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.

Chocolate Snowballs

This is a good summer time recipe to make for kids and grown ups! Scoop the ice cream with an ice cream scoop and make a ball. As you make the balls place them on a platter that will fit in your freezer. Leave them in the freezer for about an hour.

Next chop 1/2 cup of peanuts or pecans and set aside on a dinner plate. Melt the chocolate and mix it with the coconut. Pour it out on wax paper. Take the ice cream from freezer and roll it in the chocolate. Drop the snowballs on the plate with nuts and roll to cover and return to tray and back to the freezer until ready to serve or serve immediately.

Out of This World Cake

I am posting one of Granny's recipes. I think I will try this one. I remember another similar with vanilla wafers, bet either will work. I'll let you know how it turns out.
My cousin Lyn sent a message and asked about a recipe for tea cakes. I have one that is just ingredients no directions at all. Let me ask Momma about it.
Hope you all have a nice, safe weekend. Looks like we have rain coming in along with some high winds. I think I will work on cleaning the house......

Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake





I always smile when I read this recipe, I never did understand the take flour out and put cornstarch in but it makes a huge difference in the texture of this cake. Today I added 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and I am mixing up a thin chocolate icing to drizzle on top.

The directions are not very clear. Before you start mixing measure 3 cups of flour. Take out 6 tablespoons of flour and add 6 tablespoons of corn starch. Add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. Sift together. I usually use my whisk and mix well.

Seperate the egg yolks from the whites. Set the whites in the refrigerator until ready to beat stiff.

Next use some (not from the 1 cup measure in recipe) crisco and coat the tube pan well on the sides and bottom and on the tube. Take some flour and lightly dust the bottom, sides and tube, tap away excess flour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Now you are ready to cream the crisco and the sugar about 3 min. at medium speed in mixer until light and creamy. Then add the egg yolks one each time. When blended well add the sifted flour, cornstarch and cocoa powder in 1/3 increments, alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk. Add vanilla and blend well. When blended well scrape down the sides of the mixer and blend well.

Now take the egg whites from the refrigerator and beat with hand held electric mixer until stiff. Fold the whites into the cake batter until blended.

Pour into prepared cake pan and cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 20 min.

I think that the cake was a little dry with the cocoa powder added. I like really moist cakes. This one is moist and delicious but I know that the shelf life will not be as long as it would if it had a little more moisture. Wade loves it! He said no worry just add some ice cream. :) I think I will try it again and add a stick of unsalted butter. The crunchy top is fabulous though! The original recipe is moist and delicious. You have to try it.



Some pictures from Momma's Garden



I can't believe February is gone. Time is flying by. We have been having dense fog and humidity this past week and a little rain. I am continuing my garden project.I have planted about 40 daylillies so far, I still have more to plant. Today while I was working planting the lillies, I was remembering Momma Peacock  working in the garden in the early spring. She bundled us up and we played in the yard on the south end of the house out of the cold North wind, while she prepared the soil and planted her garden. Great memory, I miss her every day. The daylillies I have been planting came from her old house. My brother Keith lives there now.

Squash and Pumpkin update........

I should be able to transplant the seedlings I planted on the 16th of Feb. very soon.  Lots of lettuce. We eat a salad with almost every meal so this should save some money on my grocery bill! :)

The squash seedlings look great! They are loving the sunshine and have doubled in size in the past 3 days. Can't wait to get them in the ground.....waiting for 2 pairs of leaves before I put them in the ground. I went back to the horse barn today for some more of that great composte and some rose and camiella cuttings that I brought down here to root and plant.

Baked Pork Chops

Last week I planted a few of the seeds I saved from last years pumpkins and decorative crookneck turban squash. They sprouted yesterday. I only planted a few. I wanted to stagger the plantings and see what happens. I am not sure about how the long the vines will tolerate the heat here. I am sure that the shelf life for these decorative squash is long if preserved properly. I bought the squash I took these seeds from last October and they still looked good when I cut them the first week of February

The longneck turban squash is the yellow with green tip in center.  The mini pumpkins are on the left and right corner.

I have a recipe to pass on to you for baked pork chops.  You can use any kind of pork chop you choose. My favorite is a bone in blade chop but last night we used a cut with no bone and it was very good also. No bone makes for a dryer chop. Serve this with a side dish of white rice and a green salad for any easy dinner.

Baked Pork Chops

4 to 6 Pork Chops
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (I usually get the reduced sodium and reduced fat soups)
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
3/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 medium onion sliced or chopped
Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic salt
Bread crumbs to cover top I usually use panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Rinse pork and set on plate to drain
• Lightly cover with salt and pepper and garlic salt.
• Place in a oven proof baking dish in a single or double row
• Mix together soups, cheese and onion.
• Pour over chops in dish
• Cover top with panko bread crumbs be sure to pour the crumbs on the edges of the dish this makes a great crunchy crust!
• Bake for an hour at 350 degrees or until top is lightly browned and meat is tender  Let stand for about 5 min. after you take it from the oven. Serve the gravy over white rice.

"Chrome" spring 2010

Destin Sunset Feb. 5, 2011

Mini Cherry Muffins

It's been almost a week since I last blogged. I have been concentrating on making the beds for a small garden. I went to the farm Monday and brought back some shavings from the horse stalls. I have plots for lettuce and tomatoes ready now.  I planted lettuce seeds on the 16th and they are up and will be transplanted when they are about two inches tall. I haven't bought any tomato plants yet, but I am ready for them.
I have to continue working with the dirt. I have two old leaky galvanized troughs, that came from the barn, that I am going to use as planters for the mini white pumpkins. We have an old wicker etegere that has finally given up holding anything so I am going to strip the metal frame of the wicker, wire the shelves to the frame, and plant the mini pumpkins in the trough to run up on the etegere.
I also found some old tent posts in the barn that Daddy used for electric fence post at Spring Creek. They have pointed metal tips so it's easy to push them in the sand. I plan to use these as a tee pee frame for the pumpkins to run on also. I also have bamboo that I will use to make frames for the pumpkins and the loofa gourds. The loofas are going to be growing on the wooden fence running down the East side of the house.
I also have spots picked out for eggplants and squash to grow. I am thinking about planting a few okra plants too on the North side of the house. I am afraid the southern exposure will have too much wind for the stalks to stand tall. Along with herbs of oregano, parsley, sage and thyme, and rosemary and lavender that will be the contents of my garden.
.
Yesterday afternoon I made some muffins for Wade to have with his coffee for breakfast. They are delicious. Here's the recipe. Have a great day.

Cherry Mini Muffins

1 1/2 cup Pecans chopped
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Butter room temp.
2 Egg Yolks well beaten
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Cake flour sifted
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder sifted with flour
2 Egg Whites, stiffly beaten
1 jar of Maraschino Cherries, drained

• Separate your eggs while they are cold set yolks aside at room temp. Set the whites back in refrigerator until you are ready to beat them.
• Set butter out until room temp
• Drain Cherries
• Chop pecans in small pieces set aside
• Sift flour and baking soda set aside
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Grease mini muffin tins and sprinkle chopped pecans in bottom of each. This recipe makes 36 muffins.
• Cut drained Cherries in half set aside
• Beat egg whites until stiff set aside

Cream sugars and room temperature butter together until fluffy.
Add the egg yolks and vanilla, beat well.
Slowly add sifted flour and baking powder, blending well.
Turn off mixer and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Using a teaspoon dip the batter on top of the pecans in the muffin tins and place a cut cherry half in the center of each.

Bake for 10 mins. Remove muffins from tins and place on rack then when all are removed while still warm place in a large bowl or platter and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Allow to cool completely. Store in air tight container.

These muffins are great to carry for an early morning get together. I made them for a large group and used mini cupcake liners and instead of rolling them in powdered sugar I made a glaze with a little milk and confectioner's sugar and drizzled the tops. It's neater when you are having "finger type" food. 
The same recipe would also be good with raspberry or cranberry instead of cherry and add a little orange or lemon zest.
One of my favorite treats for myself is to go to Seaside early in the morning and go to Modica Market and get a Cranberry Orange Muffin and a cup of coffee and go to one of the pavillions on the beach and sit quietly.....may do that when the rain is gone. :)

I planted some of these day lilies this week! Can't wait to see them bloom. These pictures are from spring 2008.

Sweet Baby we called "Chrome."