Kathy's Kitchen

Boozey Sticky Toffee Pudding (in minutes!)

2012-01-24T21:49:00.000-06:00

Saw this on Pinterest and I had 5 minutes to kill, so I thought I'd give it a try... with a "Kathy's Kitchen" twist (aka - I added booze to it.)
BOOZEY STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING (adapted from this recipe)
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. flour
pinch of salt
1 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. liqueur (I used Baileys, but Kahlua would be awesome too!)
chocolate (optional)

In a rammekin, melt butter in the microwave. Stir in sugar, flour, salt, milk, and liqueur. Pop in the microwave for 1 minute. Put some chopped chocolate on top (I just shoved a Baileys-filled chocolate in the middle) and let it sit for a minute so the chocolate starts to melt. Serve on its own or with a scoop of ice cream. (The original recipe suggests caramel sauce, which would be delicious, but this cake is pretty darn sweet so I think something creamy would be a better topping.)

As soon as I cracked open the chocolate, this pudding turned into a delicious mess of Baileys, chocolate, and ooey-gooey warm sponge cake.

Successful Sunday Supper

2012-01-15T19:42:00.000-06:00

I took a couple recipes from Jamie Oliver again and made a pretty darn good meal for supper tonight! I didn't even attempt to cram it all into 30 minutes - that just ain't happening! But I made dessert earlier in the afternoon, and then supper wasn't too hectic to make. Here are the recipes:

MUSTARD CHICKEN WITH LEEK SAUCE (from Jamie Oliver)
4 chicken breasts (I used 5 boneless skinless)
4-5 tsp. dry mustard powder
olive oil
salt & pepper
fresh rosemary
3 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
white wine (about 1/2 c., maybe more)
whipping cream (about 1/2 c.)
1-2 tbsp. dijon mustard

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Rub chicken breasts with dry mustard, salt & pepper. Set them in the pan and sprinkle with rosemary leaves. Let them brown on one side for about 7-8 minutes, then add leeks and garlic. Turn the chicken over and add wine, stirring the leeks well so they don't burn. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes (or until chicken is done.) Set chicken aside and cover with tinfoil. Add whipping cream and dijon mustard and stir to make a sauce (add more wine or whipping cream until you get the consistency you want.) Pour sauce over chicken before serving.

SCALLOPED POTATOES (or "Dauphinoise" as Jamie Oliver calls it)
about 6 potatoes, very thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. whipping cream
salt & pepper (and nutmeg if you want, but I don't like it)
freshly grated parmesan cheese
olive oil
2 bay leaves

In a roasting pan, toss together all the ingredients and then pour in 2/3 c. boiling water. Set on a burner over medium heat with the lid on for about 10-15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to keep things from sticking to the bottom. Transfer to the oven at 425 F for 15 minutes. Top with more grated parmesan if you like.

TOMATO SALAD (I was going to use a recipe from Jamie's cookbook, but my basil looked iffy so I opted for an old standby recipe that always tastes delicious)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
handful of feta cheese
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt & pepper

Toss the tomatoes and feta together, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Add a bit of olive oil, season with salt & pepper, and toss to combine everything.

Everything was delicious!

CREAM PUFFS
1 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1 c. flour
4 eggs
whipping cream or custard

Bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring until it forms a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in one egg at a time. Use a piping bag or a portion scoop and place balls of dough onto a baking sheet. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes or until golden. Let them cool, then cut a small hole in the side and pipe in whipping cream or custard.

Easy to make, and you can be lazy like me and buy the spray can of whipping cream, so they are easy to fill too!

Happy Birthday, Geneviève!

2012-01-12T22:48:00.000-06:00

It's a little surreal for me right now... my baby girl is 9 years old today, and I'm about to pop with baby #3 any time! Luckily for Geneviève, this baby stayed in long enough so that I could make a half-decent birthday cake for my special little lady.

I asked for a bunch of recipe ideas on my Facebook page and got some fantastic ideas (you should really check them out if you love cake, and really, who doesn't love cake?) Unfortunately, I was limited by the ingredients in my pantry, so I couldn't try out some of the fabulous suggestions. I did, however, have a supply of mango buttercream in the freezer that my fancy chef sister left here after making my mom's wedding cake in the fall. I absolutely love my sister's raspberry mango wedding cakes, so I thought I'd use those flavours as inspiration for my adaptation of this recipe for a simple white cake.

RASPBERRY CAKE WITH MANGO BUTTERCREAM
3 c. cake flour (or apparently you could substitute with 2 1/3 c. all-purpose flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 egg whites
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
1 c. raspberry yogurt
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp. vanilla
red food colouring (optional)

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff (3-5 minutes) and gently transfer to another bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and yogurt until creamy, then add in egg yolks, vanilla, and food colouring and continue beating. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing well. Using a spatula, gently fold in the egg whites. Transfer to cake pans that have been lined with parchment paper. (I only have two 8" cake pans so that's what I used, although the original recipe suggests using three 9" pans.) Bake at 350 F (original recipe suggests 20 minutes, but since my cakes are smaller and there are only two of them, I baked them for about 35 minutes.) Transfer to a cooling rack.

When cakes are cool, slice off the top of one cake so that it's flat. Turn the other cake over so that you have two flat surfaces. Spread one cake with raspberry jam, and the other with mango buttercream (my apologies, I don't have an actual buttercream recipe for you since my sister made it... but find a good one on the internet, and then mix in some mango purée.) Turn the unsliced cake right-side-up and set it on top of the other cake (so your two fillings meet in the middle), and then ice with regular icing. (Unfortunately my mango buttercream looked a little chunky after being thawed out, so it wasn't an option to ice the cake with this stuff, even though it tastes delicious!)

My icing skills are what some would consider appalling, so I whipped out the other bag of frozen goodness that my sister left in my freezer -- fondant icing! I defrosted it, rolled it out on a floured surface, and then laid it on top of the cake and trimmed around the edges. It's not as smooth and flawless as my sister's cakes are, but that's why people used to pay her the big bucks to make wedding cakes! She can also make amazing sugar flowers and all sorts of fancy sugar designs. I, on the other hand, can go buy some flowers to decorate my cake.

Happy Birthday to my amazing daughter!!

Jamie Oliver's Piri Piri Chicken and Cilantro Feta Potatoes

2012-01-10T10:06:00.000-06:00

So I mentioned the other day that I would try out one of Jamie Oliver's "Meals in Minutes". Perhaps they tell time differently in England, but Jamie's idea of what can be accomplished in 30 minutes is nowhere near what my idea is. Bless his heart, he thinks that the following two recipes, along with a side salad and the Portuguese Tarts can all be made in 30 minutes. It took me at least 45 minutes to make just the chicken and potatoes. That being said, I have discovered that Jamie likes to frantically work like a mad man in the kitchen so that he can maximize his time and serve up a fairly large meal in as little time as possible. I, on the otherhand, find that we do not need two side dishes and dessert with our meal, and I am not able to multi-task the way he is. It's just too hectic. I would rather put my chicken in the pan, and stand there for 10 minutes while it browns rather than using that time to whip up dessert.

Anyway, I'm getting off track. Last night's recipe was Piri Piri Chicken with Cilantro Feta Potatoes (and if you feel like it, toss in the Arugula Salad and Portuguese Tarts!) I made some slight variations (nothing major), and took my sweet time doing it. The recipe listed on the link and the recipe from his cookbook have some minor discrepancies, so I based my recipe on the cookbook version and then adapted it to suit our taste.

PIRI PIRI CHICKEN
8 chicken thighs, seasoned with salt & pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
fresh thyme
1 red onion
4 garlic cloves
3 chilies (I bought skinny green chilies - not sure which kind they were. And I seeded them, which Jamie did not, so his sauce must have been CRAZY spicy!)
zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 c. white vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
about 1/4-1/2 c. water
some fresh mint leaves (I didn't have any basil, which is what Jamie used)

In a grill pan, heat some olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides. Transfer to a baking dish. Add bell peppers to the grill pan and cook them for a few minutes, then add them to the baking dish as well and top with some sprigs of thyme. Put the remaining ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. Pour over the chicken and bake at 400 F for about 15 minutes.

CILANTRO & FETA POTATOES
3 potatoes
1 sweet potato
1/2 lemon
1/3 c. feta cheese
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

Chop the potatoes into large chunks (leave the peel on for extra flavour). Place in a micrwoave-safe bowl with the lemon and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high for 15 minutes. (This was Jamie's method -- I used the new silicone steamers from Epicure and cooked the potatoes for 8 minutes. It worked perfectly!) Toss in feta cheese and cilantro. Season with salt & pepper if you like.

This was a very good meal - I scraped off the sauce for the kids so it wasn't too spicy, but it had just enough heat for the grown-ups. (Although I can't imagine how hot it would be if you left the seeds in the chili peppers!) The kids weren't crazy about the potatoes, but they missed out because I thought they were delicious! Overall it was a pretty successful meal, even if I'm not as fast as Jamie Oliver!

Jamie Oliver's Portuguese Tarts

2012-01-08T16:24:00.000-06:00

I bought myself the new Jamie Oliver cookbook with the hope that I would be able to create some fantastic, healthy meals for my family in 30 minutes. I especially had it in mind for after the baby comes (which could be any day!). The meals are designed so that if you work quickly and stay on task, you should be able to make a main dish, side dish, and dessert in 30 minutes. The first meal I tried was not what I would call a success.... it was Mushroom Risotto with a side salad and a Lemon Raspberry cheesecake. I skipped out on the dessert (because we had so many Christmas treats still lingering around the house), so I just made the risotto and salad. It took at least 45 minutes, and the risotto was not as wonderful as I had hoped it would be (although my husband swears it was delicious.) I think if I read the directions more carefully next time and do more of the prep work ahead of time (instead of in between steps, like Jamie does), it will be much quicker and less chaotic. (Perhaps making risotto, which requires almost constant attention, wasn't the best meal to start out with!)

Anyway, on his Food Network show this weekend, I saw him prepare one of the meals that is in the new cookbook. It was helpful to see him go through the motions, so I decided to give it a whirl. The recipe is for Piri Piri Chicken, a side salad, and Portuguese tarts for dessert. Turns out we are having friends over for supper tonight and I didn't feel like experimenting with a new main dish recipe when guests are here, so I just made the tarts for dessert and we're ordering pizza for supper! Tomorrow night I will tackle the Piri Piri Chicken and salad. Here's the tart recipe though, which is super easy to make!

PORTUGUESE TARTS
1 square puff pastry, thawed & rolled out into an 8" square
approx. 1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. whipping cream
1 egg
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
zest of 1 orange
1/4 c. sugar
juice of 1 orange

Sprinkle puff pastry with cinnamon, then roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into 8 equal pieces (Jamie only made 6, but I had enough for 8.) Turn them on their side (so you can see the pinwheel design) and squash them down. Use a rolling pin to flatten them out and then lay them in a muffin a tin so that they make tart shells. Bake at 400 F for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and use a spoon to push the dough up against the sides of the muffin tin so that you create a space for the custard. To make the custard, whisk together whipping cream, egg, 1 tbsp. sugar, vanilla, and orange zest. Fill the tart shells and put them back in the oven for 8-10 minutes. They should still be jiggly when they come out. While they are baking, heat 1/4 c. sugar and the orange juice in a saucepan over high heat to make a caramel (the sugar will boil and eventually turn a golden brown). Pour caramel sauce over the tarts and let them set.

Mmmm.... kind of like a cinnamon bun and a crème brûlée in one little bite!

I wasn't sure how these would taste, so I had to sample one before our guests get here. Umm, they are delicious! Wish I would have doubled the batch!

Lemon Chiffon Tarts

2012-01-01T23:37:00.000-06:00

Well fudge, I made some fabulous lemon tarts yesterday, and the recipe was on the bag of Meyer lemons. I set the empty bag beside the computer so I could copy it out for you, but I think my husband must have thrown it out. Let's see if I can remember it off by heart...
LEMON CHIFFON TARTS (or pie)
1/2 c. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. lemon rind
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
4 eggs
1/3 c. butter
1/2 c. whipping cream
1 pie shell or 48 mini tart shells (I made my own pastry using a half-batch of the recipe on the back of the Tenderflake shortening box).

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine first four ingredients. Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Remove from heat and stir in butter one tablespoon at a time. Cover with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature. (Place the plastic wrap right on top of the lemon mixture so it doesn't form a skin on top while it cools.) Meanwhile, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Once lemon mixture is cool, fold in the whipped cream and then pour the mixture into a baked pie shell or baked tart shells. Allow them to set for a couple hours before serving.

These were very tasty!!

Tourtière

2011-12-31T12:11:00.000-06:00

One of my favourite dishes from Quebec is tourtière - a meat pie made with beef & pork and a unique blend of seasonings. Depending on where you are from in Quebec, there are a few different ways to make this popular dish. They are all delicious though, and here is my version that blends together a couple recipes I have tried in the past.

TOURTIÈRE (adapted from this recipe from Epicure Selections and this recipe from Chuck Hughes)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 onions, diced
1 tbsp. oil
2.5 lbs. ground pork
2.5 lbs. ground beef
1/4 c. flour
2 tbsp. 3 Onion dip mix
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp. Montreal Steak spice
salt & pepper
4 potatoes, grated
2 c. beef stock

In a large pot over medium heat, soften the garlic and onions in oil. Add the ground meat and cook until it is all browned. Drain if necessary. Stir in flour and seasonings, add grated potatoes and stock, and continue cooking for about 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let it cool.

There are a few ways you can make your tourtière:

The traditional way is to make meat pies. Roll out a pie crust, fill it up with tourtière filling, and then cover with another pie crust and bake in the oven according to your pie crust recipe.
You can also try my "Tourtière Triangles" recipe and use puff pastry to make individual popovers which are super delicious.
You can use a mini muffin tin and make little tarts (which I baked, then froze, then reheated to serve on Christmas Eve as appetizers.)

Or you can toss the filling into freezer bags (I suggest 4 c. portions) and use it later to make meat pies.

This recipe makes a HUGE BATCH! I made one meat pie, 2 or 3 freezer bags to make meat pies later on, 8 puff pastry triangles, and about 36 mini tarts.

Tourtière is especially tasty with ketchup on the side.... you can use regular old ketchup, or get a little fancy and try some homemade or gourmet ketchup (made with cranberries or something like that.) It's great comfort food, and perfect for stocking up your freezer with ready-to-go meals.

"Fancy" Turkey Panini

2011-12-31T11:50:00.000-06:00

I got a panini grill for Christmas, and I couldn't wait to try out a fancy-schmancy turkey sandwich with some of the leftovers from our Christmas meal. Don't get me wrong, I love a turkey salad sandwich or a hot open-faced turkey sandwich, but this year I had a new toy to play with so I had to jazz up my leftovers a bit!

TURKEY PANINI
Sage & Apple focaccia bread (recipe to follow)
leftover turkey
apple slices
bacon slices
cheese (whatever kind you like - I used smoked Gouda)

Slice the bread and layer your ingredients. (I also would have added some tomato or spinach if I had any, but I didn't. Or you could spread a bit of cranberry sauce on the bread if you like cranberry sauce, which I don't.) Place the sandwich in a panini grill and press down, grilling for 3-5 minutes.

Who knew squishing a sandwich in a grill would make it taste so good?

SAGE & APPLE FOCACCIA (based on this recipe)
1 tbsp. sugar
1 c. warm water
2 pkgs. (4 1/2 tsp.) yeast
1/4 c. Sage & Apple Stuffing Seasoning
1/3 c. olive oil
3/4 c. hot water
1 tsp. salt
4 c. flour

Dissolve sugar in warm water and stir in yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes. In another bowl, soften the the Sage & Apple seasoning in olive oil and hot water. Pour into the yeast mixture and add salt and flour, kneading till it forms a dough. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then roll it onto a baking sheet lined with cornmeal or parchment paper. Brush with olive oil and let it rise for 40 minutes. Bake at 425 F for 20 minutes. (This bread is also delicious for dipping in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.)

Pear & Prosciutto Bites

2011-12-24T09:36:00.000-06:00

We were invited to our friends' house last night, and I felt the need to bring something wrapped in prosciutto. I looked on Google to see what kinds of recipes might come up, and then I sort of combined a couple of them to make these tasty little appetizers.

PEAR & PROSCIUTTO BITES
1 pear, thinly sliced (I got about 20 slices)
20 slices of gruyère cheese (thin and skinny, so that they are roughly the same size as the pear slices)
20 mint leaves, washed
10 slices of prosciutto, cut in half
balsamic vinegar
olive oil (optional)

Place a slice of cheese and a mint leaf on top of each pear slice. Wrap it up in a half-slice of prosciutto. Lay them on a plate and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (We only used the vinegar last night.)

I don't have a picture of these, but once you wrap everything up it just looks like a rolled up piece of prosciutto anyway. You could easily modify this recipe however you like.... try apples or melons instead of pears, try a different type of cheese, and/or try basil instead of mint. These were really good, and kind of surprising when you first pop one in your mouth - the mint is not a flavour you'd expect to find with meat and cheese, but it all works together somehow. Give it a try next time you're looking for a new appetizer recipe!

Jamie Oliver's Turkey & Leek Pie with Sage Pastry

2011-12-20T18:28:00.001-06:00

I watched one of Jamie Oliver's Christmas specials on the weekend, and I couldn't wait till after Christmas to try out his Leftover Turkey & Leek Pie, so I went out and bought a small chicken so I could make this for supper.I'm not exactly sure if I followed Jamie's recipe exactly or not, but this recipe is quite forgiving. Here's what I did:

CHICKEN & LEEK PIE WITH SAGE PASTRY
1 small chicken
2 onions
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1/2 pkg. bacon, chopped
6 leeks, chopped and washed (I only used the bottom halves of the leeks)
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper
2 heaping tbsp. flour
4 c. chicken stock (if you don't have enough from the crockpot, use some store-bought stock to top it up)
1 square puff pastry
1 tbsp. Sage & Apple Stuffing Seasoning

Season chicken with salt & pepper. Place in slow cooker along with 1-2 c. water and roughly chopped onions, celery, and carrots. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove chicken and chop up all the meat. Strain the liquid from the crockpot and reserve for later. (Alternately, you could use a pre-cooked chicken from the grocery store and some store-bought chicken broth.)
Brown bacon in a large pot over medium heat. Drain most of the grease, then add leeks, butter, and olive oil, coating well. Season with salt & pepper. Put the lid on and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so the leeks don't burn. Add chopped chicken to the leek mixture and sprinkle with flour. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Season with more salt & pepper if needed. Pour mixture into a large strainer overtop of a pot, and let most of the liquid drain out. Reserve this liquid to use as gravy later on. Once it has drained, spread the chicken & leek mixture into a 9x13" baking dish.
Roll out the puff pastry and sprinkle half with Sage & Apple seasoning. Fold the dough over to cover up the seasoning, and continue rolling until it will cover the baking dish. Lay dough over top of the chicken & leek mixture, and tuck it in around the edges. Gently score the dough with a knife to let the steam out, and then brush with a bit of beaten egg. Bake at 375 F for 35-40 minutes. Serve with gravy.

Thank you Jamie Oliver - this was delicious!!!

Homemade Potato Chips

2011-12-20T10:57:00.000-06:00

I just got my new microwave chip maker from Epicure Selections, so I had to try it out immediately!
The "Chipster" and the Slicer ($19.99 each, available Jan 1, 2012) are handy little tools that can help you turn a potato into a quick snack of healthy homemade potato chips. You can also try it out with kale, sweet potato, and other assorted fruits and veggies, though I haven't tried those yet. (Keep in mind, I just opened up the box an hour ago!)

I used one yellow potato (skin on) and sliced it up lickety-split with the slicer. Then I laid the slices on the Chipster (I needed to do 3 1/2 batches in order to use up the whole potato) and sprinkled each batch with a different seasoning. First I used sea salt, then I tried Barbecue seasoning, and then I tried Chili Lime seasoning. Pop it in the microwave for 2-4 minutes, depending on your microwave. (I found that 3 minutes was good on my microwave, and 3.5 minutes made them a little crispier and browner.) Let them cool off for a minute, and voila - you've got homemade, no-fat, low (or no) sodium potato chips!

It took me about 15 minutes from the time I grabbed a potato from the cupboard till I had a plate full of homemade chips.

So far I prefer the sea salt chips. The other two were good too, but I like the salty goodness of potato chips, and just a light sprinkle of sea salt gives a nice flavour without all the added sodium that you get from store-bought chips. I think next time I try out the other flavours, I will add a pinch of salt as well.

Hot Saskie Mamas 9th Annual Christmas Consumption Extravaganza!

2011-12-12T17:37:00.000-06:00

I met a fabulous group of mommy-friends online when my daughter was born, and we have been a huge support system for each other over the last 9 years. Mostly we just post online and talk about how things are going in our lives... but every once in a while, especially at Christmas time, we like to party!
Here is a collection of the recipes that were served at my house last night for our 9th Annual Christmas party. (We call it the Consumption Extravaganza because we generally make pigs of ourselves with the amount of food and beverages we consume!) There were plenty of other amazing recipes (Hooters wings, Taco dip, nuts & bolts, and tons of other things I can't even remember at the moment!) but here are the ones I have recipes for:

JELLO PUNCH (adapated from this recipe)
1/2 c. sugar
3 c. water
1 pkg. strawberry jello
1 can frozen lemonade
2 c. orange juice
1 bottle (2 L) Sprite

Bring the first three ingredients to a boil and then gently boil for 3 minutes. Stir in frozen lemonade and orange juice. Pour into a container and freeze overnight. When ready to serve, scoop it into a punch bowl and pour in the Sprite, stirring till combined.
(I don't have a photo of the punch, but it was quite tasty. Once all the slush melted into the Sprite though, it was really really sweet. You can mix in some Club Soda too if you want to cut down on the sweetness. I used yogurt containers to store the slush in the freezer, and it took a while to thaw out so you might want to use smaller containers or even icecube trays to freeze it.)

MRS. CLAUS' NIPPLES (I did not come up with that name, I swear!)
raspberries
cream cheese icing (cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract)
vanilla wafer cookies, cut into small squares

Pipe the cream cheese icing into the raspberries and put a little bit onto each wafter square. Place a raspberry on top of each wafer square. (Perhaps if you put a dab of icing on the top of each raspberry, they would look more like mini Santa hats and less like nipples!) The idea for this came from this recipe, which uses strawberries to make Santa hats.

These were so good... even though they looked like nipples.

CHEESE & VEGGIE CHRISTMAS TRAY

green onions
tomatoes, carrots, and any other veggies you'd like to add on as "decorations"
cheese cubes
pretzel sticks

Use the green onions to make the branches of your tree, and the pretzel sticks for the trunk. Fill in the other veggies and cheese cubes as decorations.

How cute is that??

HOT BUTTERED RUM NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE (posted on the Epicure Selections Facebook page by Janet Dupasquier)
1 pkg. cream cheese
1/4 c. icing sugar
2 envelopes Dream Whip
1/2 c. milk
2 tbsp. Hot Buttered Rum, melted
1-2 tbsp. Hot Buttered Rum, melted

Cream together the first 4 ingredients until light and fluffy. Add in 2 tbsp. melted Hot Buttered Rum and combine. Pour into a premade graham cracker crust. Drizzle the remaining Hot Buttered Rum overtop and use a knife to zig-zag it through the cheesecake. Refrigerate until cheesecake is set.

This was really good!

Thanks to all my Hot Saskie Mama friends for celebrating another fabulous year of food, fun, and friendship!!

Mock Skor Bars

2011-12-12T17:06:00.000-06:00

I can't take credit for this recipe, but I will gladly help spread the word about how fantastic it is!
MOCK SKOR BARS
1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
24 soda crackers (salted is good, but you can use unsalted too)
2 c. chocolate chips (I used melting chocolate to get it a little bit smoother, but normally I just use chocolate chips. You can use milk or dark chocolate.)

Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue boiling for 2 minutes. Lay crackers in a parchment-lined 9x13" baking dish. (Please please please use parchment paper! Otherwise you will have one awful mess to clean up.) Pour caramel over the crackers and bake at 350 F for 5 minutes. Top with chocolate and put back in the oven for a few more minutes until chocolate melts. Take out of the oven, and once it cools a little bit, spread the chocolate into a smooth layer. (If you prefer, you could also wait until the caramel has cooled and then pour melted chocolate over top and spread it.) Refrigerate and then crack into pieces and serve.

This is not the best photo - I cracked it before it had enough time to set in the fridge. Still tastes awesome though.

The problem with Christmas baking is that I generally only make these recipes once a year. So I forget the little things like exactly how long did I boil the sugar and how long did I bake it in the oven. The recipe I posted above is the one I have in my cookbook, but when I sampled it just now it doesn't seem very hard, and the caramel is a little grainy. I think I should have boiled it longer to smooth out the caramel mixture, and baked it a bit longer till it was bubbling in the oven (I seem to remember it bubbling last year, but this year there was no bubbling happening in the oven.) It might need some extra time in the fridge to solidify too. I just might have to make a second batch of this to confirm my theories!

Roast Beef with Mushroom & Coke Gravy

2011-12-01T17:41:00.000-06:00

I've posted this recipe before, but it's too good not to share again!
ROAST BEEF WITH MUSHROOM & COKE GRAVY
1 beef roast (any cut)
Beef & Steak seasoning (or just salt & pepper)
1 can mushroom soup
1 c. Coke (not a whole can, just a cup)
2-3 tbsp. onion seasoning (you can use a French Onion soup mix package, but I use 3 Onion or French Onion dip mix from Epicure)

Generously sprinkle seasonings on the roast and set it in the crockpot. Mix together soup, Coke, and onion seasoning. Pour over roast and cook on low for 6 hours. (This cooked it to medium, so there was just a slight pink shade when I cut into it.) If you like, you can pour the gravy into a saucepan and boil for 10-15 minutes to thicken it up a bit, or you can just serve it straight from the crockpot.

This is the only way I know how to cook a roast, and I have no urge to learn another way because this way is perfect! The meat is so tender, the gravy is delicious, and the whole recipe is ridiculously simple. I can't wait for hot roast beef sandwiches at lunch tomorrow!

Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

2011-11-22T10:52:00.001-06:00

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT THUMBPRINT COOKIES
2 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa (recipe called for 2/3 c. but I used Epicure's cocoa which is very rich so I only needed half the amount)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. sugar (plus more for coating the cookies)
1 egg
1 tbsp. vanilla
4 oz. baker's chocolate (I used bittersweet, but you could use dark, semi-sweet, or white chocolate)
1/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add in dry ingredients, beating until combined. Roll into balls and coat in sugar. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and use a small round measuring spoon to make an indentation in the middle of each cookie. Put them back in the oven for 4 minutes. They will still look moist - don't overbake them. While they are cooling, melt baker's chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Add peppermint extract and scoop chocolate into a piping bag (use a Ziploc bag and then snip off the corner.) When cookies are cool, pipe some chocolate into the indentations.

These were simple to make, and delicious. I think next time I would use white chocolate and leave out the peppermint, but top them off with some crushed candy canes.

Heaven must smell like this

2011-11-09T15:48:00.000-06:00

All the stars were in alignment this morning, and my children were semi-capable of getting themselves through the morning routine without too much prompting from me. This is a rare and special occasion, which allowed me to whip up a batch of banana bread and pop it in the oven before I walked them to school. It is Day #4 of winter here in Saskatchewan, and let me tell you, nothing is better than a crisp morning walk with well-behaved children, followed by opening up the door to your house and being enveloped in the warm, comforting smell of banana bread in the oven!
Then a friend came over for tea, and I put a pot on the stove to make us some delicious Chai tea. Unfortunately I put the wrong burner on, and there was a glass baking dish filled with buns that I had made yesterday sitting on that burner. KABOOM! Glass everywhere. And by everywhere, I mean we'll be finding glass for weeks to come, even after I spent an hour cleaning my kitchen. The glass even scorched parts of my linoleum when it landed. Thank God no one was hurt, and thank God I had moved the banana loaf to a part of the kitchen that somehow managed to avoid the shower of glass shards.

Anyway, back to my banana bread. I used a recipe from Canadian Living and added Skor Bits instead of chocolate chips (because I have overdosed on chocolate since Halloween!) Here is the final version:

BANANA BREAD WITH SKOR BITS
2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 c. Skor Bits
2 c. ripe bananas, mashed (I used 6 bananas)
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. milk
2 eggs

Sift all the dry ingredients together (including Skor Bits). Combine the wet ingredients and pour into the dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes.

This turned out perfectly, and it was delicious. I like that this recipe doesn't use much sugar, and by using 1/2 c. Skor Bits instead of 1 c. chocolate chips, it really cut down on the sweetness without being bland. I will definitely use this recipe from now on, and I will always make sure I turn on the correct burner when making tea.

Open House Recipes

2011-10-23T23:35:00.000-06:00

My husband is out of town for a few days, and thanks to some strategic scheduling this weekend (and a great deal of help from my parents), I managed to get the kids to swimming, skating, and church, we hosted a playdate, I made a snack to take to the kids' choir party at church, I did an Epicure party, and I found time to prepare a ton of food for 20+ people this afternoon!
I hosted an open house for my Epicure customers, and we drank some delicious tea from Sisters Leap Exceptional Teas and ate lots of goodies that I made with my Epicure Selections products.

Here are all the recipes I made:

SPICY CHEESE BUNDLES (a spicy version of the incredibly popular EXTRAORDINARY CHEESE DIP, baked in wonton wrappers)
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 c. mayo
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 tbsp. Pueblo Bean Dip Mix
1 1/2 tsp. Cinco Pepper Blend

Combine ingredients together. Place wonton wrappers into a mini muffin tin and use a mini scoop to fill up each wonton with the cheese mixture. Bunch the edges of the wonton wrappers together to make little bundles. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes.

I think these were my favourite - I am definitely making these again!

SAGE & APPLE STUFFING CRISPS
1/4 c. butter
1 tbsp. Sage & Apple Stuffing Seasoning
1 baguette

Mix butter and stuffing seasoning. Spread on thin slices of baguette. Bake at 400 F for 5 minutes.

Now you don't have to wait for Thanksgiving to get your stuffing!

CRAN & APPLE CINNAMON CHEESE BALL
1 pkg. cream cheese
4 tbsp. Cran & Apple Cinnamon Cheese Ball Seasoning

Beat together until smooth, and form into a ball. Roll in sliced almonds if you like. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (I served this with cinnamon cookies but it's also great on apple slices or bagels.)

A tasty dessert cheeseball.

CROSTINI WITH GOAT CHEESE, TOMATOES, AND TAPENADE (I slightly modified the amounts and made a double batch.)
200 ml. canned black olives, drained and chopped
1 tbsp. Tapenade Herbs
1/4 c. olive oil
3 tomatoes, diced
1 c. goat cheese

Combine olives, herbs, and olive oil. Mix in tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese. Serve on baguettes or crackers.

This doesn't look very appealing, but I quite enjoyed it!

BEER-BATTERED ONION & BACON MINI CHEESE BALLS
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
4 tbsp. Onion & Bacon Cheese Ball Seasoning
1 c. flour
1 egg
1 c. beer

Combine first three ingredients. Make a batter out of the next 3 ingredients. Use a mini scooper to make little cheese balls and coat them in the beer batter. Heat a pot of canola oil and then deep fry the cheese balls until they are golden brown.

I didn't get to sample one, but I'm assuming they tasted pretty good. I mean, they're deep-fried cheese balls - how could they taste bad?

MINI FUDGE BROWNIES

1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine first three ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Use a mini scoop and and a mini muffin pan and bake at 350 F for 12-14 minutes. Makes 48.

These are so delicious!

GINGERBREAD CRÈME BRÛLÉE (I slightly modified the amounts so that it was more like the recipe I normally use.)
5 egg yolks
6 tbps. sugar
1 tsp. Gingerbread Spices
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. whipping cream

Whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Add in remaining ingredients and whisk together. Pour into rammekins (I put 1/3 c. in each one) and place rammekins in a baking dish with water. Bake at 325 F for 45 minutes. They should be firm on the surface but still jiggly underneath. Once they have cooled, sprinkle a layer of sugar on top and then use a blow torch or place them under the broiler for 5 minutes until the sugar makes a crust. Cool to room temperature before serving.

This is only a fraction of the crème brûlées I made this weekend. Everyone said they were great, so I'm glad I put in the time to get them all baked and brûléed!

BRIE WITH HOT BUTTERED RUM & PECANS
1 wheel of brie cheese, top rind removed
equal parts Hot Buttered Rum and butter (I used about 2 tbsp. of each)
crushed pecans

Heat Hot Buttered Rum, butter, and pecans in a frying pan. Place brie in a baking dish and pour the mixture over top. Bake at 350 F until brie melts. Serve with baguette slices.

Ooey gooey cheesey goodness covered in butter & rum!

PINOT NOIR WINE JELLY & RED PEPPER JELLY ON BAGUETTES

A simple but elegant appetizer. That wine jelly is my favourite thing in the whole wide world right now!

So there you have it --- I hope you enjoy the recipes, and please let me know if you end up trying some of them at home!

Smile! Halloween is coming!

2011-10-23T09:41:00.000-06:00

Last week I saw the cutest snack idea on Hun, What's for dinner? She found it on Pinterest and posted it for all her Facebook fans to see, and I thought it would be a great idea for my kids' potluck Halloween party after church today.

As you can see, they were pretty simple to make... smear some peanut butter on apple slices, and put mini marshmallows in the middle. If you wanted to make this nut-free for a school snack, you could try flavoured cream cheese instead of peanut butter.

Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Tomato & Parmesan Goat Cheese

2011-10-18T20:27:00.000-06:00

This sounds complicated, but it's ridiculously simple. And it's fricking delicious.

CRUSTED CHICKEN STUFFED WITH TOMATO & PARMESAN GOAT CHEESE
5 chicken breasts
1/2 c. goat cheese
2 tbsp. Tomato & Parmesan Cheeseball Seasoning
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1/4 c. panko breadcrumbs

Slice along the length of the chicken breast to create a pocket. (I removed the little extra flappy piece from each chicken breast first to make sure the chicken breast was the same thickness on either side of the pocket.) Combine goat cheese and Tomato & Parmesan Cheeseball Seasoning. Divide into 5 equal portions, and press the goat cheese mixture into each of the chicken breast pockets. (You could also pound out the chicken breast instead, and then just spread the cheese mixture on one side and fold it in half like a book.) Drizzle chicken breasts with olive oil on both sides, and set them in a bowl with the mixture of parmesan and panko so that it coats the bottom. Transfer to a lined baking sheet, and sprinkle the remaining pamesan and panko mixture over top of each chicken breast. Bake at 375 F for about 30 minutes.

I'm not sure why it looks pinky in this picture. Honest to goodness, I cooked the chicken properly!

This took a few minutes to prepare, and it tasted spectacular! You have to try this super simple recipe!!

Mini Snacks

2011-10-14T11:09:00.000-06:00

Just got a mini muffin pan and a portion scoop from Epicure Selections, so I've been whipping up some snacks that I can pop in the freezer and pull out whenever we need them.
Here are all the recipes, and the verdicts are written below each one.
TWO-BITE BROWNIES (from this recipe)
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. melted butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Mix first three ingredients together. In separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients, then add to dry ingredients. Scoop into mini muffin pan and bake at 350 F for 12 minutes. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before popping them out. Makes about 48 mini muffins.
Verdict: These are awesome. No other way to describe them.

HEALTHY & DECADENT PUMPKIN MINI MUFFINS
1 1/2 c. flour (I used 1 c. white flour and 1/2 c. whole wheat flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. pumpkin purée
1/3 c. apple sauce
2 tbsp. crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1/4 c. chocolate chips

Combine first 4 ingredients. In separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients, then add to dry ingredients. Don't overmix. Scoop into mini muffin tin and bake at 350 F for 12 minutes. Let them cool for a few minutes before popping out.
Verdict: These are awesome too! My son actually prefers these over the brownies (gasp!)
MINI SALMON CAKES (based on this recipe)
3 small potaotes, peeled and quartered
3 green onions
2-3 tsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. lemon juice
salt & pepper
1-2 tsp. Lemon Dilly Dip Mix
1 egg
3 cans (170 g net weight each) boneless, skinless pink salmon

Boil potatoes; drain and mash. Add in remaining ingredients. Scoop into mini muffin tin and bake at 375 F for 20 minutes.
Verdict: Yummy yummy.

MINI CRUSTLESS QUICHES (use this recipe, but leave out the puff pastry crust and bake in mini muffin tin at 400 F for 15 minutes)
Verdict: Delicious, and the kids all loved them.

TEENY TINY PIZZAS
1 pkg. Pillsbury pizza dough
pizza sauce (about 1/3 c.)
pepperoni, finely chopped (about 14 slices)
mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1/3 c.)

Roll out pizza dough and cut into 24 squares that will fit into a mini muffin tin. (I ended up with 10 extra, so I just rolled that into a ball and made a mini pizza with it.) Press dough into mini muffin tin. Combine pizza sauce, pepperoni, and cheese and scoop into dough. Bake at 400 F for 10-12 minutes.
Verdict: Haven't fed them to the kids yet, but I imagine they will like them. I personally don't like Pillsbury dough (whether it's croissants or biscuits or pizza dough) so I'm not a big fan of these.

Overall Verdict:
I love my mini muffin pan and portion scoop! It's so easy to make cutesy little appetizers, and the kids love eating stuff in miniature form. Can't wait to try out some new recipes with it!

Mexican Cheese Dip

2011-10-08T18:24:00.000-06:00

I won't have a picture of this, because I'm taking it over to my dad's tonight, but it will just look like a hot bubbly mess of cheese and salsa so you can use your imagination.

MEXICAN CHEESE DIP
1 package cream cheese
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. grated mozzarella
1/2 c. grated cheddar
1 tsp. Pueblo Bean Dip Mix
1 tsp. Cinco Pepper Blend
2 tbsp. jarred salsa

Bake in the oven till bubbly, and serve with tortilla chips.

The only pasta I really like

2011-10-07T16:10:00.000-06:00

I generally dislike pasta dishes. I won't order them at restaurants because they cost the same amount as other main dishes, but they only come with garlic toast. What a rip off!
A friend of mine gave me a recipe for a pasta dish a few years ago, and it's been my "go to" pasta dish ever since. Sure, I'll make spaghetti and lasagna and tuna casserole (which we ate last night, and it still baffles me how that is my family's favourite meal!!) But the only pasta dish I really really really like is this one.

Tonight I made the same basic recipe, but instead of asparagus I used brussel sprouts. I ate these once as a kid, and my sister and I swallowed them whole so we would look polite at the table without actually having to taste them! Back then they were just boiled, but when I attempted cooking them for the first time last year, my Facebook fans suggested sautéeing them in butter, braising them in white wine, and serving them with bacon. (My Facebook fans are wonderful!) Now it's one of my favourite side dishes, and it was the perfect combination for this newly-improved version of my favourite pasta recipe:
KATHY'S PASTA
10 bacon slices, chopped
8-10 brussel sprouts (chop the bottoms off, discard the outer leaves, and then chop into quarters)
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
butter
white wine
salt & pepper
1/2 jar alfredo sauce
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
cooked pasta (enough for 4-5 people)
fresh tomato, diced

In a frying pan, brown the bacon and then set aside. Remove almost all of the bacon grease from the pan, then add some butter along with the brussel sprouts and mushrooms. Brown the vegetables for a few minutes and then add some white wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until tender. Season wtih salt & pepper (optional - I didn't use any S&P). Stir in alfredo sauce and parmesan cheese and heat through before pouring over pasta. Serve pasta on a plate and then garnish with fresh tomatoes.

Serve that up with a side of garlic toast, and you owe me $15!

Fish Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce & Pico de Gallo

2011-09-30T11:34:00.000-06:00

I have made fish tacos before, but I always use grilled fish and last week I saw a recipe for fried fish tacos on Chuck's Day Off on the Food Network. He had some delicious condiments to go with the tacos, so I bookmarked it right away and made it this week.

FISH TACOS WITH AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE & PICO DE GALLO
450 g. white fish
1 c. flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg

1 beer (I used a lime beer)

oil

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, egg, and beer to make batter. Dip fish in batter and then fry in oil. (I used a frying pan with about 1" of oil in it.) I halved the recipe for the beer batter, and there was plenty to cover all the fish. Serve on a tortilla with avocado lime sauce and pico de gallo (recipes below) as well as shredded lettuce.

These were YUMMY (although I wish my kids at more than just the tortilla and fish!) They don't know what they were missing, though, because that avocado sauce was fantastic, and the pico de gallo is so awesome. I ate half the bowl before we even had supper. It's such a fresh, healthy snack or condiment for your meal. It's time consuming to dice up all the ingredients, but that's the only skill required to make this stuff, and believe me, it's so delicious.

AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE (this is half the recipe that Chuck Hughes used, and it was more than enough for us. In fact you could probably even half it again if you wanted.)

2 avocados
1 c. sour creamjuice and zest of 1/2 lime
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
a few leaves of cilantro, chopped (maybe 1 tbsp. all together)
salt & pepper

Combine ingredients in a food processor until smooth, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

PICO DE GALLO
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 garlic cloved, minced
1/2 onion, diced
juice of 1 limecilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Tomato Soup Shots

2011-09-26T12:36:00.000-06:00

I can't take credit for this idea - I saw it on a website somewhere (sorry, I don't remember where) and though it was so cute. I thought my kids would jump for joy at this new presentation of a standard lunch at our house, but they were oblivious to the fact that Mom tried something new. Maybe that's a good sign - they aren't creatures of habit anymore when it comes to food. (Amen!)

I used the little appetizer plates and oval verrines from Epicure Selections (they also come in a tapered version) and just served up some cream of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich wedges. (I put all four wedges on the plate for the kids' lunch, but I thought a single sandwich wedge would be more photogenic.)

This would be a fun appetizer for a party - you could make up some gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches (brie & pear, bacon & cheddar, etc) along with a homemade version of the soup just to class it up a little bit. Or you could be as basic as I was today -- canned tomato soup and Kraft Singles cheese slices in the sandwich. You really can't go wrong with tomato soup and grilled cheese, no matter how you serve it up!

Copycat Subway Sandwiches

2011-09-20T18:04:00.000-06:00

We live close to a Subway restaurant, and our family eats a lot of subs. I remember my mom making homemade subs for supper when we were kids (nothing fancy, just deli meat, cheese, some veggies, and a sub bun) and we thought it was awesome. In an attempt to kick it up a notch (and out-do my mother), I wanted to find some copycat recipes for our favourite Subway bread & sauce... Italian Herb & Cheese bread, and Southwest Chipotle Sauce.

I found a couple different recipes for the bread (and there are lots of other copycat recipes out there for the other types of Subway bread), but I ended up using a version of this recipe.

SUBWAY ITALIAN HERB & CHEESE BREAD
1 tbsp. yeast
1 tbsp. honey
1 c. hot water
3 tbsp. flour + 1 tbsp. whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt (I used Epicure's Herb & Garlic Sea Salt, coarse)
1 tbsp. Epicure's Tomato & Parmesan Cheeseball Seasoning
grated cheddar cheese (just enough to sprinkle over each loaf)

Combine yeast, honey and water and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Combine flour, butter, and salt in a bowl and form a well. Pour yeast mixture in and knead until smooth. Cover and let rise until doubled in size (approx. 1 hour). Punch down and cover and rise again. Cut into 3 pieces and shape into loaves or rolls. Cover and let rise. Score each loaf a few times with a serrated knife. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with herbs & cheese. Bake at 425 F for 20-25 minutes with a dish of water in the oven to help create some steam.

My husband and daughter I love the Subway Southwest Chipotle Sauce, but I think it's probably safe to say that a homemade version of it would be a little healthier. There were lots of websites with a copycat version, but I switched up the ingredients ever-so-slightly to accomodate what was in my pantry, and here's what I came up with:

SUBWAY SOUTHWEST CHIPOTLE SAUCE
1/2 c. mayo
1 1/2 tsp. lime or lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. honey mustard
Epicure's Chiptole Chili (start with a little, then add more till it tastes right - this stuff is hot so watch out!)
1/2 garlic clove, minced

Whisk all the ingredients together and refrigerate.

Here's how the sandwich turned out:

The bread wasn't as soft and light as Subway bread is, but that seems to be a trend in my bread-making... I don't think it's the fault of the recipe, but rather the fault of the baker (moi!) who clearly hasn't perfected the art of making bread. However, the herbs and cheese on top were delicious, and you have to admit, that bread sure looked a lot like the Subway version!

The sauce was great too - a simple recipe that leaves out all the preservatives and crap they most likely put in the stuff at the restaurant.

I laid out the veggies, cheese, and meat on a plate and let the kids make their own subs, so everyone was very pleased with their personalized subs. Another successful supper in Kathy's Kitchen!