Party Food - How to Look Glamorous While Munching

We've all been there - trying to balance our Old Fashioned and a plate of lasagna while doing our best to look chic and soignée so that cute guy we're talking to won't think we're socially challenged. Cocktail parties have their perils and one of them is unwieldy food. With cocktail party season upon us I thought it would be a good idea to discuss the issue of what to serve from the standpoint of it's convenience to interact with. (Disclaimer: This is in no way because I've just released an e-cookbook of recipes in the convenient ball shape... well, maybe just a little bit.)

Party food should, by its very nature be festive. It should call to you from the buffet table, make you want to reach out and taste it. If that were the only consideration, many dishes would fit that bill. But party food should also be easy to manage. There are a number of ways to achieve this. Here are some of my favorites:

- Keep food bite sized. If you pre-portion the food in this way your guests don't have to carry around an entire meal on a plate. Two or three bite sized pieces will fit nicely on a cocktail napkin. These can include the aforementioned balls, things like pigs in a blanket or the ever popular rumaki.

- Eschew the flatware for toothpicks. Though it may seem obvious, many people don't consider the use of toothpicks for serving party meals. They're the perfect delivery method - easy to come by, can be found festively decorated and are expediently discarded.

- Dry coatings. Food that can be picked up with your fingers without leaving them sticky or greasy will be much more popular (and leave your glassware much cleaner) than more messy finger food. Roll tidbits in nuts or crushed cornflakes, bake them in dough or wrap them in rice paper. If you must make gooey food, try presenting it in cupcake wrappers.

Some recipes that fit the bill from my repertoire follow:

Cucumber Sandwiches

Camembert Cheese Balls, from the Myra Breckenridge Cookbook

Butterfly Shrimp from the ABC of Canapés 

Cheese Straws from Ruth Chier Rosen's The Big Spread

Deviled Eggs

Cocktail Biscuits (for cocktail size, use a shot glass to cut them)

Cheddar Cheese Wafers

Swedish Meatballs

And explore my new book, Have a Ball with Brini for more great conveniently shaped party food recipes!

The Sensuous Kitchen - Exploring the Myra Breckinridge Cookbook

Gore Vidal's Myra Breckinridge was quite the phenomenon when it was released in 1968. The story of an irresistible transsexual bent on the destruction of the male sex was made into an infamous film in 1970. The same year the film came out, Vidal's partner, Howard Austen (along with writing partner, Beverly Pepper) released The Myra Breckinridge Cookbook.

In saucy, salacious passages, it presents recipes that relate to the golden era of Hollywood that so fascinate Myra - and so many of the rest of us. Accompanying the recipes are reproductions of film stills and promotional photographs of stars ranging from George Raft to Joan Collins. Here's one of Eddie Cantor looking every bit the glamor puss and "Glorifying the American Doughnut" in heels and a frock.

The photographs are such a delight because so many of them are obscure images from obscure films or otherwise unseen pictures of well known films and stars. Of course, what Myra is known for is her overtly sexual edge and that's on full display in this volume. The chapter devoted to her favorite recipes is a collection of double entendre puns that would make a sailor blush - Baked Hare Pie with Dill Dough Crust, Cod Pieces, Bearded Oysters...

The recipes are, for the most part, traditional fare with some novelty dishes thrown in for good measure. I'm especially taken with the Camembert Cheese Balls from the Cheesecake chapter (a counterpart to the previous Beefcake, chapter).

You'll need:

1/2 Camembert cheese
1 large block cream cheese
2 Tbs. creamed butter
2 1/4 Tbs. flour
1 Tbs. rice flour
1 cup milk
Salt
Cayenne pepper
1 egg, beaten
Bread crumbs

Rub cheese through a strainer. Add butter, flour, rice flour, milk, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir over low heat until thick. Pour onto a plate to cool. Form into small balls. Roll in flour. Brush with beaten egg. Roll in crumbs. Fry in deep fat until golden brown.

Doesn't that sound tasty?

The Myra Breckinridge cookbook can be found on Amazon.com and eBay. If you're lucky you'll run across a copy at a thrift shop or garage sale. It's a fun addition to your cookbook collection and a great gift for the film lover with a sense of camp. If you have it and have made any of the recipes, how did they turn out?

Puff Pastry and Poetry - The ABC of Canapes

Hi people! I love party food. So when I received a gift from a fan at my weekly film series I was delighted to find that it was a small vintage cookbook devoted to just that! It's the ABC of Canapes.

It's by Edna Beilenson and features the most delightful illustrations by Ruth McCrea. The artwork accompanies some delightfully silly poems:

Inflate it with air,
Or explode like a bomb;
Add a few fish-eggs
And serve with aplomb!

Exactly what she suggests you inflate with air is never specified.

Join us in the parlor,
To talk or sing or dance;
Lucky is the hostess
Who hustles in advance!

It's funny how meanings change over the years, isn't it?

Here's one of the illustrations with a more reasonable sentiment.

The recipes aren't exactly rocket science, but some of them look tasty. This one for Butterfly Shrimp looks simple and delicious:

You'll need:

1lb fresh shrimp
2 eggs
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 tsp salt

Clean shrimp and slice them halfway down the back, so when laid flat they resemble butterflies. Beat the eggs, salt and corn starch into a smooth batter and dip the shrimp into the batter. Deep fry in fat at 370 degrees until golden brown - about two minutes. Served piping hot on gaily colored toothpicks, they make a stunning hors d'oeuvre.

Simple and Oh So Tasty - Hal's Chicken Salad

My good friend Hal is a good cook. One of my favorite recipes of his is his chicken salad. It's a very simple recipe, what makes it so good is the ingredients he uses. He introduced me to this tinned chicken he buys from Cost Co. It comes in 12.5 oz cans and is sold in shrink wrapped sets of 6. It's just delicious!

Now Hal loves to travel and his wanderlust has afforded him the luxury of Micronesian pepper. This is his other secret ingredient for the chicken salad. I don't have that luxury, so I just use fresh ground pepper in mine. Here's his recipe:

You'll need:

Two cans of Kirkland chunk chicken breast
3 Tbs mayonnaise
Fresh ground pepper
Kosher salt
Salted cashews for garnish

Begin by draining two cans of chicken and putting the chunks in the bowl. Crush the chunks with a fork until they're shredded. Add the mayonnaise and mix thoroughly. Season with the fresh ground pepper and kosher salt. Serve on a plate garnished with a lettuce leaf and sprinkle the salad with salted cashew nuts.

This is a delightful light lunch dish. The cashews give the salad a sparkle and crunch that adds to the flavor nicely. Because the dish is so simple, it's important to make sure that your ingredients are top notch. You can substitute sea salt for kosher salt if you wish, and if you find a source for Micronesian pepper let me know!

Those are my linen tablecloth check napkins up there with that salad. They're great for summer entertaining.

Simple Summer Savory Satisfaction - Chive Butter

I spent last weekend in the Catskills with friends and made dinner for them on Saturday night. One of the things I made was this simple chive butter recipe.

It's such a delicious treat for a summer lunch or dinner and it's super easy to make.

You'll need:

1 stick of salted butter
Fresh chives
1 tsp lemon juice

Begin by setting the butter out in a medium sized mixing bowl to soften. Cut it up into smaller pieces to hasten the process. Once it's softened up nicely, cut the chives into the bowl.

I find it easier to use a pair of scissors for cutting chives. Then add the lemon juice (if you don't like things quite as tart you can use half a teaspoon) and mix everything together with a fork. Once it's all well combined, remove the butter to a sheet of wax paper.

Using the paper, work the lump of butter back into a stick form. It can be square or round. I chose to make a square stick. The process is a little obscene, but I'm sure some of you will enjoy that. If you're timid, you can put the butter in small ramekins. Put the butter back in the fridge to firm up. Serve with a hearty sour dough bread.

This can also be done with other herbs, and you can substitute cream cheese for butter. I love recipes like this. They add so much to a meal, but are so quick and easy to make. Enjoy!

Nibbles for Trying Times - Scramble

When you're life is in upheaval - as mine is with my pending move - it's hard to keep an eye on nutrition. Eating takes on a catch-as-catch-can quality to it. It's a good idea to prepare some things in advance that you can munch on. Here's one of my favorite munching recipes - Scramble.

It's a good thing to make up in large batches and have on hand. ...lots of good nutrition in it and it tastes good too!

2 lbs mixed, salted nuts
1 12 oz package small shredded wheat
1 10 oz package Cheerios
1 6 oz package of rice chex
1 7 oz package of pretzel twists
1 6 oz package of small pretzel sticks
1 4 oz can of pretzel bits
2 cups salad oil
2 Tbs worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs garlic salt
1 Tbs seasoned salt

Mix all ingredients together in a large pan(s) and bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours, stirring gently, so as not to break up the cereals, every 15 minutes. Yield - 9 quarts.

If you haven't already, come by and join my Facebook fan club. If you do, be sure and say hi!

Box of Cuteness - Ruch Chier Rosen Mini Cookbooks

I have several very cute, tiny little cookbooks by an author named Ruth Chier Rosen. They're just darling and come in little boxes that have the same graphics as the book covers. I discovered them through my friend and publicist, Jennifer Cohan, who had one called Entertaining Snacks After Dark (1962). A few years ago that book became a tiny little obsession - a perfect match for the tiny little books! I made "Ruth Chier Rosen" a watched search on eBay and waited to pounce on the book when it came available. While I waited I had the opportunity to pounce a few more times on some of her other mini masterpieces. I acquired Having a Ball - Party Menus & Recipes for Every Occasion (1959), and The Big Spread - An Encyclopedia of Hors D'oeuvres and Canapes (1953). So now I own three of these cute little books.

Aside from their cuteness and Ruth's penchant for titles that have a slightly risque double entendre (the chafing dish book is called "Wick and Lick"), the books have some fascinating recipes in them. Between the covers of The Big Spread, you can learn how to make Strawberries Marquisee, which are faux strawberries formed from chopped liver and rolled in bread crumbs that have been dyed red with food coloring and Beet Sticks, which are, basically, borscht popsicles.

These oddities aside, she has a charming recipe for Cheese Straws - one of my favorites:

2 t salt
4 c flour
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening or lard
Water
12 oz grated sharp cheddar
3 T butter
Dash cayenne
1 egg
1 T sherry

Combine the salt, flour, 1/2 cup butter, shortening or lard and water to make pastry and chill. Blend cheese, 3 T butter and cayenne until smooth. When chilled, roll out pastry into a large rectangle and spread the cheese mixture on it. Fold the pastry in thirds and roll out again and refold. Do this twice more for a total of 4 times. Chill again. Preheat the over to 400 degrees. Re-roll and cut into long narrow strips. Beat the egg with the sherry and then brush it on the strips. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and bake until golden brown and puffed.

These books won't provide you with every day fare, but there are some nice recipes in them and their size and the novelty of the matching box make them perfect gifts for the historically epicurious. If you're mother appreciates ironic vintage recipes, why not give her one for mothers day? They can be found on many used book websites and eBay.

Speaking of Mother's Day... Also in the picture above is our Gillian Napkin from Felix Populi. They make a charming gift as well!

All About Helen - The Single Girl's Cookbook

I'm a big fan of Helen Gurley Brown. Her brand of advice - brash and brassy in its day - is such fun to read and so insightful. That's why years ago, when I found a copy of her Single Girl's Cookbook in a thrift shop, I knew I must have it.

Published in 1969, the book is an off shoot of her wildly successful best seller, Sex and the Single Girl. Instead of advice on how to meet men at the office or how to shed your inhibitions, this little missive has advice on how to throw a New Years Eve party and how to cook for the various stages of an affair. This section is particularly interesting. It takes you from the first blush of love (salami and cream cheese hors d'oeuvres), to the heat of passion (chicken Kiev), right through to the final breakup (refried beans and cheese).

When Helen came on my show on the Style network to talk about meeting men at work, she was kind enough to sign my now dog eared copy.

I'll treasure it always!

The book is overflowing with fun recipes - some easy, some more challenging - and pithy, clever commentary as only Helen can write it. There are even humorous and stylish line drawings that open each chapter.

Here's one of the cuter recipes from the book. It's from the "What a Friend We Have in Cheeses" chapter:

"Phony (But Good!) Cheese Souffle The cheese souffle recipe on page 81 is the classic one, but this one is delicious, too. It was born of desperation on a cold winter's night when a particular girl had little in the house to feed a darling burly guest (laid up with a skiing accident) except a jar of cheese spread and some eggs. He loved the concoction, although of course he was weak. (Alas , he finally got well and went home.)

1 jar (5 ounces) any sharp cheese spread
4 eggs, separated

Melt cheese spread in top part of a double boiler over hot water. Beat the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored. In another bowl beat the egg whites stiff. Add the melted cheese gradually to the egg yolks and blend thoroughly. Carefully fold in the stiffly beaten whites. Pour into an ungreased straight-sided casserole (a heatproof glass bowl is fine) and bake in a 350 degree F. oven until puffed and browned. 30 to 45 minutes."

Clever no? I suggest looking around for a copy. There were a few around on Amazon and eBay when I looked.

04-14 Corn Bread with a Happy Surprise - Wiener Loaf

Hi people! For my April episode, I'm again joined by my friend Margot Potter - The Impatient Crafter. She's showing Mary Ellen and I how to make Wiener Loaf! It's remarkably easy and lots of fun. Here's how:
 
You'll need:

2 corn muffin mixes
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 package of hot dogs
Butter or crisco

Begin by greasing your loaf pan. We used crisco, but you can use butter or cooking spray if you like. Then pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Make up one of the corn bread mixes as directed on the box and spread it in your greased pan. Next, place three of the wieners on top of the dough. Place them so that any slice will have part of at least one of the wieners. Then prepare the next mix and spread it on top of the first. Slice horizontal parallel lines into the surface of the last two wieners and place them on top of the batter. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Fond of Fondue - Pots on Parade

A couple of weeks ago, I posted an episode about chafing dishes. In it I said that though a chafing dish can be used for fondue, it's best to have a dedicated fondue pot. So I thought I'd give you a glimpse of my fondue pot collection. I hope it serves as inspiration to get you own if you don't have one, or to make some fondue if you do!

I love fondue - particularly the cheese variety, and I love the fondue pots you serve it in. I have quite a few of them. I chose six to share with you today. Above you'll see my most recent addition - a beautiful silver pot with a bulbous wood handle. Featured with these pots are some of the napkins in my line. These napkins are our Jane Linen line in Spring.

Next up is my electric fondue pot by Oster. Simple one touch temperature control! It's accompanied by my tablecloth check napkins.

Next is a striking architectural fondue pot in orange with a black and white base. The sterno cup swings out on a hinge! I love how the inside of the base is enameled in white. It's such a nice touch - shows a lot of thought went into the design. This pot is featured with our Gillian floral napkins.

Another stark modern design is this white fondue pot. The base is made of a sheet of metal that's folded to support the sterno pot and a grate. The grate supports the pot. Very nicely designed! This one came with its own matching fondue forks. Featured here are our Jane linen napkins in pumpkin.

For diminutive desserts, this pot can't be beat! It's tiny compared to the others and just perfect for chocolate fondue for two! Instead of sterno, this pot has a candle. I even have tiny little forks to use with it! It's twinned with our Jane linen napkins in Peacock - very Howard Johnson's - so chic!

Last, but not least is my favorite. This elegant pot is from Dansk - you my recognize the handle on the lid. I especially love the elephant-like legs with wooden feet and the rough, artfully rusty iron structure. Featured with the pot are our Jane linen napkins in Buttercup. In addition to the different pots, you'll also see my collection of vintage fondue forks - you can't eat fondue without the proper forks!

Shopping for these little niceties is easy and fun. Vintage and thrift shops, flea markets and eBay are rife with fondue accoutrements. You can find them new now, too - the fondue craze is back!

Of course the pots and forks are just the beginning. Here are a few recipes for fondue and below, you'll find the episode of my show in which we made fondue with Margaret Cho!

Nosh Pit - All About Matzoh

All of you goyem out there may not know what this is. It's matzoh (or matzah, or matzo) - the traditional unleavened bread used in the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Now you may be asking yourself, "what is Brini, shiksa (glossary of terms at end of post) that she is, doing writing a blog post about matzoh and Pesach? Well, I'll tell you, I have more than a passing acquaintance with all things Jewish. As hard as it may be to believe, this blonde haired, blue eyed girl is part JAP.

Being part Jewish, this season of the year brings me great nachas. It gives me the opportunity to buy the food of my people, most notably, matzoh. Though the basic recipe of flour and water never changes, there are many types of matzoh, so you shouldn't get fachadick, I'll give you a run down.

- Unsalted: This type is the basic matzoh. Labeled as kosher, it can be used in the Passover ceremonies.

-Lightly salted: This is the basic matzoh sprinkled with kosher salt. It's generally not used for the holiday, but is a bit more geschmak than unsalted is.

-Egg: This matzoh adds egg to the recipe. They frequently use fruit juice instead of water.

-Egg and Onion: Egg matzoh with onion flavor added.

-Whole wheat: Made with whole wheat flour.

Matzoh can be made at home and it's simple to do. Combine 3 1/4 cups flour with one cup of water and blend well. separate the dough into small parcels and roll them out flat. Place them on a cookie sheet and prick all over with a fork, then bake at 500 degrees until they brown.

It's a bit ironic that during one of the big holiday seasons, when aside from Hashem, of course, it's all about entertaining with lots of mispachas and mishpocha running around, and as a baleboosteh, you have to serve kosher. It's a shpilkes, it's enough to make you meshugeneh. There are options, however. Lots of things can be done with matzoh and sauces both sweet and savory You can even get chocolate covered matzoh.

So the next time you walk down the ethnic aisle in your supermarket, why not pick up some matzoh? If you're going to fress, you may as well find something geschmak. Just don't eat so much you get chaloshes and plotz!

Glossary for this blog post:

Goyem: Non Jewish person
Shiksa: Non Jewish woman
Pesach: Passover
Nachas: Much joy
Fachadick: Confused
Geschmak: Tasty
Hashem: Literally The Name - G-d
Mispachas: Family
Mishpocha: In-laws
Baleboosteh: Great homemaker
Shpilkes: Trouble
Meshugeneh: Crazy
Fress: Eat
Chaloshes: Nauseous
Plotz: Explode

Thanks to sillymusic.com for the yiddishisms.

04-13 Something to Warm Your Cockles - All About Chafing Dishes

Hello people! Well, I'm topping off my first week of regular blogging with a new podcast episode. It's so nice to be back among you! This time around Mary Ellen has asked me to help her select a chafing dish and I thought I'd show her and all of you, one of mine as an example.

This is my Pot Pourri and it's a lovely little appliance for buffet serving. Have a look!


Here are a few of my favorite chafing dish recipes:

- Swedish Meatballs

You'll need:

1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons minced onion
1 one-inch-thick slice of bread
1/2 cup milk
1/2 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground pork
1/4 pound ground veal
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup beef stock, warm
1 cup cream (or milk), warm

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat and cook the onion until lightly browned. Soak the bread in the milk until soft. Combine all remaining ingredients except flour, stock, and cream and mix well with your hands. It's important to use your hands; nothing else will combine the ingredients as well. Then roll the meat mixture into small balls and brown them in the rest of the butter. 

Remove the meatballs and set them aside. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the flour and stir until it's mixed well with the fat. Remove the pan from the heat, add the stock and cream, and stir constantly until the gravy is smooth and has thickened nicely. Put the meatballs back in the pan with the gravy and cover. 

Simmer over very low heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then transfer to a chafing dish and serve.

Makes about 25 balls

- Classic Beef Stroganoff

You'll need:

4 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Lb. beef sirloin cut in 1/4" strips
4 Tbs. butter
1 3 oz can of sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 minced clove of garlic
1 1/4 cup beef stock
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbs. dry sherry

Combine 2 Tbs. flour with the salt and dredge meat in flour mixture. In a large frying pan melt 2 Tbs. butter and brown meat on both sides. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic and cook for several minutes until onion is transparent. Remove meat and mushrooms and set aside. Add remaining butter to pan and blend in remaining flour and blend into a roux. Once all the lumps are gone, add the beef stock and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens. Return meat and mushrooms to the pan and stir in the sour cream and sherry. Cook until evenly heated, but do not boil. Remove to chafing dish and keep warm over water (bain-marie). Serve next to a bowl piled high with buttered noodles.

-Chocolate Fondue:

You'll need:

12 oz bar chocolate, broken up
1 cup of heavy cream

Melt the chocolate with the cream over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. This can be melted in your chafing dish, or in a sauce pan.

For dippers we chose pineapple, pound cake and strawberries, but you can add marshmallows, kiwi, bananas, cookies, lady fingers, and pretzels and anything else your little heart desires!

#04-11 Grilled Cheese - Melt Some Memories

Hello people! It’s time for a new episode (I know, I know, it’s past time, this was the episode that almost wasn’t). This time out we’re making grilled cheese! Such fun, and so easy… We’ve chosen some delicious cheeses to feature, including Cotswold, Gruyere (our fondue sandwich) and aged farmhouse Cheddar. We’re using sourdough bread, which gives the sandwiches a nice tang. Here are a few grilled cheese tips:

- Grate your cheese: Grated cheese melts more quickly and easily than slices.

- Butter the bread, not the pan: That’s the outside of the sandwich, not the inside. Buttering the bread on the outside ensures that the sandwich will brown evenly.

- Cover your sandwich for the first few minutes: This will conserve the heat and melt the cheese more quickly. Flip the sandwich after about 4 minutes and then leave it uncovered.

Grilled cheese sandwiches are ripe for experimentation. Why not explore with cheeses and breads you find in your local gourmet store? How about a bleu cheese sandwich? Gouda or Fontina would be delicious melted up. As for breads, brioche would make a very tasty nibble! So would a rich hearty 7 grain with plenty of nuts and crunchy bits.

Just in time for the holidays, we have a new Brini Maxwell store! If you click on the “Shop” link at BriniMaxwell.com you’ll be directed to our new store featuring fun Brini Maxwell products, some you may be familiar with, some that are brand new! One of the new products is the Brini poster. It’s a fun, inexpensive way to bring me into your home. Have a look!

04-08 Hungary? Try Goulash!

Hi people! Brini here and this week we have a delicious stew for you…Hungarian goulash! As stews go, it’s very simple – very easy. Here’s how:

You’ll need:

2 lbs stew beef cut into 1” cubes
3 Tbs. flour
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
¼ cup chopped onion
1 bay leaf
2 whole cloves
1 ½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 Tbs. paprika
1½ cups beef stock

Begin by coating the beef with the flour. Heat the oil in a sauce pan or electric skillet over medium heat and add the beef. Cook until brown on all sides, then add the onion. Stir for about 5 minutes until the onion is tender, then add the remaining ingredients. Blend well while bringing to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Let cook for 2 to 2½ hours or until fork tender.

Serve over buttered noodles or boiled potatoes.



This dish is just great for the last chilly days of winter. Perfect for warming up after a blustery afternoon outdoors!

04-05 Strudel-A-He-Ho! Apple Strudel fit for a Tyrol

Hi people! Welcome back to another episode of the show. This week I have a special treat for you. Mary Ellen is back! She joined me while I made a delicious apple strudel. You’ll also get a glimpse of the beautiful fall foliage here in the northeast. We took a trip to Ochs Orchards in Warwick New York to pick our apples for the strudel.


Here’s the recipe:

You’ll need:

4 moderately sized apples, peeled and cut into thin wedges
1 puff pastry sheet
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp cinnamon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Begin by laying out a linen towel and covering it with a sprinkling of flour. Work the flour into the towel. Place the puff pastry on the towel and work it out with your finger tips to enlarge it a bit. Brush the pastry with melted butter, then lay out your apples on the pastry and roll it up like a jellyroll. Gently transfer the rolled strudel to a greased baking sheet and brush with the rest of the melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on the buttery pastry and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm with ice cream for dessert or cold for breakfast.

04-04 Pretty and Pink - Strawberry Smoothies

Hi people! This week on the show we’re making strawberry smoothies. They’re so easy to make and so delicious. Here’s how:

You’ll need:

6 frozen, hulled strawberries of varying sizes
½ banana, peeled and sliced
1 cup apple juice
1 fresh strawberry for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with a fresh strawberry that’s been split and slid onto the rim of the glass. Serve with a straw.

04-03 Not Even for Ready Money - Cucumber Sandwiches

Hi people! Brini here, this week with the perfect cucumber sandwich! These little morsels are a delightful addition to tea, wonderful canapés at a party and just down right tasty for a lunch time treat. They’re easy to make too. Here’s the recipe:

You’ll need:

Cucumbers
White bread
Butter
Chives (optional)

Begin by slicing your cucumber. You can leave the peel on or you can peel them. If you decide to leave the peel on it’s nice to groove it with the tines of a fork. It makes the slices look pretty. The cucumber slices should be extremely thin. It’s been said that one should be able to read the London Times through the cucumber slice. This is much simpler if you have a mandolin. Once you’ve sliced your cucumber (you should have 3 to 4 slices for each sandwich you’re making), you can turn your attention to the bread. The bread should also be thinly sliced – it should allow light to pass through it – and it should have the crusts cut off. I like to use a Pullman loaf of bread – the rectangular loaves that are baked in a pan – and once I’ve cut the crusts off I cut the slice in half to make a small, delicate sandwich. Spread a thin layer of butter on each slice of bread, then make your sandwich with 3 to 4 slices of cucumber. This is the traditional English cucumber sandwich. I like to Americanize them by sprinkling finely cut chives on the buttered bread before adding the cucumber. It gives the sandwich a subtle kick that I find very pleasant.

04-02 Not Just Small Potatoes - Potato Salad with a Kick

Hi people! This week we’re featuring my recipe for potato salad. It’s ever so easy to make and I know you’re going to enjoy it.

You’ll need:

10 – 12 boiled red bliss potatoes
1 cup halved cocktail olives
1 cup sliced scallions
3 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces, then combine with the olives, scallions and mayonnaise in a large bowl and mix well. Add the curry powder, salt and pepper and taste. Adjust seasonings. Serves 6 as a side dish.

#01-14 Wakie, Wakie, Eggs and Bakie - Start Your Day with Hobo Kuchen

Hi people! Brini here, back with a new episode. Now I know it’s been a while, but we’ve been busy working on some exciting new projects. More about that later.

This week we’re featuring the lost episode from the first season. This episode was planned for, but never aired during the first season of my podcast. It’s all about making the most of your mornings. I’m demonstrating a family recipe for coffee cake that I like to call Hobokuchen! It’s very simple, here’s how.

You’ll need:

2 ½ cup flour
4 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9” by 12” pan. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and place in a bowl. Add butter and blend well with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Reserve 2/3 of a cup of dry mixture for the streusel for the top. Add grated lemon rind to the remaining mixture. To the reserved streusel add the walnuts and cinnamon and blend well. Combine milk and egg and mix by hand, then add the milk mixture to the dry mixture and blend thoroughly. Pour into baking pan, spread with the streusel and bake for 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Now making your morning more pleasant isn’t difficult if you apply these tips:

Do everything you can the night before – lay out your wardrobe for the following day, set up your breakfast, you can even take your shower the night before. Having everything prepared will make getting out the door that much easier.

Do you wakeup with the news? It’s a rather jarring start to your day. Try waking up to a jazz or classical station, or buy an alarm clock that will connect to your MP3 player or one you can use a CD with. It’s so much nicer to program your mornings for serenity than it is to greet the day with angst.

#03-02Heavenly Hors D'oeuvres - Develed Eggs

Hello people. This week on the show we begin a 3 part series from an episode about picnics. I've always loved eating alfresco and in this episode we're making my deviled eggs. They're just delicious. Here's how:

You'll need:

1 dozen hard boiled eggs
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 Tbs. white vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Shell the eggs, cut them in half lengthwise, remove the yolks to a large mixing bowl and set the whites aside. Mash the yolks with a fork, and then add the rest of the ingredients except for the chives. Blend well. Fill the whites with the yolk mixture and garnish with the chives.

These nibbles are just delicious for summer parties and brunches. You can find this, and other delightful recipes and ideas in my book. If you haven't already, be sure and pick it up!