Shark Attack Movie Night

While staying at our family's house in Washington, my sister sister-in-law Donna decided to have a shark attack movie night. She rented Jaws II and made Captain Jack's Shark Attack Popcorn. We turned out the lights to watch this "scary" movie. I think the music was the scariest thing about it. The kids mostly laughed at the outdated special effects and had a great time trying to predict who would get eaten next. We were scarfing the popcorn down faster than Jaws could eat that poor water skier and her mother. This popcorn is delicious. My nephew Jack said, "Auntie Robin can you put this recipe on Big Red Kitchen?" You betcha man! Can't turn down a request like that.

So low and behold when we got home one of our TV stations was running the Jaws Marathon. We planned our own Shark Attack night to watch Jaws III, the one with Dennis Quaid. Meh, pretty lame but when you have two little boys in the house all that stuff just ROCKS! I made the Captain Jack's Shark Attack Popcorn and Shark Attack Italian Sodas. The kids had a blast pouring the "blood" in their seltzer.



Captain Jack's Shark Attack Popcorn
4 ounces cinnamon red hots
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light Karo syrup

1 cup popcorn kernels, popped

In a medium-sized sauce pan over medium high heat, melt the first four ingredients, stirring constantly until melted and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Place popcorn in a huge bowl and pour red sauce over popcorn stirring frequently to cover all the kernels. Place on a large jelly roll pan, it will be piled high and bake in a 250 degree oven for 15 minutes. The original directions say one hour but it didn't really need it and I was hungry for crying-out-loud! Let cool and break apart into bite-sized pieces. Serves a crowd.


Shark Attack Italian Soda
seltzer water
Torani strawberry syrup
ice

Fill a tall glass halfway with crushed ice. Fill the glass with seltzer water leaving about and inch head space for the "blood", ahem, syrup. Pour in about one ounce of syrup and watch the "blood" spread through the water. The kids go nuts for this stuff.







This "pour" shark ate too much of this popcorn and went belly up. Poor buggah. I remember watching the first Jaws as a kid and it scared the pee out of me, I about had a stroke when that head fell out of the boat. The music was something else as well, what suspense. Living at the beach in Jersey, I was petrified of being eaten by a shark but our sharks were tiny but could still do some damage. The only thing that attacked me while I was swimming was a crab who was doing the backstroke while I was doing freestyle. I had no idea the things ever surfaced to swim but this one did and boy oh boy I think he released all his claws and legs I screamed so loud (they'll grow back.) The boy next door was always trying to attack me too. Remember him, Ma?


PS- My kids got those sharks in their Shark Attack drinks at Glory Days Grill, they use Sprite though. I think the Italian Soda is more sophisticated which is very important during an attack.


2008 Shark Team USA Wins Gold in Synchronized Swimming
I assure you they are all 16 years old. Wink.

Come back on Monday for Chocolate Abundance Part II: The Chocolate Flower Farm. You won't want to miss it. Super simple and delicious recipe included!

Robin Sue

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.

GORP for Travel

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


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


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

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

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

Robin Sue

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.

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.

Frozen Red Grapes & Dusty Grapes

When I was first married my husband asked me to make frozen grapes. So I did. I had never heard of frozen grapes before and made them the best I thought how. I proudly put a bowl of frozen grapes in front of him, vines and all, and he said not green grapes, red grapes and after trying to eat a few I knew why. Green grapes freeze solid and are practically impossible to consume. Oh and not on the vines either, said Himself. Now red grapes on the other hand freeze beautifully, like little frosted candies. My children are home from school and feed about every two hours so keeping up is very difficult especially in the healthy food department. But Frozen Red Grapes is my answer to the dilemma. The kids love them and Himself can eat a whole bowl of these and considering that it could have been chips then it is fine with me, I'll keep making them.

Frozen Red Grapes
red grapes

Place grapes in a large bowl and fill with water to cover. Add a veggie cleaner if you have it. Soak grapes at least 20 minutes to remove any dirt, pesticide, and grime. Rinse well. Spread on towels to let dry. Remove grapes from their vines and place on a large cookie sheet. Freeze a few hours until frozen solid. Move to a zip top freezer bag. To serve, take out what you need as you do not want the whole batch to defrost. Delicious!

The following is an occasional "treat" version of the above. I serve Dusty Grapes when my kids haven't had sugar in what, a whole hour. A great way to ruin a perfectly healthy snack, but man are they tasty.


Dusty Grapes
3 cups frozen red grapes
2-3 T. any flavor Jell-O powder

Place frozen grapes in a quart sized zip top bag, add Jell-O powder, zip bag and shake well. Be sure that your frozen grapes are right from the freezer because any condensation will cause clumping. I place a small amount in ramekins as treats for the kiddies (well all right I confess, me too!) and quickly return leftovers to the freezer.

Note- I have not tried this with sugar-free Jell-O but imagine it would work fine.

Update- Welcome Stumblers! Thank you for dropping by I hope you like what you see here. Pop into my Recipe Box for more wonderful recipes. I have also completed my first Cooking Salon, a fun little video of me making a very simple appetizer. I love blogging about food! So stick around, if you love what you see, subscribe!!

Mini Ham and Cheese Rolls

We had a friend of ours, Armin, visit from Germany Sunday and we took him and his coworker, Heike, downtown to see what was left of the cherry blossoms along with a few monuments and a smashing view of D.C. from the Old Post Office Pavillion. Boy was it cold. So we came back to a pot of Starbucks (sie lieben Starbucks!), these tasty sandwiches that I put together in the morning, homemade Easy Mac and Cheese , fresh fruit, and my coleslaw. Then we dined on the German chocolates that they brought. Mmmm.

Mini Ham and Cheese Rolls
2 T. dried minced onions
1 T. prepared mustard (I used Dijon)
2 T. poppy seeds
1 stick melted butter
1 dozen dinner rolls or 2 dozen party rolls- I used 1 doz. Martin's Famous Dinner Potato Rolls
1/2 pound ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325°. In a small mixing bowl mix onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and melted butter. Leaving the dinner rolls intact, slice them open so that you have one solid top and bottom. Place the bottom half on a baking sheet or in a 9x13 inch baking pan, the pan size will depend on choice of rolls. Line the bottom half of the rolls with cheese slices and ham. Return the top part of the rolls and drizzle the butter mixture evenly over top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Now use a sharp knife and separate the little sandwiches. Place on a pretty platter and serve immediately.

Note- These can be made ahead of time and refrigerated, may require 5 more minutes of baking. Also can be prepared ahead and frozen. Defrost in refrigerator overnight and bake as directed. I love keeping a pan of these in the freezer for emergencies. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.

Another Note- The picture was taken just prior to baking the sandwiches. They will come out golden and melty from the oven.

Fry Bread...

Another good reason to keep bread dough in your refrigerator. Most Sunday nights my little family gets together with my folks and brother's family for supper. We take turns hosting and have done potluck style, cookouts, and picnics. But on the Sundays we stay home I serve a snacky type fare or yell "fend for yourselves." Tonight I spotted the bread dough I made earlier in the week just sitting in my fridge begging to be eaten. I did use it Friday night to make a stromboli, a type of Italian "pizza" rolled up with no sauce, just cheese and salami. I serve the sauce on the side. So I wondered how this dough would taste fried up, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, then drizzled with honey once torn open. I must say it was a hit! Perfect with a tall glass of ice cold milk. Put that dough in your refrigerator folks, it is great for a quick pizza, stromboli, fry bread, or baked up into a traditional loaf, it has been a lifesaver.

Fry Bread
A grapefruit sized piece of dough from The Master Recipe of the Artisan Bread In 5 Minutes a Day
vegetable oil for frying
cinnamon sugar*
honey

In a large iron skillet heat one inch oil to 325-350°. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough and fry in oil, turning until golden brown. Drop in cinnamon sugar to coat well. Serve hot with a drizzle of honey and an ice cold glass of milk.
*1 c. white sugar + 1/4 c. cinnamon

Gotta Run... It's baseball's opening night here in DC.
Go Nationals!!!

Whirley Pop

The kids are home for Spring Break this week and they are hungry every 2 hours. A favorite snack of theirs' is popcorn. But what is really funny is that they do not ask for popcorn any more, they ask for Whirley Pop. I think, just like me, that they have figured out that Whirley Pop makes the best darn popcorn known to mankind and if they request "popcorn" they may receive air popped, microwaved, or bagged popcorn and are unwilling to run that risk.

Last summer we spent a week with my cousins in Boston and were treated to Whirley Pop every night. Big bowls full of the crispiest, crunchiest popcorn I have ever had. Then my cousin made an even bigger batch of kettle corn which threw me into a salty/sweet coma. My cousins order their popcorn in 25 pound bags, they are that serious. When we got home from our visit we immediately purchased our own Whirley Pop from Sur la Table but you can get them on Amazon too.


Each batch pops up crispy and light, as you control the amount and type of oil used. I use canola oil, Orville Redenbacher's popcorn which I find works the best, and Morton's popcorn salt, a very fine grain salt for more equal distribution. The popper comes with a cookbook of various popcorn recipes but our favorites are the kettle corn and plain ole popcorn. If you had been wondering what that strange pot appearing in some of my photos was, there you have it- the Whirley Pop.

Cheese Pretzels

"Eine Brezel bitte." I spent many afternoons strolling the scenic streets of Heidelberg no matter the weather and on those especially cold or damp days a warm pretzel did just the trick. I tried many treats on my adventures such as pastries, candies, cookies, brats, and donor kebabs but the one I turned to most was the pretzel, a big soft, salty twist of delight. Some are sold from carts parked on a corner, others from small kiosks near the train stop. There are many varieties like cheese with bacon, pizza pretzels which are smeared with sauce and topped with cheese, or just the plain old buttered pretzels-you got it, a pretzel sliced open and filled with slabs of chilled butter. My favorite was always the Käsebrezel or cheese pretzel, a wonderful plump soft pretzel topped with Butterkäse or butter cheese. The Käsebrezel is a perfect snack. Eat them hot from the oven or save for later and eat at room temperature. I like mine plain but dipped in a spicy mustard is also very nice.

Cheese Pretzels
6 soft pretzels
6 slices of muenster cheese

Preheat oven to 400°. Place pretzels on a sheet pan or stone and brush with water and sprinkle with the pretzel salt provided with the pretzels. I use the Hanover brand of soft pretzels found in the freezer case. Top each pretzel with one piece of cheese. Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden. Serve immediately. You may make as many as you desire but eat on the same day as baked for the best results.