Pecans and Pimento

If idle hands truly are the Devil's workshop, then my Daddy had nothing to worry about.

Working was his hobby.

Don't get me wrong, he loved to talk to people and to pick on them, but never did he tary long. He had things to do.

When fall arrived, and winter was near, Daddy loved to pick up nuts, and crack them in his rocking chair by the gas hearter, after supper.

Each night, as he came to the house from the shop, where he cut my wood for me to paint, he would wander toward the orchard to pick up a pocket full of pecans.

With two cooks in the house, we knew how blessed we were to have a never ending supply of pecans!

When our tobacco barn burned several years ago, Daddy was kindly trying to make sure the fireman kept the GOOD Pecan tree watered, because the barn could not be saved, but the tree could produce.

I laughed at him, but he was right!

Today, as I was trying to get Charcoal to come back to the house,  I stood 8 feet away, screaming at him, as he ignored me. It drives me crazy!!

When he finally decided to acknowledge my presence on the earth, we were walking back, when I stopped to get a stick to throw, and I saw a Pecan on the ground. I had no idea there was a Pecan Tree there!

We got back inside and enjoyed the roast/carrots/potatoes/onion/celery I had cooked on this chilly morning.

He took a nap and I putzed. As the day was drawing dark, I decided to go see if there were pecans at the GOOD tree.

There was one...then another. I decided to try to get 100! I got approximately 112, in case one or two were bad, and, well, there were one or two bad ones! 😁😂🤣😃

Yep, like momma, I count stuff! 🤤

I am so excited to have a quart bag of mostly, pecan halves.

It felt so good to feel like I spent the day with Momma and Daddy, doing something that was so special to them.

Making memories out of memories.♡

All of this kinda goes along with my Facebook post about what was in your refrigerator when you grew up?

I had a friend ask HOW to make pimento cheese.

Well, y'all know that I don't measure stuff, but maybe this can get you there.

Pimento Cheese was always made with American Cheese, at my house.

As I have gotten older, I have discovered that you can use your favorite cheese or cheeses mixed.

Last night, I made my "lazy" pimento cheese.  I even mixed it right into a ziplock bag,  so all that was dirty, was the fork I used to dig out the Miracle Whip! 😁😂🤣😃😄

Of course, if you want to mix it in a bowl, as most normal people do, go for it, but really--normal??!

I simply emptied a 2 cup bag of Sharp Cheddar Cheese into a quart ziplock bag. 

Added a 4 ounce jar of chopped pimento. 

A few shakes of black pepper (If you don't like pepper, don't add it, cause momma never did! 😁😂🤣😎)

Enough Salad Dressing (Miracle Whip) to bind it together--start with 1/2 cup, and remember, when it gets cold, it will get dry, or hard. I have no idea how much, really, because I just threw in 2 big blobs..😁😂🤣

I added about 2 Tablespoons of sugar to cut the tartness.

Close the ziplock, and gently combine the ingredients.

Throw it on a piece of celery, and you have Heaven on Earth!

This is the basic recipe, and there are tons of recipes on Pinterest. Many use Cream Cheese. Some add garlic...onion...Some use different cheeses...but I have shared what I grew up eating.  Mother made it in the blender, so it was smooth.  Not much is better than pimento cheese on white bread, cut on a wedge, served alongside homemade chilli! 

If you really want something fancy, add some crushed pineapple in there...

You can add jalapeno, too!

Today has been a good day.

I am, once again, reminded of how blessed I am! 

When you get sad, pull out a favorite recipe and make it with a merry heart.

I am simply blessed to create~charlotte ♡

Getting old...

Getting old ain't for sissies. 

We have all heard this and have watched our parents and older friends sometimes struggling, all the time, thinking it will NEVER be us--nope, ne-va!

BUT, over the past few years, I find myself repeating: "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, I'm like my Mother afterall!"

Heavy sigh...

Ok, stop laughing! 

STOP IT NOW!

Oh, it has probably been true the whole time, but we refused to admit it.

As the body begins to fade, the moments become more Lucy-esque. 

We tell ourselves, "NO, I don't need to write that down" when the truth is, we probably won't be able to FIND the note, anyway.

My greatest lie to myself is, "I don't need to go get my glasses" as I go to the cupboard to prepare a can of Chicken Noodle soup to warm me, while the young one pants from heat (yes--story of my life with Charcoal).

So, I fumble and find that all too familiar can that has been a staple my entire life.

I go to the stove to prepare it...NOBODY has to read the instructions, for we all know that you add one can of water to the soup. I certainly did NOT need my glasses for THAT!

BUT, as I was pouring it out of the can, I noticed the noodles looked weird, and, my goodness, for a soup that has quadrupled in price, they sure have gotten cheap and stopped putting in enough noodles! WOW! 

To the microwave, I went...Pushed the 2 (whew...I am glad it automatically starts, or I might really have to go the extra steps to get those glasses!)...

Ah, the sweet music of the ding! 

I go to the stove, pull up the stool and take that first anticipated spoonful of yummy....


Aaaaahhhhhhhyuuuuuuuucck! 

That is the nastiest thing EVER!!

I Grab the can and look....

Yep...chicken Noodle soup....

Buuuuut...wait, it says something else!

So, I quickly go to retrieve the glasses, only to read, LOW SODIUM READY TO EAT.

Oh, no, excuse me--this stuff is NEVER going to be ready to eat...ick...ick...ick...ick!!

I wondered what would happen if I put SALT in it...I didn't think that would help...whew...nasty! 

I picked up the can to see if I could read what went so wrong ...

I wondered HOW it got in the cabinet, when I remembered having fun at the grocery store, and, yes, I picked up the can WITHOUT my glasses...sigh

As I read the can, the words, "ready to eat" came into sight, again.

I finally turned the can around to see the instructions, "Do not add water."

What the...

There was going to be no way to make this right, so Charcoal got a treat, and, luckily, I had another can of the GOOD stuff! 

So, as the body creeks and cracks and I groan, I smile at my silliness and give THANKS to God for the gift of laughter.

The seasons march onward, and my body begins to crave "summer food" and I giggle like a child, only appropriate as I must be getting closer to my second childhood, although, I am not certain I really ever left the first childhood. 

I LOVE that the Vidalia onions are in the stores, and the tomatoes are tasting like REAL tomatoes, so I grab a can of Garbanzo beans, drain them, and chop the onions, tomatoes and parsley together for one of my favorite treats (sometimes I add ham)...

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh...

Life is GREAT! 

I offer PRAISE for being fearfully and wonderfully made and that I was so blessed to have had such a great life growing up on the farm.

Make some memories with your family and friends, because, some day, that might be all that is left.

I am simply blessed to create ~charlotte ♡

I am a Chicken

What another beautiful day in Middle Tennessee!

Charcoal and I walked around the pond for the second day, and I tell ya, my pj bottoms (yes, I was in my "uniform") got hung on a blackberry stem, and I didn't think I would get loose! Charcoal FINALLY came to check on me. I escaped with only one briar in my finger.

Ah, the antics of my life.

A few days ago, I was chatting with a painting friend, and we got on the subject of chickens.

For most people who have painted for a long time, you have painted lots of different subjects, with most coming in batches. 

Chickens was once about all I painted for a year. I painted them on everything--pots, jars, birdbaths, small tables, stools, signs, plaques, 6 feet signs, glasses, tiles, rocks, bricks, cut outs--just about anything you can imagine, in many different sizes and colors.

I got pretty good at painting them, but had no idea if I could still paint one.

So, today was the day.

I would try to paint a rooster.

I am showing pictures of the steps. It is painted on an 8x10 canvas. Most of it is painted using a dirty brush. That means that I painted wet-on wet and mixed the colors as I was painting my surface. This is how I taught myself to paint and is still my favorite way to paint.

So, why did I paint so many chickens?

I had a customer who collected them. For every holiday, her husband stopped in to buy her another one. I was seldom without a new one.

The customer told about having to get an electrician to do some work in their house. He explained what the electrician was about to see, but not to worry. He could move whatever he needed to move. 

The moment came and they walked into the house. The man froze as he looked around. He then said, "well, cock-a-doodle-damn!"

That was one of mother's favorite stories.

Oh, how we all need to laugh more! 

It is fun to see the people who have moved in and out of my life AND the thousands of pieces of art I have painted.

Maybe more chickens will be in my future--one never knows, does one!

Have a Blessed Easter as we REMEMBER. 

I am simply blessed to create ~charlotte ♡

Orange Cookies

As you know, I have my days and nights mixed up, 

and try as I may, I cannot get on a

 normal person's schedule.  

And when I try, I just make it worse.

This week, I am on the get up at 2 am schedule.

SO, at 4 am, I was making cookies.

Yesterday, I had crushed the Vanilla Wafers 

in a zip lock bag.

I sat the Orange Juice out to thaw.

I was committed at this point to finish!

As always, I seem to have a helper 

that had his own ideas.

After melting the butter, 

I thought Charcoal would like to 

lick the butter wrapper and plate.

He did...

He also ate the wrapper.

Paper is one of the main Food Groups for Labs.

Did you want the wrapper back?  Did you have plans for it?

I got the cookies made, and Look--he got the roll of Butter Rum Lifesavers off of the table and brought them to his "safe place".

Mean ole Mommie took the lifesavers away...

This is one of my most favorite cookies.  

I love that they have been in our family 

almost as long as I have~~lol

Ok, so I was 10!

My cousin, Cheryl, gave Mother the recipe in 1972.

Mother loved them, too.

She loved them rolled in Coconut.

Not me, so she rolled me some in Powdered Sugar.

That was the kind of Mother I had.  

Actually, that is how most Mothers are--

always thinking of others.

\

Now, the problem with this recipe, 

and hundreds of other recipes that are in our families, 

the boxes have 

gotten smaller and smaller 

through the years!

This called for a 1 pound box of Vanilla Waffers, 

but the boxes are now 11 ounces!!

You can buy 2 boxes and weigh them 

with a kitchen scale 

OR Do what I did

I tried to just make things (kinda) match.

I used the 11 ounce box of Vanilla Wafers

I had a 32 ounce bag of powdered sugar, 

so I squeezed 1/3 of the bag to made it 

ABOUT 11 ounces

I used 2/3 cups of Pecans

1 Stick of Melted butter 

(can you have too much butter?)

And my can of Orange Juice was 12 ounces, 

so I eyeballed what I thought 

was a little less than half.

I added all the ingredients to a freezer zip lock bag

to mix them--watch your zip lock, 

because sometimes they break open.

You can mix these in a bowl, 

but I already had the bag.

I also put my powdered sugar to roll them in 

into a zip lock bag.

To roll out the balls, I used a spoon to 

get the dough out of the bag.

I added powdered sugar to my hand.

Placed the dough in my hand

And rolled them.

Yes, powdered sugar was everywhere, BUT

my hands didn't get sticky one bit!

I think my favorite thing about these cookies is

Putting them on my 

bunny platter!!

I love these cookies

They are so fresh tasting!

It turns out that Charcoal still had a few tricks left in his bag...

He found this on my stack I was cleaning/putting in boxes

And he had plans for some chewing

as he tossed it on the couch

(that is the blur from throwing it)

Charcoal is ALL BOY!!

I am so thankful for all the recipes 

that have been passed down 

through my family.

Sharing with friends is such a gift.

As I held the recipe card, 

I got the warmest feelings and 

such great memories of making and taking 

handmade items to friends, and yes, to strangers.

I hope you each are taking the time 

to do things with your children/grandchild/pups =) 

to pass on heart memories.

I am thankful for the talents that 

my parents help develop.

NOW...off to have another one (or two) cookies!

I am simply blessed to create~~charlotte♡

Serendipity Sunday--A Week of Giving Thanks

I am sharing LOTS of pictures today.

It has been a week full of Thanksgiving.

Don't get me wrong, I do my best to say THANK YOU to God every day, and I try to be mindful each day on my fb wall to remind us to use our gifts and to be KIND.

This is the first time since Mother died that I felt like making her Chicken and Dressing and actually making a Thanksgiving meal for me and Charcoal.

It felt good to be ME again, for just a little bit...

BUT true to form, Satan threw his darts and I allowed someone to steal my JOY, BUT I am doing my best to turn the other cheek and forget about them. 

I shared Mother's recipe with lots of people.

Some people, again, true to form, thought I was saying that they should use my recipe and not theirs...

All of the ingredients gathered and ready to mix

That ABSOLUTELY was not my intent.

I am the last one in my family to make this recipe.

I have no one to pass it to.

I was simply sharing MY RECIPE, in hopes, that someone could carry on the tradition, IF they didn't have a recipe.

I mix everything together before I add the chicken broth so that the spices are evenly distributed and so that the egg won't cook as soon as that boiling broth hits them!

I believe that You SHOULD love what you were raised with.  

I think you SHOULD love your tradition and carry it on.

Nobody has a better tradition than anyone else.

We SHOULD embrace the things we love. 

Look at that beautiful broth!  Made simply by cooking a whole chicken in water.  Nothing fancy, but oh, so yummy.

BUT I also want to remind each of you, that things change.

People come.

People go.

It is the cycle of life.

This was after some broth was added.  I let it soak a few minute so the broth can be absorbed

SOMETIMES, traditions have to change.

Don't hold on to things that cause too much stress.

At some point, the one who always did it all will need help.

Help them with JOY.

Look forward to spending time with the PEOPLE 

and not focusing on the THINGS.

This is after another round of broth has been added.  Again, let the cornbread absorb the liquid, but I think this is just about the right consistency!

As we get older and look back on our life, 

most of us,

 if we have allowed our hearts to absorb the moments, 

will notice that it really was not 

the THINGS that mattered, 

but the people that were important.

We debone the chicken and place it in the bottom of the pan and pour the dressing on top.  It is true, in the South, we tend to turn most everything into a casserole!  LOL  I am OK with that!

What mattered was/is the

Moments spent with people who are no longer around.

Those empty chairs can spark memories

but they sure can bring guilt to a person, too.

Oh, and that yummy golden brown of the prepared dressing!!  Do I dare taste it before Thanksgiving?

Love people while they are HERE.

Give them flowers while they are around to enjoy them.

Yep, I couldn't wait and I tried it BEFORE Thanksgiving~~The NERVE of me!

I tried to give Charcoal a bite of the dressing, too.

He isn't the biggest fan of Cornbread, but he does eat it..

He was CERTAIN this must be terrible...

When I showed him that it was CHICKEN, 

He decided that maybe I was not trying to torture him.

Ah, it must have been good and it made him sleepy...

Or maybe he was saying a prayer of Thanksgiving!

I don't think that Life can get must better than this!

To have him cuddle with me or 

to lay his head on my leg, 

MAN, 

this is the life!

For those who judge me and think I would EVER give Charcoal food to harm him, Then they know NOTHING about me at all.

He eats healthier than I do.

NEVER would I ever cause any harm to him, so get over yourself!

Charcoal got a REAL treat from his Uncle Kevin.

I wasn't sure if I should cook it, or just give it to him.

He nuzzled and sniffed the package for a day.

I then cut open the package--more sniffing.

I partially pulled it from the package--one lick and more sniffing.

He then pulled it all the way out--a lick and more sniffing.

He put it on the couch, where all of his treasures go...

I threw it back on the floor...

FINALLY, after his Thanksgiving meal, he decided that I was NEVER going to feed him again, because he whined and begged and pouted...

So, up on the couch it went.

I heard a few crunches and then he hopped down.

No more Pigs tail!!

Wuf, Wuf, Uncle Kevin!

Aunt Cheryl Sent him a stale cookie...no sniffing, just CRUNCH!

Cheryl finds the cutest cups/containers!  

It is just PERFECT!

Cheryl's husband, Jerry, is a master craftsman.

This phone holder is a work of art.

I can't wait to get it painted!
 

Oh, my goodness.

Those Cadbury Candies were so yummy, 

I went and bought a package to put in with some of my orders.

Yes, I still have some left.

No, I would NEVER feed Charcoal dark chocolate, because dark chocolate is TOXIC to animals.

I LOVE when Cheryl goes to playing with cookie dough, 

and if there is a frog,

 I am so happy when it HOPS to my house!

I LOVE the posite!!

                                    We are NOT going to share 

Jerry's comment about this frog...bad, Jerry, bad...

Santa Clause is Watching YOU!! ;)

Poor froggie...

Charcoal had several POUTING moments...

He does NOT like the word NO.

His head might be lowered and turned away, 

but those eyes are cutting to see what I am doing!

Poor Charcoal... 

Maybe Mommie needs to throw that towel away!

I was so excited to find LifeSavers

AND Butter Rum Lifesavers

When I shared on my FB wall, 

I discovered that I was not the only one 

who had fond memories of these treats!!

I am going to send a few to some special friends.

I also made Mother's favorite Cranberry Relish.

She loved this stuff and made it for Christmas and for Thanksgiving

AND she took some each time to 2 of her special friends.

I remembered those times fondly.

Now, this stuff isn't for everyone, but it is PERFECT 
for anything that is salty.

Yes, we will NOT speak of the amount of sugar involved, either...

it is only twice a year, right?

It is simple.

Grind the following in a food processor:

Bag of Fresh Cranberries

2 oranges--with peeling.

2 Apples--with peeling

Add sugar to taste .  Start with 3/4 cup of sugar and add until you are happy with it.  With this batch, I used 3 small halos, cutting off the thick peeling at the top, and 3 Jonathan apples, since my fruit was small AND boy, HOWDY, it was SOUR!  I added 1 1/4 cups of sugar--just keep your mouth closed!

If I use navel oranges, I always cut off the thick part of the peeling and much of the sides, since it is so thick.  A little bit of peel goes a long way.  You don't want the bitterness to overpower the relish.

And yes, cut out the center of the apples. 

The color is absolutely beautiful!!

This was my Thanksgiving Feast:

Green beans cooked with onions, ham and potatoes, 

and always, at the end, a splash of vinegar is added.

Cranberry Relish

Chicken and Dressing

Macaroni with a can of Crushed Tomatoes and Cheddar Cheese.

Served on Mother's White Grape Plates she got for Christmas in about 1972 as a gift from her Sisters.

This is Charcoal's Plate...no onions, no salt and he did NOT 

like that I put the Cranberry Relish on his plate...

Well, he LOVES oranges, so I tried!!

He LOVED his Thanksgiving Meal...

and wanted more...more...more..

He thought that STEALING the rest of the PupPeroni 

would fill his stomach...

Those things STINK and are far more toxic 

than any food I make to feed him!

It looks like his is crying

Maybe he is just starving....

 

 My friend, Lois, finds the cutest frogs to send me.

This was a Birthday gift.

Oh, how fun is this!

AND she hand painted these 

adorable magnets that were in 

the www.paintingezine.com

I love them and they will stay

 on my freezer all year long!

I am so blessed.

I made these Taco Bites this week, also.

Yum, Yum, YUM!

I had to send them to the Testing Lab...

He did the ole turn my head and get that away from me...

Oh, and for those that are fearful,

His had no salt or seasoning.

Hamburger, cheese and Flour Tortillas.

Ah, but YES...

Lab TESTED and APPROVED!!

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I hope that you all are Thankful.

We ALWAYS can find something to garner our Thanks.

Some days, we have to look a little harder...

We get stuck in a "funk" sometimes, 

But YOU have the power to MOVE to a better place.

By being Thankful, 

I believe that it stirs us to 

do GOOD WORKS

To offer Kindness

To spread HOPE

To, well, BLOOM!

I tell you...Life just doesn't 

get much better than this!!

I am simply blessed to create~~charlotte♡