[first]For as long as I can remember, my family has gathered around the dinner table on Sundays, holidays, special occasions and sometimes, no occasion at all.[/first] Great food and close fellowship. Close, not flawless. It wasn’t always a picture of familial bliss. We occasionally had political or social discussions that became, let’s say, passionate, but eventually it was resolved with another helping of mashed potatoes or pie and everything was just fine. Of course, as a child, I was… Read more »
Posts Categorized: The Kitchen Table
Comfort Food
[first]There is an aroma that takes me back to my childhood ~ Mema’s pound cake. I remember sitting at her kitchen table and watching her perform pure magic with eggs, butter and sugar. There were times that I spent the night and I would wake to the sound of the mixer going at 5 in the morning the next day as she prepared for Sunday dinner. I would gladly get up and head to the kitchen to “lick the bowl”… Read more »
Lemon Cream Cheese Cake
This recipe is from my cousins, Robert and Emmie back home in Florida. I love this picture because not only is the cake beautiful and certain to be a “little party in your mouth”, that’s my great-grandmother’s china on the table! Brings back memories… 1-2-3-4 Basic Cake 1 c. butter 1 c. sour cream 2 c. sugar 3 t. baking powder 3 c. sifted flour 1 t. vanilla 4 eggs Eggs and butter at room temperature. Beat butter until creamy;… Read more »
Fandangled Salad
Another hit from my cousins, Robert and Emmie! This salad is the perfect combination of sweet and tangy. It’s also easy to put together. spring mix lettuce yellow bell pepper, optional toasted pecan pieces feta cheese seasonal fruit (strawberries, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, mandarin oranges or fruit of your choice) Dressing: ¼ c. balsamic vinegar 1 c. light olive oil ¼ c. sugar … Read more »
Emmie’s Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes
1 Duncan Hines Devils Food Cake mix prepared according to directions and set aside. Cream cheese mixture: Mix together 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar and beat til creamy then add 1 egg and beat mixture. Fold in 6 oz of chocolate chips. {This is the surprise!} Spoon cake mixture into muffin tins filling them ½ full then place a dollup of cream cheese mixture in center of each cupcake. Bake at 350 degrees til done … Read more »
Mama’s Lemon Cream Pie
3 large egg yolks 1 (14oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk 1/2 Cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed best) 1 (8 or 9-inch) prepared graham cracker or baked pie crust (can also use vanilla wafers to make crust) Grated lemon zest (about 1 TBSP) HEAT oven to 325 degrees F. Beat egg yolks in medium bowl with mixer. Add sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice and zest. Pour into crust. Bake 30-35 min or until set. Remove from oven, cool… Read more »
Aunt Sandy’s Sour Dough Rolls
Sour Dough Starter 3 tbsps. instant potato flakes 3 Tbsps. sugar 2-1/4 tsp. dry yeast 1 cup warm water(warm, not hot) Mix all ingredients in a plastic or glass container with a wooden spoon (this is very important) a quart jar is fine or plastic container of equal size and leave on counter for 5 days. After 5 days you have your starter that is ready to use any time by feeding it 8 hours before you want to… Read more »
Acre Peas and Okra
1&1/2 lbs Shelled Acre Peas, washed and drained 1 TBSP McCormick Chicken Base ( which has no MSG and is delicious) 1 lb. Okra (washed and trimmed) Dash of salt (to taste) Mama says that my great-grandmother always seasoned her peas with white bacon or some call it a “streak of lean”. But it adds fat to the already delicious peas. So, if you want to be healthy or, if you’re like me and would rather eat your calories in… Read more »
Back in the Jacket Potatoes
Baking potatoes (A bag of Idaho potatoes are fine) ¾ Stick of butter ¾ Sour Cream Half and Half (as needed) 1 tsp. salt Cracked pepper Clean and scrub potatoes. Dry well and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake potatoes on 400 degrees for an hour to an hour and a half until soft. Take them out while hot and slice in half long ways. Scoop out the potato inside and reserve in a bowl. Preserve the potato shells. Add… Read more »
