I've Struck Gold!

While at Sam's recently, I purchased my usual kiwis. You know them... the box of  little, brown, fuzzy fruit that bursts lime green on the inside. Do you know that each kiwi packs 5 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, vitamin C, and several other antioxidants all while remaining very low in calories? You may not know that we are supposed to have 25 grams of fiber a day, and the average American diet only gets 12. Just imagine it... 3 kiwis and you are more than halfway there.  I am a kiwi lover and am delighted to tell you that I have actually struck gold! Kiwis are available in GOLD! What looks like pineapple chunks on the fruit kabobs is actually gold kiwi, and they are delicious. That fuzzy peeling is a little tough, so, of course, I have a tool to recommend to you... the Pampered Chef serrated peeler. Core both ends, peel off the shoulders on both ends, then peel longways. Boom. So much nutrition, so much deliciousness... do your body a favor and have some gold soon. You will feel rich!

Going Green

     This is not to make a political statement, but Al Gore did not originate the idea of recycling. My mother was a champ at recycling, particularly in the kitchen, and she did not have any curb service to pick up her recyclables. Nor did she have anyone telling her to do this for the preservation of the earth. It was just the right thing to do. That "Greatest Generation" taught us all so many life lessons about economizing, commitment, honor, integrity. That list goes on and on. Every pickle jar, olive jar, mayonnaise jar got a second or third use. The glass jars go right into the dishwasher for thorough cleaning just like those Mason jars from Wal-Mart. Someone might need some soup or pimiento cheese or lemon curd if he/she is ill or just plain down-in-the-dumps, and you may be the very one to take some cheer his or her way. And the beauty of the gift is that no container has to be returned. My mother-in-law always uses a small glass jar to shake up her flour and water to thicken her gravy. I even store items in the refrigerator in glass because I can SEE what the item is (although I love my Tupperware, too - but that's another blog).
     Have you been to the Farmer's Market yet to buy your bag of peas? (See "It's Tradition" blog from July 16). For a mere $33 you can get 9 pounds of purple hull peas from Tammy, the pea lady (no wise cracks) at the Nashville Farmer's Market. Her cell is 615-642-9035. Scary, I know, that we are so close, but stay with me here. What to do with that bag of peas that weighs about what my babies did at birth... do not wash or blanch purple hulls... just rebag into 1 qt. bags... about 5 qt. bags worth from this one large bag. Freeze flat so that they will store nicely in freezer. When ready to eat, rinse peas and put into crockpot with ham bone. Cover peas with water. Cook all day. Serve with cornbread. That is about as easy as it gets, folks. NEVER throw out the last few spoonsful of peas... just baggie leftovers, label "SOUP," and refreeze. Whenever we get a break in the heat, we will all be making soup, and yours will be unmatchable in taste because you have ingredients stored away which cannot be bought at the store! Go Green. You can create sustainable solutions, too.

Mask Mania

Being Honey provides me with many wonderful moments in life. When the grands asked for scotch tape this week, the answer was yes (the usual answer for most anything). Away they went with colored pencils, crayons, paper, scrapbooking scissors, and the tape. For quite some time, they were oh-so-busy creating. I had no clue what they had come up with. Then they came back to the kitchen wearing their creations! Kids are so ingenious. That's a Fancy Nancy word. If you do not know Fancy Nancy, check her out at your local library, bookstore or on Amazon... incredible method for vocabulary building for children. Some children's author should write the Macho Mark version for the little fellas of the world. Ingenious is the "word for the day" for the oldest grand.

Mom Becomes Student

My four children have been teaching me for many years, and one of them has recently introduced me to a kitchen product that I love. I have used Cascade dishwasher detergent for 33 years. One of my daughters encouraged me to try Finish, and I am SO in... hook, line, and sinker. The darling little plastic packets are so tidy... no more granules spilled all under my sink. The product cleans every bit as effectively as the Cascade, but the greatest feature is the fresh smell every time I open the dishwasher full of clean dishes. Next time you are at Wal-Mart, try a box. It might even make you excited about unloading the dishwasher! Well, maybe not.

One Man's Trash, Another's Treasure

Don't throw out that leftover French bread... make croutons! Years ago a cookfriend taught me the simplest thing which I have done over and over. She encouraged me to use hot dog buns for croutons because 3 long cuts and simple crosscuts make cubing a breeze. Place bread cubes in large bowl. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, touch of seasoning salt, herbs of your choice, then sprinkle olive oil over and toss. In a 350 oven, toast bread cubes in single layer 10-15 minutes. Your kitchen will smell divine! When you have leftover French bread, just cube it and prepare it the same way, toasting same way. Cool on wire rack and place in ziploc bag until ready to use. Croutons will stay fresh for several days. These croutons are much better than ready-made which are generally so hard you could crack a crown on them. Also, watch for discounted rolls/buns/etc. to use for cubing. Great savings and so much better tasting. Bring on the salad!

Honey Sings

While in the car today, I was as always singing with the radio (rock and roll, of course) as the grands rode along with me. My granddaughter asked me if I knew any songs besides radio songs. It took me a minute but once I thought I understood her, I asked her if she meant for me to sing without the radio. Her answer was yes! So I turned off the radio and for the rest of the car ride, I sang children's scripture songs. Eventually, they chimed right in. They especially loved one we sang in Young Life when I was a teenager: Jesus is the Light, he's the Light of the world BOOM BOOM BOOM... faster and faster and faster. What a blessing to have had such a moment with them. 

Another Peach Favorite

Oh, yes... fresh peach milkshakes. I used one half of a one quart package from the freezer. Simply defrost a package of peaches just enough to separate them, then stick the rest of the package back in the freezer for another use. Vanilla ice cream, peaches, milk. That's it. Did I mention that it helps to have a good blender? My husband says that mine would drive a small go-cart. A good blender does not need 10 options for blending. It only needs a low and a high if you have a substantial motor. My blender is a Waring Mega Pro commercial grade which I ordered from Chef's Catalog a decade ago. It is not an inexpensive appliance, but it makes a better-than-restaurant margarita and, of course, daiquiris. The grands are so happy with a shake and the movie, Angels In The Outfield! 

Suck It Up

A little Consumer Reports here on my one of my new favorite home appliances... my Hoover vacuum cleaner! It must be that instant gratification vacumming gives me because I love to vacuum. My 20 year old Panasonic died on me a year ago. It had been a really good one and expensive at the time - over $500... canister-style. The motor actually smoked & put out this acrid odor, so it was obviously more than burning up a belt. I am sort of hard on appliances, and perhaps I had gotten my money's worth. Anyway, I consulted a cookfriend who also really loves to keep house, and I knew what a savvy shopper she was. I already knew that Orecks and Dysons were popular brands, but I wasn't yet convinced. My introduction to the Hoover Platinum was love at first sight. Most of my floors are bare, though I do have some carpet, so the fact that I was getting 2 vacuum cleaners for the price of one was very appealing. The Hoover Platinum has an upright unit along with a separate shoulder-strapped attachment unit. Both units are very lightweight. . I can do a full sweat-breaking workout with my little attachment unit... bend and snap, bend and snap. Reach and stretch, reach and stretch. When my 4 children were little, my housework really was my workout... no gym memberships, no daily jogs... so I really busted it when it came to my job of keeping our home. The best part of all... are you ready? The total vacuum cleaner price is under $300... for both vacuums! Not even believable. The way I see it, I can buy 2 of the Hoovers over the next 10 years and still come out ahead of the Oreck or Dyson... that's actually 4 vacuum cleaners. Maybe my husband won't have to disassemble and repair any of those! Thirty-six hours before my dad took his last breath, he said to me at Hospice that "Ganny" (my mom who had passed away already) was in the hall vacuuming. It was actually the custodian. Mom also loved to vacuum... guess it is in my DNA.

Red Beans & Rice in July... An Oxymoron?

Not if the grands will eat it! There is no easier meal than getting out your crockpot for beans to cook in it all day. Your house will smell wonderful, too. Thanks to a tip from a cookfriend, I visited the Honey Baked Ham Store earlier this summer while they were having an incredible sale... buy 1 ham bone, get 3 free! My trunk looked like I had frozen body parts in numerous plastic bags. Last week I put rinsed red beans (2#) in the crockpot with an onion, covered with water, then plopped in a ham bone. You will not need to add any salt. The ham bone is seasoned perfectly. If the bone is especially meaty, remove it from the beans after several hours & pull off the meat. Discard bone. Chop cooled ham with Pampered Chef food chopper and make ham salad. Another cookfriend put me onto that delicacy several years ago. Make it just like chicken salad except with ham! Depending on your timetable, you can cook the beans on high for 4-5 hours or low all day. Serve over bed of rice. So delicious. Don't forget to offer the Tabasco Sauce... my dad's favorite.

Zappy-oca... That Custard Thing

 If you have not seen the movie, "New In Town," I highly recommend it. What a story of becoming a friend to someone a little different from yourself. I actually disturbed my husband and my other plane-mate by laughing out loud so much! I have had a request recently from a young single friend for my Banana Pudding. This recipe, like so many others, is one which a cookfriend shared with me long ago. She uses the same basic custard (zappy-oca!) on her Boston Creme Cake, and I have been so grateful that she shared it with me. My husband's all-time favorite dessert is Coconut Cream Pie. One tool I strongly recommend for this versatile custard recipe is the Pampered Chef large batter bowl since the custard is cooked in the microwave. The lid is perfectly fitted to allow a little steam to escape but keeps most of the heat in. No splatters or blow ups. The PC trifle bowl with lid is fabulous for pretty presentation and storage. (For those readers who do not know me, I do have a terrific PC director I recommend! You can send me a message if you need her contact information.) The custard is outstanding plain, too. I have a friend who had esophageal surgery this spring and could not have solid food for months. I took her custard! After all of the yogurt she had been eating, it was a welcomed change. Perhaps the greatest thing about making the custard is that I always have the ingredients: sugar, cornstarch, butter, milk, eggs, and "good" vanilla!

Banana Pudding, Chocolate Icebox Pie, or Coconut Cream Pie

bananas                vanilla wafers                      custard                        whipped cream

Custard: In batter bowl, combine ¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1/8 tsp. salt. Stir in 2 cups milk & 2 egg yolks. Cover with lid and microwave on 2 minute intervals until thick, whisking between each 2 minute interval. This will take 3 or 4 intervals. Remove from heat. Then add 2 Tbsp. butter, ½ can crème de coconut (optional), & 1 tsp. vanilla. Cool on the counter, then refrigerate.

layer: bananas, vanilla wafers, custard, repeat; top with whipped cream.

This can be altered slightly to make coconut icebox pie or chocolate icebox pie using same basic custard. For coconut, use 4 whole eggs, and add 1 can of coconut when you add butter and vanilla during cooling. Garnish with toasted or colored coconut for whatever occasion… red/green Christmas, red/blue for 4^th of July or Memorial Day, green for Easter, orange for fall, etc.

For Chocolate Icebox Pie, use 4 whole eggs, omit coconut and blend ¼ cup cocoa to the sugar/cornstarch mixture. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Cool It

When my parents died and I had to clean out their home of 50 years, there was weeks' worth of sorting, tossing, and decision-making to do in order to empty the place. Having been brought home from Vanderbilt Hospital to this ranch-style home in 1958, I did all of my growing up here. So many memories in one place. The song, "The House That Built Me," pretty well sums it up. Thank you to Tom Douglas for penning another great one. One particular item that has found its way on my kitchen countertop is a small fan. I'm sure that my mom's primary purpose for it was to cool her off. With Dad on blood thinner for many years coupled with her extra weight, disagreements about the thermostat were frequent. This little piece of equipment has done so much more for me! I use the little fan to quick-dry baked goods, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and handwashed pots and pans (I have tons of these... there is not a dishwasher big enough to hold all of my messes). I even put my fresh produce in a colander in front of it for a quick-dry instead of wasting a half dozen paper towels. And all the while I am receiving the nicest little breeze for my own personal "hot" issues! Get one now while the selection is good. They are harder to find out of season. And Mom, thank you for one of my favorite kitchen helpers.

Love, Your Biggest Fan

Plain Vanilla

If you enjoy baking, then today's blog is information for you. I am a bit of a vanilla snob as is the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network. Whenever the Barefoot Contessa speaks of "good" vanilla, this is the kind she is talking about... Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Vanilla. You can tell by the label on her little brown bottle when she is baking, though you will only see the backside of it. Chef's Catalog is my source for good vanilla due to the incredible value. For many years, I would enlist friends at work to buy a bottle along with me since orders of $100 would be eligible for free shipping, keeping the cost down. Currently, Chef's Catalog is offering free shipping through 8/13 if you are a recipient of their catalog. If you are not, just call them and speak firmly to them, expecting them to honor the fact that you know the free shipping is being offered right now.  Sold in Williams- Sonoma stores, the price for 8 oz. bottle is $19.00. The price for a quart at Chef's Catalog is $35.00. So, here's the math: 19x4=76. That is a $76 qt. of vanilla from WS. SAME BRAND! Order now and use generously in your baked goods. Good vanilla really is a difference maker. I am smelling that fudge pie made with not-so-plain vanilla right now.

It's Tradition

Though I did not grow up in the country, my dad was born and raised in rural west Tennessee, depression-era and having little they owned but a farm. He moved his family to the big city of Nashville in 1958 shortly before I was born and took his tradition with him. My mom and he (mostly Mom) would spend the summer preparing a freezer as if they lived in the tundra. Produce was not so readily available in the winter as it is now. They did not grow their own garden; they depended on locally grown produce for sale at the Nashville Farmers' Market. My summers were not spent at swim meets nor Kanakuk nor JH Ranch in northern California, but I am thankful for one of many traditions my parents handed down to me. Friends for years have looked at me like I have 3 heads when I talked about "putting up" a freezer. My mom could pull together a meal for a friend-in-need at the drop of a hat. She didn't even drive until she had 2 children, so trips to the store were minimal. Yes, we can now get great produce in other 9 months of the year, but the idea of getting locally grown produce did not just come into style here lately. My parents knew 50 years ago that locally grown was best, and putting all that they could in the freezer for later was the healthiest, most economical way to feed their family. I had to help shell peas, shuck corn, and break green beans. The good news is that now you can purchase fresh green beans already broken and peas already hulled. Talk about improvements! Forget about how much it costs. It is worth every dime. Skip one of your many eating out nights, purchase a used freezer, and go for the fresh, locally grown. Take your pullcart and get ready for a culinary extravaganza.  That's a tradition worth starting for your family.
http://nashvillefarmersmarket.org

A Penchant for Peaches: Bruschetta

As long as good fresh peaches are obtainable, enjoy this appetizer: Peach Bruschetta. If you do not have a good peeler, I highly recommend the serrated peeler made by Pampered Chef. It peels through tougher skinned produce with incredible precision so as not to waste any of your delectable peach (or kiwi or any produce requiring peeling). Your peeling will be paper thin which is very hard to do with a traditional knife (or worn out peeler). You end up pressing into the soft peach way too hard trying to get off the peeling, leaving bruises all over the little gem. Be careful of your fingertips if you get the good peeler - it is a very sharp tool! The serrated peeler is most helpful if you actually put peaches in your freezer, too. (See previous post).


Your guests will love this simple yet elegant twist on fresh peaches. The combination of peach and blue cheese is oh-so-nice. With a peach cobbler baking in my oven right now and peach bruschetta for family tonight, you can tell that I really do have a penchant for peaches.


baguette, sliced 1/4"thick, lightly buttered & toasted on 350 for 10 min. Cool.
fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
olive oil
blue cheese crumbles
Brush toasted/cooled baguette slices lightly with olive oil. Place slice of peach on baguette. Top with blue cheese crumbles. 

Fresh Peach Daiquiris

Now that you have started thinking about getting those peaches in the freezer, here is a recipe that will help motivate you. You can use fresh or frozen peaches which have been partially thawed. Dump them right into this amazing concoction I developed some years ago. Can't wait to serve these this weekend. 


Fresh Peach Daiquiris
2 cups fresh peaches, sliced
1 can frozen limeade
1/2 can vodka (use limeade can)
1/4 can Malibu rum (use limeade can)
2 Tbsp. or more fresh lime juice
ice to top of blender


Blend all until smooth. Serve in pretty glasses which have been allowed to chill in freezer.

Puttin' Up Peaches

As delicious as southern peaches are during the summer, I have them all year long because I put them in the freezer. They are delicious in pies, cobblers, frozen smoothies, bellinis... oh, such happiness. I have had a request on what I do to "put up" peaches, so here is the procedure I have used for over 3 decades. 


You will need: nice peaches, Fruit Fresh (available at any grocery), colander, bowls, freezer bags (I use quart size), cookie sheets.
1. Allow peaches to ripen a bit on the counter before peeling. They will ripen at different rates, so it may take you a couple of days to finish process. Be patient - your efforts will pay off.
2. Mix 2 Tbsp. of Fruit Fresh with 2 qts. water in a very large bowl. You will use this same solution over and over. 
3. Peel and slice 2 qts. of peaches. (I only do this much at a time so that peaches do not have time to darken before getting to freezer). Dip these peaches into the bowl of FF solution quickly, gently stirring to coat. Drain peaches in colander, reserving the FF solution for next use. When peaches are thoroughly drained, slip them into qt. bags, place flat on cookie sheet, and set in freezer. By freezing flat, they can be stored upright in freezer baskets once solid. Great for organizing space in freezer.
4. Be sure and eat as many as you can while they are fresh!
5. If you think you will use peaches often for smoothies and bellinis, you may want to put some in the snack bag-size, too. Just right for that summer cocktail. 
6. To use, thaw peaches quickly in microwave on defrost. If you leave them in sink to thaw all day, you will compromise the texture and color of the peach. Thaw quickly and get baking! 

The Newest In Nails

My great grandmother always said that your hands were made for working. I am hard on my hands since I cook, garden, clean, etc., but I love to have pretty nails. I have always done my own fingernails and have tried all kinds of tricks to preserve them, even with the newly developed OPI product called OPI Drip-Dri. Still, in a few days I would bang one or chip another and the whole process of scraping off the polish and flaking off the nails begins again. This summer I have been introduced to the newest in nail polish service called a shellac or gel polish. This is not to be confused with an acrylic nail involving glue, drills, potential for fungal growth, etc., plus requiring every 2-week maintenance. I like my own nails and if you do, too, then this in information for you. The first photo of hot pink nails is a 26-day-old manicure from Venetian in Green Hills - almost a month. I have not touched up polish nor had one chip develop. The only drawback I have found in the gel/shellac manicure is that UV light is required to make it set. Being the no-sun person that I am, the UV light presented a problem but not for long. Cut the tips out of an old pair of gardening gloves or a get a cheap pair of white gloves from Sally's Beauty Supply or Claire's, and PRESTO... no UV light exposure on your hands. Your nails have never looked so good for so long!

Grease + Pipes = Disaster

A new bride has requested advice on this subject, so if the title was not clear enough, here is the skinny. My beloved husband - electrician/hvac pro/father to my 4/ Papa to my 4 grands/Vandy grad cum laude/smartest -man-I-have-ever-known and, oh yes, PLUMBER, has taught me so much. The last time I poured grease down my kitchen sink, he made me look inside the cross-section of my pipe. Since I am very much a visual learner, the sight of the grunge clogging my pipes left an indelible print in my mind... besides the grunge, varmints live in the grunge. Sort of like the cholesterol in your arteries (though varmints may not live there). I have never poured grease (or much else but water) down my pipes since that historical date at least 20 years ago. Guess what, no back ups in the sink since either (same house, of course). Since many young brides think that having bacon is reheating pre-cooked bacon in the microwave, this may not be pertinent information for you. If, however, you are a traditionalist and like your bacon skillet-cooked and crispy, here is some information. The best way to get rid of grease and contain the smell is to secure a discarded can, pour the slightly cooled grease into that can over the sink, then place can in freezer. Wipe sink with paper towel if any grease dribbled there. Next morning or anytime thereafter, throw entire thing in trash. Your freezer will not smell. The other method is to pour slightly cooled grease into glass bowl, let it solidify, then scrape bowl thoroughly into trash. The problem here is the smell tends to linger. Not the most appetizing of subjects, but taking care of your pipes is very important to avert disaster. 

Honey Hints Revisited

I hope you are not throwing away leftover Rotel Dip. Take it from my little folks, it is great stirred into macaroni and cheese. Also, when the littles eat their cereal and won't drink the milk at the bottom third of the bowl, give them a straw - preferably a coffee straw (or trim the regular straw a bit) - they will finish that dose of calcium every time. Speaking of straws, to keep your Mona Lisa smile its brightest, drink your coffee through a straw. Just ask my dental hygienist if this is effective. And lastly, the seemingly insignificant straw is a most helpful tool for food preservation. When freezing items for the future, use a straw to suck out all air from your zipbag.  Seal bag 99% closed, insert straw in corner, suck out air, then zip tightly. You will also know immediately if you have a defective bag. You certainly don't want freezer burn on those homemade cookies meant for special people in a few weeks.

A Honey Hint

When my children were little, I used a swim sweater on our trips to the neighborhood pool. It was an invaluable apparatus for my littlest one since my hands were often needed to throw a ball simultaneously. A mother of 4 has only 2 hands like everyone else. Plus, this dandy device is a great independence builder for the wee one. The swim sweater is not Coast Guard approved and, therefore, not suitable at lakes or the ocean, but it is perfect for a pool. I never liked the arm swimmies - just couldn't make them work. I am delighted to report that the wonderful Phillips Toy Mart in Belle Meade is still carrying the swim sweater 30 years later! As a grandmother (Honey), I have purchased a swim sweater again since I need to throw that ball to the older grands while tending to a toddler. Take a Honey Hint and check out Phillips Toy Mart... a Nashville landmark... they even inflated it for me!

The British Call It Cling Film

With 33 years of homemaking under my belt, I have tried many plastic wraps. When my mother passed away and I had to empty her pantry, she must have had a dozen different kinds of plastic wrap... all opened. I have settled on one I think is the best clear wrap currently on the market. I  discovered it in the wonderful Cook's Illustrated magazine some years ago featuring clear wraps. They did all of their homework for sure. I love STRETCH-TITE plastic wrap. The first time I had to order it out of a cook's catalog, but it is now sold at Costco and even Publix. Why do I prefer it? It sticks well to all surfaces, even plastic, and it is clear. Try it sometime. You will be glad you did.

Cookfriends

I have recently discovered my new favorite trifle, thanks to another great cookfriend. And if you do not have a trifle bowl, guess who has one waiting for you... yep, Pampered Chef. Not fancy nor expensive... not cut glass from Tiffany's but so much more... like removable pedestal for more compact refrigerator storage and easier transport. In addition to the removable pedestal (which is usuable for other serveware you may want to elevate), this one has a FITTED lid. You can stack things on it in the refrigerator, and in my case, simplify the delivery to the cookout with still other great cookfriends. Thinking about Christmas and changing out blue fruit for kiwi... Oh yummy...


whipped cream

homemade lemon curd (from still another great cookfriend)
angel food cake, torn into pieces
raspberries & blueberries, or fruit of your choice


Combine whipped cream with cold lemon curd. Then layer: cream, cake, fruit. Cream, cake, fruit. That was easy!

Who Knew?

Nashville is a great city. Having lived here most of my life except for college and early married years, I know the city fairly well and love it like a well-worn shoe. One of its quirky characteristics is its unique way of naming streets... particularly, renaming the same streets. Briley Parkway is White Bridge Road is Woodmont Boulevard is Thompson Lane. Hillsboro Road is 21st Avenue is Broadway. Harding Place is Battery Lane is Harding Place. Today I have learned that Knob Road is Russleo Drive. This may seem insignificant to you unless you frequent the shoppes at Nashville West (Costco, Target, Dick's, Old Navy, Red Robin, Best Buy) and the White Bridge Road/Belle Meade area. If you find yourself in those areas, try this newest route in my brain and clearly on your GPS... Russleo dies into the old K-Mart on Charlotte Pike and will take you right to White Bridge Road under a different name, Knob Road. A traffic light will be there to greet you... who knew I could learn something else new about this wonderful city?

Showing My Colors

My mother always loved patriotic holidays, especially the 4th of July. American flags would be everywhere... stuck in her patio flower pots, added to her plastic fruit arrangements inside, you name it. Food would be great, too, but not fancy. Always deviled eggs, potato salad, pork shoulder, watermelon. She preferred to bake cakes over cookies, and never cut cookies. Too much fuss, she would say. I, however, love to do cut cookies, but the decorating part has historically given me some problems. I have a wonderfully delicious tea cookie recipe which a friend shared with me long ago, but the decorating was not my strongsuit. So much work for the cookies to look pathetic. This summer I have taken the bull by the horns and tried to improve the icing part, especially in the "bleeding" department. I have done sunflowers for favors for a bridesmaid luncheon and regular flowers for another event's favor. Needless to say, I am pretty tickled with myself!


Things I have learned this summer: 
1) Sugar Drop in Brentwood is a great resource, both staff and supplies. 
2) Use Americolor instead of Wilton color - better tasting and much easier to dispense in the little squeeze bottles. Unfortunately, not available at my favorite Wal-Mart, but Sugar Drop carries every color in the rainbow.
3) Use the CK Royal Icing Mix (just add water) which is available at Sugar Drop. Consistently excellent.
4) Let color on the cookies dry at least 6 hrs. before adding additional color. 
5) Elevate the cookies to ice them on TALL cooling racks  so that you are not stooped over  while working (my stackable Pampered Chef are the best).
6) Use a fan to help icing set before moving to Tupperware to let dry fully.
7) Cookies can be baked, cooled, then frozen ahead of time before you are ready to ice them. It is not recommended to freeze them after icing.
8) Research the internet... great information/pictures/YouTube demos there on decorating tips for cookies.


Here's to the red, white, and blue! Show your colors!!!

Caviar on a Beer Budget

At the request of some readers, here is one of my weekend projects. This recipe was shared with me by an Auburn friend, and it became a regular at our AU tailgates. It is so easy that I can usually recall the ingredients at the store if I decide there to make it. The nice thing is that besides being relatively inexpensive (except for the avocadoes), the avocadoes will not darken even after days of being combined due to the lime juice and dressing. Every morsel will be scarfed up... promise! You will win them over for sure. Your lactose intolerant guests will appreciate the fact that there is no cheese in it. Post any results... loving the feedback!

Texas Caviar

2 cans black-eyed peas w/jalapeños (or similar pea)                                        2 avocadoes, chopped

purple onion, chopped                                                                                   1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

bell pepper                                                                                                   1 can Rotel tomatoes

¾ cup (about a full bottle) Zesty Italian Dressing                                             additional chopped jalapeños

¼ tsp. salt                                                                                                    

Serve with large Fritoes.