Birthday Cake: The Amazing Kreskin!

Stephanies birthday was Monday, so we had family dinner Sunday night. As many of you know, we ALWAYS have birthday dinner. This year she asked for shisk-ka-bobs and rice a roni.  (Jessi calls them es-kabobs)  I made skewers with teriaki chicken, steak,vegetables and shrimp and jalepenos wrapped with bacon. (the recipe should follow soon, as this is a favorite summer staples around our house, thanks to Jon.) Nich grilled the whole mess and we had a delightful dinner.

  I cheated on the dessert. I did.  It may not look like it, but I did. This is what I do when Im planning a dinner party and feel pressed for time, I cheat. (Remember Jenni's birthday cake?) It turns out different each time, but here is what I did this time.

Go to the bakery counter at your local grocery store and ask them for two layers of white cake, unfrosted. I also bought one big can of cream cheese frosting, one white chocolate bar , a jar of raspberry jam and a small container of raspberries.
I put frosting on the top of the first layer, and then spread the jam on it. I used the jam to stick the two layers of the cake together.  I iced the sides and top of the cake of the cake with the frosting, and then I shaved the white chocolate bar and put the shreads on the sides of the cake, up to the top rim of the cake.  Then  places the berries on the top of the cake and shaved more white chocolate on it.

voila~  a beautiful and yummy cake.  Mike asked me if I put cheese on the cake..........cheese? That's chocolate!

Vampires Beware! Chicken with Garlic Garlic Garlic and Grand Gluttony Sauce.

Chicken with Garlic, Garlic, Garlic

Vampires beware! This is not called Grand Garlic Gluttony Sauce for nothing! I saw this one day and made it shortly after. Mike LOVES this and we stink for days afterwards!

• 3 lbs. Frying chicken whole
• 1 Garlic clove peeled and split
• 40 Garlic cloves 
• Rosemary
• 3⁄ 4 cup Dry white wine
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• === GRAND GARLIC GLUTTONY SAUCE ===
• 1⁄ 2 cup Chicken stock fresh or canned
• 1⁄ 2 cup Whipping cream
• Cooked garlic cloves from the above - (all 40)

Method

Pat the chicken dry. Rub inside and out with one split clove of garlic. Lightly salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken on a roasting rack in a baking pan and arrange cloves of garlic
around in the pan. Place in the oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees.
Bake 20 minutes and then pour wine over the chicken. Baste again in 10 minutes and again 10 minutes later.
Roast a total of one hour. You may wish to bake your chicken longer. (You may also opt to panfry and then simmer the chicken on the stovetop)
My friends serve the chicken on a platter with the garlic on the side. In this way you can squirt the cooked
garlic cloves onto bread, rolls or potatoes. Or you can make the following sauce.

For The Sauce: Put the chicken stock in a small saucepan and add the cream. As this is heating, squirt all of
the garlic cloves into the sauce, Simmer for a few minutes.

(ok, sometimes I skip the cream and just make a slurry with cornstarch and water to thicken this sauce, Its still very good and less fat.)

Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper and enjoy the sauce on the chicken. They call it Grand Garlic
Gluttony. I cannot understand why!

Notes

Comments: It is always fun to receive recipes from fans and friends. This is one will scare you to death, since it calls for one chicken and forty cloves of garlic.
I cannot even thank the person since he or she did not put a name on the recipe ... and I have long since lost
the envelope. So, you know who you are, and you are going to have the whole country smelling of wonderful
garlic. Do try this. It is not strong at all and is very good for you.I usually serve this with bagettes and butter and its usually ALL GONE.

Everybody wants you! The Perfect Potato Salad

Because Shawna asked for it:

Yayas Perfect Potato Salad

This salad is always asked for at family gatherings,potlucks,and dinner parties, where I make a full gallon most times. Everyone asks for it.  Everyone asks for the recipe, which I give them.  It's never really exactly like mine. Ever.  

The Uncles really eat this stuff up! Mike whines when I make this, he always wants to know why we can't have macaroni salad instead!


Disclaimer:
OK, I have to be really honest here. I never measure any of this, so I am telling you ABOUT how much of everything to use.  Yeah, its has a lot of egg and pickle.Yeah, it has pickle juice in the dressing, it's the secret ingredient!  Yeah, its heavily dressed. When it sits, some of the dressing gets absorbed by the potatoes. I didn't promise you it was health food.
 NO, It doesnt use miracle whip (gross) and Stephanie makes me leave the celery out, altho I do like it in there.

• 8 or 9 large potato boiled and cooled
• 5 eggs, hard-boiled
• 6 large dill pickles diced
• ½ cup onions diced
• 1 ½ cups mayonaise
• ½ cup yellow mustard
• pickle juice
• salt and pepper

Method

boil and cool potatoes. The potatoes should be boiled just this side of mashed. dice fairly small. dice eggs and pickles and onions. add together the mayo, mustard and enough pickle juice to make the dressing loose. (this is the secret ingredient right here folks! Use the pickle juice  to make the dressing kinda sloppy)

add salt and pepper. (beware of the salt..the pickle juice has a lot of salt in it, so remember to taste it) dress the salad and cool for about an hour or so. you can also add celery and /or radishes to your taste, but I usually make it without them.

First taste of spring: Apricot-ginger glazed Salmon

This recipe made my mouth water, and the dish did not dissapoint this anticipation. This Salmon excited a riot on my tastebuds. Fruity, slightly spicey and the wonderfulness that is salmon all in one easy dish. This will be a repeat often dish.

Apricot-ginger Glazed Salmon Recipe

• 1 lb. wild salmon fillet (copper river is the best!)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons apricot jam or preserves
• 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut fillets into equal servings. Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper; place skin side down on greased or parchment-lined (for easy clean up) rimmed baking sheet.
In small bowl, stir together jam, ginger and soy sauce - and red pepper if you want to add some spicy-hot to it. Spread evenly over salmon.
Roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily. The glaze may caramelize a bit.

I think this dish is Houdini! It disappears! Roasted Asparagus with cherry tomatoes.

I served this dish this weekend to my family and friends at our annual easter celebration. It was a really big hit, even for those who do not care much for asparagus. Pam told me it gave her a tongue-gasm. How do you reply to that? LOL
I did not use a recipe, so I will try to tell  you about how to make it.

Roasted Asparagus with Cherry Tomatoes and Prosciutto

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs cleaned asparagus
• 1 lb cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• salt
• a pinch of rosemary
• 3 T olive oil
• 4 slices  prosciutto, torn up
• shaved parmesan cheese

place asparagus and tomatoes in a bowl, toss with oil, salt garlic and rosemary. add prosciutto.  put it all on  a baking sheet and cook in the oven 15-20 minutes on 350. serve in a wide bowl with the parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Yummy.

Easter Sunday Whats a mother to do? Strawberry Tiramisu

It's the evening before Easter Sunday, and I am up to no good in the kitchen, again! I am making a wonderful dessert, a take on the Italian Classic, Tiramisu.  This version is not chocolate and coffee, but orange and Strawberry.  It is better to make this ahead, its yummier when its sits overnight and melds together. Now if I can just wait until tomorrow to eat it! 

Strawberry Tiramisu

Servings/Yield

8 servings

Prepare this a day ahead so all of the ingredients can meld and the ladyfingers can soften fully. 

• 1 ¼ cups strawberry preserves
• ⅓ cup plus 4 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur
• ⅓ cup orange juice
• 1 lb. mascarpone cheese*, room temperature
• 1 ⅓ cups chilled whipping cream
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 52 (about) crisp ladyfingers (boudoirs or savoiardi)
• 1 ½ lbs. fresh strawberries, divided

Method

Whisk preserves, 1/3 cup Cointreau, and orange juice in 2-cup measuring cup. Place mascarpone cheese and 2 tablespoons Cointreau in large bowl; fold just to blend. Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons Cointreau in another large bowl to soft peaks. Stir 1/4 of whipped cream mixture into mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whipped cream.

Hull and slice half of strawberries. Spread 1/2 cup preserve mixture over bottom of 3-quart oblong serving dish or a 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange enough ladyfingers over strawberry mixture to cover bottom of dish. Spoon 3/4 cup preserve mixture over ladyfingers, then spread 2 1/2 cups mascarpone mixture over. Arrange 2 cups sliced strawberries over mascarpone mixture. Repeat layering with remaining lady fingers, preserve mixture, and mascarpone mixture. Cover with plastic and chill at least 8 hours or overnight.

Slice remaining strawberries. Arrange over tiramasù and serve.

Notes

*Italian cream cheese available at supermarkets and at Italian markets.

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza : Ole~

Chicken Enchiladas Suiza

Creamy, delicious enchiladas that the entire family love. Especially Stephanie!

• 1 lb. chicken breast boned and skinned
• 1 lb. mushrooms sliced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 onions
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1 can black olives sliced
• 2 cans diced green chilis
• 3 cups jack cheese grated
• 10 medium flour tortilla

Method

In a large pan saute the chicken breasts cut into strips and the garlic , mushrooms and onions. Remove from the pan, reserving the drippings. Into the drippings, add the can of mushroom soup and pint of sour cream. Stir in the cumin and chili powder.
Arrange the sauce,olives,chilis, cheese and chicken mixtures into an assembly line. Warm a tortilla 20 seconds in the microwave and then put one spoonful of the sauce, (it is important to have enough sauce to cover the burritos for baking, so be conservative.) some chicken and mushroom mixture, olives chilis and then cheese. Fold up like a burrito. Repeat this until you have made ten burritos. Line them up in a large baking dish and cover with the remaining sauce. Bake in the oven for 45 inutes at 350*.