Aunt Patsy's Squash Casserole

Aunt Patsy’s Squash Casserole

4 slices of bacon cooked crisp

4 large yellow squash sliced round ¼ in. thick

4 green onions chopped

1 egg beaten

½ cup sour cream

½ cup shredded Swiss cheese

¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Grease 2 qt casserole and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. In bacon drippings sauté onion and squash until tender about 8 – 10 min. It is important to cook as much water out of squash as you can or the casserole will be soggy....not good.... Beat egg and combine with sour cream, and add to squash and onions, stir in half of the bacon. Pour ½ of mixture into casserole, and top with Swiss cheese. Pour remaining squash mix and top with cheddar and remaining bacon.

Bake 350 for 20- 25 min. Serve hot.

Lee Ann was asking for this recipe and I started thinking about it and had to go get some squash! Making it tonight.

Going to find some firewood right now. The wind is blowing really hard here...sun is still shining though. All the snowbirds are in town having a great time! I could hear them meeting friends and making plans in the grocery and post office! So cute. 

I have a cute story to tell you about Lee Ann. Winter of 94 was our first snowbird season here in Destin. Lee Ann was in the 3rd grade I think, we were out grocery shopping after gymnastics and we almost had 3 collisions with older couples in the parking lots of the shopping centers. I made the comment we need to go home before we get run over and Lee Ann said yea Mom there's more white hair than white sand here! It's dangerous! Wish she could have stayed that age forever.

Later.....:)

Love The Compleat Squash!

I love my new book! The Compleat Squash, by Amy Goldman. I don't know if I am as crazy about them as she is but I want to give growing them a try. I can't wait to get to work preparing a place for them.  Looks like a good time for it now.

I have to do some more sandspur control too. They hurt sooo bad. For those of you who don't know sand spurs are native to the coast. It's a grass that has these tiny little barbed spurs that are extremly painful when you come in contact with them. Our dogs have learned to avoid large patches of them. They must smell them. A few weeks ago I was in the Vet's office with the cat and a poor little Yorkey came in covered in them! The doctor was going to sedate him and shave him. Poor little guy, he had to stay there overnight.

Niki, you can call the Barnes and Noble in Dothan and ask them if they have a copy of Barbara Ritch Jackson's book, For I Heard Them Say. My copy was printed in 1998, in Birmingham, by Birmingham Printing and Publishing. When I was home Christmas I think I saw it at Barnes and Noble on 231 North. They also had several new books about Houston and Henry County. 

You also asked me how I liked Trisha Yearwood's new cookbook. I love it! The recipes are good. I have tried two of them so far, the chicken and spinach lasagna and the refrigerator rolls. Both were delicious. You will like it too.

Stay warm, happy and safe this weekend. I'm digging in the dirt. Chow for now!...:-)

Hello from Destin

Hello from Destin!
Beautiful day here in Florida. Our high will be about 62 today. Sun is shinning and the water is beautiful. I am thinking about getting a garden together for the spring and summer, and pumpkins for the fall.
Plans to go to a watercolor and journal design, class in Brasstown, N.C., at the John C. Campbell Folk Art School have been canceled. The forcast is snow and ice storm coming in. So that won't happen now. I am looking forward to being able to go there soon.
I read some interesting books that have been written in a similar style to the book I am working on for our family history, recipes and photos.  Memories of a Midwestern Farm, by Nancy Hutchens was a very interesting little book. Mrs. Hutchens recorded her childhood memories and journals her Grandmother kept during her life on a farm in Indiana, in the early 1900's.
I also read a book written about Dothan, "For I Heard Them Say an Alabama Odyssey", by Barbara Ritch Jackson. This author also recounts her childhood memories of Dothan during the depression years, and shares photos of the old town from the early 1900's through the 1990's. Her grandfather and uncle were two of the first doctors in Dothan and formed the Frasier Ellis Hospital on Saint Andrews Street. Her writings brought back many memories, of people and places that are now gone....

Wade gave me a couple of books for Christmas, The Henderson Beach Inn Cookbook and Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood.
I am off now to pick up " The Complete Squash".  I ordered this book from Barnes and Noble to read about growing squash, gourds and pumpkins.  I'm crazy about them!
Back Later........have some more recipes to share with you soon. Have a great day. :)

Collard recipes

I was creative yesterday with some left over collard greens. Wade doesn't love them, so I was trying to use make a dish that he would like. This is what I came up with, 1 dip and 1 stuffed chicken recipe. The chicken was delicious with a green salad last night. The stuffing added a good flavor.

Greens and Cheese Dip

1 cup chopped well seasoned cooked collards

½ large Vidalia onion chopped

½ roasted red bell pepper chopped

1 tablespoon butter

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup cottage cheese drained

¼ cup grated mozzarella cheese

Ritz crackers crumbled

Sautee onions in butter. Add the collards and cook until all water has evaporated.

Mix onion mixture with pepper, sour cream, parmesan cheese, cottage cheese. Taste for salt and pepper add as needed.

Spray a small baking dish with pam. Pour mixture into dish top with, mozzarella and crushed Ritz crackers. Bake for 20 -25 min until hot and top is browned. Serve with corn chips or Tostito's.

Kelly and Peacock Family History

Good Morning! I hope everyone had a great holiday. I have been busy gathering information about the family. Kelly and Peacock famalies mainly. Momma Peacock's first cousin, contacted me Saturday and she has been working on the family tree for the Kelly family for 60 years. I think she is going to publish what she has soon.
Momma Peacocks mother was a Kelly. Mary Francis Rebecca Kelly was her name and she was born in Argyle, Florida in 1879. That's on Hwy 90 close to Defuniak Springs in Walton County.  She married Thomas Lott and had eight children, Burt, Jim, Oneil, Austin, Charlie, Damon, Lucille, and Lota.
I plan to visit cousin Tiny and get as much information as possible to share with you. I have some old cards and pictures that belonged to Grandma Molly, that I will be busy scanning.
I hope Tiny can help me identify some of the people and places in the pictures.

Momma Peacock, Hugh and Patricia

Abigail and Momma Peacock

Momma Peacock and Aunt Louise

Photo Display Ideas

Photo Display Ideas Check out these ideas for displaying old photographs. You can use the family photos posted here! Happy New Year!

Hot Cocoa Recipe.....Daddy's favorite winter drink.

I found a Hot Cocoa recipe in some old clippings from Granny's box.There are several recipes using powdered milk. I will post some more of those later.
I think I will make some of this cocoa and give it to my nieces and nephews. They all love hot cocoa. My Dad did too. He would say, "It sure would be good to have some hot cocoa." Just knowing that Momma would go fix it for him! [: -)
Merry Christmas everybody!

Hot Cocoa Recipe

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup cocoa

2 ½ cups powdered milk

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Fill mug half full with mixture and then fill mug with warm water or warm milk.

Top with mini marshmallows.

Store in air tight container and it will keep indefinitely......It never last too long around our house....

Looks like Daddy is putting Tyler on the spot! Christmas 2007.

Granny and Grandpa with Aunt Betty and Daddy Early 40's

Left to Right
Daddy, Faye, Bob and Allie B. Mid 40's

Daddy about 10 yrs. old

Daddy 11th Grade Rehobeth High School

Momma and Daddy in Panama City 1956

Me and Daddy in the yard of our first home In Ardilla on the Cottonwood Highway

Momma and Daddy both talking to me at the same time! We were at La Bamba for Gracie's Birthday party!

Daddy with Brooke and Gracie

Mary Francis Rebecca Kelly Lott



I took this picture Dec.6th 2010, in the cemetary of Corinth Baptist Church, close to Slocomb, Al.
Mary Francis Rebecca Kelly Lott was my great grandmother. My grandmother Lota Lee Lott Peacock, was her youngest child. She had Eight children Jim, Burt, Damon, Austin, Charlie, Lucille and Lotta. There was one brother that died when he was a young man and I can't remember his name right now.....Working on the Lott family information....will have more after Christmas to share.

 


This is the gravesite of my Great Uncle Damon and his wife Mary. I have many happy memories of these two. They lived in Lady Lake Florida on a farm for many years.  They didn't marry until late in life. Uncle Damon was in the Navy during World War II.
Aunt Mary was originally from Ohio. Her parents were immigrants from Germany.  I have her high school records from Ohio, that I will share with you.  Aunt Mary Peacock has her recipe box. When she showed it to me I really didn't have time to look at it closely. I am looking forward to doing that soon. :)

 


 


This is Momma Peacock, Lotta Lee Lott Peacock in 1960. The picture was taken during my 2nd birthday party! Gosh I miss her.
That's Butch Carroll in the background.

 




This is Butch and his wife Sherri in 2006.  Rona Bradley is in the background.

 

  


This is another great uncle and great aunt. Uncle Burt and Aunt Ivey Lott. They had four daughters, Sandra, Myra, Nelda and Linda. Aunt Ivey was a very strong person, that everyone in the community admired very much. I will have many more stories to share with you about her life.

Momma Peacock and Aunt Ivey center visiting during Aunt Shirley and Uncle David's 50th anniversary.  Linda, Aunt Ivey's daughter is on the right. I am not sure who the lady is on the left. A friend of Aunt Shirley's I think.

Yesterday was the first day of the winter season. I hated to see fall go. I enjoyed every minute of it. I was able to spend time in North Ga. in the mountains, and at the farm with Momma and the horses and the kids, and on the beach at home in Destin. I am so blessed to have had those opprotunities.

I am also blessed to have had a life filled with many many wonderful people. As I research my extended family further I can see why my grand parents and great parents had the strong drive and discipline that we all saw in them.  There parents and grandparents before them set the example. Most of them were strong christians that lived their lives by faith. They were pioneers in South Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. 

They looked to the heavens and prayed for God's blessings,and they recieved them. Their dreams of living in a free country made them determined to succeed. But it was faith in God that carried them through one of the worst wars in history. Tens of thousands died. Wifes were left with children to raise with their homes destroyed, their livestock raided and their towns burned. They were left with nothing but their faith. 

There is a story I will share with you later about my Dad's paternal, Great Grandmother's father. He was too old to go to war April 12, 1861. He ran a general store in Abbeville, Al. After the war he found himself with a house full of widows and children. His sons died, and his son in laws died. But he held on to his faith and joined in with the community to build back and over come the death and oppression the civil war had brought to all of them.

Mother's family was living in the same area of the state during the civil war. Both families, Holland and Peacock, have similar stories, of living in North Carolina in the early 1700's and then Middle and North Gerogia in the early 1800's and then moving into South Alabama in the mid 1800's.

I am amazed with all of the stories and information I am finding. I have a copy of a book titled, The Children of Levi Peacock, that has given me alot of information and is pointing me in the right direction to gather more.

I also have some new Holland family information. I am sure there is much more in Henry and Pike Counties. I have to find the time to go there to research.

The Sims and Lott families may be a little more complicated to find information on. I haven't found the extensive geneology research that I have found on the Hollands and Peacocks. But I am sure it is there just waiting for us!

Henry Sims, my great grandfather with my brothers, Greg on the pony, Steve left and Keith front. This was taken in Ruskin in Henry's barn yard. Around 1966.



Roasted Tomatoes and Shrimp, and Bacon Stuffed Tomatoes

Ruby Holland left and Louise Holland right, my Great Aunts.

Left to right back row
Ernest Holland, Elmire Holland, Hubert Holland and Oree Holland
Front row left to right
Luverne Sims Holland, Bertha Holland and Doyle Holland my dad
I am guessing this is about 1941 maybe 42.

Today is the first day of winter. This is a good recipe to warm your tummy! It's guick and easy too. I made it last night and served a side of fettucine with toasted French bread and a green salad with Italian dressing.

Tomato and Feta Shrimp

3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 lb. peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 roasted red pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Coat the red pepper in olive oil and place on baking sheet in 350 degree oven for 15 min. Remove from oven and let cool. Remove stem and seeds and chop.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, butter, salt and pepper in 13 x 9 dish. Stir to coat tomatoes. Bake at 425 degrees 15 minutes. Remove dish and add shrimp and peppers stir to coat with oil and butter. Bake until shrimp turn pink. About 10 to 15 min. Remove from oven and toss with parsley and feta cheese and sprinkle lemon juice over all.

I am also including a good recipe for cocktail party tomatoes. The plate is always clean by the end of the night! These have the best flavor if you make them ahead allowing the flavors time to blend. The day before you serve them will be good timing. Plan about 3 to 4 per person.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

2 dozen cherry tomatoes
1 8oz. cream cheese room temperature
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/3 cup crispy fried bacon chopped fine
3 to 4 green onions chopped fine, use green and whites of onion

With a sharp knife cut out the core of the tomatoes and remove inside pulp with a teaspoon. Set on paper towels to drain.

Mix the cream cheese, horseradish, finely chopped bacon and onions together with mixer until light and fluffy.  With a teaspoon fill the cavity of each tomato. Place in an air tight container and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve chilled or room temperature.  Serves 6 to 8.

Cheese straws and Peanut butter chocolate sandwich cookies

Well I botched this recipe up today. I used too much cheese and butter and they went flat as a feather!
There was too much going on in my kitchen today! Tricia, Lee Ann, Wade, Louie, Baby, Gizmo and M.J. The only one missing was Sookie, Tricia's cat!
Oh well I will try again when they are gone Monday afternoon!

Granny Jane's Cheese Straws

2 cups plain flour
1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
1 pound Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated this should be about 4 cups
1 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon baking powder

Ok there are rules that you have to strictly follow to be successful with this recipe
1.  Buy a good quality block cheese. Do not use pre shredded cheese. It does not have enough moisture.
2. Cheese has to be room temperature. I usually leave it out over night.
3. Do not substitute margarine for butter.  Real Butter unsalted at room temp.

With electric mixer mix all ingredients until creamy. With a star tip pastry bag make 2 -3 inch strips on ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 12 to 14 min in 400 degree oven. The cheese straws should be crispy and slightly browned. When completely cool store in air tight container, they will stay fresh for several days in container. I usually layer them with wax paper or parchment paper.

The girls were making peanut butter chocolate coated cookies. They love these cookies. They have been making them since they were about 8 years old.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

Ritz crackers
Peanut Butter
Chocolate candy coating melted "Almond Bark" is the brand we usually buy.

Sandwich peanut butter between two Ritz crackers and dip in melted chocolate. Use a toothpick to dip them and lay them on wax paper to dry. After about an hour you can stack them in an airtight container.

The girls also like to dip pretzels in the candy coating. Both the pretzel twists and the "fat sticks", as Lee Ann calls them.

They sprinkle the little color sugar sparkles and candy beads on them, and then wrap them in cellophane with ribbons and stickers etc.

Another treat they like is nutter butter peanut butter cookies dipped in the white chocolate almond bark. Lee Ann is going to paint snowmen on the top of these. I will post a picture for you.

We are going to the boat parade tonight in Destin Harbor, and tomorrow making a trip to Mobile to Bellingrath Gardens to see their light show and tour the home musem. We are all excited. The camellias should be beautiful. I will post some pictures of that too.

Have a good weekend!

Veggie Bars

This is a recipe that my mother in law gave me. It is really easy, and taste great. The bright colors of the vegtables make this an especially pretty party platter.
You can use any vegtable you like. You just want to avoid moisture, juice etc. and vegtables that may not hold their color.
I usually make these when we go away for the weekend. Wade loves them and they are a good easy snack to pack and carry with us in the ice chest. Wrap in wax paper and place in an air tight plastic container and store in your ice chest.

Veggie Bars

2 packages of Pillsbury Croissants

1- 8 oz. package of cream cheese

¼ cup sour cream

1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

Chop fine the following vegtables:

1/2 Red bell pepper

1/2 Green bell pepper

1/2 Yellow bell pepper

1/2 Orange bell pepper

Grate 2 carrots

Chop the tops of Broccoli Florets

Purple onion chopped fine

Fresh Parsley chopped fine. About 2 tablespoons.

Mix together cream cheese, sour cream and ranch dressing mix.  Cover and set aside.

Unroll the croissants and press in the bottom of jelly roll pan. Make sure you press seams together. Bake according to package directions until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool.

When the croissant crust is cool, spread the cream cheese mixture over the entire surface.  Sprinkle with the chopped vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. To serve cut into squares.

You can add tomatoes if you like but it will be best if you do this just before you serve them.

Cheese Dips, Cheese Balls, Layered Taco Dip and Party Meatballs!

My beautiful cousin Cicely and her daughters Abigail and Isabel. Isabel is being shy!

I am posting some easy party appetizers that you may like to try.

Shrimp Dip
1 can tiny cocktail shrimp
1 8oz package of cream cheese softened
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 package "Good Seasons" Italian dressing mix

Combine shrimp, including water and juice from can, cream cheese, sour cream and Italian dressing mix and lemon juice. Mix well and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Serve with crackers.

Cheese Dip

1/4 lb. of ground beef browned and drained
16 oz. Velveeta cheese cut into cubes
3 Tablespoons milk
1/2 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Rotel Tomatoes

In a microwave safe bowl add cubed cheese and 3 tablespoons of milk. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir and add the rotel tomatoes and cream of mushroom soup. Microwave again on high for 3 minutes. Stir and add the ground beef.  Microwave again for 1 min. or until all cheese and soup are melted. Let stand for 3 to 5 min. before serving.
Serve with corn chips. Doritos Restaurant Style are our favorite brand.
You can double this recipe if you have a big crowd.

Susan's Jalapeno Hamburger Dip
1 pound ground beef
1 onion chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small can jalapeno relish
1 can refried beans with chilies
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese grated

Brown hamburger, onion and bell pepper together in skillet and drain. Combine remaining ingredients in crock pot. Add hamburger mixture and stir until blended. Cook in crock pot for 1 hour. Reheat as needed.
Serve with "Scoops" Corn Chips.
This is a very good dip and it's easy to make!

Layered Taco Dip

1 can refried beans

1 ripe avocado mashed with 2 teaspoons lemon juice

12 oz. sour cream mixed with ½ package of taco seasoning mix

1 small can of chopped ripe olives

1 small can chopped green chilis

1 12 0z block of Monterey Jack Cheese grated

4 green onions chopped small include green tops

1 small tomato chopped fine

Layer in 9x9 as listed above. Reserve tomatoes until ready to serve.

Best to make this dish at least 1 hour ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you don't have fresh ripe avocados available you can use pre packaged guacamole dip. Delete the lemon juice. One small container will be enough.

Sausage Balls

1 pound of ground mild Italian Sausage

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1 cup Bisquick baking mix

Mix sausage, grated sharp cheddar and baking mix in a large bowl. I use my hands to blend this together good. Roll into small bite size balls and place on baking sheet. Place in refrigerator for 30 min and then bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until brown. Serve immediately.

You can freeze these before baking. Best results will come from freezing in a plastic container and lay the balls in layers with wax paper. Then thaw to room temperature and bake as above.

Festive Cheese Ball

2- 8oz. packages cream cheese room temperature

1 jar dried beef, chopped

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

4 green onions chopped....greens and whites

1/2 chopped roasted red pepper

chopped pecans to coat

Coat a red pepper in olive oil and place on baking sheet. Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let cool, remove seeds and chop half of the pepper fine.

Mix together, cream cheese, chopped dried beef, lemon juice, green onions, and red pepper. Roll into a ball and roll in chopped pecans. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Serve with crackers.

These meatballs are always gone by the end of the party. The big guys love them.....

Party Meatballs

Meatballs:

2 pounds ground beef

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Mix together and roll small bite size meatballs.  Place in large oven proof dish, 9x13 works well.

Sauce:

1-12 oz can of chili sauce or spaghetti sauce

1-10 oz jar grape jelly

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix together in medium mixing bowl until well blended. Pour over meatballs. Cover with foil and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hour. Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Remove to serving dish. Provide toothpicks to eat with.

Pistachio Creole Cheese Log, Egg Nogg

This recipe has been in my recipe box for a long time. Not sure where it came from.

Pistachio Creole Cheese Log

1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup coarsely grated sharp white cheddar (4 ounces)

1 tablespoon Creole mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Crackers, for serving

In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, cheddar, Dijon, and Worcestershire until well combined; season with salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate until slightly firm, 1 to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, toast pistachios over medium, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool.

Transfer cheese to a piece of waxed paper; using paper, shape into a 6-inch-long log. Roll lightly in finely chopped parsley. Cover with pistachios, pressing to adhere. Wrap log in a fresh piece of waxed paper; chill until firm, 1 to 2 hours (or up to 1 day). Serve with crackers.

EGG NOGG

Beat the yellows of 12 large eggs until they are very light, stir in as much white sugar as they will dissolve, gradually pour in one glass of brandy, and then one glass of old whiskey, one grated nutmeg, and three pints of rich milk. Beat the whites of the eggs to froth and stir in last.

This is an old recipe from 1901. Today you can use half and half and pre packaged grated nutmeg I am guessing that a fresh grated nutmeg will equal about 1 tablespoon of bottled ground nutmeg. I am going to start with that and add a little more if needed.

Aunt Shirley Christmas 2009. Every year Momma and her brother and sisters take turns having the entire family for Chirstmas day. Everyone brings food. There's  a lot of food and around 50 to 60 people usually.

Greg and Isabel!

Joshua and Abigail

Marcee and Red



 I love this picture. Wanted to share it with you. My niece Marcee in 2008. She was expecting my nephew Micheal in July. Little Red is a real sweetie, with a sweet tooth. She's giving him a sugar cube.

Marcee May 2008, with Red

This is sharing!



Lasagna...The girls favorite meal!

Today I am making Lee Ann and Tricia's favorite meal, lasagna and spinach salad.  This is an old recipe that was given to me about 30  years ago by a friend of Granny Jane.

Lasagna
1 number 2 can tomatoes.....that's the large can about 3-4 cups peeled tomatoes
1 lb ground sirloin
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
salt
pepper
1 16 oz. carton of cottage cheese small curd
1 egg
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
1 lb. thin sliced mozzarella cheese
8 lasagna noodles cooked per package directions

Brown ground sirloin. Season with salt and pepper. Drain meat. Add garlic, oregano, thyme. Cook on medium for a minute and then add the canned peeled whole tomatoes. Cook on medium heat and break down tomatoes with spoon. After about 5 minutes reduce heat to medium low and cook for 30 min. or until almost all of the water has cooked out. Taste and add salt if needed.
Cook the lasagna noodles until tender. Drain and rinse with cool water. Let stand for 5 min. toss occasionally. You want them to be drained well. I usually add a teaspoon of olive oil to the cooking water and a little salt.
Mix the cottage cheese, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a 13 x 9 casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of the lasagna noodles, 1/2 of the cottage cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella, and 1/2 of the meat sauce. Repeat layers ending with meat sauce on top.
Bake in oven for 30 to 35 min. until bubbles in center. Let stand for 5 min. after removing from the oven.

Spinach Salad

Fresh spinach
1/2 small chopped onion
2 boiled eggs grated
4 or 5 pieces of bacon cooked crisp
"Accent" seasoning

Wash and drain spinach for at least 1 hour. Toss occasionally.
Chop 1/2 of a yellow onion
Boil and grate eggs
Crumble bacon

Layer in salad bowl as listed above and season with "Accent".....Accent is a seasoned salt

Serve with Italian dressing and toasted Italian bread.

The way I drain lettuce and spinach is this. I rinse the leaves in a colander and then I toss and let drain for about 10 to 20 min. Take a couple of paper towels and wrap around the leaves and place back in colander. Sit the colander on a plate and sit in the refriegrator for about 30 to 40 min or until ready to use.

Pumpkin Roll

I'm not a big fan of pumpkin but this is a very good dessert for the cold nights of winter and the holidays.

Pumpkin Roll

¼ cup confectioner sugar approximately to dust cloth with

¾ cup plain flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup canned unseasoned pumpkin

1 cup chopped pecans

Filling:

1-      8 oz. package of cream cheese at room temperature

1 cup confectioner sugar

7 tablespoons butter room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

Confectioner sugar to dust top with

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Grease jelly roll pan and line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. Sprinkle a thin cotton towel with confectioner sugar. Use adequate amount to cover towel so the cake will not stick when rolled.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixing bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture and spread into jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. May take longer depending on type of pan used. Test for doneness at 11 min.

Turn out immediately onto cotton towel covered with confectioner sugar. Remove wax paper. Roll up cake in towel starting with small end. Place on cooling rack.

Beat cream cheese and 1 cup confectioner sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth. Unroll cake and spread with cream cheese mixture. Reroll cake without towel.  Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with confectioner sugar when ready to serve.

Orange Citrus Bars

Orange Citrus Bars

2 ¼ cups plain flour

½ cup confectioner sugar

1 cup cold butter cut into cubes

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/3 cup orange juice

½ teaspoon baking powder

Zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Crust:

In a large bowl combine flour and confectioner sugar. Cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until crumbly. Press evenly into bottom of 13 x 9 x 2 pan. Bake 20 minutes until lightly brown.

Filling:

In a medium bowl whisk sugar, eggs and juice until well blended. Stir in flour and baking powder and ¾ of the orange zest.

Pour on top of hot baked crust and bake 25 minutes or until set. Cool the bars and then glaze with the following glaze.

Glaze:

Mix together 3 ½  cups confectioner sugar, ½ cup orange juice, or enough to make a smooth creamy glaze, add the remaining orange zest and mix well. Pour over cool bars. Let stand for about an hour before cutting.

Fresh Florida Oranges!



Somewhere along Indian River in the late 40's. I love this picture I found in Granny's box! Zoom in and see the people and fruit lined up on the ground. This is how they shipped alot of fruit to packing houses from the groves. Barges came up the river to load the fruit and take it to a packing house set up to pack the fruit for interstate shipping by truck.



I'm not sure who this little guy is. But he is a cutie! A distant cousin or uncle I guess.

 My Great Grandfather, Henry Sims, lived in South Florida in the Ruskin Area. This was my Granny's father. He moved there after seperating from my Great Grandmother in the late 40's. I know the least about his family. I am now beginning to gather more information. He has a nephew, the son of his youngest brother still living in Ruskin. I am contacting him today if possible, to ask if he has any family information. 

Henry is the tallest and we may assume the oldest child in this family portrait. Houston, Henry's brother, is pictured on my Great Great Grandmother Sims lap. I don't know the other brothers and sisters. I met Uncle Houston in Ruskin. He farmed tomatoes there.

My Great Grandfather Henry was raised in Jackson County Florida, close to where my Dad's farm is now. I believe they lived somewhere between Marianna and Graceville, Florida.
I don't know what happened to my Great Great Grandfather who is absent in this picture. I don't know his name either.....I hope this oldest living cousin can help fill in the blanks a little.








 

Henry and Eddie Sims. Henry's only son. Eddie did not have any children. He worked for the Barnum and Bailey circus for a while as a driver. He also worked for Johnny's United Shows, who was the featured attraction for the National Peanut Festival in the 60's. This picture was taken in Granny's living room around 1968.







Roasted Peanuts

I always have raw shelled peanuts in the freezer. Daddy was always bringing home a gallon bag from the peanut mill in the fall when he was working there on a dryer or elevator. I roasted some peanuts yesterday for the first time in a very long time. Here's how Momma taught me to do it.

For the peanut brittle.  Place a layer of peanuts in a jelly roll pan and cook at 350 for 4 min. Just long enough to heat them up and make the husk pop. Let them cool. Take peanuts in your hands and rub the peanuts together, between your hands....this is to rub husk off the nuts. Take the jelly roll pan and a bowl outside in the wind. The wind will blow the husk away. Pour peanuts from pan to bowl allowing wind to blow husk away. If you find no wind get someone to help you and have them help you blow the husk away as you slowly pour the nuts from the jelly roll pan to the bowl and back from bowl to pan. Keep repeating until most of the husk are removed.

To have fully cooked roasted peanuts cook at 350 for 12 min. stir halfway through. I use a heavy dark jelly roll pan. You can use cast iron too. Any heavy metal pan will work. You can remove some of the husk after the peanuts have cooled. Use the method I described above.

Usually raw peanuts are refrigerated or frozen in the grocery. Ask your grocer they are probably in the frozen food section.

If you have raw peanuts in the shell wash and completely dry. Then roast 350 for 12 to 15 min. Stir after 6 min. Break one open at 12 min and test for desired roast flavor. Remove from oven and pour into a bowl to cool. The nuts continue to cook for about 5 min. after being removed from the oven.

Pea Picking Cake

This is an old recipe Momma has always made. I asked her why it’s called Pea Picking Cake and she said because they always made it during pea picking time. So I guess you could call this a good summer time cake. Actually it’s good anytime! 

 Memories......
Picking peas was sometimes a family affair. We all picked a couple of bushels each time, early in the morning and then everyone sat around on the porch and shelled peas with Granny's old oscillating fan blowing on us.
When enough peas were shelled, either Granny or Momma put a big pot on to cook for lunch and we had peas, fried corn bread, fresh sliced tomatoes, and of course a big glass of ice tea and usually fried chicken and potato salad.
Either Momma or Granny would blanch the peas and prepare them for the freezer as they were shelled. By the end of the day they usually had somewhere between 20 to 30 quart bags.
When the peas were shelled and the hulls were cleaned up is when the pea picking cake came on the scene! Delicious! :)

Pea Picking Cake

1 box Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix

1 cup less 2 tablespoons Crisco vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 - 11 ounce can mandarin oranges include juice

Beat all ingredients for cake together for 4 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees in 3 layers for 20 to 25 min. Cool completely.

Icing:

1-3 ¾ oz Jello instant vanilla pudding

1-15 ½ oz. can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, include juice

1 9 oz. container cool whip

Mix all ingredients and frost layers. Store in refrigerator, if you have any left!