The Disappearing Crackers

  I am the world's worst at ever going grocery shopping...or any shopping, for that matter.  It is just bothersome so, if I can find a way around it, I'll take it in a heartbeat.  Thankfully, there is enough food in the house, in the garden or in the Bay that survival is not difficult even if I neglect the shopping.  

  

  The other day, Son mentioned that we were out of bread.  He had made tuna salad for lunch and had hoped for a sandwich.  Well, bread is easy to make but not in that short of time so I opted for something quick.  Crackers!  Those go well with tuna.  Son looked at me like I was nuts because he and I both knew the cabinet held no crackers.  Pulling out just a few ingredients, I set to work and, in a matter of minutes, we had cheddar crackers!  Oh, man...forget that tuna salad!  The crackers were enough in themselves.  Oh, so good!  So good, in fact, that the batch disappeared far too quickly.

  This afternoon, he mentioned how much he liked the crackers and I took that as a hint that he wanted more.  Easy peasy but it was time he learned to make them.  I figure there is going to come a time when I am not around to cook for him so, if he really likes something, he needs to know how to make it.  This time, we doubled the batch and made over a hundred crackers.  (Two large trays of beautiful golden-brown crackers were ready in less than a half hour!)  That should be enough to last a few days, right?  Wrong.  Those things are disappearing just as quickly as the first ones.  Son suggested that I write down the recipe.  Good idea...good idea.  That shall be forthcoming.  I tend to cook without measuring so writing recipes is difficult but I will try.

Bread is good...Home baked is better.

  It is a well known fact that I bake.  In fact, I have been told that I bake far too often.  I have been advised by nutritionists, online health coaches and nurses that "You really should not be eating a lot of baked goods."  Why?  Even my regular doctor and my cardiologist say "Your weight is great, your stats all look good, eat what you want."  So I bake.  I have to admit that Son "groans" a bit when I go on a baking spree because I expect him to eat most of it.  The neighbors probably feel the same but I still bake.  It makes me feel good and now it has become a daily habit. This is probably one of the few things that make me happy, nowadays.  Get up before dawn and spend the time between coffee and sunrise baking some treat.  

  Yesterday, I mentioned that I wanted to bake something besides the usual sweets.  Son suggested a seeded sourdough bread.  "That has always been my favorite." he mused. So...come 4am, I pulled different seeds from the pantry shelf and proceeded.  The sourdough starter had been happily bubbling away for the past week or so it was needing to be used.  It took about 15 minutes to put together a nice dough filled with soaker seeds (sesame, pumpkin, chia, quinoa, amaranth and flax seed soaked in hot water).  It was time to let it rise so I headed out to check the garden.  The rain from last night lingered on as a drizzle making it uncomfortable to be outside.  This made it the perfect day to be baking that bread!  Once inside, I formed the loaves, let it rise again then baked.  The house smelled wonderful and, by noon, two warm, home-baked loaves of seeded sourdough were ready to eat!  One for us..one for the neighbors.  Now...what to bake tomorrow???

Broccoli/Cheese Rolls and Rainy Days!

   Since we are in the midst of a few rainy days, I figured there was nothing better to do than bake.  It relaxes me but, at the same time, makes me feel not so lazy on days like this.  In fact, I have been baking every day for the past week (lots of rain!).  Son sort of sighs when he comes into the kitchen and finds the table filled with baked goods.  At the moment, he is the only one here to eat it all!  Thankfully, it stopped raining enough for me to slip over to my brother's house and unload a huge plate full of goodies.  Brothers are the best!  They never complain about too many baked goods!

  One of Son's favorites is Broccoli/Cheese Rolls. This is a simple treat that I rarely follow a recipe to bake but decided that today, I really needed to write one.  Son helped by photographing my steps so bear with the flour-covered kitchen!  I will post this in Cooking on the Bayou shortly but, as requested, here is my simple recipe!

Broccoli/Cheese Rolls

Basic Yeast Dough Ingredients

2 cups milk

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon dry active yeast

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

5 to 6 cups sifted all purpose flour

Filling Ingredients

4 cups shredded broccoli

4 cups grated cheese (blend of your favorites)

2 cups bacon crumbles

Cajun seasoning (or your favorite seasoning) for sprinkling on top

Directions

In a small saucepan, place the water, milk and butter.  Warm until butter is melted and mixture is at 110 degrees.  Add sugar, salt and yeast.  Gently stir and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.  After the wait time, pour mixture into large mixing bowl and add the flour a small bit at a time.  Mix until blended.  I use a wooden spoon to do this.  Combine until a smooth dough forms and then turn out on a floured board and knead for five minutes.  Place dough into a warm, greased bowl turning once to oil the top of the dough.  Cover with a handtowel, keep warm and let rise for about an hour.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and grease mini-muffin pans with cooking spray. Set aside.

Cut the dough into four equal parts.  On a floured board or parchment paper, roll out dough shaping it into a 4 to 5 inch wide strip about 18 inches in length. Measurements are approximate so whatever you do is fine.  Generously sprinkle with broccoli (about 1 cup) making sure to leave about one inch of the dough free from filling.  Cover the broccoli with about a cup of cheese.  Add bacon crumbles evenly across the top.  (I omitted the bacon in the rolls pictured at the request of Son)  Roll up the dough starting at the long side. I fold in the side edges to keep the filling from spilling.  Once the "log" is rolled completely, use a dough cutter to slice it in one inch pieces.  Place each individual cut roll into the bake pans cut side up, lightly sprinkle Cajun seasoning on the top of each roll and let rise for about 15 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool.  

This makes about 72 mini rolls (bite-size).  

I hope you enjoy these!  They seem to be a big hit with Son and his friends.  The 72 rolls last just one afternoon when several young men are here at the Little Bayou House.  I have to sneak a few before they all disappear!

Erik's Cookies

  Christmas traditions are carried on generation after generation.  Whether it be placing Baby Jesus in the manger on Christmas Eve or ringing Christmas Bells at midnight.  The customs vary from place to place and from family to family.  There are several "hand-me-down" favorites that have made it through the ages here on the Bayou.  We still sing carols from the small paper books that Mom used as she played so happily on the old piano back on the farm. We still bake until "the cows come home".   We still hang the old cloth socks from my childhood (not the newfangled stockings) from the mantel.   We still enjoy family time.  These will always be a part of our holidays.  There are a few "new" traditions that I started with my kids that I sorely miss since the kids have grown up and left the Bayou.  I miss watching Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Judy Haynes in "White Christmas" with my oldest son.  It was one of our favorite times together.  After he was "in the know" about Santa, he stayed up late to help me on Christmas Eve, then we would settle in to watch the movie together.  Watching the movie is not the same since he is on the island so very far away.  Some day..maybe...maybe.  Then, there was the tradition of lying on the floor and looking up through the Christmas Tree with my daughter when she was a tot.  We continued that even when she would come home from college.  That has gone the wayside, too, since she is married and in her own home creating their own happy traditions.  Some day..maybe...maybe.   The tradition with my youngest son was making new ornaments for the tree each year.  This, too, has ceased since he is grown.  Although, he is still on the Bayou, his ornament-making days seem to be something of the past...perhaps a fond memory.  Again..some day..maybe...maybe...

  Now, I have sort of inadvertently stepped into another tradition.  For the past few years, a certain nephew has always gotten a plate of his favorite cookies.  Erik proclaimed that the Plum Dot cookies are the "best ever cookies".  His fondness for the baked treats lead to me baking two batches each year...one for all visitors to the Little Bayou House and one batch just for Erik.  In fact, I now call these "Erik's Cookies" when I start to bake.   His ooohs and ahhs over the baked goodies are all it took for this old aunt to make sure that he has his very own supply.  That young man knows how to smooth talk an old lady into baking for him but, then again, he is mighty special to me!  

  Today, the tradition of baking "Erik's cookies took place.  Not a one of the cookies made it to the treat table as they were secreted away so they would be ready to be presented to Erik.  No one gets to eat off that plate!  Tomorrow, the second batch of the Plum Dot cookies will be baked and those will be placed among the other trays to be sampled by any and all who stop in for a visit.  Christmas traditions on the Bayou say that you will not go away hungry!  Last year, I fretted that I would have to alter the recipe due to the fact that I had used my very last jar of plum jam.  How thankful I was to see that the plum trees outdid themselves this summer.  Sixty-three jars of plum jam line the shelves so it was easy to reach up, grab one and fill the cookies for Erik!  (Just so you will know, the recipe for the Plum Dot Cookies is on the Cooking on the Bayou page on this blog.  Happy baking!)

Treats!!

  I admit that I probably bake far too much.  It is something I enjoy and giving the treats away even brings more happiness...not only to the recipient but to me.  Most of the time, no one complains but recently, Son made the comment that perhaps I was "slightly' overdoing it.  He had four mounded plates of assorted goodies to eat.  Being as he is the only one here (sometimes) to eat what I bake, I tend to overload him. That is when the neighbors and anyone who comes to visit are plied with goody bags.  Hey, it is only natural to share!  

  Today, however, I baked for a different family member.  I baked some healthy dog crackers for the old dog.  Mr. PJ has not wanted to eat dog food for the past few days.  He simply refuses.  This is odd because he has always been so food oriented.  Well, I noticed that he would eat treats but I am a bit leery of a lot of what is prepackaged.  There was nothing else to do but head to the kitchen.  I threw together a basic cracker dough, added some shredded cheese and beef broth.  Oh, my goodness!  The kitchen smelled wonderful on this cold, rainy day.  Once the crackers were baked, I slid them on a plate to cool.  Mr. PJ would have something tasty today! 

  Well, my crackers went over big...not only with the dog but with my menfolk!  Since the crackers were basically a "human" food made to feed a pet, there was nothing wrong with humans trying them.  Both Hubby and Son said the crackers were amazing!  I was a tad disappointed that I could not chow down on a few of this spectacular treat but, since meat and all of its trappings causes severe pain, I opted just to sit and smell them.  Tomorrow, I am considering using some vegetable broth in place of the beef stock.  Then, the old dog and I can share treats!  

  I am happy to say that after eating the homemade treats, Mr. PJ seemed much perkier, this evening.  He appears to have a bit more strength and is more alert!  Yep...I will continue to bake!  Somebody appreciates it!

The Pecan Pie

  I live in the Deep South but it is a sad thing that I do not care for pecan pie.  I do not make pecan pie.  I do not eat pecan pie.  Oh, don't get me wrong, it is delicious....if you like sweet...really sweet...sickening sweet.  Pecan pies are sweet.  Each pie takes about a truckload of sugar mixed in with a few barrels of corn syrup.  Throw in a few tablespoons of butter, some salt and eggs then pour the mixture over two cups of pecans in a pie shell.  Oh, maybe add a bit more sugar just for good measure.  Yep, pecan pies are that sweet.  

  Last week, one of my "adopted" sons called me to ask a favor. "Could you make two pecan pies for me to take to our corporate Thanksgiving dinner?  I told everybody that you are the best baker in the whole state."  Well, although the statement is not even remotely true, what could I do?  When someone sweet-talks like that, it is hard to say no.  Bless his heart, he sure knows how to butter people up to get them to do whatever he needs.  So, I became a baker.  I made pecan pies...even though I had never made one before in my life.  He and his coworkers bragged on my attempts so I baked another last night for our Thanksgiving feast.  I figured if everyone else liked them, perhaps I had a misconception of the southern favorite.  

  The pie did not make it to the dinner table in one piece.  Mark sneaked a slice of the legendary southern treat while it was still warm from the oven!  "That is delicious!" he proclaimed.  Ok, ok...I will try a smidgen.  Yep, it was tasty.  Yep, I still found it far too sweet.  Still, I will make pecan pies in the future for those who desire to have their pecans covered in straight syrupy goop but I will continue to bake other treats for those of us who prefer to not have a massive sugar rush.  I have to admit, it does look impressive, though, and I can truly say I do, indeed, make pecan pies!

Oh, how I have missed you!

  They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder.   I can attest that it is true.  Being apart does, indeed, make a love stronger.  The yearning for togetherness is hard.  Then, when the separation is over, joy takes over again!  I know...been there and done that...I have missed you, dear bottle of sourdough starter!  You should have never left me but I am glad that you are back where you belong.  Life is good.  

  For years and years, a bottle of sourdough starter sat on the counter bubbling its way into my heart.  Breads of all sorts endeared themselves to me by sating the hunger pangs and, well, just tasting so delicious!  On one trip to Georgia to see the  Grandlittles, the starter up and died.  "Feed and take out the dog.  Feed and let the cat out.  Water the plants."  Such instructions were handed to Son when we walked out the door but not one mention was made to "Feed the sourdough starter."  The thing literally starved to death!  When we returned, I tried my best to revive the bottle of baking goodness but nothing happened.  I fed the starter but it was in vain.  Poor starter was dead.  Gone.  Kaput!  Never to be bubbly again.

  With all else I have been doing lately, I had forgotten all about sourdough bread until this morning. With our first cold front of the season putting a nice chill on the Bayou, I wanted to bake. On, my goodness!  Sourdough/cheese biscuits would be a delightful breakfast.  Oops!  Having no sourdough starter put a nix on that idea.  

  So, there was nothing else to do but mix together a new batch of starter.  Of course, I will have to wait for about ten days before the stuff is ready to be used, but, at least, I will have it when I wish to bake.  As soon as I covered the already bubbling jar, I had a request for a "start" of starter!  Yep.  I am willing to share.  Yep.  It is a good idea to share since this stuff will multiply exponentially if you do not bake every other day or so.  Yep.  I missed you, sourdough starter!  I am glad to have you back.

A Recipe is Just an Idea

  Son has always proclaimed "Mom, you have never found a recipe that you cannot change."  I am not sure that is a good thing.  Maybe?  He would further explain that I altered just about every recipe known to man.  These might be subtle changes like the amount of salt or massive changes such as leaving out ingredients, adding ingredients and totally changing the amounts of everything involved in creating the dish.  In other words, a recipe is, more or less, an idea that I play by.  No rules, no exact measurements, no recipes are sacred!  I will bend them all to suit my needs.

  This afternoon after all of the chores were done, Son mentioned that all of the Christmas and New Year's goodies were depleted.  Not one treat remained.  So, we baked.  First we took inventory of what remained in the baking supply cabinet and refrigerator.  We still had lots of cream cheese, too much cocoa and a bunch of caramel squares.  A chocolate/caramel cheesecake won out!  Did we need a recipe?  Nope, lets just wing it!

  A homemade brownie base was the beginning then a cream cheese layer topped with a good helping of melted caramel sauce!  Yep, this was beginning to sound like a grand idea!  "How do you know what goes into brownies or the cheese cake layer?" he queried.  "Whatever sounds good!" was the answer.  And it was good!  The pan was filled with just the right amount of everything to suit our taste.  He and I both agreed that this recipe should be written for future reference but, first, we really need to make it again so we can use that elusive measuring cup and the sets of measuring spoons.  I know we have these somewhere in this kitchen!

Going Back To My Childhood?

  A little ingenuity can go a long way in getting you through the day.  During each task we face, there are enough tiny obstacles to make us stumble if we do not call our wits into play.  None of these are earth-shaking events but more like minor nuisances.  Things that could be made easier if we used the brain.  I find that even in things that I have done a certain way my whole lifetime there is room for ingenuity to "fix" things.  Today's bit of genius came while baking.  Early this morning, I decided to bake some cherry/cream cheese bars and blueberry/cream cheese bars.  Because of the over use of filling, the bars are soft and gooey instead of being firm.  Getting the things out of the pan in one piece was a bit daunting.  The tiny, bite-sized cakes were not cooperating and were falling to pieces.  A full-sized spatula was too large to lift the bars but a fork was making them crumble.  Then, a brilliant idea came to me!

  I made a dash to the toy bin where I stashed all of the Grandlittles' toys. I rattled around a bit until I found the toy kitchen set, fished out the spatula and headed back to the kitchen.  Genius!  That toy metal spatula was the perfect fit for the bite-sized cakes!  The short handle allowed me to get into corners that the full-sized utensil would not.  This was perfect!  With the toy, I was able to make quick work of the pan of goodies and move on to the next.  

  Now I figure that I am going to pull a few more of those pint-sized utensils out of the toy bin and move them to the kitchen.  Why not?  If something works, it is what should be used.  I am good with it although, I did get a few strange looks from Son when he wandered into the kitchen.  He thought it was hilarious until I asked him to take out the last few.  "Hey, this really does work!"  See...told you!  So, I guess I am heading back into my childhood with this one or at least to the toy bin!

Two for the price of one!

  With the cooler nights we are having here lately, I have been in the mood for baking!  During the summer months, the oven heats the kitchen far too hot so things are kept to a minimum but let that temperature chill down a bit and I am one happy camper!  I was up with the birds this morning and ready to bake a batch of chocolate/mint cookies.  It is a good thing that Son loves his cookies because otherwise, I would be a big as a barrel!  Somebody has to eat all of these baked goods!

  To start, I gathered all of my supplies and then warmed the oven. Things were already making me smile.  Butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla....I started going through the recipe from memory.  Each ingredient was dumped in the large blue and white mixing bowl.  Next came the eggs.  These are fresh eggs from Mark's cousin.  Their chickens run about the place and lay lovely eggs.  We are given a nice supply each week.  I am not complaining at all!  The recipe needed two eggs.  One was cracked into a small bowl to be whipped before adding to the sugar mixture.  Aha!  Surprise!  A double-yolker!!!  Yep, the egg had two yolks!  Now I was in a quandary!  Do I add the other whole egg or just pretend this is two??  No problem.  I cracked the next egg.  I figure it is always better to add on the upside.

  Double yolk eggs are something of a novelty.  They are really not that uncommon on farms but are a rarity from the grocery store.  Those eggs are "candled" to check for conformity.  Occasionally a double yolk egg will slip by but usually not.  On farms, however, it happens more than expected. Why?  Well, a chicken usually lays one egg per day for her cycle.  The undeveloped eggs are held in the hen's ovaries.  Once an egg is laid for the day, a new yolk will slip down into the oviduct and be surrounded by a shell before being laid the next day.  Sometimes, two yolks will slip down and be surrounded by the same shell...hence the double-yolker.  This usually happens in very young hens that have just started laying or in heavy breed hens.

  While this is all good for us, it can be problematic for the poor hen. Sometimes, the hen can become egg bound or even have an egg break inside of her because of its abnormally large size. Usually, both cases are fatal for the chicken.  Will these double-yolk eggs hatch?  Most likely not.  Some do but usually the chicks do not survive.  Back on the farm, Pop would candle the eggs before letting a hen brood or before placing the eggs in the large incubator.  Candling is a common practice of holding a light (formerly a candle) behind the egg to allow the yolk sac to be seen through the shell.  This eliminated the chance of non fertile eggs or abnormal eggs being placed under the hen.  This was a good way for a farmer to insure that a hen would raise a full brood.  The "bad" or non fertile egg was used in the kitchen and Mama Hen would be assured to have a nice large family with healthy chicks.

  The egg today is just one of many that I have been getting lately. Seeing this one this morning was a reminder of how many we used to gather back on the farm. When you had several hundred chickens laying each day, a double yolk was not that rare.  There were even times when we would find the absurdly large triple yolk one!  Now that was a trip!  Oh, and Son says the cookies are great!

The "New" Way or A New Name for an "Old Way"

  I am learning....always learning.  Since my daughter is a vegan, I have taken it upon myself to learn to cook in her preferred style.  Not that she asks me to do such or that I must do this, I just do.  I feel that if I can create dishes that are delicious enough for my non-vegan family members, perhaps holiday meals will be simpler.  Yes, I will still prepare some meat courses for those who refuse to do without but I want to be able to offer her some special dishes as well.  So...I am learning.  

  First, there is a vast difference between being vegan and being vegetarian.  Darling Daughter dabbled in the vegetarian mode for a few years due to stomach problems.  It helped tremendously with her ailments and then one thing led to another and she became vegan.  She eats no meat or dairy which includes eggs.  No eggs!  I am a baker of sorts.  Nigh on every week, I bake at least five out of the seven days. Sometimes, I get oven happy and bake two or three times during a day just because the notion strikes me.  It was hard for me to find anything that I could bake for her.  Most every baked good has eggs or at least the recipe calls for eggs...along with butter, cheese or milk.  None of which are included in a vegan diet.  This called for a bit of improvising.  

  Today's dessert was made entirely vegan. I made a cake topping for some blackberries that I had on hand. I used applesauce instead of butter, almond milk instead of dairy milk and an egg replacement instead of eggs.  It turned out delightfully delicious!  Now before you go thinking that I rushed to the store to buy an egg replacement product, let me assure you that I am not one to dash off to the store when I am in need of something.  I "make do".  This bit of substitutions is not new by any means.  Our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents (and so on) all did it when times were lean.  They just did not have ready-made products to use.  Instead they experimented with what worked and made use of everything.  This idea is something we should all try.  Nowadays, we have all become so accustomed to having everything handed to us that we cannot think on our own.  Hmmm...that, my friends, is not a good thing.  

   Instead of some prepackaged product, my egg substitute was aquafaba.  What, may you ask, is that? Well, my friends, aquafaba is most likely a name create by someone who thought the term "bean juice" had a nasty ring to it.  Well, I do suppose if you are going to market something, it needs some fancy-smancy name.  However!  Here is the beauty of aquafaba!  There is no real reason to buy it if dried or canned beans (not green beans) are in your pantry. A can of white beans or chickpeas can yield quite a bit of the bean juice.  I suppose other beans can be used if you do not mind the color.  You can also cook up a pot of the lighter colored dried beans (think white beans, lima beans, navy beans or chickpeas.).  Before...BEFORE...you add any seasoning that makes those beans tasty, scoop out a good bunch of the water or juice.  It will seem thick and cloudy but that is a-ok! It is not the prettiest thing in your larder but that is a-ok!  It is something that you normally discard and using it is quite a-ok!   After you snag your bean juice, cool and store in the fridge (for up to a week) until you need an egg for baked goods.  Three tablespoons of the juice will make a fine substitute for each egg in a recipe.  Or, if you make hummus with canned chickpeas, save the juice when you drain the peas!  Perfect! Bean juice...errr...aquafaba does not change the taste of cakes, muffins, pancakes, waffles, puddings or anything else that calls for an egg. To be honest, you can even make fluffy meringue with the stuff!  (That is the true test of an egg replacement, now isn't it?) It does the same thing as the egg but is vegan-friendly.  It can also save you a mad dash to the store if you are short of eggs and you just have a craving for some tasty treat.  If you have a can of beans, make hummus to snack while you bake with the bean juice!  Now you know....the "new way" has been around for quite some time!

Just Wondering...

  "Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie" is line in what used to be a popular nursery rhyme back when nursery rhymes were popular.  The jingly little verses are now replaced by some most...umm...unusual tales and pictures but that is quite a different story.  I refer to this line merely because Grandmother used to sing it to me when we would sit in the big white rocking chairs on the screened porch.  Just before bedtime, she would let me sit and wait for the "people-watchers", better known as owls, to come.  Several small screech owls would often come to sit in her hanging ferns just to watch what was happening on the porch.  But...back to the blackbirds...I was pondering something all day. 

  My fall decorating is in full swing which does indeed include blackbirds.  While most folks wait until Halloween to place crows and ravens about the place, I include some in the fall decorations as early as August.  Crows raid the corn fields as the corn ripens in the fall so why not?  Anyway, I have strayed once again.  I placed a tiny crow/raven/blackbird...whatever...in the china cabinet with ceramic pumpkins and such.  This is a pie bird but for some reason always makes into the decorations.  This pie bird came from Great Aunt Thelma and it is one of the few items I have of hers.  I love it!

  My pondering involves this bird and nursery rhyme.  In culinary history, a funnel has been used as a vent when baking pies seemingly forever. The idea is to vent steam from building under the crust and causing spillage.  The original funnel was actually, well, funnel-shaped! (Imagine that!) Then some smart entrepreneur came up with the pie bird.  Cute!  The pie birds are usually in the style of a blackbird.  They are hollow with a hole in the bottom and a small vent hole in the open beak. The pie birds became all the rage.  For a while, no self-respecting baker was ever without a crow! Now they are more of a novelty culinary gift choice but are still quite useful. Question?  Did the pie bird come about because said smart person was singing the nursery rhyme while baking?  Or did the rhyme come about because of the pie bird?  And why don't folks use pie vents any more?  

  Great Aunt Thelma's pie bird sits proudly in the china cabinet.  It will occasionally be put to good use when baking but more oft than not, it just stays as a cherished knickknack.  My blackbird will sit amongst the fall decorations until October.  Then it suddenly changes from a crow to a raven! (Magical..yes?)  Anyway, hopefully this will be one of those tiny traditions that will pass down to one of my kids.  Hopefully, whoever inherits the pie bird will not be afraid to use it as intended and also as a decoration.  Hopefully, my kids will forever bake pies and other goodies! 

Just not quite right

Early this morning, I whipped together a batch of yeast dough to set to rising on the old woodstove.  I figured if I had to keep stoking that fire, I might as well make it do double duty.  The house soon smelled of bread dough which made me think of the delightful goodies to come from that growing blob.  To be honest, this mainly started because of my son, Michael, mentioning the Pecan Sticky Buns that "Aunt Ree-ree" used to bake.  This took me back to a time when the kids were small.  "Aunt Ree-ree" was their name for my Aunt Marie.  She lived just across the way and always welcomed my three tykes into her house.  She never questioned their fists full of "ditch daisies" that they offered her. Nor did she worry about their grubby bare feet. She loved them and they her.  It seems that one of Michael's favorite memories was being called to "run over and get some rolls."  The three kids would tear out of the house leaving the screen door slamming behind them.  Those rolls were none other than the Pecan Sticky Buns and she made the best!

I remembered that a few years ago, my cousin sent me the recipe.  After letting that dough rise while we went out back to chop and stack more firewood, I hunted that recipe.  It was a pretty simple technique and after just a bit, my two pans of Pecan Sticky Buns were sitting in the ooey gooey goodness of brown sugar and butter.  They needed to rise one more time before sliding the pans into the oven.  Oh, my goodness!  Those things looked divine already and they were not even baked yet!

Once the pan came out of the oven, Michael and I couldn't wait!  I turned the pan of rolls out on a plate to let the sugary goodness drizzle down onto the buns.  He poured us each a glass of milk and we sat down to have a taste.  I waited as he ate his first bite.  He looked at me and said "Close..really close."  Smiling, I knew that was a compliment!  Sometimes, things are never "just as good" as the way we remember them but that is the good thing about memories.  I know that no matter how hard I try, I will never to make those buns "just right".  Whether the mind has a way of idealizing pleasant things from the past or whether Aunt Ree-ree had a magic touch, mine will never be the same....and I am good with that!

Rainy days are baking days!

I think the Good Lord knew that I needed to be prompted to get in the kitchen to do that Christmas baking.  I have been procrastinating for far too long.  The table sat bare, the cookie jars sat empty.  No treats for my husband and son had been prepared at all.  So, today, He sent down heavy rains to keep me indoors.  Not being able to make my hasty retreat to the pier, I set to work.  Out came the flour, sugar, butter and eggs.  I gathered together the sifter, bake pans, mixer and wooden spoons.  Cocoa, ginger, nuts and berries all came out of hiding to join in the fun. I heated the oven and turned up the music!  We were having a baking day whether I felt like it or not!  Once I started, I got excited and really enjoyed my day.  To be honest, I dreaded this merely because my daughter and daughter-in-law are not here.  When they are here, the kitchen is filled with happy chatter and much laughter.  That always makes the baking much more fun!  We just enjoy our time together all the while making treats for our menfolk, extended family, neighbors, friends and anyone who happens to visit the Little Bayou House.  That, to me, is Christmas!

Today even though they were not here, I baked.  While I baked, I sang along with the Christmas Carols that were echoing throughout the house.  I thought about Christmases past and how happy the place seemed.  I thought about rain, cold weather, family, friends, ornaments and even reindeer!  Yep, it was a great day after all and I realized that even though my family is scattered all over the world this Christmas Season, we are still all together.  From Kuwait, Georgia, Louisiana and the Bayou in Mississippi, our hearts are all as one.  That...that will never be broken!  Kids....I am baking for you!  Merry Christmas!

Pecan Tassies!

Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house....I was in the kitchen baking cookies! Hmmm...that just doesn't have the same ring to it as the original poem by Clement Clarke Moore but that is just what I was doing all day..baking. In a way, this is sort of a dumb thing to do as Son and I are the only ones here for the holidays. If I do not watch out, I will double my weight in just a matter of days! There is just something about a table full of cookies and candies that screams holidays to me..so I bake! And I eat..after all, I DO have to sample the cookies to make sure they taste good! The table is filled with all sorts of goodies with more to come. Today's baking included..Fudgy Brownie Cookies, Chocolate/Mocha/Caramel Cookies, Carrot/Cranberry Spice Cookies, Mint/Chocolate Cookies and Pecan Tassies! Oh, my goodness! The house so smells like a bakery! The aromas are much better than any scented candle! Out of all the baking today, I think the Pecan Tassies are my favorites. These little tart-like things remind me so much of little fairy-sized pecan pies. They are a bit of work but..oh, so worth the effort! (I will include the recipe for the Pecan Tassies and some other cookies in the "Cooking on the Bayou" page as soon as I get them typed!)



After I quit baking for the day, Son walked through the dining room and told me that the table looked "scrumptious"! After second thought, I wondered if he meant the cookies looked scrumptious or if the table itself did..I never know what to expect from him! Still, if my table looks scrumptious then I am happy! The love of baking seems to be a thing that has been passed down through the family. I can always remember Mom, Grandmother and especially one aunt that baked so many unbelievably delicious breads, cakes, cookies and pies that it would put many professionals to shame. These ladies never thought twice about throwing something together and boy, when they did...whew! It was always spectacular! The array of goodies always was a highlight of any holiday. Now, I love to bake and Darling Daughter, Elizabeth could outdo us all! It just seems natural to see her in the kitchen with a mixing bowl and wooden spoon in hand! And, yes, we still use the wooden spoons most of the time for our mixing. None of these so-called time-saving devices for us! She and I both feel that if you want a baked good to turn out well, it is best to do it by hand.



The baking and candy-making will continue tomorrow and probably most of this week. It just seems like the thing to do. I guess a couple of brothers will receive some cookies soon as Son and his friends will never be able to eat all of the things that I have in mind to bake. ...."While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads".....

Egg-spearmintal procedures!

As expected, Darling Daughter, Elizabeth and I spent a goodly portion of the day in the kitchen baking up all sorts of goodies. Well, actually, she did most of the baking while I watched..we both talked......and giggled a lot. Things were going well until late in the evening when we both were starting to get a mite tired, then thing spiraled downhill at the speed of an otter on the mudflats. Things always seem to get hilarious at about this point so we probably did more giggling than baking. Still, the cookies got baked and times were good.

At about the midnight point, Elizabeth made the announcement that she learned a new way of peeling a boiled egg. Not that we were boiling eggs nor had any intentions of doing so until she explained the method of peeling said eggs. We just had to try it! Several eggs were put in the pot and on the stove to boil! An egg experiment was at hand! Like I said the giggling was in full swing as was the silliness of two tired bakers! The egg experiment soon became shortened to "eggsperiment". It just so happened that there was a pot of spearmint tea being brewed which soon led us to the "eggspearmint" (egg+spearmint). That downhill slide was quickly taking us to the Land of Balderdash. After a few more puns, the egg was boiled and she was ready to demonstrate the new and improved method of peeling a boiled egg. I was ready! (Just as long as I was not going to have to peel any eggs after midnight, I was game for anything!)

First, she tapped the egg on each end to bust the shell slightly. She then pulled away a slight bit of the shell on each end just to make a small hole. Now this was going to get a bit interesting! She picked up the egg and held it to her mouth. She blew into the small hole...the egg did absolutely nothing. We, on the other hand, broke into another fit of giggles! She blew again! Nothing! Giggle! By now, I think she was getting a mite dizzy from both the blowing and the constant snickering. This egg-peeling thing was going nowhere really fast!

My sweet son-in-law, Robbie, decided to come to her rescue. He tapped the second egg on each end just as she had the first. He would have more power behind his blowing and the egg should pop right out of the shell. He blew...nothing...so he blew harder! A high pitch whistle rang out. It sounded a lot like an old time radiator blowing its top. By the way, have you ever thought about how much louder noises seem at midnight in comparison to say..noon? This whistle was loud more like a scream! Anyway, beside the whistling, nothing more came out of that eggshell! He blew again....skriekk! Egads! That whistling would wake every critter on the Bayou! Again...giggles and whistles were the only thing that came from the "eggsperiment"! I asked her where she heard about this easy-peel method and she said "The internet!".....hmmmmmm...'nuff said.

Method in my Madness!

Ok..so I suppose I should not confess to making a huge mistake in the kitchen but today's baking was some what of an experience! It stormed all day giving me the opportunity to do some much needed housework. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon, I decided to bake! It seemed to be the perfect day for some type of treat. After searching through the kitchen, I still had no idea just what I wanted to make so I asked my son what he would like to eat. A definite "Peach pie!" rang down from upstairs..so that settled it. Aha..I could take the lazy way out! There was a store bought pie shell in the freezer! I am not sure just when or where it came from, but I was going to use it! I grabbed a quart jar of peaches from the shelf and drained the juice into a large pot. I needed to thicken the juice for the pie. Not thinking, I dumped some of what I thought was cornstarch into the cold liquid and started whisking it to remove the lumps. AACCKK! What was happening?? The approximately two cups of peach juice was foaming and frothing like a wild, rabid animal! And it was starting to GROW! The more I stirred the frothier it got until it started climbing out of the pot! What was happening to my peach juice..I could not use this in a pie..it was scary! The juice continued to foam up over the sides of the pot..oh my! What had I done? I shoved the pot to the back of the stove and grabbed a dishtowel to clean up the bubbles. That done, I went to the shelf..peered at the different cans, bottles and boxes. I imagined myself the mad scientist looking over his supply of chemicals..what would produce rabid peach juice?? hehehe..ahh..There is the solution! I can now take over the world with mountainous bubbles of peachy juice!! hehehe! Back to reality..I realized that I had inadvertently poured about four tablespoons of BAKING POWDER into the juice instead of cornstarch. I would have never guessed that such a reaction could have taken place. Such a waste (or was it??)..and I still needed to make this pie. I took down another jar of peaches and preceded to thicken the juice (this time with cornstarch) stirred in most of the peach slices and filled the pie shell. This was popped into the oven to bake while I pondered the pot of ever-growing, rabid juice. I am one that hates to waste anything, so out came a large mixing bowl, the flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, buttermilk and baking soda. (Yes, I know..no eggs.) After putting that into the bowl, the still frothing juice was added. I stirred it together and poured it into three pans! The peaches (leftover from the pie) were gently folded into this batter and the the whole bunch of them were set in the oven to bake. About forty-five minutes later the timer sounded. What came out of the oven was spectacular. Maybe not in aesthetics but in taste this concoction was astounding! It just proves that if all seems hopeless, keep trying..sometimes mistakes can produce happy results.

I might have had better pictures but my son cut into the "mistake" as soon as it came from the oven. I had gone to bring my two brothers each one and when I returned, all my son could say was.."You can make some more of this mistake..it is delicious!"...........The pie still sits uncut!