Sweet Potato Cobbler

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope all my readers also had a great holiday. Prior to Thanksgiving, Michael found a recipe for Sweet Potato Cobbler. We love sweet potatoes and he was thrilled with the recipe. It turned out to be so delicious and we will be making this again at Christmas.

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Peel and slice 2 lbs. of sweet potatoes - about 4 large ones.

 Boil the sweet potatoes about 10 minutes or until tender. Reserve 1.5 cups of liquid.

 Butter a 13 X 9" glass pan.

 Sprinkle a mixture of flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg on top of the drained sweet potatoes. (See recipe)

 See recipe for very easy pastry. My grandmother Sallie used to put orange extract in her sweet potato dough and Michael decided he would do this next time.

We decided to add pecans on top , but that is strictly optional. Put pats of butter on top. (If a little is good, lots of butter is better - Right?)

 Place pastry dough on top of casserole and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and and brush with melted butter.

 This is what it looks like when cooked. This could be served with whipped cream or ice cream. It is sooooo good.

 We just served ours as a side dish with pork loin medallions and rice and gravy. Michael and I were thrilled with how this came out and he feels this pastry recipe can be adapted to many other pie and dessert recipes.

Let me know if you found a new recipe that you want to share with the readers. I love sharing recipes and working with new recipes. Happy Holidays, Tina.

A Weekend In November

 I thought I would share a typical weekend in November. Michael and I  went to the Les Amies Arts and Crafts show located in the Events Center in downtown Natchitoches. I didn't buy anything but I came away with some interesting ideas. We then went riding the back roads so I could take a few pictures.

 The following photos were taken on the road between I-49 and Powhatan, LA. Michael and I love the scenery along this stretch of Louisiana. The tree above reflects the lovely colors of Fall.

 Pastures, bayous, cypress trees, and a barbed wire fence all in one picture. (All things I love)

 I love to see cattle in open pastures. It always brings a serene feeling - a connection to the land.

 This last photo is my favorite - note the old jon boat on the bank. I love the silos- this one is a keeper. After a long ride we went junking.

 I always start junking at Johnson's Corner at the foot of the Grand Ecore Bridge. Ms. Joyce always has a nice selection of junk.

 Once again I did not buy anything. I have become very picky when junking. However, it is my FAVORITE thing to do. I thank Michael for tagging along - he is very patient junking partner.

 The next stop was the Goodwill - I usually don't go on Saturday (amateur day) but since I had not bought anything I thought I would make a stop. I did find some vintage books and few odds and ends. I did not take pictures, but we visited with my mother-in-law and other family members for quite awhile. After not eating we were starving.

 A trip to El Nopal seemed in order. This is our favorite Mexican restaurant and we find the food and service excellent.  We headed home after a great meal. Some relaxing, then washing and folding  clothes, and minor housework.

I awoke Sunday morning to a lovely fire in the fireplace that Michael had built. The weather has turned cold and it finally feels like Autumn. I know it will not last but I will enjoy it while it remains. The rest of the day involves football, cooking, and crafting. I love this kind of day. Share with the readers what you did this weekend. Thanks for viewing my blog - I really enjoy hearing from my readers.

My First Paper Bag Album

I get very crafty this time of year. My sister-in-law Donna's only grandson is coming for Thanksgiving from Wisconsin. I wanted to make her a little album that she could journal and put pictures in to remember Jack during the holiday. I have been putting off making a paper bag album because it has a real learning curve, but I thought this occasion would be a good time to just do it!

I see all the mistakes I made but now I can begin making them with various themes. They are so fun to make. 

I started with 3 lunch bags (large ones) measuring about 12 3/8" tall and 6 1/8 wide. You fold each bag in half and iron each one well. Place together, alternating the bottom of each bag - so the thickness is evenly distributed. Place 2 holes in the center and run a ribbon - I used jute- tie on the outside. (Make a bow if you like)

 The back of the album is just simple and the first page I did. Notice that the front and back covers have washi tape. (Boys albums are more difficult because you can't use flowers, lace, etc.)

 This page contains a journaling spot and the opposite page is a photo mat. I stamped the typewriter on the journal page.

 This page has 2 tags ( stamped with dragonflies and leaves)  and the opposite page has a framed photo mat on the back of the arrows mat. (J card is for Jack)

 This page says Snapshot and has a photo mat. The opposite page is decorative and says - play.

 This is a page with a train, a coupon and a note card.

 When you remove the note card, I stamped lines for journaling.

 This page shows Jack and Jill and has a tag - the front of the tag is a playing card (the Jack).

 Just another decorative page - Jack jumps over the candlestick. I hope Donna enjoys completing this little album. It is a great keepsake and takes up very little room. I am now hooked on making these little albums - nonspecific albums but easily personalized. I learned a lot and the next albums should be a better version, but I will always remember Jack was the first little album. Have any of you tried this craft? What crafts are you working on? Please share.

FYI - the first page opens and can be used to put memorabilia or extra pictures. 

Old School Baked Seafood Casserole

I was going through some old cookbooks and a typed recipe fell out - it was titled Baked Seafood Casserole. I studied this recipe for awhile and decided this looked good but needed some updating. Michael and I decided to do some different techniques with the same ingredients. The original recipe said mix all ingredients together and put in a buttered casserole dish.

We began by chopping one onion, one bell pepper, and one cup of chopped celery and putting in a skillet with some olive oil. Saute till vegetables are soft.

  We then added one pound of frozen shrimp (medium) and 2 cans of lump crab meat.

 Turn off the heat and add one cup mayo, one small can of mushrooms (drained), one small jar of pimento, chopped with juice, one cup of half and half, and a Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce. 

 Stir well - salt, pepper, and add red pepper flakes to taste. Add a half a cup of raw rice and mix thoroughly.

 Your mixture should look like this.

 Butter a 13 X 9 casserole dish and add skillet contents and top the casserole with bread crumbs. Place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 50 minutes.

 This old school recipe was updated and was so rich and wonderful. We just served it by itself. You could serve with some french bread. It just needed a little love and it will go in my favorite recipes book.

Do you have any recipes that you have tweaked? Please share with everyone what kind of yummy you created.

Random Fall Thoughts

I really adore this time of year. There is always so much going on.... football, Thanksgiving and Christmas which includes thoughts of gifts. It seems that cooking and recipe ideas are abundant. Estate sales and garage sales are everywhere. Sooooo - I went to an estate sale recently and didn't find a lot but I was looking through the books and the lady running the sale said .. for $10 you can have all the books. YES!!!! Then she said if I would take all the books on the carport I could have them for another $10. 

 This is why my car looked like this. Some great books for my Etsy shop, books for reference, and lots of books to use for junk journals. This is my new obsession - junk journals and paper bag albums. I will share this at another time. Please do not judge (LOL)

 I have posted several times about my collections and I thought I would throw this one in on this post. I love to collect mismatched dishes for serving lots of people. I have collected over several years - I am very picky. The pieces MUST be pristine - no grazing, chips, or cracks. I especially like salad and dessert plates. I usually pay $1-2 for each piece. I always have my eyes open for more pieces to add to the collection.

 I have acquired several dishes that are alike but I like the pattern and they are in great condition.

 I have collected several pieces of china which can not be put in the dishwasher. They must be hand washed but I love them and they give a vintage style to a table. Once again I can not believe how we discard and waste great items. 

 When I married Michael, I was a Blue Plate mayo girl. Michael insisted that Miracle Whip was the ONLY way to go so I got on board. However, the sweetness did not work in potato salad or deviled eggs. I was just not satisfied with the flavor but I continued to use the product in my recipes.

 My brother-in-law Brian visited in October and brought Duke's mayo which is all the rage in the Carolina's. I do love the taste and will use it in the recipes that do not need a sweet factor. Have you tried Duke's? Let me know what you think.

Brian also brought popcorn and corn nuts from the shop Harry and David. This is a shop for specialty foods and treats. It is some what pricey but if you are buying for folks who have everything this might be an option. Check out their website - just type Harry and David in Google.

I loved the Smores Moose Munch Popcorn - Brian also brought root beer popcorn that I loved but others were not so adventuresome. Let me know what is going on with you this Fall. Recipes, new products, collectibles, etc.

A Short Note About Cotton

I just wanted to share with my readers a few photos I took several weeks ago. The cotton fields were as lovely as I remember from my childhood. For years it seems that farmers around here opted for other crops and cotton fields were not very prevalent. This year it looked like it snowed.

 Like most folks, I think I had a great childhood. I have wonderful memories of play and porch sitting. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors would sit on the front porch and visit while the children played way into the night. I am very tuned in to sights and sounds. The sounds of those adults laughing and chatting remains a endearing sound in my memory.

The sight of these cotton fields bring me back to a time when I was young and cotton fields were a backdrop to my youth.  I remain in awe at how beautiful the fields appear. The bolls were as big as I have ever seen them. They also remind me how I cherish being a Southern girl and how I do have a sense of place.

Thanks to the farmers who work the land. Thank you local farmers for bringing back cotton crops that can remind me of a precious childhood. What kind of sights remind you of childhood? Please comment.