Recipe and Pictures

The 'girls' were over Saturday and what to serve???  Strawberries dipped in chocolate.  Mom's famous ham and cheese puffs. And, of course, Mimosa's.   Somehow,  the Hors d'oeuvres'  taste better when Peaches makes them, is it the hand that makes them?  That puts a special touch on them?                                                                                                The recipe is from one of Peaches' cookbooks, appropriately enough,  

  Hors d'oeuvres'  by the Mimosa Garden Club of Atlanta.

Deviled Ham Spread

1 can deviled ham          1 8 oz package of cream cheese      Bread

Cut crusts off bread. Cut slices with cookie cutter(use different shape cutter if desired).  Spread deviled ham on bread.  Then spread with whipped cream cheese.  Bake at 375 until brown.

 

Ella Bella

Today,  Lara sent a picture of little Ella in a beautiful hat and scarf Ella's grandmother Elaine knitted.  I have to have the directions for the hat.  The picture also got me to thinking of how all of the grandchildren had such special memories of Peaches.  Lara told me about Peaches teaching her to climb the railing, on the house on Walton Circle, up to the mailbox.  When she was little it seemed to be so very tall, and she was so proud to be able to do it.  Peaches would encourage the children in all kinds of things. 

In the eighth grade, Lara had to bring in a recipe, and the food, for a project.  That was right up Peaches' alley.  They put together a delicious chicken cordon bleu type meal. Peaches made up the recipe, and named the dish "Chicken al la Lara". 

Mom was famous for her wonderful parties and fabulous food. One of her best recipes was for "Prune Cake".  When asked for the recipe, she always left out some crucial ingredients, and ladies could never understand why their cake was not as good as Mom's.

Next week is book club, and Peaches Prune Cake is perfect to serve for a large group.

Peaches' Prune Cake:

1 Cup chopped nuts     3 eggs 1 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup Wesson Oil 1 cup buttermilk 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon almond flavoring 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon cinnamon  1 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon salt   1 cup chopped prunes Mix together Cook at 325  for 1 hour.

• Icing: 1 Tablespoon white Karo 1 cup sugar 1 stick oleo 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 teaspoon soda 1 teaspoon vanilla  Cook 7 minutes
  

This is exactly how Peaches gave this recipe to me in the 70's.  There may be a few who don't know what 'oleo' is, so, ask your Mothers!

Recipe and Pictures

Pictures:  Lemon Souffle Pie, Thanksgiving 1969, and Peaches about 1940.

This recipe is too good not to share.  It comes from cousin Linnie and is: 

 Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping.  

1. Casserole:  5 lbs sweet potatoes  1 stick butter, softened, 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup whole milk Bake and mash sweet potatoes, puree in food processor.  Mix in butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and milk.  Pour into casserole.
2. Praline Topping: 1/2 cup Heavy Cream 1 Cup light brown sugar 1/3 cup melted butter 1 cup chopped pecans. Bring cream to simmer in sauce pan.  Add brown sugar and stir until it dissolves.  Cook over medium heat and stir until it reaches soft boil on candy thermometer.  Remove from heat and beat in butter and pecans. Pour over sweet potatoes and bake at 350 until hot, about 35 to 40 minutes.  Serves 8.   
   

Red Letter Day

Red Letter Day!  Happy Birthday Peaches! 

Today is Peaches' Birthday!  She is 89, and looks much younger and dances like she is 20.  Happy Birthday, Mom!  Peaches was born in Oakdale, LA November 20, 1919.  She was born at home, and weighed only about 4 pounds, as she was very early.  Her grandmother stayed up all night keeping her warm, rocking her by the stove.  Some of the great memories we have of times past are the stories Mom used to make up to tell the grandchildren.  Lara remembers spending the night with Peaches and Pop, getting her bath, and Peaches would put lotion all over her little legs and arms and back and tummy!  The favorite story Lara remembers is about a fairy that lived in a pool.  Mom used to always tell about the little blue bird that fell out of a nest and how  (insert name)  picked it up and saved it.

From Mom's cooking beginnings with Spam, she became one of the best cooks I've ever known.  All of the brothers, sisters, grandchildren and friends will agree.  But, don't ask her for  a favorite recipe, it will have an ingredient left out.  Dad was always bringing home exotic groceries, and getting Mom to try something new.  He subscribed to Gourmet from the late forties until, well always, and seemed to have a new recipe for Mom every week.  Elaine, my sister-in-law, remembers Mom going to Clout's grocery store in Atlanta and bringing home all kinds of delicious things. Clout's was fabulous long before Central Market.  Carpeting and chandeliers.  Elaine also remembers how Mom would tell everyone that she couldn't give out her secret salad dressing. Mom finally confessed to her good friend, Myrtle Hanson, that it was Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.  Aunt Dottie had given Mom some of the packets, and Peaches was able to keep her secret for about a year. In the early '60's Hidden Valley was just becoming popular in our part of the world.   Elaine also remembers Sundays were  family cookouts.  Dad loved his huge Texas size Weber grill.  One  of the things Elaine remembers that Dad loved to cook, was a leg of lamb, served with mint jelly, and pilaf,  and always a delicious salad.  Dad would buy bulgar  when he was in Atlanta, and Mom would make her pilaf with it.  Saute some onions in butter, add garlic,  stir in the bulgar, add broth, cover and simmer until done.  Test for seasonings.

Baking for Bridge

Tomorrow, Wednesday, it's Mom's turn to have our bridge club to her house.  I've made for the lunch tomorrow: white bean chicken chili!! and a cheesecake.  This is the best cheesecake ever, and it comes from a cookbook that Dotsy gave me: Great Cakes by Carole Walter.  Since I'm doing the cooking, I picked the menu!  Usually I serve Peaches' Texas Cornbread with the chili, but we're having french bread instead.  Fortunately, the cheesecake is extremely light.  Mom has played bridge as long as I can remember.  She played with the same group of ladies for about 40 years.  Now, she is in two bridge clubs out here, and substitutes in more.  She is an excellent bridge player.  We also have a 'club' that meets whenever we can.  We call it the Peach Pits, or Peaches and her Pits.  We also have some sub-pits!  Mom, Dotsy, LarryAnn, Barbara, and sometimes Karen, and I'm always there!  We start about 1 at Mom's, the Club House, and finish when the wine runs out.    Mom's ladies in Monroe played every Thursday. They all took a sandwich, and played until school got out.  PS If you want the recipe, click on the right hand picture..

Here is a delicious recipe from my Cousin Linnie

CRABMEAT AND CORN SOUP:

1 POUND LUMP CRABMEAT
¼ CUP BUTTER
2 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK
SALT AND PEPPER
1 CUP FRESH YELLOW CORN
¼ CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
2 CUPS HALF AND HALF
GARLIC POWDER OR CHOPPED FRESH GARLIC
THYME TO TASTE (1/2 TSP?)
1 TBL.GREEN ONIONS CHOPPED
1 CUBE FISH BOUILLON
PINCH OF RED PEPPER
½ CUP WHITE WINE

CUT FRESH CORN FROM COB AND SAVE SCRAPINGS AND MILK. SET ASIDE. MELT BUTTER IN SAUCEPAN. ADD GREEN ONIONS, THYME AND GARLIC AND SAUTE ABOUT 1 MINUTE. ADD FLOUR AND BLEND WELL. ADD CHICKEN STOCK AND FISH BOUILLON STIRRING CONSTANTLY. COOK UNTIL THICK AND SMOOTH. STIR IN CREAM, CORN, RED PEPPER, SALT AND PEPPER.
COOK OVER LOW FIRE UNTIL CORN IS TENDER. ADD CRABMEAT AND WINE AND HEAT JUST UNTIL HOT. DO NOT BOIL!

YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH LESS CRAB IF YOU WANT TO INCREASE THE SOUP FOR MORE SERVINGS.