Big Red Kitchen

Slice of Life

2009-11-05T06:00:00.003-05:00

Family. The most important people in the world to me. In the photo above is the Klause side of the family. My parents came for the weekend because their church had bestowed the honor of "Oaks of Righteousness"* to them for their service to God and the church. The church also had a professional DVD made of my parents telling their love story and about their faith in God. I am grateful to have such great parents, they are an enormous blessing to all who know them.

Above is the original Fab 4- Rob, Ma, Me, and Dad. It was also my Dad's birthday on Oct. 31 and Zuzu's (he is little guy on the far right in the yellow shirt in the top photo) 10th birthday on Nov. 1, so we all went out to dinner after church on Sunday. In the midst of all of this, my own little family is starting to get sick. Doots missed two days of school last week and Himself spent part of the day in bed yesterday. The bugs may get us but don't stick around long.

We have been loading up on immune system boosters on a daily basis. The home cooking helps too. Last night it was chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, and roasted butternut squash.

I must let you know too that I have started a new workout routine at Himself's gym. It is called CrossFit, where we throw buses and bench press mini vans. Just kidding, but that is how my body feels. Last Friday night they had me flipping a stinkin' truck tire. Not a pickup truck tire mind you, but a real truck tire! I got down in a squat position, placed my hands under the thing and went huuuughh- it didn't budge. The other girls with biceps the size of my thigh had to help me. Even today I still walk like I have a load in my pants. My co-workers are starting to take notice. So I will keep you posted on what crazy things these firemen and professional female football players have me doing.

So what are all of you up to? Keeping healthy, I hope?

Robin Sue

* This is the verse in the Bible where Oaks of Righteousness is found. “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:3

Kielbasa Sauerkraut Buns

2009-11-02T06:00:00.010-05:00

Sunday night dinners are a different ball game, aren't they? Growing up we never had a formal Sunday night dinner because Ma made us a big Sunday afternoon dinner with all the fixin's. So Sunday night was always something simple like an omlet, buttered pastina, or Elios frozen pizza then off to eat it all in front of the TV while watching the "Million Dollar Man." Sunday night dinner is the same way in our house now, pretty much a fend for yourselfer. While in Germany, Himself's brother and family lived in the next village over and we shared many Sunday night suppers together. These Kielbasa Sauerkraut Buns made the menu many times and are so delicious. With the temps dropping, I find myself digging into the ole recipe box for warm and comforting recipes like this one.

Kielbasa Sauerkraut Buns- Adapted from an old Taste of Home recipe
5 strips bacon, sliced
1 sweet onion chopped
1- 14 ounce can sauerkraut, drained
1/2 pound kielbasa, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup brown sugar
one box Hot Roll Mix
1 egg yolk mixed with 2 t. water
poppy seeds

In a large skillet, over med-high heat, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off most of the bacon grease leaving about 2 T. in the pan. Add onions and fry until translucent and starting to brown. To the onions add sauerkraut, kielbasa, garlic, bacon, and sugar. Cook about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the sauerkraut mixture is cooking, make the hot roll mix according to the package directions. Remove sauerkraut mixture form the stove. Divide the dough into 12 equal balls. Roll each one flat and fill with 1/4 cup sauerkraut mixture. Pull dough together to close bun pinching the seams together. Place seam side down on a greased cookie sheet. Brush each bun with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 16 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 buns.

More Stuffed Bread Recipes:
Chicken Packets
Stromboli
Sausage Bread

Newly updated "Blogs of the Month"

Robin Sue

How To Make Hot Chocolate Pods

2009-10-30T06:00:00.018-04:00

Have you ever had Ibarra? Or maybe some of you know it as Abuelita. It is a Mexican Hot Chocolate Drink made by blending the chocolate tablet, I call them pods, into four cups of hot milk for a delicious hot chocolate with a hint of cinnamon. Not too sweet or overly chocolate, we have really come to like drinking this treat during the colder months. One day while making it, I wondered to myself if I could possibly make my own Ibarra pods. Right then I had remembered that in my last Baker's Catalogue was a recipe for Cocoa Blocks- individual blocks of fudgie chocolate to melt into hot milk. I took their idea but poured them into cupcake liners to make the equivalent of the Ibarra pods. I got perfection.

Then I took it a step further and created other flavors like White Chocolate Spice...

and Traditional Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows...

and White Chocolate Peppermint.

Every flavor turned out wonderfully and my homemade version of Ibarra was spot on- not too sweet, with a perfect touch of cinnamon. These have been handy to pop into a pot of hot milk on chilly mornings to accompany my family's breakfast and get them off to a warm start of their day.

Homemade Ibarra-Like Pods- Adapted from Baker's Catalogue
1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
18 ounce semi-sweet chocolate
4 ounces un-sweetened baker's chocolate
1/4+1/8 tsp. cinnamon oil, not extract
red sugar and cinnamon hearts for decoration, optional

In a medium size saucepan, over medium heat, stir and heat cream and milk until just starting to bubble. Remove from heat and pour over both chocolates that are in a large bowl. Let sit 30 seconds then stir until smooth and all the chocolate is melted. Stir in the cinnamon oil. Divide evenly among 9 standard-sized paper cupcake liners. Sprinkle with red sugar and top with a cinnamon heart. Store pods in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Making the drink, heat 4 cups of milk to a scald and add one pod. Whisk gently until pod is melted through and drink is hot. If desired add a pinch of cayenne pepper to each mug, stir and enjoy. Serves 4.

For Traditional Hot Chocolate: do not add the cinnamon oil but add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract instead. Top each pod with mini marshmallows. Store and make as above. Top each drink with more marshmallows if desired.

For White Chocolate Spice: Pour hot sweetened condensed milk and cream mixture over 22 ounces white chocolate chips. Let sit 30 seconds then stir until smooth. Add 4 tsp pumpkin spice, 1 tsp. allspice, 1 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg. Pour into twelve (12) cupcake liners and sprinkle with cinnamon and top with white chocolate chips. Since white chocolate is sweeter I chose to pour it into 12 liners as opposed to 9. Store and make as above. Top each drink with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. A splash of rum may be nice too.

For White Chocolate Peppermint: Make as you would the White Chocolate Spice but leave out the spices and add 3 tsp. peppermint extract (not oil). Top with Smooth&Melty Mints if desired or sprinkle with red and green sprinkles. Make and store the same as above.

These would be perfect for hostess gifts during the holidays and a really nice addition to Bake Sales.

More Beverage Recipes:
Hot Cocoa Mix
Mexican Chocolate
Sipping Chocolate

Don't forget to sign up for my Newsletter over there on the sidebar.
Have a great weekend!

Robin Sue

Cooking Light's New Layout

2009-10-28T06:00:00.009-04:00

A representative from Cooking Light magazine contacted me to see if I would be interested in exploring their new magazine layout starting in the September issue. Once I confirmed that I did not have to subscribe- always suspicious am I- I agreed.

I do not subscribe to magazines. I used to but I find I do not have the time for them anymore. My CL and Southern Living newsstand purchases, wonderful indulgences that they are, only happen when I have a flight to catch, which is rare these days. As a former subscriber and knowing Cooking Light's excellent reputation for quality and charm, I kind of looked forward to getting my hands on an issue again. Here are my thoughts.

Likes:
1. Beautiful photos of the finished recipes.
2. Easy to find table of contents highlighting the features.
3. Excellent recipe index in the FRONT of the magazine organized according to course and includes a key for "Quick and Easy," "Make Ahead," "Freezable," and "Kid Friendly" Recipes.
4. Easy to navigate. Contained only 3 card stock type inserts making flipping through a breeze. A pet peeve of mine is a magazine full of inserts, making flipping through impossible.
5. New binding. Not stapled anymore so when I rip out a page the whole thing does not fall apart.
6. I liked the new segment "New Uses for Everyday Ingredients"- great ideas.

Dislikes:
1. The new color scheme. The colors are cool and stark. I loved the old CL's color scheme of sages, orange and rusts, taupe's and beige's, and deep reds, so much more cozy.
2. Years ago when I subscribed to CL, I could not wait to see what new food trend they would highlight. Now CL seems to be following the trend instead of setting the trend that they once did. A wise man once said there is nothing new under the sun leaving all of us food writers clamoring for a revelation, sometimes even inspiration.
3. Maybe it is called clip art, I don't know, but the little stop watches letting me know a recipe is quick and pages to look like notebook pages for the "Cooking Class" feature are things in which I am not interested. Sophistication has be lost in the revamp.
4. It felt as though the magazine was trying too hard, the warmth was lost, seeming more geared toward attracting cooks who do not have the time for the CL recipes of old. I guess that was the point, they didn't. I felt the old CL slowed things down for me, making me want to linger over their dishes, while I cooked and ate them. The new layout made me feel rushed in an already rushed world.

With the recent demise of Gourmet, I am sure all the food magazines have scrambled back to the think tank, they are competing with something of a giant- the internet. I used to rely heavily on CL when cooking for my clients back in my catering days and to me CL wasn't broke so it was too bad Ms. Culpepper sought to fix it, although she did give her readers what they wanted- more quick and easy recipes- trading warmth and grace for stark and rushed. My only hope is that Time Inc. does not "fix" Southern Living.

What do you think of the new design?

Robin Sue

Soft Pretzel Samoas

2009-10-26T06:00:00.009-04:00

My sister-in-law Donna emailed me last week telling me to try out her new pretzel snack. She melted caramels, dipped one side of a soft pretzel in it and then dipped the caramel side into a plate of mini chocolate chips, craisens, and nuts. Sounded great to me, but I did not have any caramels in the house to melt so I cheated using these...

I also went for the chocolate-coconut-caramel combination in place of the fruit and nuts. Here is what I did...

On a well greased foil-lined pan, I topped each frozen soft pretzel with one sheet of Caramel Apple Wraps (found at my local grocery store) and then sprinkled them with with a generous amount of sweetened, shredded coconut. I baked these in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Once out of the oven I drizzled them with melted chocolate.

Wonderful, warm, gooey. I loved this treat and enjoyed having to lick my sticky, chocolately fingers. And for the caramel and coconut that melted down in the holes of the pretzel, I mopped it all up with the pretzel of course. We preferred these without the salt. Although salt and caramel are a great combination, it was too rich for this dessert.

You will want to eat these within a couple of hours of making, because like all soft pretzels they will get chewier with age.

More Pretzel Recipes:
Cheese Pretzels
RPM's

Hey have you signed up for my newsletter yet? I have my Fall issue coming soon!

Robin Sue

Carb Loading: Noodles and Eggs

2009-10-23T06:00:00.028-04:00

A very long time ago I used to run. I had the nice shoes, the cool tights, and people to run with me. One day while running a 5 mile route we had mapped out around my college campus, I stopped at about the 2 mile mark, told my running buddy that I was done -really DONE, and then walked the rest of the way home. Just like that it had occurred to me that I hated running and never wanted to do it again.

While in college, long before I had axed running and ran for leisure or sport, I often dined on Noodle and Eggs before a race to carb up. This recipe is from an old boyfriend who loved to run. He taught me how to make this dish so that I too could load up on carbs for some extra energy during a race. I was the worst runner ever and needed more that just a plate full of noodles to get me across the finish line. Gumption would have been nice. Although the relationship did not last, I acquired a few good recipes from him and his mom. I bet we could all write a cookbook called Recipes From My Ex or a country song called Our Love Died But I Got His Momma's Secret Biscuit Recipe.

Noodles and Eggs
Per person:
1 1/2 T. olive oil- I used to use butter!
1 1/2 cups egg noodles or bow tie pasta, cooked
1 egg, beaten
2 T. Italian bread crumbs

In a large skillet over medium high heat, stir fry noodles in oil until golden. Working quickly, pour the egg over the noodles and toss to coat the noodles. Quickly sprinkle with bread crumbs and cook stirring constantly until eggs are cooked through. Eat immediately and go running or take a nap like me.

Although I do not run anymore, I still crave this dish on cold, rainy days when there is a big bowl of leftover noodles in my refrigerator.

How do you Carb Load?

Robin Sue

Baked Apples

2009-10-21T06:00:00.010-04:00

Recently I have discovered the delicacy of Honeycrisp Apples. Super crispy and sweet these apples are the perfect eating apple and have satisfactory results once baked. I called a gal I know who runs her own farmers market and had her order me a half bushel of honeycrisps from her farmer. She warned me that they would be pricey but I figured the one time a year they come out here locally is truly a treat that we would enjoy each year. You folks in Washington state are blessed to have these apples at $0.99-$1.99 per pound. My apples came to $1.18 a piece. They have been treated like royalty in my home!

I have this little collection of Polish Pottery apple bakers I had purchased while in Poland. The one on the left is my favorite as it was a gift to me from Himself and the first in my collection. I can usually get about 4 gala apples in my apple baker but was only able to get in two honeycrisps they were so big!

There is no real recipe to baking apples. Simply fill your greased baker or casserole with fitted lid to the tippy top and then some with sliced apples that have been layered with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar as well as some orange rind if you like. Dot the top with butter, cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the apples are tender. We like to eat ours with a drizzle of cream and honey but this last time we had them over French Toast. Delicious.

Robin Sue

Happy Family Cacciatore

2009-10-19T06:00:00.005-04:00

Everytime I eat at a Chinese restaurant, I spy the Happy Family Platter on the menu. A conglomeration of chicken, beef, pork, and shrimp. See everyone is happy. This past week we had out of town guests stay with us and I needed to be sure that every meal was a "Happy Family" meal. I was feeding four adults and five children, all with different likes and dislikes. I have a little motto here in my home- go with what you know, and I know Italian food, at least the dishes I grew up enjoying. So I created an Italian version of the Happy Family.

Cacciatora means hunter so this is a hunter-style stew of not only the traditional chicken but meatballs and Italian sausage too. Simmered in a savory sauce of tomatoes, onions, peppers, red wine, and fresh herbs, my guests each found a little something they loved. The children enjoyed meatballs subs, while we adults enjoyed the chicken, which was fall-apart-tender, along with a link of sausage. A pound of sauteed spinach with garlic and fresh nutmeg accompanied the meal as well as a sour cream cucumber salad. Also for the kids, macaroni and cheese and some rice for the adults to help absorb that delicious sauce.

Happy Family Cacciatore
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, most fat removed
10 links Sweet Italian sausage
20 meatballs-homemade or purchased
1- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 sweet onion, sliced
2 red peppers, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. Kosher salt or to taste
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
8 fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup good red wine

Place all ingredients in a large crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. Or in a large Dutch oven bring to a simmer and simmer covered for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Prior to serving, readjust seasonings. Serve with rolls to make sausage or meatballs subs. Also serve with a side of basmati rice for topping with meats and sauce. Serves about 15.

Note: You may want to provide your guests with mozzarella cheese to melt on subs, Romano cheese for sprinkling, peperoncini peppers, maybe pasta instead of rice. Provide a large salad as well. I think a pound of shrimp thrown in at the very last would have been fantastic as well. Be creative and everyone is happy.

Robin Sue

I'm Tired and Don't Feel Like Cookin'- Meatballs

2009-10-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

This title tells exactly how I feel on some nights when it comes time to cook dinner. I am sure you have had nights like that too, right? I have a few tricks up my sleeve to get a tasty, sort of home-cooked dinner on the table lickity-split. It is called cheating. I usually make my own meatballs and in my family it is always a good discussion about who makes the best- my Ma, my brother Rob, or me. Now on nights when I am pooped and don't have a pint of energy to whip up my own meatballs, I have found that Costco carries "good enough" prepared Italian meatballs in the freezer section. I add this ridiculous but yummy sauce, simmer, and serve this meatball recipe over rice. Done. Add a little green salad and some fresh fruit and I have a complete meal. My children- at least two of them- love to take the leftovers in their lunch box because they enjoy telling their classmates that grape jelly and ketchup make the sauce. They love to see the other kids' confused faces.

I'm Tired and Don't Feel Like Cookin'- Meatballs
1 cup ketchup
1 cup grape jelly
1/4- 1/2 t. allspice
2-3 pounds prepared frozen meatballs- depends on family size
Cooked Jasmine or Basmati rice

Place all ingredients, except rice, in a large sauce pan and cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer about 15 minutes or until nice and hot. Serve over cooked basmati or jasmine rice.

*For those of you who cook for large crowds, big batches of this recipe can be made in crockpots. Fairly cheap too.

I am sure there are other variations of this sauce. Share yours.

Robin Sue

Making Apple Sauce

2009-10-05T06:00:00.003-04:00

I haven't used my Apple-Peeler-Corer-Slicer in ages. A few weeks ago I went apple picking with my folks and kiddies and decided to make Apple Sauce with my half of the bushel of apples we had picked. I was mostly interested in the Gala trees since those yielded the sweetest apples in the orchard. I threw in a few Granny Smith for good measure but it was mostly the Gala to get the job done right.

After peeling/coring/slicing what seemed to be about 25 apples, I piled them high in my crock pot, sprinkled them with about 2/3 cup of sugar, 1 T. cinnamon, and about 2-3 T. lemon juice. I cooked the batch on low for 6 hours then took my immersion blender to the entire batch. I completely pureed the apple sauce into a fine textured, smooth and creamy batch of comfort food love. This is German style Apple Sauce since it is so smooth. We tend to eat it chunkier here in the US but give me the smooth stuff any day. Try a dab on a potato cake. Sigh. Oh, I got about 10 or so cups of Apple Sauce when it was all said and done.

While at the orchard, I had purchased a few items that looked unique to me such as Sweet Potato Butter and Kickles- Pickles with a Kick. Cute. But that Sweet Potato butter was delicious, and I must figure out how to make it someday.

Robin Sue

Cannoli Bites

2009-10-02T06:00:00.003-04:00

I was craving cannolis for a few days now and spotted these mini fillo cups in my pantry and had wondered if they would do in place of the traditional cannoli shell. They do. I love a good vanilla ricotta cannoli from Mike's Pastry in the North End but sometimes I like my canollis jazzed up with a smidgen of orange, cinnamon, and chocolate. I whipped up some filling and filled these mini cups then proceeded to eat five all by myself. Does that make me bad? So when you need to impress a crowd, make these little bites then lead everyone to believe that you spent all day making them.

Cannoli Bites
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 t vanilla extract
4 T. powdered sugar
1 T. heavy cream
1/8 t. cinnamon
1 t. fresh orange zest
2 T. mini chocolate chips
30 mini fillo cups (2 boxes)

In a small food processor or blender, blend the first 5 ingredients until smooth. Remove to a bowl and fold in orange zest and chips. Using a baby spoon, spoon filling evenly into 30 fillo cups. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cocoa, or both. Chopped pistachios may be nice too. Serve immediately. Makes 30 pieces.

Note- Only put the cream filling into the cups just before serving so the cups do not get soggy. Thank you.

Another Mini Fillo Recipe: Mini Baked Brie Cups

Have a grand weekend!

Robin Sue

Thai Shrimp Bisque

2009-10-01T06:00:00.006-04:00

I have teamed up with One2One Network in getting the word out that Carnation Evaporated Milk is "The Cooking Milk." With the holidays quickly approaching, I find it important to stock my pantry with ingredients that I will need for making all of my Christmas goodies and one of those ingredients is always Carnation Evaporated Milk, especially for my fudge and pumpkin pie recipes. But what Carnation wants us to realize is that their canned milk can be used in other recipes in place of regular milk. By replacing regular milk with canned milk, you will be adding extra protein and calcium to each and every dish-according to the information on their website.

One2One Network sent me a packet complete with $50, a Holiday Recipe Book, and coupons for two free cans of Carnation Evaporated Milk. I willingly agreed to make one of the recipes provided in the book and create a recipe highlighting the star ingredient- Evaporated Milk.

I must say my Thai Shrimp Bisque will make you weep like a baby. It is that good. The bisque is rich, creamy, and so very different than any soup I am used too. While eating it, I felt millions of miles away in some exotic land, without a care in the world. Nice.

Thai Shrimp Bisque
1 T. olive oil
1 large stalk celery, finely diced
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced
1 t. sugar
2 T. tomato paste
2 t. garlic paste
1 t. ginger paste
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 cup flour
1- 12 ounce can Carnation Evaporated Milk
1- 14 ounce can light coconut milk
Kosher salt to taste
1 1/2 pounds raw, peeled, deveined, and tail-off med. shrimp
zest and juice of 3 small limes
1 1/2 T. Cognac
1/4 cup ginger ale

chopped salted peanuts
one bunch cilantro, chopped

In a large skillet having a fitted lid, saute over medium heat celery, onion, and sugar in olive oil until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste, garlic, and ginger and saute 1 minute. Add cayenne and flour, stirring well to coat the vegetables. Briskly whisk in both cans of milk, breaking up any clumps of vegetables. Cover and let simmer for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. At this point add Kosher salt to taste. Once the sauce is thickened, add the shrimp, zest and juice from the limes, Cognac, and ginger ale. Stir well, cover and let simmer rapidly for 6 minutes or until shrimp are pink and in a tight curl. Adjust salt. Remove from heat and serve immediately topped with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Serves 6.

Carnation Famous Fudge was my recipe of choice from the Holiday Recipe Guide because I wanted fudge right now without waiting for Christmas! It came together quickly and easily. The trick to making good fudge is cooking it in an iron skillet for even heat distribution. It will come out smooth and creamy every time. I am pretty much a dunce in the candy making department but this fudge came out perfectly for me.

Go stock your pantry with Carnation Evaporated Milk and make that soup, especially that soup!

Robin Sue

Old-Fashioned Vanilla Pudding

2009-09-29T06:00:00.005-04:00

Nothing like a good homemade, bowl of old-fashioned vanilla pudding. It screams cozy-night-in or after school snack. Kestrel Growth Brands contacted me to try some of their products and of course I did not hesitate to try one of my favorite flavors- vanilla, their Organic Vanilla Extract to be exact. Yes, I am a vanilla ice cream kind of gal. In this new economy I find it urgent to support small businesses. Their owners are people with passion, enthusiasm, and a desire to produce the best quality products. The deeper I delve into the foodie world, the more wonderful individuals I meet living their dreams through their small businesses. They are entrepreneurs with huge ideas, creativity, and a can-do spirit. I am always inspired by them. For me, dealing with small business owners makes doing business more personal as they find pleasure in being more accessible to the consumer, me.

I did like this vanilla and its smooth flavor and delicious aroma. It definitely is a better quality than the brand I have in my cupboard. I felt it shined in my Old-Fashioned Vanilla Pudding which is thick, creamy, and mmm, mmm, gurg. So if someone hands you vanilla, make pudding. Will ya?

Old-Fashioned Vanilla Pudding
2/3 cup sugar
6 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
5 cups organic whole milk
2 T. unsalted butter
1 T. vanilla- Singing Dog Vanilla!

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt then slowly whisk in milk. Continue stirring until the pudding thickens, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap being sure the wrap touches the top surface of the pudding and seals it off from the air to prevent a "skin." Let cool a bit and eat warm or refrigerate until cold. Pudding will thicken as it cools. Serves about 8.

Robin Sue

Bulgogi Tacos with Spicy Slaw

2009-09-22T05:39:00.005-04:00

My little girl Daelyn was thrilled that Momma made Korean food. I think it is the first time that I have made a Korean recipe and it is about time I add some Korean dishes to our dinner rotation. When I came across Bulgogi Tacos with Spicy Slaw I knew this would be a quick and easy dish for a busy weeknight meal. Serious Eats highlights some delicious recipes and does a great job with giving us very simple and flavorful dishes, this is one of them. I like the versatility, frugality, and speediness of working with ground beef. I can buy it in bulk from Costco and make a range of international dishes and now I can add Asian to the list.

The meat is the same wonderful Bulgolgi flavor I remember from Korea and the spicy-sweet slaw gives a great crunchy texture to the taco. When you need a quick meal with big flavor, try this one.

Bulgogi Tacos with Spicy Slaw- adapted from Serious Eats
For the bulgogi:
1 1/2 T. soy sauce
2 t. sesame oil
1 heaping t. garlic paste
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. mirin
1/2 t. black pepper
1 pound ground beef
1 shallot, sliced thinly
2 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the spicy slaw:
1 10 ounce bag shredded cabbage
1 T. salt
2 T. fish sauce
2 T. rice vinegar
1 t. red pepper flakes
1 t. garlic paste
1/2 t. ginger paste
1 T. brown sugar
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 t. toasted sesame seeds

8 flour tortillas

Sprinkle the salt on the cabbage and toss. Let stand for 20 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, brown sugar, mirin and black pepper, ground beef, shallot, and scallions then mix gently until the all ingredients are incorporated into the meat. Rinse the slaw in a fine mesh sieve very well and drain well. Place in a bowl and add the fish sauce, vinegar, chile flakes, garlic, ginger, sugar, scallions and sesame seeds. Stir well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. In a large skillet cook meat until brown, drain excess liquid. Readjust salt if necessary. Serve meat and slaw in warmed flour tortillas. This would also be good in large lettuce leaves.

Note- Purchased from an Asian market, I used garlic and ginger paste to save a bit of time. It is also best to make the slaw ahead of time to let the flavors marry.

Here is Little Dae-Dae enjoying her apple during our apple picking adventure with her Nonni and Papa.

Robin Sue

30 Second Cheese Ball

2009-09-17T06:00:00.003-04:00

This is not a recipe but a Rescue-me. Do you have any Rescue-me's? You know, not really recipes but items you throw together last minute and call it something fancy only to find that everyone wants the recipe? This is just that; two ingredients rolled together for a terrific appetizer in under 30 seconds. This cheese ball has saved me many times. You can always find cream cheese in my fridge and my spice cupboard is full of spice blends making it very easy to pull off this cheese ball at a moment's notice. Try one for yourself and just be ready to, ahem... give out the rescue-me.

30 Second Cheese Ball
1 T. of your favorite spice blend- I used Penzeys' Northwoods Seasoning
8 ounce cream cheese

Roll cheese into a ball. Place spice blend in a bowl and roll cheese ball in the seasonings until completely covered and spices are all used. Serve with your favorite crackers.

Note- It is best to use a spicy blend as the smooth, creaminess of the cream cheese will provide the perfect balance. I have also done this with Old Bay Seasoning with great results and compliments.

More Rescue-me's?
Pepperoni Dip
Cheese Pretzels
Mock Chocolate Fondue
Fancy Brownies

Robin Sue

Twackers: Wherein I use leftover Caramel Sauce

2009-09-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

After making the Crispy Caramel Marshmallows last week I had about 1 1/2 cups of the caramel sauce leftover. Well more like 1 1/4 cups since I ate 1/4 cup right from the bowl- yes I used a new spoon with each bite. After seeing Grace's Twickers Bars I knew what would become of my caramel sauce. In order not to waste food I try various techniques at disguising leftovers to eat again and possibly again. This was a simple ordeal of layering the caramel between crackers and topping it all off with chocolate.

I left out peanut butter so that my allergy boy could have some too so these treats remained very bare minimum, simple, and very pleasurable. If you ever make my Crispy Caramel Marshmallows, you'll know what to do with the leftover caramel sauce because I'm sure without ice cream this apples suggestion brownie sundaes you apple pie would French Toast have milkshakes had cheesecake no idea.

Twackers- adapted from Southern Grace
1 1/4- 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce or another favorite thick caramel sauce
45 Premium Brand Saltines
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 T butter
crushed sea salt

In a lightly greased 11x7 inch baking dish, place a single layer of 15 crackers. Gently heat caramel sauce in the microwave until warmed through and spreadable. I used half-power in 25 second intervals. Spread 1/2 of the caramel sauce over the crackers. Top with another layer of crackers and the second half of caramel sauce. Top with remaining crackers. In a microwave safe cup, melt butter in the microwave. Stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Spread over top layer of crackers. Sprinkle with sea salt. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes or until set and cut into desired sized pieces.

What to do with leftover frosting- Peanut Butter Cream Saltines

Robin Sue

Wacky Cake

2009-09-10T06:00:00.005-04:00

I was fortunate enough to have met many of my great-aunties, great-uncles, and three great-grandparents, some of whom lived well into my teen and young adult years. I think aunties and uncles have to be about the most fun relatives one can have- besides cousins of course- but if they are great-aunties and uncles, even better. One year my grandparents jumped in my great-uncle Cal's RV along with a few other great-aunties and uncles and drove across country from Texas to New Jersey where my family- Ma, Dad, my brother Rob and I had lived. We called this little group of elders the Bengay Bunch or the Geritol Gang.

They were such a fun group, always joking and teasing. One particular morning on this visit, we stood at the back door of our beach house admiring all of the seagulls when my great-auntie Opal said, "My that gull has a big beak," to which great-auntie Jean said, "that's not a gull, that's Kern." My great-uncle Kern did have quite the schnoz. Sadly all my Greats are gone now but have left me with fond memories along with The Klaus Family Cookbook put together by my great-auntie Opal who was a very creative and artistic lady.

Last week we went to our friends' home for dinner and I needed a quick dessert. I was feeling lazy, hot, tired, and did not need a big mess either. I found great-auntie Opal's cake from the Klaus Cookbook to be perfect. It even asked if I was lazy. Yes, always.

This is a Wacky Cake made in a wacky fashion but it is deliciously moist and super simple.

Wacky Cake
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, whisk together:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 rounded T. cocoa
1 cup sugar- I used brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda

Make three wells in the dry ingredients. In one well add 1 T. vinegar, I used balsamic. To the second well add 5 T. melted shortening, I used butter. To the third well add 1 T. Vanilla. The recipe calls for 1 tsp vanilla but I like lots of vanilla.

Pour 1 C. of cold water, I used milk, over the entire dish and stir until well mixed. Bake in same dish in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. The original recipe states 30 minutes but mine was done in under 20. Cool cake a bit and glaze with:

Chocolate Espresso Glaze- my addition
3 T. melted butter
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. powdered instant espresso

Stir chips and espresso powder into the melted butter until smooth. Pour over cake and spread evenly. Serves about 10.
Note- The cake itself is not overly sweet and has that wonderful homemade from scratch flavor. The glaze then makes it perfectly sweet and scrumptious.

This recipe was published by the B.P.W. Club of Kaw City, Oklahoma, and sold for ten cents to help girls attend Girl's State and the recipe was accompanied by the above poem.

Robin Sue

Sausage Bread

2009-09-08T06:00:00.003-04:00

When I was a little girl there was only one kind of sausage-Italian. No I stand corrected, there were two- Sweet Italian and Hot Italian. When we were told that we were having sausage for dinner no one ever asked what kind. As we got older, Ma ventured into other cuisines introducing us to kielbasa, bratwurst, and knockwurst. When Himself and I moved to Germany I was exposed to all different kinds of wursts such as blood, curry, weisswurst, and bratwurst. My favorite being the Weißwurst which is a very traditional Bavarian white sausage of pork with subtle hints of nutmeg and parsley.

Here I am at the German Embassy in DC last week enjoying meine Wurst und deutsches Bier. Pinkies out.

You are entitled to use any sausage or wurst of choice in this recipe as it is a basic recipe that can be made using any combination of flavors. Instead of Italian sausage why not a chicken sausage, ham, and Swiss cheese in place of the mozzarella for a Cordon Bleu Bread? Or how about brats, drained sauerkraut and Emmanteller for a German twist? A Breakfast Bread can be made with breakfast sausage, scrambled or hard-cooked eggs and cheddar cheese. You get the picture. Ja?

Sausage Bread
one pound loaf Italian Bread, unsliced
1 pound Italian sausage or sausage of choice
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped fine
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
herbs of choice- I used fresh oregano and basil-1 T. each, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 tsp Kosher salt, depending on meat choice
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella or cheese of choice

In a skillet brown onions and sausage. Set aside. Slice bread opened length-wise. Pull out then inner soft portions of each half leaving a thick shell. Whisk eggs together with milk, Parmesan, herbs, garlic, salt and pepper and toss in torn bread pieces stirring to coat bread well. Pour in meat mixture and mix well. In bottom half of bread sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese then top with meat mixture. Cover meat with the remaining cheese and top with top portion of bread pressing down to seal. Wrap tightly in foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and let set for 5 minutes before slicing. Serves about 6.

Compliments a salad or soup very well. Nice in a lunch box too.

Robin Sue

Lemonade Pie

2009-09-03T06:00:00.003-04:00

I do not handle change well and I am heading for a big change, our last weekend of Summer Vacation. It's not that I am not looking forward to having the children start school or be back in the classroom myself, it's that I am sad one more summer is over and gone and now a memory, a very sweet memory. The summer Dryden lost three teeth, the summer Deven went to over-night camp for the very first time, and the summer Daelyn talked us all to death.

I do not measure my children's years by what grade they are in but measure them by our summers. The even summers we go to Seattle to see Himself's side of the family and the odd summers we go to visit mine in Boston. So in many conversations we say, "Oh that was the summer we went to Boston and the kids were..." whatever age they were. So in holding on to summer and its memory by my fingertips, I give you one last hurrah- Lemonade Pie, not to be sipped on the front porch listening to the night creatures' song and watching the children play but savored with whipped cream following one last summertime meal.

Lemonade Pie
5 ounce can evaporated milk
1 small box instant lemon pudding mix
2- 8 ounce bricks cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar + 1/3 cup lemon juice mixed or 2/3 cup lemonade concentrate
one graham cracker pie crust

In a large mixing bowl beat cream chesse until soft and fluffy. Add pudding and milk and mix well on medium speed. Slowly pour in lemonade concentrate and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve with whipped cream. Serves 6-8. This pie is very rich and creamy. Delicious.

What were some of your favorite memories from this summer?

Robin Sue

Crispy Caramel Marshmallows

2009-08-31T06:00:00.007-04:00

I will need to hide these from myself. This little finger food of soft marshmallows enrobed in caramel and rolled in crispy rice cereal may cause a problem in the area of me bum- yes baby's got back and there's junk in my trunk. I am practicing my hippy shake talk for my classroom full of teeny boppers next weeks. If my lingo doesn't make me the coolest chick on the block then these little morsels will. Make these, it will have your kids singing "Don't you wish yo momma cooks just like mine?"

Crispy Caramel Marshmallows
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick butter
14 ounce bag caramels
10 ounce bag large marshmallows
crispy rice cereal

Over a double-boiler heat milk, butter, and caramels until melted and smooth. Place a marshmallow on a fondue fork-it works the best, and dip into caramel, shaking off excess caramel. Roll in rice cereal and place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the marshmallows. Let set for about 30 minutes and store in an airtight container. Makes about 45 pieces.

Note- If you would like to make these on a stick, use a lollipop stick, skewer, or popsicle stick and completely immerse marshmallow in caramel sauce then roll in cereal. The ones below did slip on the stick a bit and would have benefited from a caramel anchor.

I am seeing these in future bake sales. And maybe a few rolled in coconut too.

Robin Sue

Summer Supper: Chunky Gazpacho and German Sandwiches

2009-08-26T06:00:00.003-04:00

It's funny how easily I forget things that I once loved so much. These open-faced sandwiches were a favorite of mine while living in Germany. Wonderfully smoked meats or salamis atop the freshest of seeded breads or crusty rolls with a slice of Brie, hard-cooked egg, and a pickle or cucumber slice were so simple, yet sophisticated. But the best part- the thickest, freshest, most decadent layer of butter spread over that bread. One of my favorite sandwiches came from the train stop on Post. It was a Black Forest Ham with a thick spread of butter on a crusty roll, then all wrapped in paper for my train ride into the city center. For a picnic in the park the other day, my new neighbor from Germany jogged my memory by bringing those German Sandwiches I had once loved so much and I wondered to myself, "how did I let myself forget these?" I daintily devoured three of her sandwiches and had to make a plate of my own for our dinner last night.

This Chunky Gazpacho is my favorite gazpacho recipe that I served in little espresso cups along side my German Sandwiches. The thing I love so much about Gazpacho; every bite is a surprise. Will I get a bit of oregano or basil with this bite or a tomato and cucumber, or how about some corn? Love it. This recipe is zippy and refreshing.

Chunky Gazpacho- from my friend Jennifer
8 really ripe tomatoes, chopped- I removed most of the seeds
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 vidalia onion chopped fine
5 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. horseradish
1 T. fresh oregano, chopped
1 T. fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
juice of one lemon
4 cups V8 or favorite tomato juice, I used Trader Joe's Garden Patch
1-2 tsp. hot pepper sauce, I used Sriracha with extra garlic
1 ear cooked corn on the cob, kernels removed- my addition
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients into a large bowl and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. Serve cold. Makes about 12 cups.
Note- My tomatoes were not the huge Beef Steak variety. My guess is that they were probably Early Girl's, about 2-3 inches across. I used 12.

Robin Sue

Ma's Famous Parsley Potatoes

2009-08-19T06:00:00.003-04:00

My family and I just spent a week at my parents home at Smith Mountain Lake, VA. Ma cooked scrumptious dishes for us and has even shared her famous potato dish with all of you. Ma wrote this post but the editor's notes, me, are in italics. Here's Ma...

I am not a good cook here we go again, she lies, but I like to cook. It took me many years to learn how. I remember for about the first 20 years of my marriage, my meals were not the greatest-Dad's nodding. A lot of meals went into the "Pig" our garbage disposal. I had difficulty figuring out how much to cook so many of our meals were skimpy. Now that we are "empty nesters" I cook way too much and have so many leftovers that we get sick of them. Do I hear an Amen? The scariest was when she dumped all the week's leftovers into a pot and made soup.

I was not allowed in the kitchen growing up. I did not do that to my children -she made us wash the dishes. They are better cooks than I could ever be -now she is telling the truth *wink* and are not afraid to change a recipe or create a new one. I am learning from them. The following recipe is one I created. Although it looks awful -it is not easy photographing smashed potatoes, it is tasty. I am also a lazy cook -another lie, she can run circles around me. If I can take a short cut I do. So with that in mind, here is my version of Boursin Potatoes. Also, the one I am famous for follows:

Boursin Potatoes
1.5 pounds of Red, Yukon, or new potatoes
Salt for potatoes
1/2-1 pkg of Boursin cheese (herb flavored)
1-2 T dried minced onions
1 cube frozen or 1 T fresh garlic, minced
1/2-1 stick butter
1/4 c. fresh parsley or 2 T dried parsley
1 T olive oil

Cut potatoes in chunks, no need to peel. Boil in salted water til done. Drain leaving about 4-5 T of the water. Add the above ingredients. Mix and continue to cook until well blended. It will look like chunky mashed potatoes.

Ma's Famous Parsley Potatoes
Same as above, minus the cheese, except add about 2 large cloves of garlic. You should be able to smell the garlic in the potatoes and then you will have enough. Also, I add more dried onion flakes. Fresh is even better. I prefer the Yukon potato over any of the other potatoes. It has a sweeter taste than the others. As we said before, this may not be a pretty dish, but it is delicious.

While at Mom and Dad's, here is where we spend most of our time, other than the kitchen of course. That's the little Mirror Dinghy which has given us almost 40 years of enjoyment. Ma's favorite saying while on the dock is, "Is the sun over the yard arm yet?" If it is- it always is somewhere, she then goes up to the house and makes her delicious Sangria. Maybe she can blog on that some time?

Restaurant Depot

2009-08-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

Anything from portion cups, take out containers, and diner style baskets can be spotted on my posts and often cause readers to ask where I purchase these specialty items. Well ask no more! Rindy, her mom Bobi of Bobi's Bites, and I, way back before school was out, made a big shopping trip to Restaurant Depot in Alexandria, VA. Trips to RD are always coordinated between some friends and I to travel together so that we may split cases of certain items.

You can see that Rindy and I always get into mischief. You may also see in my left hand that I travel to RD with my pocket knife, a very useful tool in this type of store. We also bring boxes, coolers, sweaters, and wear sneakers. Every time I go I am better prepared.

The shelves are huge and piled high. The men on fork-lifts show no mercy and honk ruthlessly until you get out of their way. When I bring my children, I have to sign a waiver saying I won't sue RD if my children get hurt- it is a very dangerous place for children! They stay at home now. Since it was Bobi's first time, she was initiated by having to push the very heavy wheelie cart. He-he.

This is where I get those 11 pound bars of chocolate for candy making.

Any plate, cup, bowl, or portion cup.

Any storage containers.

Meats.

Or pots.

Sometimes we have to crawl under shelves to find lids that match our cups. Many heads are bonked in this place.

The parking lot is filled with gut trucks or roach coaches. Someday I would love to own a taco truck but mine will be pink and green and I will wear Daisy Duke shorts, a push-up bra, and long flowing locks, sell cute cupcakes, Italian meatball sandwiches, and healthy little salads...oh wait, scratch the salads, healthy items may scare away the customers.

Here are some of the things I use from RD.

1. Straws- shakes, chocolate milk, root beer floats
2. Wax paper sheets- layering tortillas, wrapping lunches, lining baskets or bowls
3. Foil sheets- wrapping hot sandwiches
4. Styrofoam meat trays- making cookie platters, great for dessert gift platters
5. Paper baskets- for small meals like sandwich and chips. I get sizes 500 and 50. The 50's are great for desserts.
6. Wax bags- wrapping sandwiches, trail mix, chips
7. Plastic diner-style baskets- for novelty dinners like fish and chips
8. 9 ounce plastic punch cups- great for parties and wrapping cupcakes!
9. Softspoon- I pick up 2 every time I go
10. Various sized portion cups with lids- great for packing lunches
11. Tasting spoons- love, love, love these. For lunches and little bites.
12. Three compartment dinner tray with lids- when I have to bring a meal for an elderly or widowed neighbor, these are what I use. Great for freezing leftovers too.
13. Bamboo skewers- kebabs
14. Umbrellas- for fancy drinks, to top cupcakes to keep the plastic wrap from sticking, even for the children's milk!
15. Large take-out containers- Sending cookies to work, neighbors, or friends. Leftovers for company to take home
16. Sword picks- Drinks, sandwiches, snacks, Barbie Doll vs. GI Joe duels

What do you like to get at your local restaurant supply store?

Robin Sue

How to Serve Citrus Fruit

2009-08-12T06:00:00.007-04:00

Sometimes in life we happen upon little nuggets of wonderfulness. Call it serendipity or call it luck, or maybe chance. I call it a gift. In the most unexpected places, without even looking for anything significant, life can give us things that hit us square in the face and make us say, "I've learned something new today." I had that kind of moment in a little Chinese restaurant near my parent's home. I was not expecting anything brilliant, I was not even expecting good food, but in the end they served us an orange half in a little bowl with our fortune cookies. I had never seen citrus fruits served in this fashion and of course had to dissect the creature right away to see how it was done. It was gorgeous and I can see platters of Citrus Boats adorning all of my future brunch buffets.

Using a very sharp knife cut a clean citrus fruit of your choice in half.

Cut a small wedge off the bottom of each half as in the picture above.

Using a sharp paring knife cut the fruit away from the peel and set aside.

Place the bottom back into the ring of peel you had just cut. It will fit tightly down in there and act as a base and lift your fruit.

Place the little bowl made with the peel into a pretty dish or on a platter covered with lettuce leaves- the flat bottoms prevent wobbling. Carefully separate the citrus fruit's segments and place back into the peel. Top with a cherry or any other attractive berry. Serve with decorative picks or small spoons. This clever presentation completely trumps its tedium.

Note- You may want to use a cutting board with a "gutter" to catch all those wonderful juices to pour into a glass for later. No waste.

Robin Sue

Tammy's Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

2009-08-10T06:00:00.003-04:00

The ice cream maker has made its way out more this summer than last. I think it's because so many people are posting such great ice cream recipes. This is my latest discovery: Tammy's Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. When I eat at The Cheesecake Factory I like to order their White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake for dessert, it is divine. So when I saw Tammy's recipe, I knew it would be the one I had to make. I swirled in about 2-3 ounces of roughly chopped good quality white chocolate at the end of the recipe when swirling in the raspberries. This ice cream is delicious. It has the tang associated with cheesecake-but not too tangy, the elegance of the raspberries, and the sweetness from the white chocolate, excellent! Go on over to her site and get the recipe, it is easy, no eggs, and is a real instant gratification treat.

Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

If you do not want to deal with seeds in your ice cream, follow my directions on how to make Raspberry Syrup and use that in place of the raspberries and sugar in Tammy's recipe.

I would love to sandwich this ice cream between two thin brownies like this.

UPDATE- I made fancy Peach Melbas last week for dinner guests using this ice cream. I grilled fresh peach halves, topped them with this ice cream, some fresh raspberry syrup, and whipped cream. Very nice.

Robin Sue