Blonde By Design

Playing in the kitchen ...

With summer time comes summer parties.  Seems almost everyone is having one.  Even me.  I've been in a kitchen creating mood lately.  No particular reason other than life is art, even in the kitchen.

This week's kitchen crafts included the 7 layer bean dip and The Blue Jersey Girl, a drink I made up for my fun Twitter friend @TrueJerseyGirl. 

7 layer Bean Dip

2 cans Bean Dip (Frito or other brand)
1 12-16 oz jar Salsa
1 12-16 oz tub guacamole
1 small tub (16oz) sour cream
1 cube cream cheese
2-3 Roma Tomatoes
2 bunches green onions
1 cup sliced olives
Shredded jack & cheddar cheese

Spread Bean Dip on bottom of platter or glass cake pan
Pour Salsa on top of bean dip
Spread tub of guacamole on next (I also add slices of fresh guac & cilantro)
Add sliced tomatoes and onions
Cream together cream cheese & sour cream
Top with Cream Cheese, olives and cheese

Chill for 1 hr

The Blue Jersey Girl                        

Serves 8

I can frozen Lemonade
1/2 cup Country Time Lemonade
Stolichnaya Blueberry Vodka
Blue Curacao
1-2 lb Fresh or frozen Blueberries
ice cube trays

Pour thawed frozen lemonade and 1/2 cup Country Time Lemonade into pitcher.  Add 4 1/2 cans water, stir. 

Put approx 6-8 blueberries in each cup of ice cube tray.  Fill w/ lemonade mixture & freeze.

Prepared drink:
Fill 8 oz glass w/ a small bit of ice and 2-3 blueberry ice cubes
2 oz Blueberry Vodka to 4-6 oz of Lemonade.  
1/4 oz  or to taste, float Blue Curacao over top.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

My mother's mother was always able to create a feast fit for a king out of nothing.  A dabble cook.  A dabble of this a pinch of that ...  and it always turned out perfect.

I discovered her recipe when I was twenty & taking care of her before pancreatic cancer took her from us.

In my attempt to get her to eat, I spent hours in the kitchen creating dishes to tease her appetite.  Even on the days when she couldn't make herself eat much, I knew my dabbling in her kitchen pleased her more than anything.  She loved that I could get lost for hours sifting through her recipe boxes.   

As time passed on and my days were filled with loving memories of Grandma, I discovered her gift stayed with me ...  as I dabbled in the kitchen.

(I substitute 1 Cup Butter for 1 Cup Shortening)