Monday Funday

I'm not sure why, but for some reason the thought of going to do something on a weekday night seems totally out of the question.  By the time I get home from work, I fix dinner, give a bath, play superheros, read a bedtime story, watch my soap opera on DVR, and then hit the sack.  I definitely like my routine...and my General Hospital.  For football, however, I will deviate from the schedule.  Although my beloved Sooners didn't make it to the National Championship, my friend Heather and her hubby are major Auburn fans, so they decided to host a watch party.  Well, this girl can't say no to football and food, even if it is on a weeknight.  Since they have hosted quite a few parties, I figured I better bring a snack too.  Since I cook for a living if I don't bring a snack, a strange guilty feeling comes over me.  I know, I'm weird like that.  I worked Monday, so I needed something easy to throw together.  Then, I remembered this fantastic fruit tart they make at a local French bakery here in Norman.  I recently had some after my sister brought it over for Christmas.  It's a sweet dough topped with creamy custard and fresh fruit.   Kind of like a fruit pizza.  So, I came with a super easy version for a last minute treat to take to a party.  I baked the crust and made the cream the night before.  Right before the party, I frosted it topped it with fresh fruit and was out the door.  This would also be delicious at a brunch or for summertime holidays as well.  Enjoy!!

Big K's Fruit Pizza

For The Dough:

2           Each        Sticks Unsalted Butter, Softened
1 1/2     Cups       Granulated Sugar
2           Each        Eggs
1           Tsp          Vanilla Bean Paste
2 1/2     Cups        All Purpose Flour
2           Tsp          Baking Powder
1           Tsp          Salt
1           Tbsp        Lemon Zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium sized mixing bowl beat together butter and sugar for 2 minutes using electric beaters.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla, beat again until well incorporated.  Fold in the remaining ingredients with a spatula until moistened.  Spread into a ungreased 13x9 cookie sheet.  Bake for 18 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Cover with plastic wrap if you are frosting it the next day.

For The Cream:

16        Oz           Cream Cheese, Softened

1          Cup         Powdered Sugar

8          Oz           Tub of Cool Whip

1          T              Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract

In a medium sized mixing bowl beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in the cool whip.  Chill for at least one hour.  Spread evenly over the crust.

1/2 Cup Each of the Following

Strawberries-Sliced

Raspberries

Blueberries

Kiwi-Sliced

Sprinkle fruit all over the frosted cookie.  Cut into squares and serve!  Yum

*If you are in a hurry a store bought cookie dough is just fine.  Just get 2 rolls of sugar cookie dough and spread it on the cookie sheet.

Back to Life

So, I must admit I have been a little blog stagnant lately.  I have no excuses (single mom, full time job, ahem).  Not to mention the holiday craziness.  When the holidays come in my family, so do the birthdays!  My grandma is two days before and my sister's is the day after.  She never complains about this.  Ever.  This year both parties ended up being last minute and at my house.  For my grandma this was the big 80, my mom suggested WE throw a party.  Which means my sister and I scrambled around like maniacs trying to get food, decorations, and invitations done while my mother took my grandma around for bon bons and croissants.  She claims she was "distracting her" from the surprise (she knew all along by the way).  Luckily my aunt pitched in as well and the party was amazing.  My grandma does not like people to fuss over her.  We didn't let that stop us.  We decorated with photos of her throughout her 80 years, although finding a photograph of the woman who hates to be photographed was like finding a needle in a haystack.  We made her favorite foods, which is also difficult since she lives off of chocolate ice cream. We bought her gifts, which she always demands we never do.  In the end I think she really appreciated the effort.  Since one of her favorite things is tea, I made some fantastic tea sandwiches.  I used the pimiento cheese recipe I have blogged about before and I made the all time favorite cucumber tea sandwich.  Instead of taking the time to thinly slice a bunch of cucumbers I made a spread.  It was easy and ended up being delicious!!  Here is the recipe.  Enjoy!!

Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Makes 48 Small Triangles

24        Each        Slices of Soft White Sandwich Bread
2          8 oz         Blocks of Cream Cheese, Softened
2          Each        Cucumbers
1          Half         White Onion
1          Tsp          Garlic Powder
1          Tsp          Salt
1/2       Tsp          Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Peel the outer skin of the cucumber using a potato peeler.  Cut the ends off the onion, slice in half and peel off the skin.  Take a cheese grater and grate the cucumber and onion.  Sprinkle with the salt and place into a colander, allow to drain for 30 minutes.  Place cream cheese in a medium sized bowl, add in the cucumber, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Whisk together until well incorporated.  Spread mixture evenly on 12 slices of the bread, top with the remaining 12 slices.  I cut off the crusts and cut into four triangles.  If you have any leftover cucumber spread, it is delicious as a spread on a veggie or turkey sandwich.  Enjoy!
Love as Always, "Big K"

Snow Day!

Imagine it's 70 degrees, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping.  A beautiful day in the neighborhood.  Yea right.  If you live in Oklahoma, this means that tomorrow you will wake up to the snowpocalypse.  People in Oklahoma are used to the weather changing in heartbeat.  Today 70, tomorrow 20.  You would think that since this is the norm around here, people wouldn't freak out.  Wrong again!  Grocery stores are packed with people, all the bottled water is out of stock, the news stations are exaggerating, the schools are cancelled.  It is madness.  For me, a snow day is welcomed.  My son loves playing in the snow, building snowmen, and making hot chocolate.  Me...I like to bake.  It is my favorite thing to do around the holidays.  What better gift then homemade candies and cookies.  When I worked at a bakery we made cake balls.  Leftover cake mixed with frosting scooped into balls and dipped in chocolate.  Heaven.  Last year at Christmas I made Hello Dollie bars.  Graham cracker crust topped with coconut, chocolate chips, pecans, then covered with sweetened condensed milk and baked.  My favorite!  So this year I decided to combine my two favorite things into one.  After a few tries....Success!!  So the next time you are having a snow day or want to surprise your friends with home made sweets, give these a try!

Hello Dollie Truffles

Makes 36 1 oz Truffles

2        14 oz Cans         Sweetened Condensed Milk

1        Cup                    Chopped Pecans

1        Cup                    Graham Cracker Crumbs

7        oz                       Pkg Coconut Flakes

12      oz                       Pkg of Chocolate Candy Melts (for testing purposes, I use Ghirardelli)

6        oz                       Pkg of White Chocolate Candy Melts (for testing purposes, I use Ghirardelli)

Assorted sprinkles or graham cracker crumbs for decoration

*You will also need parchment paper, a spoon, and a couple of tall sided tupperware containers

Make the filling:

In a heavy 3 quart saucepan over medium heat, cook the sweetened milk for 12 minutes, whisking constantly until thick and bubbly.  Remove from the heat, stir in the pecans, coconut, and graham crumbs.  Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread out to cool for 1 hour.  Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls.  Wash your hands and dry them well, roll them in your hands to smooth them into perfect balls.  Lay out several sheets of parchment.  Put each chocolate in a tupperware with tall sides, microwave at 30 second increments until just melted, stir to smooth.  Using a spoon or toothpick, dip the truffles into the chocolate.  Scoot across the parchment so the chocolate doesn't pool at the bottom.  Using a spoon, drizzle the white chocolate over the top.  Sprinkle desired topping before the chocolate dries.

Once they are set, I line tins with Christmas tissue paper, fill them up and give them as gifts!  

Love as Always "Big K"

Hell-iday

Have you ever gone to the airport on the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend?  Well, DON'T!!  This Thanksgiving I booked a ticket to fly to Florida for a  holiday getaway with my boyfriend and his family.  I knew travelling with a 3 year old was going to be rough, but I didn't let it stand in my way.  With a bribery bag of gummy bears we set out on our way.  The flight to Florida went smoothly, and we only had one layover; so far, a great start to our trip.  The rest of our Thanksgiving was fantastic as well!  We had smoked a turkey on the "Big Green Egg", homemade stuffing,creamy mashed potatoes, and all the best comfort foods.  Everyone kept asking me how I got everything to taste so delicious.  My answer was simple....butter and cream.  In everything.  I got that "you-just-made-me-gain-5-pounds" look.  The next morning as I was making the breakfast casserole from my last blog, they walked in to see me pouring heavy cream into my egg mixture.  I tried to hide it, but failed.  Hey, what can I say...fat=flavor.
Our holiday ends up going by way to fast, and soon it is time to fly home. That's when the Hell-iday began.  My three-year-old and I boarded the first plane with no problems. He is behaving well and the little angel even takes a peaceful nap.  Unfortunately, I had to wake him up mid-coma; have you ever woken a sleeping monster?  Don't.  He begins to wail.  Everyone is staring at me. I'm "that mom."  Fantastic.  As I wrangle the little gremlin off the flight, I realize I have less than 30 mins to get from concourse B to concourse E. I have a half asleep 30 pound toddler and 3 carry on bags.  I start to run/hobble through the airport, knocking people out of the way. We barely make it as the plane is boarding.  Whew, all we have to do is make it through two more flights and we are home.  Well, so much for wishful thinking, because that's when the cranky toddler games begin.  He shrieks, kicks the guy's seat in front of him and is shouting, "I have to pee!" until the seat-belt sign came on.  This is my worst nightmare and I thought we would never land.  We finally do and it's the same song and dance, but this time I have even less time to run across the Chicago airport to make our final flight.  Some jerk pushes me on the escalator.  I breathed "asshole", and can't really blame Trenton as he starts shouting "ASSHOLE!" too.  Will this day ever end?  As we reach the gate the attendants are shutting the doors, and the Thanksgiving spirit must still be with them because they let us on, but not before taking my son's suitcase because the overhead bins are full.  We are on board, hungry, cranky, and just ready to land and be home.  Then, the dreaded beep from the captain.  There is a heavy fog of doom looming over Oklahoma City and we have to turn around and land in Wichita.  I want to cry.  Trenton has fallen asleep and when I look over I realize he has peed in his pants.  Are you KIDDING me!!  That's when I remember they gate checked his bag--the bag with dry clothes.  It can't get worse, right?  Wrong! The captain informs us we won't be able to get home until the next day.  As we de-plane I'm focused on finding our bags and getting Mr. Pee Pants in dry clothes, when I look up and see a huge line.  I wait, with my wet child, tears running down my face (and his).  Finally I get our bags, change my child, and wait.  I thought the next day would never get here, but we eventually make it home.  Hey, on the bright side, at least I ran around enough to burn off all that cream.  Of course, that was until I got home and ate my feelings in the form of chips, dip, and Reese's Peanut Butter Christmas bells.  So, in the spirit of comfort food here is the recipe for my cream filled mashed potatoes.  I once got a marriage proposal over these potatoes.  It's the cream....

Big K's Creamy Mashed Potatoes
2        Quarts        Cold Water
5        Each           Large Russet Potatoes, Peeled and Cut into Chunks
1        Tbsp           Salt
4        Tbsp           Butter, Softened
1        Cup            Heavy Whipping Cream, Warmed
1 1/2  Tsp             Salt
1/4     Tsp             Fresh Ground Pepper

Put the water, tbsp salt, and potatoes in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil.  Boil for 10-15 minutes until potatoes break apart easily with a fork.  Do not over cook or your potatoes can become gummy.  Drain the potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl.  Using an electric mixer break the potatoes up a little bit.  Add in the butter, salt, and pepper.  Mix again.  Slowly add in the cream while mixing until potatoes are nice and creamy.  If they don't need all the cream, don't add it.  You don't want potato soup.  If they are stiff add a little more.  Serve hot with turkey, smother with gravy, or whatever your cream filled heart desires.  Yum!!
Love as Always "Big K"

Breakfast Rebel

You know what I make for dinner at least once a week?  Breakfast.  Bacon and eggs and sometimes even pancakes.  Who made this rule that breakfast is over at 10:30?  McDonalds?  Totally not cool.  Even my beloved Panera has breakfast rules.  They make these amazing souffles, croissant squares filled with rich eggs and cheese and filled with various topping such as spinach, sausage, and bacon.  Delicious.  Saturday and Sunday, around brunch time,  my sister and I always like to order them.  The only downfall is I cannot get it together on the weekends.  I mean I get up by 8 and somehow no matter what it is I need to do or where I need to go, if it is a Saturday morning I am going to be late.  Does this sound familiar?  My son wants to dress himself, or organize his Legos (sorry for the OCD son), and I can't manage to get my hair to get out of that homeless chic look.  No matter what the reason, almost every time we make it to Panera, they are out of souffles.  When they're gone, they're GONE.  No creamy, cheesy, buttery, croissant and egg magical moment for you!  So, I get stuck eating a danish.  Those are pretty good as well, but when my heart is set.  It is set.  You all now how seriously I take my food experiences.  So, this weekend, I rebelled.  No More Rules!  I decided to make my own version of these magical eggs in the shape of a casserole.  The results: amazing!  Magical even.  So, I am sharing this recipe with you.  No more getting in the car and driving across town just to be told breakfast is over.  Breakfast is on...

Big K's Magical Egg Casserole with Sausage and Smoked Gouda
12       Each        Eggs
1         Pint          Heavy Cream
1         Pound      Sausage
4         Ounce      Block, Smoked Gouda Shredded
4         Large       Croissants
2         Tsp          Salt
1/2      Tsp          Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut Croissants into cubes.  Evenly coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Put the croissant cubes in the dish and bake for 10 minutes to toast. While croissants are toasting,  brown the sausage in a saute pan until cooked through, drain.  Sprinkle the sausage evenly over the croissants. In a medium size bowl whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and pepper for 2 minutes.  Pour this mixture on top of the sausage.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly on the top.  Place it back in the oven for 30 minutes.  Use the tooth pick test to make sure the eggs are cooked through.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, then cut it into 12 servings and enjoy!  Love as Always "Big K"

Sugar Addicts Anonymous

Usually, at 7:30 on a weeknight evening, I am at home getting my little man settled in for the night.  Except for the other night.  I was in the car, with my sister, taking an emergency trip to the grocery store to buy sweetened condensed milk.  For my mother.  Why is this odd?  Rewind back in time 2 weeks.  My mother has purchased her newest diet craze.  This one has miracle shakes, skinny vitamins, and you cut out sugar. You substitute sugar with Stevia and Agave Nectar.  She got rid of all her sugar based products and replaced them with bottles of Nectar and bags of Stevia.  I even bought some agave nectar for her at my house.  A 7 dollar bottle to be exact!!  She went on and on about sugar being bad for you and how it causes belly fat.  I am skeptical of this, not because my mother can't stick to a healthier habit, but because of her serious addiction to sugar.  She loves sweets, she even orders dessert instead of dinner when we go out to eat.  She has been known to pay/bribe her daughters to make late night trips to the frozen custard shop.  Double cherry with chocolate flakes.  Fast forward back to the sweetened condensed milk.  I go to pick up my son from my mom's house after work.  She has gone to the grocery store.  In her bags of groceries....sweets.  Chocolate bars, trail mix, chocolate covered raisins, and the makings of cherry cream pie!!  Really mom.  Really.  She didn't even make it 2 weeks!  So of course I am teasing her about it.  She ignores me (like only she can) changing the subject, she starts to make her cherry pie.  "Oh Damn!!"  she exclaims.  She has forgotten her sweetened condensed milk (aka: sugar milk).  So I ask her if she would like me to get her some.  She insists she doesn't want me to make the extra trip.  I know that look on her face.  It means go to the store so I can make my pie and get my 2 weeks with no sugar fix before I go into shock.  So, I got her milk and she got her pie.  Which she dug into before the "chill for 8 hours".  She probably finished off the rest for breakfast.  She is not usually a bacon and eggs kind of gal.  She is a waffle, french toast, cherry pie, chocolate croissant, blueberry muffin for breakfast kind of gal.  So, in her honor I am sharing her blueberry muffin recipe.  She has been making these since I was a little girl and they are amazing.  Full of blueberries, with a touch of cinnamon, and a sugar crusted top.  You gotta make these bad boys!

Oklolo's Blueberry Muffins
Makes a Dozen Muffins
Preheat oven to 425 Degrees
In a large bowl combine:
2        Cups       Flour
2/3     Cup        Sugar
1        Tbsp       Baking Powder
1/2     Tsp         Salt
1/2     Tsp         Cinnamon
1/2     Tsp         Nutmeg  (I'm not a nutmeg girl, so I omitted this)

In a small bowl combine:
3/4     Cup        Milk (I used skim and they did just fine)
1/2     Stick      Melted Butter
1        Large     Egg

12oz  Bag        Frozen Wild Blueberries or 1 1/2 Cup of Fresh Blueberries if available
1/8     Cup       Sugar for Dusting

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just moistened.  Fold in blueberries gently.  Scoop into a lined muffin tin, filling 2/3 full.  Sprinkle tops evenly with sugar.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are golden and bounce back at the touch.  Serve warm with butter.  Enjoy!!  Love as Always, "Big K"

Mr. Rogers & The ADD Cereal

I am not a morning person.  Like, don't talk to me before a latte.  Which is funny because when I was little I was up before the sun.  I loved to watch Mr. Rogers and eat cereal.  I would wake up my mom, who was apparently not a morning person either.  So, she taught me how to turn on the television.  She would have the channel and volume set.  This was before crazy remotes and DVR of course.  She also put the cereal and a bowl out, and put the milk on the lowest shelf so I could reach it.  I would put my bowl on the floor, then  pour the cereal and milk in it.  I would turn on Mr. Rogers and be set to go.  Now my sister did not get up this early, but a few times she heard me and would quietly watch me.  She was five years older and always fascinated with me.  She was quiet, calm, and kept to herself.  My nickname was Hurricane Kelsey.  I was wild, loud, and bounced off the walls.  So, apparently she saw that along with the cereal I would pour about a cup of sugar in the bowl as well.  So, now when the stories are told of "Hurricane Kelsey" and how my grandparents thought I had ADD, my sister chuckles and says, "You didn't have ADD, you had a cup of sugar for breakfast everyday"!  I always get a kick of out of this.  I still am fairly hyper, you never want to see me on a Redbull!  I also still eat cereal almost everyday, but I hold the cup of sugar.  I actually started making my own cereal in the form of this delicious granola.  It is made with honey instead of sugar and packed with oats and nuts, so it is a good way to start the day.

Big K's Nut and Oat Granola
2        Cups        Old Fashioned Oats
1/2     Cup          Sliced Almonds
1/2     Cup          Chopped Pecans
1/2     Cup          Coconut Flakes
1/2     Cup          Dried Cherries
1/3     Cup          Honey
2        Tbsp         Melted Butter or Coconut Oil
1        Tsp           Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Take a large zip top bag and place all ingredients inside.  Shake vigorously until ingredients all mixed up.  Take a baking sheet and line it with foil for easy cleaning.  Pour ingredients onto the baking sheet.  Spread into an even layer.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Take out and stir it around.  Bake another 10 minutes until nice and golden.  Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.  Let sit out and cool for at least an hour to dry it out a little.  Crumble it up.  Enjoy in milk or as a parfait.  I also sometimes add other dried fruits and mini M&M's to make it into a trail mix.  I can't get enough of this stuff!  Love as always, "Big K"