I’m always flattered when a fellow foodie asks for one of my recipes and this is the one that keeps coming up.  While often thought of as a Summer BBQ favorite, the oven cooking method here makes Baby Back Ribs the perfect comfort food this Fall with only 6 ingredients besides the ribs, salt and pepper and it makes a homemade BBQ sauce from scratch.  It came from my grandma and I even submitted it to my Junior League of Boca Raton cookbook when I was on that committee eons ago.  It’s in there, “Savor the Moment” page 46, a gorgeous specimen of a coffee table book of which I am proud to have been a part.  Read the rest of this post...

One of the great things about having five Hens contribute to this website is that you are treated to a wonderful range of experiences, opinions and styles.  We’ll offer you everything from the gourmet to the cheesy, and since I grew up in Wisconsin, I proudly fall into the “cheesy” category!  Oh, I do try the simple gourmet (see Chocolate Memories) but I’m much happier when I can sit back and savor the wonderfully elegant creations of fellow Hens and Roosters!

So what cooking style do I enjoy most?  Fast, easy and especially at this time of year – FUN!  Halloween and Christmas are my favorite holidays, so these are the times I jump in with some festive snacks that are simple to prepare and will make the kids smile!  Two favorites that my youngsters always ask for at Halloween are Mummy Dogs and Bug-Eyed Blobs.  I have made these creepy treats “healthier” by using veggie hot dogs and a reduced sugar cake mix, but we also love making them the traditional way too.  These recipes have been around for a while and they are still a hit at our house!

Mummy Dogs

Ingredients
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
2½ slices American cheese, quartered
10 large hot dogs
Mustard or ketchup, if desired  Read the rest of this post...

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles.  Press perforations to seal.
3. Using a pizza cutter, slice each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough.
4. Cut cheese slices into quarters, making a total of 10 pieces of cheese.

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don’t care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team…

Today is the first day of the 2009 World Series and unfortunately my “home” team isn’t playing in the series this year.  And that means just one thing: no nice, warm (over-priced) peanuts and cracker jack from the stadium vendor this October!  My kids and I will be watching our favorite team, the New York Yankees, take on the Philadelphia Phillies from the comfort of our own home on television.  But we all love those stadium peanuts and cracker jack.  So this year, we’re going to try making our own.  Sure, we could buy some roasted peanuts and cracker jack at the grocery, but we thought this might be more fun to try.  If you want to try your hand at making some homemade peanuts and cracker jack with your kids this year, here are two good recipes that are worth trying.  Now all you’ll need to do is find some fun little prizes to stick into your cracker jack and you’re all set!  Read the rest of this post...

If you’ve ever wandered through a gourmet specialty food shop you know what a sight to behold a piece of roasted vegetable lasagna can be.  Here is a pretty simple way to make it from scratch and for a fraction of the cost.  First you have to roast some vegetables, and you can use any combination you like or happen to have; sliced red, yellow, or orange peppers, portobello mushrooms, onions, zucchini, etc.  I arrange them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and roast in a 400° F oven for about 15 minutes.  Make extra to keep in the fridge for wraps and quesadillas during the week.  The kitchen smells amazing already! To make it a meal, serve with caesar salad and garlic bread.  Read the rest of this post...