Meanwhile, my neighborhood girlfriends will all be jumping for joy and making arrangements to meet up for breakfast. Not me, I go home and mope. It doesn't take long though for me to surface from my funk. I'll bust a move on cleaning my house and when the afternoon arrives I'll stand back and think "Wow, this place looks great!" Everything that I put away STAYED put away. At least until they get off the bus. So this month I'm sharing one after school snack recipe. My way of celebrating that everyone made it through the first day of school :)
Our Daughter Ashley at eight years old, keeping cool on a hot summer day!
The bounty from my father's green thumb!
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Every once in a while I'd come home from school and this glorious, colorful concoction would be sitting on the counter stacked to what seemed like a mile high in the thoughts of "kid-dom". Big globs of frosting oozing out from being slightly squished between two crispy graham crackers. When you bit into one, the frosting all squirted out the back and you had to lick it up fast like a mad dog. Life was good :)
Graham Crackers and Frosting
1 can of white frosting (any brand)
1 can of chocolate frosting
1 box of your favorite graham crackers (I love the cinnamon for an extra sugar buzz)
Break whole graham crackers in two.
Spread a major glob of frosting on one side. Top with the other half of the graham cracker.
Smoosh slightly.
Make a bunch in assorted flavors.
You can even add food coloring to the white frosting to represent school colors, team colors, all pink for the Princess, alternate black and orange for Halloween, red and green for Christmas or use chocolate frosting and stick gummy worms out the sides for a boys birthday party.
Stack in a pyramid shape on a serving plate.
Watch your kids eyes when they see this sugar monstrosity.
Serve with a tall glass of cold milk.
Then, kiss your baby, tell them you missed them, even if they do roll their eyes.
(awe Mom!)
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Elephant Ears
Ok, so I said just one after school snack but this does double duty because it's also my favorite fair food next to Italian sausages, corn dogs, cotton candy, pulled pork sandwiches.... Yes, I have many weaknesses. A few years ago, I took a road trip to visit the fair in Kokomo, IN, where I had the opportunity to experience a big plate of deep fried vegetables (with ranch...lotsa ranch) That's healthy, right? I say it is, so there.
I usually make these elephant ears every year around fair time. One year I decided to make them as a fun treat while my four year old nephew, who is vegetarian, was staying with me. I asked him how he would like to have an elephant ear for a treat. That boy all but gawked at me, turned his head like a puzzled puppy dog and just above a whisper said in the most pathetic voice, "Oh Aunt Heidi, I don't eat meat, remember?" I had to do a quick duck into the kitchen so he didn't know I was laughing! I quickly regained my composure and explained to him exactly what they were and yes... he ate every last bite :)
1 package frozen bread dough balls
1 shaker full of cinnamon sugar
1 stick (more if you like it soaked, like I do!) of melted butter (not margarine!)
Oil for frying
Line cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper that has been spritzed with cooking spray. Lay out dough balls about 2 inches apart. Spray tops of dough balls with cooking spray and cover with a second sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Let double in size.
Heat oil. When dough is double in size, stretch each dough ball until slightly thin. Lower carefully into oil and let fry until golden brown, turning once while frying. Remove from oil, lay flat on paper towels and brush liberally with melted butter. Shake cinnamon sugar over the top. Serve warm.
A quick tip to keep your house from smelling like fried food and keeping it clean, set your fryer up outside. It keeps my house from smelling like a donut factory (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) and it keeps the cinnamon sugar from landing all over your floors (THAT'S a bad thing). Also, set up the sprinkler so the kids can run through it afterwards to wash away any sticky fingers!
Just in case you didn't know, I reign Queen/Princess over elephant ears. Actually, since I wear the tiara, I reign over everything. my Mother says so. The picture proves it. Me, age eight, performing royal duties with my baton.
My parents were obviously big Republicans :)
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Summer Picnic Menu
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken
If you haven't gone a picnic yet, now's the time. Here's a friend chicken recipe that's easy and quick.
your favorite parts of chicken (drumsticks at my house)
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cornflake crumbs (smash it with your rolling pin, or put it in a ziplock bag and let your children have some fun)
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 Tablespoon melted butter
Combine flour, cornflake crumbs, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper in a bag; shake chicken, a few pieces at a time. Arrange chicken on a greased baking sheet; drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour in a 350*F oven. Can be chilled to take on your picnic.
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My Mother's Potato Salad
7 large Idaho potatoes
7 hard boiled eggs
2 cups mayonnaise
1 3/4 cups sweet pickle relish
3-4 celery stalks, diced
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
lots of freshly ground black pepper
Peel potatoes, halve them and drop into a big pot of boiling water. Cook until fork tender. meanwhile, hard boil the eggs. Peel, add them to a big bowl and smash or cut them to your desired "chuckiness". Drain potatoes, cut into bit size pieces and add to eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently to mix. Chill.
TRY not to eat half of it (like I usually end up doing) before the picnic.
My Mother, peeling potatoes....
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Easy Coconut Layer Cake with Lemon Filling
1 box of your favorite name brand white cake mix
1 jar of lemon curd
I tub of Cool Whip or
Marshmallow like frosting (see below)
1 bag of shredded coconut
Bake cake according to directions on the back of the box in two round pans; cool
Slice each cake in half horizontally, I use plain unwaxed dental floss (not minty fresh!) for this job.
Stack layers back together filling with lemon curd in between each layer.
Frost with cool whip or Marshmallow (my favorite!) frosting. Press coconut into frosting, be generous! Add a few raspberries on top for decor. Pop a few extra raspberries into your mouth, now lick your fingers :)
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Sticky like Marshmallow Frosting
This is pure white, shiny, fluffy frosting. It's a little extra work but totally worth it! Besides, the whole thing will look homemade and only you (and well, me) will know how easy it was. Don't worry, I'll keep your secret ;)
Grab your candy thermometer and let's go.
1/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
pinch of salt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Stir the water, cream of tartar, sugar and salt together in a small heavy bottomed pan. Add your candy thermometer to the side and boil without stirring until mixture reaches 240*F.
Meanwhile, beat egg whites until stiff. Pour the 240*F syrup over the whites in a thin stream, beating constantly until thick and glossy. Stir in vanilla. Frost the cake and press coconut onto top and sides. Add decorative raspberries.
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Additional Picnic Menu Items:
Cut up watermelon, black olives, salted radishes, strawberries, assorted veggies with ranch dressing. Add a big container of lemonade and you're good to go!
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Skip & Go Naked
For those of you who picnic while at the symphony, here's an "adult" beverage that not only sounds like fun but it yum-my AND it's one of my favorite colors....Pink!
Just have a few though. Skipping is grande but naked, not so good, especially in a public place. It can detract attention from the music :)
2/3 cup cold beer
2/3 pink lemonade concentrate
1/4 cup vodka
straws or stirrers
Fill blender container 1/2 way with ice.
Pour in beer, lemonade and vodka, blend well.
Do the happy dance and serve!
This cooler was frequently set up on the picnic table at the lake to help lower the trips inside to get a drink of water. I know there must have been cups provided (probably the aluminum deep gem colored ones) but leave it to my sister to be efficient... straight from the nozzle. Atta girl ;)
