My Southern Touch

I've missed everyone...

2010-06-20T21:24:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone, I haven't forsaken my blog I have been having a very difficult time with a very painful chronic condition and it has put a hold on my life for awhile. I hope that one day soon they will be able to get a hold on the drugs and stop the ones that don't play nice with my brain. I have what is called TN or trigeminal neuralgia. It's a monster of a rare condition causing difficult flashes of severe pain from deep in your brain and into your face. It is occasionally controlled by medications and or brain surgery. I am working on the drugs now and trying to skip the surgery. It is an interesting condition and if curious you can google it. I will return, so until then have a wonderful summer everyone.

I'm back and wishing for spring...

2010-03-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

I'm back and it felt great to sign into my blog again! Moving has been all consumming and when I added in a major asthma attack and back to back nightmare snow storms I thought I would never see my computer monitor again before spring. It is great to be here and I look forward to reading your blogs and catching up on everyone's posts.

Since it is a very sunny day, 42 degrees and March 1st, I am feeling Spring on the horizon, well 20 days or so, here is a pretty collection of spring flowers I found on the web to make me smile. Sure hope it makes you feel as happy as it did me when I found the little spring mosiac.

Football Parties and Food... Onions, Peppers and Italian Sausage

2010-01-15T11:58:00.000-05:00

This weekend is football playoff games and my family and friends will be tied to the television to watch the Baltimore Ravens kick butt on the Indianapolis Colts. This is a major game for the Ravens because the Colts were at one time the beloved Baltimore Colts that were stolen away in the middle of the night by a new owner and another city. After the heartbreak wore off the state of Maryland got the Baltimore Ravens and now this fight for a chance at the Super Bowl is between the old and the new. Me I am cheering on the newer team, the Baltimore Ravens.

With football this important we break out the big guns when it comes to food and one of our top favorites is the king of street food, Onions, Peppers and Italian Sausage Sandwiches. Makes my mouth water to think of these great flavors and I think you'll love them too. They are really easy to make and not very expensive.

Italitan Sausage, Peppers and Onion Sandwiches
2 to 4 pounds of Sweet or Hot Italian Sausage (your choice on how hot you like it)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Big Onions either yellow or sweet
3 Peppers, 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow or whatever combo you want

2 or 3 cloves of garlic
1 cup beer or wine
Italian Seasonings -dried
6 to 8 Crusty Italian Rolls

In a large heavy skillet put in the sausage you have cut into 4 to 6 in lengths. Cover the sausage with water and cook over medium heat for as long as it takes for the fat from the sausage to rise to the top of the water. Twenty minutes is plenty.
Remove the sausage and throw away all the greasy water.
Cut the sausage into one to two inch pieces. Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut into narrow slices along with slicing the onions to the same size.
Chop the garlic into small pieces.
Add the oil to the heavy pan and heat it up. Add the onions, peppers and garlic to the pan and cook till starting to get brown and soft. Add the sausage pieces to the vegetables. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of Italian seasoning. Brown your sausages while the pepper and onions are getting softer. Add the beer or wine to deglaze the pan and stir well. Reduce the wine or beer for a few minutes. Taste, you may want to add some salt and pepper to taste.
Cut open and toast the rolls and load the all up with the mixture. This is so good I can't wait till tomorrow to fix it. Yummy. With a cold beer or soda they are perfect for any sports event.

Hope you try them. You can use chicken sausage if the pork is not your thing. Let me know what you think and who you are cheering on this weekend. Me, it Go Ravens!!

My Grandmother's afternoon treat...

2010-01-13T15:09:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking lately about my very sweet Grandmother Clotile who left us many years ago after a difficult illness. While she was with us she would always make up this special treat when the grandkids were visiting. My grandparents lived in the deep south and were quite poor but Grandma Clotile always kept her little stash of goods in the pantry that she could pull an ingredient out and bring a smile to any kid. My favorite treat was her chocolalte gravy poured all over her fluffly buttermilk biscuits.
This is something easy to do and hasn't many ingredients. I even saw Paula Deen whipping it up one day. That made me laugh because I thought only my grandmother knew how to make this chocolate treat.
Here's the recipe, I hope you try it on your kids one day, big or little, because I'm sure they will be thinking about how cool their Grandma is as well.

Grandma Clotile's Chocolate Gravy

Chocolate Gravy:
1/3 stick butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups whole milk
Heat butter in a cast iron skillet over low heat. Mix in sugar, flour and cocoa. Slowly pour 1 cup of milk into the skillet and whisk well to remove lumps. Whisk in remaining milk, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick, being careful not to scorch. Serve hot over biscuits.

How about you, did your Mom or Grandmother have special little afternoon treats like this one? I'd would love to hear about them.

Snow days and Homemade Comfort Soup...

2010-01-08T21:21:00.000-05:00

After lots of wonderful holidays and traveling to my family's places I have finally settled back home and back to my blog. I will admit to missing the blog a lot. I did from time to time sign in and read and leave comments on a few but couldn’t get to mine till now. Seems like it has been forever and I hope all my follows are still hanging with me. What do your think of the terrible cold weather we are having? We have already had three bad snows for this area and it’s just the beginning of winter; come on spring you are needed soon.

One of the good parts of winter are the wonderful, good homemade soups we enjoy whenever I feel the need for comfort food. When it comes to comfort food this is a favorite in my house, so for my Mom who is crazy about this one here is the Loaded Baked Potato soup. Whatever you love to dump on your baked potato just pile it on the bowl of soup. All items are welcome. Mom and I both love bacon crumbles, shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream just like we can pile on our baked potato. Mmm good, give this a try, you’ll love it.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Start by baking till just done enough potatoes to get 3 cups. 3 or 4 is usually enough.

In a large soup pot add 4 tablespoons of sweet butter

To the melted butter add 1 ½ cups chopped sweet onion and cook till translucent

Add 2 cans of (15 ½ oz) all natural chicken broth

To the chicken broth or stock add the 3 cups cubed cooked potatoes

Simmer the soup for 15 minuets till they are tender and have picked up the flavor of the broth.

Add 1 cup cream or half and half. You can use low fat milk if you don’t mind a thinner soup.
Add 1/2 cup sour cream
Salt, or to taste
Black Pepper to taste (I love lots)
Don’t let the soup come to a boil or you will curdle the milk and sour cream. Keep it at a simmer.
Simmer for about 10 minutes and serve. This is a great but quick to make soup and the leftovers are wonderful the next day. Serve in a big mug or your favorite bowl.

To Load it up add crumbled crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, dollops of sour cream and chopped green onions. Whatever you enjoy, this is your comfort food so do it your way.

What is your favorite cold weather soup, I’d love to here from you all?

Seasons Greetings to All...

2009-12-23T18:04:00.000-05:00

May all the days of Christmas bring you a gift of love from your love ones, and on the third day of Christmas, Three Fench Hens. As the story goes the symbols of the french hens stand for Faith, Hope and Love, and with that you have everything.

I will be away for several days sharing my holiday with all of my family members and I wish you the happiest of holidays and all the gifts of the 12 days of Christmas.

Have a Merry, Merry Christmas and a safe and blessed New Years.

My mini decorations this holiday...

2009-12-13T01:29:00.000-05:00

I have been so terribly busy and really under the weather the past few weeks that I have been very bad in keeping up with my posts and comments. I guess it is the time of year that gives us all too much to do and usually crummy weather to make us sick that we all have the same complaints. So sorry but I think I have finally caught up and gotten my act together.

I am planning to move to a new and larger place after the new year so I decided to go with a minimum of decorations this Christmas. I figured it would be less to unpack from storage and less to have to pack after Christmas if we just did one small tree and my favorite

Christmas decoration, St. Nick in the pink robe. Tonight my minimal Christmas decorations are complete and as pretty as they are I feel like I'm missing tons of things. I am crazy about the Christmas season and love all the many decorations I usually install. I like to put different themes in different rooms and also use lots of garland and swags. Watch out next Christmas, with more space I will go crazy!

I have finished all the shopping and baking early this year so now it's just wrapping and making a couple of small pieces of jewelry for a gift exchange. I'm hoping to be able to just kick back, open a bottle or two of wine and relax away the rest of the weekend. Nice thought, hope it works that way!

I sure hope all is going well with all of you this season and you are at the spot in the craziness you would like to be. I have a lovely glass of vino with me now and I send all of you a toast for the holiday. Cheers and wishing you a very safe, happy and blessed season!!

I'd love to hear how everyone else is making out with their plans this year. Drop me a note, your comments always brings smiles.

A new favorite Christmas candy...

2009-12-02T15:23:00.000-05:00

This past weekend my girlfriend and I, along with my Mom, spent hours making candy for Christmas and to sell at the holiday church bazaar next week. We made all of our favorites, Turtles, Pralines, Peppermint Bark, Toffee, Toffee Bark, Chocolate and Caramel covered Pretzels and this year my new favorite, Eggnog Truffles. Actually I am not much of an eggnog drinker unless I am served up someone’s homemade eggnog with a hit of rum or brandy but these wonderful little candies are fabulous. They taste wonderful and truly melt in your mouth. I know they will all sell at the church bazaar and we will have to make another batch the week before Christmas just for us. Try these, they are not difficult to do and they are worth the effort!

Ingredients

Note: I doubled this recipe with no trouble at all.

1 pound white baking chocolate, divided

4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Fresh is best if you have it.
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Imitation Rum Extract or ½ teaspoon Rum or Brandy
(I used the real Rum)
About two tablespoons of ground nutmeg for sprinkling. I use the fresh nutmeg

1. Melt 8 ounces of the chocolate as directed on package. Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, nutmeg and extract in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed mixer until well blended and smooth. Add melted chocolate; beat until well mixed. Cover. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

2. Shape into 24 (about 3/4-inch) balls. Place on wax paper-lined tray. Refrigerate until ready to dip.

3. Because when you drop each cold truffle into the melted white chocolate to coat you can only coat 12 truffles at a time. The temperature of the coating drops to cold to coat more than 12. I found just doing 10 at a time worked best. Then melt 4 ounces of the remaining chocolate in small microwavable bowl on MEDIUM (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute. Using a fork, dip 1 truffle at a time into the melted chocolate. Tap back of fork 2 or 3 times against edge of dish to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place truffles on wax paper-lined tray. (If there are any “bald” spots on truffle, cover with melted chocolate that remains on the fork.) Sprinkle truffles with nutmeg between each batch while they are each still wet from dipping. Repeat with remaining 4 ounces chocolate and remaining truffles.
4. Refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set. Store truffles between layers of wax paper in airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Don't be afraid of making any kind of truffles, they are easy to do just takes a little extra time. These are delightful and not an overwhelming eggnog taste so anyone will love them.

Mom's favorite candy made easy...

2009-11-24T16:40:00.000-05:00

When it comes to the holidays each year my friends and family think it is mandatory to have Mom's homemade Turtles. I will admit I am one of the ones looking forward to getting turtles and pralines even if I am the one making some of them. They are both very easy to make but when it comes to turtles this year they got even easier. Instead of making homemade caramel, which is very time consuming although fabulous, I got to try some bulk caramel that was just as good as homemade and actually better when it came down to the ease.

This wonderful caramel comes in a 5 pound block and it is made by Peter's Candy. I was able to order it online from a terrific small business out of California called an Occasional Chocolate. The 5 pound block sells for around $21.00 and is worth every bit. It is very soft and buttery tasting and super easy to use. To make your turtles all you have to do is cut or pinch off the amount of caramel you need for the size of the turtle you're making. Roll the piece of caramel into a ball. Set down 3 or 4 pecans in the shape of legs and push down the caramel ball onto the top of the nuts, spreading it out so just the tips of the nuts are showing. Depending on the amount of chocolate you like for your candies either dunk the caramel and nuts fully into the chocolate or spoon some onto the top of the nuts and caramel. Set on waxed paper to let the chocolate get firm and glossy. We make some with pecans, which is the traditional turtle nut, and some with almonds but whatever nuts your family loves could be used. Also available at the Occasional Chocolate is bags of very good Guittard's melting chocolates in Milk, Dark and White for great prices. My favorite is the dark chocolate of the turtles.

I know you may think this is really a lot of caramel at one time but there are so many more candies you can make with it. We always wrap some around pretzel rods then dip them into chocolate with sprinkles and nuts on the top. So, so yummy! The caramel stores very well if you find yourself with any leftover. We made many turtles and rods so far this year for our holiday use and packaged up many of them for the bazaar at church to sell. It seems nobody can pass one up and we didn't have any leftovers to save. This is good stuff and I hope you try it out. I put a link to her online business, check it out because I'm sure you will like all the ingredients.

This is not a sponsored promotion for the candy place or the caramel, she doesn't know she is mentioned, it is just that it is really good and the prices are terrific. Also they ship out right away, can't beat that!.

Mama's Sweet Southern Ambrosia...

2009-11-17T12:32:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners mean turkey and Mama's Southern Ambrosia. We don't cook turkeys any other time of the year and we don't make ambrosia. My family loves fruit and fruit salads and we make them year round but throwing in those few extra ingredients and calling it ambrosia puts them into a catagory all its own. It's sweet and tart, soft and crunchy and just plan yummy. The perfect side for all the rich flavors of your turkey dinner. It's beautiful served in your fancy holiday bowl and it is great as a left over treat. Try it, I know you'll enjoy it. It's yummy!
Mama"s Southern Ambrosia
1 large can of pineapple chunks – drain off the juice
1 large can of mandarin orange sections – drain off the juice
1 large can of peaches – chopped into bite size pieces and drained

2 bananas – sliced and sprinkled lightly with lemon juice so as not to brown

1 ½ Cups of seedless grapes – sliced in half
1 ½ Cups of mini marshmallows – the pastel ones are pretty in here
1 can or half a bag of shredded sweetened coconut – more or less to taste
1/2 Cup of red cherries cut into half. Can be left out, we do sometimes.
¾ Cup of chopped Pecans – can use more or less to taste
1 pint container of Sour Cream
2 tablespoons of Light Brown Sugar – Stir well into the sour cream and let sit awhile to dissolve

Carefully fold all ingredients together and serve in a pretty bowl. We sometimes use a trifle bowl and it looks so nice that way. Ambrosia is best after it has set for a few hours in refrigerator and even overnight giving the flavors time to meld.

Thanksgiving sides - Baked Corn Pudding - Family Traditions...

2009-11-12T16:55:00.000-05:00

One of the things my family likes best about Thanksgiving dinner isn't the turkey but the sides. They actually have joked many times about skipping the bird and just having a table full of side dishes. We have many of the same ones year after year, that include 2 kinds of dressing, regular herb stuffing and a cornbread dressing, petite peas, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with an orange and praline topping, cranberry relish, ambrosia, and if that's not enough, baked corn pudding.
I generally only make this wonderful corn custard two or three times a year and usually only for holidays. It's rich and yummy and a true southern delight.

With Thanksgiving so close now I thought I would start to share some of my favorite side dish recipes in case you'd like to try them on your table. This is one that is easy to put together, throw into the oven and let it cook along with the bird. Try it, I know you'll enjoy it.

Baked Corn Pudding

1 stick of butter – melted

1 cup of cream (have used half and half)

4 large whole eggs – beaten
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of flour
Salt and pepper to your taste (I use about a teaspoon salt)
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 cans of creamed corn
2 cans of corn kernels (drained)
Mix together all ingredients, adding your corn kernels last
Fold the kernels into the batter so as not to break them up.
Pour the corn mixture into a buttered baking dish (will fit a 9 x 13)
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until the custard has set and the top is golden brown.

Drum Roll Please... The Winner Is.....

2009-11-11T19:36:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful time I have had the past week with my Fall Give-Away and now the week has come to an end and it's time to annouce the winner. It has been so much fun to read everyone's comments and emails, and boy what a big head I have had for a week, with all the great comments and the new followers on both of my blogs, Sugar Creek Beads and My Southern Touch.

I really enjoy blogging and reading the blogs of others. It is a wonderful way to meet and enjoy such a variety of people who have like interests. With the mixture of different interests I wanted this to be a fun gift. I plan on offering a new and unique give away for each season.

So, this being the end of the fall give away, the winner is...

From Random.org
The winner of your drawing is...

1st Gaston Studio
Congratulations on the drawing! It was completed on Thursday, 12 November 2009 at 00:27:15 UTC. The winner was drawn from a list of 114 entrants using true randomness, which for many purposes is better than the pseudo-random number algorithms typically used in computer programs.

Whether you keep it for yourself or give it away as a gift I hope you will enjoy it always.

Jeanne

Three days left until drawing time, it's too good to miss...

2009-11-09T14:27:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to leave comments with your email address so that you'll be in the drawing for this fantastic, one of a kind Copper and Larimar Blue Crazy Lace Agate Watch and Earring set. Drawing will be held Wednesday, November 11th at 7pm. Custom made by me for a special give away for all my blog readers and followers. Check out my other blog at Sugar Creek Beads, you can have double entries by commenting on both on my blogs. It's a beautiful give away, don't miss it!

Good luck and I look forward to reading your comments.

It's Here, a Give-Away worth waiting for...

2009-11-03T23:16:00.000-05:00

In time for the upcoming holidays, and everyday to come, I have picked a really beautiful gift from my Artisan Jewelry Collection. I've been promising something special and I made it for my blog friends in mind. I love it and I hope you do too. This two piece set is one of kind and really great for any wardrobe.

The beaded watch is special with its antiqued copper watch case and a unique stone known as Larimar Blue Crazy Lace Agate. Each oval and coin shaped stone is shaded from the deepest turquoise to the palest Larimar blues with patterns in shades of copper and taupe. Each of the unique stones is set off by shiny copper beads and a matching copper toggle closure. The total length of the watch is 8" so that is fits as a beautiful bracelet. The matching earrings are just as unique because they are made from antiqued copper circles; hand forged for interesting texture with a single Larimer Blue Crazy Lace Agate oval stone hanging from the middle. They are for pierced ears and hang on an antiqued copper, flattened French ear wire. They can be worn together, apart or even separated and one piece given as a gift. It is up to you, they will come to you in a gift box.

The drawing will be held one week from today, November 10th, 2009, at 7pm by random.org and selected from all comments left this week and will include all of the followers. This Give Away includes both of my blogs; Sugar Creek Beads and My Southern Touch and for extra chances in the drawing check out both of my blogs and comment on each place. If you are a follower in each location you are also counted on both sites. Important to include your email address so that I may contact the winner.

Good luck and I look forward to reading your comments.

They're Back... and it's wonderful!

2009-11-02T00:14:00.000-05:00

Click on photo to enlarge.

Leaving Mom's in Cambridge earlier, I drove by the big pond next to the Choptank River and the view out my car window was the ultimate sign of fall, when it comes to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. No, not the beautiful tree turning bright orange, but the Canadian Geese setting up home by the water. Each year at this time you can see thousands of Canadian Geese, noisily flying south for the winter in their V formations, and landing in the fields, near the water, in Cambridge and other small towns along the shore. My photos aren't the greatest taken on my Blackberry cell phone, through a car window as I drove, sorry about that people behind me, but I just had to snap the wonderful view. I get so excited each fall when the geese come back. They are so beautiful and regal looking with always a sentry standing watch over all the groups as they eat. The sentrys never put their heads down while it is their turn to stand guard, looking around always until it is their turn to eat and a new guard stands watch. I love watching them and even though they are known to back up traffic several times a day, they waddle back and forth across the road from the field to the river, sentry standing in the middle of the road squawking loudly at the cars, while the rest of his group get across. The whole scene always makes me happy and I kind of enjoy being a little late watching their special noisy parade.

Are you ready for the Goblins...

2009-10-29T18:05:00.000-04:00

Are you ready for the little goblins and the big pumpkin at your house? I have my few little decorations out, not many, mostly fall leaves and a last minute pumpkin on the table, but I do have my big bowl of candy already near the front door. There has been a lot of talk about when trick or treat will take place this year, Friday or Saturday so, whatever day or both days, I am ready. We don't get many children these days but the ones that are around we know so I have gotten full size bars to make it a little special. If truth be told it is partly because we love to have the left overs in full sizes.
So what's with using the wonderful pumpkin at Halloween? It seems that in the 1800s when so many immigrants came to America because of the Irish Potato Famine, they brought with them the traditions of Halloween and the use of the pumpkin. Traditionally, the Jack-O-Lantern was carved from potatoes, beets and turnips and then lit with a burning lump of coal or little candles. I find it hard to imagine, because we are so used to a big orange pumpkin, a home decorated with small potatoes and beets with a lump of coal inside. These vegetable lanterns were made to represent the souls of the dear departed ones and they set them on porches and in windows to welcome home the deceased. They also believed the little scary lanterns served as protection against malevolent spirits or goblins freed from the dead. Since turnips and gourds were not as readily available in the Americas the pumpkin was used and found to be a terrific and more scary replacement. Today the pumpkin Jack-O-Lantern is an essential part of Halloween celebrations. As to the trick or treat giving of candy it is said to also come with the Celts to America at the same time. They tried to appease these wandering spirits or goblins by offering them gifts of fruit and nuts. They began the tradition of placing plates of their finest food and bits of treats that the household had to offer on their doorsteps, as gifts, to appease the hunger of the ghostly wanderers. What started out as something very serious to the Druids has turned into a fun time of decorations, parties, candy and lots of sweet little goblins wandering the neighborhood. Are you ready for your little goblins yet?

The Halloween Candy Curse....

2009-10-21T18:05:00.000-04:00

I walked into the grocery store this afternoon and the smell of sugar that hits you at the door is super strong. Sweet, but strong. During the Halloween season surrounding all the entrances to stores is candy, all kinds of candy. It's a dieters nightmare and a childs happiest dreams. One of my favorite Halloween candies is the little pieces of candy corn. Super sweet and honey tasting but I love it. Problem is that one serving, about 14 little kernals, is around 150 calories and I have yet to get away with just having 14 kernals. I tried it this week, I counted out my one serving and ate them slow. I felt happy that I did so well, then it drove me crazy for the next couple of hours that there were more in the bag calling my name. So of course, I got out the bag and munched on them untill I had eaten several more servings. I wasn't happy anymore. They know people do this to themselves, so why not add more pieces to a serving and count the higher calories to begin with, then when you eat your serving your guilt factor isn't so bad. Who are they fooling anyway, nobody eats just 14 little kernals and stops. A cruel marketing trick I think or rather I try to make myself believe, so I don't have to take all the blame for my self-induced sugar rush.

If you think I am naughty with candy corn, well you haven't seen anything when it comes to the guilt trip I take when it comes to little chocolate candy bars. I love each flavor especially the little Krackel bars. I do try to have some of each kind including the dark chocolate since "they" claim it has health benefits. Actually, if I pasted the bags to my hips it would be the right thing to do, make the candy curse go quicker.

How about you, do you have a favorite Halloween candy? Hopefully you don't have the same candy curse I have with all those little pieces. Trick or treat huh, well it tricks me everytime.

Turning leaves and cold rain calls for soup...

2009-10-16T14:08:00.000-04:00

Looking out my window at the beautiful turning leaves, dripping from the rain, makes me feel cozy and contented. I love fall, my favorite season, and watching the leaves out front turn red gives me such a nesting feeling. With me, besides staying warm and cozy, means cooking something from the comfort food family, soup. My family thinks I am little weird, well actually I am but you never heard that from me, because I can eat soup everyday from now to springtime and not get bored.

After searching through my vast collection of recipes in books, magazines and lots of little cards I have decided this weekend would be perfect for the warm and creamy, and one of my most favorites, Cream of Cauliflower Cheese Soup. This recipe I found once in the Taste of Home Magazine (it's their photo also) and it quickly became a family favorite. There are so many Cream of Cauliflower recipes out there and many are fabulous and I love them too, but today I want the cheesey one. I love this with some green salad, crusty bread and a couple glasses of merlot and I am very content. Try it, it is good for warming your soul.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

1 medium head cauliflower, broken in florets

1 medium onion, chopped,1 can 14 1/2 oz chicken broth

1 chicken boulillon cube

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

3 cups milk

2 cups (8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon each cayenne pepper, curry powder and white pepper

Directions

In large saucepan, combine cauliflower, onion broth and bouilion. Cover and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Cook and stir until bubbly, and thickened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat, add cheese and seasonings. Pour into the cauliflower mixture. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Do Not Boil. Makes 6-8 servings. Taste of Home says a 1 cup serving has 220 calories but I make it with 1% Milk and it is still great and the calories and fat are lowered. I have also left out the curry powder before and I liked it just as well. I would rate this a 10 when it comes to comfort food and I love having left overs the next day for lunch.

Try it, I know you'll love it too.

A Wonderful Fall Treat and Yummy Anytime...

2009-10-13T16:35:00.000-04:00

Looking through my recipes for something fall and yummy to come up with for a shower later this week I was reminded of this fabulous pumpkin dip I make so often at this time of the year. It is so easy to do, and it always goes so quickly, that it is perfect for parties. I also served it with slices of apples and pears, ginger snaps or any fruit that is handy. Fresh fruit is best because it still has some firmness to the pieces. Use your favorites and for an extra treat I have spread it on toast, muffins and toasted pound cake slices. Yummy!!

Creamy Pumpkin Dip

2 - 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup brown sugar (I like the light best but use what you have)
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 can of Libby's pumpkin - 15 oz size (my favorite but any brand you use is okay)
2 teaspoons maple syrup (have left it out before but the maple gives it a little extra kick)
1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
Beat together all of the ingredients with a mixer until it is extra smooth and creamy. Put in a pretty bowl that looks like fall, cover and put in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Set you bowl out on a pretty platter and surround with fresh slices of fruit and any other goodies you would like on your plate. I know you and your company are going to love this and if you want to make it a bit healthier it works just as well with low fat cream cheese. Just make sure you use the same amounts.

For an added goodie I often serve either mulled wine or apple cider, but lately I have had a few pumpkin spice lattes and when I figure out that recipe, that will be on menu as well. Anyone with the pumpkin spice latte secret let me know?

Cherry Pie for Breakfast

2009-10-12T02:04:00.000-04:00

While writing tonight I kept having memories of the unique treat I had for breakfast this morning. I ate a slice of cherry pie and a cup of coffee and have not been able to get the memories out of mind all day. Sure it was a great tasting pie and it was homemade and given to me by a dear friend, but it wasn't that actual pie that has been haunting me all day.

It isn't my habit to have pie for breakfast and I am sure it has been more years than I would care to count since I have made it anything more than dessert. But this morning it was there and the memories of my Dad and I came floating in when I saw it on the cabinet next to the coffee pot.

When I was a little girl it was a regular thing for me to go to church with my Dad each Sunday morning. We lived only a few blocks from the old church and unless the weather was bad we would walk together to the 11am service. My 6ft Daddy in his suit and little me, always in a dress with patent leather Sunday shoes, would walk hand in hand to the church and sit together on the strong wooden pews. I can picture him now holding his bible in front of him and me sitting there, swinging my shiny shoes under the seat and not always paying attention to the service being preached. I loved being there with him, and I am sure like any young child I was very anxious for the preacher to stop talking so that Daddy and I could take our walk to the little resturant we walked past on our way home.

It was a tiny little place and besides the few tables and chairs it had a counter like you would find in a diner. We would always go to the counter and he would set me up on the high stool next to him. I would order the small hamburger from the childrens menu, with a soda, and he would always order a slice of cherry pie with a hot and steamy cup of black coffee. We would talk and I would giggle alot and he would always give me his last little bite of cherry pie. He would pay the couple of dollars to the lady behind the counter and we would walk home from church.

Thinking of my Dad today I thought of all the old memories involved, dressing up, walking hand in hand to the church, sitting and praying with him or the little game he would always play with the one bite of cherry pie. I am sure as a little child going to the resturant and having a bite of cherry pie was high on the list of fun things to do, but today the memories are all those things because I was with my Dad. What memories that cherry pie stirred up in me today, but that piece of pie and cup of coffee this morning brought me happy tears, and a feeling of being a little girl again, being so loved by the man who is my Daddy.

Fall apples and cinnamon pie, my hips and I love it!

2009-10-07T14:31:00.000-04:00

When fall hits I think of apple pie. It just goes with the weather and is so comforting on a chilly evening when the taste of cinnamon and sugar makes me smile. Bad for the hips but great for the soul. I used to go to lots of trouble and make a scratch pie crust, roll it out perfect and make fancy crimps but the last couple of years I have gone rustic. I don't think it really matters much if it is rustic or not since I am going for the taste and not trying to win a pie contest. They actually call this style of pie a rustic tart that can be made with any of your favorite fruits but fall apples are my choice. I like to mix up my apples, some sweet like Golden Delicious and some tart like the Granny Smith. It doesn't matter what you choose since apples are a bit different depending on how ripe they are and the best pies for your family should be made with your favorite apples. My family is crazy about vanilla ice cream on their pie but me I love an ice cream called Pecan Praline (made by Safeway) on mine. It makes it so yummy and gives the pie a hint of caramel and pecans. So good and I want some ~~right now~~ right after dinner! Here's my super easy recipe, adjust it to your favorite apples, but try it cause I know you'll love the ease and taste.

1 refrigerated pie crust (from 15-ounce package)
1 egg white, lightly beaten

3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Cinnamon, Ground
4 cups thinly sliced peeled apples (about 4 medium)
1 teaspoon sugar (I love the raw sugar for sprinkling on crust, it gives a great effect)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare crust as directed on package. Place on foil-lined 12-inch pizza pan or a large cookie sheet. If necessary, press out any folds or creases. Brush crust with about 1/2 of the beaten egg white.
2. Mix 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in medium bowl. Toss with apples. Spoon into center of crust, spreading to within 2 inches of edges. Fold 2-inch edge of crust up over apples, pleating or folding crust as needed. Brush crust with remaining egg white; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.
3. Bake 20 minutes or until apples are tender. Cool slightly before serving.

I usually serve it right from the oven, since it is so quick, with a scoop of ice cream melting on top but really this rustic tart is fabulous cold the next day.

I have made this tart in the summer with mixed berries and with peaches and raspberries and they are both wonderful. Use your favorite fruit and have fun with it, your hips will love you for it!

Some southern food for the soul....

2009-10-03T18:21:00.000-04:00

It feels so good to be back home again, funny though when I was still in North Carolina I was feeling like I never wanted to leave. What is it with vacations that we can't wait to get there, not want to leave, then can't wait to get back to our own bed? I hated coming home but I brought something home with me to remind us of the Outer Banks until we get back next September. Shrimp!

Each year before we leave the OBX we go down to Wacheese and wait for the the big shrimp boats to come in with their wonderful treasures. We take our biggest cooler and have it loaded at the dock with 50 pounds of just caught shrimp. The fishermen layer and pack the shrimp with crushed ice till it is very secure to drive back to Maryland. When we get home we load them into freezer bags, of various sizes, and then fill the bags up with water to keep them from getting any freezer burn during the year. It is very economical this way and it always tastes super fresh.

My first shrimp meal back this year is my favorite southern touch for the soul, none other than Oh Boy, Shrimp and Grits. It's warm, and yummy and tastes fantastic with every bite. You can find the recipe so many places but one of my favorites is one by the reigning queen of southern cooks, Natalie Dupree. Look for her Shrimp and Grits Cookbook, it's terrific.

My recipe is a mixture from different people and my family is crazy about it. Give it a try, I think you'll love the ease and taste.

Shrimp and Grits
Start your grits by putting 2 cups of water and 2 cups of milk in a sauce pan. Bring to a low boil and stir in 1/2 stick of butter till melted, then add 1 cup of stone-ground or quick grits (important - NOT Instant Grits). Add salt and pepper to your taste. Stir well and occasionally, then cook on low for 20 to 25 minutes. The grits will have absorbed all the liquid and be very creamy. Remove from the heat and stir in another 1/2 stick of butter and two cups of Sharp Shredded Cheddar. Put a lid on pan and set aside to stay warm.
In a frying pan, fry up 8 slices of your favorite bacon till crispy. Remove bacon from pan and stir in 1 cup of sliced, fresh button mushrooms. Then add 1 cup sliced scallions and 1 large clove of minced garlic. Stir everything in the bacon grease left in pan until they begin to soften. Stir in 1 pound of peeled and deveined fresh shrimp and cook until the shrimp turn pink. Add about 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of Louisiana hot sauce and a couple of tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley. Crumble up your bacon and give the shrimp mixture a final stir. Pour your warm, cheesy grits into a big bowl and dump the shrimp mixture on top for a fantastic treat. Its great with a green salad and some crusty bread. Rich, wonderful, tasty and pure southern comfort food. I am so happy we brought back 50 pounds of shrimp, a year seems like such a long time to spread them out. Enjoy!
PS. I have been getting a number of emails about the freezing of shrimp so I thought you may like the process. Fill the bags about half full with the shrimp then the rest of the bag gets filled with cold water. Use a bag size based on the amount you may want to thaw out at a time. This also works for freezing fish. The seafood last a very long time staying as fresh tasting as when you put them in the water because of the water. We have been doing this for years and it is perfect for big sales and purchases like this one.

It's my birthday and I'm having a Low Country Boil party...

2009-09-25T17:54:00.000-04:00

Hello to everyone from my fabulous vacation. The weather has been great and I am feeling so rested that I think by the time I come home I will be too limp to go back to work. Yea, like that could ever happen, but at least I feel that way today. Today is my birthday, 39 again for the millionth time but who is counting. For my birthday party tonight my family is fixing me a Low Country Boil. Although this is a re-post from much earlier I thought it was just right for today. I will be back from vacation soon with lots of new posts and photos so until then, enjoy this post and I'll eat lots for you all.
My family can't have a group gathering on holidays, birthdays or vacations without throwing together a Low Country Boil. It always serves a lot of people and it has something for everyone. We all love it and I've been known to down size it so that it will serve just two or three on a weeknight.

What is known as the low country region stretches from the coastal plains of the Carolina's to the Georgia border. Being a location heavy of seafood, produce, grits and rice the people were, and still are, known for their combinations of local shrimp, crabs, oysters and fish cooked together with what is plentiful at the time.

This low country boil is a combination of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, potatoes, onions and if available crabs. Great to take to the beach and really easy to create for a crowd. Low country boil can be served on newspaper for easy clean up. The only rule of thumb here is the bigger the crowd, the bigger the pot. It doesn't have a exact measurement of anything since it is based on whatever you have or want so this is as close to what my family throws together and it is a solid hit every time.

Our Low country Boil

Note: Items are layered in pot and not stirred throughout. Put lid on pot as the steam rising from the bottom of pot is steaming all the flavors together and cooking them as the are added.
4 pounds small red potatoes washed but left whole
6 or 8 whole medium Vidalia or Sweet onions peeled but left whole
6 quarts water
1 small bag of crab boil seasoning optional but better with it.
4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning (double if no crab boil)
3 pounds kielbasa or smoked link sausage, cut into 6 inch pieces
6 ears of corn, halved
5 pounds large fresh shrimp, (peeled and deveined optional)we cook ours with the peel on for added flavor.
Melted Butter and Cocktail sauce on the side.

Add potatoes and onions to large tall pot, then add 6 quarts water and seasonings. Cover pot and heat to a rolling boil; cook 5 minutes. Add sausage and corn on top of the potatoes and onions, and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add shrimp to stockpot; If adding crabs add now for 10 minutes then add the shrimp and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain and dump the pot out onto the middle of a paper covered table or into a few large bowls and serve with bowls of cocktail sauce an bowls of melted butter.

Open a cold beer or pour a glass of sweet tea and dig into the pile. You eat it all with your hands and laugh and enjoy!

Bags are packed and I'm off to the beach. P.S. here's a few details on the giveaway when I return...

2009-09-17T21:54:00.000-04:00

I have packed and repacked until I managed to turn a month's worth of clothes into two suitcases. The trick to it was eliminating all the totally unnecessary clothing I always take on my two week vacation to the beach. I told you I would be able to get it done. My problem has always been my need to pack my complete wardrobe for a two week trip and the realization every year that I don't wear three quarters of the stuff I take. I feel like I am going through clothing withdrawal right now but I have it all in two suitcases and if I find I have to have something else it will be the prefect excuse to go shopping more while I am there. I am really very excited about vacation starting tomorrow since I am going to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, my favorite beach destination. We have rented a big beautiful house for a number of my family and some friends and it will be great fun to hang out doing not much but enjoying the people and the fantastic ocean. We go there in September each year because it is still warm enough for the beach but the crowds are gone for the summer and the prices on the rentals have dropped a lot! I will be taking my laptop and camera so I can see what y'all are writing and if I can I will post some of the pictures of the fabulous ocean.

As an extra treat when I get back, I have made a beautiful piece of jewelry for my fall give away. I will be posting the photos and dates when I return.
It will be selected randomly from the comments and the followers for this blog and the my other blog Sugar Creek Beads . Check it out if you haven't been there cause it is lots of fun and filled with information on life around my jewelry studio. Don't forget to make comments on both here and there and be a follower in both spots. It will double your chance in the drawing!

The count down and the packing has begun...

2009-09-14T15:29:00.000-04:00

I am so so ready to be sitting in that chair, watching a sunset, having a glass of wine and chilling out by the ocean. Next week at this time you will find me right there enjoying the beginning of my long waited for vacation. It's the Outer Banks of North Carolina time and I am already walking around with a smile on my face. What is driving me crazy though is the packing! My big problem is I am only going away two weeks and I always pack enough for a month or more. My thought is maybe I'll need that dress or what if its chilly and I need clothes for two climates, warm and cold. This has to be a woman thing because any man I have ever traveled with could throw a shirt and a toothbrush in an overnight case and tour Europe without any problem. Me, I am just going to the beach! My goal, when I started typing this blog today was to get control with the amount of clothes and make a list of only what I really need. How many bathing suits are enough? Speaking of enough, what about panties and bras, do I always need a suitcase just for them? Crazy I know, even crazier is the knowledge there is a full size washer and dryer in the house we rent. And then there is the issue of the extra couple going with us this year... what to do, what to do? Okay ladies, this is my plan, two suitcases, nothing more. Really, I mean it! I never, ever wear all the stuff I take with me so with that thought I should be able to get control. Jeans, shorts, tops and tees with two (well, maybe three)pairs of shoes in one bag. Stuff panties and bras for two weeks, not a month, in the corners of the bag and that takes care of one suitcase. The other case gets 4 bathing suits (you never know), robe and pj's and toiletry case. Skip the dress since I know I won't put it on and if I need a sweatshirt or sweater I can use it for another excuse to shop. What do you think? Is it really possible to pull this off for a clothes horse? Speaking of horses one of the things I love there is watching the horses wander in the surf and through the dunes and I know they never give a thought to what I have on. I think writing this blog today has been good for me, tonight I will pull out only two suitcases, and practice getting my toned down version of packing right till I leave on Friday. I know y'all will hold me to the two bag plan. I will take lots of pictures and my laptop so I hope to send you some of my fun, even if I have the same clothes on every day.

;-).

Warm kitchen memories and figs...

2009-09-10T23:53:00.000-04:00

There are certain things that always make me miss the south. Being a born and bred southern girl from Mississippi one of my best memories and joys, when it comes food this time of year is figs. I grew up with figs as something my Mom and Grandmother preserved and canned every year, then brought them out for special occasions and sometimes just because. When we moved to Maryland some years ago, one of the first things my Mom did was to plant fig trees, so we wouldn't miss that special treat.
I loved to sit and watch them cook up all the figs and stuff them hot into the Ball jars. It is a fun process that begins with picking the ripe figs, washing them and placing them in a large pot with equal amounts of sugar. The best preserves are made, for example, with 5 pounds of figs to 5 pounds of sugar. We also slice 2 whole lemons for the 5 and 5 mixture and add them to the pot with a cup of water. (You can of course use any combo you may have say 10 and 10)
Cook them on a low boil for around 1 hour or until they have cooked down as you like them to be. Some people like theirs almost still whole and others, like my family, like them cooked until they are rich and chunky and have a deep caramel color. This is a treat for anytime for me and my family. I also love having a supply in the pantry, when I want to take a special goodie to a friends for dinner, or it's a cool fall or winter Sunday morning. I will slide a pan of homemade biscuits in the oven, put a big pot of tea on the stove to brew and empty a jar of the richest, deep amber colored figs into a pretty bowl, feeling like I am in my Mom's kitchen and being hugged by the goodness of it all. It is something very special to me as I bite into the warm biscuit, smothered in the figs, and remember the little girl so excited to share the love that comes from the three generations of southern women and those very special figs.
Do you have special kitchen memories as a child? I would love to hear about them so please share them in the comments.

Hurray for long weekends!!

2009-09-04T13:31:00.000-04:00

After such a stressful and busy week I'm so glad we are having a long weekend to kick back and regroup. One of the smartest things our government ever did was to move most all holidays to a Monday so people could have tiny vacations all during the year. Me, I am going over to the shore to Mom's and hang out at her pool, veg out and eat steamed crabs! Don't get much better to me. I am crazy about steamed crabs, love everything about it, the picking, the mess and the great taste.
Maryland is known for the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab, the best there is when it comes to steaming crabs. All you need is a big pot, a bushel of live (most cook live, sorry)crabs, water, beer and our equally famous Old Bay Seasoning. Get yourself a bunch of old newspapers to cover the table, some knives and hammers for opening, lots and lots of napkins and a cold drink. Holidays are meant to have crabs in Maryland.
I hope you enjoy your holiday as much as I will and I will be back next week. If I have some crab meat left I'll make crab soup for you and give you my recipe. I know you'll like it. Until next week...

Corn Chowder, pure comfort food...

2009-08-31T12:17:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend we had the best dinner of Bar-B-Que Shrimp, a great tossed green salad and some wonderful sweet corn I found at the farmers market. Everything was so good and there wasn't a single shrimp left over but there were 6 ears of corn not touched. Now I don't blame anyone, who wants veggies when you have all you can eat shrimp. Actually I am kind of glad it's still here because, today being a cool day with thoughts of fall coming in the air, I am going to cook a pot of my favorite soup, Corn Chowder! This is a wonderful soup for days like today or even in the dead of winter when I use bagged frozen corn. Serve it with your favorite crackers or crusty bread and it becomes the perfect comfort food, it sure is for my family.

Jeanne's Corn Chowder (careful even reading the recipe goes to your hips)

Clean and shuck 6 or 8 ears of fresh corn and cut off all the kernels with a sharp knife. Scrap down the cobs, after removing the corn, into the bowl so you don't miss any of the creamy goodness left on the cob.
Cook up 6 slices of bacon until crispy and remove from the pan saving the bacon drippings.
Into the bacon drippings add 2 tablespoons of butter for flavor,
Add a medium onion chopped small to the pan and cook ten minutes to soften the onion.
Peel and chop to bite size pieces three potatoes. Add to the cooking onions.
Add one can of chicken broth/stock or vegetable if you prefer to the pan.
Add one cup of milk to the pan. Stir well and add salt and pepper to your taste. I like a lot of pepper in mine.
Stir in all of the corn and corn scrapings to the mixture in the pan and taste again to see if it needs more salt and pepper.
Lower the temp to low and let it cook thoroughly into potatoes and all the corn is tender. Don't cover because you don't want boil overs and you want the liquid to reduce just a little.
At the end stir in one cup of heavy cream, a tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley and the crumbled crispy bacon.
Serve hot with your favorite sides and enjoy.
P.S. A long walk around the block after dinner always helps with the zillion yet wonderful calories.

Shrimp, Glorious Bar-B-Que Shrimp...

2009-08-27T15:14:00.000-04:00

With company coming this weekend I have decided to pull out one of my favorite recipes. I found this about 5 years ago in Southern Living and it became an instant favorite to all that tried it that night. It is one of those recipes that everyone asks for, so before I start claiming it again as my own, here it is. It's warm, wonderful, spicy, mmm mmm good Bar-B-Que Shrimp. It is super easy once you gather all the ingredients. The shrimp can get a bit pricey so I keep it in my freezer when I can get it for deals. When we go to the Outer Banks of North Carolina each September we always make a trip to the shrimp boats and look for good prices. It is so very fresh that way, we buy around twenty five pounds, pack it on ice, and when we get home we pack them in freezer zip lock bags and then fill the bags up with cold water before sealing them. If you fill a bag up with water before you freeze any shrimp or other fish, they stay as fresh as can be since freezer burn can't get through the water in the bag. Try it, it works and you'll have fresh seafood in your freezer all year round.

Southern Bar-B-Que Shrimp
Fabulous served with Crusty French Bread or on top of Creamy Grits
Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
5 or 6 pounds unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
1 cup butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 lemons, cut in wedges
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or more to your liking

Spread shrimp in a shallow, aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.
Combine butter and next 12 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until butter melts, and pour over shrimp. Cover and chill 2 hours, turning shrimp every 30 minutes.

Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes; turn once. Serve with bread or grits.

Pour it into a big bowl on the table and let your company help themselves. Have lots of spoons for dipping that rich, buttery sauce so they can dip their bread into it as they eat the shrimp. Suck off the seasonings before you peel the shrimp and you will be happy you did. Great with either a terrific glass of wine or a cold beer.

I hope you love this as much as we do and if you smell them cooking on Saturday night, ya'll come!

I Brake for Boiling Peanuts...

2009-08-26T11:05:00.000-04:00

While doing a little chair dance here at my computer, I get to finally say I'll be going on vacation in just 3 weeks. I love going on vacation and look forward to the next one as soon as one is over. Crazy I know, but even nuttier is one of the reasons I look forward to vacation... Boiled Peanuts! You see we always go south for vacation, to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and along the drive from Maryland we go past so many peanut stands that our stops change the 5 hour drive to 6 or more. We need a bumper sticker that says I Brake for Boiled Peanuts.

I can remember, as a little girl, my Grandma had a peanut patch and each year we would dig up the peanuts, clean them off and drop them into the big pot of boiling water that had been loaded with salt, actually there was so much salt it was more like a boiling brine. You can only boil the raw (green) peanuts and a good rule of thumb is 1/3 to 1/2 cup of salt for every ten pounds of peanuts you're boiling. Keep them at a good but low rolling boil for between 1 to 10 hours. You need to stir them every twenty minutes or so and taste them every hour untill you have reached the tenderness you like. We usually plan on 3 hours on a low boil, uncovered always, to get the tenderness we like best. We enjoy ours boiled only in salt but many other seasonings can be added during the boiling time such as Cajun seasoning, crab boil, jalapeno peppers, garlic or what ever is your desire.

After they have reached the perfect tenderness, then drain them well and dig in by biting down on the shell and sucking that warm, wonderful and briny peanut out of its soft shell. The peanuts are soft and tender, very much like a bean texture, and besides how great they taste they are fantastic for you. Boiling them are much better for you since you have more poly phenol antioxidants than roasted ones.

After you have eaten your fill you can pack all the left overs in zip lock bags and either refrigerate them or place them in the freezer for longer storage time. It is possible to buy boiled peanuts in a can at your grocery store but it doesn't have the same taste or effect as eating them warm from the pot.

I hope you have the opportunity to try them sometime. Stop at one of the road sides stands and dig into those wonderful, warm shells and imagine your headed to the beach. It's a great fantasy and I look forward to living it every September.

Health Note added 8/28/09
1. Breaking News from Alabama A&M University's Department of Food and Animal Sciences...A new study by a group of Huntsville researchers found that boiled peanuts bring out up to four times more chemicals that help protect against disease than raw, dry or oil-roasted nuts. These phytochemicals have antioxidant qualities that protect cells against the risk of degenerative diseases, including cancers, diabetes and heart disease.

2. Boiled Peanuts contain resveratol, a plant chemical also found in red wine, which studies have shown to have a protective effect against cancer and heart disease.

3. Major studies have found eating peanuts can lower the risk of heart disease, cut the risk of diabetes and assist dieters.

4. Boiled peanuts are loaded with many vitamins and minerals and they are high in plant protein. Also, the fat content is primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.

I Love Pralines...

2009-08-22T17:56:00.000-04:00

Sitting here missing New Orleans and badly wishing for a few pralines to savor, I came across a web site that made me wish I was there right now. I make pralines as gifts during the holidays but the best of them are found either in Savannah or in New Orleans. Here is a link to a fabulous shop in Savannah that has the greatest southern candies. River Street Sweets (note their photo)

While I looked through the site on the French Quarter I came across this interesting history of the Praline. For my fellow lovers of pralines, and all things pecan, I thought I would share their story. I am quoting them exactly, actually cutting and pasting is the correct term, and I am hoping they won't mind with a link here to their very informational site. French Quarter. The history was written by Mr. Ian McNulty.

"France to the banks of the Mississippi River"

"There are many variations on the story of how the praline came to be, but most of them revolve around the manor house of the 17th-century French diplomat Cesar du Plessis Praslin - a name that later morphed into the term for the candy. A chef in the kitchen here developed a technique for coating almonds in cooked sugar which, competing stories hold, were used by his courtly employer either as a digestive aid or as gifts to the ladies he visited. In France and elsewhere, the word praline is still used as a generic term for any sort of candy made with nuts.

These early confections traveled with Frenchmen to their new colony on the banks of the Mississippi, a land where both sugar cane and nuts were cultivated in abundance. In local kitchens, Louisiana pecans were substituted for the more exotic almonds, cream was added, giving the candy more body, and a Southern tradition was born.

The candy's winning flavor has led to worldwide popularity, and, as such things go, varying pronunciations and hybrid recipes. For the record, the local and proper pronunciation is "prah-lean," while the nut most commonly used in it is pronounced "peck-on." Just remember that, in New Orleans, a word pronounced "pray-lean" means nothing except, perhaps, a posture the supplicant faithful assume while petitioning God.

Even before the Civil War and Emancipation, pralines were an early entrepreneurial vehicle for free women of color in New Orleans. In 1901, the Daily Picayune (a predecessor to today's Times-Picayune newspaper) described in nostalgic terms the "pralinieres," or older black women, who sold pralines "about the streets of the Old French Quarter." They were often found patrolling Canal Street near Bourbon and Royal streets and around Jackson Square in the shade of the alleys flanking St. Louis Cathedral. And in the 1930s, the Louisiana folklorist Lyle Saxon, writing in the book "Gumbo Ya-Ya," documented praline sellers "garbed in gingham and starched white aprons and tignons," or head wraps, fanning their candies with palmetto leaves against the heat and bellowing the sales pitch "belles pralines!" to passersby."

Today you can still find praline makers selling their wonderful candies on the streets for around a dollar each. If you have never tried one they are rich, sweet, creamy and very sinful.

Fried Green Tomatoes...

2009-08-21T12:21:00.000-04:00

I am so glad it is Friday! It was a great, but long week for me, and I am so ready to settle into a weekend, at home, doing some of my favorite things. Since I already have the house cleaned, it is going to be a fun time cooking favorite foods and watching old movies. First on the list, is to fry up a mess of fresh green tomatoes and re-watch, for I don't know how many times, the movie Fried Green Tomatoes. If you haven't seen it please check it out, it is really worth while watching and if you haven't fixed fried green tomatoes then now is the time. Yummy. I grew up on eating fried green tomatoes and Grandma and my Mom both made them slightly different then mine. Grandma would use lard and Mom would only use bacon fat. I will use bacon, if I have it, but half time I use equal parts of butter and vegetable oil. This weekend I am going for the bacon, it is something about the comfort food I feel I need, and give you Mom's recipe. I love it and I know you will too.

My Mama's Fried Green Tomatoes
Wash your green tomatoes off and dry with a soft cloth.
Slice them into nice thick slices a good half inch or more.
Salt and pepper them to taste on both sides.
While doing that fry your self up 6 to 8 slices of bacon.
Remove the bacon and leave the drippings in the frying pan. A good old black iron skillet would be perfect right now if you have one. If your bacon is very lean cook twice as much or add some vegetable oil to the drippings. You should have at least 1/2 to 1 inch fat in the pan.
In a low dish, like a pie plate, mix two lightly beaten eggs with a 1 1/2 cups of milk.
In a second low dish place one cup all purpose flour and one cup of corn meal. Note, I like to use bread crumbs half and half with the corn meal.
Add salt and pepper to the flour mixture to taste.
Take your thick slices of green tomatoes and dip them first, flip over while dipping, making sure to get the egg/milk mixture on both sides.
Then dip both sides in the flour mixture and make sure you have a good coating all around.
Lay them one at a time in the hot bacon fat and cook them at a medium heat on both sides until they are golden brown all over. They will get soft and tender in the middle and keep that wonderful green flavor.
Drain on a rack or on paper towels. I prefer the rack so they stay crispy longer.
Eat warm or room temperature since they are a great snack or side dish no matter the temp.

A plate of these crispy treats are always a comfort to me. They have a way of taking me back to Mama's old, round, wooden table in the kitchen, very hot southern, summer days and the sound of the fan spinning overhead. Fried green tomatoes are the stuff memories are made from.

Note: Crispy, fried green tomato photo from Southern Living. The best magazine for southern cooks.

I'm so happy today...

2009-08-18T12:50:00.000-04:00

Note: I know, I'm bad and I am reposting this from my other blog Sugar Creek Beads today, but I am so so happy about this I had to share it here as well. I feel like shouting it out to everyone so here it is...

Today feels like a day to celebrate for me, like everything that makes me happy is all wrapped up in a beautiful box with a fabulous silk bow on top and it is all mine. You see, for the last several weeks I have been living under a dark cloud and just getting through each day by pretending all was well but it wasn't. It is hard to smile when fear is consuming your life but today the fear is gone and I am smiling so hard my face hurts.

I have been believing the past few weeks that I had cancer, the bad kind you don't get well from, and finally after test after test it seems the doctors were wrong and I am cancer free. Doctors are wonderful people and their intentions are good but they had made a terrible mistake in my diagnoses and the situation grew as fast as a snow ball rolling down a hill getting larger and larger, doctor by doctor. The funny thing about the snowball is the more they led me to believe I was sick the sicker I was getting. Power of suggestion is a dangerous thing. Well the great part is that they were completely wrong and I do not have the dreaded C word! I am a bit concerned about how one doctor believing something can snowball into other doctors just accepting what one said and not checking for themselves. If we had a different health care system what would have gotten through wrong?

That is all the bad thoughts I will have of them today because I am happy and my cloud is gone. I feel this is a day for fireworks and a picnic. Enjoy your day, I am!

What summer is all about...

2009-08-14T10:14:00.001-04:00

This is a copy of a post I placed on my other blog, Sugar Creek Beads. Since some of my readers don't read that blog and this recipe is so good I thought I would put the post on here for your treat. Try this cause I know you'll love them.

This afternoon I called my Mom and let her know I was coming over to her place at the shore; she of course was thrilled and said "we'll have a picnic by the pool and you can fry up a few of the Vidalia onions I picked up this morning." Well, I didn't have to think twice about that because I am crazy about big fried onion rings and when they are made from Vidalias they are wonderful. Don't know Vidalias? Well, they are an amazingly sweet onion that are grown only in the summer and only in Vidalia, GA. They claim the sweetness in the onions come from the soil in that town and so if it wasn't grown in their soil you can't refer to any other sweet onion as a Vidalia. My recipe for the yummy onion rings are so good I thought I would share it with you.

Jeanne's Big Vidalia Fried Rings

Vegetable or canola oil for frying
2 large sweet Vidalia onions
2 cans Cold evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Remove the skins from the onions and slice them into fairly thick slices, I do 1/2 to 1 inch. Separate the rings by pushing them apart with your fingers. You will use even the small circles from the middle.
In a low sided dish, like a pie plate, pour in your cold evaporated milk. Cold is important it sticks better.
In another low sided dish dump in the flour and stir in the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
Dip the onion rings first into the milk and then the flour mixture. To add to the crunch you do it again, into the milk and then again into the flour. That doubles the coating and makes a great crunch when fried.
Drop the coated rings into the hot 350 degree oil in a deep fryer or a sauce pan you have half filled with the oil. Use only half the pan so it doesn't bubble over and cause a fire.
Only put 5 or 6 rings in the pan at a time so as not to lower the temperature of the oil. When the temperature gets low it causes the rings or anything you cook this way to get greasy.
Flip them around in the oil until they are golden brown, remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Give them a sprinkle with salt while still warm.
Serve in your favorite serving basket or dish lined with a napkin or more paper towels.
Add the dipping sauce you whipped up to the table and watch them go really fast. So good and yummy!

I make a dipping sauce with 1 cup mayo and 1/4 cup ketchup, a shake or two of Worcestershire, squirt of a half of a lemon and a couple shakes of a good hot sauce. Spice it up like your taste buds like it. Mm mm good or sweating hot is up to you.

Try these at your next party or just because, you'll love the wonderful taste of summertime, crunchy, Vidalia.

My new and addictive toy...

2009-08-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

Well, I did it. I broke down and bought a new toy this week. I really didn't need it and should have passed up the expense but I wanted to be like all the kids on the block and have one too. I got a new cell phone. The cell I had was a Razr, works perfectly well and I have no complaints other than I wanted to be like everyone else and have something I can't even begin to figure out.

I got a Blackberry. I figured if everyone was talking about them, and the President refused to give his up, then it must be the right one for me. I have to say it really is cool. I got the pink one to be extra cool and now I can't stay off the phone. I am texting like crazy (thank goodness for unlimited service)and sending photos, reading my email and even driving places just to use the GPS for directions. What is up with all that? I haven't spent this much time on a cell phone since I got one a few years ago. I can see now why the teens are always talking and texting. This toy is addictive and I don't even know how to run half the features yet. I can't wait for something to come up that I want to make a movie with sound; hey, did I mention it is an MP3 player and I can watch TV?

Okay, so I ask you, when does the honeymoon stop? I really do need to stay off the phone and only answer it when it rings because I am not getting everything done. This is embarrassing and I feel like I need the G3 Anonymous. I can just see me now at the meetings, I will be saying, "Hello, my name is Jeanne and I am addicted to a Blackberry".

Grandma's Fried Corn...

2009-08-11T15:30:00.000-04:00

I love corn. I particularly love summer corn on the cob and my Grandma's favorite, fried corn. I know frying corn sounds a little strange but for a lover of good old fashioned southern food it is wonderful. My Grandma must have been thinking of me today because I have been craving it all day long. She would make it every time she had a mess of corn that had been picked and sitting around for several days. She said it was the "best use of old corn cause the bacon fat and a little milk would plump up those little kernels every time."

Craving it like I am and knowing I am going to go fix it soon I thought I would have to let y'all in on her recipe. It's terrific and I sure hope you try it soon.

Grandma's Fried Corn
We find 5 or 6 ears is enough for our family but adjust it to suit your group.

Cut the corn off the cooked (if you have leftovers) or uncooked cobs. I always take my knife and scrape down the cobs after I have cut off the kernels to get the extra juices left on the cob.
In a frying pan cook 3-4 slices of bacon till crispy.
While the bacon is frying chop up a sweet onion into small pieces not a whole lot larger than the corn kernels.
Remove the bacon from the bacon grease and drain on a paper towel.
Throw the chopped onion into the warn bacon grease (stand back some cause the bacon grease will spit).
When your onion starts to caramelize dump the corn kernels on top and stir into the onions.
Add salt and pepper now to your taste. Watch the salt cause bacon is a bit salty. We always add extra pepper now and adjust the salt at the table.
Put a lid on it and turn to low, stirring it every couple of minutes. "Don't let it burn, child" Grandma would always say.
After it starts to lightly brown up, and you think it is tender enough for your liking, then add a half cup of milk or cream to make it a tad creamy.
Sometimes she would crumble the crispy bacon into it and give it a stir or sprinkle it on top. Dump into a bowl and serve warm with the dinner. To her the bacon wasn't the important thing, the use of the bacon grease to cook it in was what made it for her. She would often wrap up the cooked bacon and put it in her icebox to use for some other recipe.

Now I know some of you are throwing your hands up at the thought of the bacon and using the grease but it can be adjusted. You could eliminate the bacon altogether, Grandma would never know, and use corn oil or a healthy margarine. Just have enough to fry up your onion and corn. I don't think I would use olive oil because it would change the taste some. A skim milk instead of regular or cream is okay as well. The crispy bits of corn and onions are what you will love.

Try this, adjust it to fit your families liking or health needs. Grandma and I will understand, "just don't let it burn, child."

Oh Boy, Crab Cakes...

2009-08-09T15:01:00.000-04:00

Living in Maryland near the Chesapeake Bay makes me happy, it may not be my beloved Ole Miss and the Gulf of Mexico but it offers up some of the best seafood treats available. My favorite is the Blue Crab and all the goodies you can make from it after the fun of picking it all apart. There are many who wouldn't even attempt to break one open and dig out the lumps, eating them one by one, because of the major mess involved, but to me part of the fun of eating steamed crabs is the picking and making a messy pile of shells and legs.

For the less adventurous ones there is the wonderful crab cake, rich and golden and loved by many, this fabulous treat is something I can't get enough. If steamers are not available or too expensive the seafood shops or grocers offer crab meat by the pound. You don't need to have the terribly expensive lump, although it is wonderful if you do, when the back fin and even what they call special (which is a mixture of back fin and leg meat)is perfect for crab cakes. Make sure you buy fresh and with a few ingredients you are on the road to a seafood delight.

When it comes to making your crab cakes or even eating them steamed it isn't properly prepared without Old Bay Seasoning. Old Bay used to be a Mid-Atlantic seasoning but I am sure it is now available country wide. It is the prefect blend of spices and salt to set off the delicious crab meat. Here is my families recipe, it is the one most requested by everyone that visits us during the summer.

One Pound fresh crab meat
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning (little less if you like yours milder)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Stir together all ingredients except for the crab meat. When blended, then slowly stir in the crab meat trying not to break it up too much. When all is mixed, make into patties. Depending on size wanted it will do between 8 and 12. Size and quantity is your decision. Place on plate, cover with wrap and put into the refrigerator for an hour. Putting them into the frig helps blend the flavors and helps them stay together when cooking. There are two equally good ways to cook them, one, melt a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of oil together in a frying plan and fry them on a medium heat, turning once when you see the edges turning golden brown. Cooking time is around ten to fifteen minutes on each side. Don't mess with them or they will come apart since they aren't loaded with bread filler. Remove the little golden cakes from the pan and serve warm however you like them. We love crackers and fresh tomatoes with ours. The second way to cook them is baked in a 375 degree oven, on a greased baking sheet, for 10 to fifteen minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Again, serve warm however you like them.

For a fun treat to serve as an appetiser, make the mixture into balls, about the size of a walnut or golf ball, and deep fry them till golden brown. Serve them with a great seafood dipping sauce and you will be the hit of the party.

I hope you try them, they are much easier than you think. If you love to order crab cakes when you're at the shore or a seafood restaurant you'll enjoy having them for a special weekday meal. We sure do!

Jewels of Summer...

2009-08-05T12:34:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday brings you a few of my favorite summer jewels... Butterflies! I even have one in my blog heading. Enjoy.

Southern Gold...

2009-08-02T13:38:00.000-04:00

A couple of days ago, while riding alone in the car with my Dad, we had the opportunity to talk about his problems with his garden this year. It seems he can't get much to grow and of course he blames the weather, as we all do when a garden isn't putting out. It is either too much rain or not enough. Too many bugs or none around to pollinate. As he was complaining about his lack of yellow squash he said "oh well, we always have cornbread." I wasn't really sure about what cornbread had to do with the poor garden but I got his point anyway and that, no matter what, we can always have cornbread. Cornbread is the golden jewel of a southern meal no matter what you are serving. Whether it be a mess of greens, squash and onions, sliced fresh tomatoes or smothered pork chops, corn bread is the one thing that can make a meal terrific. I love mine slathered with butter and broken in pieces to get small bites with everything else I'm eating. Dad loves his just straight from the old pan and right into the middle of his plate to soak up all the good juices. He always makes sure to take an extra piece for the end of his meal and with that he breaks it up into a tall glass of buttermilk that he eats with a spoon as his dessert. Sometimes he can be found later in front of the TV with milk glass in hand spooning up the last of the corn bread so not a drop is wasted.

He loves it that way, but over the years I have starting making it quite different at my home. I use the same cornbread recipe as usual but I add some extras to give it my favorite kick. After mixing the cornbread batter I stir in 1 cup of drained yellow kernel corn and then add 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. I always use my round black skillet for baking. To prepare my skillet I have added 2 tablespoons of corn oil and put the skillet with the oil in a hot 450 degree oven until the pan is very hot and the oil is starting to bubble. I remove the hot pan and pour my wet corn bread batter into the middle of the oil. The hot oil spits and spatters as the cool batter spread out into the hot pan. The oil slides up the sides of the cornbread, that besides keeping it from sticking, it starts to make a wonderful crunchy fried style crust along the top edge. So good I may have to go stick one in the oven for lunch. When it is golden brown and crusty on top I remove it from the oven and slice it into squares or pie shaped wedges. The extra ingredients give it a taste so special and unique. I have added some crumbled bacon to the top of the batter or even chopped peppers stirred in when I am in the mood for something a little different and that is fabulous too. I guess you can add anything that's your favorite to this southern gem and come out with a slice of your own heaven. Dad's right you know, don't matter what you got to serve for dinner since we always got cornbread.

My Mama's Tomato Gravy...

2009-07-20T12:06:00.000-04:00

Many of the great tastes of the south are the ones we grew up on. I am from the southern part of Mississippi with family members still throughout Ole Miss and Louisiana. Money was tight and food mostly came from the land or the sea. One of my Mom's and Grandmother's favorite ways of stretching a meal was to stir up some grits or biscuits and make gravy to top it with. If you had a bit of beef or pork sausage you would brown it up, make a white roux, add some milk and country gravy was ready to top anything. One of Mom's favorites and mine, still today, is Mama's Tomato Gravy. With tomatoes plentiful year round, fresh in the summer and canned in the winter, it is easy to throw together something delicious to feed your belly and your soul.

My favorite way to make it is to start with frying bacon and using the drippings, but if bacon is not available sausage with drippings are just fine. For those of you who would like to leave out the meat and drippings, just skip that part and use your favorite butter or margarine. A vegetable oil can be used but you miss a bit of the flavor. I normally start with frying up 6 or 8 slices of bacon crispy. Remove the bacon and leave about 1/4 cup of bacon drippings in the frying pan. Stir constantly in 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until the roux is lightly browned. You can use either chopped, bite sized, fresh tomatoes with its own juices, or canned chopped tomatoes in juice. With a total of at least 2 1/2 cups, stir into the roux the tomatoes, with liquid, until the mixture begins to thicken. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. If you find it a little too thick for your liking stir in a little water or even milk for a thinner consistency. Season it with salt and, at our stove lots of, pepper. Serve it hot over buttered grits or buttermilk biscuits. Crumble the crispy bacon on top and settle in for the yummy memories.

Flavors of Summer...

2009-07-18T16:52:00.000-04:00

Summertime offers up such yummy colors in food, flowers, clothing and jewelry. We can't wait to dig out the summer wear and favorite recipes because of the fun, relaxed times we relate to colors. The blues of the ocean and the white sand brought out fun, colored, bathing suits. White pants and brightly colored tees bring out the thoughts of the wonderful flowers and vegetables in our gardens and the yummy cool treats that go with the weather. When I was young we couldn't wait to get those white sandals out that had been placed in the back of the closet on Labor Day. I never could figure the reasoning behind the no white shoes between Labor Day and Memorial Day. We would pull out the sandals and shorts and head outside till sundown. Picnics and beautiful pink, yummy, watermelon ruled the days and on Sunday evenings Dad would pile all into the car and drive us to the edge of town where the Ice Cream Shop stood waiting. Children from all around would be jumping out of cars and standing in long lines for tall cones of sweet, pastel, fruit flavored ice creams and sherbets. What wonderful memories we all chat about now when we hang out at a summer family get together. It is no wonder that our best summer memories are tied to colors and flavors.

Refreshing Summer Time Treats on Wordless Wednesday - My Favorites

2009-07-08T14:50:00.000-04:00

A Low Country Boil...

2009-07-05T13:35:00.000-04:00

My family can't have a group gathering on holidays, birthdays or vacations without throwing together a Low Country Boil. It always serves a lot of people and it has something for everyone. We all love it and I've been known to down size it so that it will serve just two or three on a weeknight.

What is known as the lowcountry region stretches from the coastal plains of the Carolinas to the Georgia border. Being a location heavy of seafood, produce, grits and rice the people were, and still are, known for their combinations of local shrimp, crabs, oysters and fish cooked together with what is plentiful at the time.

This low country boil is a combination of shrimp, smoked sausage, corn, potatoes, onions and if available crabs. Great to take to the beach and really easy to create for a crowd. Lowcountry boil can be served on newspaper for easy clean up. The only rule of thumb here is the bigger the crowd, the bigger the pot. It doesn't have a exact measurement of anything since it is based on whatever you have or want so this is as close to what my family throws together and it is a solid hit everytime.

Our Lowcountry Boil

Note: Items are layered in pot and not stirred throughout. Put lid on pot as the steam rising from the bottom of pot is steaming all the flavors together and cooking them as the are added.
4 pounds small red potatoes washed but left whole
6 or 8 whole medium Vidalia or Sweet onions peeled but left whole
6 quarts water
1 small bag of crab boil seasoning optional but better with it.
4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning (double if no crab boil)
3 pounds kielbasa or smoked link sausage, cut into 6 inch pieces
6 ears of corn, halved
5 pounds large fresh shrimp, (peeled and deveined optional)we cook ours with the peel on for added flavor.
Melted Butter and Cocktail sauce on the side.

Add potatoes and onions to large tall pot, then add 6 quarts water and seasonings. Cover pot and heat to a rolling boil; cook 5 minutes. Add sausage and corn on top of the potatos and onions, and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add shrimp to stockpot; If adding crabs add now for 10 minutes then add the shrimp and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain and dump the pot out onto the middle of a paper covered table or into a few large bowls and serve with bowls of cocktail sauce an bowls of melted butter.

Open a cold beer or pour a glass of sweet tea and dig into the pile. You eat it all with your hands and laugh and enjoy!

Vacation wishing...

2009-06-30T21:25:00.000-04:00

Are we there yet? Those four words kids everywhere say when they are bored traveling and can’t wait to be at their destination. Well, I am far from being a kid anymore but there is this little child, in the back of my mind, poking me and saying “are we there yet?” To me, “there” is the Outer Banks of North Carolina, my most favorite vacation beach spot, that we go to every September. This year it seems like September is too far away and I am so ready to leave right now.

Each September, after Labor Day, we rent a large beach house complete with heated pool for chilly days and a hot tub for cozy nights. We gather our bathing suits and pajamas and head south. It is only a 5 hour drive but at least a dozen times we all have to say “are we there yet?” It is a wonderful location for a vacation if a hurricane does not decide to blow hard up the coastline. The Outer Banks is a barrier island that runs along the coast of North Carolina. It’s beautiful and peaceful and it always has a way of washing off the past year's stress. There are a number of wonderful little towns that offer something for everyone, from wandering wild horses on the beach to shopping, vineyard wine tours and just plain fun; it has me coming back year after year.

This year I would like to be there now. Life has been filled with craziness this past year and I need a vacation soon. I need to feel that southern sand under my feet and the water splashing around me to get some of that ahhh vacation feel. I have started a calendar countdown this evening and if you hear whining escaping from me this summer, just remember, it’s only that kid in me saying “are we there yet?”

Sweet Tea...

2009-06-28T12:01:00.000-04:00

One wonderful thing the country has learned from the south is what a hot, summer day calls for is a tall glass of iced sweet tea. It seems like all restaurants and even McDonald's has caught onto this icy taste of the south. Sweet Tea is a drink all its own. There is iced tea and then sweet tea. Two very separate drinks. Iced tea is brewed unsweetened and then served with the option of adding whatever you like, maybe a little sugar or artificial sweetener, some lemon or berries or a sprig of mint. It is a have it your way drink. Then there is Sweet Tea, which next to Dr. Pepper is one of the favorite beverages of the south. It is my favorite for sure. Cool, refreshing and sweet! Making sweet tea is simple with just three ingredients. Water, tea bags and pure white cane sugar. In a pot on the stove place 2 cups of cold water, 6 tea bags with tags removed, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat when it comes to the boil and let sit to steep for around 10 minutes till it is good and deep colored. Remove your tea bags and squeeze those little bags into the brown water so you don't waste a drop of the liquid gold. Now, while the tea is still warm in the pan add 1 cup (or even more to your sweet taste) of cane sugar and stir to dissolve. I know you are thinking that is a lot of sugar but remember that is the idea. When the sugar is dissolved pour the warm tea into the quart pitcher, and with a metal spoon standing in the tea to keep the pitcher from breaking, fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water. Stir and serve over a lot of ice in a tall glass. Mmmm, cold, sweet, delicious, the nectar of the south.

2009-06-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

What excitement it is to open a new blog and to welcome all to join us in this fun endeavor. We plan on bringing you some of what my family and I have to offer with a touch of the old south thrown into the mix. We are a creative group and we look forward to introducing you to our beautiful jewelry, some great old southern cooking and just plan down home fun. We might be city people now but you can still find that southern touch in all we do!