SUSHI!

Well, not the usual kind, that's for sure.

LOL

I don't really like fish or seafood that well. But as you may have figured out from the picture that we're definitely looking at candy and twinkies here. ;o)

So... to make this you are going to need the following:

green fruit roll ups
twinkies
powdered sugar donettes
swedish fish

Prep:

cut donettes in half
cut 2 fruit roll ups into thin strips
roll twinkies in fruit roll ups - cut off rounded ends, you should get 4 slices from each one
cut up a few swedish fish into small pieces

Assembly:

place 1 swedish fish on 1/2 donette and stretch 1 strip of fruit roll up around it and press into place.

place a few cut up pieces on the side of the twinkie slices that have the most creme filling showing.


place on tray or plate and serve - chopsticks optional.

**could use strawberry starburst - pressed out and cut - for pickled ginger or green tinted marshmallow creme for wasabi paste... chocolate sauce for soy sauce? **

Oh so fun and easy ... and on the menu!

Blueberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding

So... here's the second bread pudding that I made for work...

I like to make this with frozen blueberries. I suppose you could make it with any type of berry but I just love it with the blueberries. ;o)

So... the recipe is the same as the post before...

EXCEPT....!

White chocolate chips instead of chocolate chips

Frozen Blueberries instead of dried cranberries.

I know, I know... cheaters way out of a post but at least it is the next post and not one several months in the future where I say, remember that bread pudding...?

it's on the menu...

Cranberry Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding

A friend was off work for a couple weeks for a medical procedure and it only seemed fitting to greet her back to work with her favorite - Bread Pudding.

This is one of the versions I made for her... a better picture from when I made it previously... LOL I love bread pudding. I love to play with it - make it with pumpkin bread and lower the sugar in the custard. I've been meaning to make it with cake donuts or regular donuts and haven't figured out what to put with them.

Anyway, this one is one of my favorites because of the chocolate of course. LOL and maybe the tiny dash of Grand Mariner that sneaks into the custard.



Cranberry Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding

Not going to kid you - I don't measure this... I pick out my baking dish and brush it all over with softened butter and then fill it up. So... this version is as follows. ...

Sourdough bread - cut into strips or cubes or whatever you think will fit best.

Semi sweet chocolate chips

dried cranberries - I don't mind these ones having some form of essence .. that being said, I used Trader Joe's dried orange cranberries.

Slivered Almonds - you can use sliced ... I just had slivered on hand.

Put down a layer of bread in the bottom of your dish and press down with your hand to make sure you've got a good layer there... add a bit more if it shifts around.

Sprinkle liberally with the chocolate and the cranberries before adding an artfully sprinkled handful of the almonds.

More bread... press down again - you don't want it too full... you need to have room for the custard. Sprinkle again with the cranberries, chocolate and the almonds. It doesn't need to completely cover, just look pretty... ;o)

Custard:
**Modified from the bread pudding recipe in Paula Deen's cookbook: The Lady & Sons Just Desserts. so totally inspired by her recipe... I really just look at proportions and cooking times in the cookbook so then I play with it. LOL

5 eggs

1 cup milk

1/3 to 1 C sugar - I don't like mine overly sweet - that's what the chocolate is for.

2 tsp vanilla extract - I will sometimes do 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp grand mariner or orange extract

1- 2 tsp cinnamon - I'll also admit to just shaking it in and not measuring.

whisk well and pour over your layered mix in the baking dish. Now... for 5 eggs, you'll probably want an oval baking dish, a 2 quart casserole or a 9x13 pan. You can back off an egg and use less milk and sugar if you're using an 8x8 square dish.

put a few dots of butter on top and bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes. (If I forget the butter now, then yes, I do brush the top with butter when it comes out of the oven)

This won't be too custardy and it really would sub well for french toast in the morning. Good warm, room temperature or cold. ;o) Travels well... *nods*

and most definitely on the menu

Poutine...

Now... just how did this great Canadian treat end up on my menu?

It's great... that's how... and it was one of the first things my best friend treated me to when I visited last year and I can't wait for more when I get up there in a couple weeks. Yes, I did have Poutine for lunch when my parents and I went to Vancouver in January but my substitute one when not in Canada is as follows...




Semi-Homemade Poutine... ah, well... yeah...

1 order fries
1 jar beef gravy
black pepper
cheese curds or string cheese cut into chunks.

Open gravy, stir in more black pepper to taste, heat in microwave. *you only need part of the jar, depending on how 'soaked' you want your fries...*

Dump fries into a bowl and put the cheese curds or string cheese on top of them, making sure to spread them out a bit.

Pour the warmed gravy over the top and enjoy!

It's so definitly on the menu!!

Oriental Salad

Hot days of Summer got you down? Need a quick fix dinner that you can toss together in the morning and forget about it until dinner time? Well here it is.


You may have heard about this salad before as a Top Ramen Salad or Sue's salad... don't really know who Sue is but that was the name on this salad when I first ever made a basic version of it in my Home Ec class ... oh... 20 years ago... gosh that's a long time. I really don't feel as though it's been 20 years since I was a sophomore in high school but I guess it was... where was I ... ? Oh right... salad... LOL




I tend to eyeball this salad when I make it and find that it really turns out a lot better than I'd expect it to... so that being said, you can double parts of it or add the larger can of something... have a bumper crop of green onions or cucumbers around? toss them in...



Oriental Salad - Menu style...!

1 bag fresh express cole slaw mix - no dressing... just the chopped cabbage, carrots and red cabbage.
1 package top ramen - oriental seasoning is best
1 small can mandrian oranges - drained
1 chicken breast (optional if you are leaning towards vegetarian - could probably sub tofu but why?)
1 bunch green onions
1 handful peanuts ... or cashews... or sliced almonds ... or honey roasted peanuts...



Mix all but noodles in large bowl - and I do mean large, you'll want to space to toss it once you have the dressing in the bowl too. Smash - and I do mean smash!! - the ramen noodles as best you can... open one end and really break them up small. Add to the veggies and chicken - that you've chopped into cubes- and stir.



Dressing... here's the fun...


Oriental seasoning package
Rice Wine Vinegar
Vegetable oil
Soy Sauce
Lime juice
Teriyaki or Hoisin sauce



Okay... so... 1/2 cup or so of the vinegar... add at least 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the seasoning package, 3 splashes of soy sauce, a good 'gloop' of teriyaki sauce - okay, okay, about 2 tablespoons. Wisk quickly to blend. taste it on a piece of cabbage or chicken. How does it taste to you? Do you need to add the Hoisin sauce too or just a little more soy? Add a teaspoon of lime juice if it feels a little too oily and needs the citrus.


Once you have stirred it up enough with your wisk... pour it over the salad mixture and then stir up well so that most all of the salad is coated. Sprinkle top with sesame seeds and cover and put into fridge.


When ready to eat - you can add more sesame seeds and a few more nuts of your choice if you want more crunch. Stir well to re-distribute the dressing and serve.


again - this is totally subjective to how big of a salad you need. or want. Maybe you want more chicken so go ahead and double that part... add more cabbage and less of the ramen... skip the ramen completely and add chow mein noodles before serving for major crunch... whatever you want...


have it your way...


cuz.... ;o)


it's on the menu...

Triple Berry Cobbler

Welcome back... lol

So what to do with these lovely fresh Oregon Berries... Marionberries, Raspberries and my favorite - Blueberries from my parent's back yard...



I thought about pie ... thought about jam... but as you may have guessed from the title of this post, I decided on cobbler...


Triple Berry Cobbler

Mix together:
1/2 C Splenda (or sugar...)
1 TBSP cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Add in to above mixture .. oh, in large bowl...
4-6 C berries - your choice... or you could just do one kind of berry and it would still be great.
1 tsp lemon juice.

Mix well. Put into 9x13 pan. Oh - added note here, you can certainly make this when you have fresh berries. but it is also great when you have frozen berries. You might want to just let them thaw and drain a bit if you are using 6 cups of berries. you could use them frozen if you are using 4 cups - just make sure they are well coated with the dry mixture.

Topping:
2 C bisquick mix
1/2 cup milk
3 TBSP melted butter
1 TBSP agave nectar - or 2 TBSP sugar/splenda

Mix all but milk together - add milk in gradually - you are looking for a doughy texture, not too runny... drop in spoonfuls on top of berries. Bake at 400 for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown and berries are bubbling around. Brush with melted butter while hot - sprinkle with sugar for sparkle if desired.

Okay at room temp... excellent warm with ice cream.... fabulous for breakfast straight out of the fridge.

What? ... it's like biscuits... with fruit... pancakes? crepes?

It's on the menu...

Sparklers...

Welcome to the brand new blog of mine - It's on the menu...

featuring things that are, well, on my menu or someone else's menu... LOL So hopefully this time around, I can do a much better job about posting things. I have a new camera and a lot of things already in my computer to post.

So something sweet to start with... these were the 'sparklers' that graced a 'red white and blue' themed lunch at work.



1 package long pretzel rods
1 package white chocolate chips or vanilla candy melts (I use Wilton)
red, white & blue sprinkles

Melt chocolate or candy coating in microwave - 30 seconds... stir... 30 seconds if not fully melted. I find melting them in my 4 C glass measuring cup works well - it's tall enough to dip the pretzels into and still have room to hang on to the end of it.

Roll pretzel rod in the melted candy - coating as much of it as you want. Sprinkle with the sprinkles. (I find that doing this step over a plastic container helps to minimalize the sprinkle carnage- it's either that or be sweeping up sprinkles for a year... lol ... also - when you're almost done, you have a lot of mixed sprinkles to coat a few - I had tiny round ones and also stars - so there are some with each separately as well as with the mixture) Set down on wax paper and allow to dry.

display in large drinking cup, or any decorative tin that allows you to stand them up.

Other successful variations:
Witches Fingers - dip in chocolate candy melts and sprinkle with halloween sprinkles.

Anywhoooooo....

It's on the menu...