Words to live by

Divinity Fudge

Hubert and Luvern Holland 1958

I promised cousin Philip that I will make him some divinity fudge. Granny made it for him every year during the holidays. I don't know if I can make it as good as hers Phillip but I will give it my best shot. I just have to wait for the perfect low humidity day.
It's crucial to measure and assemble all of the ingredients before you start. You will need a Medium size boiler, candy themometer, or a glass of cold water, wax paper, mixing bowl with electric mixer on stand.

Divinity Fudge

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup (Karo brand) white corn syrup

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp. salt

2/3 cup water

1 1/2 cup nuts

1 tablespoon vanilla

Cook over medium heat sugar, syrup, salt and water until it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water or 240 degrees on candy themometer. Pour half of the mixture into a heat safe bowl. Then return the remaining syrup back to the burner and continue to cook until it reaches hard ball stage or 260 degrees. Stir this occasionally but you do not have to stir constantly.

While the syrup is cooking put the egg whites in mixing bowl and beat until they form stiff peeks. (Tip from Momma: Time this so your beaten egg whites do not sit more than 3 -4 min. before adding the 1st syrup. They will deflate if they sit any longer.)  Take the syrup you cooked to softball stage and with the mixer running slowly add the syrup. (Tip: pour the syrup in as close to the edge of the bowl as possible) By this time the hardball stage syrup should be ready. Remove from heat and slowly add this to the egg whites with softball stage syrup added. Beat until the mixture thickens and becomes heavy.

This is important.....add the pecans by folding them in. Do not add the pecans while the mixer is running. The mixer will beat the pecans and cause the oil to flatten your divinity.....so fold in and then drop by small spoonfuls onto wax paper.

O.K. I am going to try this when it stops raining.  :  -)  Remember no humidity, or hot kitchen.

I love this picture of Granny. I think is our house in the early 70's. It looks like our old refrigerator and paneling in the kitchen.

Lemon Cheese Cake



Morning in Wolffork Valley

 Hey guys this is the recipe for Momma's lemon cheese cake all of you love! I previously posted another from Granny's recipe box which uses fewer eggs. I think I will delete it.  I have only made this recipe. I'm sure the other one is good too, it's just not exactly like Momma's. :)
For those of you who don't know my Momma's cheese cake it's not a Philadelphia cheese cake. No this cake is a butter layer cake with lemon curd icing. No cheese just butter, eggs, lemon and sugar..... I don't know why its called a cheese cake!

Momma's Lemon Cheese Cake

Bake Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix in 4- 8" well greased and floured round pans. In my oven for 4 layers it takes about 12 min. at 375 degrees until they test done with toothpick. As soon as you take the cake out of the oven run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen. Let stand in the pan for a few min. Then turn the layers out on a cooling rack of a clean cotton dish towel.

Lemon Cheese Icing

3 large or 4 medium to small lemons zested and squezzed
8 egg yolks
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg white

Seperate the eggs while they are cold.

Mix together lemon juice and zest, egg yolks, sugar and butter, and 1 egg white in large sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until thick enough to spread. Stir constantly do not leave it. This will probably take about 10 min. Remove from heat and let stand until cool enough to touch, then ice cake.

Lay small strips of wax paper on cake plate where the edges of cake layers will lay to keep icing off plate. When cake has cooled and the icing has cooled to point where you can touch without being burned layer icing and cake. Ice sides of cake also. Let stand for an hour and remove wax paper. Store at room temperature in Cake Dome. Do not refrigerate.

Patricia Ann Peacock 1957

Aunt Carol's Sweet Potato Crunch

Continuing to bake today and having fun doing it! I'm thankful for that!

This is a very simple dish.  The recipe calls for canned sweet potatoes. I have fresh sweet potatoes and will use those by peeling and cubing 4 medium size potatoes and boiling them in lightly salted water until soft. While the potatoes are still hot drain the water and use handmixer to blend. The strings in the potaoes come out wrapped around the beaters of handmixer and the potatoes are very smooth and fluffy. Continue with the recipe same as with canned.

Sweet Potato Crunch
3 cups canned sweet potatoes, mashed in own juice
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs beaten

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into a well greased baking dish. Sprinkle crunch topping on top.

Crunch topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Cornbread Dressing with Giblet Gravy and Chicken with Dumplings

Wolffork Valley Georgia



I am pulling out recipes for Thanksgiving and I thought I would pass them on to you. I know I am partial but I think my Mom's cornbread dressing is the best ever! This is the way she makes it. Not hard just takes a little time.

Wade wanted to know why we have to wait for Thanksgiving and Christmas to have dressing!

Corn Bread Dressing with Giblet Gravy
3 cups of medium grind corn meal
10 pieces of white bread for bread crumbs
2 tsp. of salt
3 eggs
2 1/4 cup milk
3 Stalks of celery sauté until tender in 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 large onion chopped
7 eggs boiled and chipped (reserve 3 eggs chipped for gravy)
Hen meat previously cooked with celery and onion, deboned and shredded

For Cornbread:

Heat oven to 450
Pour 1/4 cup vegetable oil in 10" cast iron skillet set aside.

Mix cornmeal, salt, 3 eggs and milk. Place in skillet in 3 pones. With a spoon take the oil that comes up the sides of the pan and dab the tops of the pones.  Bake in 450 degree oven for 30 min or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool. You can make cornbread the night or day before and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before crumbling.

Toast the white bread until crunchy. Let cool and roll toast with rolling pin into fine bread crumbs.

Ok now you are ready to combine everything and make your dressing. At this point you can refrigerate everything and assemble the next morning.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine crumbled cornbread with sautéed celery and onions, 4 sliced and chopped boiled eggs, ( chop eggs into slices about 1/4 inch thick or less and then cut in half. You don't want to smash the eggs or cut them too small they will break up when you start mixing it all together), add the bread crumbs, and reserved chicken and season with black pepper. Pour some chicken broth into the cornbread mixture and mix with spoon until well blended. The dressing should appear wet and pour easily into a
13 x 9 baking dish. Bake 45 min at 400 degrees until golden brown.

Giblet Gravy
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons of flour
3 to 4 cups warm chicken broth
2 cups dark meat chicken diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onions
3 chipped boiled eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in skillet and add flour stir until brown add warm broth and season with salt and pepper, add celery, onions, chopped chicken and chipped boiled eggs. Cook on medium for about 10 to 15 min. until thickened. If too thick add more broth. This gravy should be medium to thin....not thick.

Chicken and Dumplings with Tortillas

Cook the chicken in boiling water with salt, pepper, 3 stalks celery chopped and 1 small onion chopped. When tender remove from the water and let cool. Remove from bone and chop.
Use flour tortillas and cut them into strips. Add about 1 1/2 cups chopped chicken back to water. Bring the water you cooked the chicken to a level of a little over half the pot. Bring to a boil and lay the sliced tortillas on top of the water, one at a time. When you have them all in the pot do not stir. Take the back of your spoon and push the tortillas down into the broth and turn the burner off and cover with lid. Do not stir.   That's very important. Serve immediately with dressing and giblet gravy.

I set up a website last night to sell things from. I don't have anything on the antiques and art page yet. I have some old furniture, frames, art prints and original art, vintage Haeger pottery, and designer fabrics and wallpapers to post. I have fabric samples, wallpaper samples and old magazines from the 20's and 30's that I plan to package for sell. Great for crafters and scrapbooks. I am using some of the papers and fabrics to back shadow boxes with also. There are hundreds of out of date fabric memo samples that will be great for scrapbooking, quilting and dollmakers. I also have some really great old tile murals that I bought from an old tile store that was going out of business about 20 years ago. I am guessing they are from the 50's and 60's. I also have some vintage retro fabric samples that were stored in my grandmothers house. I don't know where they came from. The images are great though. Some are stained along the fold lines but that is just adding to their retro appeal! I plan to eventually have some pillows and handmade things for sell on the site too.

You will find some cakes and pies for sell listed on the Granny's Cakes page. I let Tricia talk me into baking some things for sell. The layer cakes and pies can't ship but I will ship pound cakes and fruit cakes for Christmas delivery. Take a look www.louisandlillyathome.com. Have a great weekend.

Soup Recipes

The cool weather has most of us thinking of a bowl of hot soup! Lee Ann called to ask me how to make her favorite soups, Chicken and Rice Soup, Taco Soup and Vegetable Beef Soup. Enjoy!

Chicken and Rice Soup

4 chicken breast bone in and skin on

3 stalks of celery chopped

1 small onion chopped

Salt and pepper

2 cups of rice

1 can cream of Mushroom   soup

In a large pot or Dutch oven place clean whole chicken seasoned with salt and pepper and enough water to cover.  About 45 min.

Carefully remove the chicken from the water and place on platter to cool. 

When cool enough to handle remove all of the skin and bones and discard.  Place the meat back into the pot of remaining stock. Add canned broth or water to bring water level in the pot to about 1/2 full.

Bring back to a boil and add approximately two cups of rice.  When the stock begins to boil again reduce the heat to low and allow the rice to cook for about 20 min. then add a can of cream of mushroom soup. Cook for about 3 more min. and remove from heat and let stand for 5 min.  Serve with rolls or toasted French bread. 

To reheat add a little water and heat on low stir occasionally until heated.

Note:

A friend once told me that her Grandmother called Chicken Soup “Cuban Penicillin.”

I think there is something to that!

 

Taco Soup

4 chicken breast bone in skin on

1 medium onion chopped

3 stalks celery chopped

2 tablespoons butter

1 can nibblet corn drained

1 can black beans drained

1 large  #2 can of whole tomatoes or 4 large fresh tomatoes

1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 package taco seasoning mix

Salt

Pepper

Grated Cheese

Tortilla chips

Wash chicken and season with salt and pepper.

In large pot or Dutch oven sauté onion and celery with butter.

Place chicken in pot and cover with water. Boil until tender.

Remove chicken cool and remove skin and bones.

Chop chicken and return to pot.

Add corn, tomatoes, and beans and enough clear broth or water to bring level to ½ to ¾ full in pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir in taco seasoning. Cook over medium low heat for about 10 more min.

Serve with grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

Vegetable Beef Soup

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 small onion chopped

2 Tbsp butter

3 stalks celery chopped

1 can nibblet corn drained or 2 cups frozen nibblet corn

1 pkg. frozen green lima beans (butter beans)

1 large can tomatoes, #2 can

3 carrots cleaned and chopped

2 cups of chicken broth or water

Place butter along with onions, and celery in bottom of Dutch oven. Cook until tender.  Then add ground beef cook until brown.

Add large can of tomatoes, drain water from corn, add beans and carrots and approximately two cups of water or chicken broth.  You want enough broth or water to cover all ingredients.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and cover.  Cook for about 30 min. or until the beans are tender.  When everything is tender turn off the heat and let stand for 10 min.

Serve with fried corn bread or saltines.

This soup is best when prepared with fresh ingredients.

Cut corn kernels from 3 to 4 ears of corn.

Shell about a pint of green butter beans.

Peel and cut into wedges 5 or 6 fresh tomatoes.

Cut Okra is good as well as any kind of green peas.

German Chocolate Cake, Holland Family Pictures

This is a picture of my Great Aunt Bertha Holland, daughter of Morgan and Emma Holland, and my brother Steve Holland. The picture was taken during a family reunion at my Great Uncle Lucius Holland's farm located next to Falling Waters State Park in Chipley, Florida.

This is a picture that we believe to be Morgan Holland with his wife Alcey Caroline Kirkland Holland, Alcey's mother Sarah Jane Kirkland is holding baby Jesse, who was born in 1897, thus dating this picture around 1888.  Lome, the oldest child and Riley are standing in the back and Lucius is next to Morgan. Lena Mae, their youngest child, was not born at this time. Morgan and Alcey lived between Headland and Newville where he farmed.

We don't know where Alcey is buried but we think she is buried along with most of her family in the cemetary of Piney Grove Church outside of Headland close to Newville. Alcey was the daughter of Sarah Jane Kirkland and William Riley Kirkland.

Lena Mae Holland standing left, along with Jesse Holland. They were the children of Alcey and Morgan Holland. Jesse had some birth defects and never married, died young and is buried at Ramer. I was unable to locate his grave. Jesse is also buried there and never married and died at a young age. The children of Morgan's Second marriage to Emma McInnis are on front row left to right Naomi, Orea, Hubert and Bertha, the oldest child of Morgan and Emma.

Emma died in 1936 and Bertha and Naomi took care of the younger children. Naomi married Wenzel Avery and lived in Madrid. Naomi is buried at Big Creek Methodist Church. Bertha and her sister Ruby never married and lived together until Aunt Bertha died in 1982. Aunt Ruby died in May of 2005.

This is a picture of Morgan and Emma McInnis Holland. They are buried at Ramer Baptist Church on State Line Road close to Cottonwood, Al. They lived in the Ramer Church Community. Morgan farmed.  Emma took care of the five children from Morgan's first marriage, Lome, Lucius, Riley, Jesse and Lena Mae, along with her own children Bertha, Ruth, Orea, Ernest Hubert, Ruby, Lousie, and Naomia,

These are some old pictures that I found in Granny's box. I'm not sure who they are exactly. The side of the wagon in the picture above has lettering that says "Sold by Morris Engine Supply" Graceville, Florida.

These are Morgan's children in a picture taken after his funeral at Ramer Baptist Church in Cottonwood.

Left to right: Lucius Holland, Ernest, Hubert Holding Doyle, Zeckledge McDaniel husband of Louise Holland, Bertha, Ruby, Lome, Ruth Holland Thurman holding Son Charles and Ray Thurman holding Faye, Luvern Sims Holland, Hubert's wife, and Lena Mae. The last two young children I'm not sure who's children they are, but I think Lome or Lucius'. And the very tall man on the right I can't identify either. Anyone who can identify them please let me know. Orea is missing he may have been away in World War II at the time.

Bertha Holland daughter of Morgan and Emma McInnis Holland

Hubert Morgan Holland

Ruby and Louise Holland

Ruth Thurman Holland

Elmire Holland, youngest child of Morgan and Emma Holland

Standing back left to right

Ernest, Elmire, Hubert and Orea, Front row left to right Luvern, Bertha Front Doyle Holland

Naioma Holland Avery

Miss Ruby Holland

This was taken during a family reunion in the mid 70's at Doyle Holland's House in Big Creek. This was one of the few reunions that almost all of the brothers and sisters were together.
Back row left to right: Hubert, Elmire, Ernest and Oree. Sons of Morgan and Emma McInnis Holland
Front row left to right Lena Mae Holland Pitts daughter or Morgan and Alcey Kirkland Holland
Naomi, Ruth, Ruby and Bertha. Louise is missing she lived outside of Buffalo, New York.

I have more information on the parents of William Morgan Holland, Sanders and Emily Caroline Kirkland Holland and their parents John and Mary Holland and Josiah and Synthia Watson Kirkland that I will be sharing with you soon. It's a long but interesting story.

I am posting Daddy's favorite cake, German Chocolate. Granny always made this cake for him every Thanksgiving, and any other time he wanted it!

Rabun County, Georgia

I made a quick trip up to Rabun Gap last week to help Mom with some things up there. I love Rabun County. I wish we could stay the entire month of October, but we had to come back to take care of some things here. The leaves are just beginning to change. Mid October will be the best time to view the fall foliage. I'm planning to go back as soon as possible. For those of you who don't know Rabun County is in the Northeast corner of Georgia. About an hour and a half north of Atlanta on Highway 441.

 I took these pictures in front of the Rabun County Tax office in Clayton.

 I also visited the Antique Appliance store just off Main Street in Clayton. They restore antique stoves and refrigerators. All of the chrome parts are refinished and the porcelain coated burners are also recoated with porcelain. I thought all of the appliances were very interesting and beautiful. http://www.antiqueappliance.com/

This was the least expensive stove I saw for $1,000.00. The most expensive was $40,000.00

This was the largest wooden ice box I have ever seen. Perfect condition. The interior is all porcelain. Beautiful!

Pictures from my favorite vegetable stand in Franklin, N.C. I still have a pumpkin I bought here last year!  

This horse made of hay has a wreath of fresh bitter sweet around his neck.

Back in Rabun Gap we visited the Osage Farmers Market down the road from our house.

I love these signs! Please don't bite the corn!!!

Cabbage wagon

Cabbage Patch in Wolffork Valley with Rabun Gap School in background

Apples at Osage Farms

Cabbage wagon loaded in the field on it's way to the market.

This is the garden at Canyon Kitchen in Lonesome Valley. Just outside of Cashiers, N.C. in Sapphire Valley. The menu is planned around the fresh vegtables from the garden.  

Reservations are suggested check it out at  http://www.lonesomevalley.com/ Great food and wonderful atmosphere.