Child's Play - Millionaire's Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had an unexpected visitor this weekend, and our unseasonably rainy weather meant my 5 year old guest would have to be entertained indoors. I floated the idea of a tea party, but she thought Shirley Temples would be a better way to go. Now, I'll let her mom and grandmother deal with the long term implications of that, but short term she and I had a mocktail party that left me with a rather large jar of opened maraschino cherries and lots of time to kill. Those awful cherries brought this pie, which has gone through waves of popularity, to mind. It's most outstanding feature is the ease with which it comes together and I thought it would be a perfect project for my guest. Now, whenever I cook with children this young, I stack the deck in their favor. That means I pre-chop and repackage ingredients that they can then measure and fold into the mix. I also try to find dishes that require no cooking and have the children rename them. This dessert, called Millionaire's Pie in the real world, quickly became Pink Princess Pie and it was a great project for a five year old to undertake on a rainy afternoon. She did well! I had to freeze the pie to get it to set before she had to go home, but the kitchen gods were on our side and she got to have a slice with extra cherries of it before she left. If you make sure the pineapple and cherries used in the pie are well drained, you will have no problems with this dessert. It is truly effortless and those of you who like maraschino cherries will be in red-dye heaven. Here is how the pie is made.

Slider Buns

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a handy recipe to have on hand during burger season. I made a batch of these to use next weekend for breakfast sandwiches. As I was wrapping them for the freezer, I realized they would be perfect for any miniature sandwich, including sliders. While the buns are simple to make, their dual rise can take up to 3 hours, so it's best to make them several hours or even days before you actually plan to use them. I shaped my rolls into square shapes because the omelet filling I plan to use next weekend is baked in a large pan and then cut into squares. The rolls can also be traditionally shaped if that is more to your liking. These rolls are light and moist and they are very good keepers. While I prefer to freeze them, the rolls keep beautifully if wrapped in an air-tight container. I do hope you'll keep these rolls in mind the next time you plan to make sliders for your crew. Here is how they are made.

Menu for the Week of June 29, 2014

Weekly Menu at One Perfect Bite... 

A Bevy of Sparkling Desserts for the 4th of July

Some of these desserts are easy to make, while others require a bit more time and effort. Whichever you chose, I think you'll find something in the bevy of recipes below that will bring a sparkle to the eyes of those who join you at the table.

Blueberry and Cream Cheese Pound Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a slightly altered version of a cake that graced Midwestern farm tables for years. It is super easy to make and it's simply delicious - the kind of delicious that makes my socks going up and down. This butter-rich cake is wonderfully moist and has a gorgeous velvet crumb that almost melts on the tongue. It is also eminently portable and all of this makes it a perfect candidate for a barbecue or picnic. If you are still looking for a slightly different holiday dessert, I hope you'll keep this in mind. I know you'll enjoy it. Here is how this simple cake is made.

Child's Play - Penne Pasta Skillet

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Here's a simple family meal that young cook's can make with little or no supervision. It relies on a commercial spaghetti sauce for flavor, so a bevy of spices is not required for seasoning, and better still, even young hands can have this 5 ingredient, 1 pan wonder on the table in about 30 minutes. That makes this a perfect dish for the summer kitchen and you'll find it's a nice meal to serve after a long day in the sun or on the water. The recipe comes from the Kraft test kitchen, so it is nearly foolproof. While I prefer to use Rao spaghetti sauce and penne pasta when I make this dish, any sauce and small pasta can be substituted. If you are looking for a quick and tasty meal, or a way to keep the kids busy, do give this a try. It's truly child's play. Here is how this simple skillet meal is made.

Tomatillo Shrimp Enchiladas

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...For good or ill, the food from my summer kitchen is simple and easy to prepare. This dish, made for teens by teens, is no exception, and I think those of you who have, or will be entertaining young adults this summer might want to keep it in mind. It requires no special equipment to make, so, in addition to being child friendly, it's also a perfect dish to prepare in a poorly equipped camp or rental cottage kitchen. The recipe lends itself to manipulation, so it can be halved or doubled as circumstances demand. The ingredients required to make it can be found in any large grocery store, and it takes very little time to prepare. You'll need about 40 minutes to get this dish from the chopping block to the dinner table, where I guarantee it will be well-received. I do hope you'll give this family friendly gem a try. Here is how it's made.

A Dunker's Delight - An Unusual Cornmeal Cookie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I suspect this cookie that will not appeal to all of you. It is barely sweet and decidedly European, but it has such wonderful texture and crunch, that I wanted to share it with those of you who might enjoy a dunkable cookie with your espresso or tea. The cookie, a shortbread to which cornmeal has been added, is nearly effortless to make and it is a delightful way to end a peasant type meal. The cookies comes together in minutes, but the dough needs to be chilled before it can be rolled, and the baked cookies need an hour to cool before they can be served without crumbling. While most of it is wait time, it will take about two hours to get these to the table, so be forewarned. I have one other caution to share with you regarding these buttery and delicious treats. They are not good keepers and despite your best efforts and airtight wrapping, they will lose their crunch and gritty texture if they are stored overnight. I hope that will not deter those of you who enjoy barley sweet desserts. These are wonderful with coffee or tea and they are perfect to serve with macerated fruit, so do give them a try. Here is how they are made.