My Japanese Girl: Noodle's beauty and her pain

Cold Weather Go Away......

I don't know about you guys but for me I am ready for the temperatures to go up! We had temps in the low 20's last night. That's cold for us. But no worry by Sunday back up in the high 60's. I can get back to playing in the dirt.....My Christmas cactus bloomed this week. Usually it's in full bloom Christmas but I think the temps have been so low it bloomed later.

I have mapped out spots for some squash here in Destin, along with the Egg Plants. I am aslo planting some more day lillies and I would like to have a lemon tree. Lots of work to do.

Wade and I saw a beautiful citrus garden in Naples. Real small lawn area with nicely groomed old and young trees, lemons, oranges and grapefruit, with ginger and mint in plantings next to the house. Those trees were my favorite thing of that whole trip! I will tell the story Wade doesn't have to listen to it!!

Wade gave me my wedding ring Dec. 23rd, 2004. Our plans were to get married in February. We left Fort Walton to go to Naples for Christmas the same day. Wade's best friend was getting married there Christmas Eve. Two confirmed batchlors had finally made the decision to get married within weeks of each other.

We planned to drive all the way through. We didn't make it. As we entered the toll portion of interstate 75 I told Wade that he should get gas as soon as possible. He told me to not worry and to take a nap. So I did. I woke up to him banging his head on the steering wheel! We were out of gas in the middle of nowhere. All you could see for miles was orange trees.

I really had to fight the urge to say I told you so. I was so scared though that I didn't do that. We were stranded there for 8 hours, when Wade decided he had to walk for help. He walked for a few miles and found a truck driver to give him a ride to the next exit, which was about 18 miles from where I was in the car with Buddy our dog.

The first thing we did, when we gave out of gas, was call the Florida Highway Patrol and tell them where we were and they said they were coming but it would take a while. No kidding...We had been there all day and the sun was going down qucikly. Wade left and about an hour later a man from the Highway Patrol office came with just a few gallons of gas he told me to drive to the next exit and not stop between here and there. I started driving off the ramp and then I started thinking that Wade told me to meet him at the next stop if I didn't see him back there......so I thought maybe I should sit there and wait. The highway man came up to the car window and screamed at me saying "Lady I told told you not to stop!!!".... So I started crying of course!

I drove to the next exit and looked for Wade. There were hundreds of people in the place. I walked all through it and then I went back to the car and parked it in the outskirts of the parking lot so I could see the people going in and out of the main door. I waited and waited, another 2 or 3 hours passed, no Wade. I was kind of in shock at that point and didn't know what to do.....so I just sat there and then I saw Wade getting out of this huge tractor trailer truck. I don't think I have ever been so relieved.

Wade's story was he walked until he found a truck driver to give him a ride to the next exit where he bought gas. He found another trucker going back towards me and he gave him a ride. But this trucker wasn't going all the way to where Wade left me in the car. So Wade started walking with 2 containers of gas! Poor thing walked for miles with that gas to get to where he left me. Of course I wasn't there.....so he started walking back to the exit again. He walked for miles and miles and finally another trucker picked him up and brought him to the exit where he told me to wait for him! That's such a painful story!!! I try not to ever bring it up.

We enjoyed ourselves the rest of the trip. We came back to the farm the 27th and I told Daddy the story and he said "Well are you still getting married?", and of course I was! We try not to talk about this very often but if we do, after the story is told, Wade always says, "And the moral to the story is........"DON'T EVER GET MARRIED ON CHRISTMAS EVE!" But secretly we all know that the real lesson to be learned is, "Don't get on the turnpike without a full tank of gas."

Have a good weekend.

Colonel Angus is Here!

Wade and I have been laughing our heads off. Our outiside doors face 1 North and 1 South. They are old and need to be replaced. Every once in a while one of the doors will open and close on it's own. Sometimes even with the lock engaged. We laugh and say "Colonel Angus is here!".................

No not the deadbolt, just the door knob lock.........If the deadbolt were locked and it opened, I think I would leave!

Picture of Lee Ann when she still had good taste in t-shirts........Glad the War Eagles are our National Champions...Not the Ducks!

Now neither one of them know how to choose the best team....

Facial Milk Bath!

Granny had these articles in her box. I thought you might like to see them. I like the jokes. I needed something to make me smile! :) I don't know if Granny tried this milk bath facial or not. But I'm too chicken to try it......Let me know if you do.  Have a good day. Click on article and it will enlarge for you.....

Granny's copy of Anyway

From Granny's box today.........

Clippings from Granny's box.....

I am posting a couple of clippings from Granny's box today. Advice and Memories........

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!