Shrimp Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salsa

Pumpkins, and gourds from Rabun Gap.

Our Boys Gizmo and Louie!

Tonight we are having some old friends over and I am making shrimp cakes with salsa for dinner and our favorite Remoulade Sauce! This is a really simple dish for me to make and it is very delicious. We are so blessed to live here with these beautiful Gulf Waters! Hope you try this recipe soon. If you don't have access to fresh shrimp try can shrimp instead. Be sure to drain them first!

Shrimp Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salsa

Shrimp Cakes

1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined

Olive oil

1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 garlic clove minced

¼ cup thinly sliced green onion about 3 green onions include green tops

3 Tablespoons Kraft Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 ½ teaspoon hot sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 large egg

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

¾ cup panko bread crumbs

Corn Avocado Salsa

1 cup white frozen corn thawed

¾ cup diced ripe avocado

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped and seeded poblano pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Cakes:

Clean shrimp and place in bowl and chop fine…….in food processor about 10 pulses

Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat pan with olive oil. Add bell pepper and sauté 3 min. Add garlic and sauté 1 more min. Place sautéed pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add chopped shrimp, green onions, mayonnaise, lime juice, hot sauce, sugar, salt and egg. Stir until blended well. Stir in cilantro and panko.

Divide into 10 equal portions shape into a ½ inch thick patty.  Dredge both sides in remaining panko. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Heat pan over medium high heat. Coat pan with olive oil. Add 5 cakes to skillet and heat on each side 4 min. Remove from pan keep warm and add last 5 cakes cook 4 min each side.

Salsa:

Thaw corn in mixing bowl.

While cakes are chilling make salsa.

Chop avocado, onion, pepper, cilantro, combine with corn, sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Cover and chill until crab cakes are ready to serve.

This is the shrimp peel/devien tool I told you about in an earlier blog. It makes the job of cleaning shrimp go really fast. I usually get heads on shrimp.  Wash the shrimp in a collander. Pull the head off and insert the tip of the tool under the back of the shrimp and push back towards the tail and fin of the shrimp.  This will cause the shell to pull away from the meat. Pull away any loose shell and tail fin. By placing the tool on the top back side of the shrimp the vien will come out with the tool. Rinse this away and place in bowl to drain.

Remoulade Sauce

Blend all of the following ingredients and chill.

1 cup Mayonaise

1/4 cup creole mustard

2 1/4 tablespoon horseradish

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Note the specified horseradish is not prepared horseradish. You want horseradish.....check in the grocery seafood section. Most stores will have it on ice or in the cooler.









Fresh Pear Cake, Carrot Cake and Italian Cream Cheese Cake

This picture was taken during a Holland family reunion in the 70's. I think it is in Granny's back yard on the Cottonwood Highway. Pictured L to R Lena Mae Pitts, Bertha Holland and Naomi Avery. Three Sisters happy to be together.

 Aunt Jeanette's Fresh Pear Cake. This was addressed to Granny September 13, 2000.

Aunt Ruby and Bertha had a huge pear tree in their yard and Uncles Elmire and Ernest had pear trees too. There were always lots of pears going around.  :) Personally I love them.

I am sure there is a recipe for pear preserves in Granny's recipes. I will search for it and pass it on to you soon. I am guessing that golden raisins might taste good in this recipe. I thought I might try it with those and soak them in a little rum before I mix them in. I am also going to glaze it and add a little rum or rum extract to the glaze of confectioners sugar.  I will let you know how it turns out. Wade likes rum cake, but isn't big on fruit cooked. I am always looking for ways to tempt him to eat fruit!

This is a copy of Granny's Carrot Cake recipe.  Great recipe. Wesson oil is a brand of vegtable oil.

Italian Cream Cheese Cake

These recipes were passed through the family. We could always count on at least 1 or 2 for a big get together.
The Italian Cream Cheese recipe calls for oleo and solid vegetable shortening. Oleo is the same thing as margarine. I think best results and flavor will probably come from using room temperature unsalted butter.
Crisco brand Solid vegetable shortening was always Granny's choice.

Lane Cake For the Holidays......

I am going to try to get the favorite holiday recipes posted for you guys. I know that Niki and Robin would like to have these.

I am guessing this was clipped in the 40s or 50s...."Modern Day Cooks" love it! Use parchment paper to line your pans with.

One of my favorite memories is helping Granny make this Lane Layer Cake.  She used a cast iron meat grinder that clamped to the edge of her counter top to grind the pecans, raisins and coconut.  I was the lucky girl who was allowed to put the pecans and raisins in. The modern day equivalent to Granny's meat grinder is the food processor. Just add 1 cup of pecans, 1 cup raisins and 1 cup coconut together and pulse until well chopped.  The meat grinder was more fun!

The next recipe is for a loaf pan Whiskey Cake. This cake uses 1 cup bourbon!!! Guess this was before Modern Day Cooks! I haven't made this one yet. I have a regular loaf pan and I think this recipe may be too much for it. There probably are larger loaf pans than mine...... Oh well I will fill some small individual ones with the extra.  But if you are buying one for this purpose choose a large one.

OLD-FASHION WHISKEY NUT CAKE

2 CUPS BUTTER

2 ½ CUPS SUGAR

6 EGGS SEPERATED

4 TABLESPOONS VANILLA

3 CUPS FLOUR SIFTED AND DIVIDED

1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

1 TEASPOON NUTMEG

1 CUP BOURBON WHISKEY

2 POUNDS CHOPPED PECANS

1 POUND WHITE RAISINS

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Separate the eggs, setting the whites aside.  Add the yolks one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Sift 2 ½ cups flour with the baking powder and nutmeg and fold into the batter.  Add the bourbon.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Mix the pecans, raisins and the remaining ½ cup of flour and stir gently into the mixture.

Pour into a large loaf pan and bake at 250 degrees for two hours.  Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely on wire rack.  When completely cool cover with let it stand at least two days before serving. 

GRANNY STORED HER FRUIT AND NUT CAKES IN A LARGE TIN AND CUT APPLES AND LAYED THEM IN THE CAN AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAKE PAN. THE APPLE AROMA MELLOWS THE WHISKEY FLAVOR…..THIS WAS ALWAYS A TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY CAKE FOR OUR FAMILY. SHE WOULD MAKE THIS CAKE AT LEAST 2-4 DAYS BEFORE SERVING IT. ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TIN OR PLASTIC CONTAINER FOR THE CAKE TO REST IN, JUST WRAP IT IN PLASTIC WRAP AND LET IT STAND IN A COOL PLACE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

She would hate this picture and would not want me to put it out there for everyone to see but this is her sweet face in the morning before her coffee!

Here she is with Greg on his Yamaha motorcycle!   This was probably about 1974.  She wouldn't like this one either!

Topsy Turvy Week

Sun setting behind the Emerald Grand....this was Tuesday 19th of  Oct. The sunset gradually moves to left and we have a great view of it for the next 4 months until it finally makes it's way back to the West. Changes with seasons due to the earths distance from the sun........will document today's sunset and compare. I was surprised that it moved as far towards our Eastern side as it did this month. The first of Oct. it was sinking to the right of the "Massive Over Built Emerald Grand."  Sorry but I feel that it was a bad decision to build so large on that spot.....I'm not a fan of the improvements there. But that's just my personal opinion. We walk there from home and our friends and family visiting always enjoy it. But I remember things the way they were before and silently grieve for them.

Tricia and Lee Ann Halloween, 1987, Lee Ann 3 and Tricia 5.  Tricia wanted me to paint her face and I did then she started crying because she said she was too ugly!!! So we took the paint off except for a little and she became a gypsy instead of a witch! The Jack O Lantern wore the witches hat :) Lee Ann had a minnie mouse mask...you can see it's gone to the table in exchange for a big piece of candy!

Oldie of Tricia and niece Amber on the beach....fall of 86. Amber is as brown as a beaver.

My precious angels! 

When I see Amber with Holland and Hudson, her boys, I am amazed how fast time went by!

This week has been full of surprises and changes. So I am pulling up my socks and walking outside to work in the yard, where there is peace and quiet, except for the Raptor that occasionally roars over head making an unbelievable amount noise. It is so fast that by the time the loudest noise is upon you the plane is gone! I do mean roar. The hanger and landing strip are behind us on the other side of the Choctawhatchee Bay. We always have an air show going on here!

There are also some old WW II planes that fly on Thursday evenings and most Saturdays and Sundays, around the harbor and the Emerald Grand, they are very loud and right in our front door. Frankly I am a little scared by them because two have crashed since March doing stunts. They crashed East of us about 3 miles down the beach over the Gulf in the Miramar Beach area.  Not so sure it's a good idea for them to fly the Harbor Walk.....but I'm just one little person up here on the mountain shaking in my boots! Wade loves it and so does nephew Colton, and all of the other air enthusiast that live in the area. :)

There are alot of things happening here in Destin this weekend. The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation "Arts Festival" is going on this weekend in Henderson Park on the beach. There is also a very large Harley Davidson gathering here this weekend. Not sure about the details on that, probably gathering at the Boardwalk in Fort Walton. The church in front of our house has a sign up that says "HOG WASH this weekend ALL HOGS WELCOME!" Not sure if they are washing motorcycles or souls! Probably Both!!!

This picture was taken Tuesday evening in Destin.  Saturday is the full moon and we will be on the beach for sunset and moon rise. I am collecting firewood to take down for a small fire. Will send pictures soon!  Hope you have a safe and fun weekend.

Cheesecake Recipe from Janis and Minnesota pictures

October 19, 2010

Wade and I are back in Destin after a long weekend trip to Minneapolis for a visit with my brother and sister in law, Edwin and Becky Everett. We had a wonderful time. Of course all of the leaves were changing colors and falling and everything was just gorgeous.
Edwin and Hammond, had lots to talk about and Becky and I had alot of fun catching up and shopping. Everyone in Wade's family calls him Hammond, his middle name..... but when I met him he was introduced as Wade so I end up using both, Wade and Hammond!  Becky took me to Pottery Barn and Renovation Hardware in Saint Paul Saturday. That was a treat for me!! Saturday night we all went to the Fitzgerald Theatre for Garrison Keillor's Prarie Home Companion. Everyone really enjoyed it even Dylan and Joey. Joey especially liked the sound affects guy! Dylan liked the music and Zac, like the rest of us, enjoyed everything. One of my favorite authors Alexander McCall Smith was a guest on the show. He is the author of the series of books The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency.  I loved those stories and the HBO series based on the books was very good also.

The following pictures are of Gale Woods Farm, outside of Minneapolis. We were there
Thursday for a tract meet that nephew Zac was running in.

Edwin, Wade, Dylan, Becky and Joey waiting for the run to start.  Yes Dylan and Joey are almost as tall as their Mom. Sweet Boys!!

This view is of the left side of the barn complex. This section has a dinning hall/conference room, book store, showers and lockers. Metal screened structure on the side is the chicken pen. Doors on the side of the main barn allow the chickens to go into for their roost and to get out of the cold weather in winter.

Giant pumpkin and gourd display in front entrance.

The sheep were housed on the right side of the center section, where the cattle are housed. Very nice barn.  This farm is part of the park system, and is used for educational and recreational purposes by the community. Beautiful setting.

Picture of the Track teams lined up to start the 5K run.  Zac did great and came in with the top 10 percent of the group.  Not sure of the exact time but we were surprised they ran it so fast. They started coming in around 17 min. which I thought was really good. :) 

Zac was on the far side in solid blue tank.

Cheesecake Recipe From Janis

This cheesecake recipe was given to me by my dear friend and college room mate, Janis Vines. She passed away with cancer just before Tricia was born in 1982. I think of her often and especially during fall, her favorite time of year.

This cake has 3 layers. The crust or first layer has the consistency of a chocolate brownie, then the strawberry pie filling, and last the chocolate cream cheese layer.  Oh my goodness it is sooo good.  Great to make ahead and serve for dessert at a family get together or party during the holidays.


Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake

1/2 cup butter room temperature
4 1ounce squares of unsweetened baking chocolate
1 1/2 cup sugar for 1st layer
3/4 cup sugar for 2nd layer
1/4 cup whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract divided
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 1 oz. semisweet choco. baking squares melted
1 cup canned strawberry pie filling

First Layer:

Preheat oven to 325.
Lightly grease 9" springform pan.

Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate squares in a 3 qt. heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool 5 min.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups sugar.
Add 2 eggs, 1 each time, stirring to blend well after each addition.
Add milk and 1 tsp vanilla
Add flour and salt, stirring until well blended. Spread mixture evenly into a lightly greased springform pan. Bake for 25 min. Remove from oven and let cool in pan on wire rack.

Second Layer:

Set oven to 300 degrees.

Melt semi sweet chocolate, stirring constantly, set aside.

Beat room temperature cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar, using mixer medium speed, until well blended. Add 1 tsp of vanilla, beating just until blended.
Add 3 eggs, 1 each time, beating just until blended after each egg.....(when the yellow blends add another)
Add sour cream and melted semi sweet chocolate, beating just until blended.

Now you are ready to assemble the cheesecake.
Spoon strawberry filling over chocolate cake layer and then layer chocolate and cream cheese mixture over pie filling.
Bake at 300 for 65 to 70 min. or until edges of cheesecake are set, (the center will not appear set)
Turn off the oven and let cheesecake stand in oven for 15 min.  After 15 min. in the cooling oven, take the cheesecake out, run a knife around edge to loosen sides. Important to Cool completly on wire rack. Then cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 8 hours.....Serve with a dollop of whipped cream with a fresh strawberry on top or a teaspoon of pie filling.

Tuesday October 12 Yellow Squash

Last week, I took some pictures of the Museum of Fine Art in Auburn I thought some of you might like to see. It is a very nice building and is a great landmark for the city of Auburn. Auburn is really a nice place to live. I enjoy being there for my visits with Lee Ann. It makes Lee Ann's sofa bearable!! Just kidding Lee Lee :)  I was surprised that there is so much natural light in the building. It's beautiful inside and outside.  In these pictures you can't see the terraces that run the length of the building on this side.                                                  

Main entrance below, opposite side of buidling shown in pictures above.

My trip to Rabun Gap the 1st of Oct. was great. I posted some of the pictures and promised some more of the farmers market but there were so many people there all I could take pictures of was people! I took some nice pictures of some cabins on Betty Creek just past Andy's Trout Farm on Betty Creek Road in Rabun, Gap.  Heaven can't possibly be more beautiful and tranquil. I could have stayed there forever. I took a picture of the sign for the cabin rentals in case any one wants to rent them.  There are 4 o4 5 cabins for rent. Great place for a group to go. There are so many things to do and see in Rabun County I stayed within a 10 mile radius of Mother's house all weekend. I went to the flea market to look for some old keys for my friend Elizabeth. The lady walking ahead of me bought the only ones in the booth where I knew there would be some.......I told him to keep a look out some more, Lib! I also went to the State Park on Black Rock Mountain. I also went to see some stables and kennels that are built across from The York House Inn. The York House is the oldest operating Inn in Georgia. I want to take some pictures there. I will have to wait until Nov. or Dec. when things slow down up there. October is the heaviest traffic month. Everyone wants to see the leaves turning.  They had just begun to change the 1st. But this weekend, the 15th and the next, they should be at their peek. Nothing more beautiful than the Smokies in fall. :o)

I am posting the recipe for Yellow Squash and Onions. This is one of our favorite squash recipes.

Yellow Squash and Onions

5-7 small to medium young yellow squash washed and stems removed
1 small vidallia onion sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Slice yellow squash in thin round slices. Slice onions in rounds. In medium sauce pan sautee onions in 3 tbsp of olive oil. When onions are translucent add the squash, and about 1/4 cup water. Add 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir until squash begin to wilt. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook until the liquid is cooked out. Stirring occasionally. I like black pepper so I always add black pepper before I take them out of the pan.

The last time I cooked squash and onions I had some left over and Wade had a wonderful idea and added it to his spaghetti sauce. It was absolutely delicious! We also used the spaghetti sauce and made pizzas. Streatching those dimes!!!! I'll write down Wade's spaghetti sauce for you and that will be the next recipe post.

Cabbage Patch Kid!

I was the cabbage patch kid this morning. I went over to Osage Farms cabbage patch and took this picture of the cabbages and a bonus is the beautiful Rabun Gap Nacoochee School! Had a good day.
I will go to the market tomorrow and post some vegtable recipes this week! There are still alot of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, pumpkins and gourds, squash and as you can see..... cabbage!

Osage Farms Rabun Gap, Ga

Black Rock Mountain State Park

Rabun Gap, Ga.

"Grandma's house built 1876"

                                                         Wolffork Valley, Rabun Gap, Ga.

Corn Bread

Today I am posting a recipe for Pepper Cornbread.  It is really good served with soup or chili.

Pepper Cornbread

1/2 cup plain white cornmeal
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegtable oil
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 cup buttermilk
1 small can cream corn
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
Mix meal soad and salt in a bowl. Add oil, eggs, sour cream, onion, buttermilk, corn and chile peppers. Mix well.

In a well seasoned iron skillet place 1 tablespoon of butter. Place the skillet in the oven and allow the butter to melt and skillet to heat. Remove skillet make sure butter covers the bottom. Pour half of the
mix into skillet. Layer 1/2 of the cheese and then pour the remaining mix and layer the remaining cheese on top. Bake at 400 for about 30 mins.
Remove from oven let stand for 5 mins. serve hot with butter. Serves 6 to 8.

Preheating skillet will give you a crisp crust on the bottom.

You can use all white cornmeal or all yellow cornmeal. Just be sure not to use a cornmeal mix. You want plain cornmeal. I like the texture the yellow cornmeal adds. The original recipe called for all white cornmeal.

Friday update about M.J.

M.J. was doing good around noon today. Lee Ann was allowed to go in and see her. We don't know when she will get to come home yet. But she is alert and walked to follow Lee Ann when she left. Hopefully she will eat some food and drink some water and get to come home very soon. Thanks for caring and your prayers.  :)

Our little Angel M. J.

M.J. is Lee Ann's fuzzy little brown dog. She was born in Auburn about 7 years ago, and has become one of the most loved members of our family.  Well today she's sick because she swallowed part of a stick and it is lodged in her intestines. Right now she is in Auburn's School of Veterinary Medicine having an operation to remove the stick. Put this sweet little soul in your prayers. The next 24 hours are the most crucial. She's such a good, reliable and loving friend. She and Lee Ann are totally devoted to each other.

This picture was taken 3 years ago at the Alabama Auburn Game. See I told you she is an Angel!!!

Thoughts for Today.

Pearl Buck is one of my favorite authors. She recieved the Pulitzert prize in 1932  for The Good Earth. I am reading this book now, along with her biography.

I wanted to share with you a quote from her book entitled My Mother's House. 

" What I inherited from my mother is inside me. I love people too easily, as she did. But then my first memory is of love. To be able to think back, as I can, to feel one's way back to the first moment of the new life outside the womb, and to remember as I do, nothing but love, overwhelming love, provides the atmoshpere for one's whole life. So loved for one's self, one loves in return, easily and richly-and sometimes too often or faithfully. For this gift of loving, I thank my beloved mother."

This is a poem Pearl Buck wrote during the latter part of her life.

"Essence"   

I give you the books I've made.
Body and soul, bled and flayed.
Yet the essence they contain
In one poem is made plain,
In one poem is made clear:
On this earth, though far or near,
Without love there's only fear.

by Pearl Buck

Hope you have a good day!

Breezy Morning

I am going to post a pizza crust recipe that I use that is easy and very tasty.  I will also share a recipe for a seasoned oil to brush the crust with before you bake it.


Pizza Crust

2 envelope packages of dry yeast
1 1/4 cups hot water  100 to 110 degrees is best per package instructions
1 tablespoon of honey
3 tablespoons of olive oil
3-4 cups of plain flour
pinch of salt

Dissolve the yeast in the water in mixing bowl of electric mixer with dough hook attachment.
Add honey and olive oil and pinch of salt. Stir to make sure all of the yeast is dissolved.
Then add 3 cups of flour and mix on low. Add additional flour in small measurements so dough does not stick to the sides of bowl. Continue to mix until the dough walks up the dough hook.
Then remove it from the mixing bowl onto a floured surface and kneed 10 to 12 times.
Place the dough in a bowl coated with olive oil. Roll the dough ball over to coat both sides with oil.
Set bowl aside in draft free area and cover with a dishtowel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 30 min.

After 30 min I take the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 6 pieces, for 6 individual  8" pizzas.
I usually cook 2 for Wade and myself and place the remaining 4 pieces in plastic zip lock bags and store them in the refirgerator. They will stay fresh for several days in the refirgerator. Just remember to take them out about 30 min before you are ready to use them and let them warm to room temp.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil a heavy cookie sheet.

Ok so it's time to spread the pizza dough out on a greased cookie sheet or pizza cooking stone.  Use your finger tips and push the dough into the desired shape. Coat the dough with the seasoned oil and add your favorite toppings, like fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, sausage and mushrooms.

Place in center rack of 400 degree oven and Cook for about 15 to 20 min. or until golden brown.

Tips on layering pizza......

1. Always start with seasoned oil this will make crust crisp.
2. When you layer several toppings layer the meats or vegtables with cheese this will hold the toppings together better. I don't think it matters which comes first meat or vegtables. Just make a layer of meat and then cheese, layer of vegtables and then cheese etc.

Seasoned Oil

2 cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 cloves of garlic sliced thin
4 -5 sprigs of Fresh thyme
1 tablespoon of rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon of chopped basil leaves
1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes

In small sauce pan mix all ingredients and bring to simmer over low heat. Cook on low for about 10 min. Remove from heat and set aside. I keep a small pint jar of this in the cabinet to season, pizza crust, and fresh chicken and pork chops with it. It's really good.

Barbeque Shrimp! Destin Seafood Festival this weekend.

 The Destin Seafood Festival has been moved up to this Fri. Sat. and Sun.  Usually it is held the second weekend in Oct. but this year they moved it up. 

I am posting one of our favorite recipes for shrimp at home.


Shrimp and Rice

Preheat over to 350 dgrees.

2 lbs. of Jumbo 10 count fresh shrimp
1 stick butter
2-3 tablespoons of River Road Bar be Que Shrimp Seasoning
1-2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

2 cups clear chicken broth or water
1 cup Uncle Bens rice
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp olive oil

Shrimp:
We ususally buy 2 lbs of head on shrimp for two people. A good way to gauge how many shrimp to buy is to buy 1/2 lb. per person of medium size heads off.  We bought 2 lbs. jumbo shrimp which are 10 count per pound with heads on.

I always remove the heads and peel and devien the shrimp for this recipe. The directions on the label of River Road Bar be Que Shrimp Seasoning call for you to remove the head and leave the shell on. We tried this but it was really messy because the shrimp have the seasoning and butter all over them.

Ok once the shrimp are peeled and deviened cover them with the seasoning tossing gently.
In a oven proof glass dish melt 1 stick of butter. When butter is melted add the worcestershire sauce.

Place the shrimp in dish and spoon the butter over them. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 - 20 min. Just until they are pink. Careful not to over cook or they will be tough and loose thier good fresh flavor.  I usually pull them out after 7 or 8 min and spoon the butter over them again and return them back to oven for another 7-8 min.

Rice:
In a medium size pan with lid combine 2 cups of chicken broth or water 1/2 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp of olive oil.
Bring to a boil and add 1 cup of Uncle Ben's converted rice. Stir, cover with a tight lid and reduce heat to low. Cook undisturbed....meaning no peaking or stirring for 20 min.

Serve shrimp over rice and spoon the butter and seasonings over the top. 

I usually serve a tossed salad and toast french bread to go along with this.

The River Road Barbequed Shrimp Seasoning is available in most of the seafood stores locally. If you can't find it in your local store you can order it from http://www.fiestaspices.com/ or write to:
Bolner Fiesta Products, Inc.
General Office
San Antonio, Tx. 78207

I am also including a picture of one of my favorite kitchen utensils, a shrimp peeler. I bought mine in Sextons Seafood in Destin, Also available in seafood dept. in Winn Dixie. Simply, pull the head off the shrimp and take the peeler and insert it in the top side of the shrimp and push back towards the tail.  This pulls the shell away from the meat and opens the shrimp up so that the vien running down the back comes right out.  You want to remove this vein because it can contain sand that the shrimp injested. Big time saver and an inexpensive tool. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Cake

I spent last week in Rabun Gap with Mom and had a very nice time. You can really tell the seasons are beginning to change. Cool in the low 60's in the mornings and around 85 for the high. Low humidity was great. Planning on being there as much as possible over the next few months.  A couple of pictures from the back porch.
We thought it was funny that the our neighbors up there call this side of the house the front of the house. The entry of the house next to the driveway to them is the back of the house! We refer to the entry to the house as the front.  We love our neighbors though and they always leave us with a smile saying "Youin's have a nice day and come visit us soon!" Love Love Love Rabun County!!! There was a faint smell similar to lavender in the air up there. Maybe mountain laurel. Not sure but it was wonderful to be there with Momma and relax a little. Friday I went back to the Farm  and spent some time with Tricia, and Lee Ann. Tricia was ending her second week of vacation and Lee Ann just came home from Auburn for the weekend.

I came home to Destin Sunday around 11A.M. As I crossed midbay bridge I did see a couple of Brown Pelicans! Water looks great but Destin is very very slow. No one out and about.  Wish the work on Mountain Drive would finish. Louie and Gizmo look like Grey blobs of dust when they come home from their walk. Lots of baths lately......

Pictures of "Baby" my sweet bob tail kitty! She is spoiled rotten and has the sweetest personality of any cat I have ever known!

I think our Gulf Shores, Al. neighbors are really hurting. I hope that the stimulus money will help, if they get it, but it really may be too late for most of them. The break is not just in the billfold of these people. It's their spirits too. Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis were a big blow and all of the others that followed added to the misery and loss. Everyone was beginning to get back up and move through a more normal life. Then the oil came. Then it just disappears after a small hurricane comes through. I call B.S. on that one. It's there and BP needs to remove it. Will they?  Will President Obama be a man of his word?  We will see......

I tried one of the recipes from Granny's clippings yesterday. It was really old and I think when it was written the cook had a wood stove! The timing is wrong for an electric stove. I am going to attach the clipping so you can have it, and I will rewrite it as I made it yesterday. Great cake. Lots of butter so don't eat too much of it.

"You will see that I didn't make the cake frosting the same as the above recipe. Mainly because Wade loves chocolate. So I added cocoa and substitued hazelnut flavored creamer for the evaporated milk and vanilla called for in the original recipe. Taste great!

The cook time in above recipe is also different for my electric oven and I didn't split the layers in half. They are so moist it would have been a little difficult to do. Tasted good anyway! 

I am also going into detail that most of you already know, but my girls are learning to cook so I am being more detailed than normal for them."

White Chocolate Cake

For the cake layers:

1/2 cup of white chocolate pieces melted

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp salt

4 tsp soda

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 cup 1/2 and1/2 cream

2 tsp vanilla

For the filling:

1 1/3 cup evaporated milk

1 1/3 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

2/3 cup butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup white chocolate pieces melted

1 1/3 cup coconut

1 1/3 cup  chopped walnuts

For the frosting:

2  cups powdered sugar

1 stick of butter softened

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1-2 tablespoons Carnation brand liquid hazelnut creamer...... or milk along with 1 tsp vanilla



Directions:

It's always a good idea to get all of your ingredients measured and ready to assemble before you start.

Take the butter and eggs out of the refrigerator and let them sit at room temp for about an hour.

Meanwhile gather all your ingredients together, measure the evaporated milk and let it sit at room temp until you are ready for it.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Grease and dust with flour 3 cake pans. Set aside. ( I broke my layers yesterday when I took them out of the oven! But I was able to use some toothpicks and keep it all together once I started stacking it. Just remember when you grease and flour to cover the entire surface with the flour. I don't think I did that and they stuck in places. When you get the pans greased with butter or crisco whatever you have, lightly sprinkle the pan with flour and then holding the pan in your hand tap the pan from side to side and dust the entire pan with flour. Discard any loose flour.)

Measure all of the other ingredients and have them at hand for mixing.

Sift flour, salt and soda together. Sometimes if my flour is not too lumpy I will cheat and use a whisk and mix the three together and forgo the messy sifting process.  Set aside.

Measure 1/2 cup white chocolate pieces and place in a heavy saucepan. Over medium heat stir until melted. Remove from stove and allow to cool slightly. You can also do this in the microwave start with 15 sec. on high and stir and then another until melted be sure to use a microwave safe glass bowl.

Ok you are ready to start mixing:

In bowl of mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time. Beat until the bright yellow yolk disappears and then add another. After the eggs are mixed in beat in the cooled white chocolate.

Alternately add the flour mixture and the 1/2 and 1/2 cream, beginning and ending with the flour. Therefore you add 1/3 of the flour, add half of the cream, beat in well, add another 1/3 of the flour and last half of the cream, beat well, add remaining flour and beat untill smooth. Beat in vanilla.

Pour into greased and floured pans. Bake in 300 degree preheated oven for apporx. 20 min. When you place the pans in the oven don't let the sides of the pans touch each other or the inside of the stove. This will help them cook more evenly.

To test for doneness insert toothpick in center of cake if it comes out clean it's ready to take out and allow to cool.

Leave the layers in the pan and take a knife and go around the edges and loosen the cake from the sides. Lay out a clean dish towel on the counter and turn each pan upside down on the towel. Tap the bottom of the pan and cake should come out onto towel. If not you may have to coax it out with a spatula or butter knife being carful to not break.

Directions for the filling:

Seperate the yolk from the white of the eggs. Over a small bowl break the egg in half. holding the egg in the shell move it from one half to the other allowing the whites to fall into the bowl. Place the yellow yolks in another bowl. Slightly beat.

Melt white chocolate set aside.

In a heavy sauce pan add the evaporated milk, butter, sugar and slightly beaten egg yolks. Cook over medium high heat slowly stirring constantly until mixture reaches boiling point. When boiling point is reached set your timer for 12 min. and reduce the heat to medium low. Still stirring constantly for the entire 12 min.......pull up a stool! After 12 min. remove from heat mix in vanilla. Add melted white chocolate, coconut and walnuts stir and allow to cool for about 5 -10 min.

Before you begin stacking your layers take some wax paper cut about 3 inches long and lay it around the edges of the cake plate. This will allow you to keep a clean edge on your plate when the filling drips down the sides. Stack the first layer in the center of your cake plate and cover with 1/3 of the filling followed by the second and third layers.

Directions for the frosting:

After you have stacked all 3 layers and covered each with the filling. In mixing bowl mix the confectioners sugar, room temperature butter, cocoa powder and creamer, until smooth.  If you are using milk or cream instead of flavored creamer add 1 tsp vanilla. Then with a cake spatula or large butter knife spread the frosting only around the sides of the stacked layers. Before I did this I used a spoon and picked up the icing that dripped from in between the layers and spread it back on the top layer.

You can now slowly pull the wax paper out from under the bottom layer of the cake and you have a fairly clean cake plate.

         White Chocolate Cake

Have a good week.



Chicken Soup and Chicken Salad.

Ok  girls here's the low down on the chicken and rice, and chicken salad.

3 -4 large chicken breast with ribs in. or 1 whole chicken can be used.
season chicken with salt and nature seasons.
Place in large pot cover with water
Cut up 2 pieces of celery and add to water.
Cook on high until water boils. Reduce heat to medium and cover with lid.
Cook on medium for about 30 to 45 min.
After 30 min. check and if the bone is moving away from the meat then it's cooked enough.
Keep the water covering the chicken. If needed add more and continue to cook until tender.
Remove from broth and let stand to cool.

For rice and chicken soup

Bring the broth back to a boil and add 1 1/2 cups rice to about 1/2 of large pot of stock. If you have less than half add some water or clear chicken broth in a can.

Stir and cook for about 20 min on med heat uncovered. Add a can or cream of mushroom soup after 15 min. and stir until dissolved. Add chunks of chicken if you want to have some chunky chicken and rice soup!

Turn the heat off and let stand for about 10 min and then serve.

Season to taste with pepper and salt.


For the remainder of the chicken you can make chicken salad.

Remove bones and chop chicken in chunks. Then with your hands shred the chunks.
Chop two stalks of celery fine and add to chicken
Chop 1/2 an onion fine and add to chicken
Add 1/3 cup of mayoniase and stir.
Add additional mayonise to your taste. Should be creamy.

Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate if possible for 30 mn to hr before you eat.

Great on toasted french bread or whole wheat or white bread. Also delicious with ritz crackers.

I also use this chicken salad recipe to make a chicken salad ball. Just make as previously stated and roll into ball place in refrigerator for 1 hour and then take out and roll in 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or almonds. Refrigerate again for an hour or longer. Make a day ahead if needed.

To serve place on a bed of lettuce lay cherry tomatoes around the edge of ball and serve with crackers of your choice.

Pork Roast ACT ll

Today I pulled some more meat off of the roast I made yesterday and we had soft tacos.

I forgot to tell you to save the broth you have from cooking the roast. Put the broth in the refrigerator and after about an hour take it out and skim off the excess fat. Then you can strain the broth and have a clear stock that is wonderful for making rice, cooking pasta or making sauces or gravy. Just substiture broth for water in your recipe.

Pulled Pork Tacos

Pulled pork about 1 1/2 cups
Sour cream
Salsa
Broth from roast
Gucamole recipe follows


Pulled off enough pork to make 4 tacos about 1 1/2 cups.
In a saucepan put 1/4 cup of the broth from the roast and about 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning.
Heat the broth and seasoning and add the meat. Let it cook until warm and most of the broth is absorbed. Remove from heat.

In a clean warm skillet place a flour tortilla. Let the tortilla begin to brown. Flip and brown other side. Remove from pan and fill with meat, cheese, guacamole, sour cream and salsa.

This is messy and I ate it with my fork but it sure was good.

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados peeled and mashed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Mash avocado squeeze lemon and add seasonings and mix well. Let stand in refrigerator for 1 hour. You can add sour cream if you want a smoother quacamole. We like it kind of chunky. Goes great with a chunky salsa.

Lola's Macaroni and Cheese

Today I am sharing Tricia and Lee Ann's favorite dish. This is a recipe from Lola, a sweet angel that took care of Tricia and Lee Ann for me when they were little. We all love her dearly. And this is the best Mac and Cheese we have ever had. Love you Lola!

LOLA’S MACARONI AND CHEESE

2 cups uncooked macaroni
2 cups milk
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
4 ½ cups sharp cheddar divided
1 cup soft white bread cubed ( remove crust from 4 slices cut enough to lightly cover top of casserole)
¼ cup butter melted

Cook macaroni by package directions: drain and set aside
Warm Milk in microwave for 1 min.
Mix together milk, flour, onion powder with wire whisk. Whisk for 1 min. until smooth.
Stir together, flour mixture, macaroni and 3 ½ cups of cheese.
Pour into lightly greased 13 x 9 or two 8-9” square casserole dishes.

Cover with remaining 1 cup of cheese and spread breadcrumbs evenly over top. Drizzle the melted butter over the bread crumbs.

Bake 350 for 45 min or until golden brown.

For 2 to 4 people the square 9” casserole size is great and you can freeze or refrigerate the second casserole. But if you have a crowd they will gobble up the whole thing so go for 9 x 13!

Have a good day :)

Correction.....

O.k. change what I just said about Jesse and Lula living close to Rehobeth when the picture was made. Joe tells me that they lived in Holmes County, in the Eleanor community, close to Bethel Baptist where they are buried.
Jesse was, as far as we know right now, killed on the bridge north of Rehobeth School on Rehobeth Highway.

Working on Family Tree

Wow what an exciting week I have had. My cousin Niki helped me locate my grandmothers cousin Joe Watford and he has been working on the family tree also and had a lot of information to share with me. Joe and Fran Watford are the children of my Grandmother Luvern's Aunt Alma Viola English.....sounds complicated. Joe has filled in the blanks for me all the way back to the names of my Great, Great, Great Grandfather and Grandmother, Rev. Elie English and Martha E. Yarbrough born in 1848 and 1850 in Georgia. They are buried in Bethel Cemetery between Bonifay and Graceville.
I am adding all of this information to the family tree I am working on. Soon I will be able to share that with you too. Joe helped identify the childeren and gave me Lula's name, it was a missing piece of the puzzle.

Left to right

Allie B. English, Jesse E. English,father, Effie Mae standing next, Lula Anderson English seated Alma standing next to Lula, Ruby in front of Jesse and Anderson is in Lula's lap. Anderson was born in 1912 and he looks to be around 1 year old so we are guessing that this was taken around 1913.

I'm not sure where the house was located but in 1926 Jesse was killed while walking home, on a bridge on the Rehobeth highway. We think it was the Bridge north of the school before Piney Grove Church.

So I am guessing again that the house was not far from Rehobeth.