Sunshine. In a cookie.

The sun is shining and the curb is begging for a lemonade stand [mixers optional]. Or these Pillsbury-inspired cookies. Every time I pass a plate of these little circles of sunshine, more compliments are dropped than crumbs on the floor [and you'd eat these cookie crumbs off the floor]. Make it a double dandy and sandwich vanilla ice cream between two of these softies. I just did.Lemonade Cookies
1 Pillsbury lemon cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
juice glass

Combine cake mix, eggs and oil until just moist. Roll into balls - and roll balls in granulated sugar. Tap each ball lightly with a juice glass [oh, stop]. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Slaw on the Side

Here's a pretty progressive recipe from [surprise!] the Better Homes & Garden Barbecue Book (c)'65 for one snazzy slaw:Blue Cheese Slaw
6 cups shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons chopped pimento
2 tablespoons chopped green onion tops
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
dash salt
1 4-ounce package blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

Combine cabbage, pimento, and onion tops. Chill thoroughly. Mix together remaining ingredients; chill. Pour over cabbage and toss slightly. If desired [why oh why?], garnish with slices of hard-cooked egg and Bologna ruffles [I skipped the ruffles]. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
This slaw was fierce and fabulous - just like the 60s. I wonder if all this 'chill' time allotted really translates to 'have another cocktail while you wait' time. Merely venturing a guess...

Tipsy Tuesday: Ole!

Brave a few of these, any day of the week -Bullfighter
2 1/2 oz gin or vodka
1/2 oz manzanilla sherry
olive or lemon peel

Stir the ingredients well with ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Serve with an olive or a twist of lemon peel. Drink until you see red - or feel a siesta coming on.

Me Likey Chinese Ribs

In an effort to continually celebrate spring, I headed back out to the grill last night to try yet another of Better Homes & Garden's Barbecue Book (c)'65 sauces & rib rub...
Chinese Smoked Ribs: [definitely inhale]
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup catsup
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons grated fresh gingerroot or 2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon msg [no likey that one]
Barbecue Rub:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each paprika, monosodium glutamate [why is it that the take-out is so proud to be anti-msg in '10 when in '65 it was all the rage?], tumeric and celery seed
Dash dry mustard

6 pounds loin back ribs or spareribs [or fatty, boneless ribs you found on sale that will later show their true colors]

For Ginger Sauce, mix first 6 ingredients and let stand overnight to mellow the flavor.
For Barbecue Rub, combine sugar and seasonings. rub the ribs with this mixture, let stand 2 hours, or till done, brushing occasionally with the Ginger Sauce and let stand about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Here's a little WTF part that I ignored and opted instead for grilling meat over direct heat: Hang the ribs in a Chinese oven which uses wood as fuel - split logs of oak, hickory, or fruitwood. Smoke spareribs about 1 1/2 hours or loin back ribs about 2 hours, or till done, brushing occasionally with the sauce. Keep fire at about 325 degrees. Snip ribs in serving pieces. Makes 6 or 7 servings.

Okay. Rub + marinade = makes you want a side of won-tons. It really is that good. The cheap meat messed with perfection. I can only assume that if I had my hands on a 'Chinese oven' that it would have done nothing less than go karate on our tastebuds.

Stumble back tomorrow for Tipsy Tuesday -- with a side of coleslaw [it's not as nasty as it sounds]!

Titty Pink Pictures

Per my promise, here's a handful of pictures of my Granny & Grandpa's titty pink house in Table Rock, Nebraska [albeit a bit blurry, like my memory]. They make me want to sit on the porch and swing the day away.
My Gramie & Gramps with Granny & Grandpa in '64 [they're my Gramps' folks]My mom with Granny, same skirt, same year.My mom, uncle Mike & Gramie by the sleeping porch '66.Me, Granny & my brother Jamie Mother's Day '83.My 10th birthday, July '84 [my mom's in the blue sundress holding the doll my Granny made me - and that's my awesome Aunt Elsie's head in her armpit].

What are some of your pinkest memories?

Retro Bloom

I celebrated the close of cabin fever this week by picking up some purple pansies at the market and plopping them into this retro poppy pot. Marge couldn't wait to fling a little spring your way -Have a pretty perky Saturday!

WTF?! Were the Angels Thinking?

That nifty, thrifty dessert is an Angel Cake-Pie [and it's not as lame as its name]! How does one accomplish that technicolor cutie from Good Housekeeping's Ten P.M Cook Book (c)'58? Just so.1 10" angel food cake
1 envelope unflavored gelatine
1/2 cup cold water
4 teasp fresh, frozen or canned lemon juice
2 pkg thawed frozen raspberries or strawberries
1/8 teasp salt
2 egg whites
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/2 cup heavy cream whipped
1 banana, sliced
1 cup flaked coconut

Early in day: Cut cake horizontally into 2 even layers. Hollow out both sections, leaving shells not quite 1" thick. Fill in tube hole in bottom of each shell with bits of cake. Sprinkle gelatine over cold water in glass measuring cup to soften. Stir over hot water until dissolved. Add, with lemon juice, to fruit. Refrigerate until partially thickened. Add salt to egg whites; beat until stiff. Fold, with 1 cream, whipped into fruit mixture. Refrigerate a few minutes; thenheap in cake shells. Refrigerate until well chilled.

To serve: Arrange cake-pies [couldn't they have come up with a way cooler name?] on serving tray. Decorate with 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped. Garnish pie with banana slices. [Then chase with a nightcap cocktail of choice!]

And that, friends, is WTF is for dessert tonight!