Kim Shook

It is my BIL's birthday - he lives there and we live in Richmond, VA and for the last couple of years this board has recommended some really good places to send him gift certificates to. So here we go again. What is new and hot in the area right now? He appreciates good food and eats pretty much anything, but he's not a divey-but-delicious type, likes fairly healthy food, but will splurge for a special occasion. He's in his 40's but single. Travels all around the world for both pleasure and business. Help, please, my southwestern friends! Thanks, Kim

Marigene - thank you so much for posting the recipe! I got a one of those pans with a bunch of cute little flower shaped cupcake pans for Christmas and I think that this would be the perfect recipe for it! Domestic Goddess - Since Klary was so kind to pass on that recipe, would you please pass it on to me. I am fond of saying that if God made anything better than peanutbutter and chocolate, He kept it for Himself, so they look to be right up my alley!! Kim

Marigene, these are beautiful. I would love the recipe, if you are willing. I love the flavor combination. Kim

Blether & GTO - thanks for the advice. Now I will dig out my manual and look up stuff ! My camera is really very good for a lot of things (it was a gift from an egullet member ), but I think micro-close ups may be beyond it. rockdoggydog - those clams are gorgeous. The Child and I would grab a loaf of crusty bread and DIG IN! MobyP - that lamb looks exactly how I always want my lamb to look (not that it always does SeaGal - yay for you for posting - I think I lurked for longer than you! That pan sauce would have me reaching for the bread, just like rockdoggydog's clams. <drool> Octaveman - is Rocky an Abby??? I looooove Abby's and want one so much. Is he a 'talker'? Every Abby I've ever met has an extensive vocabulary ! Shaya - Happy Birthday to your son! What a cake! How I would love to know how to do all that! Dinner last night was a family dinner party. I had a Bell and Evans turkey that I needed to cook and figured after this week it would be too hot for cooking it. I have to apologize for the pictures. I remembered to take shots of most of the appetizers before everyone started, but had to jump up from the table after everyone was served to take the main course photos (yes, Mr. Kim's family thinks I am decidedly odd ), so the dishes are somewhat decimated! The menu was: Deep fried artichoke hearts: Mine weren't as crusty and brown as little ms foodie's were. I used frozen ones and deep fried in Crisco. Did I do something wrong, LMF? They were very good, though enjoyed more by me than the family . Parmesan Crisps (no picture) Nuts (no picture) Gougères: So good! This was a Jaques Pepin recipe and was so easy! Yogurt Cheese Dip w/ vegetables: Pecan Glazed Turkey Pecan & Cornbread Stuffing: Gravy (no picture) Cheese Quiche - for the vegetarian young adult who never rsvp'd and didn't show up (no picture) Cheese noodles: Corn (no picture) Southern Green Beans (no picture) My layered salad: Rolls (no picture) Cherry Cheese Trifle: Blissful Glutton’s Peach-Cherry Crisp w/ Double Devon Cream : A really successful dinner - I am still cleaning up today, after Mr. Kim stayed up until 1am washing dishes (one good result with my hand problems/surgury is that I am positively dangerous - to both myself and the dishes - with wet, soapy stuff )! Blissful Glutton - I have to say thank you again for your recipe. I have had such success with it. Normally after a heavy meal people just pick at dessert - I often wonder why I bother making it. But I have NO leftovers of the crisp. Three people had thirds of it. Kim

Tri2Cook - thanks for the response. They sound delicious and I might try my hand at it sometime. LittleIsland - thanks for posting about those cookies. They look and sound like something we would like a lot! I made a bunch of desserts this weekend. I had to make two desserts (got paid, no really, they promised this time ) for a sheet cake and cupcakes for my daughter's co-ed fraternity's end of year awards banquet (pictures here) and made The Blissful Glutton's Peach/Cherry Crisp: and a Cherry trifle: for a dinner party on Sunday. There was not one iota left of the crisp - three people had thirds!!! The trifle was just pure white trash goodness. Cream cheese, Cool Whip, sweetened condensed milk, angel food cake and cherry pie filling . I jazzed it up a little, by actually toasting my sliced almonds to garnish with ! Kim

onetoughcookie - I wasn't able to do it that way (I had to have the cake by Saturday and so I didn't see your post in time), but you've given me courage. I am going to do a tiered cake sometime. I ended up doing a two layer 13x9 and there was leftover cake. I also did a batch of chocolate cupcakes for those who must have chocolate. I had to take a shortcut - I had it in my head that the cakes were needed Sunday night. They were actually needed Saturday afternoon:shock: . I realized my mistake Saturday morning. So I used canned frosting that I added 10x to to make it stiffer and easier to decorate with. I was pretty satisfied with the results, considering that I am a complete 'amachur' , and the kids thought it was amazing : And the cupcakes: Kim

I am so glad to see you blogging again. I thoroughly enjoyed your other blogs and I'm always glad to see your contributions to the dinner thread! Your fridge is just so beautiful. I would need a week to clean mine out before I would dare show it to anyone ! Yuki & Dozo are adorable. I would love to have rats, but Mr. Kim is funny about scrabbly little animals . Amsterdam looks so beautiful. It is on the top of my list of places to visit if I ever get to travel! I am so looking forward to this week. Thanks so much for letting us 'spy' on your life! Kim

I think that looks really good! What exactly is it? I know chocolate, of course. But what precisely? Kim

OK, I'm gonna out myself. I would probably eat and enjoy a LOT of the things on that hilarious website, in a totally white-trash way, of course. Kim

Bruce, I love the bacon story. Pork has the power to transform!! Tonight was easy, as I am getting ready for a big dinner party on Sunday. I just got back from a week in Florida, my house is a wreck, I am planning my daughter's graduation bash (May 20) and I am not 100% sure that I am completely unpacked . Dinner was: My dad's version of Caesar salad with my homemade garlic croutons. Mr. Kim and I will take turns knocking each other out of bed tonight with garlic breath : And grilled ham slice, glazed with apricot preserves and Japanese steak sauce, roasted cauliflower and store bought sourdough rolls: I am a completely ignorant photographer. Can someone tell me why my close ups are all so blurry. I hold the camera completely still and they are still blurry. Kim

Let me add my good wishes for your birthday, Marlene. I hope everyone in your life makes it as special as you deserve it to be! Kim

We have a pretty large Latino population here in VA and lots of bodegas and even good selection in the big grocery stores, so I think I'll try the crema! Thanks everyone! Kim

Everyone's food looks so wonderful. As always, I am inspired and hungry! A couple of nights ago we had: BBQ Sandwiches (we purchased some at a restaurant we stopped at in SC on our way back from Florida on Friday), homemade mustard slaw, Florida corn and tomatoes (pretty good) and a green salad w/ mango and cukes and lime vinaigrette: Kim

Sorry, I am a big dummy. This should do it! Kim

My daughter is graduating from college the weekend of May 18-20. We have the menu for her party pretty well in hand. But I will have both sets of my parents in town visiting probably from at least Friday night. Do you think that I could freeze this recipe successfully? I would love to get at least one meal done ahead of time. That way, I could concentrate on getting ready for the party and just heat that up, buy some good bread and make a salad. Ta, Kim

little ms foodie - I am inspired! I am making those on Sunday for company. Do you think that they would hold together enough to serve them as a pre-meal snack - finger food like onion rings? Or should I serve them with the meal? Also - how would you feel about a dipping sauce of some sort? Any ideas? Thanks for posting! Kim

I am serving the Blissful Glutton's Peach Cherry Crisp this weekend and I know that it would be utterly crazy good with real, thick, yellow cream on it. Unfortunately, this is not something that I have any access to. Is there any substitute for it? I distantly remember reading somewhere that cold, but melted French Vanilla ice cream worked. Can this possibly be right? Any better ideas??? Maybe clotted cream? I can get that in a jar. Help!! Ta, Kim

Does anyone have English relatives/friends? If so does the name of the restaurant make you giggle? Yes, I am 12.

All I have are half sheet pans, much larger than 11 x 16. Maybe I can find disposable ones that size. Thanks, Tweety! Kim

The party will be buffet, I'm sure. I am going to try to put the Greek letters on the cake , maybe with the year on it. I'm not sure what else - I'll ask my daughter what else they might like.

My daughter's University service organization has ordered a large decorated cake from me for their end of year party. I do a little home baking to order on the side and am not by any means a pro. The only cakes that I ever have made are regular layer cakes. This has to serve 25 people, so I guess that I will have to do a sheet cake of some kind. I was thinking that I could do a 2 layer 13x9 inch. Flop the top layer so I have a nice flat top to decorate. So - will this work? Do you think that it will feed 25? Or should I just make 3 one layer 13x9's? Thanks, y'all! Kim

shugga, have you been to Morgan's yet? My mom and dad liked it a lot. The restaurant that was there before was ok, but they like Morgan's much more. Kim

Gosh, I have no idea. I am a dunce when it comes to anything scientific ! Maybe someone else can explain??? Kim

Now, see, that sounds like heaven to me ! Kim

Really Easy Recipe!! Kim