Angel Food Cupcakes
This Sunday it is time for yet another one of those Retailer Invented Holidays – Grandparents Day! I refuse to buy them anything, especially since I know J’s grandparents treasure homemade cards and gifts.
One thing I won’t be sending them is these Angel Food Cupcakes. Not because they weren’t delicious, but I don’t think they will mail well. Ma’am will get a kick that I made them though because of a story about my grandparents.
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Confession time, I have a few skeletons in my closet. More accurately, I have a few skeletons in my freezer – chicken skeletons that is, and some beef and pork parts too!
With the market on its roller coaster ride and the economy still attempting to recover from the recession that allegedly has already ended some of you may be struggling to stretch a dollar. I have a good friend in Nigeria that neeeds my help in return for millions of dollars, so I do not have such worries…. But, since I care about you, my dear reader, I thought I would write about some of the ways I have found to save a few pennies, and cook healthier and tastier for my family.
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This shirt fits a little differently than it did 25 years (and a baby) ago
It’s time to Eat, Drink and Stink! If you are anywhere near San Francisco’s South Bay Area this weekend you will probably smell the festivities of The Gilroy Garlic Festival, an annual fundraiser/food festival dedicated to all things garlic! It features great music, arts and crafts vendors, rides and activities for children, beer and wine tasting and food! Lots and lots of garlicky food including free samples of garlic ice cream. Yes, I have tried it – think vanilla ice cream with lots of garlic powder dumped in it. It was interesting, but I wouldn’t go back for more when there is pesto and garlic fries and an apricot freeze (non-alcoholic apricot smoothie) calling my name instead! It is a fabulous time and I recommend everyone go at least once!
Share on FacebookThe Fourth of July was always a big deal growing up, in part because my Dad loved America and in part because his birthday and my parents anniversary is on the 3rd. And since we had a backyard pool, the party was usually at our place with a BBQ followed by a parade with sparklers and fireworks with John Philip Souza’s Stars and Stripes Forever playing in the background. No matter how many times Michael and I tried to hide the album, cassette or CD, Dad always seemed to find a copy of it (aided in part by his cousin, Barry, who knew what we were up to and supplied him with an extra copy or two).
The following recipes are great for any summer gathering. All can be prepared ahead of time, or thrown on the grill at the last minute:
Beverages
| Anga Soda Cherry-Pineapple Punch Ginger Ale-Sherbet Punch Ginger Ale Syrup and Drink |
Margaritas Micheladas Sangria |
Appetizers and Sides
And since many of us don’t have the time to do all of the cooking and cleaning for a party, here are Ma’am’s tips for potlucks made easy.
Whatever your plans this summer I hope it is a safe and happy one.
Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey
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My houseguests cooking for me.
This past weekend, my Godpappy (Dad’s cousin) Barry and his lovely and talented wife, Sandy, came to visit. Like any good hostess I wanted them to enjoy themselves and do whatever they wanted. So, on the second day of their trip they kicked me out of my kitchen and prepared a feast for us.
I just sat on a bar stool watching in amazement and occassionally answering the “where is the ___?” questions they had. If you have read any of my previous blogs, or know my family, this really isn’t as strange as it sounds. What can I say? We are a bunch of foodies. In return I sent them home with a branch of bay leaves and some other fresh herbs, which was pretty exciting to them.
Sandy's pasta sauce with Italian Sausage meatballs!
Before they even left on their trip they made us a loaf of her fabulous homemade bread (Matthew’s favorite) and his peanut brittle (my favorite) and some lemon marmalade that was so much easier to make than the one I tried (their recipe’s coming soon, I hope). While they were here they made a fabulous Italian sausage and beef pasta sauce and Nick Stellino’s minestrone. They made so much that I had to borrow a third stock pot from my neighbor to
cook the pasta. 
Even after giving some awayto the neighbor as a thank you for the loan, we still have plenty of leftovers.
And as a final Father’s Day tribute here are links to more recipes from the men in my family:
Happy Father’s Day to all of the fathers, grandfathers, uncles, godfathers, etc.!
Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey
Share on FacebookForget Cookie Monster, I have a Pancake Monster in the house. Ask him what he wants for breakfast and he will choose pancakes almost every time! Even though I am a stay at home mom, mixing the ingredients (or heaven forbid using a pre made mix) and cooking them every morning would be an ordeal. Instead, I use IQF. No, it has nothing to do with money or impossible missions or measures of intelligence, though I think it is a pretty smart way to serve my son homemade pancakes every day.
Once every week or two I make a batch of pancakes, usually Emeril’s Make ‘Em Pancakes, but a new favorite is the version of IHOP Country Griddle Cakes found in Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2. Then I put all of the leftovers on a cookie sheet in a single layer, pop it in the freezer for an hour or so, take them off the cookie sheet and put in a freezer bag. If you just put them in a bag or other container they will stick together and you will have to defrost ALL of them instead of just a few at a time. This way I reach in and grab 3 (more like 5) and microwave for a few seconds for a quick breakfast.
This week alone, I have used IQF for a wide variety of foods from freshly picked peas to salmon burgers to turkey bacon (stacked two pieces together to pull out a serving or two to go along with the pancakes!). IQF also works well for things like lasagna -make a big batch, then freeze the leftovers on a cookie sheet in single serving pieces that can be reheated later for a quick lunch or dinner.
I use a similar technique for liquids (freshly squeezed lemon juice, homemade chicken stock, brewed coffee) and pureed fruit and vegetables using ice cube trays then putting the cubes in freezer bags. I slip the veggies in various foods, the fruits make great smoothies, and using coffee ice cubes for iced coffee prevents it from getting watered down. Ma’am also suggested freezing leftover tomato paste this way when your recipe only calls for a part of a can.
I detest wasted food and I am not too fond of wasting my energy. By creatively freezing my foods I am able to serve healthier foods to my family with minimal effort and I can tailor meals for my sometimes picky eaters. Plus with the weather heating up, cooking once or twice a week in the morning then reheating at night sounds like a way to beat the heat.
Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey
Share on FacebookOr so Leonardo DaVinci is credited with saying.
Peanut Butter Cookies
I wanted a quick and easy recipe to cook with my son, mostly to occupy him on a rainy day. If it tasted good, all the better. So, I pulled out a recipe I stumbled across in Parents magazine a few years ago for Peanut Butter cookies with only three ingredients. And flour isn’t one of them! Which is good because I am almost out and wanted to save it for dinner tonight (my “company chicken“) and maybe some sourdough bread or biscuits tomorrow. With just peanut butter, sugar and egg the peanut flavor really shines!
Justin helped put the ingredients in the bowl – I mixed it with the mixer – then rolled the dough (well, he tried) and pressed the fork on with some guidance. when he wasn’t looking I prettied them up a bit then into the oven, ssshhhhhh! Both he and Daddy gave them 2 thumbs up!
Quick and Easy Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Mix, roll into balls and press with a fork to make a criss cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees until done, about 5-7 minutes.
That’s it!
If you use all natural peanut butter you might want to add a little bit of oil. The dough seemed a bit dry, but I compensated by slightly undercooking them. By the time they cooled they were cooked all the way and crunchy but not crumbly.
Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey
Share on FacebookI feel bad for most dads and kids when it comes to Mother’s Day. Every person wants to feel important and appreciated. And I’ll be honest, we moms have been conditioned by the marketing gurus to expect to be appreciated on Mother’s Day. I assume most dads have screwed up this day by either forgetting it, ignoring it (“you aren’t MY mom”) or not doing the “right” thing. This leaves mom resentful, dad bewildered, and the kids volunteering to go to bed early. To make it easier for them, Father’s Day should come first so dads have some sort of an idea of what is expected of them.
But, the calendar is already out for this year so I am going to try to help. Kids, show this to dad (if you have one) or take the initiative and do it on your own. Dads, if you already have this one under control then scroll to the bottom for some recipe ideas (but if this was forwarded to you by your wife, you might want to pay attention). Continue reading
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Asparagus grows about 7 inches per day when the temperature reaches 90 degrees F!
I have always liked asparagus, and long before produce was available year round due to shipments from across the globe, spring was the only time to get it. I still prefer to buy my produce when it is in season locally for the best flavor so now is the time. Like most people I usually have it steamed as a side dish, but there are so many things you can do with it.
The California Asparagus Board’s website is “stalked” with information such as the nutritional benefits (vitamin C, folic acid, thiamin and vitamin B6 as well as the body’s most potent cancer fighter, Glutathione), cooking and buying ”tips” (that pun was their’s) and of course plenty of recipes. They even have a kids page with activities and recipes for kids including the suggestion to save up the green parts you break or cut off of the stalks and substitute them for zucchini in your zucchini bread recipe.
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I admit I am no Cake Boss, but my son told me it was a "beautiful cake".
Here are some ideas to make your Easter celebration more festive. If you don’t celebrate Easter these are still some fun ideas for a spring celebration as well as some plain old good food to serve anytime!
The ham/pork industry must have a very powerful lobby or at least an awesome marketing arm here in the U.S., because we somehow went from Christmas Goose and Easter Lamb to ham for both. When my parents hosted the family Easter dinner my dad grilled a leg of lamb. As my son would say – soooooooo good!
For most of us, Easter is about the sweets! Besides the chocolate eggs, jelly beans and marshmallow bunnies in the baskets some fun treats to try:
The one dilemma most hosts have with holiday celebrations is what to do with all of those leftovers, especially the boiled eggs. One can only eat so many deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches, right? Instead, try some Coconut Curried Eggs or Chopped Chicken Livers and eggs or Shrimp and Egg Spread.
You can hide some of the candy and use them later in Ma’am’s Bread Pudding. Or try The Pastry Chef’s Gooey Baby Ruth Brownies or Snickery Hidden Treasure Cookies. M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces can be substituted for chocolate chips in just about any recipe. I haven’t found a recipe I love for using up jelly beans – please let me know if you have a favorite.
Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey
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