by Christi on December 31, 2009
Happy New Year and Blue Moon!
Another year has passed and here we are moving in to yet another new one. I’ll have to say, as with so many others, this year has been a tough one here. However, I have learned, that nothing stays the same. In life, we have good times and bad and should cherish both. The good should be cherished for what we have and can share and the bad should be cherished for what we can learn.
I hope all of you have a WONDERFUL new year and I pray for God’s blessings for our country!
Every new years in the South we have to eat black-eyed peas for prosperity. As a child, I really didn’t like black-eyed peas, but my parents insisted that I eat at least on on New Year’s Day. I like black-eyed peas now. This is the recipe I use:
I have left-over ham to use in this recipe. A ham bone or ham hock could be used as well.
1 lb. dried black-eyed peas, rinsed, sorted and soaked overnight in water
1 tablespoon, bacon grease, ham drippings or vegetable oil
1 cup chopped ham
1 cup chopped yellow onion
5 cloves minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
Brown the ham in the bacon grease, drippings or oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic, cayenne, salt and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the black-eyed peas are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Serve with greens and cornbread.
See some other great recipes at Designs by Gollum for
With Designs by Gollum
From A Southern Life:
Today’s Lagniappe: Banana Nut Bread
You may remember a couple of weeks ago, I posted a recipe from the Domino Sugar site. Well, Domino contacted me and asked me to try another one of their recipes and post about it here for you. They were even kind enough to send me a $20 gift card to purchase the ingredients. Well, here is the recipe I used and it is YUMMY! I will definitely enjoy this with a cup of hot coffee.
2 cups – all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. – baking powder
1/2 tsp. – baking soda
1/4 tsp. – salt
1/2 tsp. – cinnamon
1/4 tsp. – nutmeg
2 – eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups – mashed ripe banana (about 4 medium)
1 cup – Domino® Dark or Light Brown Sugar
1/2 cup – butter, melted or vegetable oil
3/4 cup – coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions »
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9×5x3-inch loaf pan. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in center and set aside. In another large bowl, combine eggs, bananas, sugar and melted butter or oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir until just moistened; batter will be lumpy. Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely on rack.
Yields 1 loaf
by Christi on December 30, 2009
What fun it is to set a beautiful table! What fun it is to see so many beautiful tables. Thank you so much to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting Tablescape Thursday. Throughout the year we get to be creative and share our ideas and see wonderful ideas from others.
Here is a place setting for our New Years Day brunch:
Rosemary and Thyme
Rosemary for remembrance – to remember the good times and the bad throughout the past year. Cherishing the good and learning from the bad. The wreath around the plate is for continuity. While we are alive we should remember to LIVE!
Now a look back at some of my favorite tablescapes from A Southern Life through the year.
The garden in the spring
On the porch
Moonlight and Magnolias
New Orleans Brunch
Snack by the Pool
Lunch at the Cottage
Lakeside Picnic
Autumn on the Porch
Halloween Table
Are You Ready For Some Football?
Seaside
Thanksgiving
Christmas by the Fire
Thank you to everyone who has joined my here at A Southern Life this year. I really appreciate everyone of you – your visits, your comments, your wonderful input. Some of you, I have gotten to know and made some wonderful friendships. Some just visit and I never know – and that is okay. THANK YOU!!!
Wishing all of you a very, very HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Today’s Lagniappe: New Year’s Brunch Casserole
Easy to make ahead so all you have to do on New Year’s morning is put it in the oven.
6 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar (or more to taste)
1/2 package (or more) your choice of Jimmy Dean’s Breakfast Scrambles (I’m using ham)
Cook the breakfast scrambles in a skillet until warmed through. Set aside to cool.
Beat the eggs to break the yolks and then add the sour cream, cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Whip together with a wire whip.
After the breakfast scramble has cooled, add it to the egg mixture.
Pour the mixture in a 9 X 13 inch greased pan.
Place the mixture in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, set the egg casserole out while you preheat the oven to 325. Cook the casserole for 30 to 45 minutes until cooked through.
by Christi on December 29, 2009
While we were away, we enjoyed some beautiful things. If you missed yesterday’s post about the goats, be sure to check that out!
Before the blizzard, we went out and saw some of the Christmas lights. Of course, we played Christmas music as we drove around looking at the lights. It just wouldn’t be the same without them.
There was even a Southern Belle light!
And, another shot of the pretty red cardinals at the bird feeder.
So, now we are back home and expecting a little bit of snow tonight. We have made the obligatory trip to the grocery store to stock up (we are expecting less than an inch – and may not even get any at all). Next task is to take down the Christmas decorations. I may leave them up until after New Year’s Eve and then take them down New Year’s Day. When do you take down your Christmas decorations?
Today’s Lagniappe: Crockpot Praline Chicken
Festive and easy.
* 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
* 2 tablespoons creole seasoning
* 1/4 cup butter, melted
* 1/2 cup maple syrup
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 cup pecans
1. Sprinkle seasoning on both sides of chicken and brown in butter over medium-high heat on top of stove.
2. Place browned chicken in slow cooker.
3. Mix together syrup, brown sugar, and pecans and pour over chicken.
4. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
5. Serve with wild or brown rice.
A little outdoor pic for Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer and Rednesday! with It’s a Very Cherry and today’s lagniappe is a great idea for Crockpot Wedneday with Dining with Debbie.
by Christi on December 28, 2009
My husband and I and our little dog and cat have been traveling the last few days. We spent a couple of days with my mother and her wonderful husband in Oklahoma. The day after we arrived, a blizzard blew in! It made for a beautiful white Christmas, but unfortunately, many people were sliding off roadways and involved in accidents. According to the radio, this was the first blizzard in Oklahoma in 25 years. It started with icy sleet and then was followed by snow.
We stayed in and had a wonderful time and sent up many prayers for those who were not home safe and sound.
The day after Christmas, we headed to my Grandpa’s house. Grandpa will be 94 in January and his beautiful wife, Betty turned 84 the day before Christmas. Grandpa’s home is in a beautiful area and he has a lovely pond where the geese land and put on a show.
He made two bird feeders that hold 50 lbs. of seed each. The cardinals around the bird feeders and were beautiful!
The area behind the pond had gotten a little overgrown so one of Grandpa’s friends suggested that they get some goats to help clear the area out. Well . . . they did! They now have around 40 to 50 goats. It is hard to count them because they won’t stand still.
Here is where the metamorphosis comes in, Susan. While we were there, the goats were delivering babies. Not just one or two but more like 8 or 9 (from different mothers). One of the sweet little babies was rejected by his mother. I’ll spare you the picture of the poor little thing laying in the hay outside the barn where she left him without cleaning him up. He was just laying there shivering and wet.
We picked him up, wrapped him in towels and took him to the house (by the way, I did remember how to drive a 4-wheeler). When we got him to the house, we cleaned him up and then Betty bottle fed him. Before long, he was able to stand up on his own and even take a few steps. Here are a few (3 or more) pics of the sweet little baby:
Betty getting ready to bottle feed the little boy goat.
He is now doing well and should make it, but now Betty has to take over for the mother. She has done this before and still continues to feed a couple of the babies she had to take over.
So, that was my adventure with the goats! It was a lot of fun. My husband insisted that I could not bring a goat home!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!
Today’s Lagniappe: Salad with Warm Goat Cheese
You knew I had to get a goat product in here 
This one is from Ina Garten.
- 1 (11-ounce) log plain or herbed Montrachet (goat cheese)
- 2 extra-large egg whites, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Fresh white bread crumbs
For the dressing:
nocoupons
- 2 tablespoons good cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons good Champagne vinegar
- Pinch sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 extra-large egg yolk
- 1 cup good olive oil
- Enough mixed salad greens for 6 servings
- Olive oil and unsalted butter, for frying
Slice the Montrachet into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. (The easiest way to slice goat cheese is to use a length of dental floss.) Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a rack and chill them for at least 15 minutes.
For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season, to taste.
Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten, then divide them among 6 plates.
Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat until just under smoking. Cook the goat cheese rounds quickly on both sides until browned on the outside but not melted inside. Top each salad with 2 warm rounds and serve.
Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday
Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday
by Christi on December 28, 2009
Hey everyone! I’ve been kind of out of pocket for a couple of days and just got back home about 30 minutes ago. I have some great pictures to share with you. I tried my hand at goat farming while I was away. Yes, you read that right. I’m working on a couple of posts now! Please check back later tonight (Monday) to see what is going on!
Christi
by Christi on December 26, 2009
Join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday favorites and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sunday and enjoy your Sunday.
I’m not going back very far this week, because this past week has been so special. The celebration of the birth of the Son of God and the gift of salvation! This is from This past week on December 21:
Oh, Christmas Tree
Oh, Christmas Tree
How lovely are thy branches
For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called
Wonderful,
Counsellor,
The mighty God,
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace.
Merry Christmas to all! Check out today’s lagniappe for never fail divinity.
Deck the Halls with Thoughts from Over the Rainbow
Home for the Holidays
Balancing Beauty and Bedlam’s Tasty Tuesday
Blessed with Grace’s Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
The Gypsy’s Corner’s Three or More Tuesday
Today’s Lagniappe: Never Fail Divinity
I had a little trouble with my divinity this past weekend. My wonderful friend from high school Tamara Gouge Ketter sent me her recipe for Never Fail Divinity. Tamara says, “This recipe was contributed to THE NINETIES COOKBOOK by the Garvin County, Oklahoma Extension homemakers by May Lacy. I made this for my dad who was a divinity aficionado and he loved it.” Thanks so much Tamara – no more trying to beat egg whites in the Southern humidity!
1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 one pint jar marshmallow creme
Combine sugar, water and salt in saucepan. Cook to 250 degrees on candy thermometer, hard ball stage. Place marshmallow creme in large mixer bowl. Add hot syrup gradually, beating consistently until soft peaks form. Fold in pecans and vanilla. ( If it still seems too soft I had a little powdered sugar, maybe a teaspoonful.) Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let stand until firm. Yield: 20 servings.
by Christi on December 25, 2009
A few scenes from around the holidays this year:
Some Christmas candy with PINK divinity for for Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound!
From Chester’s Dickens Village by Department 56
I love all the little vignettes.
We had a very merry and white Christmas around here. I hope yours was wonderful as well.
Today’s Lagniappe: Nothing Better than a Turkey Sandwich
Around Mama’s house, Chester is famous for saying, “There’s nothing better than a turkey sandwich!”
2 pieces of your choice of bread (white, wheat, etc.)
generous slice of turkey (Chester prefers white meat)
generous slice of sweet onion
4 or 5 thin slices of jalapeno pepper
slice of pepper jack cheese
real mayonnaise
Spread slices of bread generously with mayonnaise, top with turkey and other ingredients and then top with seconds slice of bread. Cut in half, diagonally and serve with your preference of leftovers or chips. Mama likes cranberry sauce with hers.
