Decoration Day 2009

I was born a Robinson, raised a Robinson and will always be proud to carry the Robinson name.

For at the last one hundred years or so the Robinson's have gathered near the South Toe River in Yancey County, N.C. on the fourth Sunday in August for what is known as "Decoration". Truly a decoration it is, families come the distance to not only decorate the graves of their loved ones but to celebrate their mountain heritage, and eagerly connect with family they haven't seen since last August. When you are a Robinson, (or married to one) this is how you spend the fourth Sunday in August.

My grandparents, Wilburn and Doskie Gragg Robinson had 6 children - Marvin, 1912, Lavada, 1914 - 2008, John (my Daddy) 1926, Dale, 1928-2001, Thelma 19xx and Hazel 19xx. ( I know the birth date of the youngest 2 girls but I won't post). Three of the four living children were in attendance, the fourth came to NC to attend but had an emergency and had to return to Georgia on Saturday. Six of the 12 living grandchildren attended.

After visiting the Robinson Cemetery we came back down Highway 80 to our families cabin for dinner. (Yes, remember it is breakfast, dinner and supper.) I could not begin to tell you how much food there was, as always it was an abundance.

I heard my cousin Catherine say that everything she brought was one of her Mother's recipes. I thought this was the greatest tribute to Mary Nell, her Mother, who to my knowledge never missed a decoration day as long as she lived. Not only was my Aunt Mary Nell a wonderful cook, but she was the keeper of the family history. She did a incredible job of documenting the Robinson family history for which I will always be grateful.

After dinner we continued on down Highway 80 to visit (and decorate) my Grandmother's grave. Oddly, my grandparents are buried in different cemeteries. My Grandfather is buried with his parents (Mitchell and Katy Robinson) at the Robinson Cemetery in Yancey County and my Grandmother is buried with her parents (William and Mary Simmons Gragg) in the Simmons Cemetery on Buck Creek Road in McDowell County.


The photo posted above is just a handful of us that made the pilgrimage on this fourth Sunday in August.

From my perspective, it was a perfect day.



So, until tomorrow..........

S~~~

Movie Night

It's a stormy night on McCanless Creek.

Ronnie didn't practice tonight so we are planning to watch a movie. It was one we started to watch back in June but somehow managed to get sidetracked. Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood.

Supper was a bit on the comfort food side. We have been wanting lasagna for a couple of weeks. Since I got home a few minutes earlier than usual I thought tonight was a perfect time for it. We have decided we actually prefer our lasagna with cottage cheese instead of ricotta, but feel free to substitute.

Lasagna*

Tossed Salad

Honey Wheat Bread w/ roasted garlic butter

Lasagna

9 lasagna noodles - no boil
1 -26 ounce can Del Monte 4 Cheese Spaghetti Sauce(tonight I added 1/2 lb. browned ground beef, 1 tsp. Worcestershire and 1 tsp. brown sugar)

2 cups cottage cheese

3/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. onion powder

1 Tbsp. dried parsley
12 oz. mozzarella cheese - sliced

Cover the bottom of a 9x13 glass dish with a thin layer of sauce. (I did this before I added the ground beef)

Mix cottage cheese, sour cream, egg, Parmesan cheese, onion powder and parsley in a bowl.

Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce
Spread 1/3 cheese mixture over noodles.
Add 1/3 of the sauce.
Lay 3 mozzarella slices over top
Repeat twice.

Bake at 375* for about 1 hour. Remove foil and bake 10 additional minutes.
Top should be light brown and bubbly.

So, until tomorrow........

S~~~

We Still Miss You, Frances

Today was a great day at work. We had lunch with a dear friend, Frances.
Frances worked with us at Accents on Asheville for a few years. When she came to us she had recently taken early retirement from Wachovia, where she was a manager. She was just looking for something part time and we desperately needed full time. I think she took pity on us, she took the full time position. She immediately became indispensable to us. From that first February day that she walked into our office we felt like we had known her forever. She did anything and everything we asked of her. She took care of us on a professional level, answering phones, handling our airport transfers, entering info into the system (at the speed of light), filling in when we were short on guides, running a multitude of errands and so many other jobs I can't list.
She also took care of us on a personal level, making sure we had lunch when we were too busy to leave, finding my stuff, (I am NOT a finder, she even had to locate my stapler on one occasion), making our excuses when we missed appointments like dental cleanings, etc. and being an all around best friend to Michael, Deb, Cyndi and myself.
It was a sad day when she left us to take real retirement and relocate to Athens, Georgia. In her own very dear way she left on firm footing and we will always be thankful for the time she gave us, but we will ALWAYS miss her.


Supper tonight was quick since I felt like I spent the entire night in the kitchen last night.

Oven Fried Talapia*
Buttered Little Red Potatoes
Broccoli Teriyaki (not a great choice with fish)
Hushpuppies


Oven Fried Talapia

1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
Mix and let set aside at least 15 minutes.

1 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar

Mix milk, vinegar and mustard and let set for 15 minutes.
In a zip lock bag mix cornmeal with all the seasonings.
Dip fish fillets in the milk mixture and then in the cornmeal mixture.
Cover a baking sheet with foil and coat with vegetable oil. Place fillets on prepared pan and place in a 400* oven.
Bake for 10 minutes, turn and bake an additional 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

So, Until Tomorrow.............
S~~~

A Late Supper For Us

After fluffing off supper last night with a frozen pizza (Ronnie bet I wouldn't blog about that), I thought I should maybe redeem myself tonight.

I had seven beautiful red and yellow sweet peppers from our garden that I didn't want to waste, so I thought of stuffed sweet peppers. It has been years since I made these so I went in search for a recipe. I found multitudes that were not exactly what I was looking for, so, I used the closest one and added what I thought to be the missing ingredients. The best thing is I was reading that they freeze well, so I made a few extra for the freezer.

The problem that I have is that I made the rookie mistake of not reading the recipe all the way through. Cook time is 90 minutes plus an additional 15 uncovered. I am using convection which hopefully will speed up cooking time a bit. Keep in mind I got home at 6:10, saw Ronnie and the "babies" for a few minutes, changed into my play clothes and got in the kitchen at 6:40. I think the peppers will be done somewhere around 9:30. Now, don't get me wrong, we are accustomed to a late supper just not 9:30.

So at some point tonight supper will look like this:

Stuffed Sweet Peppers*

Creamy Rice

Lima Beans

Sugar Glazed Carrots

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

4 sweet bell peppers - halved- seeds and ribs removed
1 lb. ground chuck
1 - cup cooked rice
1- sweet pepper - diced
1- onion - diced
2 - garlic cloves minced
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. Worcestershire

1 Tbsp. pepper

1 egg - beaten
1/8 cup Italian breadcrumbs

1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

plain spaghetti sauce (jarred or homemade)
sharp cheddar cheese -shredded

Preheat your oven to 375*F.

In a large bowl combine ground chuck, rice, minced sweet pepper, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, chili powder, celery salt, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, egg, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup - measure out a 1/2 cup meat mixture for each halved pepper and fill.

Place peppers in a baking dish and cover with your favorite jarred or homemade spaghetti sauce (about 1 cup per pepper half).

Cover and cook 90 minutes. Remove from oven and uncover. Sprinkle shredded sharp over top of peppers and return to oven uncovered an 15 additional minutes.

So, until tomorrow...........

S~~~

Supper at the Wild Moose

Tonight we started out to supper thinking we might go to Fatz. (Should we really eat at restaurant called Fatz?) We turned onto I-40 East and remembered the Wild Moose in Old Fort. So, we turned around at the next exit and headed West to Old Fort and the Wild Moose Cafe.
Boy howdy, we sure are glad we did. This was our second visit and won't be our last.
From the house made blue cheese dressing (Ronnie had the not house made raspberry vinaigrette and he thought it was really good.) to the incredible grilled catfish, everything we had was wonderful. Mostly organic offerings that also include prime rib, trout, shrimp, ribeyes, and other choices that I can't remember.
Tonight's special was one entree at full price and the second one half price.
Next time you find yourself hungry in Old Fort give the Wild Moose a try. You won't be sorry.

So, until tomorrow........
S~~~

Grocery Shopping

Where do you usually grocery shop? I would love to have Harris Teeter back. It was without a doubt my favorite grocery store, but about 20 years ago they decided Marion was not a profitable location and closed. So, that left us with Ingles and BiLo and a few years later Food Lion came along. I generally shop at the Ingles, I find the BiLo to be a bit more expensive and Food Lion to be much more expensive. My location of choice is Ingles in Black Mountain. Newer and much nicer than our Marion store, with the added convenience of being right off interstate as I drive home from work.

When we travel I make it a point to shop different grocery stores. When we visit Lacy I love to go to the Wegman's. It is a shopping experience par excellence. A toy store for cooks. When I traveled to Atlanta back in the old Fantasy Travel days I always tried to get to the Kroger. In Florida I like to hit Publix and Albertson's. I love the Piggly Wiggly in Charleston. Even on Edisto Island (hello Frances) the Piggly Wiggly is the place to see and be seen.
Then there is the high end selections, Fresh Market, Earthfare, Green Life, and in other areas Whole Foods. Do I need to tell you that I love all of these stores? Of course, last but far from least we have the Super WalMarts. I do like the grocery section in these stores, but the very best part of shopping here is that one stop does it all. Saves me time and perhaps a bit of money to boot.
Oh, oh I almost forgot, Aldi. I really do like Aldi, quality products, low prices, but limited selection.

Anyway, I said ALL that to say that this past weekend we shopped BiLo and I picked up some nice chicken breast halves for $0.99 a lb. So, supper tonight was:

Shredded Barbeque Chicken Sandwiches*
Barbeque Slaw
Bread and Butter Pickles (Aldi)
Parsley Potatoes

Shredded Barbeque Chicken

4 chicken breasts
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook 6-8 hours on low heat in slow cooker. Cool chicken and remove skin and bones. Shred chicken and place in a 3 quart sauce pan.

Combine:
1 cup catsup
1 Tbsp. (heaping) grape jelly
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water (or strained broth)

Pour over shredded chicken and heat through. Serve on toasted rolls with pickles and slaw.

So, until tomorrow...........
S~~~

A Vote for Sissy and Texas Hold 'Em

There is a really sweet contest on line over at Cutest Dog Competition. Seeing as how Ronnie and I both get silly over our babies, we of course had to enter Sissy. I would love it if you would click the link below and vote for her.
At any rate, even if you just want to see some precious dogs this site is for you!!
(You can vote once a day).

http://www.cutestdogcompetition.com/vote.cfm?h=A0D55ADC6B6F8FE37C456FAE451CFF21

Tonight is poker night at our house. We are expecting about 10 people for Texas Hold 'Em. We always have such a good time. It doesn't even matter if I lose. Yeah, right!!!

I made cheese wafers as one of the snacks tonight. It has been years since I made them and I had forgotten how good they are. It used to be I never had a party without cheese wafers or cheese straws. To be perfectly honest Mother usually made them for me. I mean it is the Southern thing to serve isn't it?

Krispie Cheese Wafers

2 sticks soft butter
2 cups grated sharp cheese
2 cups plain flour
2 c. Rice Krispies
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar

Soften butter and cheese. In mixer add butter, cheese and all other ingredients. Roll into little balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press with a fork. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

So, until tomorrow........
(wish me luck tonight)
S~~~

My intention was to get back and put up a supper post last night but time just somehow got away from from me. I fixed Ronnie's favorite for his birthday:

Soup Beans
Cole Slaw
Fried Potatoes
Cornbread
Cheesecake w/ Cherries

Tonight in my on going quest to economize supper was:

Tacos/ Taco Salad
Cheesy Rice and Beans* (Rice from Sunday - Mixed beans from last night)
Guacamole and Tortilla Chips

Cheesy Rice and Beans

1 small onion - chopped fine
1/2 bell pepper - chopped fine
1 tsp. garlic
2 cups cooked pinto, great northern or mixed beans
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 cup shredded cheese
1 tsp. hot sauce (or to taste)
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar

Cook onion and bell pepper in 1 tsp. vegetable oil until tender. Add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes over medium heat.
Add remaining ingredients and heat through. You could also turn into a sprayed 2 qt. casserole and cook at 350* for 15 minutes.

So, until tomorrow...........
S~~~

Happy Birthday Ronnie

I married the most talented, hard working, thoughtful, handsome, emotionally strong yet tender hearted, intelligent man in the world. He is a fantastic husband, an amazing Daddy, a supportive partner and my very best friend.

I don't always make his life easy, quite the opposite I am sure. There have been many ups, a few downs, occasional frustrations and tremendous joys in our 31 plus years. Ronnie has weathered it all and come through with that timid little boy smile that I love so much.

The day Ronnie was born was a typical hot summer day in Yancey County, NC. His Mamaw, Aunt Judy (Jewell to everyone else in the family except Ronnie and Karen and later their families) and his Mother, Barbara were busy canning green beans. His Mamaw remarked to Barbara that she should not even think about having that baby until those beans were canned. Barbara obliged and around 3:00 pm after all the beans were cooling in the jars, her water broke. Ronald Jay was born that night at 8:10 pm.
Sadly, his Daddy was on an aircraft carrier somewhere in the South Pacific at the time. Ronnie's Aunt Judy (Jewell) wired the news to him but somehow communication was dropped and the message reached the Essex without the name of the person it was intended for. The radio operator broadcast the message that said "Bob and baby doing fine, Love, Jewell " the next morning. It was over a week before Ronnie's daddy found out whether he had a boy or a girl.

So, today on this beautiful August 3rd join me in wishing Ronnie a very special day.

Until Later.............
S~~

Sunny Sunday

Today has been so beautiful. After a few showers that we certainly cannot complain about, the sun came out and it is now one of those gorgeous Sunday afternoons that we dream about in January. It always seems that once July is gone I am more keenly aware of the lengthening shadows that slowly signal the end of my beloved Summer. It reminds me to appreciate every single warm day.
One of the many things that I love about Summer are fresh vegetables. We have fixed squash every way imaginable and have not tired of it yet. This morning as I was getting dressed Paula Deen and her brother Bubba were making a squash casserole that is a bit different from my norm. Luckily, I had just enough squash in the refrigerator to try it.
We thought it was really good, not as good as my Aunt Julia's recipe (posted January 2nd, 2009), but we consider that the holy grail of squash casseroles.

Supper tonight was:
Baked Chicken Livers
Rice and Gravy
Uncle Bubba's Cheesy Squash Casserole*
Tiny English Peas

Uncle Bubba's Cheesy Squash Casserole

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
6 medium yellow summer squash - thinly sliced
1 large Vidalia onion - thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cups grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and black pepper
1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed medium to fine

Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the squash, onion, and butter until soft. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan, Cheddar, and sour cream. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Place in the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.

So, until tomorrow..............
S~~~

Sweet Tea - The House Wine of the South

We all love our sweet tea in the South. It's just one of the many things that makes us proud to be Southerners. One of the things that Lacy-Jay misses the most living up north is sweet tea. She can make it at home, of course, (we raised her right) but in restaurants most meals just cry for sweet tea.

I LOVE culinary nostalgia. One of my sweetest memories is iced sweet tea on Sundays. I was only allowed tea on Sundays, it was milk for me every other day except my birthday, which was Coke with meals day. Mother made the very best tea. Not that she did anything special, just the opposite. She did all the things that would make proper tea conoisseurs take the vapors. Like boil the water before adding the tea bags. Modern wisdom says bring your water just to the boiling point. Mother never used any gourmet Tazo or herbal teas either, I'm not even sure they sold those in Marion then, actually I am quite sure they did not. Our tea was "Dixie Home" brand, (orange and black pekoe at it's best). If you remember from earlier posts Mother did not buy store brands often, but this was one exception to the rule. This tea was the store brand at what our family called the "Dixie Store".

Sidetrack: As a junior high school idiot I remember being so embarrassed that my parents called it "the Dixie Store". Everybody knew it was the Winn Dixie didn't they? What I wouldn't give to have my Mother and that "Dixie Store" back today.

Anyway back to Mother's sweet tea. Mother not only boiled her water but she let the tea bags steep until she got around to finishing it up. Then she would take a spoon and press the tea bags with the back to get all the flavor from the tea. Lawdy Mercy all that bitterness.......................

Yeah right, all that bitterness right in to the best tea I ever drank. Another rule Mother had was never make tea in plastic. She was a few years ahead of modern wisdom here. We had a green 1950's Fiesta Ware pitcher that endured the generation. Bought at Sears long before I was born.

I wish I knew her tea to sugar ratio, but like so many other things she never measured her sugar in tea.

Cravin Melon said it best:

Don't try to offer me anything

What it comes right down to baby

Don't tempt me; I'm where I wanna be

Cause on the eighth day, God made sweet tea

Certain things in life I like to savor

Watchin' clouds and waitin' on the rain

If you ever question my behavior

Just a taste will make you feel the same now

Watch and enjoy................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGz4bcDyG1c&feature=related

So, until tomorrow.............

S~~~