A woman is like a TEA BAG - you never know how strong she is until she gets into HOT WATER. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Monday, May 31

Weekend with Aunt Judy...

Aunt Judy came down from Green Bay to hang with us and her brother, Joe and family at Tybee. Aunt Judy stayed with us Thursday thru Saturday. We grilled burgers, went to Bonaventure Cemetary, walked Forsyth, ate finger-lickin' BBQ at Wileys, had ice cream at Leopold's and spent plenty of time at the beach. We even got a saxophonist to play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (for a small fee) in one of the squares downtown. This was extra special to Owen and Miles because this is the song that Jim sang to them when they were little beepers! Fun stuff. Now that I am uploading pics, I realize that Aunt Judy somehow gave us the slip and is not in any of these photos! "Oh no you didn't, Aunt Judy!"

On Friday, Aunt Judy treated me to a new hat at Lovett's. This collection of frames was on one of their walls - a little country, but the idea is super cute!



We took Judy to eat BBQ at Wiley's - order "the sampler" and share it with someone you love! It is plenty enough for two - you get brisket, ribs, chicken & pulled pork and a choice of 2 sides - we got the sweet potato casserole (with brown sugar/pecan topping!) and macaroni & cheese! Later, we took Aunt Judy to Leopold's Ice Cream. Here we are - Jim and I both ordered the chocolate chocolate chip - to die for!

Love love!

A couple of weeks ago we went to Stone Mountain, Ga. This phone caught my eye at our hotel. Love love!

Sunday, May 30

Tea from Clairee!

Mia is adorable. She is a Beaufort girl, carted off to Illinois, has 3 kids and works full time. Somehow she still finds time to send me sweet little gifts in the mail. Yesterday, I got a cute little package from her with this funny note



and a sampling of mango tea from Ahmad Teas of London. Oh my! If you can get your hands on some, you will just love it. The sweeter, the better!



P.S. I am Ouisah and Mia is Clairee. We are pretty excited about getting to grow old, drink lemonade on a front porch "covered with grandchildren and say no and stop that!" (Steel Magnolias here we come!)

Cajun Boiled Peanuts

I grew up on boiled peanuts. They were usually in a bowl in my great granddaddy's outdoor "shelter" refrigerator. The shelter was an outside building full of windows - kind of like a sunroom, but separate from the main house. It had a sitting area with outdoor wooden furniture inside, a kitchen with sink and stove, a kitchen table, jars and jars of canned vegetables floating in liquid, shelves of plants with crazy, jungle-like branches (these were sort of spooky), and a phone and a coo-coo clock that was always mystery to me. I'd sometimes sit and watch it coo coo and wonder and marvel over it. There was also a little "pump room" inside the shelter with a short freezer inside. The ice froze on the inside walls of this freezer and every Sunday granddaddy would scoop off that ice into cups with a metal spoon with a wooden handle. My cousin, Bryan, and I loved those icys! The shelter had a back porch too, with a collection of rocking chairs and a recliner! After Sunday dinner, all of the men would go outside and rock in the rocking chairs with toothpicks hanging from their mouths and talk about men stuff. This was the norm every Sunday afternoon. After the dishes were washed by one aunt, dried by another aunt and then put away, all of the women would come outside, but only after they'd sat around the table, clipping coupons and talking what I call "trash." This consisted of who was sittin' by who at church (this was usually about a couple who had recently split up and was sitting next to someone that was not their spouse!) and other important gossip like that. I always got to sit around the table with them, unless I'd talked some trash of my own earlier at the dinner table. On these Sundays, I thought it best to go take a nap in Great Grandma's room. If on one of these particular Sundays when I was taking a nap (to better behave for the rest of the day) I always covered up with a silky quilt that my great grandma made. I loved this quilt - it was "cold" to the touch and I'd fall asleep with a corner of it snuggled beside my face.

Back to the boiled peanuts... they were kept inside the porch refrigerator - with the men and the toothpicks. Anytime I opened it, there was always a big bowl of boiled peanuts inside. They were the best I've ever had. Jim would say they were too soggy, but to me they were perfect. Jim is from Green Bay - what does he know about a good boiled peanut? When I met Jim, he of all people introduced me to Cajun Boiled Peanuts. Well, I must admit, I loved them. We'd stop all of the time at Parker's Gas Station in Port Wentworth and get a large cupful. Now I've found a recipe of my own! They are nothing compared to my Great Granddaddy's boiled peanuts, but they are worthy of eating anyway.

This is my own version of Cajun Boiled Peanuts - I hope you like it!

Cajun Boiled Peanuts

5 lbs. fresh green peanuts
2/3 cup salt for every gallon of water
1 bottle Weber New Orleans Cajun Seasoning

Wash the peanuts and put them in an empty 3-quart stockpot. Add enough water to barely float the peanuts, measuring the amount of water required. Add 2/3 cup salt for each gallon of water used. Stir to distribute the salt.



Add 1/2 bottle of cajun seasoning, stir again.





Bring the water to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook the peanuts for 1 1/2 hours or until the shelled peanuts are tender. Taste, taste, taste. Add water during cooking if the peanuts are no longer floating in the liquid. Remove from the heat and cool in the cooking liquid.

The peanuts will become saltier as they sit in the liquid, so taste them at intervals as they are cooling. When they are salty as you like them, drain the peanuts (do not rinse) and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.

Important Note: If the boiled peanuts are too salty because you've let them sit too long in the salted water cooling, DO NOT FRET. Simply soak them in plain water to dilute the saltiness. You might have to change the water a few times to continue soaking in fresh water. This works like a charm!

Wednesday, May 26

Apron Chic?



My Aunt Pam saw this ad in Savannah Magazine and emailed me. She says, "All she's missing are the pearls... couldn't help but think of you when I saw this in the May/June issue of Savannah mag!" Thanks Aunt Pam! Aprons are really making a comeback! For once I am ahead of a trend!

Tuesday, May 25

Like a kid in a candy store...

Owen loves candy. This is my Owen in the candy store at Stone Mountain. Have you ever seen bigger eyes? This is pure excitement!



Nothing made me happier than telling him that he could pick out whatever candy he wanted. There is something about those clear bins with the scoops. He was one happy boy.

Vera's Yum Yum Cake



This recipe came inside a Vera Bradley recipe box and inside the box was my cutesie apron I received as a gift at Christmas. As you can see, the recipe is on the cutest little pink card and just the name of it gets a girl like me excited! Vera's Yum Yum Cake - with a name like that, it has to be good!

I made this cake as it appears on the card. Now, let me just tell you, the Rincon Walmart does not sell a 4 oz box of vanilla instant pudding - so I went with the 3.4 oz, but next time I am going to go with the 5.1 oz.

Another note, I made it in the 9 x 13 pan it calls for. Next time, I will do either two 9" cake pans or three 9 " cake pans depending on the amount of batter. It was perfectly good in the 9 x 13, but I had a lot of leftover icing - and a cake like this is just even better with extra strawberries and more layers to fill with yummy icing!

Here is what you need:



Serves 10

1 (2 layer) package yellow cake mix
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 (4 oz.) package vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup of milk
16 oz. container Cool Whip
2 (16oz.) packages fresh strawberries
2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Prepare and bake the cake using the package directions for a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the pudding mix and milk and beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread over the cooled cake. Arrange the strawberries evenly over the cake.



Sprinkle with the coconut and walnuts. Chill, covered, for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Granola Chip Crunch... should have made a double batch!

I actually made this on Saturday and I should have doubled the batch. It is almost gone already! It's that good!



Here is what you need:



3 cups uncooked regular oats
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup whole natural almonds
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large mixing bowl with Pam spray (or Great Value brand - works just as well!) Combine oats, coconut, almonds, wheat germ and sunflower kernels. Stir well and set aside.



Combine honey, oil, sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir well and pour over oat mixture. I started out with a spatula, but as you can see, I ended with my hands. Press the oats together with your hands so that all of the mixture is coated.

Spread granola mixture onto a lightly greased, foil covered 15 x 10 inch jelly roll pan.



Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until golden, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool completely and then stir in chocolate chips.

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 1/2 months. Yield: 5 1/2 cups.

Friday, May 21

OKA b. sandals...

These are the cute sandals that you see Mrs. Lynn wearing in the picture from the Mother Daughter Tea Party. She is wearing a black pair, but I am pretty sure she also has a pair like these - I love these! They are much less than those cowboys boots I am so obsessed with... and this would be instant gratification!



If you like them too - you can find them here:
http://www.shoesthatloveyou.com/ Click on flats.

Mother Daughter Tea Party

Ever miss a party - specifically a tea party? I love a tea party...!

Somehow, instead of being at this tea party, I was packed in a car with three boys, 2Nintendo DSIs and a stack of magazines headed for Stone Mountain. My good buddy, Jennifer, however was sitting pretty at the Mother Daughter Tea Party that Mrs. Lynn Miller hosted at her church.

This is Jennifer with her mom, Faye and Jennifer's daughter, Dora - three generations!



Mrs. Lynn doesn't do anything half-way. The woman has sass! Check out this apron, complete with a string of pearls! Note the tell-tale signs of a woman hard at work - see that flour on the apron, girls? Check out these sandals! (She also has a pair of cute hot pink ones with a lime green & white ribbon. Jennifer and I would like to live in Mrs. Lynn's closet!)



Here are the centerpieces - each table had a different theme. (Maybe it was good that I wasn't there - I would have felt really rotten trying to talk her out of a few rolling pins and antique tins right there in her very own church!)







Jennifer wanted me to feel like I was there at the party, so she kept me informed by texting me pictures of the centerpieces and cute finger sandwiches.

Cucumber Sandwiches - my favorite!



Strawberries are at their best dipped in chocolate!



I love this picture - being a mother is the greatest gift. Here is Mrs. Lynn with her mother. God bless us mamas!

Tuesday, May 18

As promised - the recipe for Key Lime Cake...

Several of you have been waiting so patiently for this recipe. Good things come to those who wait! Here it is!

First, let me start off by saying that when I make it again, I am going to completely eliminate the lime juice/confectioners' sugar glaze that you pour over the layers before they cool. I think this will lighten the cake up a little.

Here is the original recipe - you decide if you want to make it as is, or eliminate the glaze. By the way, you will see that I make a double batch of cream cheese icing. It is better to have too much than not enough! We used the leftover icing for cinnamon rolls the next morning.

Cake
1 3oz package lime jello
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift flour before measuring it)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
5 large eggs slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp. lemon juice (fresh)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup key lime juice (25 small key limes or 4 large regular limes)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

In large mixing bowl, mix the jello powder, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder,and baking soda. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 35-40 minutes. Test for doneness wtih toothpick. Cool the layers in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn the layers out onto racks.

(This next part is what I will omit the next time to see if it is lighter.)
While layers are still hot, prick with toothpicks. Mix the lime juice and confectioners' sugar and pour over the layers on the racks. Allow the layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.


Cream Cheese Icing - the double batch!
2 sticks Land O'Lakes butter, room temp
2 8oz. blocks cream cheese, room temp
2 1lb. boxes confectioners' sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Try not to eat all of it before you ice the cake. Spread the icing between the layers and tops and sides of the cake.

Friday, May 14

I am in love with ...

Aprons! I have 8 of them ... and still I need more! It's the June Cleaver in me and besides, they go great with pearls and messy baking hands. One day I will have a long hallway from my mudroom (one day I will have one of those too) to my kitchen and Jim will hang molding about 3/4 of the way up the wall and I will have cute little knobs to hang them all from. It will be the "Apron Wall of Fame" or "Apron Hall of Fame"?



Cowboy Boots (which will quickly be worn with cute summer sundresses and in the fall my favorite denim jacket.) I have big wardrobe plans for these boots... if I can just get some!




Waxing Poetic jewelry - which I have none of yet ... (Hint hint Jim Murphy!) The perfect mix of antique and rustic. www.waxingpoetic.com



My new Electrolux Ergorapido! It has a hand-held that pops off the front - perfect for sucking up Millie hair and the swivel head helps me zip around the kitchen and under the table in a snap! Love love!



My Rainbow Flip Flops - it took me forever to commit to spending $46+ tax on these plain jane leather flops. After I found out from my friend Amy Parrish that they come highly recommended for people suffering from plantar fasciitis, I knew I needed to bite the bullet. At first the straps were very tight across the tops of my feet, but after a day, they stretched out and now I wear them every time I leave the house.



My Farm Chicks in the Kitchen cookbook... yes, still. I cannot put it down! I just know that I am destined to be a farm chick too... I just need a farm!

Not even a hair out of place ...



I don't even look wind blown ... not a hair out of place, girls!

This is what we found in the parking lot after our lunch with Beth Cowart at the Westin on Monday. We passed a few giddy grannies on their way into the golf club, but surely THIS didn't belong to them... or did it?

I don't even think my boys would fit in the back!?!

Saturday, May 8

Oh me oh my! Mother's Day Preview: Key Lime Cake

So here it is ... my Key Lime Cake! Oh me oh my!



You'll have to wait for tomorrow for the recipe! I have a pool full of boys to get to!

Friday, May 7

Best Summer Sandwich ...


I love cucumber sandwiches. When it is just me, I make a sandwich that looks like this. I spread 2 slices of wheat bread with cream cheese, salt & pepper it, then add the plainly sliced cucumbers, more salt & pepper and then top it with the other slice of wheat bread. Simple and delish!

For baby showers and wedding showers, you can make the fancier version. Start out with an even tastier spread of cream cheese/mayonaise/sour cream/minced onion. If you have one, use a scalloped-edge biscuit cutter to cut each slice of bread, Then peel the cucumbers leaving some stripes of green skin to add color. i use a Pampered Chef mandoline-type chopper to slice the cucumbers and then I cut each slice in half. Spread each bread round with the cream cheese spread and sprinkle with salt, then add 2 cucumber halves on top. I like to leave them open-faced so that the pretty green stripes show. They always look fancy on a pretty white platter.

Tuesday, May 4

Breakfast in the F-A-S-T LANE...



Tip: For an easy on-the-go, no mess breakfast fit for a car seat - pop some peanut butter mini-pancake sliders (2 Eggo Mini-Pancakes + peanut butter = 1 peanut butter slider)into a coffee filter and zooooom - you are out the door with semi-healthy breakfast in a perfect little on-the-go pocket for your little monkeys. How easy is that?

Truly Divine...



Now this isn't something homemade or even baked, but it is truly divine. If you have not tried Nutella, you are missing a really good thing. You can find it next to the peanut butter in the grocery store. When you unscrew the lid, you are greeted with golden foil - just this alone should tell you that you're in for something special... Nutella can be enjoyed on waffles, toast, on pretzels and cookies, or just on a knife in a pinch. This one is mine all mine.

Breakfast Cheesecake

Serves 8-10

Here is what you need:
2 cans (8 count) crescent rolls
2 blocks (8 oz each) cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 stick of butter

Here is what you do:
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with Pam spray. Lay 1 can of crescent rolls into the bottom of the dish. In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and vanilla. Mix two minutes with electric mixer.


(Your eyes are not fooling you - we added pink food coloring for Mother's Day! Add this in with the vanilla before mixing.)



Spread cream cheese mixture on top of crescent rolls in the dish. Top with remaining can of crescent rolls. Melt butter in microwave for 30 secs or until completely melted. Pour over crescent rolls evenly. In another bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon until combined. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over casserole.



Cover with plastic wrap and tin foil and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, pull casserole from refrigerator and let sit out 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until puffed and firm. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Can be topped with fresh berries.

Monday, May 3

I wish there were s'more teachers like you!

One of the best things about having friends is having an almost unlimited supply of ideas. Lucky for me, I have some very clever friends. This idea came from Jessica Brady. Jessica's Addi isn't technically in school yet ... so imagine what great gifts Addi's teachers will get once she is!



For 1 Stack, you will need:

2 Hershey bars
1 package of graham crackers
1 bag of marshmallows
cellophane bag w/twist tie
cute plate for a base
tape to secure everything
cellophane to wrap gift
ribbon
gift tag with quote

Start with the graham cracker stack - secure the package (with tape on the underside of the package) on the plate, slightly to the left. Fill a small cellophane bag with marshmallows and secure to the right of the graham crackers with a tiny piece of tape. Position the Hershey bars in front of the cracker stack, secure with tape.



Wrap entire package with cellophane and tie with a cute ribbon. Print out a hanging tag that says "Wish there were s'more teachers like you!" Who can resist that?

Saturday, May 1

Perfect Pound Cake



Note: All ingredients should be at room temp before you begin making the cake.

Here is what you need:


3 cups granulated sugar
2 sticks room temp butter
3 cups cake flour, sift after measuring (use regular flour and you'll be sorry)
8 ounces (1 cup) heavy whipping cream
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
slightly less than 1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Here is what you do:

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer in large bowl.
Add 1 egg at a time, mixing after each addition.
Add sifted flour and cream alternating (beginning with flour and ending with flour, mixing after each addition.)
Add baking powder, mix.
Add salt, mix.
Add vanilla and almond flavoring, mix.



Scrape into a buttered and sugared tube pan. (Butter the heck out of it and sugar all sides and middle really good.) Sit tube pan on a foil-lined baking sheet in case it spills over (it probably won't.)



Put in a COLD oven, middle rack.



Turn oven on to 350 degrees and set timer for 1 hour exactly. No peeking. Pull cake out, turn oven off. Sit tube pan on wire rack and let cool completely. After completely cooled, turn your perfect pound cake onto a cake pedestal and stand back and stare. Yes, you made this! Now go brag to people.