Flavors of Kentucky

I will be doing a cooking demo and handing out free cookbooks at Kroger Marketplace on Richmond Road from noon to 4 p.m. July 1.
The Flavors of Kentucky Cooking School cookbook is a primer for beginning cooks. Today’s demo will be sun-dried tomato pesto. More pesto recipes will be in the July 9 Herald-Leader a la carte section.

Sun-dried tomato pesto
4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped pine nuts
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with warm water for 5 minutes, or until tender
In a food processor or blender combine sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and onion; process until well blended. Add vinegar, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and red wine, and process. Stir in olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste.

1934 package Ritz crackers

When my brothers and I were growing up, our mother went to the grocery store on Fridays. She had a list and a certain amount of cash in her purse – and rarely did she buy anything that wasn’t on her list. There were no mid-week trips to the market, so if an item wasn’t in the pantry, she did without.

Mom almost always bought Ritz crackers and when she wanted to make a pie - and didn’t have apples – she made mock apple pie from the recipe on the box. Mom made pie crust from scratch so she could mix that up in a flash with flour and shortening. Since there were no apples to peel, the pie was ready to go into the oven in minutes.

The mock apple pie recipe appeared on the box soon after the crackers hit the store shelves in 1934. This year as the Ritz cracker celebrates its 75th anniversary, Kraft Foods is introducing two variations to the classic recipe: upside down mock apple pie and chocolate walnut mock apple pie.

Here’s the original recipe.

Ritz mock apple pie
Pastry for 2-crust 9-inch pie
36 Ritz crackers, coarsely broken (about 1-3/4 cups crumbs)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Grated peel of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Prehat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out half of the pastry and place in 9-inch pie plate. Place cracker crumbs in crust; set aside.
Mix sugar and cream of tartar in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in 1-3/4 cups water until well blended. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes. Add lemon peel and juice; cool. Pour syrup over cracker crumbs. Dot with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll out remaining pastry; place over pie. Trim; seal and flute edges. Slit top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. Cool completely.

To make chocolate-walnut mock apple pie: Prepare as directed, sprinkling ½ cup each chopped walnuts and semi-sweet chocolate chunks over cracker crumbs before covering with sugar syrup.

Upside-down mock apple pie
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/3 cups water
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoos fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick butter or margarine, divided
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup pecan halves
1 package (15 ounces) ready-to-use refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix granulated sugar and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Bring to boil on high heat; simmer on low 15 minutes. Stir in zest and juice; cool 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter; pour into 9-inch pie plate. Tilt to coat cottom and side of pie plate. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Starting in center of pie plate, arrange nuts, tops side down in circular pattern on bottom.

Line pie plate with 1 crust as directed on package; place cracker crumbs in crust. Pour sigar syrup over crumbs. Cut remaining butter into small pieces; place over filling. Sprinkle with cinnamon; cover with remaining crust. Seal and flute edge.

Cut several slits in top crust to permit steam to escape. Place on parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Place serving plate over pie; carefully invert pie onto plate. Remove pie plate. Serve pie warm or cool completely before serving.

Note: To prevent crust from overbrowning, cover edge with foil near end of baking time, if necessary. To reheat pie before serving, bake in a 200-degree oven for 20 minutes, or just until warmed.

If you’re learning to cook or just want to polish your skills, pick up a copy of the new Flavors of Kentucky Cooking School cookbook. The primer for beginning cooks is $4 plus tax and is available at the Herald-Leader’s front lobby. By mail, it’s $6. Send check to: Lexington Herald-Leader, Attn: Cookbook, 100 Midland Avenue, Lexington, Ky. 40508.

BBQ Baron willing to tell all if you ask

Paul Kirk, the Kansas City Baron of Barbecue, has won seven world barbecue championships, written four cookbooks, and trained ­barbecue restaurant staffs all over the country — and he’ll tell you he’s still learning.
“I learn from other people,” said Kirk. He was in Lexington last weekend to teach a pitmaster class at Good Ol’ Days BBQ in Midway.
Kirk, who lives in ­Shawnee Mission, Kan. is the author of Chef Paul Kirk’s Championship Barbecue Sauces and co-author, with Ardie A. Davis, of America’s Best BBQ.
Almost everyone Kirk encounters is willing to share a tip or recipe for what works for them ­­— or someone else. “A 10-year-old kid was ­watching me and said ‘my daddy does this.’”
The classes Kirk teaches are often attended by people who want to compete. “The only difference between back-yard and competition cooking are a timetable and presentation.
“At home you might plan to eat at 6, but it’s not ready until 6:30. In ­competition, you have a 10-minute ­window, and at 10 minutes and 1 second, you’re out,” Kirk said.
His rules for class ­participation: No outside seasonings (He provides the spices.); no foil (“That’s for pot roast. That’s not barbecue.”) and no sauces.
He teaches students how to make their own rubs with seasonings they like. “Some people think if a little works, more will work better. That’s not true. It’s a balance of salt and spices,” Kirk said.
“I can look at a recipe and change it to barbecue.
“I have a God-given ability to throw stuff together and it comes out good,” he said.
Kirk admits he doesn’t share all his secrets during pitmaster classes, but “if they ask, I’ll tell.”
For a list of classes, ­recipes and books, go to www.baron-of-bbq.com.

Blueberry Jubilee & Pancake Day is June 27

Reed Valley Orchard in Paris is having its ­annual Blueberry Jubilee & ­Pancake Day on Saturday.
Fresh blueberry ­pancakes will be served until 1 p.m., and there will be live music, line dancers and horse-drawn wagon rides. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call (859) 987-6480 or go to www.reedvalleyorchard.com. The farm is at 239 Lail Lane.
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  Livia Theodoli-Wing and Carlton Wing are going on an adventure.

The owners of Wingspan Gallery & Dinner at Wingspan are off to Costa Rica to run a bed and breakfast inn.

“We were contacted three years ago about this opportunity, but it fell through. Then we were recontacted back in February and we went down in May to check it out again. The B&B is owned by four guys from Lexington who bought the place about 15 years ago as a great place to vacation,” Theodoli-Wing said.

“We are very sad to close, but sometimes one has to take opportunities when they come along. We are calling it a ’sabbatical’ because it does imply return, at some point,” she said.
Take a look at where they are going at www.sueno-del-mar.com.

Before they head to the tropics, the couple will serve dinners June 18 and 24, and July 2 and 16. Call (859) 225-5765 or go to www.wingspangallery.com.

Memories of blackberry picking and eating lead to a winning recipe

A recipe created by Allen Carter of Lexington appears in the June issue of Southern Living. The blackberry corn bread recipe was inspired by Carter’s memories of picking blackberries as a child.

“One Friday after a long week of work and traveling, I got home and went to the mailbox and collected the mail,” Carter said. “As I was sitting in the kitchen reading the mail (Blackberry Farm news letter and Southern Living magazine), I started to reminisce (about) spending time with my grandparents in the summer. One of my favorite summertime pies was blackberry cobbler.

“I would go out and pick a bucket of wild blackberries for my grandmother and aunt. They would prepare a large blackberry cobbler for supper and a separate small blackberry cobbler for me.

“As I flipped through the pages of Southern Living magazine, I ran across a article saying submit your recipe and win. I picked up a pen and paper, and the inspiration started. I just made up a mixture of two of my favorite things, corn bread and blackberries,” Carter said.

Here’s Carter’s recipe.

Blackberry corn bread
2 cups self-rising white cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
5 large eggs
16 ounces sour cream
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Stir together cornmeal and sugar in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Whisk together eggs, sour cream and oil; add to cornmeal mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in blackberries. Spoon batter into a lightly greased 12-inch cast-iron skillet.

Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary.

Blackberry corn bread muffins: Prepare batter as directed. Coat two muffin pans with vegetable cooking spray; spoon batter into muffin pans, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 to 17 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack. Makes 2 dozen muffins.

Note from Southern Living editors: “We also tested this recipe using 1/2 cup melted butter in place of the canola oil and loved the rich pound cake-like flavor it gave to this sweet corn bread. It’s delicious with peach preserves.”

Kids can take a stand

The Salvation Army will kick off its annual LemonAiD benefit at 10 a.m. July 2 at Cheapside, Phoenix and Triangle parks. Children can pick up their packets with registration forms and instructions for setting up a lemonade stand whose proceeds benefit homeless children.
Registration also is available at www.lemonaiddays.org, The Salvation Army at 736 West Main Street, or at any Whitaker Bank in Lexington or Georgetown. Call Rayann White at (859) 252-7706 Ext. 117.

Deals at Dream Dinners

Dream Dinners is offering two new programs: Invite a Friend and Taste of Dream Dinners.

The Invite a Friend promotion rewards existing guests for individual referrals on a one-at-a-time basis. Each time a new guest is referred and attends a Dream Dinners meal- assembly session, a reward of as much as $10 toward future purchases is given to the customer who made the referral.
Taste of Dream Dinners is a private event at a Dream Dinners store and is hosted by a Dream Dinners guest. The guest, who invites friends to the event, may earn as much as $10 in referral credit toward future purchases, as well as 50 percent off. Call (859) 269-3463 or go to www.dreamdinners.com. The store is at 115 Codell Drive, Suite 120.

Keeping fresh tomatoes fresh

Local tomatoes will arrive soon at farmers markets, and when they are at their peak, we want to keep them around as long as possible. Here’s a tip from the July issue of Cook’s Illustrated on how to prolong the shelf life of a tomato.

The testing team said: “We’ve heard that storing a tomato with its stem end facing down can prolong shelf life. To test this theory, we placed one batch of tomatoes stem-end up and another stem-end down and stored them at room temperature. A week later, nearly all the stem-down tomatoes remained in perfect condition, while the stem-up tomatoes had shriveled and started to mold.

“Why the difference? We surmised that the scar left on the tomato skin where the stem once grew provides both an escape for moisture and an entry point for mold and bacteria. Placing a tomato stem-end down blocks air from entering and moisture from exiting the scar. To confirm this theory, we ran another test, this time comparing tomatoes stored stem-end down with another batch stored stem-end up, but with a piece of tape sealing off their scars. The taped, stem-end-up tomatoes survived just as well as the stem-end-down batch.”

In the June 4 issue of a la carte, we ran a story about restaurants that offer free or reduced-price meals for children. By mistake we included Red Robin. Several parents took their children on Monday and Tuesday expecting free meals. Red Robin in Brannon Crossing refused to honor that because it was the Herald-Leader’s mistake.

I heard from some moms who were upset with me and Red Robin. So I decided to contact Red Robin’s corporate office and almost immediately heard back from their communications team. Instead of ignoring my email, Kevin Caulfield and Chad Hart called to get details.

I don’t know how they will handle the situation, but they were very concernced about their customers. So, that tells me that this is a restaurant chain that cares. Even though meals for children are not free, it’s good to know corporate is quick to take action.

 Many restaurants make it more affordable for families to dine out

  Eating out can take a toll on the family budget. Feeding a family of four can cost $30 easily, even if everyone orders water to drink.
But many restaurants are keeping their seats filled by offering deals for their youngest patrons.
“Smart operators are firing on all cylinders to get customers in their seats,” said Keith Gellman, president and publisher of RestaurantChains.net, a weekly newsletter covering public and private restaurant chains.
“We have noticed an increase in lower-priced menus, restaurant offerings, by way of menu choices and entrepreneurial start-ups. New offerings include free kids meals for small children, 2-for-1 dinner offerings for anyone, and discounts for seniors,” Gellman said.
“Kids’ night” is not a new idea; it’s just becoming a little more popular now that the economy has taken a downturn.
Parents still want to eat out, and they’re looking for ways to save money while doing so. “I’m always looking for ways to spend less money,” said Jessica Frye, a featured blogger on Bluegrassmoms.com.
Many of the restaurants that offer savings on meals also provide activities for children, she said. But how do you find these restaurants?
“Really, a lot of it is checking at the restaurants,” she said. “I was driving on New Circle and saw a sign at Zaxby’s that they have ‘kids eat free.’”
Another great way to find those deals is to search restaurant Web sites. Frye signs up for restaurant newsletters and often receives coupons from them.
Another money-saving tip: Have your kids drink water.
“Sometimes drinks are free, but most of the time they’re not,” she said.
Full-service restaurants such as Bella Notte and Ramsey’s Diners have kid-friendly menus at reduced prices, and drinks are included. Independent restaurants including Bella Notte offer menus for children 12 and younger. Smashing Tomato and Ruby Tuesday have special nights and prices for children. At Culver’s, children receive a free custard with every kid’s basket. And after the purchase of 10 kids’ meals, youngsters can get a free prize, such as a toy or T-shirt.
Smashing Tomato, also owned by Bella Notte’s parent company, Tomato Express, has kids’ night from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday. The bambino pizza, regularly $4, is $1.99. Crafts and games also are offered on kids’ night.
Monday through Thursday at Ruby Tuesday, each paid adult entree entitles a child to eat free.
When you have a hankering for pizza, Frye recommends checking for printable coupons online. “Often you can order pizza online and get better prices than just ordering by phone. They often will have online deals only. I always check those before ordering,” she said.
Here is a list of some places that offer money- saving kids’ meals. For other listings, go to Bluegrassmoms.com or Frye’s Web site, www.dontgivehimcrackers.blogspot.com.

Applebee’s: On Mondays, children get a free meal with every adult meal purchase. Additional kids’ meals are $1.
Beef O’Brady’s: From 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, children receive one free meal for each adult.
Bellacino’s Pizza: Children 10 and younger eat free with each adult meal from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Dine-in only.
Buffalo Wild Wings: Children 12 and younger can eat for 99 cents from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday.
Calistoga:: Every Tuesday in June they will give a free kids meal for every adult entree purchased.

Woodford Reserve bourbon will toast the final leg of horse racing’s legendary Triple Crown with the Belmont Breeze, the official cocktail of Belmont Park and the Belmont Stakes in New York. Here are recipes from Woodford Reserve for serving at your Belmont Stakes party.

 
Belmont breeze
½ ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon
2 ounces lemonade
1 ounce pomegranate juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Woodford Reserve bacon toast
¼ pound bacon
3 slices wheat bread
½ cup mango chutney
1 tablespoon Woodford Reserve bourbon

Preheat broiler to high. Cook bacon until crisp, chop into fine pieces and place on a small plate. Using a biscuit cutter or the top of a jar, stamp out 1½ inch bread rounds. In a small bowl mix the chutney and bourbon, heating slightly in the microwave to mix thoroughly. Spread a generous amount of the chutney mixture on the bread round then dip it in the bacon pieces so they stick to the bread. Repeat the steps for each bread round. Just before serving heat under the broiler to further crisp the bacon. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Note: The toasts can be made one day ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to broil and serve.

Bourbon-soaked dates
24 pitted dates
½ cup Woodford Reserve bourbon
24 pecan halves
Granulated sugar

Soak dates in bourbon overnight. Drain and put pecan in center of each date. Roll in sugar. Serve at room temperature or store in an airtight container.

Bourbon and pecan brie
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup Woodford Reserve bourbon
1 small (8-ounce) wheel brie
1 baguette, sliced

Combine syrup, pecans and bourbon in a small pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Pierce the brie with a fork and pour the sauce over the top. Serve with baguette slices. Makes 6 servings.

Mustard wraps
3 sandwich wraps
9 slices thinly-sliced turkey
9 slices smoky provolone cheese
Roasted red peppers to taste
Shredded lettuce
¼ cup stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon Woodford Reserve bourbon

Layer three slices of turkey over the bourbon mustard. Add three slices of cheese, roasted red peppers and shredded lettuce. Mix bourbon and mustard together and top with bourbon mustard. Slice wrap in half. Makes 6 servings.

 Sonic Drive-Ins are giving away root beer floats from 8 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday, June 3.

At the first series of cooking classes at Just Us Girls, I explained how to make homemade vanilla extract. It was a hit, and I keep getting requests. Here’s how to make it.

Take two vanilla beans and using kitchen shears, cut the bean within one inch of the top, being careful to keep the seeds intact. Place the vanilla beans in a decorative bottle, about 16 to 24 ounces, with the uncut part to the top. Fill the container with good quality Kentucky bourbon and let stand for 6 to 8 weeks. Vanilla is ready to use.

If you’re interested in learning how to jazz up summer dishes, I’ll show you. My next round of cooking classes will feature herbs and spices on June 11; then tips and recipes for turning summer’s bounty into main-dish meals (June 25 and Aug. 9).
    Classes are 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Just Us Girls, 2392 Woodhill Drive. The cost of a class is $20. Call (859) 269-0312 or e-mail justusgirls@purdonrental.com.

Talon Winery is looking for the best barbecue team in Central Kentucky. The winery, at 7086 Tates Creek Road, is having a barbecue cook-off and concert June 26 to benefit Old Friends at Dream Chase Farm.
Barbecue teams pay a $75 entry fee, and the winner takes all. Tickets for the event are $35 and include barbecue samples from each participant and a glass of Talon’s sangria. The Dixie Beeliners will entertain. Call (859) 971-3214 or go to www.talonwinery.com.

Coleslaw contributions
Coleslaw is a staple at summer picnics and back-yard barbecues, and recipes range from sweet and creamy to spicy and chunky. We’re looking for great coleslaw recipes to perk up our warm weather menus. Send your favorite recipe by e-mail to swthompson@herald-leader.com or by mail to Sharon Thompson, Lexington Herald-Leader, 100 Midland Avenue, Lexington, Ky. 40508.

Seafood at its best
Kentucky chefs will test their seafood cooking skills at the fourth annual Great Kentucky Seafood Cook Off on Monday at Jefferson ­Community and Technical College in Louisville.
Chefs are required to ­submit two of their best recipes using Kentucky farm-raised seafood ingredients. The winner will represent Kentucky in the Great ­American Seafood Cook Off in New Orleans in July. To participate, call Angela ­Caporelli at (502) 564-4983 or angela.caporelli@ky.gov.
Home cooks can show off their pie-­baking skills at the Great American Pie contest July 1. The competition is open to professional and non-professional bakers.
Prizes include a trophy for the ­professional winner and $150, $100 and $50 gift ­certificates from Meijer for the first-, second- and third-place non-professional winners.
Entry forms are available at ­www.LexingtonKy.gov. Send entry forms by June 25 to the Great American Pie ­Contest, Mayor’s Office, 200 East Main Street, Lexington, Ky. 40507. There is no entry fee. Call Marianne Blodgett in the Mayor’s Office at (859) 258-3100.

Ketchup and mustard from scratch
Jennifer Gleason, owner of Sunflower Sundries Farm in Mount Olivet, will share secrets on how to make mustard and ketchup from scratch at a class on June 16 in Maysville.
“I have been making both for over 20 years and rarely use commercial varieties any more. For the ketchup we will start with homegrown tomatoes, ­frozen from last year, peppers, onions and many different spices. These will be roasted in the oven and then put through a tomato press to remove skin and seeds. The result is a deep flavored ketchup, spiced to your taste. I love home-fried ­potatoes and homemade ketchup,” Gleason said.
The mustard is made from whole organic mustard seed (brown and yellow) that is freshly ground. “We add fine wine vinegar and spices to create a coarse ground mustard with punch. Mustard is easy to make and requires no cooking,” she said.
Class participants will make and take home a sample of ketchup and mustard. The cost of the class is $30. Call Maysville Community and Technical College at (606) 759-7141, Ext. 66120.
Sunflower Sundries’ mustard and jam are available at Good Foods Co-Op, 450 ­Southland Drive; Lexington Farmers Market (at Elmwood Stock Farm booth); Shaker Village Gift Shop at Pleasant Hill, and the Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea.
Gleason’s class will be at 6 p.m. in the Maysville Institute of Culinary Arts building. Go to www.maysville.kctcs.edu.

Lots of tastes in one place
If you love good food, Clifton Center in Louisville is the place to be June 28 for the 17th annual Taste of Frankfort Avenue. Cuisine from more than 30 of the street’s signature restaurants will be served. Hours are 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 and available at www.cliftoncenter.org/taste or by calling (502) 896-8480.
The Clifton Center, 2117 Payne Street, is a facility for artistic productions, ­meetings and community programs. Participating ­restaurants include 60 West Bistro, Basa, Bourbons Bistro, Fat Jimmy’s, The Grape Leaf, Homemade Ice Cream and Pie ­Kitchen, J. Gumbo’s on Frankfort, Porcini, Shiraz Mediterranean Grill, Sol Aztecas Mexican Grill, Sweet Surrender Dessert Café, Tony Boombozz, Varanese, and Volare.

Big on taste but not on sodium
Mrs. Dash has created two seasoning blends to spice up ­summer grilling – and leave the sodium behind.
Fiesta lime features sweet chili pepper, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper blended with lime juice and zest. It goes great with chicken, meat, fish or vegetables. Caribbean citrus contains sweet chili pepper, allspice, cayenne pepper, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg and ginger. Combined with orange zest and lime juice, Caribbean Citrus also goes great on fruit salad. Cost is $2.99. For low-sodium tips, go to www.mrsdash.com.

It’s cheesy, but that’s the idea
Do you love goat cheese? The Brown ­Hotel is devoting an evening to ­local ­Capriole cheese and French wine. ­Cheesemaker Judy Schad and wine expert David Dubou will join chef Laurent Geroli on June 19 to talk about goat cheese, wine and farm-fresh food.
Géroli will serve a five-course dinner that includes ravioli Niçois, made with rabbit, carrots and  Julianna thyme broth;  baked cod ­Brandade with Old Kentucky tome served with Yukon gold potatoes with oven-dried tomatoes; seared lamb loin with tempura ­asparagus and Sofia croquette, and raspberry ­Napoleon with caramel goat cheese ice cream. Cost is $85. Call The Brown Hotel at (502) 583-1234.
Capriole of Greenville, Ind., offers a line of fresh, ripened and aged cheeses made by hand using only the milk from the farm’s herd. Go to www.capriolegoatcheese.com.

Chef offers kid-friendly meal ideas
Now that school’s almost out for the summer, parents and baby sitters must plan meals for the youngsters. Leslie Richmond, head chef at Vito’s Café in Fort Thomas, has created some recipes that will help with summer meals.
The restaurant, 654 Highland Avenue, focuses on family style dining and serves platters of Italian specialties.
“These recipes are fun and meant for the family to create together. Kids are busier than ever, and this is a way the whole family can meet in the kitchen, interact, get their hands dirty and create some wonderful Italian food,” Richmond said.
Menus for Vito’s Café are at www.vitoscafe.com. Call (859) 442-9444.
Here are recipes older children can help make for family dinners.
recipes
Baked ricotta stuffed shells
1 pound large dried pasta shells
1 pound ricotta cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons parsley
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Jar red or white pasta sauce
Parmigiano cheese
Cook shells according to package ­directions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together ricotta, eggs, parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Place mixture in a pastry bag or 1 gallon plastic bag with a corner tip cut off.
Stuff each shell with cheese mixture. Place shells in a greased 9- by 13-inch ­casserole dish. Cover with your favorite red or white pasta sauce. Bake 18 to 22 ­minutes. When done, sprinkle top with grated parmigiano cheese.
Italian quesadilla
8 6-inch soft tortilla shells
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded parmigiano cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
12 fresh basil leaves, torn in 6 pieces each
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
16-ounce jar marinara
Optional ingredients:
6 ounces sliced pepperoni
6 ounces Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled (casing removed)
2 ounces sliced mushrooms
1½ red onion, sliced
Olives and pepperoncini
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush one side of each tortilla shells with olive oil and place on baking sheets, olive oil side down.
On four tortilla sides, evenly spread half of the cheeses, basil, crushed red pepper and your choice of meat or veggies.
Top each with remaining cheese and one of the four remaining tortilla sheets, olive oil side up.
Place in oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and crispy. Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges. Place on platter and serve with hot marinara and garnish with olives and pepperoncini.