my birthday changed every year but I never changed my breakfast request. Danish Puff Please! Usually it was not decorated with nuts but was covered in the sprinkle color of my choice. My most frequent selection was the pastel variegated circles. Don't wait for a birthday to make this yummy treat. Everyday can be a celebration!

Danish Puff Pastry
For the crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
2 Tablespoons water
crumble real fine and pat into pizza pan as shown.

Topping:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water
1 teaspoon almond flavoring (vanilla can be substituted)
1 cup flour
3 eggs
Mix butter and water in sauce pan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and add flavoring. Beat in flour, and keep beating hard. Add eggs one at a time until mixture looks like the picture to the right.

Pour mixture over top of crust and take almost to edge.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Frost with recipe below, top with nuts or sprinkles, and CELEBRATE!
Frosting
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla flavoring
1 Tablespoon butter
3 Tablespoons milk.



Note- Another great post from my good friend Rindy. Thanks Rindy! Now I am off to make this delicious looking puff as soon as I get back from Whidbey!

Peanut Butter Sticks

My name is Rindy Robberstad and my dear friend Robin Sue has allowed me to be a guest in her Big Red Kitchen. Thank you! When she first asked me to guest blog I was at my parent's cabin in the Catskills. I have spent part of every summer on White Lake and have made many of my fondest memories in that wonderful place. Two things come to mind immediately when I think about our cabin - Jiffy Pop (the kind that looks like a tin foil space ship when done popping) and Peanut Butter Sticks! No summer up there would be complete without having had these two wonderful treats. As a child we would only spend about two weeks in the cabin so the grocery shopping consisted of the basics (ingredients for S'mores, Jiffy Pop, Bread, peanut butter, milk...) About day four, my brother and I would be sick of all the S'mores and asking my mom for another sweet treat - Peanut Butter Sticks! The recipe would emerge - (you know, the one that is so old your mother doesn't remember where it came from, who it came from, or when it appeared in her recipe box) and the memories would begin.

Here are the cast of players for this memory...


Peanut Butter Sticks
6 Slices of white bread
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup Wesson Oil
2/3 cup Graham cracker crumbs


Cut crust off bread and then cut bread into 5 sticks each.


Place on cookie sheet and bake at 250° for 30 minutes. This picture makes them look like little soldiers all lined up for battle - the battle of the bulge!!!!
(I double the recipe - so this is a double batch)


Mix peanut butter and oil over low heat. Dip each stick into peanut butter mixture.


Roll wet stick in graham cracker crumbs. Let cool and store in air tight container.


My kids love these dipped in jelly or honey. Kind of a twist on a PB and J. Most of all - I love knowing my kids are making memories of their own on White Lake!

Epilogue- It is with great pleasure to share my blog with my great friend, Rindy. We met about six years ago and started our Supper Club about four years ago. Time is flying. Rindy is probably the most creative and generous person I know. When I need a good idea, I call her. She is an amazing person with great faith in God and incredible strength. She was so happy to write a blog for me that she suddenly got inspired to start her own food blog. You can catch big slices of her life here at Kitchen Klique.

Sipping Chocolate

Iam heading to Seattle for a grand vacation on Whidbey Island with our family. There will be 20 of us all together, 10 kids 10 adults. Good ratio. One highlight of this trip is that all the ladies get together and go to Langley, a quaint seaside town, to shop, do lunch, and explore. Last time we were there we discovered a little shop called 1 Angel Place Chocolate Bar. This was a great find for us as we sampled many chocolate treats. Then Mona, the owner, asked us if we wanted to sample the Sipping Chocolate. "What is that?" we all asked. Here is what she said, "It is melted chocolate mixed with cream and you drink it, but it is not hot or cold, just sort of warm, and you can add whatever flavoring you would like to it," as she pointed to the flavoring bar that was covered with spices, jams, and extracts. She had dark, white and milk chocolate to choose from. We sampled each, trying different spices. I tried white chocolate with curry stirred in, then a dark chocolate with raspberry, then milk chocolate with chili powder. She even shared how to make Sipping Chocolate. I think we bought one and shared it as it came in two sizes, 4 ounces or 8 ounces, both too big for me. But wow what a drink. A very good way to get one's chocolate fix and fast. I loved the idea of adding different spices or flavors, chocolate is wonderful with chili powder or even curry. A very nice surprise.


Once in a while here at home I pull out my pounds of chocolate and concoct our own Sipping Chocolate Bar. I place spices in little tiny ramekins, chop up some chocolate, melt, and then start sipping. Delicious.


We have a nice little collection of demitasse cups, all from different countries, like Poland, Turkey, and Germany. The little orange cups were given to me by my mom. She used to win these at a carnival when she was a little girl. Beats those stupid stuffed pandas.


I have this Chocolate Station in my kitchen. It holds all my chocolate, candy making supplies, chocolate cookbooks, molds, cookie cutters, and various other gadgetry. I picked this cabinet up in Germany at a thrift shop. Recently a friend from Germany visited and stated that those old cabinets were used in kitchens to hold baking supplies, it is from the 1940's or so. The top pulls up to reveal some tools and the bottom opens to show off my chocolate collection. I purchase my chocolate from a restaurant supply store. I buy the Callebaut 11 pound blocks in the white, milk, and dark. This brand of chocolate tempers well and has a great taste.



Sipping Chocolate
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
2 ounces half and half

In a small sauce pan over low heat melt chocolate. Stirring constantly and protecting from burning. Go very slow. Once the chocolate is smooth add cream one ounce at a time, stirring well with each addition. Serve in a tiny cup and sip away. You may use the same ratio of chocolate to cream with dark chocolate but with white chocolate use skim milk. Great add ins are chili powder, curry, cinnamon, chipotle powder, seedless raspberry jelly, extracts, or anything else you can think of. My favorite is chili powder with a pinch of chipotle. Be sure to stir in your add ins well. Serves 2.



Important Update- Please Read!!
On August 10, 2008 I had the opportunity to visit Mona's shop on Whidbey and get important new information on how to improve the technique of making Sipping Chocolate. So go to my Chocolate Abundance Part I post.

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

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.

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.

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!

Push Pops

Everyone loves a good ice cold popsicle during these hot Summer days. In the past I have made various homemade popsicles, all from those purchased molds. And here is what I have concluded about them, the molds that is; they are a pain in the butt to wash, there is never enough of them, and they really don't work all that great, at least the ones I have had. So after reading an article on How to Make Homemade Bomb Pops by Amanda Clarke at Serious Eats, I thought I would try my hand at frozen pops again. The picture of the pointy pop in her article, reminded me of my huge supply of disposable pastry bags and I thought to myself that they could be my answer to the homemade popsicle conundrum. I have made stick pops and the pop falls off the stick or the kids eats them too slowly and they drip everywhere. But the pastry bags reminded me of a type of push pop I ate as a kid at school. The lunch lady would cut the tops off of these triangle shaped Italian Water Ices so that we could push them up while eating. What melted went to the bottom of the container and with the help of a napkin our hands would not get too cold. The pastry bags worked like a charm.


I folded the pastry bags over large plastic cups and filled them with a strawberry smoothie mixture, recipe below. These are the triangular pastry bags that still have a point, they are not open, just in case you were wondering or hoping I was that dumb! I placed the cups in the freezer over night then cut the plastic off down to the top of the pop. I wrapped the Push Pops with a napkin and gave them to the kids. No mess, although Littleness did pop hers out across the table once. But it was replaced easily with no tears.


I popped the rest in a zip-top bag to store in the freezer for future Push Pop experiences. Here is the recipe I used. You can use what ever you want for these as well. Come up with something stronger for the adults too if you want. And no stinkin' molds to wash.

Strawberry Push Pops
2 pounds strawberries, washed and hulled
sugar to taste, I used steevia
water

You may need to do this in two batches, I did. Fill a blender halfway up with strawberries. Pour water halfway up the berries. Blend until smooth, add a little sugar at a time and blend. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Fill pastry bags 1/3 full with the smoothie mixture. Freeze. Makes about 6-7 Push Pops.

100th Post!

Today is my 100th Post! Happy Post Day to me or I should say to us. I would like to thank my producer, God. My encourager, my brother Rob that dude at attifood with an attitude. My little eaters, Dryden, Deven, and Daelyn. My love and chief food critic "It's alright", Himself. My bloggy friends who encourage me through their faithful comments. And my readers, thanks for checking in daily. And to my Supper Club girlies and best friends, you are my inspiration. To my mom, who taught me what cooking and life is all about. I am loving this new hobby of mine. What a great creative outlet, too bad I didn't discover it sooner. I am learning so much about photography, food styling, lighting, writing, editing, web design and building, food trends, and everything else food related. Thanks for your loyalty and I'll keep writing.


Now for something fun, a big fat Candy Cake. I started making these a few years ago when I wanted to bring something original (and could travel well) to a family picnic all the way in Seattle. I couldn't bring potato salad, security at the airport wouldn't let me, so I came up with this cake. It is a Red Vine plastic canister, full of Red Vines of course, covered in colorfully wrapped candy. I purchased the Red Vines from Target as well as the candy assortment in a mega sized bag. It was like doing a Pinata but without stitches, head injuries, blindness, and the riotous plunge for the goods.I had the kids sort the candies then used double-sided tape to attach the candies. Once the entire container was covered and I was sure that the lid would still come off, I wrapped the entire "cake" in clear cellophane and secured it with a rainbow of curling ribbons. Very colorful and very welcomed by all the children at the picnic. There is no chocolate so nothing melted. I gave each child a clear cellophane bag with twisty tie (from Michael's) and opened the lid and let them take some Red Vines and pull some candies off the exterior. It was like doing a Pinata but without stitches, head injuries, blindness, and the riotous plunge for the goods. Some adults even picked off some candy, Himself included. I also made one of these for Himself when he turned, ahem, older. He is the king of candy so this was the perfect cake. Fun to make and eat, a pretty center piece too, give this Candy Cake a try at your next party.

Below is a picture of the "cake" with the lid off. Sorry it is blurry but the photographer was eating all the leftover candies that did not fit on the cake and had a bit of a sugar buzz. But you get the idea.

Carmelicious Shortbread Bars

Layered bars do something to me. I don't know if it has to do with the pretty colors, taste combinations, complimenting textures, or the fact that I am getting a three for one deal, but I love layered desserts. While perusing some new food galleries out there I came across these Carmelicious Shortbread Bars by Velvet Lava. So after reading her story about making these and knowing that she had some trouble with the recipe, I still forged ahead for some carmelly goodness. Then like her, I found myself mad at these bars and muttering hateful words to my pan of caramel as it quickly separated on me, leaving a puddle of ghee on top. I said things like, "You have got to be kidding me! Separating? Don't you know, Ms. Caramel that sweetened condensed milk is $3.49 a can, so don't even think about separating on me. I said, don't do it. Oh no you don't. Poo, you had to go and do it." And my ramblings continued. Nothing is ever easy when it comes to caramel making on a hot day in Virginia. I should have known better. So I pulled that unruly Ms. Caramel off the stove, got out my candy thermometer, fired up the stove again, brought her up to 235 degrees while stirring madly and threw in three magical pinches of baking soda. Cured! Take that. You thought you could take me down.

Although this recipe has three major steps and messes up a few dishes, it was worth it. I cut the recipe in half and made it in an 8x8 pan, only because I only had one can of sweetened condenced milk. Next time I'll make the whole deal. The shortbread layer was exceptionally crisp and light with an excellent buttery taste. The caramel was perfectly thick, gooey, and creamy with a light caramel flavor. And who could go wrong with a whole Valrhona bar melted on top? Pure heaven. I did not have trouble cutting them, as I just let them "set" while sitting out on the counter which did take a lot of patience. I also put the chocolate right on top of the warm caramel and spread it once it was softened. I shared these bars with a friend who needed a little lift and she loved them on the first bite. This recipe is not for beginners, to say the least, since one never knows when caramel will go wonky. But do be brave and give this one a go, it is worth the maddening dialogue with a pan of caramel. I'll go there again.



Thanks Velvet Lava for this great recipe, I give you a Standing Ovation!

Arrollado con Dulce de Leche

This cake is my new excuse to keep a couple of cans of Dulce de Leche on hand. In an earlier post I explained how nicely our little school cookbook came out. The recipes sounded so mouth watering, I started to try some right away. The Mexican Style Shredded Pork was so fantastic that I will definitely be making it again. One of my coworkers makes this cake roll, a traditional Spanish treat, and brings it in for her students. The other day I got my first taste of it and decided that it would be the next recipe from our cookbook to try. I made this cake in 20 minutes, that included mixing, baking and rolling! I went out to run some errands and by the time I got home it was cool enough to slice and plate. My new quicky dessert. It is so pretty and decadent, your friends and family will think that you spent all day.

Arrollado con Dulce de Leche
1 cup self rising flour
1 cup sugar
6 eggs (separated)
1 t. Vanilla
One can dulce de leche, 13.4 ounces

Beat egg whites until fluffy add sugar until soft peaks form, then add egg yolks, flour, and vanilla. Line an 11x15x1 inch jelly roll pan with wax paper, be sure a little over laps to assist with rolling later. Spray lightly with Pam. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden and cake springs back when touched. Remove from oven and while still hot, drop spoonfuls of dulce de leche over top of cake. Wait a minute then spread evenly. Grabbing the long end of the wax paper start rolling the cake toward you while pulling the wax paper free. Once rolled tight, wrap with the wax paper and let cool. Once cooled slice and place on pretty platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serves 10-12.

Note- If you do not have self-rising flour then to one cup of all purpose flour add 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1 tsp baking soda.

Cupcake Monday

Today was the first day of our bake sale raising funds for our school's Drama Club. All three of my kids are in this year's play, Pinocchio. Yes I am the beaming Momma but will probably be a nervous wreck the night of the play. Will they remember their lines? Will they cry if they don't? Will they be loud enough? Will they get the giggles? Will the little one have to pee just in time for her line?

Today was Cupcake Monday which meant that we only sold cupcakes. We received 6 donated batches of cupcakes (from parents), about 115 cupcakes, and sold them for $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00 and guess what? We kicked tail. We made over $200.00! The cupcakes were delicious and beautiful. We had fudge marble, strawberry, banana, yellow, and white cupcakes all with frosting displayed beautifully on cake stands. We let the kids choose which cupcake they wanted and then add their own sprinkles at the Sprinkle Station. We also gave them a paper umbrella that one would find in a tropical drink. We all love those umbrellas don't we? It was a colorful, sticky, and wonderful success.

Tomorrow is an "Old-Fashioned Bake Sale" in which we will be selling a huge variety of home baked items. Folks donated cakes, many different cookies, granola bars, coffee cake, and dessert bars that we cut or divided into single portions and wrapped them in plastic wrap first then individually in really pretty multi-colored cellophane bags. All the items are displayed on cake stands, in baskets and colorful bowls, and large white platters. We felt that everything should be wrapped nicely and displayed well to increase sales. (A pet peeve of mine is a sloppy looking bake sale and terribly wrapped goods.) Everything will be sold for $1.00 each or a baker's dozen for $10.00. Oh we will have a Lemonade Stand as well and we are all going to wear aprons. Cute huh? I'll let you know how it all goes.

Note- Prior to the sale we set up the cupcakes on the stands and needed a way to cover them with plastic wrap (so they would not dry out) without ruining the frosting. The umbrellas were perfect for this job. I think I will use umbrellas from now on in place of the toothpicks! Much cuter.

Oatmeal Cake

This cake is an old recipe from my mother-in-law, Marilou. She got it from her next door neighbor, June Johnson, in 1963. June got it from...I have no idea. I have been making this recipe for a few years now and it is a delicious way to use up leftover oatmeal. It is a very moist cake, almost gooey, nothing wrong with that. I made a big platter of it for my lady's group today, hope they like it. Here is the recipe just as Marilou typed it out in an email to me back in August 2002. I love hand written or typed recipes written in the way someone would talk, not all formal-like.

Oatmeal Cake
Oatmeal Cake 1963 from friend next door (June Johnson)
1 1/4 cups boiling water over 1 cup quick cooking oatmeal. Let stand 20 minutes. Or use 1 cup left-over oatmeal.

Cream together: 1 cube butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
Add: 2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Add oatmeal mixture and 1 1/3 cups flour, 1 tsp soda.
Bake 350 degree oven 30 minutes in 9x13 greased pan.

Top with topping and return to oven 10 minutes or
until brown.
Topping: 4 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
4 tablespoons cream
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans are GREAT)

Enjoy. This is very moist cake, great with coffee and friends. I'm sure you could take alot of the fat out by substitution.

have a great week.
Mom


PS- I really like my mother-in-law! Aren't I a lucky person to be able to say that? She has been a great blessing to me over these last 15 years. A mentor, mother, and friend. Now go and call your mother-in-law and tell her you love her even if it might kill you. Then go and make this cake, it will make you feel good. Really.

Cream Cheese Cookie Bars

More fun with cookie dough! Last week I made a double batch of Toll House's Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies. Two dozen cookies were baked up immediately for my kids' school lunches, five dozen cookie dough balls were made up and frozen for future use, three of which were used for the Cookie Dough Cupcakes last Friday, and last but not least, I put aside three cups of cookie dough to make Cream Cheese Cookie Bars. These cookie bars are a popular treat in our home. The recipe is so simple, it may be good for beginner bakers as the little ones will surely love pressing cookie dough into the baking dish. The bars are also great for potlucks and usually bring many recipe requests. Make some this week with your favorite cookie dough. I think the possibilities may be endless.

Cream Cheese Cookie Bars
1- 8 ounce brick cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
3 cups chocolate chip cookie dough

Preheat oven to 350°. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix the first four ingredients until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on med-high speed. Into an 8x8 inch greased baking dish, evenly press 2 cups cookie dough. Pour cream cheese mixture over top and spread to edges of dish. Break the remaining dough into small pieces and sprinkle over top of cream cheese mixture. Lower oven heat to 325° and bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until tester comes out (almost) clean. Let cool completely out on the counter before cutting into 16 equal pieces. Chilling in the refrigerater for one hour before removing cut bars prevents breakage. Refrigerate leftovers (if any!)

Note- I baked my bars for about 38 minutes. Although the tester came out with a little cream cheese mixture on it, I still removed the bars from the oven and they set up nicely once they cooled. I did this to avoid overcooked edges.

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

What would it be like to put my favorite cookie and favorite dessert, the cupcake, together? The answer is wonderful, amazing, delicious. Try this out yourself. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full (or 30 grams) with your favorite cake b