Kiki’s Corner: Dinner auction proves successful
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This past week was an exceptionally busy week cooking wise but also very enjoyable. Last year I was requested to serve on the fundraising committee for the WVU Medicine/Camden Clark Gala project to benefit the new Children's Hospital which took place this past Thursday.
One of my contributions to the fundraiser was for me to prepare a five-course Greek dinner for the highest bidder for up to 15 people at the auction.
One of the two high bidders for the dinner was Dr. Abiy and Nikki Kelil and their very generous donation to Gala of $5,000 with the second additional dinner of $5,000 by the CEO of WVUMedicine. I am pleased and happy to be able to help and serve achieving this great project and this year I also plan to donate my Greek dinner for the 2023 Gala.
Dr. Abiy and Nikki are a wonderful couple and dear friends of mine. They have three beautiful children who I love dearly. It was such an honor and a pleasure to prepare and share with them and their family and friends my Greek cuisine. We met with Nikki and I gave her my Greek menu and I told her to choose anything she wanted. They have been to Greece and they love the Greek food.
Here are some of the dishes I prepared for them: For appetizers: spicy green peppers, spanakopita, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), summer Greek salad and Greek bread.
For the main dish: roasted lamb, lemon potatoes, orzo, stuffed peppers and Greek style green beans. For dessert, I made my special cake that everybody loved when I had the Olympic Deli, honey cake. Everybody had a good time and at the end we all said "Opa!" (When the Greeks have a good time, they say "Opa").
The one thing we didn't do, we didn't break the dishes LOL. That's another custom we have in Greece, when we dance and everybody's in good spirits, we break dishes LOL.
I am pleased to announce that the annual Parkersburg News and Sentinel "Cook Book" with the judging taking place Wednesday, Oct. 25.
Submissions are open starting Sunday with the deadline being Sunday, Sept. 10. Categories are: Starters, Sips and Sides, Centerpiece (main dish) and Sweets.
I am looking forward again this year to serve as one of the local judges for the contest and welcome all of our area's wonderful cooks to take part entering your favorite recipes and dishes,
My gardening this year has been up and down because of the extreme heat along with hard winds and rains etc. I lost some flowers but also pleased that especially my perennials seem to be progressing very well. I am especially pleased that the Hibiscus and Margaritas that I planted last year are beautiful and full of flowers. (The secret is when you see the old flowers dying then pull them out so the new ones will come in taking their place.)
Till Next Week.
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SIM'S DELIGHT
2 white cake layers or lady fingers
vanilla ice cream, softened
macaroons
eggnog laced with brandy
Angostura bitters (optional)
Put a layer of cake or lady fingers in a deep oblong or round mold. Put a layer of ice cream on top. Do this at least one more time or more depending on the depth of the dish. Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or store in freezer. Remove before serving so that it can be sliced easily. Heat and pulverize macaroons to scatter over the top after unmolding. Pour eggnog over top when ready to serve. Pass additional eggnog separately. Angostura bitters may also be passed separately at table.
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GALA GRASSHOPPER MOLD
2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1-lb. 4 oz. can pineapple chunks (drain and place juice in pan)
1/2 cup Creme de Menthe
green food coloring
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups whipping cream or 1 small container Cool Whip and 1 cup whipping cream
cherries and pineapple chunks
Add marshmallows to syrup drained from pineapple. Place over low heat until completely melted. Remove from heat and blend in the Creme de Menthe and 5 drops of green food coloring. Chill until mixture begins to thicken. Beat egg whites until they hold peaks, add the sugar and beat until stiff. Beat cream until stiff. Fold egg whites and cream into mixture, blending well, fold in pineapple chunks. Turn into a 2 1/2-quart mold. Freeze until firm. When ready to serve unmold and garnish with cherries and pineapple chunks.
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MARVELOUS RICE PUDDING
1/2 cup seedless raisins
2 tablespoons rum
1 teaspoon lemon juice
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/4 cup rice
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Soak raisins in rum, lemon juice and rind for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Put rice, milk and salt in a double boiler and cook 1 hour, stirring gently with a fork from time to time. When rice is done, take it off the stove and stir in butter. Beat egg yolks slightly and stir in a little of the hot mixture. Then combine the two mixtures and add sugar, nutmeg and raisins. Set pan in cold water to cool. Beat egg whites until stiff. Mix in cooled rice mixture and pour into a greased casserole. Set casserole in a pan of hot water and make at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes.