GCC - Convenience Store Challenge - Kathleen

[Kathleen]

This April not only holds the promise of Spring but also the promise of Romance as Prince William marries Kate Middleton as his princess! I recently read that the couple plan to live a few years with no servants. You know, they plan to be a normal couple, SO I have decided to dedicate this Royal Meal to the Royal Couple!

I'm sure Kate can bake and what have you, but her schedule is going to be busy with new tiara fittings and such! I'm sure that Kate will appreciate my convenience store mealtime suggestions to such a degree, I talked with her while making my entire dinner. (And made up what she replied!) Enjoy!

~Kathleen

 

[Kathleen]

Royal Royale! A meal fit for a prince! Or soon-to-be Princess!

In creating a meal for royals, there was only one place to shop! Royal Farms. Their motto of "Real Fresh! Real Fast!" more describes Prince Harry, said Kate as she made her way through the Aisles. Our first stop was for beverages. We looked at the Juices and the sodas. We had wished for sparkling water and cranberry juice, but had to settle for Diet Sprite and a protein juice smoothie in banana, coconut, and citrus flavors.

Kate and I were hoping for a sparkling pina colade. We chose it because it had no sugar. Kate was regaling stories that Camilla shared of Fergie's wedding where all noted that the large bow could not camouflage Sarah's back side. Kate said, "I've waited a long time for this day. I'm not going to allow marriage expansion to happen before the big day. No sugar." We high-fived and opted out of sugar.

Recipe:
1/2 Diet Sprite
1/2 Protein Juice Smoothie....the white one.

Next time: Add ice and shake it in a cocktail shaker.

The drink was a bit bubbly. The flavor was well...lacking. I think it may have been better with the berry-flavored smoothie....and best with real juice. I guess Royal Farms employees are too busy to squeeze juice. The drink was okay, but was not as refreshing as we wanted. It was nothing that a cola slushie could not cure!

Pictures follow. Vodka could have helped but we are watching our royal waistlines. We named our creation "Naked Coconut Sprite-zer." As a new bride, we both felt that naked would make anything edible to honeymooners.

 

[Kathleen]

The Royal Grapes

From drinks, we moved on to the appetizer. At the Royal Farms store, we picked up some assorted fruit, pistachios in the shell, and some Philadelphia cream cheese. Though the fruit salad had different fruits, Kate could not stop talking about the royal grapes, so that was what we used.

Recipe for Royal Grapes:

Red Grapes
Philly Cream Cheese, softened to spread easily
Pistachios, roughly chopped

Slather each grape with cream cheese and roll in chopped pistachios.

This took a while to make as the cream cheese sticks to fingers better than grapes. During the conversation, I mentioned that I thought the Obama's had hoped for an invitation. Kate said that anyone who called her "Waitie-Katie" were not invited! After making that statement, she declined to confirm or deny whether anyone in the White House ever called her so. Darn those protocol and tact lessons!

They were gooey, sweet, and salty. The grapes were crisp and rather exploded juice with each bite that mingled well with the cream cheese and the salt from the pistachio nuts. So good that we both decided that we could revisit the drink without vodka for a few more of them.

Here are some pictures!

 

[Kathleen]

Crown Royale

Kate is all about tiaras and crowns. How they will look and the times she can wear one! We knew that our Royal feast would be lacking without a crown jewel and so we have a Roasted (Weinie) Crown Roast filled with succulent Mustard-based Potato salad.

Recipe:
A pack of weinies aka FRANKS
Mustard-based potato salad

Split weinies lengthwise without splitting them into two pieces. Line, cut-side in, around a round casserole. Crumple some aluminum foil in the center to hold them in place. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until done. (About 20 minutes.) Remove the foil crumple and replace with a tin foil bowl of potato salad. Serve.

This was actually rather tasty though we had wanted other options. First we considered tater-tots to turn into a warm potato-salad. Alas. No tatertots. Then we had considered other filling options but every thing we considered, we could not find one or more ingredients. In serving, we had some prepared mustard that could be added by those who wished for a more zesty potato salad and as dip for the roast.

Mustard is a pantry item here.

Kate thought that the floral pattern of the weinie roast made it a wonderful centerpiece and intends to use the dish at her Bachelorette Party!

 

[Kathleen]

Banana-Berry Royale!

Is there anything so royal as a dessert brimming with goodness? We did not think so. In going to the store, we intended to make a Twinkie tiramisu. They had coffee items! They had CoolWhip and Icecream which we were going to use to make the mock-mascarpone! They did NOT have TWINKIES!!! What kind of convenience store does not have Twinkies??? We felt like the Woody Harrelson character from Zombieland!

Plan B. We obtained two slices of cream cheese pound cake, CoolWhip, a container of assorted berries, a banana, and instant Jello vanilla pudding (one spoonful.) Voila! Banana-Berry Royale was created!

Basically, mix the CoolWhip with a spoon of instant Jello vanilla pudding. Split the cake slices. Split the banana. Layer: Cake, coolwhip mixture, bananas, coolwhip mixture, berries, cake, coolwhip mixture, and berries.

This was yummy. It was even more yummy the next day!

I had wanted to put a small can of crushed pineapple to the coolwhip mixture, but they did not have cans of pineapple. In hindsight, we did not miss it.

Kate plans to serve this when her new MIL comes for tea! I still think she should invite the Obamas to the wedding!

 

[Kathleen]

Fine'

There you have it!

Kate did mention that the no servant idea was not mentioned until after she had the sapphire sparkly on her finger! That being said, she feels she can make this meal with flair! I know my Prince enjoyed it which is all that really matters!

Thank you for viewing!

 

[FrankZ]

Bravo... well done!

 

[spork]

Crack me up!! That is SO funny!
I must say though that the entree looks fantastic.
Such good fun, Kathleen. Well done!

 

[LPBeier]

I promised I wouldn't look but I had too! As usual, Kathleen, you have set the bar very high. But it hasn't changed my mind on any of my items - I hope to get the rest of my items tomorrow and get it up by Friday!

Love the ring LOL!!!!

 

[LPBeier]

Bravo... well done!

What? No Yum?

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

I love it Kath, I got a temp ban from the BBC food board when a similar thread was started re dishes for their first breakfast, I suggested Toad in the Hole

 

[DaveSoMD]

Great Job!!!!! I love the main course and not I have a new way to use all the hot dogs and sausages I have in the freezer.

 

[FrankZ]

What? No Yum?

Sorry...

Yum!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Brilliant! Everything looks good!

 

[mollyanne]

Now, THAT was pure entertainment! I'm still laughing at the Royal conversations with kate and the Royal Crown [weinie] Roast...lol. All of it was terrific...and did I mention the ring looked delicious!

 

[Kathleen]

I thank you and Kate thanks you for all of the kind (and funny) comments. Kate's pretty proud of her ring.

Seriously, I love these challenges. They are pure and simple fun! Bolas, that breakfast was a lovely idea! Grandma used to make it when I was young.

 

[chopper]

My favorite is the dessert. It looks pretty and I am sure it is YUM.

 

[Kathleen]

Thanks, chopper!