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~~~

The End Is In Sight

Well, last night it ended...... We sadly watched our last available episode of LOST. We actually thought we had 2 more discs and they turned out to be bonus footage. What a major let down.
The good news is now I am back to blogging more faithfully.
LOST has truly consumed us. We can't wait for the 5th season to come out on DVD in December.
Note to self: Finish Christmas shopping in November.
The 6th and final season is set for January or February 2010 so we will probably watch it in real time. I emphatically say it is the best television series ever created. (This from a true Cagney and Lacy fan).

Ok, so I seem to remember this was a cooking blog, right? So, it must be time to start cooking again. Quick meals were the norm during our LOST stage. I have almost depleted all of my freezer meals so those will have to be replenished as well.

I have always had an interest in the Once A Month Cooking (OAMC) concept. Even started a folder of recipes at one time. The idea is spend one weekend a month and freeze meals for the coming month. The only problem is I don't want to spend an entire weekend in the kitchen. Even as much as I love to cook that is a bit much. So, I prefer to double up on entrees that freeze well and have them in reserve for those days that time will not permit anything more.
What might be fun though is to have a few friends join me in the kitchen and we could work together and divide our efforts.
Let me know if you have any experience here, I would love your input.

Here is a OAMC recipe that I plan to try soon:

Orange Glazed Chicken (OAMC)

8 boneless skinless chicken breast (or whatever your family prefers)
2 cups French dressing
3 cups ginger ale (do not use diet)
2 cups orange juice
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Marinade chicken in French dressing in refrigerator for at least 1 hour, overnight is even better.
Remove from marinade and brown in a small amount of vegetable oil over medium high heat.
Combine ginger ale and cornstarch. Divide chicken in what ever proportions work well for your family. Divide sauce and pour over chicken. Cool and freeze.

On serving day:
Take chicken out of the freezer in the morning and place in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 300* and bake 1 - 1/2 hours, basting at least twice during cooking.
Serve over rice.

Supper here tonight was Shrimp Pitas*. Something light and refreshing for the last of July.

Shrimp Pitas

2 cups frozen salad shrimp - peeled and deveined
3 radishes - chopped fine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 small cucumber - peeled and chopped fine
1 tsp. lemon juice - fresh if you have it
1 tsp. Old Bay
1/4 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. Ranch dressing

Combine all ingredients and chill.
Serve in pita pockets with very cold finely shredded lettuce.

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

I Am A Bad Blogger

It's true. I have been a terrible blogger. Lacy just called during supper and reminded me how bad I have been.
Lots of reasons, (notice I say reasons, not excuses), LOST, the beautiful weather, LOST, my biggest group of the year this week at work, LOST, and general laziness.

We have been eating lots of our freezer meals and vegetables from the garden, so there haven't been a lot of recipes to post.

One very important situation I want to share.
You have heard me talk about my very best friend in the world Jan. She lives in Tennessee now and we don't get to see each other as much as we like.
She emailed to let me know that her 12 1/2 year old granddaughter, Haley, was very badly burned last week. She was boiling eggs and knocked the pot of boiling water off the stove burning her from the waist down. She is in the burn unit at Bowman Gray in Winston Salem.
Please, please keep her in your prayers. It would mean so much. I will keep you posted when I hear an update from Jan.

Be patient with me. We are in the last season of LOST that we have on DVD and the next one isn't out yet. I promise to be better, hopefully I will be back tomorrow!!

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

Retro Recipes

Don't you just love recipes that remind you of growing up. Today I came across a a cake recipe that reminded me of my aunt Mary so much. She made this cake often when I was young. This got me to thinking about other recipes I associate with people.

Ronnie has a memory of his Grandmother Taylor making something she called "sweet bread". She had passed long before we were married so I never had this dessert, but try as I might to duplicate it I cannot. Apparently she was one of those wonderful cooks who never needed a recipe. From what I can gather from Ronnie and other family members this was a very simple, plain type cake that she baked in a single layer in a cast iron pan. He remembers it being a little crunchy around the edges. My sister in law, Karen, remembers that she sometimes made chocolate sweet bread as well. If by chance you had a grandmother that made "sweet bread" Ronnie would be forever grateful if you could share the recipe.

So, in memory of my Aunt Mary enjoy this wonderful cake.

Pistachio Cake

1 pkg. white or yellow cake mix
1 pkg. (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding mix
3 eggs
1 c. club soda
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. chopped nuts

FROSTING:

1 1/2 c. cold milk
1 envelope Dream Whip
1 pkg. pistachio pudding mix

Combine all ingredients in large mixer bowl. Blend, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and frost.
For the Frosting:
Pour the milk into a deep bowl. Add the Dream Whip and the pistachio pudding mix. Beat slowly to blend. Gradually increase speed until mixture forms peaks. Spread on cake.


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

Logan County Hamburgers

Tonight I am fixing Logan County hamburgers from Katie Lee Joel. (She recently became Billy Joel's Ex.) Lacy is fascinated with celebrities, me not so much. I think everyday people are much more interesting. Anyway, Lacy found this recipe and mentioned it to me.
I was intrigued because everybody loves hamburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. What better than a combination of both?

Growing up it was not unusual for us to have hamburgers on plain white bread. Daddy fixed them that way often. I have always liked hamburgers prepared this way as I am not a big bread person. I always buy rolls, usually the big onion rolls, not sure why.
*Note** I am making one change to the recipe. I am rolling the ground beef very thin and cutting them square.

Logan County Hamburgers*
Grilled Corn
Fried Squash
Cucumbers and Onions (in vinegar, brown sugar, water and dill)
Sliced Cantaloupe


Logan County Hamburgers

1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium sweet onion, half grated (remaining half slice thin)
1 large egg - lightly beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
12 slices white bread
12 slices American cheese
pickle (optional)
ketchup (optional)
mustard (optional)


In medium bowl, combine beef, grated onion, egg, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Form into 6 (4-inch) patties.
Spread 1/2 tsp. butter on one side of each bread slice - set aside.
Brown in a large heavy duty skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook burgers through, turning once.
Transfer to a plate-lined with paper towels.
Drain fat from skillet.
Add 3 bread slices, buttered side down, and layer each with 1 cheese slice, onion slice, burger, another cheese slice and bread, buttered side up.
Cook reducing to medium-low heat, turning once, until bread is golden brown, about 4 minutes.
Repeat to make 3 more sandwiches.
Serve with condiments, if desired.

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

The Dog Days of Summer

I am probably one of the few people who will admit to loving dog days.
The warm humid weather is perfect for me. Both Ronnie and I were born in dog days.
Last Friday, July 10th was my birthday and every single year, with the exception of only 2 that I can remember, it has rained at least a few drops. Now keep in mind that I am the girl that loves the rain. Mother and Daddy always remembered that it came a terrible thunder storm on the day I was born and the hospital (the old Marion General) went to generator power. Anyway, we always wait for the rain on my birthday, and we were not disappointed. On our way to dinner on Friday evening we got rain.

Also, dog days bring fresh vegetables from the garden. Tonight for the first time we will have enough green beans from the garden for supper. We have had lettuce, onions, squash, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes but now we have fresh green beans.

So, supper tonight is just vegetables, yum...............

Fresh Green Beans (greasy cuts shorts)
Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes*
Squash Casserole
Cucumber Salad
Cornbread

Greek Lemon Roasted Potatoes

6 large potatoes cut into wedges, peeled or not, your preference
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (more or less depending on taste, freshly squeezed is always best)
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves pressed (or garlic powder to taste)

Peel and cut potatoes. Place in a 9x13 pan, combine remaining ingredients and pour over potatoes stirring well to coat ever piece.Bake at 425 for 1 hour. Stir every 20 minutes or so.
Squeeze little more fresh lemon juice on for more flavor.

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

Day Best Forgotten

I have no clue about supper tonight. My simple plan is not to cook, maybe have chocolate for supper!!

This has been the day better forgotten.............
First thing a VERY difficult client at work and then my uncle had MAJOR issues on an unsuccessful attempt to fly home from Orlando to Asheville.
What happened to the days when it was fun to fly???

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

We Have Been "Lost"

I guess it is confession time. I know I have been a really bad blogger recently.

The last few weeks we have been “LOST”. “Lost” as in the series.
Even though it has been on television for several years I have had no interest whatsoever in watching. You see, I never watch nor read any fantasy or science fiction. As I have said before I can read the phone book but I always draw the line on the reality side.
That is until we went to visit Lacy-Jay and Bashar in late April. They sent us home with the first four seasons of “Lost”. My sister in law, Karen has watched from the beginning and I knew this was her addiction, but I never dreamed in a million light years that it would become mine too, Ronnie yes, me, no way!!
The discs sat around on our shelf for a few weeks with Lacy prodding us daily about watching. Finally, one Sunday afternoon Ronnie talked me into sitting down with him, promising that if I just watch an episode of two and hated it he would watch the rest alone. The rest is history. We have planned our lives around watching “Lost”. I have never, ever, been as involved in anything on television as I am “Lost”. You can never, and let me repeat never, see what is coming next.
Ronnie saw the cover of a magazine in the grocery store that said this is quite possibly the best written television series ever. Far be it from me to question that statement.
Anyway………………. we are in the middle of the third season of the four we have.
If we feel lost now can you just imagine how lost we will be when it is all over???

This in turn has caused me to be “lost” in the supper department too. Meals have been fast and furious with both of us cleaning up the dishes in order to get in as many episodes as possible before bedtime.

Tonight I am posting a couple of recipes that are stuck in my “to be tried” stack. If you aren’t “lost”, maybe you would want to try them and post your comments!!
Enjoy.


Zucchini Soup

1 cup chopped onions
2 T. butter
3 cups sliced zucchini
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
½ cup half-and-half

4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, then crumbled
In a large saucepan cook onions in melted butter until tender. Add sliced zucchini and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender (about 15 min.) Add salt and pepper. Cool slightly. Pour mixture into blender and puree it. Stir in half-and-half (or milk). Return to saucepan and reheat, but do not boil. Garnish with grated cheese, sour cream, and bacon bits.
Makes 6 servings.


Olive Garden Salad

Olive Garden Salad Dressing:
½ c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. white vinegar
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 Tb. corn syrup
2 Tb. Parmesan cheese
2 Tb. Romano cheese
¼ tsp garlic salt – or one clove garlic, minced
½ tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp parsley flakes
1 Tb. lemon juice

Salad:
1 large head romaine lettuce
slices red onion
black olives
2-4 banana peppers
2 small tomatoes, quartered
½ c. croutons
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
For homemade croutons:
4 slices sandwich bread
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tb. butter
salt and pepper
dried parsley flakes

Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal tastes, add a little extra sugar.
Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Put lettuce in bowl. Place on top of lettuce red onions, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.

For homemade croutons:
Cut off crusts of sandwich bread, and cut bread into cubes. Melt butter in small saucepan and add minced garlic. Toss sandwich cubes in the butter and spread out in a pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper and parsley flakes to taste. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°, turning half way through baking.

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

"I Think it Was The Fourth of July"

Saturday in the park I think, it was the Fourth of July
Saturday in the park I think, it was the Fourth of July
People dancing, people laughing
A man selling ice cream
Singing Italian songs

[Foreign Content]

Can you dig it? Yes, I can
And I've been waiting such a long time.... for Saturday
Another day in the park
I think, it was the Fourth of July
Another day in the park I think, it was the Fourth of July
People talking, really smiling
A man playing guitar and singing for us all
Will you help him change the world
Can you dig it?
Yes, I can
And I've been waiting such a long time....for today
Slow motion riders, fly the colors of the day
A bronze man, still can tell stories his own way
Listen children all is not lost
All is not lost, oh no, no
Funny days in the park
And every day is the Fourth of July
Funny days in the park
And every day is the Fourth of July
People reaching, people touching
A real celebration
Waiting for us all , if we want it, really want it
Can you dig it? Yes, I can
And I've been waiting such a long time....for the day

Chicago, 1972 - Chicago V

What an appropriate song for a gorgeous Fourth of July Saturday. It also happens to be one of my favorites.

I hope everyone has big plans for today, cookouts, spending time with friends and family, music, fireworks................ and most of all celebrating our Independence.

I haven't done a lot of cooking this week, with the exception of putting up freezer meals. I love to have something I can take out of the freezer and have supper ready in a flash on those days when I have exhausted every brain cell I have left. All that falling out of the bed when I was a kid demolished most of them I'm certain. Those that were left after sticking two bobby pins in a receptacle and being knocked across the room. I was raised by an overly protective mother who would NEVER let me have a coke with my meals except on my birthday and Kool Aid was a big no-no, but somehow covering wall receptacles was unheard of. My parents were/are both intelligent people and I think they assumed they would have a child that possessed the same large amounts of common sense they were so richly blessed with. When I did the dumb things that most children manage to do a puzzled look would pass between them that clearly questioned where this alien child came from.

Now back to the reason I actually write this blog......................

What I did make yesterday was Rosemary Infused Cucumber Lemonade. Wow. We loved it
A few months ago Deb and had lunch at Curras Dom and they had a cucumber lemonade type drink that we enjoyed. We both wanted to try it but were a bit unsure so we ordered tea as well. We didn't drink the tea. Thursday Ragan and I were talking and she was writing an article (she is the entertainment editor at the Hickory Daily Record) about fun drinks for the holiday. She mentioned a cucumber lemonade that a caterer in Hickory makes that gets rave reviews. She had promised to send Ragan the recipe but failed to do so. (Her loss, why pass up free advertising?)
I went on line and found several recipes for cucumber lemonade and combined several to come up with this recipe. I love the rosemary in it, rosemary is my favorite herb.
Give it a try, I promise you will be pleasantly surprised.

Rosemary-Infused Cucumber Lemonade

Makes 4 glasses

3 large cucumbers
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
1 cup Sprite Zero
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp. agave syrup

Cut 12 thin slices of cucumber for garnish. Peel and chop the rest of the cucumber; transfer to a food processor, add rosemary and puree. Pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl or large measuring cup. Press on the solids to extract all the juice. Add water, lemon juice and agave syrup to the cucumber juice; stir until the agave is dissolved. Divide among 4 ice-filled glasses. Garnish with cucumber slices and rosemary sprigs.

And for after the fireworks....................

Cucumber Mojito

Makes 4 glasses

6 limes
1 cup packed mint leaves, no stems, plus 6 sprigs for garnish
3 large cucumbers - peeled
½ cup sugar
1 1/2 cups vodka, light rum or gin (rum for the mojito purist)
tonic water

Thinly slice 3 limes and place in large (4 cup) glass measuring cup. Juice the rest and add juice. Add mint leaves. Slice 2 cucumbers and add, then add sugar. Muddle ingredients. (Use a wooden spoon with you don't have a muddler) Add vodka, rum or gin. Place in refrigerator to steep 30 minutes or longer.
Peel remaining cucumber and cut lengthwise into 6 spears.
Fill 6 large glasses with ice. Strain mixture into a pitcher. Fill glasses ½ full. Fill glasses with tonic water and stir, garnish each glass with a sprig of mint and a cucumber spear.

My best wishes to all of you and your families for a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

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

Catching Up, Again

Wow. It has been a while, huh?

Ronnie and I have been off from work and just enjoying every single day.

I want to be June Cleaver, sans Beaver. I wouldn’t know how to raise boys.
I really think I could be a housewife. That would be a dream. I love cooking and taking care of our house. I have actually had time to read a complete book and half of another one. I love it!!

Time to enjoy the dogs and watch the hummingbirds. Feeling sane instead of rushing all the time. You know the drill, rush home from work, rush to cook supper, rush to throw in a load of clothes, rush to get a bath and maybe, just maybe….. on a good night you have an hour to do what you want to before time to get into bed so you can get up and do it all over again tomorrow.

Lacy-Jay and Bashar (photo above) were home for a few days and we enjoyed having them here so much!! We have been so excited the past few weeks as it appeared that they were re-locating back to the Raleigh area. They were house hunting and getting ready to put their townhouse on the market when they returned to PA. Well, we all know about best laid plans. Two days before they were to arrive here Bashar got the call that they were sending them to D.C. Lacy was (is) devastated. So, are we. Hopefully, it will just be one year and then Raleigh. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

Nonetheless, we had a great visit. I fixed her favorite supper when they arrived on Wednesday (last week), chicken stew(posted). On Thursday we went to Asheville to do some shopping and have supper at PF Changs. This was the day that Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson died. We were just walking in PF Changs when we saw the news about MJ on the television over the bar. Lacy said she will always remember where she was when she heard the news. Much the same way that our generation will always remember where we were when we got the news that Elvis had passed. On Friday we had an early supper at one of Lacy’s (and ours) favorite places, My Father’s in Black Mountain. After supper we came home and made homemade ice cream (more on this later) and invited Daddy and Florence over to visit with Lacy-Jay and Bashar.
Saturday we went we see Ronnie (SideStreet) play in Hickory.

Not that I think you are interested in what we did, just explaining my lack of posts. Why tell a short story when you can give detail? I used to work with someone who said her husband went around the block to get across the street, I guess I have that same problem.

Now, back to the ice cream. I made a new ice cream recipe that I really loved. The name is a bit strange but the ice cream is fantastic. I actually made two sixes and added a tablespoon of my homemade vanilla as my ice cream maker is a small tabletop Cuisinart.

I hope you enjoy this for the fourth!!

Three Sixes Ice Cream

3 cups sugar
3 cups heavy cream
3 cups whole milk
3 bananas - mashed
3 oranges - juiced
3 lemons - juiced
vanilla to taste

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, heavy cream, and whole milk. Stir in the bananas, orange juice, lemon juice and vanilla.
Pour into ice cream maker and freeze by manufacturer’s directions.

So, until tomorrow……….
S~~~

I Will Be Back - I Promise

Just a short note to let you know I will be back in a few days.
Lacy-Jay and Bashar are home and I don't want to miss a moment of time with them.

In the interim, maybe some of you wonderful cooks could post your favorite recipes!!!
I will be checking in, hoping for some great recipes.

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

A Beautiful Father's Day

Yesterday I celebrated Father's Day with the three Father's in my life, my Daddy, my husband Ronnie, and my uncle Eudy. I feel so fortunate that my Daddy is active and healthy at 83. He is still the smartest man on earth, doesn't every daughter feel that way about her Daddy?


It was a beautiful day here, even though it was a bit on the cloudy side we didn't have any rain. We decided with the humidity to keep supper inside and move dessert to the deck when it was much more comfortable. The heat outside isn't a big problem for me, I can do 90 quite nicely, but I know everyone doesn't feel that way.


I struggled all week with my menu and finally fell back on the old standard of a surf and turf.


Roasted Beef Tenderloin w/ Red Wine and Mushrooms
Spicy Baked Salmon
Potato Casserole
Butter Beans
Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil Salad
Honey Wheat Bread w/ Roasted Garlic Spread
Creamy Dreamy Key Lime Pie


Everything turned out really well except the salmon, which was good but a bit on the too spicy side to serve for company. I wanted to make the tomato salad for color and to use some of my basil, so Ronnie had to slice them for me as you know my aversion to tomatoes.

The potato casserole was the copycat Cracker Barrel recipe with a few modifications.


Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole


1 bag refrigerated hashbrowns w/ onions and peppers (frozen works also)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 mayonnaise
1 egg - beaten
1/8 cup cream (or milk)
1 tsp. Mortons Season All
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
2 cups shredded sharp cheese


Combine all ingredients and bake at 375 about 40 minutes or until lightly brown.

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

Father's Day Plans?

Father's Day is just days away. Do you have big plans? I will cook for Ronnie, Daddy and Eudy on Sunday. I'm still a bit unsure about my menu. Share yours and maybe I can steal your ideas.

While we are discussing Father's Day let me share with you my pet peeve. Who really calls their Daddy father? No one that I know. Just try to find a card that says Daddy. If by chance you do find one it will most likely be precious enough to have come from a 5 year old, not this 52 (at least for a few more days) year old southern girl who will always call her daddy Daddy, never dad or father. I would call him John first. Actually, Mother told me when I was little that I did call them John and Betty, go figure.............

Tonight I promised Ragan one of my favorite cookie recipes so I decided to share with you also.

Salty Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
one stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling. (I always use kosher salt for the sprinkling)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats (I like quick cooking oats - do not use instant, also Quaker Oats really do make a difference here)

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, butter and sugar until light. Beat in the egg. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda and stir into the sugar/shortening mixture. Mix in the vanilla and oats. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray two baking sheets.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into small balls, flatten with the bottom of a glass. Lightly sprinkle the surface of the dough with salt.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they're just lightly colored at the edges. Remove them from the oven, let rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

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

We All Scream For Ice Cream

Where did the weekend go? I intended to blog on Saturday then again on Sunday but somehow it just never happened.

What I did do was buy a new ice cream freezer. I have had one of the tabletop Cuisinart freezers for several years. In the move (almost 3 years ago now), I misplaced the cylinder that goes into the freezer. I finally broke down and replaced it after giving up hope of ever finding the missing part. I know, Murphy's law will probably kick in now and it will turn up downstairs in a stray tote.
Anyway, in preparation for Lacy and Bashar's visit next week we have a new ice cream maker. Ice cream is one of those things that makes everyone smile. Lacy quickly reminded me that many years ago (I'm talking probably 15 years) I had promised to make her cherry sherbet and for whatever forgotten reason failed to come through on my promise, so cherry sherbet will most assuredly be made.

I know everyone has made the sherbet using 1 - 2 litre bottle of soda (your choice) and one can of sweetened condensed milk. You can use whatever flavor to make the sherbet of your choice. Orange soda for orange sherbet, 7 up or Sprite for lemon lime, Cheerwine for cherry sherbet, peach soda for peach sherbet......................................

I am also interested in a recipe that I saw online. You can reduce the amounts using two of everything or even one of everything. Peaches may also be substituted for bananas, coconut could be added, the possibilities are endless.

Six Threes Ice Cream

3 cups sugar
3 cups cream
3 cups milk
3 bananas - mashed
3 oranges - juiced
3 lemons - juiced

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and cream until sugar is dissolved. Mix in the milk, mashed bananas, and fruit juices.
Pour mixture into ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions, about 45 minutes.

Share your favorite homemade ice cream. I plan to try several this summer!!

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

Grilling Season

Grilling season is finally here. We aren't the couple that you see out on the deck in 20 degree weather bundled up in coats and hats trying to grill a steak or two. No, winter is for roasts, lasagna, hearty soups and the like at the Taylor's. That said, when warm weather rolls around we will be found more often than not grilling. Pizza, steak, pork chops, vegetables of all kinds, hot dogs, seafood, hamburgers, chicken a million different ways, you name it, it's better on the grill.

The recipe tonight is from supper last night.
No cooking here tonight Sidestreet is practicing.

BBQ Orange Pork Chops*
Five Spice Rice
Grilled Corn (leftover from Sunday, see, I am trying)
Tiny English Peas

BBQ Orange Pork Chops

4 - 1" thick pork chops
2/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 cup barbeque sauce ( homemade or your favorite store bought)
1/2 cup orange marmalade
salt and pepper to taste

Combine orange juice, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic and red pepper flakes in a large (1 gallon) reclosable bag. Add pork chops and marinade 30 minutes to one hour.
In a small bowl combine the barbeque sauce and orange marmalade.
Remove pork chops from the marinade and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Spread one half barbeque sauce and orange marmalade over top of pork chops.
Grill 10 minutes (this may vary depending in your grill) and turn. spread remaining barbeque/ orange mixture over top. Continue cooking until pork chops reach 160 degrees.

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

Grilling Tonight

I am basking in this beautiful spring day. The weather is perfect. It is finally warm.
We are grilling on the deck tonight. No particular plan, we just don't want to waste a single night where we can enjoy this weather.

I always go to BiLo or Sam's for salmon. I picked some nice fillets yesterday at BiLo and will probably use my go to salmon recipe. Add some grilled corn on the cob and roasted potatoes with onions, simple salad and we have supper. Easy peasy. For dessert I will slice a cantaloupe I got yesterday. I hope it is a good one!!


Favorite Grilled Salmon

2 boneless salmon fillets
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
pepper to taste

Combine brown sugar, Dijon mustard, soy sauce. Old Bay and pepper.
Spread over the top of the salmon fillets.
Grill approximately 10 - 15 minutes.
Note:
I have a Holland Grill so it usually takes the full 15 minutes. If you are using direct heat most likely 10 minutes will be plenty.

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

The Brand Name Girl Discovers Aldi

Remember my post about brand name snobs? Well, I think I am a recovering brand name snob.
Truthfully, there are a few I refuse to give up. Among those are Bounty Towels, Welch's Grape Jelly Horizon Organic Milk and of course, Diet Coke.

Aldi has been around for a while. I knew about it, I even went in a time or two. Daddy and Florence have shopped there on a regular basis for years, Ragan has discovered an all new love of cooking that Aldi fits into nicely. I held out thinking Aldi was something like Go Grocery. I truly dislike Go Grocery, it is dirty and smelly. Unlike Go Grocery Aldi primarily stocks their own brands.

I reluctantly decided to do some research and see what Aldi was all about. I quickly discovered that Aldi and Trader Joe's are owned by the same company. Hummmmmmm, I love Trader Joe's. I stock up every time we visit Lacy and Bashar. Next I found a site that reviewed Aldi products.
I made some notes and took off to Aldi.

First, you need a quarter. You put your quarter in the buggy to release it. When you return it you get your quarter back. OK, that works for me. No loose buggies dinging my car.
The store is small, no frills but very clean.

Some of the items I purchased are:

Fresh Sweet Corn - 4 ears $1.49
Fresh Pineapple $1.49
Deli Style Sliced Swiss Cheese $1.99
8 oz. Whipped Cream Cheese $1.29
64 oz. 100% White Grape Juice $2.29
100 oz. HE Laundry Detergent $6.99
6 oz. Tomato Paste $ .39
8 oz Tomato Sauce $ .25
Limes (6) $ .99
4 oz. Sliced Mushrooms $ .55
Roasted Vegetable Crackers $1.69
Onion Soup Mix $ .69
24 oz. Salsa $1.49
Lemons (6) $1.49
Envelope Taco Seasoning $ .33
Avocados $ .99

These are the items that I have tried so far. I would purchase every single one again. In fact, I would go so far as to say some are actually better than the name brand.
The fresh corn was the very best we have had all year.
There are a few brand names available also.

You will need to either bring bags or purchase them there. Large plastic bags are ten cents and paper bags are six cents.

All of our surrounding towns have Aldi, Asheville has two, Morganton, Lenior and Forest City have one each. Hopefully, Marion will have one soon.

Let us know if you are an Aldi devotee. What do you buy? What will you not buy again?

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

The ABC's of Me

A reader sent me this and asked me to post. Just a simple way of getting to know each other. Copy and paste into comments and let us know about you too!!

A - Age: 52

B - Bed size: King

C - Chore you hate: Ironing

D - Dogs' names: Sissy, Cagney and Gibson (We have a cat too, Gatsby)

E- Essential start to your day: Diet Coke (I know, I know)

F - Favorite color: Blue

G - Gold or Silver: Silver

H – Height: 5' 2"

I - Ink - Blue or Black: Blue

J - Job title: Sales Manager - Accents on Asheville

K - Kmart or Kohl's?: Kohl's

L- Living arrangements: Just my husband and me at home with our fur babies

M - Marriage: Happily married to Ronnie for 31 years

N – Name (Complete): Susan Lyn Robinson Taylor

O- Orange Juice - With or without Pulp - Definitely without

P - Pet Peeve: Selfish people.

Q - Quote: "Southerners have a genius for psychological alchemy...If something intolerable simply cannot be changed, driven away or shot they will not only tolerate it but take pride in it as well." " — Florence King

R - Right or left handed: Right

S - Summer or Spring?: Summer

T - Time you wake up: 7:02 am on workdays - I love to sleep late otherwise.

U- Underwear: Clean

V - Vegetable you dislike: I love all vegetables unless you consider tomatoes a vegetable. I do classify them as vegetables even though I know they are really a fruit.

W - Ways you run late: I rarely run late. I am John Robinson's daughter after all. That said I am not usually early either.

X - X-rays: I've had a few - I guess they couldn't think of much for X

Y - Yummy food you make: French Onion Soup - Key Lime Pie

Z - Zoo animals: My favorite are the monkeys

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

Blueberries and Summer

I know it really isn't summer yet....., that's OK, it's close enough.
This weekend was so beautiful, but it sure did go by like a whirlwind.

Yesterday I made Blueberry Lemon Tea* for Ronnie ( I don't eat blueberries, it is that seed thing again). We put BBQ chicken on the grill, fresh creamed corn and had a salad from the garden. For dessert I made a Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake.


Tonight we grilled pizza. Honestly, if you aren't making your own pizza sauce you are missing out. It makes all the difference in the world. Try the one posted here and I promise you won't ever buy sauce again.


Blueberry Lemon Tea

1 (16 ounce) package blueberries
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
8 cups water
3 family-size tea bags
3/4 cup sugar

Bring blueberries and lemon juice to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a pitcher, using the back of a spoon to press out juice. Discard solids. Wipe saucepan clean.
Bring 8 cups water to boil in same saucepan;add 3 family size teabags, and let stand 8 minutes. Remove and discard teabags.
Pour into pitcher with blueberry juice mixture and stir in sugar. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Serve over ice.

Sorry to be so short tonight but I am having some minor computer problems.

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