Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 08/04/2008 04:14 AM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 08/04/2008 04:18 AM
Expires: 01/01/2013 12:00 AM
:
"Strawberry Fields Forever"~By Jenny Baxter of Jenny's Kitchen
Greetings from Bear Valley....“YESTERDAY” I received a call from my friend Kim inviting me and my granddaughter, Victoria, to join her, John, Granger and Grayson for the musical performance of the Beatles. “OH! DARLING” I replied, I would love us to “COME TOGETHER” for this event! I knew Victoria would be thrilled “BECAUSE” she is a John Lennon fan and “EVERY LITTLE THING” the Beatles did she loved....
Since we would not need a “TICKET TO RIDE” I felt it only fair that I provide the tailgate dinner.
So, the “NIGHT BEFORE” I went “SEARCHIN’” to plan our menu. I wanted to put “ALL MY LOVIN’” into this meal I knew the tasty “MEAN MR. MUSTARD” horseradish spread for the beer marinated tri tip sandwiches would be a hit. And since I could not decide on foccaccia bread or sour dough rolls I decided to take along both types of bread. Accompanied with a baby red potato salad, minty green salad with lemon vinaigrette, sliced melon, crudite’ and garlic herb dip, fresh lemonade, sun tea and a nice bottle of white wine the picnic basket was ready to deposit in the car.
The weather for this outdoor event was perfect! No “RAIN.” In fact I found myself looking at the peacock blue sky and mumbling, “GOOD DAY SUNSHINE.”
As we drove up the picturesque highway I told Victoria “IT WON’T BE LONG” until we would be there. She appeared to be mesmerized by the beauty just outside her window. “TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE,” I said. “DON’T BOTHER ME” she replied as she drank in the gorgeous mountains studded with cedars, firs, pines and periodically an Aspen or two. “DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET” she said. “I want to be a “PAPERBACK WRITER” and someday I will put all this beauty into print.
Parking on a side road off the main parking lot we began to unload our picnic fare. John said not to “CARRY THAT WEIGHT” as he took the cardtable from me and set it up on the road side. Once the linens were down, the cork popped and the food out I announced it was time to “COME AND GET IT.” “ALL TOGETHER NOW” I said as we all clicked our glasses and proceeded to fill our plates. Then in no time “WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS” our things were stowed away and off to the big tent we strolled.
Although we did not see a “BLACKBIRD flying through the trees or even “ROCKY RACCOON” we did manage to see a deer. “LET IT BE,” “LITTLE CHILD” Kim said to her youngest son.
Once inside the evening really was “GETTING BETTER.” We had to “SHOUT””THE THINGS WE SAID” because the music was blasting, the lights were flickering and the crowd was up and dancing. We had a blast singing the lyrics to the once popular Beatle music. Granger announced “I’M HAPPY JUST TO DANCE WITH YOU” as he, Victoria and Grayson took to the floor. I kept saying “HELLO GOOD-BYE” each time they left the bleachers. My favorite song “HEY JUDE” got the tent a rockin’ as the Beatles dressed in their bright orange, yellow, blue and green attire played their guitars and beat the drums. The time just flew by.
Back at our cars I asked for some “HELP” to pass out my famous “STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER” cupcakes. These are “FROM ME TO YOU” I stated as I gave each person their dessert. “DON’T PASS ME BY” John said. “I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER” and made more than a dozen. These are so delicious!
“TODAY” was fabulous and “I FEEL FINE.” It’s time to “DRIVE MY CAR” down “THE LONG AND WINDY ROAD.” And “WHEN I’M 64” and Victoria is “SWEET 16” we’re going to do this again. “DON’T EVER CHANGE” grandma she said. “DON’T LET ME DOWN” and I never will was my reply. “THAT MEANS A LOT” And if something does happen “WE CAN WORK IT OUT!” “LOVE ME TOO!”
STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER CUPCAKES
CAKE:
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Mix:
12oz. bittersweet chocolate broken into pieces
5 Tablespoons sour cream
Melt together in the top of a double boiler over hot water stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and place in a large bowl. Allow to cool 15 minutes.
2 cups sugar
One cup butter
Mix in the bowl of a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add:
6 eggs one at a time combining thoroughly after each addition
Add to this
One cup cake flour. Blend well.
Then add the sugar/butter mixture and the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix well
Add:
One cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces.
Mix well. Pour into 24 paper lined cupcake tins
Keep It Sensuously Simple (A food tip from Jenny) Place the batter into a pitcher and pour into the muffin cups. Put a little butter or oil on the underside of the pitcher lip. This will stop the dripping. (Shared from June Berry)
FILLING:
One 8 oz. package cream cheese
¼ cup powdered sugar
One egg
Mix all the ingredients together and place a heaping teaspoon into the center of the cupcake batter
Bake the cupcakes 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool
ICING:
One cube butter softened
One 8 oz. cream cheese softened
One box powdered sugar
½- 1 cup strawberry jam
Mix until well blended. Add more jam until the icing is of spreading consistency
Frost each cupcake and place a strawberry half on the top
Makes 24 cupcakes.
Well, it’s thyme to go
Jenny Baxter
Jenny’s Kitchen
|
