Maple Ham and Egg Cups

Maple Ham and Egg Cups

We made these simple and delicious Maple Ham and Egg cups in our Mother's Day Brunch class.  They are fun and easy to make for a quick, protein-filled breakfast.  The kids can make the egg cups and you can put the muffin tin in the oven for them.  Fifteen minutes later and voila... a breakfast you can practically eat with your hands!

Pop them in your mouth while they are still warm!

Maple Ham and Egg Cups

6 slices of Maple-glazed Ham (I used Boar's Head)

6 eggs

salt and pepper

non-stick cooking spray

Optional toppings:

shredded cheddar cheese
parmesan cheese
cherry tomatoes
green onions or chives
red or green peppers

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.  Spray cooking oil in all the cups of a large 6 cup muffin tin.  Line each cup with a slice of ham.  Crack an egg in each ham cup.  Salt and pepper and top with your favorite toppings.  Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the egg is set; depending on how you firm you like your yolk.  Remove from oven and twist the ham cups out of the tin.  Serve with toast and fruit.

Summer Cooking Camps are Back!



Join us for a week-long course designed for kids with a unique and exciting theme that offers hands-on participation, detailed cooking instruction and their very own notebook full of recipes to take home! Plus, every day the kids get to eat what they create! The camps will run Monday through Thursday during the months of June and July at my home in Fairfield. Your kids are invited to join the fun as I look forward to teaching them the art of cooking.



Six Flags Over Texas
June 7-10
Mon.-Thurs. 10 am-12 pm
8-12 year old
$70

 Six Flags over Texas is the slogan used to describe the six nations that had sovereignty over the current territory of the US state of Texas. We are going to take a culinary tour through Texas history and explore how the cuisine of each nation is reflected in the foods we love today. We will travel through history creating and tasting recipes from the past. We’ll include a day for pioneers, eating like cowboys on the trail, and exploring the cuisine of the French, Spanish, Mexican (even German and Czech) immigrants who influenced our current culinary tastes with dishes like homemade tortillas, kolaches and pailla. Join us for the best tasting history lesson you’ve ever had!






Sizzling Summer
July 12-15   (Please note the new date)
Mon.-Thurs. 10 am-12 pm
5-8 year olds
$70

Summertime in Texas is HOT! So, the best recipes for summer are light, yummy and keep you cool. Sizzlin' Summer Fun will include all the elements of a great summer soiree as we make our own frozen treats, learn how to pack the perfect picnic and enjoy fun and safe ways for kids to help with the barbeque grill. A summer isn’t perfect without a day at the fair, so homemade corndogs, Belgian waffles and strawberry lemonade are sure to be included!



Manners Matter: Traveling in Style
July 19-22
Mon.-Thurs. 10 am-12 pm
8-12 year olds
$70

Having good manners are important every day, not just when we sit down to dine at a fancy restaurant. This four-week session will focus on etiquette, setting the table and good table manners as we cook recipes that test even the neatest and most polite child!



Please don’t think this is a “stuffy, boring” class…for we will use our etiquette expertise to “travel” to exotic lands and have…high tea in England…pastries on the sidewalk cafes of Paris…fondue on the long voyage aboard the Orient Express from Paris, Vienna, Amsterdam to Turkey…and a fine dining experience at the Plaza in New York.

TO REGISTER: EMAIL ME AT ROBIN@SUSSIEBOX.COM

Peach Praline Bread Pudding

Peach Praline Bread Pudding

I combined several recipes to create this Peach Praline Bread Pudding.  Serve it with a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream for a yummy dessert or decadent brunch.  The whole family will enjoy this recipe and if you have guests, they may never want to leave!

Peach Praline Bread Pudding

Caramel Sauce

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

Bread Pudding

1 bag of frozen peaches or 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh peaches

1 loaf of brioche, sliced and cubed into 1 inch pieces

7 eggs

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Praline Topping

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/c cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

To make the caramel sauce, melt the butter, corn syrup, almond extract and brown sugar in a small sauce pan over low heat until the butter is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved.  Pour into the bottom of a casserole dish.  Place  the sliced peaches over the caramel sauce.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, half and half, vanilla and cinnamon to make the custard for the bread pudding.  Whisk until combined.  Toss the cubed brioche bread pieces with the egg mixture until all the liquid is absorbed.  Layer the wet bread mixture over the peaches and caramel inthe baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and pecans.  Mix until combined.  Cut the butter into small pieces and incorporate into the sugar mixture until it forms a crumbly texture.  Sprinkle the praline mixture over the bread pudding.  Bake in the oven, uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until bubbling.  Spoon onto plate and top with cinnamon whipped cream!

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

In a large bowl, combine the whipping cream, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar.  Whip with an electric beater until soft peaks forms. Serve with Peach Praline Bread Pudding.

Ham and Cheese Frittata

Ham and Cheese Frittata

My kids love it when I make a frittata, whether it's for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  A simple, earthy egg dish similar to an omelette or quiche, the Italian frittata is usually started in a pan on the stove and is finished by baking in the oven.  You can add any kind of meat, cheese or vegetable to the dish to create hundreds of combinations to suit your taste.  I like the "fancy" combinations like spinach and feta or smoked salmon and goat cheese, but my kids love the simpler and more traditional "ham and cheese."  All of these combinations are wonderful, and the dish looks beautiful sliced in wedges like a pie and served with fresh fruit.  Frittatas are easy to make, taste delicious and look beautiful when served.  They make a nice addition to a brunch or an easy Friday night dinner.  


This is a dish the kids can help create.  Kids love to help by cracking all those eggs (just watch for shells)!  The following recipe, as with most frittata recipes serves 4-6 depending on the size of your wedges.  Two adults might be able to eat one half but if I add buttermilk biscuits and fruit, my family has a hard time finishing the dish.  Who cares!  I'll just warm up that last slice for breakfast when nobody is looking!

Ham and Cheese Frittata

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup diced ham
1 tbs chopped fresh herbs, like parsley or dill (optinal)
1 cup grated Swiss or cheddar cheese


Whisk the eggs and milk in a medium bowl with the salt and some pepper until smooth.  Melt the butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Stir the ham, herbs and cheese into the eggs.


Heat the non-stick skillet. Add the butter and let it melt.  Pour the frittata mixture into the pan and stir to make sure the fillings are evenly arranged. Cook, stirring gently a couple times in the first minutes of cooking. Then let the mixture cook undisturbed until the bottom sets, about 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the eggs are just set and brown, about 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook or the eggs will be dry. Remove from the oven, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes.  You can turn the frittata upside down onto a large platter. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Barefoot in Brussels

Here I am with Ina Garten in Brussels, Belgium

Last summer, I had the amazing opportunity to meet Ina Garten, the wonderful food network star known as the Barefoot Contessa.  We met in a little cafe in Brussels, Belgium, no less.  Normally I would never consider approaching a famous person when they are enjoying a quiet moment out in public but when you are in a foreign country and few people around you consider English their native tongue, rules are bent and you feel a little more welcome to approach another American, even if they are famous. 

After my initial double take (we had ducked inside in search of a loo) and some prodding by my sweet travelling companion, I introduced myself.  She was very gracious and both her and Jeffrey talked with us about our trip to Belgium and France.  The funniest part of the story is that our husbands who had been waiting outside for us began to wonder what had happened.  Our quick trip inside was taking longer than expected.  My husband Corey came bounding around the corner to hurry us along and the look on his face when he saw who we were talking to was priceless.  He knew that of all the famous people I could meet, Ina Garten was at the top of my list!  Forget Brangelina, I'll take Barefoot Contessa.  I hate to admit that I was actually giddy with excitement.  Meeting her was the icing on a very yummy cake-like trip to Europe (note the gastronomical metaphor or is it a simile?).

Before seeing the Gartens in Brussels, we had in fact made a couple of stops in Paris because of her show, including a visit to Poilane to see the famous bread chandelier.

This chandelier in Poilane is actually made of bread!

Outside the French bakery on a sunny afternoon in Paris

We visited the Cherche-Midi bakery (or boulangerie) on a beautiful afternoon in Paris.  Poilane is famous for their round loaves of bread, Viennese pastries and butter cookies in the shape of spoons (which I am determined to make someday).  We bought an apple tart to take to our hosts back in Belgium and it traveled quite nicely on the train.

So, where am I going with this discussion of delicious French bakeries and famous American chefs?  In honor of Ina Garten and Poilane, I am including her recipe for a French Apple Tart.  You may have seen it on one of the episodes of Barefoot Contessa.  I tried it with her pie crust recipe and with puff pastry dough.  Both were delicious but the puff pastry does "puff" and it can get messy.  So, here is an idea for your next gathering...an easy and elegant tart.  

My attempt at Ina's French apple tart

French Apple Tart

For the pastry:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup ice water

For the apples:

• 4 Granny Smith apples
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced
• 1/2 cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam
• 2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water

For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter is in small bits the size of peas. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. (I tend not to use the apple ends in order to make the arrangement beautiful.) Sprinkle with the full 1/2 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine! When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Calvados and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Spring Cooking Classes

Spring Cooking Classes

Easter Eggs-travaganza!

Saturday, April 3; 10 am-12 pm      $20.00        (6-12 year olds)

Easter is one of my favorite holidays of the year!  It is a wonderful time to gather family together in the kitchen and around the table.  This year when you host family and friends, let your children help prepare a favorite recipe of their own.  In this class, the children will learn how to make a frittata, a type of Italian omelette which is wonderful for an Easter brunch.  They will also make hot cross buns and learn the history of this Easter tradition.  Finally, we will create and enjoy a dessert of yummy chocolate bird’s nests and homemade Cadbury-style Easter eggs.  I’ll even send home the recipe for Resurrection Cookies, a fun and meaningful activity which illustrates the story of Christ's death, burial and resurrection by baking the cookies and leaving them in the oven overnight.

Making a Mother’s Day Brunch

Saturday, May 1; 10 am- 12 pm    $20.00     (6-12 year olds)

How does a tray laden with coffee, flowers and a decadent breakfast on Mother’s Day sound to you?  Every child is capable of learning new ways to serve loved ones, especially Mom!  In this two hour class, we will focus not just on the food, but the whole act of service.  First, preparation, by using recipes and shopping lists.  Next is the presentation of the food and instructions on how to serve a special meal.  Finally, the biggest blessing of all, we will learn how to clean up the mess!  The recipes for this class include gingerbread waffles topped  with homemade apple compote.  We will also make a light but delicious fruit salad with honey lime dressing, ham and egg tarts, and to finish, crunchy cinnamon palmiers.

TO REGISTER: ROBIN@SUSSIEBOX.COM

Classic Tiramisu Recipe: An Italian dessert in Paris

Tiramisu for Two...An Italian Dessert in Paris

Happy Valentines's Day!  


In honor of this romantic holiday, I decided to post a recipe for grown-ups!  One of my husband's favorite desserts is tiramisu.  You know, the classic Italian dessert layered with espresso dipped ladyfingers and creamy mascarpone cheese.  Last summer when we went to Paris, we had dinner at Le Grand Colbert and for dessert enjoyed the most delicious tiramisu.  You can see mine in the picture above.  You might remember the restaurant from the Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson movie, Something's Gotta Give.  If you've seen the movie, you know that the main characters meet up in Paris for her birthday and enjoy dinner in this quintessential French brasserie.  The restaurant has been listed as a historical monument and is set in the heart of the 2nd district in Paris which borders the Palais Royal gardens.  It really is beautiful with the mosaic tiles and big brass lamps.

Inside Le Grand Colbert

Being American, and fond of the movie, we had to eat at Le Grand Colbert.  Riding the Metro at night was interesting, but the walk back through the City of Lights was amazing until we broke down and got a cab a few blocks from the Hotel.  I don't know how French women do it...heels are not conducive to walking on cobblestone streets.

Outside Le Grand Colbert

The dinner was very good, but the dessert was amazing.  This brings me to an interesting fact...one of our best desserts in Paris was actually Italian in origin.  In Italian, tiramisu literally means "to draw back" which is exactly how I feel, drawn back to Paris and the wonderful layered treat we enjoyed there.  The tiramisu was so delicious that I have been trying to recreate it since we've been home.  There are so many versions out there, but I think the best tasting is in fact the simple, classic version I have given below.  I tried to buy all the authentic ingredients and thanks to HEB Central Market, I pretty much did!  Most authentic recipes call for some type of alcohol to be mixed with the espresso.  I like a dark rum, although one recipe suggested 1/2 dark rum and 1/2 cognac, which I am sure is fabulous, I just used rum to save on money.  You could leave out the alcohol, but I don't think it would taste as good.  One option, especially if the whole family is going to enjoy the dessert, is to reduce the amount of rum by 1/3, so there will be a hint of flavor without a significant amount of alcohol.  You can layer the whole dessert in a glass cake pan or in a trifle dish, but I think individual servings are nice.  Just like we enjoyed in Paris.  So, Bon Appetite Italian style...

My Tiramisu!

Tiramisu Recipe

1 cup espresso, at room temperature

3 tablespoons dark rum
4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar, divided in half
2 cups (250g) mascarpone
1 package of Bonomi ladyfingers
2-3 ounces bittersweet chocolate

unsweetened cocoa powder, for serving

Mix together the room temperature espresso and rum.  I used ground espresso in my French press.  You can brew your espresso in the coffee pot, just use a good espresso like Lily without a lot of water.  It needs to be strong.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they begin to get stiff. Beat in half of the sugar until stiff. Scrape the egg whites into a small bowl.

Using the same bowl you beat the egg whites, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until stiff and light-colored, about three minutes. Mix in the mascarpone by hand with a spatula or whisk, until lump-free.   Fold in half of the beaten egg whites, then the remaining half, just until fully incorporated.

First, submerge each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture for 5-10 seconds, until completely, utterly soaked. Dried ladyfingers will take longer to saturate than softer ones and I prefer their flavor.   You can break one ladyfinger in half to be sure. Layer the ladyfingers so that the bottom of your dish is covered.  Next, layer a heaping spoon full of the mascarpone cream over the soaked ladyfingers into each cup.  Grate a generous amount of chocolate over each.  Continue to layer with ladyfingers, mascarpone cream and grated chocolate until dish is full to top.  Dust with cocoa powder and refrigerate at least four hours, but preferably overnight (if you can wait that long).