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Shopping the Larchmont Farmer’s Market on Sunday is part of my weekend routine and one recent Sunday my gal pal Judy Ludy (master of cook & baking) and I were inspired to create a meal of fresh ingredients that were almost solely from the market. My husband came along to document the experience and, of course, eagerly await the food.

On the menu for six guests:

Dinner:
Roasted chicken (we bought rotisserie chickens from the grill guy at the market. It saved us time in the kitchen.)
Japanese Eggplant, Mozzarella & Tomato (Slice the eggplant length wise to wrap around the cheese and tomato-hold closed with a toothpick to grill on bbq)
Roasted Squash and Zucchini (so simple-long slices grilled with evoo, sea salt and pepper)

Two desserts: Just because!
Peach Cobbler with vanilla bean ice cream (Judy’s trick-cut out a 1/3 of the sugar)

Berry Trifle (blueberries, strawberries and raspberries heated in a pot with some lemon juice and a little sugar will reap plenty of juices to be soaked up by your choice of cubed pound cake or angel food cake. I make fresh whipped cream with a touch of vanilla and sugar and then I fold in a jar of lemon curd to the mix. Judy baked a lemon pound cake for the trifle that was awesome, but you can use store bought to save time. It’s all about the layers.

And plenty of wine from Rose to Vinho Verde.

YUM!

Ask Alison:

Hey Alison! Been keeping up with you, girl! So cool how many people and places you are charming with your sweet self. You are rockin’ it! Way to go. My oldest son is getting married in July, outside at a country club. It is a 4pm ceremony.
As you might recall, the ladies are large! I have dropped from a size 22 down to a 16 since I saw you last, but am still on the heavy side. What would you suggest? And what about a hat? I so appreciate any ideas!

-Becky, Keystone Heights, Fl

Answer:

Hey Becky,
Outside in July means there will be heat and humidity to deal with, especially if we’re talking about Florida. If indeed the country club is in Florida then I would suggest skipping the hat unless it’s lightweight, medium to wide brimmed raffia in a pale woven color. Then you can add a ribbon or flower of your choice to match with your dress. While we’re still letting thoughts of Kate and William dance in our heads remember that affair was held in a cool interior and most women dressed in conservative suits. The hats were fun, but most of the outfits were a bit dull. Most important is to choose the dress and you can think about a hat later since depending how long the ceremony runs it can lead to a hot, perspiring mess under the hat and flattened hair.

Devastatingly Delicious, Decidedly Naughty and Wickedly Addictive Dessert

Dare I tell you about the infamous Seven Layer Bars that have taken over our home for the last few days?

Yes, I shall share the tale of the outrageous, foodgasm that erupts in your mouth each time you take a bite of one of these sinful pleasures. Sinful is where this short story starts. Our friends invited us to a glam affair to “Ring in the Rapture” although as we all know it The Rapture didn’t happen so it turned out to be a chance dress up and partake in sinful drinks and sweets. I made two desserts-devil’s food cake mini cupcakes with vanilla icing and red drizzled pitchforks and the seven layer bars which I like to think of as 7th Heaven.

I made two batches and kept part of the second batch back home when I couldn’t figure out how my husband and I could balance more than four trays of desserts. AND, that my friends is how at around 3pm each afternoon I start hearing a voice beckoning me into the kitchen to open up a tinfoil lined container housing these decadent little treats. I confessed to my friend, Jesse Brune who also happens to be a classically trained chef and my trainer that I should just throw them away. He, who has a love of sweets as well, agreed, “Throw them away or you’ll be doomed.” OK, he didn’t say doomed aloud, but he and I can communicate telepathically.

So after my training session today I went home and ignored the container until 4pm (oh, how strong I am) when I went into the kitchen and chose two squares and slowly ate them while taking a break to read the Hollywood Reporter. I went back into the kitchen and unwrapped the foil again to just take a look, a last look was the plan before I threw the rest away. Then I thought, perhaps I should freeze all the rest, but four squares. Only fair to let my husband have his share before they’re packed away for a few weeks until some fated night he suggests cupcakes for dessert or a mad dash to Milk for the blondie sundae and I say, “We’ve got bars in the freezer.” And guaranteed he’ll say, “Those will do. Those will definitely do.” And yet, I still haven’t packed them yet in freezer bags. Maybe just one last look, one last bite before they hit the cold.

So here’s the simple recipe for the wickedly addictive bars:

Seven Layer Bars

1 stick of butter
1 cup of graham caracker crumbs
1 cup of shredded coconut
1 package of chocolate chips
1 package of butterscotch chips
1 can of condensed milk
Your choice: 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or 1 cup of mini marshmallows

How to:
Melt the butter and pour into a 9 X 13 pan. Layer graham cracker crumbs on top (they will soak up the butter). Then layer the various chips. I admit I also added in peanut butter chips as well. Add the coconut on top of the chips and then add your nuts if you choose to use nuts. Then pour the condensed milk over the layers. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes. If you want marshmallows add them halfway through baking scattered on top. They will soften, get a little oozy and turn a light brown on top.

Take out of oven and let cool. Once thoroughly cooled you can put the pan in the fridge for 10 minutes to make them easier to cut into bars or just go for the soft melty goodness that will happen.

Enjoying a naughty good time at the Ring in the Rapture party. Me, with my halo and Daysun with his horns.

This would have been so useful when I lived in a small apartment, but couldn’t give up riding my bike around the city. Chris Brigham came up with a stylish solution. While visiting many of his friends in small apartments in SF and more so in NY, he noticed that there is a void when it comes to elegant bike management. Bikes always get in the way – either in the hall, or leaning up against a bookshelf or something. So he decided to design something to fix that problem. He calls it simply, the Bike Shelf. So get your bikes up off the ground whether high or low. Check it out for yourself at, www.knifeandsaw.com

I’m hooked!! I’ve gone a bit batty in a good way for the Taschen design photo books. Each little $8-10 book features a different city or region and is filled with color photos of interiors and exteriors that fulfill the “flavor” of that area. It combines my love of photography, design and gives me a chance to escape for a few minutes to that locale. I’ve collected many of the books that represent cities or regions like Tuscany or Provence that I have visited and it gives me a chance to reminisce.

Found on TheFind.com at TASCHEN, TheFind.com

Here’s the video from my latest appearance on ABC’s The View, showing Sherri and Elisabeth how to get amazing designer looks for less at T.J.Maxx and Marshall’s! What a fantastic time, and the four girlfriends we dressed were super terrific. I love The View, and I love me some T.J.Maxx and Marshall’s!!

Actress, GLEE

1. Who are you listening to now?
I’ve been listening to John Mayer everyday lately.

2. Best laugh on Glee so far?
When we did the wheelies episode we only had one day to learn how to manuever the wheel chairs. I thought I was doing really well and went ahead and popped a wheelie, but I had no brakes and fell over the ramp. The whole room went quiet for a few secnds and then we all burst out laughing. I was a little sore, but the alughter broke the ice and we all had a good time.

3. Since you definitely have a hip sense of style and tips?
Make sure you’re wearing the right size. Many of us curvy girls would like to think we’re a size 8 and we try to squeeze into clothes, but it looks so much better if we wear the right size even if it’s a 12.

4. Where will you be for the holidays?
Home is where my mom is. I’ll be home in Long Beach with my mom and sisters for the holidays.

5. Any songs you’d like to sing on the show and what has been your favorite song you got the opportunity to sing on Glee?
I really want to do a Black Eyed Peas song like, “Boom Boom Pow,” and I really enjoyed singing “Sombody to Love.”

6. What music genres do you enjoy singing and what’s the plans for 2010?
I love so many kinds of music from blues and du wop to gospel and R & B. I’m hoping 2010 will bring success for my own album.

7. If you could share a stage with any artist who would it be?
Hands down, Beyonce. She’s beautiful, a great singer and is amzing on stage.

I’m on stage singing Christmas Carols with Amber (Mercedes), Corey (Finn) and Mark (Puck) of Glee and Kimberly Locke of American Idol in Bryant Park in New York City as park of a Carol-Oke event for the holidays.

Toy for Tots event in conjunction with TJ Maxx and Marshalls recently held in Bryant Park in New York City with cast members of Glee.