Yesterday we went to Kansas City to see the Kirkland's as they made their annual trip from Alabama and to see all the people in the Heartland. The Kirkland's brought their two boys Austin and Ryan and they were a hoot. As usual, Dan and Carrie Craig were the hosts and put on a great meal. To add pleasure to this group, the Johnson's also brought their two girls Elizabeth and Emily to help with the giggles.
After my serenade on the piano, Elizabeth came over to visit me as I finished my meal. I told her that I thought it was a good idea to exchange little brother Ryan for her little sister Emily. She looked sternly in my face and with her hand on her hip said, "I already have brothers and I don't need more." I about fell out of the chair laughing. Such a sweetheart. I think Barbara tried to take a picture of the girls but little sister was almost too fast to capture even with digital photography and flash.
During the meal preparation, we had a good discussion about grilling. The last time I cooked hamburgers, I bought the 90% lean 10 % fat hamburger and was not happy with how dry they were. I like a juicy hamburger and thanks to my cholesterol medicine can seem to eat one or two without my count being too high. We all agreed that the lean meat cooked over a hot fire isn't our ideal. I also wished that I had brought Dan some of the hickory I brag about. He has a Webber smoker and just loves the low and slow smoke flavored meats. He also recommended putting some cauliflower in a grill basket and letting that smoke for a while. He said that he won't go back to steamed.
A few years back, I saw someone make a picnic dessert that looked yummy. I made one and for the first time there was leftovers. I think everyone ate so much of the Quinoa salad and potato salad that they just were full. Had it been a lunch meal perhaps there might have been more people eat a snack after the dinner settled.
The dessert is so simple that I wonder why more people don't make it. Go to the store and buy a package of Twinkies (10 count not the 2 count) Buy frozen strawberries and a tub of the whipped topping. I like chocolate pudding so I use the combination of a six pack of chocolate and a six pack of vanilla. Start with a layer of Twinkies in the bottom of a large serving Bowl. Put a spoon full of the strawberries on each Twinkie. I put a spoon full of the chocolate pudding between each Twinkie and a spoon full of the vanilla around the places where I don't put chocolate. I spread a layer of the whipped topping and then add a second layer just like the first. Yesterday I added some sliced fresh strawberries on the top but I do good, not pretty. I'm sure that Barb could have made it look much better but she couldn't improve on the taste. If you have time, you can make your own pudding and not buy the stuff in the little cups. The recipe I gave you is designed so you can go from the store to the park and make it on the fly at the park. I am sure that once you try this for a group dinner you will love it. WARNING - This just makes am enormous dessert so don't try this at home unless you make it a bowl full at a time, as a snack. It isn't as pretty but one Twinkie, one spoon of pudding, one spoon full of strawberry and a little topping does make a killer snack.
I hope this didn't make you too hungry. I am working on my second cuppa joe and haven't eaten yet so I am one hungry guy sitting here regaling you with a vision of goodness. Dang I hate it when that Happens.
Yesterday some anonymous person left two comments on my blog. They were so poorly written that I couldn't make sense of what they were trying to say. The second comment also contained some swear word but most 5 year olds would have used that profanity in a better manner. Oh well, I hope this doesn't become a problem.
MUD
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