Green Eggs and Ham

 

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss! #greeneggsandham twitter.com/Elizabelle17/s…

— Elizabeth Cook (@Elizabelle17) March 2, 2013

 

Since Saturday was Dr. Seuss’s birthday, we celebrated at home with a little whimsy.

First, since I couldn’t find our copy of Green Eggs and Ham, I had Brian show this to the kids while I made brunch. 

I used an obscene amount of green food coloring to produce our green eggs and ham.  Anything for the kids, right?  So, to make green eggs is kind of obvious.  Drip the food coloring into the scrambled egg yolk mixture before cooking.  For the ham, I melted a little butter in the pan and then added the food coloring.  Mix it up then add the ham, stirring around till the ham is nice and green.  I used deli sliced ham, but I would so much have rather used some spiral cut ham.  I can honestly tell Sam-I-Am that I do not like THAT kind of green ham.  Sorry, it’s the truth.  I don’t like fried baloney either, that’s just the way it is folks.

 

Sophie was hilarious. She saw the green eggs and ham and freaked out!  She told me she did NOT like green eggs and ham.  She was not going to eat it.  I asked her some of the questions from the book, (in a box? with a fox?)  If I remember correctly, there were even tears.  But eventually, she did try it.  And she liked it.  She ate it all, (even though it was probably cold by then.)  Liam did too, but without the drama.

Celebrate Read Across America every year to promote reading and celebrate the life of Theodore Geisel.  But don’t wait until March 2nd to enjoy some Seussical fun!  See my board on Pinterest where I will continue to add great Seuss ideas, (feel free to link to your favorites in the comments below.)

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Forever Nigella: Diamond Jubilee

Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1952.  This year marks her 60th year and is being celebrated with her Diamond Jubilee.  She’s the second longest reigning British monarch, just barely tailing Queen Victoria. For more information, programing and merchandise, us Yanks can turn to BBC America’s Diamond Jubilee page.

Of course, this is Forever Nigella, so we have to cook up something yummy to go with any celebration.  This month I decided to try my hand at making my own custard creams.  “What are custard creams?” You may be asking.  Just one of the most delightful little cookies you’ll ever have.  I must confess, although these were easy to make, as Nigella states in her book, Feast, I did find that mine turned out to be just a little fussy.  It may be completely my fault though.  First, I think I added too much of the liquid to the cookie mixture.  I ended up having to add more flour when it came time to roll out the dough.  It was also difficult to roll out the dough thin enough.  Next time I will be more careful with the liquid.  The second thing I had trouble with was my cookie cutter.  Using a diamond shaped cutter for this occasion was a no brainer.  My particular cutter is the kind with the closed top.  It was very difficult to use.  I will soon invest in an open designed diamond cutter.  Those two things aside, these are tasty little cookies, or biscuits as they probably should be called.  I’m so glad I tried them.

Some may think of me as an Anglophile.  I’m not sure that I am.  Yes, I enjoy certain aspects of British culture, history, cuisine, literature, pottery, etc.  But I don’t buy things just because it’s got a Union Jack on it.  Actually, I don’t think I have anything with a Union Jack on it.  So I made a little something for my Diamond Jubilee display. I’ll blog about that later.

Gracing the table is also a commemorative dish I picked up in England.  It celebrates the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.
 
I have to admit something to you.  I found this picture, (actually a postcard), of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Heathrow.  It reminds me of the cheesy Olan Mills pictures we all had made in the 80s.  I imagined framing this in the most gaudy gold picture frame I could find (the one it’s in now is quite tame) and displaying it in my home amongst family photos.   We would casually mention to guests that this was Aunt Liz and Uncle Phil.  I wondered how many people would recognize her without a crown, a big hat or her Corgis. 
 
By the way, we have decided to refer to this picture as Cousin Liz.  As I’ve mentioned before, Brian and the Queen may share a common ancestor in Henry of Scotland.  That would make them 24th cousins. 
I’ve a few more postcards from my collection to share with you, just for fun.



Actually, now that I think of it, there is something I have with a Union Jack on it.  It is one of my favorite pictures I took in England.  It graces the back cover of one of my travel journals.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

Awesome, right?
Forever Nigella
Forever Nigella #15 is being hosted by Nelly of Nelly’s Cupcakes. This month’s challenge is to prepare and blog any Nigella Lawson recipe that you would serve for the Diamond Jubilee.  Forever Nigella is organised by Sarah at Maison Cupcake.
So are you interested in joining the fun with Forever Nigella?  Each month is a new theme, so come and fun cooking and baking tempting treats and delicious meals. 

Forever Nigella Rules

Blog checking lines: Forever Nigella #[number] is being hosted by [name] of [blog]. This month’s challenge is to prepare and blog any Nigella Lawson recipe [describe theme]. Forever Nigella is organised by Sarah at Maison Cupcake.

1. Blog your entry by 28^th of the month showing:
a) the current Forever Nigella badge
b) a link to this announcement post
c) a link to the Forever Nigella page at Maison Cupcake: http://blog.maisoncupcake.com/forever-nigella

n.b. posts must have been published since the announcement post. Archived posts need to be re-published afresh if you wish to submit.

2. Remember copyright.
You must NOT reproduce Nigella’s recipes verbatim. Tell us which book it is from and/or link to it online. If you’ve adapted the recipe in some way i.e. changed at least two ingredients or amended the method then it’s ok to publish the a recipe in your post but you MUST write directions in your own words.

3. Submit your post Use the linky tool or email the host cc’ed to sarah AT maisoncupcake DOT com.

The Forever Nigella page shows a list of online Nigella resources, future hosts and links to past themes and round ups.

Tweet your post: #forevernigella
If you don’t have any Nigella books check out these resources online:
Nigella’s official site: http://www.nigella.com/
BBC Food: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/nigella_lawson
Channel 4 Food: http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/popular-chefs/nigella-lawson-recipes
UKTV Good Food Channel: http://uktv.co.uk/food/chef/aid/530864/
Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/nigella-lawson/index.html
Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Nigella+Lawson

Pudding for a Prince

When I was in 4th grade I did a report on Queen Elizabeth II, which involved dressing up as her and setting up a display in the school library and speaking to people when they passed by.  It was during my research on her that I first learned she had a grandson close to my age, a Prince, who would someday become King.  I, like most girls, dreamed of being a Princess.  But I never hoped that Prince William would meet me, fall in love with me and whisk me away to his palace in England.  I knew I would never be his Princess because he wouldn’t marry a commoner, (how wrong was I on that!) and because a British Royal would never marry an American, (obviously my research on the Queen did not fully educate me of the events which led to her Father’s ascension.)  Even though I never pined after the Prince, I have had a mild interest in his life, so I was eager to see the Royal Wedding this week. 

Sadly, we were not invited to the wedding, although my children are decedents of English and Scottish Royalty and my husband is 24th cousins with the Queen.*  We understand the snub, of course, they were trying to have an intimate wedding.   

I’ve still not seen the wedding, electricity has been out because of the terrible storms that shattered the South on Wednesday.  I had planned to watch the wedding with my own little Prince William and Princess Sophie.  Instead we have spent a lot of time sitting on the front porch, reading the newspaper, and counting our blessings. 

I want to share a recipe adapted from the book, In The Royal Manner by Paul Burrell.  Burrell is an interesting character if you know anything about him.  He was Princess Diana’s butler and served her until her death.  His book gives “expert advice on etiquette and entertaining.”  Some of the recipes he shares are favorites served at Kensington Palace among other royal residences.  It’s a nice book to help with fancy party planning and cozy dinners or picnics with your family.  I enjoyed getting the peek into the royal household.  Below is a recipe most certainly eaten by Prince William as a child. 

Banana Bread and Butter Pudding

Serves 4

3/4 stick of butter, softened

3 oz. sultanas or golden raisins

1 vanilla pod

12 oz. single cream or half and half

6 thick slices of white bread

1 banana

3 eggs

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a small baking dish, (just big enough to hold three sandwiches tightly.)  Dot the dish with half of the raisins.  Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds.  Add the leftover pod, seeds and cream to a small sauce pan.  Heat on medium to medium high heat until warm but  not yet boiling.  Remove from the heat and allow the vanilla to steep for at least 30 minutes or until the mixture is room temperature.

Spread one side of each slice of bread with the butter.  Thinly slice the banana and make three banana sandwiches.  Trim the crusts off the sandwiches and cut the sandwiches into triangles.  Place the triangles in the dish, they should overlap a little. 

Whisk the eggs and sugar together until smooth.  Remove the pod from the cream and whisk into the egg mixture. Pour over the bread.  Top with the remaining raisins.

Place the dish inside a larger pan with tall sides.  Pour boiling water into the outer dish until it comes about halfway up the inner dish.  Bake for 30-35 minutes.

Burrell suggests serving hot with pouring cream, (light whipping cream will do).

Click here for the Printable Recipe at Tasty Kitchen.

I’m sending this to Dessert Wars.  This last challenge was vanilla.  Believe it or not, this was the first time I’ve used a vanilla pod.  A sharp knife is very important.  Just letting you know.

As February’s Dessert Wars Winner, I’m not currently eligible to win any more challenges until December. But I can’t leave you without showing you what this month’s winner will receive.

The winner of April's competition will receive the following prize package:

Beanilla Sampler Pack of Vanilla Beans

Lenox Personalized Musical Cupcake

1,000 ideas for Decorating Cupcakes, Cookies & Cakes

Organic Valley $50 Gift Certificate

Organic Prairie $50 Gift Certificate

Theme Kitchen $50 Gift Certificate

BEKA Cookware Crepe Pan

Whisk and cupcake necklace from Moon & Star Designs

You will be rewarded for your loyalty, if you take part in every challenge and don't win, you will still be eligible to compete in the December Challenge. For more details check the rules tab.

 

*Really, they are.  Nana and I are working to prove the family ties, but it’s gonna take a while.  But we are on it!

National Bundt Day

Today is National Bundt Day! Mary, The Food Librarian has been celebrating with bundt cakes for the last 30 days! That's a lot of cake! Be sure to take a look at her post today with the round-up of this year's bundts. And if that isn't crazy enough, check out her fantastic wedding dessert bar.



My Bundt Cake was inspired by a muffin recipe from my friend Lauren. First let me give you the muffin recipe, and then we'll turn it into a bundt.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins
makes 12

1 box Spice Cake Mix
1 15 oz. can of Pumpkin
1/2 cup water
Butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients together well, then pour into greased muffin cups. Bake for 22-24 minutes. Immediately after removing from oven, cut a slit in the top of the muffin and add a dab of butter to it.

For the Bundt:
Mix ingredients as directed above, adding 3 eggs mixture. Bake according to the bundt cake direction on your cake mix box. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar or cream cheese icing would be nice. (I added eggs only to give the bundt a little more height, you can of course do without.)

Have a Happy Bundt Day!

Here's a link to see all the participating Bundt Cakes.

Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen

As you know, my last two posts have been about our recent camping trip to Blairsville, GA. While there, we took a little trip to Helen, GA, just over a mountain or two from Blairsville. The only other time I have ever been to Helen was the summer of '97. Let me just say that it was a slow day in Helen as we were just about the only people in town that day. This latest visit couldn't have been more different.

You see, Helen is a recreation of an Alpine village. And they have the longest running Oktoberfest in the world, this year's starting on September 9th and ending October 31st. THE Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany is only 16-18 days long and ends the first Sunday or Monday of October. Munich's Oktoberfest began in 1810 as a marriage celebration for the prince, (being Royal gets you great parties!) Today it is the largest festival in the world.

My inner anthropologist would love to go to Munich, be immersed in the culture of Bavaria and eat the traditional German foods. However, I don't see a trip to Germany in my near future, so Helen will have to do. But not during Oktoberfest. It was very crowded, still warm in October and the whole celebration of beer is not my cup of tea. Maybe Christkindlmarkt , (Christmas Market) would be more fun.

Helen, Georgia does have one thing that makes me definitely want to go back and that is Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen. This is the kind of place that you smell before you see. The aroma guides you to the door and up the ramp where you find delicious candies wherever you look.

Owners Dave and Janet Jones have been making candies here in Helen since 1973. Dave wrote the book on making candy. I'm not kidding...

With so many tempting treats, it was hard to decide what to buy. For me anyway, Brian knew exactly what he wanted...

PECAN Brittle!! It's fantastic! It's made with Georgia pecans, (pronounced peh-cahns, not pee-cans, if you ask me.)

I knew I wanted some chocolate, but couldn't commit to one particular confection. So I got this...


A Milk Chocolate Chattahoochee Snapper--The fresh pecans really make this!

A Chocolate Covered Graham Cracker (not pictured)


Dark Chocolate covered Pretzels = Bliss!

Are you salivating yet? Then here's some good news, they ship! Check them out!

Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen
8651 Main Street
Helen, GA 30545
and
8078 South Main Street
Helen, GA 30545
800-524-3008 Toll Free
www.hanselandgretelcandykitchen.com

Anyone been to Christkindlmarkt in Helen? Is it worth a day trip from Chattanooga? Let me know!

Strawberries and Cream

It's Day:2 of Strawberry Week and I'm going to show you my FAVORITE way to eat strawberries. The first time I ever had proper English Strawberries and Cream was in June of 2003 at the home of a lady named Brenda in Bristol, England. We had a delicious lunch: Baked Salmon, Steamed Vegetables with Parsley Sauce, Elderflower Presse (another first for me). But the thing I will remember most of that day was my discovery of Strawberries and Cream.

Strawberries and Cream is a fine example of English Cuisine. In fact, it is famous for being a main staple for the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Each year, Wimbledon attendees consume around 2 million strawberries and 2,000 gallons of cream.

Probably the most popular variety of strawberry in England is El Santa. Please, somebody tell me where I can find these in the States! El Santa is smaller and sweeter than what most Americans will find in the local grocery store. For this reason, although in England the strawberry may remain whole for Strawberries and Cream, if you are using a large strawberry, it may be best to slice each berry in half.

Strawberries and Cream

Step 1. Wash and hull strawberries. Slice in half or add whole strawberries to bowl.

Step 2. Sprinkle with a little sugar, a little goes a long way, especially if the strawberries are already sweet.


Step 3. Pour cream over strawberries. In England, the cream of choice is Double Cream. Double Cream has at least 48% milk fat. If you are unable to find double cream, then heavy whipping cream, (with at least 36% milk fat), can be used instead.


With strawberries announcing the start of summer and Wimbledon just around the corner, (June 21-July 4, 2010) this is a great time to try probably the easiest dessert you could ever make.

See also this New York Times article about Strawberries and Cream at Wimbledon.

Tennessee Strawberry Festival 2010

On Saturday, Grandmomma, Geggie, Sophie and I went to the Tennessee Strawberry Festival in Dayton, Tennessee. I had never been before and was excited to experience a festival dedicated to a food I love!

Dayton, Tennessee is about 40 miles north-east of Chattanooga. You may be familiar with Dayton if you've studied U.S. History. It is famous for being the location of Scopes vs. The State of Tennessee, otherwise known as the Scopes Monkey Trial.

Arts and Crafts vendors were set up on the courthouse lawn. If you needed hair bows, necklaces or soap, this was the place to get it. There was also a stage for various performances throughout the festival. Behind the courthouse was a children's area with a train ride and inflatables. On 2nd street, adjacent to the courthouse were the food vendors. Roasted corn, corn dogs, funnel cakes, and who knows what else could be found on this street. Of course there were strawberries--strawberry lemonade and strawberries skewered and dipped in chocolate!

When we arrived in Dayton, we decided to park in the first place we came to: Smith's Crossroads. It ended up being about a mile from the courthouse, which isn't really a bad walk. Unless you are 6 months pregnant...or have a fractured foot and wearing one of those boot thingies...or you're pushing a stroller through a crowd assembled for a parade who are clogging the sidewalk so you have to walk in the road...while it is hot. So not a bad walk really.

By the time we made it to within a few blocks from the courthouse, the parade had already started. There was still room on the side of the road to walk, so we kept going. Then about 50 fire trucks, police cars, and such drove by. Honking horns. Blaring sirens. In my baby's ears. She didn't like that. Finally, we came to a point where there just wasn't anymore room to move. It happened to be across from the courthouse by the General Store. There also happened to be a tree above us to give us shade, so we parked the stroller and watched the parade go by. And watched... And watched... It was a big parade! Other than the fire trucks, police cars, Methamphetamine Task Force vehicles, and D.A.R.E floats, there were also Shriners, Red Hat Ladies, School Bands, Political Candidates, girls in dresses with tiaras, people on horses, and my favorite, a few guys with a boa constrictor stretched across their necks! I think all of Rhea County was in that parade. The strawberry festival is a big deal!

We finally made it to the courthouse lawn to see the vendors. After walking around for a while we were ready to leave. We kept seeing people with baskets and flats of strawberries, and we wanted to buy some to take home too. Unfortunately, they were sold out, but we were told to check Paul's Produce on our way out of town. So we walked the mile back to our car, which was easier this time because the road was cleared by then.

Watching the Parade on Grandmomma's shoulders

Strawberry Cotton Candy

"My Turn!"

When we got to Paul's Produce there were just a few strawberry baskets left. Grandmomma and I each bought a 4-quart basket. I gave Sophie a strawberry as a treat, she had been so good at the festival. She inhaled it and for most of the ride home she would say, "Strawberry Mommy, pweeease?!"

Paul's Produce‎
174 Iowa Avenue
Dayton, TN 37321-1680
(423) 775-5151‎

Our basket of berries...after we've eaten a few.

I enjoyed our time at the Tennessee Strawberry Festival, but here are a few things we will keep in mind next time:

1. Get there early in the day. You probably won't have to walk a mile, but even if you do, it won't be as hot.

2. Buy strawberries first thing. They go fast on parade day. Stopping at Paul's first might be a good idea too.

3. If you are going to watch the parade, find a good spot early and bring your lawn chairs.

4. Bring your own fan. It's May in Tennessee and it is hot and humid. You'll also need sunscreen and maybe a hat and sunglasses.

5. Have fun! We are celebrating strawberries after all!

I came home with a lot of strawberries. I have BIG plans for these babies. So get ready for Strawberry week here at A Girl In Her Kitchen.