“Bronson,” she’d say, “I’m happy with my life just as it is, and I don’t need no man screwin it up!”

Shoot, I thought she must have been dropped on her head when she was a baby, cause all jokes aside, I happened to be a pretty good catch, but that’s just my opinion, mind ya.

But eventually, my persistence and good looks won out. Lol!

I’d say, “But dern Addison, you look good, ya got a good heart, you’re a fine Christian lady, ya like to hunt and fish, and even better yet…ya mow grass!”

“Honey, we were MADE for each other!”

She’d always respond… “Bronson, we’ve been goin to dinner ONLY cause we’ve been friends for so long, we’ve both been through the loss of our spouse, and I know it’s tough. I’m only tryin to help you through this.”

I’d respond, “Addison,” I didn’t DARE call her “Lucky” at that point, “I understand all that, BUT…dang if I ain’t startin to have some deeper feelins here than just goin out to dern dinner. Besides that, I’ve eat your cookin before, and you put on a pretty good feed bag when you set a table. You don’t seem to remember…I’ve eaten your groceries before, knothead!”

“You’re a nut Bronson.”

“You’re crazy, Bronson.”

These were my typical responses from her when I’d try to explain how I felt bout her, along with all my fine attributes.

Then one day, she slipped and let it out… “Bronson, I’ve been by myself for so long now…I DON’T even cook anymore!”

WHAT, I thought??? DON’T COOK ANYMORE???

Suddenly, it hit me right between the eyes that you know what??? She may be right on the money…maybe I am crazy, and a dern nut to boot??

What the heck I want with a woman who don’t cook??

That remark, “Bronson, I don’t cook anymore,”was like chunkin a bucket a water on a matchstick!

That fire that I thought was burnin inside me in my feelins towards her…went out like a light!

Gone!

Nada!

I guess she saw immediately that she’d said the wrong thing, cause she knew Bronson liked to eat bout as much as he liked breathin. Shoot, I always thought the two went hand in hand, you eat a mouthful of groceries…then ya take a breath! LOL!

Anyway, it must have struck her that the tables had been turned.

My chasin Kathrine went dead in the water right then, and…her chasin Bronson started up in earnest!

The very next night, I went down to her house and it had started.

I walked in, she was standin in front of her cookstove boilin water, didn’t look none too happy bout it either, but she knew in her heart, she had quite a bit of ground to make up if she was gonna land moi!!

I asked, “What ya cookin Addison,” and she said, “Here’s some water for ya some tea. Chunk in a bag or two, boil it and dump it in that pitcher there, bring it back to a boil once more, then dump it again, fill the pitcher with water, and ya got ya some tea.”

I asked her, “Why didn’t you finish it up yourself,” and she bein quite honest told me… “I didn’t want to mess it up, baby.”

I knew right then…she was mine if I wanted her!

Boilin water for me some tea.

Shoot, ain’t no tellin how long she’d been standin there, lookin out that screen door wonderin when I’d come pullin up!

Then it went on to butter beans, then one night okra and tomatoes stewed down just like I like em, AND then…some kind a dern rice she’d thrown together, and I’m here to tell ya…it was the best I’d ever put in my mouth.

Bar none!

That in itself is a mouthful, cause over the course of my lifetime, I’ve eat me some rice!

Shoot, I’d gotten so big at one point in my life that I had more “Chins” than a Chinese phonebook, and most of that from rice…and LOTS of gravy! LOL.

I guess she’d seen the impression that rice had made on me, and figured she’d better get me while the gettin was good.

It was then that she dropped to one knee and asked me to marry her.

It was maybe the most romantic thing I’d ever seen before, but her timin was off just a tad…

When she proposed, I’d just got me another BIG mouthful of that rice, and when I said “Yes, I’ll marry ya Addison,” I peppered her forehead with rice sayin I do!

Lookin back now, it was exactly the same kind of stuff they make movies out of!

So this morning, I figured we’d put up a couple recipes for you guys to try out, and I figured that rice recipe out ta be one of em!

But…it ain’t!

Ronnie, Kathrine’s husband was a watermelon farmer, and they used to travel all over Georgia growin melons.

One of the landowners, Sam Goolsby, had put together a cookbook, and had given Kathrine a copy. It is titled “Cedar Creek Game Cookbook,” and we’ll share a couple recipes out of it this morning.

With Lucky bein asleep still, I’m always up doin somethin, pickin up the house, makin our coffee (see, she really is Lucky).

So, we’ll now fire off Miz Judi’s Kitchen again!

I thought I’d use a couple recipes Lucky had bookmarked, with the first bein…

Batter Dipped Fish:

2 lbs. fish filets or steaks

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2/3 cup milk

½ tsp. salt

2 eggs

2 tbsp. melted shortening

Sift dry ingredients together and add mixture of milk and eggs. Add shortening. Dip fish, allowing each to drain slightly. Fry in hot shortening in skillet until brown, about 5-6 minutes. Drain and serve.

Yield: 6 servings

Fried Cheese:

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

2 slightly beaten eggs

½ cup flour

1 lb. Mozzarella cheese

½ cup dry bread crumbs, fine.

Dip ¼ inch slices of cheese into flour, then egg, then crumbs and fry about 2 minutes on each side in melted butter. Fry till brown.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Squash Casserole

4 pounds squash (yellow)

2 carrots (grated)

1 small onion (grated)

Salt and pepper to taste

½ stick butter

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup

1 pint sour cream

Pepperidge Farm corn bread dressing

Slice and cook squash in salty water, drain. In a mixing bowl add squash, grated carrots, soup, sour cream, onions, salt and pepper. Melt butter in bottom of casserole dish and sprinkle just enough of the dressing to absorb the butter.

Add squash mixture to this and sprinkle more dressing on the top, dotting it with butter.

Bake on 350 for 30 minutes.

You guys have a great day, God Bless you and yours, and remember to…

“Keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!”

Doug and Lucky

Well, it’s been a while, but looks like we’re gonna open up Miz Judi’s Kitchen again. Miz Judi was like… “I’m gonna let you back in MY kitchen and no Deb to clean up behind you?? Get outta here!”

But, here I am so, I’m beginning to think that her bark is worse than her bite, BUT, I’d be willing to bet if she WERE forced to bite…shed take a chunk out of ya!

Diane in Virginia sent me a joke I thought I’d share with you guys…

Before Obama was elected President he went to see Bill and Hillary for some campaign advice, at their spacious home. After drinking several glasses of iced tea, he asked Bill Clinton if he could use his personal bathroom.

That evening, when Bill and Hillary were getting ready for bed, Hillary smiled, and said to Bill: “I found out who peed in your saxophone.”

The next is from Diane too.

If you start with a cage containing five monkeys and inside the cage, hang a banana on a string from the top and then you place a set of stairs under the banana, before long a monkey will go to the stairs and climb toward the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, you spray all the other monkeys with cold water.

This, my friends, is how Congress operates… and this is why, from time to time:
ALL OF THE MONKEYS NEED TO BE REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME.

She sent me another one just recently also, but I’ll not share that particular one. It is a well written piece, and the author makes several great points, and I’m one that wholeheartedly believes in giving credit where credits due.

That is, until I find out “the author” just happens to teach at a major university up north of here…WAY up north of here…Athens to be exact.

You know where I’m talkin about by now, right? They bark like dogs, woof-woof, and their mascot IS a dog…named uga…uga sounds like tug-ga…without the t.

The dog don’t even look mean.

Every time I’ve seen the camera pan over to him…the dern thing looks plum give-out. Layin down, tongue hangin out, just a hasslin.

They ought to get some kind of a cool lookin mascot. I mean, how hard could that be?? Shoot, give me just a second or two, and I’ll come up with one right off the top of my head.…hmmm…what’s a good lookin mascot?

Now I didn’t spend anytime thinkin about this, but the first thing popped into my mind was that alligator one. Who is he supposed to represent anyway? I think it’s a team in Florida, right??? LOL!

One of Athens most famous graduates (Mr. Lewis G. hisself),described uga once as a creature that inside a FULL stadium, packed with spectators, would sometimes wander out towards the 50 yard line, sit down and start likkin itself, well…where dogs do.

His buddy looks over at him and says, “Hey Lewis…MAN…I wish I could do that!”

To which Lewis replies, “Man…that dog’d BITE you!”

Enjoy the recipes, God Bless, and keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

Fiesta Burgers

• ¾ cup crushed saltine crackers
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup catsup
• 2 teaspoons minced onions
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 (10-1/2 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen chopped green pepper
• ½ cup shredded natural Cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine cracker crumbs, eggs, catsup, onions, and Worcestershire sauce. Add meat and mix well; shape into 6 patties. In large skillet, brown the patties on both sides. Pour soup over meat; top with beans and green peppers. Cook, covered, over low heat 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and heat until cheese melts.

Kraut Burgers

• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 (8 oz.) can sauerkraut, drained and snipped (that’s probably cut up a little, huh?)
• 1 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• ½ teaspoon caraway seed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 hamburger buns, split and toasted

Preheat broiler. Combine ground beef sauerkraut, Italian dressing, onion, caraway seed, and salt and pepper. Shape into 6 patties, ¾ inch thick. Broil on broiler pan 3 inches from heat for 6 minutes. Turn patties and broil another 6 to 8 minutes.

Serve in toasted hamburger buns. Top burgers with additional sauerkraut.

Beef Logs

• ¼ cup crushed corn flakes
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 slightly beaten egg
• 2 tablespoons chopped ripe olives
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon snipped parsley
• ½ teaspoon minced onion
• 1 pound ground beef
• 6 hotdog buns, split and toasted

Preheat broiler. In mixing bowl combine corn flakes, sour cream, egg, olives, chili sauce, parsley, onions, and salt and pepper to taste. Add ground beef and mix well. Shape into 6 logs to fit the buns.
Broil on broiler pan 3 inches from heat until done, 9 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Serve logs on toasted buns.

Egg and Bean Salad

• 6 hardboiled eggs, chopped
• 1 (14 oz.) can baked beans in molasses sauce (1-3/4 cups)
• ½ cup sliced celery
• 2 tablespoons fresh or frozen green peppers
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• Salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste
• Bed of lettuce in individual salad bowls

In large bowl combine all ingredients but lettuce. Mix together lightly and chill until ready to serve. Serve salad over lettuce.

Today we’re gonna talk chicken here in Miz Judi’s Kitchen.

Course when our youngest son Red’s talking chicken, he’s talking about the time I wouldn’t get on Space Mountain. Or, maybe the time I wouldn’t ride the Ferris wheel at the fair with hm. Or, maybe what I become when I’m startled by of all things…a dern spider! Honestly I can’t stand them!

But since Red’s not here, we’re talking about the real chicken…chicken!

In today’s economy, and with food prices continuing to go up in cost, chicken is an option, but the last couple times Deb and I have been to the grocery store, chicken is going out of sight as well.
Deb and I feel that for all-round meals with meat, hamburger is probably our number 1 choice. First off it’s so versatile with the number of different meals you can set a table with.

Secondly there is absolutely no waste, whether it be bone or fat, and lastly we like it any number of ways, and it’s so easy to food saver and freeze, taking up little room in your freezer. But, hamburger too is going out of sight!

Deb paid $4.99 a pound a couple weeks back, and I saw it on sale for $3.99 a pound yesterday. Hamburger for $3.99 a pound…on sale??

Chicken would probably be our second choice, but we find pork to our liking as well. Okay, okay, maybe all this isn’t so much to Deb’s liking, BUT, personally…I like them all! LOL!

My point is this though. You can cut back your meat portions and still make good, nutritious, belly filling meals, and the best way we find to do this is simply some type of casserole dish.
Not all today’s recipes are casserole dishes, but most are, or just maybe close to being!

These recipes come from, once again Deb’s OLDER sister Louise, and her church’s cookbook. For those who haven’t been to our columns very often, Deb asks that when talking about her sister, I do so with emphasis on “sis’ being …OLDER!

Hey Weezie…Deb forced me to do this!

Before we get started, let’s check out a joke our good friend Edith, from Washington State sent us. Edith, not unlike us, likes a good chuckle every once in a while, and Deb and I both thought this…a good un!

THIS IS WHY WE LOVE LOGICAL OLD PEOPLE

A farmer stopped by the local mechanics’ shop to have his truck fixed. They couldn’t do it while he waited, so he said he didn’t live far and would just walk home.

The old lady replied, ‘Set the goose down, cover him with the bucket, put the paint on top of the bucket, and…I’ll hold the chickens!

After that, why don’t we fire the dern cook stove off and throw some vittles on?

Mesquite Chicken

• 1 large can of pineapple chunks
• 4 boneless chicken breasts flattened
• 12 oz. mesquite cooking sauce and marinade
• 1 jar broiled mushroom pieces, or fresh mushrooms sliced and sauté in butter
• 1 lb. deli sliced honey ham
• 4 thick slices Monterey Jack cheese

In a large skillet pour in the can of pineapples with juices and add chicken breasts. Cook over medium-high heat until the breasts are no longer pink in the middle. Remove meat from skillet and discard juices. Arrange breasts in a large casserole dish. Pour mesquite marinade over all the breasts.

Evenly divide first mushrooms and then ham onto each breast. Top each breast with a thick slice of the cheese. Bake on 350 about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Edna Doyle

Chicken Breast Casserole

• 4 chicken breasts, deboned and split in half
• ¼ lb. Swiss cheese, sliced
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• ¼ can sherry or dry vermouth
• 1 cup herb flavored croutons
• 3 teaspoons butter

Place raw chicken in a baking dish. Cover with cheese slices. Pour in soup mixed with sherry. Sprinkle croutons on top and dot with butter. Bake uncovered for 1 hour on 350 or until done.

Bernadine Scheck

Chicken Pot Pie

• 1 fryer
• 1 cup milk
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 (16 oz.) can Veg-All vegetables
• 1 can creamy chicken mushroom soup
• Pam

Boil fryer in salt, pepper and water. When chicken is tender, save 1 cup of the broth. Allow the chicken to cool and take the meat off the bones. Mix the soup, vegetables and broth in a medium sized bowl. Now add the chicken meat to the mixture. Spray an 8-1/2 x 11 inch pan with Pam. Pour mixture into pan.

For the topping; melt the butter and mix it with the flour and milk. Pour the topping in the pan on top of the meat mixture. Cook on 350 for approx.. 45 minutes or until the topping is evenly browned.

Betty Fortner

Chicken Dressing Casserole

Cook chicken and remove bones, (reserve ½ cup of broth). Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. Combine soups, milk and broth. Heat thoroughly. Combine stuffing mix and melted butter. Spread half of stuffing in a grease 9 x 13 inch pan. Layer chicken over this then pour soups over, and top with remaining stuffing. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes on 350.

Bernadine Scheck

Well, how bout all you Mothers? Did ya’ll have a great Mother’s Day? I know Deb and my Mom did. We went to Moms and had a great time. All of our kids and grandkids made it, so yes, Deb was in her environment!

My Mom as well had all her children, and was only missing one granddaughter from having all her grandchildren as well. All in all we had a great meal, a great time visiting, and a great day as a whole! We hope you guys did too!

Well, how about we take a look at what our good friend Gary sent to us…it’s about golf.

Two women were playing golf. One teed off and watched in horror as her ball headed directly toward a foursome of men playing the next hole. The ball hit one of the men.

He replied: It feels great, but I still think my thumb’s broken!

I thought that was hilarious, and thanks Gary for sending it.

Well, let’s fire off a cook stove and bake up a cake or two…

Milky Way Cake

• 8 milky way bars
• 2 sticks oleo
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2-1/2 cups flour, plus ½ cup more if flour is sifted first
• ½ teaspoon soda
• 1-1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Melt Milky Way bars and 1 stick oleo and set aside. Cream sugar and 1 stick oleo; add eggs. Add alternately flour and soda with buttermilk. Add melted candy mixture. Add pecans; fold them in. Bake in tube pan on 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Icing

• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup marshmallow cream
• 1 stick margarine

Cook sugar and evaporated milk to soft ball stage. Add chocolate chips, marshmallow cream and oleo. Stir until all melted. Spread on cooled cake.

Shirley Patterson

VV’s Chocolate Dump Cake

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup Crisco
• 1 stick margarine or butter
• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour and sugar in large bowl. In saucepan, bring Crisco, margarine, and cocoas to a boil, stirring often. Pour over flour and sugar. Add baking soda to buttermilk and add to above mixture. Add eggs beaten with vanilla. Bake in large, greased and floured pan on 350 for 20 minutes or until cake is done.

Icing

• 4 tablespoons cocoa
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 1 stick margarine or butter
• 1 box powdered sugar
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Five minutes before cake is done, mix and heat cocoa, milk, and margarine to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add sugar, nuts and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour over cake while hot.

Patty Sue Walters Griffin

Chocolate Apricot Fruitcake

• 1 cup dates, coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• ¾ cup raisins
• 1 cup Grand Mariner
• 2/3 cup flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon baking soda

Combine dates, apricots, raisins and grand mariner. Cover, let stand 2 days. Stir occasionally. Then drain fruit, pressing lightly to extract excess liquid. Reserve liquid. Place fruit in another bowl. Butter, then flour a 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 in baking pan (loaf).

Stir flour, cocoa and baking powder in small bowl. Add walnuts and set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Gently fold in flour mixture and fruit. Spoon batter into pan.

Bake for 50 minutes on 325 or until tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and glaze cake by brushing on ¼ cup of reserved liquid. Cool cake completely. Unmold and wrap in plastic. Store in container and let mellow for one week before serving. (Can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months.)

Jane Leathersich

Dirt Cake

• 1 (20 oz.) package cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• 2 (3 oz.) packages French vanilla instant pudding mix
• 3-1/2 cups milk
• 1 (12 oz.) carton non-dairy whipped topping

Blend cookies in blender until they look like potting soil. Set aside. In large bowl, beat cream cheese until light. Beat in dry pudding mix. Stir in milk and combine well. Fold in whipped topping. In clean 8 x 10 inch clay pot, alternate layers of crushed cookies, and cream cheese mixture, ending with a thick layer of crumbs. Decorate with silk flowers, if desired, and serve wityh a trowel for a spoon. Serves 8 to 10.

Bev Bray

Our friend Edith sent this video to us, and we thought we’d share it with you guys today. It’s very short, but if you’ve raised any children, especially “male children, “ then I’m sure you can relate!

This too comes from Edith…

A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they

were on the way to church service,

‘And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?’

One bright little girl replied,

‘Because people are sleeping.’

We have another friend who contributes “funnies” to us quite a bit, ole Diane up in Virginia. She sent us some animal pics the other day that were pretty funny, but cute as well. Anyway, at the end was a quote that got me to thinking…

“Life is short…smile while you still have teeth!”

Well, today’s recipes come from a cookbook we purchased at a supermarket here in town. We’ve used it before and again, there are some good recipes in it. It’s called, “Taste of Home…Casseroles and One Dish Meals.”

Today’s recipes are breakfast dishes, but, if you’re like Deb and I, there are many times we eat breakfast…for supper!

Baked Apple French Toast

• 20 slices French bread
• 1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup cold butter, cubed
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup

Arrange 10 slices of bread in a greased 13×9 in. baking dish. Spread with pie filling; top with remaining bread. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Meanwhile, place brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans and corn syrup. Sprinkle over French toast.

Bake uncovered, on 350 for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Beverly Johnston, Rubicon, Wisconsin

Bacon and Cheddar Strata

• 1 pound bacon strips
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
• 8 green onions, thinly sliced
• ½ cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 8 slices white bread, cubed
• 2 cups (8 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 cups 2 % milk
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet cook bacon in batches until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble into a large bowl. Add the red pepper, onion, and tomatoes. In a greased 13×9 in. baking dish, layer half the bread, bacon mixture and cheese. Top with remaining bread and bacon mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk, mayonnaise and seasonings. Pour over the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to baking. Bake, covered, on 350 for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Deb Healy, Cold Lake, Alberta

Sausage-Potato Bake

• ½ pound bulk pork sausage
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 jar (2 0z.) diced pimientos, drained
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• ¾ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
• Additional minced chives, optional

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium-heat until no longer pink; drain.

Arrange half the potatoes in a greased 8 in. baking dish; sprinkle with salt, pepper and half the sausage. Layer with remaining potatoes and sausage; sprinkle with pimientos.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, chives and thyme; pour over pimientos.

Cover and bake on 375 for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Uncover; bake for 10 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with additional chives if desired.

Ruth Rigoni, Hurley, Wisconsin

Reuben Quiche

• 1 cup, plus 3 tablespoons finely crushed Rye triscuits or other crackers
• 1 tablespoon rye or all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons butter, melted

Filling

• 5 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese, divided
• 1 package (2-1/2 oz.) deli corned beef, cut into 2 in. strips
• ½ cup sauerkraut, well drained
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt

In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, flour and butter; press onto the bottom and up the sides of an un-greased 9 in. pie plate. Bake on 375 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, sauté onions in butter until tender; set aside. Sprinkle ½ cup cheese over crust. Top with corned beef, sauerkraut, and remaining cheese. Whisk the eggs, cream, flour, mustard, salt and reserved onion mixture; pour over cheese.

Bake, uncovered, on 375 for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let quiche stand for 5 minutes.

Barbara Nowakowski, North Tonawanda, New York

Mom and Dad are coming down for lunch. We’re having Granny Margaret’s Meatloaf, peas, macaroni-n-cheese, Mom’s chili sauce, rice and tomato gravy and a good fresh salad.

After the meal, for dessert, Deb will be havin carrots dipped in beet juice for her sweet tooth, and I’ll be having the same, followed up immediately with a #1 washtub full of peach cobbler covered with homemade vanilla ice cream!

Just kiddin Mississippi, on both counts! That dern peach cobbler and homemade ice cream do sound good though, doesn’t they? Wonder when ole Deb’s headed back up to Live Oak to see her family?
Hmmm…

Granny’s meatloaf is a hit though…every time! Our whole family loves it, and 9 out of 10 times, they come down, that’s what Mom and Dad want for the meal. I gotta say, that mutha makes some really good meatloaf sandwiches the next day…or two!

We always cook about 3 times what we need. We eat about a third for lunch, eat about another third between sharin another meal or two with Mom and Dad, both of us having it for the next nights meal as well.

After that we’ll food saver the other third in some meal size packs…quick and simple dinner for one night down the road.

Well, why don’t we go back in Miz Judi’s Kitchen and fire off the cook stove?

Salmon Patties With Sauce

• 1 (15-1/2 oz.) can salmon, drained
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (8 oz.) can English peas, drained

Drain salmon; reserve 2 tablespoons liquid and set aside. Flake salmon; add onion and egg. Mix. Stir in ½ cup of flour. Add baking powder to salmon liquid. Stir well and add salmon mixture. Mix well. Make into 4 patties and fry in hot oil (375) until golden brown, (about 5 minutes.) Drain.

Sauce

Melt butter in saucepan. Add ¼ cup of flour, stir constantly, and gradually add milk, continuing to stir constantly until mixture is thickened. Stir in salt, pepper, and peas Serve over patties.

Sharon Bray

Crab Quiche

• 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups whipping cream
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 (6 oz.) packages frozen crabmeat, thawed and drained
• 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons sherry
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper
• Pastry for 9-inch pie

Line a 9-inch quiche or pie pan with pastry. Saute onion in butter until tender. Set aside. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add the whipping cream and salt, mixing well. Stir in sautéed onion, crab meat, cheese, sherry, and pepper. Pour into a partially baked (about 5 minutes) pastry shell. Bake on 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 for an additional 35 to 40 minutes until set.

Brenda Bray Harris

Baked Cheese and Shrimp Custard

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• ½ cup finely chopped celery
• ¼ cup butter
• 4 slices of bread, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
• ½ pound cooked, cleaned shrimp
• 1-1/2 cups American cheese, grated
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• ½ teaspoon salt

Saute onion and celery in butter for 5 minutes or until soft. Add bread cubes and lightly toss to coat with butter. Turn 1/3 of bread mixture into a 1-1/2 quart greased casserole. Add ½ the shrimp, then ½ the cheese. Repeat the layers of bread, shrimp, and cheese and top with a layer of bread mixture. Combine the eggs, milk and salt and pour over the layers; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake on 325 for 45 minutes or until set and a knife inserted in custard comes out clean.

Bea Bird

Vinegar Pie

• 1 stick margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

Combine margarine, flour, vinegar, sugar, vanilla and eggs, blending well. Pour into pie shell. Bake on 300 for 45 minutes.

Eva Dell Beaty

For all you younger guys that’s a pretty big deal. Relaxin, sittin on the couch, watchin a little sports, hollerin for “Mama” to bring ya a refill of some good cold iced tea, or just a good ole cold one period! You know, recreational time!

For all us “older gents,” Saturday ain’t a whole lot different than any other day of the work week. Why you younger guys ask? Well, all I gotta say is you better enjoy that recreational time now, cause once you get my age things change pretty drastically!

The reason…. “honey do’s!”

Ain’t no need it tryin to explain it to ya now, as it’d probably just go right over your heads, plus, there ain’t no need it bustin your bubble just yet…but your times comin!

Well, Kendra Bailey Morris…hmmm…

First off to be honest with you this morning, I’m not sure if she’s a married woman or not, and with that the case, out of respect I’m gonna call her “Miss Kendra.” If you happen to be married “Miss Kendra,” it’ll only take one e-mail to set me straight, and from here on out you’ll be…“Mrs. Kendra.” LOL!

That is unless you’re like my Deb, whom I refer to as “Mr. Deb” most all times, especially when I’ve aggravated her…cause she can whip me, now that I’ve gotten old and feeble! Shoot, she could probably whip me when I was younger, BUT, for a fact, today…she wears the britches in this family. Sad but true! LOL!

Anyway, Miss Morris wrote the cookbook, “White Trash Gatherings.” As you know, Deb and I post recipes from this book ever once in a while, although the past couple recipe posts we’ve done, have indeed, come from her book.

Yesterday I was checking out our spam, no, not the meat, and to tell you the truth, spam has gone crazy here lately. Daily anymore, we’ll have from 25 to 50 spam messages…drives me up the dern wall! So, I’ve gotten to the point I just hit, “empty spam,” and delete them all at once!

For some reason or other, I scanned down through them, and there was a message from… Kendra Bailey Morris. I was like, “Yeah right!”

I almost sent her back an e-mail to verify it, asking what was the name of her 3rd cuzin removed on her Mama’s side of her great-greatgranddaddy’s, first wife’s, aunt? If the answer came back “Raphael,” I would have known right of the bat…she was an imposter! I’d of been lookin more along the lines of say…Eugene, Jenkin, or even, Ovie Cecil.

But, after pullin up the link to her sight… http://fatbackandfoiegras.blogspot.com/ and browsin around some, I realized she WAS, the “Real McCoy!” DERN!

At first I thought her e-mail might have read… “Dub, you keep postin up my dern recipes, I’m gonna string ya up by your ears!” But, that wasn’t the case at all! What a genuine nice lady she seems to be, but at my age, I gotta say that I don’t let a woman make too much of a good, “first impression!”

Ole Deb did that years ago, and look what that got me!

Also, if Miss Kendra would have stated she’d string me up by my ears, I’d of had to told her that, really, that wasn’t possible. My ears couldn’t have supported that much weight!

One of the posts on her site also stated that she was wantin to take off ten pounds. Shoot Miss Kendra, don’t sweat the little things…I gotta toe that weighs 10 pounds! LOL!

Also, not meaning no offence, but your site kinda threw me just a little bit. Well actually it kinda “body-slammed” me at one point.

I was readin up on those dern “Senator’s Brown Beans and Fatback,” “K.G.’s Country Grit Bread,” “Sweet and Savory BLT Deviled Eggs,” and the “Ode to the Perfect Burger,” just about “foamin at the mouth,” literally, and then run right up against a dad-gum block wall!

“Yellowtail Sashimi?” Once again, no offence, but around here, we consider that…bait.

Next up was, “Uni Star” consisting of broiled eel wrapped around a mixture of spicy avocado and shrimp topped with a few sprinkles of panko crumbs.” Boiled eel, REALLY??

Good night a livin Miss Kendra, you just be careful eatin all that. I know you must be forcing it down, and with that bein said, just be careful only wantin to knock off 10 pounds, or so. On that type of diet you might knock off 20-25 pounds for you know it! LOL!

I don’t know of anybody in our family would eat something like that, UNLESS they were being persuaded somewhat. Like maybe…a gun to their head! Lol!

Seriously though, in regards to the raw fish and boiled eel, I’m just jerkin your chain!…kinda! In all honesty, we’ve never tried those types of food, and probably, if they were prepared properly (and I didn’t know what I was eatin till after I’d eaten it), we could come to enjoy such.

Joking around aside, I have to say in all sincerity, Deb and I both have really enjoyed “White Trash Gatherings!”

Your cookbook is very entertaining to read, it does bring back good memories of back when we were being raised, and you get all those good, “down home” recipes to boot! We feel you did a great job with it!

We picked our copy up at “Books-A-Million,” and are glad we did. We’ve gotten to the point we actually love reading through cookbooks anymore. Many, just like yours, are enjoyable reads. Something to kick back with out in the porch swing, or set back in the recliner with when there ain’t a whole lot on the tube!

One thing that impressed me was the fact that when we went to pay for your book at the checkout counter, they allowed us to purchase your book with Confederate money. God bless ya! Anymore, rare is the occasion to buy anything using Confederate script! Dern carpetbaggers!

Those boogers up in DC keep printin and spendin money like they are, the ole US dollar won’t be worth what a Conferate dollar’ll bring ya!

In closing today, we’d like to say thank you once more, Miss Kendra, for taking the time and droppin us a line. It, like your cookbook, was appreciated! If you’d ever like to post up one of your stories, or share other recipes with us…our door is always open.

We too believe in the fact that, as you state in your book, the “original White Trasher,” Ernie Mickler said it best… “Cooking food, laughing, and storytelling—that’s what we’re made of and that’s what we enjoy most!” Well said indeed!

Again, if you guys would like to check out Miss Kendra’s site for yourselves, and we recommend that you do, it’s… http://fatbackandfoiegras.blogspot.com/

(If I don’t get the hot link to come up, please take the time to type it in and go to it that way. You all know ole Dub’s a technological dinosaur! You can also go to our comment page and hot link from Miss Kendra’s comment using her hotlink. It’s pretty evident that not only is she a lot purtier than I , but much smarter too!)

Before we do close out, let’s take a moment to put a smile on our faces…

Our good friend Diane, has stepped up once more to share a little story, actually two, with us today. As always, thank you Diane…you’re the best!

The Redneck Diet

A Redneck man was overweight, so his doctor put him on a diet.

‘I want you to eat regularly for 2 days, then skip a day, then eat regularly again for 2 days then skip a day …… And repeat this procedure for 2 weeks. The next time I see you, you should have lost at least 5 pounds.’

When the man returned, he shocked the doctor by having lost nearly 40lbs!

‘Why, that’s amazing!’ the doctor said, ‘Did you follow my instructions?’

The man nodded … ‘I’ll tell you though, I thought I was going to drop dead on that 3rd day.

‘From the hunger, you mean?’ asked the doctor.

“No,” replied the redneck, “from all that skipping!”

Little Johnny

The kids filed into class Monday morning. They were all very excited. Their weekend assignment was to sell something, then give a talk on salesmanship.

Little Sally led off. “I sold Girl Scout cookies and I made $30″ she said proudly, “My sales approach was to appeal to the customer’s civil spirit and I credit that approach for my obvious success.”

“Very good”, said the teacher.

Little Debbie was next. “I sold magazines” she said, “I made $45 and I explained to everyone that magazines would keep them up on current events.”

“Very good, Debbie”, said the teacher.

Eventually, it was Little Johnny’s turn. The teacher held her breath. Little Johnny walked to the front of the classroom and dumped a box full of cash on the teacher’s desk. “$2,467″, he said.

“$2,467!” cried the teacher, “What in the world were you selling?”

Toothbrushes”, said Little Johnny.

“Toothbrushes”, echoed the teacher, “How could you possibly sell enough tooth brushes to make that much money?”

“I found the busiest corner in town”, said Little Johnny, “I set up a Dip &Chip stand and I gave everybody who walked by a free sample.” They all said the same thing, “Hey, this tastes like dog poop!” Then I would say, “It IS dog poop…wanna buy a toothbrush?”

God Bless you guys, and have a great day, and an even better weekend! Deb says once more for you to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

Well, today I’ve been back in that dern cookbook, “White Trash Gatherings,” and found a few more recipes I’d like to share with you. I get a kick readin through this cookbook, and it’s about my 4th or 5th pass in it.

It’s really entertaining to read, and if you guys were born in the South, around my time, much of it brings back memories. Good, old, down home memories. I think of my Granddaddy Troy, his wife and my Granny Margaret, and my Mom’s mother, my Nanny Murphy.

Boy, what a different age we live in today. Life was so much simpler then. Don’t get me wrong, life was hard, and you WORKED for what you got…there were no such thing as… “ENTITLEMENTS!!!!”

If there had of been, most would have been too ashamed to have taken them! Don’t get me wrong…people did help people, but it was neighbor helping neighbor. They didn’t need, nor wanted “Uncle Sam” minglin in their business! They took care of one another.

They did love their Country deeply, very deeply as a matter of fact, and didn’t hesitate to respond if duty called, yet their business was just that…THEIR BUSINESS! Once more, Uncle Sam had his place, and it wasn’t tellin them how to live…they wouldn’t tolerate such.

Yet today, we have created an environment of…gimme, gimme, gimme, OR, what’s yours is MINE TOO! It’s expected that we give part of our hard-earned money to people who mainly…just don’t want to work. Get this…it’s expected, and even worse, the ones we’re givin it to, no longer appreciate the fact that we’re doin just that…givin it to em.

Plus, many of the ones expectin, and takin…aren’t even citizens of our Country! What have we come to? What used to be a Nation of achievers, the very best on the planet, is fast becoming a Nation of…YOU OWE ME’S! My thoughts on this…##%**!!…**??!!

Let me get back to these recipes before I DO get angry, and mess around and burn down Miz Judi’s Kitchen by not payin attention to this dad-burned cook stove! 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. Okay, okay, I feel much better now.

Take a look at pickin up this cookbook. Again, it was written by, Kendra Bailey Morris, and published by ten Speed Press. Revisit your past, and take a stroll down “memory lane!” It’ll do us all some good!

Pinto Bean Pie

• 1-1/2 cups dried pinto beans
• 3 medium, or 2 extra -large eggs, beaten
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Whipped cream for serving

Cook up your beans in a plain ole pot of water until real tender, about 3 hours at a low simmer. Strain, and reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid.

Turn your oven on 450.

Get out your blender and puree your beans with the ½ cup liquid. Your mixture should look like thin mashed potatoes. Add the rest of your ingredients and mix real good. Pour your bean filling into a 9 inch pie shell and bake for about 15 minutes. Turn your oven down to 350 and cook your pie for another 45 to 55 minutes, or until it sets up. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Miss Oma’s Grape Jelly Meatballs

• 1-1/2 cups Burney Papper’s Chili Sauce (recipe below)
• ½ medium-sized jar grape jelly (more if you like it sweet)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper, as much as you’d like

Put your chili sauce and grape jelly in a crockpot set on medium-low heat.

For your meatballs, mix together the ground beef with the rest of your ingredients. Carefully shape the mixture into small balls, taking care not to roll the meatballs too tightly.

Fry the meatballs in a shallow pan of hot oil until they’re brown on all sides. Add them to the grape jelly mixture and simmer until nice and tender. Serve straight from the pot with toothpicks.

Burney Papper’s Chili Sauce

• 1-1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt, plus more as needed
• 9 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onions
• 2 whole jalapenos, sliced in half
• 1 whole cinnamon stick and 1 teaspoon whole cloves, tied up in a cheesecloth

Get your vinegar, brown sugar, and salt to boiling in a good sized pot. Add your tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Add the tied up spices. Cook, uncovered, on low heat until thickened (about 1-1/2 hours), stirrin every now and then. Skim off your foam from time to time. For a thinner sauce, cool and puree in a blender. Store in pint jars.

Ollie V.’s Gingerbread

• 1 cup molasses
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup very hot water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon allspice

Turn your oven on 350. Grease up an 8 inch square baking pan.

Stir up your molasses, butter, and hot water and add your egg. In another bowl, mix up your dry ingredients. Add your molasses mixture to your dry ingredients and mix everything up real good with a wooden spoon. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out nice and clean. Serve warm with a dollop of fresh cream.

We hope you guys enjoyed today’s recipes, and we’d like to thank Kendra Bailey Morris once more for her cookbook, “White Trash Gatherings.” Deb and I have enjoyed it immensely!

Before closing this morning we’d like to share with you guys…”Praying Hands.” It was sent to us by our friend Gary, and we felt you guys would enjoy reading about this well-known painting and the story behind it…

The Praying Hands

Many of you would have seen the picture of “The Praying Hands”, which is present in many Christian homes, but would almost certainly not have heard the moving story behind this popular picture. Here is the story.

THE STORY BEHIND THE PICTURE OF THE PRAYING HANDS

Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with
eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this mob, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.

Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of the elder children, Albrecht and Albert, had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.

After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.

They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg . Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht’s etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils
were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.

When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht’s triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honored position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfill his ambition. His closing words were, “And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you.”

All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, “No. ..no…no. ..no.” Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, “No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg . It is too late for me. Look …look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother …for me it is too late.”

More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer’s hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver-point sketches, watercolors, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer’s works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.

One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother’s abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply “Hands,” but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love “The Praying Hands.”

The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, if you still need one, that no one, no one, ever makes it alone!

“In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

Proverbs 3:6

The Praying Hands

Thanks Gary, and sendin our regards, buddy!

You guys have a great day, and God bless you and yours. Deb says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

You know, ole Deb and I kinda like piddlin around a cook stove ever once in a while, and we do pick-up, or somebody will send us a cookbook. Actually in today’s cookbooks, many times you can also read up on the “back in the day” lifestyles, and some are very entertaining, and good reads to boot. We enjoy them.

Anyway, we’ve shared some other recipes from the cookbook we’ll be using today, and it falls into the funny, “back in the day” category. But it also has some very good, “down home cookin” recipes as well.

Its title once again is, White Trash Gatherings,” and was written by Kendra Bailey Morris. It was published by Ten Speed Press.

I’d come back in this morning after a couple cups of coffee, sat down in my easy chair and picked up this book once again. Yep, you guessed it, ole Deb was still sleepin…how else could I have possibly sat down in my easy chair? Once Deb gets up, there ain’t much takin it easy after that!

So, while Deb’s sleepin in, and our “little girl,” girl, Cheyenne was gnawin on a bone in the floor beside me, I flipped through the “White Trash Gatherings” once more. Readin through it, I came upon those dern “Drunken Weenies” again and thought to myself…I’m gonna post them rascals today, so, let’s get started!

Drunken Weenies

The author states in her book that “these little weenies really pack a wallop. Made with a good amount of bourbon, these little guys are as liquored up as YOU”LL be after eatin em! (Caution: Keep away from children unles you want their game playin to consist of “Quarters” and “Keg Stands!”

• ½ cup bourbon
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup brown sugar
• Cocktail weenies

Mix all your ingredients in a pot and cook, uncovered, on low for 30 minutes. Transfer to your favorite crockpot and serve right outta the pot with a toothpick.

Remy and Max’s Dried Apple Snacks

• About 12 tart cooking apples, peeled and quartered
• 2 cups apple cider
• ½ cup honey (use more or less to suit your own taste)
• 45 cinnamon red hot candies (again, use more or less to suit your own taste)

Put your apples and cider in a big ole pot and bring up to a simmer. Stir every now and then so it doesn’t stick. Cook your apples on low-heat until you get a sort of watery apple butter. Then cool the mixture and throw it into your blender(if you have a fancy food processor, now’s the time to pull it out). Mix it up good. Then throw it back in the pot and add your honey and candies. Cook until your mixture starts to look like thick apple butter.

Put some parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread out your apple mixture about ¼ inch thick. Then stick the mixture in the oven on real low heat (about 120 degrees) to dry it out. Keep the oven door just a bit ajar so all the moisture can escape. This will take about 14 hours.

Take it out of the oven, let it cool, and then peel it off the paper and roll up jelly roll style. Cut into slices. Store in a Ball jar.

Big Butt Bea’s White Trash Nachos

• ½ box buttery crackers
• ½ pound sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (use more if you like it cheesy)
• ½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• Pickled Jalapenos (optional)
• Sour cream, for serving
• Salsa, for serving

Turn oven on to about 400. Line up a casserole dish with buttery crackers. Sprinkle with some cheese. Top with crumpled bacon and jalapenos. Bake it until your cheese is good and melted. Serve with sour cream and salsa. Play a little mariachi music in the background for added Mexican flavor.

Devil’s Delight

Beat your cream cheese with an electric mixer and then add the rest of your ingredients. Mix it up real good. Then put it in the fridge and set back and relax while it chills. Serve with chips or Melba toast.

We hope you guys enjoy these. Before we take off today, our good friend Gerry, up in Western Canada, sent us a story about curtain rods. Deb loved it, but then again…it sounds just like something she’d do!

Thanks Gerry, and God Bless ya buddy!

Curtain Rods…

On the first day, she sadly packed her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases.

A week later the man and his girlfriend stood smiling as they watched the moving company, pack everything up to take to their new home ……. and to spite the ex-wife, they even took the curtain rods!

You guys have a great day, and God bless. Despite the curtain rods, Deb still says to tell you all to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

It had gotten SO dry down here…the trees were bribing the dogs!

It had been SO hot and dry, the birds were pullin worms outta the ground…usin potholders!

I was tellin Deb that it had been SO dry, I saw our neighbor Skeet feedin his chickens crushed ice to keep em from layin hard-boiled eggs.

Her response, “If Skeet’s brains were made of gasoline, he wouldn’t have enough to ride a motor scooter around the inside of a doughnut.” I left fore she could start on me!

Anyway, tonight we’re supposed to have another couple good batches, and we’re sure needing all we can get.

Well, the grow area is planted, and irrigated! YES! We like 1-1/2 rows, but that for the black tomatoes. They’ll be out there too, before long. The start off is just about behind us, and I gotta tell you guys again…I’m havin a ball watchin this stuff grow. It’s a little different, but we’re getting the hang of it.

Changing gears, we sure hope all ya’ll are doing fine. We’d seen where there were some areas that had been having some really nasty weather, and we hope you, and all your loved ones, are all in good shape.

Today’s recipes come from a book very similar to our last post’s recipes. They were from “White Trash Cooking,” while these come from… “White Trash Gatherings!” I think I recognized some of ole Deb’s people in this one…. “GATHERIN!” LOL!

It was written by, Kendra Bailey Morris, and published by Ten Speed Press. We’ve used some of her recipes before, and have gotten a kick out of her book, plus some pretty dern good recipes. Get ya one!

Miss Motley’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken With Torpedo Gravy

• 1 frying chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 cup buttermilk
• Flour
• Salt and pepper, as much as you’d like
• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup shortening
• Paprika
• ¼ cup water
• 1-1/2 cups evaporated milk, more1-1/2 cups whole milk
• Reba May’s Creamy Mashed Potatoes (below)
• Angel Biscuits (below)

Make sure your chicken pieces are all the same size, and are all on the small side. If the breasts are too large, cut em into halves. Two to three hours before you plan to fry, rinse the chicken and put it into a large sealable plastic bag with the buttermilk. Store in the fridge until ready to cook.

Take a brown paper bag and put enough flour to easily coat the chicken in it. Add salt and pepper, as much as you’d like. Remove your chicken from the buttermilk and put it in the paper bag. Shake your chicken up good and get ready to fry it. Save your flour mixture foe making gravy later on.

Melt equal parts butter and shortening in a cast iron skillet. Have your heat at medium to medium-high, but be careful not to burn the butter. When the pan is hot, drop your chicken in the pan and brown on each side. Sprinkle paprika on each side along with salt and pepper the way you like it. Cook for about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium –low, add the water, put a lid on the pan, and steam the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes. Take off the lid and continue to cook the chicken on each side to crisp it up again. Place the chicken on a rack to drain.

Scrape up the little crispy pieces from the bottom of the pan. Add 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of the flour mixture from the paper bag. Stir, scrape, and cook for about 3 minutes. Add equal parts of the evaporated milk and the whole milk to the mixture and stir real good. You should have about 3 cups of liquid. Bring up to a low simmer. Continue stirring until your gravy thickens (the secret to a first-rate gravy is good drippings and fast stirring). If you find your gravy is getting too thick, add a little evaporated milk. Add salt and pepper the way you like it. Serve up your gravy with a mound of mashed potatoes and hot biscuits.

Reba May’s Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Peel and cut enough potatoes into chunks for your group. (I always make a little extra, so there will be leftovers for next-day tater cakes). Cover your potatoes with water and cook until tender. Save your potato water to use when mashing.

Heat your mashing liquid, which should be half evaporated milk, half potato water, and a big chunk of butter. Using your potato masher (NO electric mixers!), smash the potatoes and add enough hot liquid to make them fluffy. Add salt and pepper the way you like it. Pile the potatoes in a big bowl and make a well in the top of your potato mound. Add a generous spoonful of butter into your potato well while your potatoes are good and hot. Let it run down the sides like a tasty, buttery volcano.

I gotta tell you guys, while I’m posting this…I’m slobbering at the mouth!

Angel Biscuits

• 1 package active yeast
• 2 tablespoons very warm water
• 5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 egg white, whisked

Turn your oven to 400. Grease up a baking sheet.

Dissolve your yeast in a bowl with warm water. Let it stand for about 5 minutes, or until foamy. If it doesn’t foam too much, use it anyway. Your biscuits will still be delicious. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a big bowl.

Cut in your shortening using 2 knives. Make sure you have small grains of shortening. Now, add your buttermilk and yeast mixture. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for a minute or so. Don’t worry if your dough is a little sticky. And be sure to go easy on the flour.

Roll out your dough to about an inch thick and cut your biscuits with the open end of a clean tin can or with a biscuit cutter. (My Granny once told me; avoid twisting off your, can or biscuit cutter when you’re cutting up biscuits as it can keep your biscuit from getting a good rise). Brush the tops of each biscuit with a little egg white. Put your biscuits on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Heavenly!

Reba May’s Next-Day Fried Tater Cakes

Take your cold leftover mashed potatoes and shape em into ½ inch thick cakes about the size of a Ball canning jar lid. Dip both sides of the cakes lightly in flour. Fry over medium-heat in shortening in a cast iron fry pan till both sides are browned and crispy. (Cast iron fries up the best cakes). Season them with salt and pepper the way you like!