Sally's Chicken Enchiladas

This is a recipe my mother in law, Sally Everett, shared with me. It's easy and delicious. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

3 bone in chicken breast
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup.......I use low sodium
1 cup shredded monterray jack cheese
1 small can chopped green chilis
4 green onions chopped
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 cup sour cream.....I use low fat
Flour tortillas
salt and pepper

Salt and Pepper chicken breast place in a large pot with enough water to cover and chopped celery. Boil until tender. Remove chicken alow it to cool enough to remove bones and chop, set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix cream of mushroom soup, chillis, onions, cumin, sour cream and 3/4 cup cheese.

In a 9 x 13 baking dish spread a little of  the soup mixture in the bottom.

In a skillet warm the flour tortillas and place chopped chicken down the center of tortilla. Roll the tortilla and place on top of the soup mixture in baking dish seam side down. Continue until dish is full.

Spread the remaining soup mixture over the top of tortillas and sprinkle top with remaining cheese. If you like extra cheese that's o.k. too!

Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 min. until cheese has melted and it bubbles in the middle.
Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole and chopped tomatoes and chopped fresh cilantro.

Remember if you don't have one or two ingredients you can substitute. For instance last night I made this recipe and I didn't have green chilis and cream of mushroom soup. I substituted cream of celery soup and 1/2 a can of rotel tomatoes. Turned out great. This is a good recipe for a crowd and you can make them ahead and bake just before you are ready to serve.

Ham Recipes

Two ham recipes that are easy and delicous. The first came from my Mom and the second one was Granny's. Both are delicious and easy to make.

Ham and Potato Sour Cream Casserole

2 slices smoked ham cut about a 1/2" thick
8 medium red or golden potatoes peeled and sliced thin
1 can low sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sliced onions
Dash of black pepper
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Cut each piece of ham into 4 pieces. Peel and slice potatoes thin. Combine soup, sour cream, salt and pepper. In greased 3 quart casserole alternate layers of ham, potatoes and onions with sour cream mixture. Top with shredded cheese. Cover casserole loosely with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours.



The following recipe is a good make ahead dish.

Cheese and Ham Casserole

Butter a 2 quart retangular casserole- Remove crust from 6 slices of white bread and cut into 4 squares. Line casserole bottom with squares.

In mixing bowl combine

12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped cooked ham
3 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2 shakes of tobasco sauce

Pour mixture over bread squares. Refrigerate at least 12 hours. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Serves 8 to 10.

Momma Peacock's Twelve Layer Chocolate Cake

This cake was my Dad's favorite. Momma Peacock occasionally made it and brought it over to our house because she knew Daddy loved it. We all love it! I am making it today for my Wade's birthday!
Happy Birthday Honey, I love you!

Twelve Layer Chocolate Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 or 3 cake pans. Make glaze before you start cooking cake layers. The thin layers cool quickly and need to be warm when you glaze them. If you feel comfortable with mixing the cake and making the frosting at the same time this works well.  Just make sure the glaze is cooked  before you start baking the cake layers.

Glaze:

¾ cup butter

5 oz. unsweetened chocolate

4 ½ cups sugar

2 cups evaporated milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

¼ cup strong coffee cooled

In a small heavy bottom sauce pan melt chocolate. Set aside.

In a large saucepan melt butter. Add melted chocolate, sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla and coffee. Cook over medium heat until glaze boils. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking until mixture thickens, about 15 to 20 min.  Remove glaze from heat.  Frost layers as you take them out of the oven. If the glaze cools return to low heat and warm to spreading consistency.

Cake Layers

1 cup butter room temperature

2 ½ cups sugar

6 large eggs room temperature

2 cups milk plus 1 tablespoon

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups self rising flour

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs beating after each single addition until well blended. Mix vanilla and milk. Add flour in 1/3’s, alternate with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until well blended.

Pour 2/3 cup of batter into well greased and floured cake pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 11 min.  Remove layers from pans and frost while still warm.  Spoon up any that has dripped onto the plate. Good idea to line the plate with strips of wax paper or foil so your plate stays relatively clean.

If you have more than 3 pans you can have another group of pans ready to go into oven right away. If not wash and grease and flour your pans again. You should have about 12 layers. I had 14 layers today! 

Yum! I just cut the cake for this picture and after 2 hours it is still warm. Wade is having a good birthday!

Aunt Bertha's Japanese Fruit Cake and Mom's Brandied Fruit Cake

Today I am going to share a recipe from my Great Aunt Bertha Holland for Japanese Fruit Cake. This is a wonderful moist delicious cake. Aunt Bertha was a great cook. She loved to cook and see us eat! She was the oldest of her siblings. When her mother passed away Aunt Bertha and the next oldest sister, Aunt Naomi took over caring for all of the younger children. All together there were 14 children. I can't imagine having that much responsibility.
Aunt Bertha was 25 when her mother, Emma McInnis Holland died in 1936. She never married. She lived with her sister Ruby Holland, who also never married, until she died in 1982. Aunt Naomi married Wenzel Avery and stayed very close to all of her brothers and sisters. Naomi lived to be the oldest of all of her siblings. I asked her one day what her secret to good health was and she said, "Hard work, eating your vegtables and walking with the Lord, because when you walk with him he carries your burdens."
Aunt Bertha worked for Van Ritch, a fine ladies clothing store in Dothan, Al., as an alterationist. She was a fine seamstress.  She could take anything and make it into a beautiful work of art.  Her cooking was just as good. She loved and cared for all of her brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews. There wasn't anything she would not do to help them. When she passed away I grieved for her for years and now I sit here with tears running down my face.
When I was about 4 or 5 years old my cousin Charles Thurman married and he and his bride Annie Ruth asked me to be the flower girl in their wedding. Aunt Bertha, made my dress and I believe she made Annie Ruth's, and the brides maids also. I remember Annie Ruth trying the dress on for Aunt Bertha in her sewing room. I was totally mesmerized by the beautiful white satin gown. I have a picture taken of the wedding. My dress was a beautiful seafoam green color too bad the pictures are black and white. The date I'm not sure except that it was the early 60's. The skirt of my dress was swagged around the bottom like Annie Ruth's and had glass rhinestones sewn in the gathers. I didn't want to take it off!

Aunt Bertha made both of the dresses I am wearing in these pictures. Mother still has this green one stored in her cedar wardrobe. The other one may be there also. I remember it being white with pink rosebuds embroidered on it.



This is a picture of Aunt Bertha made in the mid to late 40's. Guessing because of others that were taken about the same time when my dad was about 6 years old.





 The Brandied Fruit Cake recipe was a big hit with everyone. I remember mother and her garden club friends passing the starter around. Of course Granny loved it. She was a fruit cake nut!! If you like fruit cake this is a recipe of premium quality. You just have to be patient the process is 6 weeks long. You make an addition every 2 weeks for 6 weeks. The recipe is not complicated it just takes time. As all good things do. :) Mom made her brandied fruit in a glass container with a lid and kept it sitting on the shelf in the kitchen pantry.



Chicken Wings and Blue Cheese Dressing

One of Morgan's brothers plowing with mules.

The people in this picture I have not been able to identify. I think it may be part of the Kirkland and Holland family in Headland or Abbeville. I remember asking Granny and she wasn't real sure but said it was some of the Holland side of the family. The man seated in the front row looks alot like one of the men in the next picture. I am anxious to find some members of the Kirkland family who might be able to identify Emily C. Kirkland Holland, my Great Great Grandmother. This might be her seated in the center.

Another old picture.  I zoomed in on the wagon in front and it says, "Sold by
Morris-Bishop Supply Graceville, Florida."  I'm not sure if anyone in the family is in the picture or not. The man on the right with his foot up on the wagon looks alot like a man in the other old picture that no one can identify. It may be one of Morgan Holland's brothers. He had 3 brothers and one sister.

This recipe was in Granny's box and is hard to read so I will type it for you. It is good we tried it with the blue cheese dressing recipe that follows.....


Chicken Wings

3 1/2 to 4 lbs. of chicken wings cut tips off
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons vinegar....I used apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Tobasco hot sauce
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place chicken wings in large plastic bag. In a bowl combine mustard, paprika, and vinegar to make a smooth paste.  Add the tobasco, worcestershire, soy sauce and honey. Whisk until well blended. Pour over chicken make sure all chicken is coated. Refrigerate for 2 hours or over night. Occasionally roll the chicken around in the bag. Line large baking sheet with foil and lay wings in single layer on foil leave a little space around each piece of chicken. Bake 15 to 18 min. Brush chicken with left over marinade. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake 20 min. longer.


I think most blue cheese recipes are very similar, this is our favorite. It is a little different in that it has vinegar and buttermilk and lemon juice. Tangy and delicious with salad and wings.

Blue Cheese Dressing:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

½ cup sour cream

1/2 lemon, juiced

Pinch Seasoned Salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

5 ounces blue cheese crumbles

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon buttermilk

Pinch black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl with whisk and store in jar with tight lid. I usually use a glass pint jar with a screw on top. Kept refrigerated, the dressing will stay fresh in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.    If it last that long!!!

Todd's Syrup in Dothan, Alabama

The windmill marks the entrance to the Todd family fram on Hall Road off Coot Fowler Road south of Dothan on Highway 53.

This past Thursday Brooke Holland and I went to visit "The Syrup Man",  Mr. Joe Todd who lives south of Dothan. I think many years ago the area was called Cameron Mill. That's the name I always heard Granny give it. She lived about 1/2 mile farther south on Hwy. 53. You can read about Mr. Todd's family syrup business and the syrup making process by going to www.alafarmnews.com/0108archive/0108syrup.htm 
I remember going to see syrup being ground and cooked with my Grandpa. The mill we saw was powered by a pair of mules. Mr. Todd uses electricity to power his mill. In the operation we saw the sugar cane juice was cooked over an open fire in big cast iron pots. I remember seeing the pot being lifted off of the fire by two men with a big stick. They took it over to a covered area to cool. Out of another cooled pot they were ladling the syrup into metal pails. Of course we took some home with us.
We always had syrup on the table for breakfast. Try this pour a little syrup in your plate and take a small pat of butter and mash the butter into the syrup. Eat with a homemade warm biscuit. We also mixed peanut butter the same way. I usually chose the peanut butter. Oatmeal was always on the table for breakfast. About a teaspoonful of syrup and some butter in the oatmeal is soo good to a cold empty tummy. :)
I bought the Todd's Syrup Cookbook and enjoyed reading about the Todd family and their sugar cane crops and mill. I also bought some syrup that is a butter blend. Mr. Todd was sold out of the pure cane syrup. The butter blend is delicious though. The cookbook also contains some home remedies that were used in our family. Honey, syrup, baking soda, lemon, vinegar and camphor were staples for home health remedies. Grandpa made cough syrup and used heated syrup or honey, a squeeze of lemon and 1/2 a shot of whiskey.
Thanks for going with me Brooke. I had a blast!!!

This is the Cane in the field right now. He cuts it and then burns it back in the Spring. That's what you are seeing here.

He said he has to replant some of the cane about every 5 years. The two rows on the left are the new rows of cane coming up.

One of Mr. Todd's Mills. He has this one loaded on trailer to take to Landmark Park for a demonstration. This mill once belonged to the family that started Cocoa Cola.

Both of these brick structures contain the pots that he cooks the cane juice in to make the syrup.

These are some of Mr. Todd's family tools. Several are from the Civil War Era and belonged to his Great Great Grandfather. Mr. Joe Todd is the fifth generation "Syrup Man."

Granny Jane's Sweet Tea



Brother's Rooster!



Winston Singing (barking) Happy Birthday!

  Iced sweet tea is a southern tradition as you all know. I dearly love tea, hot and cold. Granny Jane's sweet tea recipe is a spring and summer favorite for the whole family. Fresh mint and fresh lemons are the secret. It is sweetened of course with sugar. I have tried leaving out the sugar and adding sweet-n-low to the glass and it's just not the same. But there are some new sweeteners on the market that I have not tried so experiment if real sugar is not in your diet.
I am making this today! The mint is up and growing fast. Can't wait to sit outside and watch the Moon rise tonight. Don't forget it's the Super Moon night!

Granny Jane's Sweet Tea

6 regular size tea bags or 3 Family size tea bags.
4 or 5 sprigs of fresh mint about 2 inches long.
3 large or 4 small to medium lemons cut in half and squeezed
1 quart boiling water
1 cup sugar

Wash the mint and lemons.
Boil 1 quart of water
Put tea bags in heatproof glass bowl
Roll lemons on counter with the palm of your hand. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze over tea bags. I usually use a strainer to catch the seeds as I juice the lemons. Drop lemon rinds in with the juice. This is important....not the same without the rinds.
Add the sugar and mint. Pour boiling water over the lemons, sugar and mint. Stir slowly, careful not to break teabags until sugar dissolves. Cover with clean dish towel and let stand until completely cool.
When the tea has cooled completely remove rinds, and mint sprigs. Pour tea from bowl into large pitcher and fill pitcher with cold water. Taste the tea and if you need to add sugar to suit your taste go for it!  Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint leaf.  Great with your meals or just to cool off!

Fresh Coconut, Walnut and Lemon Pound Cake



Tricia and Brandi Mother's Day 2004


This is a recipe very similar to the Out of This World Cake I posted earlier this month, from Granny's box of hand written recipes.
I made this cake last week. Wade's friends at work loved it. Tricia and I liked it alot but we are both dieting so we gave it away.  :) 
I think this icing was good but the next time I make it I am going to add a little rum to it and let it stand for a day or two. Tricia ran in right when I took it out of the oven and wanted to cut it before I had it glazed! I made her wait until the next afternoon to cut it. But it was really best on the 2nd and 3rd day, after the flavors had blended and the glaze had throughly soaked into the cake.

Fresh Coconut Walnut and Lemon Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour tube pan

2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups of sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 packages of graham crackers crushed fine, (there are 3 packages in 1 box of graham crackers, use 2)this is about 1 1/2 - 2 cups.

1 (6 oz.) package frozen fresh coconut, thawed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and beat after each addition until the yellows are blended well. Add vanilla and blend well. Add graham crackers blend well. Fold in coconut and walnuts.

Pour into prepared tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 min. Test with tooth pick. Let stand in pan for 15 min. I usually loosen the edges with a knife to prevent the cake from cracking as it cools down in pan. After 15 min. turn out onto a cooling rack and let stand until cool enough to flip over on your cake plate.
I line the edges of the cake plate with foil or wax paper until I frost the cake with the glaze.

Lemon Coconut Glaze

1- 6 oz. package of fresh coconut thawed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup bottled water
2 cups sugar
Zest of 2 lemons and the juice...this should be about 1/4 cup juice if not add juice to make 1/4 cup...My lemons were small and I was just a little short 1/4 cup. All I had was some key lime juice so I made up the differenc with that. Delicious......

Place all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 15 to 18 min. stirring frequently until thickened. Remove from heat and let it cool down a little.
Take a wooden pick or skewer and poke holes in the top of the cake. Use a tablespoon and slowly spoon the glaze on the cake. I tried to keep the glaze in the middle of the cake to begin with and then worked my way around and out to the edges. Work slowly and let the glaze soak down into the holes. Let it stand for about an hour. Spoon any excess run off glaze back on top of the cake and remove strips lining the edges. When completely cool cover with dome and let stand for 24 to 48 hours......if you can stand the wait!
I am going to add 1/4 cup of rum the next time I make this frosting. Yum!:)





Remember our friends in the Pacific in your prayers.
Photo of Kona Harbor April 2005.

 

Peanut Butter Pie

Good recipe for chocolate and peanut lovers!

Peanut Butter Pie

Crust

1 ½ cups finely crushed Graham Cracker Crumbs

6 tablespoons melted Butter

2 tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Cocoa Powder

2 tablespoons Peanut Butter

Crush graham cracker crumbs, melt butter and combine with sugar, cocoa powder, and peanut butter. Press into 8” pie plate. Bake 15 min in preheated 300 degree oven. Let cool on rack.

Filling

8 ounces Cream Cheese room temp.

¼ cup Peanut Butter

½ cup granulated Sugar

¼ cup chopped unsalted peanuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup Heavy Cream

Using electric mixer combine, cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add peanuts and vanilla.

In a separate bowl beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1/3 of whipped cream into cream cheese and peanut mixture. Lightly fold in remaining cream and pour into cool pie shell. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Top with chocolate syrup and crushed peanuts. Serve cold and store in refrigerator.

You can use cool whip in place of heavy cream for this recipe if you like. A small container will be about the same as 3/4 cup heavy cream whipped stiff.

Drizzle bottled caramel ice cream topping on top of the pie with along with the chocolate syrup and crushed peanuts. Reserve topping of whipped cream or cool whip until you serve the pie.

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

1 (14oz.) can condensed milk

3 egg yolks

2 tsp key lime zest

½ cup key lime juice

1 9 inch graham cracker crust

1 cup whipping cream

3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Whisk together milk, eggs and lime zest and juice until well blended. Pour Mixture into graham cracker crust.

Bake for 15 min. or until pie is set. Cool completely on wire rack.

Whip cream with powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Mound on top of pie and garnish with sprig of mint and twist of lime. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I used cool whip to save a little time. Use regular limes if key limes are not available. Lemons are delicious in this recipe also.

In place of a ready made graham cracker crust I used 1 1/2 cup crushed graham crackers, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons of butter melted. Mix all together and press in the bottom of pie plate. Bake at 300 for about 10 to 15 min. Let cool completely then fill with pie filling.

February 5, 2011



Sunset over Destin Harbor February 5, 2011





Leaving for the reception

 
Today Wade and I are celebrating the 6th anniversary of our marriage. Just a normal day in paradise! We are both very thankful for the great memories we have of our wedding in 2005. It really was a blessing to have all of our family and most of our close friends with us to celebrate. Wade's family was all together for the first time in a very long time.
We married in Madrid, Al. in Madrid United Methodist Church. The music was my favorite part of the service. A mix of old songs were performed by sisters playing the violin and piano. Beautiful old songs, including Danny Boy!. Wade's Aunt Ellie said the music made her think of the movie Cold Mountain. I did not think about it when planning the music but it was very much like the songs on that sound track.
The ceremony was the shortest in history. I can't remember if it was my cousin, Josuha or Evan that sent out a text message to a friend saying he had just been to the shortest wedding in history! Short and sweet that's what Wade and I wanted. Mark Brackin, the pastor was relieved that the service was short too. He was nervous for some reason, maybe because the church was packed to capacity.
After the ceremony we were having our picture made with the pastor at the altar. Some guests were standing behind the photographer. Candles were burning in glass hurricane torcheres at the end of the first 6 isles. One of the guest from Naples stood too close to the hurricane and her hair went up in flames! Wade and Pastor Mark Brackin, grabbed my arm and said Fire! Hair on Fire!!! The photographer put her camera down and ran over and started putting the flame out with her jacket! The lady wasn't hurt, and the damage to her hair was minimal! Thank goodness.

Picture taken during the ceremony

The reception was dinner and dancing until about 10:00. We had so much fun, no one wanted to stop! Momma and Daddy and Sally and Big Wade had fun dancing too. "Big Wade," as I call my father in law, had a blast dancing with all the girls. He and Drew Vinson were the life of the party! I don't know if anyone has any pictures of Drew dancing in the circle of girls but if you do I would love to have one.
Thanks for the memories every one. We love you all.

Hot from Dancing!!! Lots of Fun!

Friends from Fort Walton and Naples

This a picture of Wade riding in the bucket of a crane to the top of the bell tower of the church we married in. When  you are married in this church you are asked to pay a fee for clean up and you can make a donation to the church. So Wade chose to paint the bell tower because it had recently been repaired. Daddy donated a new copper roof for the bell tower, not shown in this photo.

Picture taken in Kona airport when we arrived for our honeymoon. Long Trip!

Yesterday, Feb. 4th I was worked on the Kelly family tree with Tiny Brunner Peterman. Tiny was Momma Peacock's first cousin. Her mother and my great grandmother Molly were sisters. Tiny gave me the wedding date for "grandma Molly" and my great grandfather Tom Lott. They were married February 5, 1905. Exactly 100 years before Wade and I. That was a surprise! I told Wade and he said, "Wow that is totally cool and kind of strange too!"  I thought so too. :|
I am happy to be able to do this genealogy research. I get all excited when I find a new picture or see a document from 100+ years ago. Our ancestors were true pioneers, braving the wilds of nature, and Indians. They had great determination to settle this new territory. The land and a better life was there for them to take. They were determined to build good homes, communities and commerce, places of worship and schools to educate their children.
I will be in Henry County this week, in Headland and Abbeville, working on the Holland/Kirkland Family lineage. I have many things to look for in the libraries in Headland and Abbeville. I hope to visit the location of Josiah Kirklands home and business The Country Tavern, in Abbeville, and Emily C. Kirkland, my great great grandmother's childhood home place. The family gravesites in Piney Grove Cemetery between Headland and Abbeville are also on my list of things to see. I think John and Mary Polly Kirkland Holland may be buried there also. John and Mary are my great, great, great grandparents.