Home Sweet Soccer

We tried being football people, but we're baaaaaaack... to soccer, that is.  Here is my very happy child, Owen, who scored the first goal of the season for his team.

You know that your child is happy in a sport when he has his uniform out and ready the night before practice each week. He is glad to be back on the field and so we are happy he is happy. Nuff said.

Next book on my list...

Cursive Writing a la 2nd Grader...

I remember learning to write "in cursive" in 4th grade.  At the chalkboard, Mrs. Shaw made her perfect loops all the way across the expanse of the board and then turned to us and said, "Penmanship never ends....."  To my poor, tired hand, that meant we would never get to stop writing.  Ever. 

Here is my second grader's first shot at cursive writing. 

I told him the story of Mrs. Shaw and explained that it would become second nature and actually, as an adult, he would likely use a combination of print and cursive writing and I demonstrated my own chicken scratch.

Poor, poor Owen - his mother consistently fills his head with useless and trivial information, but has the best intentions... bahahahahahaha!

Jim Murphy - a good man...

He planted all weekend... love him, love him!

Back Porch BBQ - Good things come in small packages...

Dicksie at Johnson's on 4th has been saying nothing but GOOD things about Back Porch BBQ for weeks.  So one Friday, I get a call from Jennifer, who reports that she couldn't stand it anymore - drove to Springfield and tried some of the 'Q.  Jennifer is a foodie, like me, and reports on each luscious and juicy bite.  Well, I can hardly be left out of this goodness, so my mom (aka Grammie, aka Helga) and I pile into my car and we head on over.  It is worth the ride.  (It is also worth the view, but he is half my age, which means I can't even set him up with Dana, so 'nuff said about that.) 

Here is the spot you are looking for...  Follow Highway 21 from Rincon to Springfield and you will eventually see it on the left. Bring cash - like most smallish hot spots, they don't take checks, cards nor IOU's.



Walk up and order at the window.  The regular-sized BBQ sammie is plenty big for me - and I can out eat Jim everyday of the week.  Good things... try it out!  Love the potato salad!

Check them out on Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Back-Porch-BBQ/152332041459355?sk=wall

I am a happy girl...

We miss you beyond words, Amy J.

Millie Murphy, Editorial Assistant for Life is Sweet...

This is her "it's too early for my head shots" look...



Flying Monkey Bread!

So back when I was single and lived in the happenin' city of Savannah, I used to make Monkey Bread every single Friday morning for work.  I'd like to think I was so beloved because of my outrageous moth-to-a-flame personality, but it very well could have been this bread.

Recently, I made a promise to a certain department at Gulfstream and they called me out on it, so I delivered the goods... a fresh n' hot batch of this bread one bright and early Monday morning.  Thanks to my fabulous delivery girl (my Kardashian-esque friend Dana) for helping with my mission!  Hope you guys enjoyed!

I thought you (and Mrs. Ramona Chiariello) might like the recipe... (because her husband Richard loooooves him some Monkey Bread!)

Monkey Bread (circa 1997 from Myra Pierce)

3 cans of country style biscuits (not the humungo Grands Biscuits)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Use bundt cake pan - spray with Pam. Cut and quarter the biscuits, roll (or shake) biscuit quarters in mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon (I mix the two in a glad-ware container and then shake the biscuits in the mixture.)  Layer biscuits and nuts until all biscuits have been used. 

Melt butter and brown sugar (I put the stick of butter in a glass measuring cup (2-cup size) and melt in microwave, then stir in brown.  Microwave again for another 30 secs.)  Stir butter and brown sugar until combined and then pour over biscuits.  Bake at 325 for 35 minutes. 

Note 1 - This can be prepared the night before (do not melt butter/brown sugar yet) and stored in the fridge.  The next morning, take your bundt pan from the fridge and bring to room temp, then melt the butter/brown sugar and pour over and bake.)

Note 2 - BEWARE! - This recipe pretty much guarantees celebrity-like status at work.  Co-workers become addicted and tongues will be wagging and on the floor every Friday morning awaiting this decadent treat.   (You have power beyond your control....)

A couple of extra holes in the head...

I collect cookbooks and I think I have a pretty expansive collection.  Last week on a lunch hour trip to Sam's, I added a couple more cookbooks to my collection (and I needed these like a couple of holes in my head!) 

I never meant to collect cookbooks - it just happened.  I think my first may have been a Betty Crocker cookbook from when I was a tweenager.  I remember making a microwaveable chocolate cake in a mug.  I made this several times at my dad's house and my stepbrother, Christopher, was the guinea pig.   My next cookbook was Paula Deen's first cookbook.  This was before Paula had a show and she still operated in her charming, single-story restaurant on St. Julian Street. 

I have a lot of cookbooks now and this is partly due to gifts from my mom and Aunt Marsha-Marsha-Marsha.  Cookbooks make me happy! 

So here are my latest additions...

I am almost finished reading My Southern Food. It reminds me a lot of the recipes that I grew up eating at Great Grandma's on Sundays and at my Grandma Louise's. I must admit, when I got to the "Cakes" section of the cookbook and realized that this "southern" cook uses a vanilla frosting recipe on her red velvet cake, well, I am not so sure this person is completely in touch with her southern roots. Red velvet cakes are iced with cream cheese frosting. Period. Other than this one single deviation from good southern values, it is an excellent cookbook for homey, family style recipes.

The second cookbook that I bought and have successfully snuck into my house is...

This one I've only peaked into - so standby for a detailed report. 

Both can be purchased at Sam's Club for exactly $10.42.  Enjoy!

I have waited so long...

And it is nearly here!  Jim ordered this little gem yesterday and given two days to process the order (really?) and seven to nine business days of shipping, it will arrive!  That means maybe Tuesday, April 19th at the earliest...?    

Tick tock....

Great Grandma's Many-Layered Cake (aka Birthday Cake Smackdown!)

Today is Jim's 37th birthday.  He'd probably cringe if he knew that I was writing about his birthday on my blog.  Jim is sort of anti-blog.  Jim.  Ah, Jim.

So, after The Cake Mix in Rincon tried their take on my favorite 12 layer cake with their disastrously thick  Fruit Roll-Up consistency frosting, I decided to take things into my own hands.  First, let me go ahead and tell you that I have been worrying about this cake since last night.  This morning I nearly had a panic attack on my way to Walmart to buy extra ingredients to make a double batch o' frosting.  This cake is overwhelming - it has a past, a history, it is a right of passage.  Lord, save me from myself and this cake.  Amen.

As I sit here typing, perched on a stool, right next to the stove - watching the pot, as it threatens to boil, I should be calm.  I am, afterall, surrounded by all 12 pancake-thin layers of goodness. 

I have half-won this battle.  (By the way, I am wearing my black Imperial Toile Vera Bradley apron, in case you were wondering about that.)  I am still nervous though - and anxious and worried.  Miles is watching Tom & Jerry - what a good boy - what a good show.  (Did you feel sorry for Tom the cat?  I always did.) 

Boil pot, boil!

(19 minutes until I need to leave to pick up my first born child, Owen, from school.  Panic.)

Ok, we've got buuuuuuubbles! 

Whoa - we've got BIG BUBBLES... standby...

Ok, quick pot change - out went the large sauce pot and in comes the massive stock pot.  Yes, I poured that angry vat of bubbling chocolate into another pot - no damage done.  (I am beginning to see how the Cake Mix woman must have felt - this icing is a CLIMBER!)

Here is the recipe by the way ...

12 Layer Chocolate Cake

CAKE INGREDIENTS:
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter , at room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs , at room temperature
3 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

ICING INGREDIENTS:
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder , preferably Dutch process
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut up
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pecan halves, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375°.  Lightly spray bottoms and sides of four 8 1/2- to 9-inch cake pans (you will bake the cakes in three batches) and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.

You can also butter and flour the pans and tap out the excess, if you want to do that, but why would you?  Bakers Joy is divine!

To make the layers, sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the mixture one more time, and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle blade on high speed until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and be sure the mixture is well-blended. On low speed, add the flour in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour, and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl often with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla. Using a scant cup for each layer, spread the batter evenly in the pans. It will make a thin layer.

Staggering the pans on the racks so they are at least 2 inches from each other and the sides of the oven and not directly over each other, bake the layers until they feel firm when pressed in the centers and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans, about 12 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert the layers onto cake racks, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely. Wash and prepare the pans. Repeat the procedure until all 12 layers have been baked and cooled.

To make the icing, bring the sugar, cocoa, butter and evaporated milk to a full boil in a large stockpot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the icing has thickened slightly (it will resemble chocolate syrup but will thicken as it cools), about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Let the icing cool until thick enough to spread, but still pourable.

Place a layer of cake on a wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan. Spread with a few tablespoons of the icing, letting the excess run down the sides.

Stack the remaining cakes...

Icing each layer.

Pour the remaining icing over the top of the cake. If you wish, smooth the icing on the edges to cover the sides.

If using, (I didn't this time) place pecan halves around the top perimeter of the cake. Let stand until the glaze sets. (The cake is best served the day it is made. To store, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.)

Recommended technique: If you buy inexpensive aluminum foil cake pans at the grocery store (they can be saved for another time as well), you will be able to knock out layers in no time. And no washing between baking!