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Chocolate Fudge Cake at the River 03/17/2007
Valentine's Dinner for two 02/08/2007
Cold Snap 01/14/2007
New Years Dinner 12/30/2006
Storm Damage
Green Eggs and Ham
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Chocolate Fudge Cake at the River -- posted March 17, 2007
I stepped out my back door yesterday to a very brisk breeze with just a hint of chill. The feel of the wind and the smell in the air instantly took me to another place and time. I was no longer in the wide-open field of my backyard, but rather standing at the edge of the water at "The River." That is how we always referred to my Papaw and Granny's house. "Pack your stuff, kids. We're going to The River," my parents would say two or three times a year. Then we'd load up and take the five-hour drive to my grandparent's house.
Granny and Papaw had a house in Birmingham, but as time went by, they spent more and more time at The River. Their place was just a tiny, metal trailer with a closed-in porch in front. It was old and small, but it sat in Bozo's fish camp, at the end of the road, with water surrounding it on three sides. The house wasn't much to look at, but the view was worth a million bucks. At home, I always slept late, but not at the river. I loved to wake up early and walk outside to just stand and watch the water. There was always a brisk breeze blowing over the water and to me it felt like freedom.
There was not a lot to do at the river. I've never been much for fishing, and joining up with other young people for a day out on the boat wasn't my style. I was content to walk -- on the trails that passed for streets and were covered with big, grey river rock -- to the little Bozo's fish camp store or just sit and watch the water.
My Granny is an excellent cook. We'd wake every morning to homemade biscuits in a metal warming pan (but don't get the two that are turned upside down; those are the buttered biscuits for Granny) with hot tomato gravy, salt meat, and scrambled eggs. I never drank milk at home, but it always tasted so good with breakfast at the river. But, by far, the best thing Granny made was her seven-layer chocolate fudge cake. How many times have I sat at her little, metal table with a piece of her cake and a cold glass of milk? Too many to count.
It's been a long time since I've visited the river. I realize, feeling the wind in my face today, just how much I miss it... and the time to just sit and watch the water.
Now, I make my own version of Granny's fudge cake. I use a cake mix (faster, easier and still delicious) and only six layers (bake three and slice each in half), but the chocolate fudge icing is still rich and delicious. And it has become a favorite in my family. Here's the recipe so you can make it for your family... Don't forget the milk!
Chocolate Fudge Cake |
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Strawberry Spinach Salad |
Valentine's Dinner for Two -- posted February 8, 2007
It will soon be Valentine’s Day. I know because Ryan wants to know when I’m taking him to buy something for his girlfriend and Nicholas ordered a carnation from the school for BOTH of his girlfriends. What will you be doing for Valentines Day?
Chances are you’ll be sending at least one Valentine card to a special someone. According to the Greeting Card Association, twenty-five percent of the 3.5 billion seasonal cards purchased each year are for Valentine’s Day. This is second only to Christmas which represents 60% of seasonal card sales. Odds are you may also purchased one of those handy, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate – more than 36 million will be sold for Valentine's Day according to the National Confectioners Association – or some roses – an estimated 189 million were produced for Valentine’s Day 2006 according to the Society of American Florists – for your sweet Valentine.
With so many people buying mass-produced greeting cards and candy or flowers, I think my hubby and I will enjoy a quiet dinner for two on Valentine’s Day. Getting into the kitchen and cooking together is as much fun to us as eating the results of our labor. Even better will be if the boys are home in time for cleanup duty.
Here is one romantic dinner idea that you may cook for your special someone. |
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Sweet for my Sweet
Red Pepper Soup |
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Hot for my Honey Pepper Roast |
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Chocolate Lover's Cheesecake |
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Easy Butter-Dipped Breadsticks
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Cold Snap -- Sunday, January 14, 2007
It is mid-January – the time we would normally have our heavy coats and gloves at the ready. However, it was almost 80 degrees (77 to be exact) yesterday. We enjoyed being outside all day – wearing short-sleeves! Ryan and Nicholas (my sons; age 14 and 8) went deer hunting for the last weekend of the season, but they didn’t see anything... it was too hot. I sympathize with the people of Colorado and other areas that are getting record-breaking winter weather, but it's difficult to fully understand when today was so sunny and warm that my husband Roger and I considered going fishing.
If the weatherman is correct, big changes are coming to our weather and we will definitely be needing those heavy coats the rest of the week. We are expecting rain tomorrow then a big drop in temperatures to below freezing. Alas, us deep-south, sun-lovers will finally get the winter-time weather that it seems so much of the rest of the country has been experiencing. I’ve even heard mention of the “S” word. For us Mississippi folk, though, snow is generally more of a threat or a promise than a reality.
In my family, a cold snap has always meant CHILI FOR SUPPER. I can remember my Mom starting the chili at least a day ahead of cold weather and putting it on the wood-burning stove we used to heat the house. It would cook nice and slow in an iron pot while the smell drifted throughout the house making everyone hungry for chili. I can still smell that wonderful mixture of cold weather, wood burning, and chili cooking. Yum!
I, too, started a slow-cooking batch of chili in preparation for the cold snap. It’s simmering in the slow-cooker not over a wood-burning stove... and it’s chicken chili rather than the traditional hamburger chili my Mom made... but Nicholas just came running downstairs and into the kitchen saying, “What is that delicious smell? It’s making me hungry!” So, I must be doing something right. |
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Hoppin’ John
Cabbage Rolls
Hot Tamale Dip
Caramel Pecans
Layered Coconut Sour Cream Cake
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December 30, 2006 -- New Year's Dinner
It’s hard for me to believe that it is almost 2007. Another year gone by and many more blessings for which to be thankful. I am thankful for my family and for the ability and opportunity to work hard making cookbooks to share. And I am thankful for good food and good friends.
What better way to welcome in the New Year than an old-fashioned potluck dinner? Friends and family will be bringing along delicious dishes of their own – so many that our nice, big counter will be completely covered. As for my kitchen, we’ll be making some traditional (traditional to my family, anyway) New Years Day favorites to share.
Stories abound as to why we eat black-eyed peas on New Years Day to bring luck the rest of the year. One of the most common stories is that during the Civil War, Northern troops burned all the Southern crops in a town leaving only the black-eyed peas which they mistook for weeds. The Southerners were so thankful to have the black-eyed peas to eat, the food source became a sign of good luck.
The Southern tale I most remember hearing is that black-eyed peas represent coins and greens (always turnip greens in my family) represent paper money. The more you eat on New Years Day, the more you’ll have all year. Though I can’t remember anyone in my family doing it, it is also tradition to put a dime in the black-eyed peas while they are cooking.
My favorite way to eat black-eyed peas is Hoppin’ John so I’ll be cooking that along with turnip greens (picked fresh from the garden) and Cabbage Rolls. The kids (and the men, too) will be scampering by for something to snack on before dinner so I’ll be making some Hot Tamale Dip to have out a little early. Later in the day, after of our dinner has settled, we’ll have Caramel Pecans and Layered Coconut Sour Cream Cake (made especially for my father-in-law, H.J.). Yum!
I hope your 2007 (and mine) is filled with family, friends, and good food. Happy New Year!
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Storm Damage
We had some damage from a recent storm and my wonderful Daddy who is always ready to lend a helping hand (to his baby daughter for sure, but to anyone really – call him!) came by to help Roger make some repairs. I cooked them breakfast this morning – bacon (fried in a skillet) and eggs (fried in the bacon grease; yellow runny) and grits (to go over the top of the eggs) and toast (plain and cinnamon). No recipes here. Just good ole Southern cooking.
That wonderful husband of mine started some chicken in the crockpot yesterday. So it’s chicken for lunch! I love rice, but didn’t have a lot of time to babysit it, so I’m trying rice in the oven. And I’m serving it with some baked beans my youngest made yesterday – he LOVES his “cowboy beans” and, of course, big glasses of sweet tea. None for me, I stick to diet drinks (with my bacon and eggs ;-) ), but the men in my family LOVE their sweet tea, and I LOVE to make the men in my life happy.
Easy Chicken Dish
Cook-it-in-the-Oven Rice
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Green Eggs and Ham
Biscuits
Mexican Omelet |
I love to read. I’ve tried to pass my love for books to my two very active boys. It hasn’t always been easy, over the years, to get them to be still long enough, but one of our favorites has always been Dr. Seuss. Is there really anyone out there who doesn’t love Dr. Seuss?
For breakfast this morning, Nicholas (little brother) requested green eggs and ham. So, what’s a mom to do? Cook green eggs and ham! I had some sliced ham for sandwiches so I chopped it and heated it in the skillet. I scrambled the eggs as usual then added a bit of green food coloring before cooking them. I added some canned crescent rolls on the side and served it up just for Nicholas. Want to guess what happened?
He didn’t eat it. Not even one bite. He said, “I don’t like green eggs and ham.” Really. I couldn’t even get Ryan or Roger to taste it. It’s a good thing I had cooked something else for the rest of the family. So, all four of us enjoyed Biscuits, grits, and Mexican Omelets.
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