Congratulations to Karen, whose partial email address is chiparn! Her comment was chosen using random.org to win this great prize. Special thanks to everyone for entering!

Gratefully, Christy

There are a few grand exceptions and one restaurant stands out from them all – Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Alabama. The big difference in this restaurant versus all of the others? Frank Stitt.

Frank Stitt, the quintessential southern gentleman and an amazing chef

The reason why this is bad is because it costs a great deal of money to operate SouthernPlate.com and other websites where content is illegally taken from, my server bill alone is more than most people’s mortgage payment each month. When people take content that others have written and developed and put it on their sites, it makes it harder for those offering the content to pay the light bill, for services that they provide free of charge to you.

Hours, sometimes days, are put into creating one post, that all the offender’s do is copy and paste in order to drive traffic to and  promote their site and/or facebook page. Once our content is stolen, we are also penalized for having duplicate content on the internet, and our recipes receive lower priority in search engines as well.

Often when this happens, it isn’t meant as a violation of a federal law and is just someone who wants to share a recipe that they really liked. But sometimes, this is done by people and even companies who repeatedly copy and paste content from those who have worked hard to develop it, willingly and knowingly.

Often, these people say “You can’t copyright recipes”.  While you can’t copyright a random list of ingredients, our writing (descriptions, introductions, instructions, etc) and photographs are copyrighted – and each post represents hours of work that these folks steal in under a minute and use as a platform to build their sites on.

However,  just about everyone reading this who shares recipes do so with no malicious intent, and bloggers realize that. This is intended for those who willingly violate federal law despite having received complaints, and having been reported, by knowingly and repeatedly stealing content from sites to place on their own.

If you see a site or facebook page with repeated complaints, a blogger who has to build new sites because their old ones are taken down, these are clues that such sites and pages are being run by repeat offenders who fully understand that what they are doing is illegal. A lot of people don’t realize that the websites we enjoy free of charge cost a great deal of money to operate. These sites and pages that run primarily off of stealing content from other sites take all food bloggers one step closer to not being able to afford to continue.

It’s easy for us to share a recipe. While photos are copyrighted, all of the bloggers I know welcome sharing photos as long as a link to the recipe is given to the recipe rather than the entire recipe reposted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See my examples of how to legally share a recipe and photo below:

I love Stacey Little’s Sweet Cornbread Muffins! Here is a link if y’all wanna check out the recipe! http://southernbite.com/2013/01/09/sweet-cornbread-muffins/

Made this Stuffed French Toast last night. You have to try it. So easy! Here is where I found the recipe! http://www.southernplate.com/2012/02/overnight-stuffed-french-toast.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you so much for helping all of the bloggers who provide free sites around the web for all of us to enjoy and special thanks to all of the Southern Plate Family members who have emailed and messaged me to make me aware of this growing problem. Without all of you, there wouldn’t be a Southern Plate!

*If you are a food blogger who would like to repost the above statement, changing out your url for SouthernPlate.com, please feel free to do so. Let me know in the comments if you have and I’ll be happy to add a link to your blog below so that others can enjoy you recipes, too! Thank you!

Special thanks to the following friends from the blog world for all of their hard work and dedication in helping educate folks around the web on content theft. Please leave a comment below if you would like to add this to your blog (it’s not required though!) so I can add your link to this list. 

The post it place                              

pinchofthissmidgeonofthat.blogspot.com

FoodiewithFamily.com                

LarksCountryHeart.com

CallMepmc.com                        

bobbiskozykitchen.blogspot.com

theCountryCook.net                    

 Cooking with K

MommysKitchen.net

Mumsie’s Gourmet

Good Food Gourmet

Sweet Tea with Cindy

SouthernBite.com

Simple Fare, Fairly Simple

South Your Mouth

Basil Momma

Goodness Gracious

The Cozy Little Kitchen

Syrup and Biscuits

Grammas in the Kitchen

For a great article explaining a little more about the abuse food bloggers are dealing with right now, please click here.

Support Nestlé in the Fight Against Hunger – All you have to do is shop for your own groceries!

On any given day in the United States, 1 in 6 people are faced with hunger and have no idea where their next meal will come from. During the entire month of April, Nestle is teaming up with Wal Mart and their Fight Against Hunger campaign by donating 728,155 meals across the country – and you can help, too.

Do your part to support this national campaign to end national hunger by checking out the products available on the Nestle solutions page (click here). There you will find great deals on products for everyday meal solutions for the whole family and can save them to a shopping list, all while supporting the fight against hunger.

The great part is that all you have to do to help other families in their fight against hunger is to feed yours, choosing Nestle products whenever you can. There are great deals on things that I regularly use such as Chocolate Chips (click here for a recipe that will make you the best mom ever!), Coffee Mate Creamer, Nesquik, Hot Pockets (I have a teenager!), Stouffer’s, DiGiorno, Juicy Juice, Carnation Milk (which makes the BEST mashed potatoes), Lean Cuisine, Skinny Cow, and countless others. Since these are products I use daily, this month is a great time for me to stock up a little more than usual.

We can help provide 728,155 meals, just by shopping for our own groceries. What a blessing!

Share the page on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest to show that you are helping Nestlé fight hunger and to get your friends involved!

 ”When people were hungry, Jesus didn’t say, “Now is that political, or social?” He said, “I feed you.” Because the good news to a hungry person is bread.”

~Desmond Tutu

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Lunchbox but all opinions contained herein are my own and I am honored to be able to help get the word out about this great opportunity for all of us.

Easter Menu Inspiration

I’ve put together a list of some of the many things we’ll be serving at our Easter Dinner. Just click on the link below each picture to be taken to the recipe.Beneath each recipe you’ll see notes as to how far ahead I assemble the dishes in case you want to streamline your Easter  so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family!

This post contains ideas and links to recipes for side dishes, breads, main courses, desserts, and beverages!

Deviled Eggs, a Southern Staple!

You gotta have at LEAST one tray of deviled eggs at Easter because they are so good …

..and also something you can have a bit of fun with!

*Can make two to three days ahead of time.

Jordan Rolls

This is my personal roll recipe and I just love them. If you are serving ham, they make the best sandwiches with leftover pieces.

*Make these fresh the day of the meal

Granny Jordan’s English Pea Pimento Casserole,

MeMe’s Mashed Potatoes,

and Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

*Can assemble each of these the day before meal. Baking the casseroles in the oven just before serving and reheating the mashed potatoes in the microwave.

(Two different ham recipes are below)

Sweet And Sour Green Beans

This recipe uses frozen green beans but makes them taste garden fresh!

*Can make now and freeze, reheating day of the meal. Or, make two days ahead of time, store in fridge, and heat in microwave.

DEE licious Roasted Asparagus

I’m still fairly new to the world of folks who eat asparagus, but I’m a definite convert!

Macaroni Salad

Mama and Grandmama are ga-ga over this salad!

*Can make two days ahead of time.

Candied Baby Carrots

These delicious, lightly sweet carrots can be made a day ahead of time and reheated to make Easter Dinner prep easier.

Buttermilk Congealed Salad

This is just a classic congealed salad but it’s also fun because you can change the color and flavor just by using different flavors of gelatin.

*Can make three days ahead of time.

Rhyming Broccoli Salad

I love this stuff. My Daddy loves this stuff. My Mama loves this stuff. My Grandmama loves this stuff….

*Can make three days ahead of time.

Relish Tray Ideas For Kids!

If you’re feeding children who tend to be on the picky side, a relish tray on the table is the way to go! All of their favorites that they can put on their plate, but all healthy options, too! This is how I round out the meal for my pickiest eaters.

*Make day of meal.

Baked Ham with Easy Peasy Glaze

*Cook day before and reheat

For an even simpler ham recipe, see below.

How to Bake A Ham (and get at least four meals out of it!)

You got a ham, now what do you do with it? This post shows you how to easily bake a ham and then offers yummy (and easy ) ideas for the leftovers!

*Can bake day before and reheat.

Mama’s Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

We have to have this every year at Easter or the men and children will disown us.

This is my Mama’s Creamy version, my stringy version of mac and cheese can be found by clicking here.

*Make day of meal

Mama’s Chicken Poulet

(or Chicken chicken!)

In case you’re not in the mood for ham, here is a chicken recipe that is assembled the night before and baked just before serving.

Wait a minute, why wouldn’t you be in the mood for ham? ~blinks~ Well on the off chance ya are, here ya go!

*This recipe must be assembled the night before and baked just before the meal.

Lemon Meringue Pie with Cookie Crumb Crust

This is the MUST HAVE pie each Easter. While store bought ones are all good and well, anyone can make this homemade version in about the same amount of time it would take you to go buy one at the grocery store and I can guarantee you the reviews will make your efforts more than worth it!

A lemon meringue pie unlike any other. (Click the name to view a full photographic tutorial and get the recipe!)

*Can make up to two days ahead of time.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

I love this pie so much, Mama always makes two so she can send one home with me!

*Can be made a day ahead 

Bananas in Red Stuff

What a delightful dessert! Serve it as a side salad along with the meal if you like.

*Make no more than one day ahead of time.

Miss Patsy’s Too Easy Coconut Cake

One of the best (and easiest) coconut cakes I’ve ever had!

*Cake make two to three days ahead of time.

Daddy’s Coconut Cake

This is my Daddy’s favorite cake for Christmas and Easter. Some folks around here call it “Rotten cake” because it is sooooo good you want folks to think it’s rotten and keep it all to yourself!

*Can make three days ahead of time

Sweet Tea

Every meal, without question

I make mine with Splenda.

*We always make tea fresh every day.

Fresh StrawberryAde

This is such a treat, especially for your guests who are watching their sugar! So easy to whip up and such a treat!

*Can make two days ahead of time

Blushing Apple Juleps

Folks of all ages enjoy these deliciously fruity drinks!

*Can be made two to three days ahead of time. Add cherry juice and cherry just before serving.

HAVE A WONDERFUL EASTER!

Spring is nature’s way of saying,

“Let’s party!”

~Robin Williams

Game and Activity Ideas

Easter is BIG DOINGS where I’m from so today I’m going to share with you some fun ideas for the kids and some yummy ideas for your table!

My mother makes Easter FUN by taking part in all sorts of neat activities with the kids (of all ages!)

Old Fashioned Party Games - We all gather at Mama’s house for Easter Dinner and a big egg hunt in her back yard. The kids most look forward to the old fashioned party games my mother plays with them.

Drop the clothespin in the jar - Give each child a clothes pin and place a large mason jar at their feet. Have them hold the clothes pin at chest level and try to drop it in the jar.

Pin the tail on the donkey - Place a drawing of a donkey or bunny rabbit on the wall. Give each child a tail with tape on the end of it. Blindfold them and turn them around a time or two, then point them in the direction of the wall and let ‘em go!

Egg Race - Give each child a spoon with an egg on it. Line ‘em up at a starting line and send ‘em off! Whoever gets to the finish line first with their egg still on their spoon wins.

Egg toss - Have two kids face each other, one with an egg. Toss the egg to the child opposite them and then take a step back. Toss the egg back. Take another step back. Repeat until someone drops the egg. The team that makes it furthest apart wins! Mama never cooks the eggs so this one is always a little more exciting and someone ends up having to wash egg off their hands.

Vaseline Cotton Ball Pickup - Place a dab of vaseline on the tip of the kids noses and have them move cotton balls from one bowl to another using just their vaseline tipped noses, seeing who can move the most in an allotted amount of time. We’re weird, but we have fun!

Egg Hunt - In recent years we’ve stopped putting prizes in the eggs and started awarding prizes instead. We have the same prizes and number for every kid in the family but they haven’t caught on that they’re all winning the same things and in equal amounts just yet. Mama will sit everyone down and have them go through their baskets to find out who has the most pink eggs, who has the most blue eggs, who found the most two tone eggs, etc.

Dyeing Eggs - Last year we found that not all of the kids in our family had got to dye eggs at their house, so Mama cooked up a dozen eggs for each child and we set up a big table for them to dye the eggs on Easter day. I just brought my kid’s eggs and dye supplies with me and they had a lot of fun getting to do it with all of their cousins. Even though a lot of folks aren’t doing this anymore, it is one of my most cherished memories as a kid at Easter and I encourage you to continue this simple tradition with your kids, too! Besides, deviled eggs, egg salad, ham salad, chicken casserole, and many more delicious recipes await you the following week as a result! Don’t forget to store your dyed eggs in the fridge! Hint: Just to make sure you know, you’re never too old to have fun dyeing Easter Eggs! 

Peeps Jousting- My mother has always had a fun spirit and loves to do new things to thrill the kids. Since we have mostly boys, she’s decided to let them do peeps sword fighting last year. You take two marshmallow peeps of different colors, have them face each other on a plate and stick a toothpick in each one like it’s a sword. Place them in the microwave and turn it on and watch. As they heat up they will expand and the one who sticks the other with his little toothpick first wins. Of course, these will eventually explode in your microwave so you wanna watch and stop the fight when the opponent is stuck. I’m just glad this is Mama’s microwave and not mine but she’s right, the kids love it (and think she is a cool grandmama, too!). 

Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt - A few years ago when we moved into our new house, we found out that the community hosted a flashlight Easter Egg Hunt! We took the kids, looking forward to some fun, but upon seeing how it was executed and the crowds involved we quickly realized this was not a safe event for our kids to participate in. Not wanting the kids to miss out on our planned fun, we headed to our local dollar store and picked up some prizes to come home and have our own. Flashlight egg hunts are SO easy and fun to pull off in your own back yard because there is no real need to hide anything due to the dark. We divide our back yard in half and each kid gets their own exclusive hunting grounds. I hide tons of eggs but also include some other random goodies as well. Since we had to set it up on the fly that first year, I ended up using some odd things as prizes but they’ve stuck as tradition now! This means that in addition to eggs in the yard, the kids will also find a random can of Pringles and whatever else I can come up with (chicken noodle soup, fruit snack packs, etc). We usually do this the night before Easter and it has become one of the things we all most look forward to.

I’d LOVE to hear what you do at your house on Easter in the comments section!

Today I’m going to talk about a subject that I may have talked about before on Southern Plate, but I’m really in the mood to talk about it today so I don’t really care if I’ve talked about it before. I love that I get to make the rules over things like this!

Yesterday, I was having a conversation with someone about my “career”. I have to put that in quotes because it’s just tooo funny for me to say in a serious tone. If I had set out to have a “career” that would be one thing, but this all just kinda happened so rather than see myself as someone steadily setting and meeting goals, I just see myself as someone working as hard as I can, enjoying the ride, and not really expecting anything else to happen but appreciating it when it does. I’m pretty sure careers are more focused than that, but I digress (as is my gift)

Anyway, they said something and paused suddenly, afraid they had inadvertently said something that might offend me. I sensed it and laughed as I said “Look, don’t you worry about offending me. I don’t get offended. Even if you tried to offend me, you’d still fail.”

But I could understand the trepidation about offending someone, as it seems to be all the rage these days, and so many people have to worry if they will “accidentally” offend someone.

I’ve been looking, checking out the web and news outlets, asking around, and for the life of me I can’t seem to find out who is offering the prize for being the most offended or what that prize is, but there sure are a lot of people taking the competition seriously. Sometimes it seems like folks just wake up looking for the first opportunity to be offended.

And trust me, I realize that so much of what is out there is offensive, but goodness knows I don’t have time to stop what I’m doing and be offended by it!

The thing to remember is that most of the time, 90% at the very least, when we are offended by something, no offense was intended. And the other 10% of the time, when someone was actively trying to offend us, well people and situations like that certainly don’t deserve the attention we’d give it by bothering to take offense.

Christy’s first rule of not being offended: Don’t take a paper cut and turn it into a sword wound. 

I’ve learned that it is best to assume the best of people and have found that to be a good general policy in daily life (my attitude changes in dark alleys, mind you).

Christy’s second rule of not being offended: When you assume the best in someone and they disappoint you, it is a reflection on who they are. 

When you assume the worst of someone, regardless of how they behave, it is a reflection on who you are. 

Oh I know it can be hard starting out. Sometimes the drama of being offended is hard to resist, but resisting it has it’s own rewards so I decided to list a few of them

Christy’s Handy Dandy List of Reasons Not To be Offended:

I’m referring to myself in third person a lot today, but let’s just roll with it…

1. People can enjoy being around you. Being friends with an easily offended person is exhausting. Truly. Here is an example from my teen years but there are just as many silly examples around us today, and I’m sure you can find a few in your own life: There was a precious person I knew in my younger days who was always upset over something, someone had always hurt her feelings. Eventually, each of her friends ended up taking turns being that one person who had to apologize and then try to make it up to her. It got ridiculous. My turn came when I referred to her boyfriend as “my friend” in front of her. She was heartbroken that I’d used the term “my” with regards to her boyfriend and paraded her personal agony around school for well over a week until the next opportunity for offense came up to take the heat off my transgression.

That was when I came up with Christy’s third rule of not being offended: “Folks who complain about always having their toes stepped on need to look at how far they are sticking their feet out” and decided to keep my feet as close to me as possible. This attitude has served me well for a couple of decades now.

My dear aunt reminded me of a great quote from Dolly Parton that goes well with this “Get down off the cross, honey. Somebody needs the wood.

2. Being easily offended is draining to you, too. Imagine being at peace. having a smile on your face and laying in the sunshine absorbing the warmth and happiness of life. Being offended is opposite of that

3. Being offended is a distraction that hinders the ability to appreciate and notice the good things in your life. It takes a lot of energy, focus, and effort to be offended. We may not want to see it that way, but being offended is an action and actions require energy to back them up. We can take that same energy and put it into being happy and looking for the good in situations. If you’re going to be using your energy to gain traction on a road, don’t you want it to be on a road that leads to a good place?

4. Being easily offended is the sign of a fool. Wow, impact statement! I thought of saying “is not the sign of a wise person” but decided to just quote Proverbs instead. Either way, your Mama didn’t raise no fool. Proverbs 12:16 

Disclaimer time (kinda like Hammer Time! only different): Now I’m not talking about someone infringing on your rights. I’m not talking about someone stepping over the line in a big way. I’m talking about the little things. The petty things that we should let slide right off of us but instead we choose to let them stick to us like lint to velcro. Velcro is a bristly, uncomfortable thing. Don’t be velcro.

Sometimes, people themselves are just offensive. A while back, I spent a day working with one of the most offensive human beings ever to be born on this planet. On every level that I can possibly imagine I had a justified, sanctified, right to be offended. I endured it, I got over it. Rather than being offended for myself I felt sorry for him and all that have to endure him while I no longer have to. I had a victory party after that day – and a few showers.

I have friends who, because of situations on their lives vs situations in the world, have more right than anyone I know to walk around being offended all day long. Rather than do that though, they bob along happily, almost dancing on top of the storm clouds of life – just because they’ve decided not to be offended.

I’m so grateful for the example of people like that.

It is to a man’s credit to be quick to listen, slow to offend, and slow to speak. (James 1:19)

There is something to be said for being an even keeled person with a heart that shows grace to others. You know those people, you just feel relaxed in their presence. You know you can’t accidentally offend them because they are not looking for offense. Instead, they assume the best in you. I’ve been around those people enough that I want to be one of those people.

I decided a few years back to stop being offended. Life is dramatic enough without me manufacturing more.

Slow to take offense. Quick to love.

That’s the stuff.

Alright, so eventually I have to talk about food so here’s the deal. Today I’m going to show you how to make dried beans without soaking them ahead of time and without having to pay any attention to them during the cooking process.

Because I’m too unorganized to remember to soak my beans most of the time and I prefer to be neglectful of food that I’m cooking whenever possible.

There are many virtues to dried beans. They are a great source of protein for meatless meals, they taste AWESOME, I grew up on them, and they are a much more budget friendly than canned ones but at the end of the day, sometimes you just need a big bowl of pintos and cornbread for supper. It’s good for the soul.

This method and recipe is not just for pintos though. You can use this with any type of dried bean you like: Pintos, navy beans, northern beans, black eyed peas, black beans, limas, etc. If it’s a dried bean, you can cook it this way. Just take your favorite bean and picture it in the photos of this recipe because it will work.

So lets get started.

You’ll need: Slow Cooker, beans, salt, pepper, water, and preferably a ham bone to season it with. Pepper is not pictured here and is optional. I use it but I don’t force it to have it’s picture taken when it’s not in the mood.

I’ve found a great resource for hambones in my local ham store. These come LOADED down with meat , really enough for a casserole or skillet meal, and ready to go. They give me very meaty and delicious beans and they cost $3.99.

Sort your beans and place them in a slow cooker with your ham.

By “sorting” I mean look through them a handful at a time and make sure there are no stones. This is just part of life with dried beans. Sometimes, while being harvested, stones hop up from the fields and the machines can’t tell them from the beans so we have to do that on this end.

Add in your salt (and pepper if using)

This quantity pictured is a measurement my grandmama refers to as “a good bit”.

Fill up with water, to about an inch from the top.

Cook on low 8 hours. You can cook them for longer than that if work keeps you away. I have cooked mine up to ten before, no worries. As long as you have a fairly new model slow cooker (I recommend one that has been purchased within the last five years) and enough water in there, it’ll be just fine.

I often cook these overnight and then turn the setting to warm during the day so I can have them for lunch and supper but they also work great to put on first thing in the morning for supper that evening.

When you remove your lid, poke at the ham a bit until it all falls off the bone, then stir it up in there – but throw the bone away because you probably don’t wanna eat that

Note: The color of the walls in my kitchen are “sweet buttered corn“, not “putrid peas mashed together with a lemon” as my camera and lighting portray it in these photos

DIG IN!

Pictured here are these beans topped with Pickled Onions and Mama’s Mexican Cornbread.

WHOOWEEE, What a meal!

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Whenever anyone has offended me, I try to raise my soul so high that the offense cannot reach it.

~Rene Descartes

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Below are around 35 Ground Beef recipes that my family loves. Just about every post includes a special story or insight into something I’ve learned in the course of my daily life, so if you’re just in the mood to read a bit, be sure and visit each one! I’ve noted some of the story themes below a few of the posts but I say so much on any given day that there is just not telling what you’ll read when you click on a link!

I hope these recipes help you to stretch your family’s food dollar as well as keep the supper table lively and delicious. Be sure to check out my post on how to get 8 meals out of 4 pounds of ground beef by clicking here. Can you imagine? That’s almost two weeks worth of meals from one package of beef!

And while you’re here, have a wonderful day!

Gratefully,

Christy

Canyon Casserole

I love the zesty southwestern flavor to this warm and filling casserole!

Skillet Lasagna

This is so good, I made it for myself for my birthday!

Tex Mex Lasagna

Inspired by a tv show I was on!

Shepherd’s Pie

How I learned to bloom.

Are you miserable at your workplace or in a rut in your life? Read how I learned to deal with that.

Garden Skillet Supper

 This is an easy recipe to alter based on what you have. Zucchini would be an excellent substitute for squash and if you only have one bell pepper or tomato that will work, too.

Hamburger Steaks

Growing up, we always loved Mama’s hamburger steaks. There was nothing like coming home and smelling the onions bubbling in there with the generous hamburger steak patties and knowing we were in for a hearty and delicious supper.

 Jen Hauler’s Pizza Casserole

This recipe is wildly customizable.

Uptown Beef Patties with Ketchup Gravy

I love stuffed bell peppers. I love Ketchup. I love ground beef. This combines them all into a one dish meal – which I also love.

Tater Tot Casserole - and Going North

(a story about calming down our lives)

Beefed Up Baked Beans

 - and a conversation about nicknames

Ground Beef Stew (with a secret!)

Hearty, filling, easy, economical, and bursting with flavor!

Taco Pizza

And my version of Border Patrol ~heehee~

Shipwreck Casserole

ARRRR!

Deep Dish Pizza

Made this the night I came home from the first week of being on my book tour. It hit the spot!

Hobo Packets

Ever feel like your family expects you to be a short order cook in the kitchen? You’ll love this recipe, then! Hobo packets are a snap to put together and easily customizable to suit everyone!

Crunchy Beef Casserole

This has become a favorite with countless families!

Pizza Rolls

This was a favorite at our house when we were teens and is a favorite at my house any day!

Taco Soup – World’s Easiest Supper

Gotta love a recipe where you throw everything in a pot and come back to supper fifteen minutes later!

Hot Dog Chili

This is our family’s favorite hot dog chili. We usually make a gallon at a time and freeze the leftovers.

Janice’s Stuffed Peppers

and how I handle my persistent character flaws ~GRIN~

Bama Chili Cincinnati Style

Dirty Rice and a tale of no refunds

How I learned to savor every moment.

Christy’s Crock Pot Chili

In this recipe, you can even use leftover hamburger patties that have already been cooked!

Mama’s Taco Casserole 

Oh how I love this!

MORE ground beef recipes that my family loves!

Quick and Easy Beef Stroganoff - And where I’m from

Aunt Agnes’ Mexican Salad - oh my word is this stuff good! *Guest Kitchens Post

Not  Your Average Joe Sloppy Joes

Meatloaf! Making, Freezing, and Small Batch Options

Baked Sandwiches

Super Easy Spaghetti Sauce

Meatballs Make Many Meals

Slow Cooker Meatloaf (A Flat Christy post)

Slow Cooker Lasagna

**THIS POST is how I process large quantities of ground beef. The post is pretty old but it still shows it just as well. I prefer to buy large quantities of ground beef and cook it all at once. I then freeze it to have cooked ground beef on hand anytime I need to whip up a quick meal. This is my #1 timesaver!

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“Only boring people get bored”

~Irene Chavez

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Pimento Cheese (pronounced pub-men-uh) is a staple in the Southeastern United States – and also in the Philippines. Clearly, this speaks to the wonderful taste of those folks (love y’all!). It’s one of those things we had often growing up and sometimes you just get a hankering that nothing else will satisfy except a good old pimento cheese sandwich.

There are a couple of ways to make pimento cheese but the main two involve sharp cheddar (like this recipe) and Velveeta (click here for the velveeta version). both are delicous in my book. However, at a photo shoot for Taste of the South last weekend, we had wheat crackers and a big old tub of spicy pimento cheese. It was so heavenly that I decided to come home and whip some up to show folks how to make it, just in case you didn’t know. Because not having a little spicy pimento cheese from time to time would be a crying shame. As if I needed another excuse, I got to go visit my Grandmama this past weekend and she loves pimento cheese so it was the perfect little treat to take to her.

My Grandmother is the cute smiling lady in that photo above. She is my mother’s mother and she and I have a lot of things in common, number one being that she is the only person I know that I can call at 4:00 AM to have a chat and cup of coffee with over the phone. She’ll answer the phone “Hellloooo! I’m just a sitting here having me a little coffee.” I’m pretty sure I’m the only person who calls her at this hour but we enjoy our little conversations from time to time when we have them – and every now and then I send her a tin of coffee as a thank you.

There is something very comforting knowing someone else who gets up as early as I do, and no matter how early I get up, I know my Grandmama has likely beat me to the punch.

Grandmama is a joy to talk to because she is the kind of person who always looks on the bright side and I’ve never once seen her get frazzled. I think that living through the depression and growing up as poor as she did acts as a common sense buffer to life. While the rest of the world is running around shouting that the sky is falling, Grandmama remains even keeled, dependable, and always encouraging.

I want to be like her when I’m gray and I’m sure a lot of others feel the same way. But you know what? You don’t just magically turn sweet, kind, and wise when the clock flips over to 65 (Remember, I had 13 living grandparents when I was born, so I got to see contrast here!). You have to start working towards it now. You have to practice looking for joy, especially when other folks are looking for something to complain about. You have to learn to value loving people over judging them, and be more concerned with what is right than being right. These are just the beginning stepping stones but when you seek out things like this in life, wisdom follows. Many of my grandparents walked this path to end up the kind and wise people they were in their older years and I do my best to follow in their steps. I want to be wrinkled and gray, with an easy smile and twinkling eyes and arms strong as an ox surrounded by folks who want hugs from them. That’s a destination worth reaching, so for me, it’s a path worth taking.

Come to think of it, my grandparents who ended up sweet, kind, wise, and loving, all ate pimento cheese on a regular basis. Now I’m not saying this had anything to do with it but there’s no sense in taking any chances – so let’s get mixin’!

You’ll need: Mayo, sharp cheddar, cayenne pepper, pimentos, and some hot sauce.

Note: I always like to point out for the folks who don’t love mayo that I don’t either, so don’t fret over it in this recipe. You really won’t taste it because the cheddar cheese, sauces, and pimentos really overshadow it. We mainly have it in there to hold it all together.

I also like to point out to the folks who are horrified at the thought of a Southerner not liking mayo that I’m a ninth generation Alabamian, my people having lived here long before it even became a state, and in addition to not liking mayo, I also don’t like seafood. I’ll just share in your horror and admit that I have no idea why they haven’t kicked me out of the South over such atrocities but I realize I’m living on borrowed time If anyone would like to step up and offer their state as refuge, I’ll gladly consider it and offer numerous baked goods should I ever become your new neighbor

Grate all of your cheese and put it in a large mixing bowl.

Add drained pimentos and mayo.

Stir that up really good.

Add cayenne pepper and hot sauce and stir again until well blended.

Place this in a covered container and refrigerate several hours, or overnight, to allow flavors to marry.

Note: This is an arranged marriage, some might even say forced. I’m okay with that because these ingredients are far too young to know what is best for them so I, as their guardian, have chosen the best possible partners. Of course, this will lead to their eventual demise, but t’will be a noble way to go.

The next day, take all of that pimento cheese along with some zesty dill pickle spears and kettle chips to your Grandmama’s house.

Make a sandwich on some nicely toasted bread and try to take a picture of it without getting any of your nephew’s legos in the shot.

Give up, because your nephew has too many Legos… decide it would look better with Grandmama holding it anyway.

Ahh, that’s better

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“You can often change your circumstances by changing your attitude”

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Submitted by Jackie. Submit your quote by clicking here.

We recently went to the beach for a three day weekend and had a wonderful time. If you’re the type of person who enjoys clean, white beaches and serenity (rather than the party atmosphere), Alabama’s beaches are the place for you!

We rented a condo on Orange Beach, rather than a hotel, so that we could have the convenience of a kitchen and really be able to just hang out rather than have to go in search of food whenever mealtime hit. One of the questions I’m asked a lot is “Do you cook when you’re on vacation?”

The answer is ABSOLUTELY! Every chance I get. Cooking while on vacation, versus going out to eat, can save an obscene amount of money. Even if the four of us were to go through a fast food drive through nowadays it can easily top $20. For a fraction of that price I can feed us a much better meal. On this last vacation we did end up going out to eat three times, which was for supper each night. One of those times was worth it, and that was to Lambert’s in Foley, Alabama. The other two times – not so much.

But I still wanted to take a break myself, so I planned meals that would let me do that, like these breakfast burritos. I make these a lot on the weekend for us to have on busy school mornings.  The very first morning at the beach, I got up before the sunrise to make these. We had enough to eat that day and leftovers were wrapped in foil and placed in the fridge. On subsequent mornings, all I had to do was turn the oven on and toss a few burritos in. My husband also wrapped a few in a paper towel and microwaved them for snacks when the mood struck

I really enjoyed getting up early, though, especially when I could go out on the balcony and watch the sunrise. On our second day there, I was talking about how amazing the sun rising over the ocean was and told my family that I was going to watch it the next morning and if any of them wanted to watch it with me, I’d wake them up to see it and then they could go back to bed. I was pretty surprised but thrilled when all three of them immediately said they’d like to do that with me. I’ve got photos of that wonderful experience at the bottom of this post so be sure you check them out, and maybe start the tradition of catching the world’s best light show with your family a few times a year!

Now how about making some burritos today and have an easy go of breakfast the rest of the week?

To start with, you’ll need: 10 – 12 large flour tortillas, 1 pound of breakfast sausage, a dozen eggs, and about a cup of cheese.

IMPORTANT INGREDIENT NOTE: You can really customize these with whatever you like. Onions, bell peppers, chicken or ground beef instead of sausage, etc. I am just showing you the basic basic version, which is what I make for my family. We then customize our own as we reheat them. 

Brown your sausage in a large skiillet over medium high heat, breaking up with a spatula as you do so, until fully cooked and no longer pink in the center.

Pour that into a bowl and set the bowl aside.

Crack a dozen eggs into a bowl and beat them up really well.

Pour into a large skillet over medium low heat and stir every so often until eggs are scrambled and no longer runny.

Once eggs are done, pour on top of sausage in the bowl and stir to combine.

Set up a work station with a large skillet to heat the tortillas in, space to fill them, cheese, and sausage and egg mixture.

Now take a warm tortilla and lay it out on a work surface – I just used the piece of foil I planned on rolling it up in.

Spoon a good bit of filling in a line down one side. By “good bit” I mean about 1/2 a cup.

Fold up the top and bottom of the tortillas, this will keep your filling from falling out when you eat it, then roll your tortilla up tightly like I did in the photos above.

Note: You don’t have to roll your tortillas this way, this is just how I do it. There is no right or wrong way to roll up a tortilla and if anyone tells you there is, find out when they became leader of the universe because I totally missed that election

After you finish making each tortilla, roll it up in foil and twist or fold the ends to seal, like this. 

Enjoy now and put the ones you don’t eat in the fridge to reheat and enjoy later!

You can reheat these in the microwave or the oven.

Instructions are included in the recipe at the bottom of this post.

After mine is heated, I like to open it and add a few spoonfuls of chunky salsa, then wrap it up again and enjoy. If there is any filling leftover after I’ve used up all of my tortillas, I just pour a little cheese and salsa over it and eat it like a breakfast bowl!

But first..here are a few highlights from our trip

This is how an eight year old girl packs for the beach. 

This is how an eight year old rejoices on the beach:)

My big boy

And now for the sunrise!

It was pretty cold when we got up so everyone is bundled.

Here they are, waiting on the show to start. 

Beautiful.

More photos from our weekend can be found on my Instagram by clicking here. If you follow me and your profile allows it, I always follow back because I wanna keep up with you, too!

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit.
Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”
~Francis de Sales

]]> http://www.southernplate.com/2013/02/make-ahead-breakfast-burritos.html/feed 81 http://www.southernplate.com/2013/02/pyrex.html http://www.southernplate.com/2013/02/pyrex.html#comments Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:38:02 +0000 Christy Jordan http://www.southernplate.com/?p=22210 If you’re on Pinterest of Facebook, I’d love it if you could help me out by pinning this! Thank you!

Please note that this is Part 1. In order to go into pattern names and makers of some of the items pictured that aren’t Pyrex (as well as their pattern names and history), I’ll be doing a Part 2 at some point.

Photo courtesy of the Alabama Farmer’s Federation

Okay, I’m now ready to admit it. For the first time. Ever. Earlier this week, while trying to organize my Pyrex in four different locations in the house, I kept coming across empty spots, so I’d go upstairs and bring down just a few more pieces. Then I’d find another empty spot, so I’d go get a few more pieces. Then I finally decided to just bring it all down and look at it, but five trips later I came to the conclusion that was going to be an impossible task. I discovered pyrex in drawers, on shelves, in boxes, under my guest bed, in cabinets, stacked under tables from the last photo shoot, and even in a tower of boxes that were just shipped back from a photo shoot for my next book.

My husband looked at me and said “Now, do you think you have enough dishes?”

For the first time ever, I nodded. Yup. now I do.

But I know a lot of y’all think they’re as pretty and fun as I do because I heard back in BIG ways from y’all when I posted photos on Facebook and Instagram (follow me here). So today I thought I’d answer some of the questions you’ve sent in and tell you a little more about the whats, whys, and hows of my collection.

Let’s begin at the beginning, shall we?

Why do I buy vintage Pyrex?

1. It’s pretty. Vintage Pyrex, with it’s assortment of patterns and colors, is just flat out pretty and cheerful. I don’t keep my collection just to Pyrex, though. I love all vintage milk glass and also hae a wide assortment of Fire King, Hazel Atlas, Federal Glass, and more.

2. It’s functional. I use every single piece of pyrex you see here. Whenever I go to bake something, especially when I’m photographing it, I grab a different bowl or dish.

3. It’s affordable – sometimes. I am always shopping for deals. If I want something very badly, I may see it in five different auctions or flea markets, but I don’t buy it until I find it at a good price. Chances are, if you need a dish, you can buy a new one with no chacter or cuteness to it, or for the same money (if you shop around) you can get a vintage piece with history and charm.

Note: I don’t use the new pyrex to bake in as it is made of a different type of glass and is not as durable as the vintage pyrex. While I have no problem baking in a dish that is forty years old or more, I ‘m not comfortable using a pyrex baking dish made in 2013 Two different products entirely. Yes, I’ve had new pyrex dishes explode on me.

Reader Question: Where do you get all of my pyrex? Ebay, flea markets, thrift stores, and a few pieces have been passed down to me by my mother and my husband’s family.

Reader Question: How do you care for your Pyrex collection? Mine stays dusty! 

I NEVER Wash pyrex in the dishwasher, or any other vintage dishes for that matter. A good rule of thumb is, if Dishwashers weren’t common when it was invented, it is not dishwasher safe. Doing so will result in a dull, often chalky finish, and paint loss.

Use it! I don’t have to dust my pyrex because I use it pretty often. You’ll never see my pyrex arranged the same way twice for this very reason.

Reader Question: How do you display your Pyrex so the bowls don’t nest in each other?

Great question! It’s easy to store all of your bowls for display without having them nest into each other. All you need is a quick trip to the store to get some of these puppies:

I use the Rubbermaid small, Ziploc small, and Ziplock Extra Small bowls. These are the little plastic ones like you might store leftovers or pack your lunch in.

Each of these has a different height and diameter so I play with them to see how high up I need my bowls to be. Some of the patterned ones need to be taller for the pattern so show, so I’d use the center bowl for that. Some of my sets may have four or five to a set so I’d use the left one for that, and sometimes, if I need them to sit even closer, I use one of these bowls without the lid on it so they only have an inch or so rise.

Pyrex New Dot Bowls with small ziplock containers inside them.

Stack like this!

Note, these are not Cinderella bowls. These are regular bowls…

I just want a little rise on these smaller bowls so I don’t use the lids, and stick a small bowl inside each one..

Note: These are all Cinderella bowls. That is a design name for bowls that have handles. Many patterns came in both regular and Cinderella bowls. If you’ll look, you’ll see that one handle is larger than the other. Each handle actually has raised sides and serves as a spout for pouring, so each Cinderella bowl has a larger spout on one side and smaller on the other, to make it a breeze to use regardless of what you were cooking. I have no idea why Pyrex has completely abandoned this innovation and quality these days – but they have.

to get this effect!

Sometimes, with the larger sets, you may have to use a small container in the larger bowls and graduate to a smaller container for the top bowl, too, so I like to get all three sizes to have on hand whenever I’m working on a display.  

I love these beautiful sunflower casseroles. It’s hard to find them with the lids intact.

HINT FOR SHIPPING: If you find a set like this on Ebay and win it, I always email the seller and offer to pay an additional $5.00 to help them package it. This really increases my survival rate during shipping!

A sunflower bowl joins it’s yellow friends in holding casserole ingredients for me.

I use this gooseberry pink refrigerator dish, that belonged to my husband’s grandmother, to marinate chops and chicken in.

Pyrex Lasagna Dishes. Pattern names are (from top to bottom): Snowflake Garland, Spring Blossom, Friendship, and Butterfly Gold. These are great dishes for casseroles and cakes and they’re just slightly larger than your average 9×13.

A few dishes from my casserole collection.

Pyrex Amish Butterprint in Yellow (on left). This is usually seen in turquoise and like most pyrex patterns this one comes in refrigerator dishes, mixing bowls (Cinderella and regular), casseroles, and more. On the right is Gooseberry Pink, one of the most popular and expensive patterns right now. Unfortunately, many pieces of this pattern seem to have met their demise in the dishwasher because most of what you find will have a faded or chalky finish.

READER QUESTION: How does your backsplash transition to the fridge? It doesn’t, it just stops onthe rght side of the fridge and then never starts again. I received several compliments on my granite countertops and thought they were so sweet but I gotta tell y’all, that’s just plain old formica

Kitchen ADDITION, BEFORE AND AFTER

READER QUESTION: I love your new addition. Can you tell us about it? Thank you so much! Above are the before and after pictures of that corner. My dad got all of the cabinets in a house he worked on. A family replaced them and didn’t want the old cabinets anymore, so they were free. Some people nowadays like to call this “repurposing” or “recycling” but we’ve always just called making do and being smart. Remember that song “I was country, when country wasn’t cool”? We were cheap, before they had a billion dollar industry devoted to touting the values of being cheap.

All I had to do was buy a piece of formica to go on the countertop that matches the rest of my counters. I also bought some new drawer pulls and cabinet handles but we haven’t got around to putting those in yet. The display cabinets originally had doors but I wanted them open, so we just took them off and painted in the holes! I ended up wtih a LOT more kitchen space.

Normally, this is where my coffee station is, which is wonderful. In the morning, when I’m cooking, people can come fix coffee without ever having to enter my workspace . whenever I have photo shoots, I can just move the coffee fixin’s to another counter and set this up all pretty like!

Before we added the cabinets, I used some cubbies in that corner to store nd display Pyrex. I got those on sale for about $30 each at Lowe’s.

Reader Question: Is that a dinette set I see in the photo? I’d love to know the history of it! - Well you see, I wanted more space in my kitchen. Adding onto the house is not an affordable option but I had this big old white sunroom we never used other than to walk through it to go to the back door. It wouldn’t do for a formal dining room (not that I’m formal, or care to be), but I thought it would lend itself just fine to a 50′s style diner! I ordered diner style furnture from a restaurant supply store and it ended up costing me far less than a dining room suite would have cost.

My sunroom: A.K.A. “The Diner”

I got a booth, two four-top tables, one 2-top table, and seven chairs in addtion to the booth seating. We LOVE our diner and usually eat supper in our booth each night. I keep the two top in the kitchen for a little breakfast/homework table for the kids. For more photos of my diner and some of the fun signs I have around it, click here to visit a special post I did on it.

P.S. If you are seeing this photo, please know that I do not have a restaurant A lot of people hear me talk about my diner and email me wanting to know the address and what my hours are. I’m always honored that someone would want to go out of their way to eat my cooking, but I’m juggling about all I can manage as it is so I’m doing good to feed my own family

Our Pyrex gets a lot of use!

Reader Question: I always wonder what a person’s refrigerator looks like inside if they cook a lot. Does this make me a bad person for being so nosey?? I may be hoping it is as unorganized as mine lol! I think this makes you human and you hoping that others may be as unorganized as you is a natural product of folks on tv lying like a rug about how organized they are. Pfft. It’s like those Mama’s that pretend their children are always angels. In trying to make themselves look like perfect mothers, they end up doing a disservice to women everywhere. Rest assured, my fridge is so unorganized – I don’t think I’ll ever post a photo

Reader Question: Could you tell me about the bowls with the tulip design my aunt left me the set and I’d love to know some history. Thanks. Sure can! Those are made by Fire King and the design of the bowl is called “Splash Proof” because they are very deep.

Fire King came out with all sorts of gorgeous and colorful patterns in these bowls but the tulip pattern has ended up being the most sought after. I’ve seen a complete set of bowls going for over $200 and the grease jar alone can easily sell for that much. If you keep an eye out, though, you can get the bowl set for well under $100 and the grease jar for about $75 (if you’re very, very lucky).

Be careful when shopping, as there are many reprodutions of this pattern out there. Reproductions of this one are usually easy to spot, though. Rather than be milk glass, which you can see light through, they are solid. If you’ll look at the picture below, the salt and pepper shakers are reproductions and the rest is authentic. Pictured with them is a Fire king Tulip grease jar. This was part of an original range set which would have contained a grease jar as well as the salt and pepper shakers. An intact grease jar is difficult to find and usually very expensive when you do, especially with the lid. I suggest look for the items separately, as the lids of most patterns of this were all white and it would be easier (and most likely cheaper) to find them on their own and then make your set when you do. This pattern was most likely made in the forties and fifties. Read below the next photo for more information on Fire King…

Reproduction salt and pepper shakers are easy to spot. I bought these cheap, knowing they were repos but wanting them for display.

The little bowls in the center are made by Fire King and originally came with cottage cheese in them.

A great deal of Fire King was given away as promotional items. Most of my Jadeite dishes were giveaways at gas stations when you filled up your tank. Fire King was also given away in food products such as bags of flower.

 Reader Question: Where did you get that scale? Do you use it? Is there any history behind it? Well, I got that at Cracker Barrel a few years back. It’s definitely not an antique but I thought it was cute! It’s got a john deere tractor on it and, being a Farmall gal myself, I thought a little splash of John Deere green would just lend balance to the place AND I do love my Cracker Barrel. My friend, Jyl, was traveling with me for about a week during my book tour in 2010 and she ended up with all of these photos of us eating at Cracker Barrel on her facebook page. Finally she said “If you’re traveling with Christy, she’ll ask you where you want to go eat lunch, but you just need to know that you’ll eventually end up eating at Cracker Barrel.” heehee.

Reader Question: Where did you get your curtains? I love them!

Thank you! My Mama made those for me out of a Michael Miller Fabric called “Fifties Kitchen” she also made me a bag holder that I just love and she makes those to sell so if anyone wants one give me a holler. She puts a great deal of time into them and one exactly like mine is $25, but she also makes them to match different kitchens. But it’s made by Mama and it has a little apron on that covers up the tube that holds the bag as well as three little buttons along the top of the apron.

Note: My curtain shot looks yellow-y but the bag holder shows the actual color of the fabric.

Reader Question: I would love an upclose photo of your range … so many fabulous things come out of it that it must have a halo! ~giggles~ You are so sweet! Here is how I chose this oven: It came with the house. Someone asked me once what kind of oven I had and I told them I had no idea, but it was black and stainless and it worked. I use an electric range, have never had gas in anyplace I lived, and it has a smooth glass cooktop and YES I do use cast iron on top of my stove. As long as your cast iron pan is flat on the bottom, it’s just fine.

Here is my little stove. I’d love to have a pretty red one or one of those gorgeous vintage ones – but I can’t bring myself to spend that kind of money when this one works just fine. If I ever do, I’ll give this stove to someone who could use it, and then I wouldn’t feel so bad about buying a new one. I can’t see that happening until I move to my next house, in a city that will allow me to have chickens

Middle left, white bowls with red print of windmills and dutchboys and girls.

Reader Question: Is there a Pyrex bowl that is never allowed to be used by anyone? Do you have a favorite? I DO have a favorite! It’s actually not even pyrex, but Hazel Atlas. It is this windmill milk glass bowl set. I’ve always loved them and had searched for a very long time to try to find a set like my Mother’s. About a year ago, I was at her house and talking about them. I mentioned where all and how long I’d searched for a set like hers and that I’d come up empty handed so I wanted her to be on the lookout too. When I got ready to go, she handed me a bag. She’d taken her bowls out of the cabinet, wrapped them up, and put them in a bag for me to take home. “Here, I want you to just go ahead and have them and enjoy them now while I’m still alive to see it.”

As you can imagine, they are one of my most prized kitchen possessions, right up there with Mama’s stainless steel and copper rolling pin that my great grandmother bought her with green stamps when Mama was thirteen. Even as precious as they are to me, though, I still use them whenever I want. The only think in my kithen that doesn’t get used is the one Big Top Peanut Butter glass that still has the original sticker on it.

Reader Question: How about a picture of how the shelf over the window looks now? I’m a barefoot girl, too. I even go out sometimes in the winter to the mailbox with bare feet. Here ya go! It has evolved a lot over the past few years and I’m always taking things down and putting more things up there. I try to keep it practical and usually have some cooking ingredients up there, too, which DO end up getting replaced because I use them. I really never wear shoes unless I’m going somewhere.

Well, here is the left side. A vintage Pyrex coffee pot made as a promotional item for Maxwell House, some veggies that I will eventually eat (except for the Rutabagas, I have never had one in my life but the can was pretty), a special chair that my Grandaddy made for me before he passed away, a Shoney’s big boy bank, some baking soda….

Random nicknacks, a little See Rock city birdhouse ornament, a tiny bottle of ALAGA syrup, cast iron amish people, syrup from Cracker Barrel, jadeite rooster, old fashioned tooth fixadent bottle, peppers in sauce, antique coffee mill…

Some evaporated milk (I’m forever using this and having to put more up there), a recipe box filled with handwritten recipes that a reader gave me when their family member passed away, Prince Albert in a can (Oh the phone calls we could make!), and jars of popcorn and white beans.

Note: All groceries on these shelves get used. It is display space but also a good spot to stick mason jars once I fill them to get them out of the way. You usually see a lot more mason jars up here than I have right now.

It didn’t end up in these photos but I also have a Tobasco Bottle filled with sand from Iraq that a soldier sent me when I was 17. I used to address letters to “Any Servicemember” for the folks who didn’t get mail and ended up writing back and forth with several of them. One person asked if there was anything they could send me and I asked for some sand from there. I found out later that this was technically illegal (because some people don’t have any skillset other than thinking up ridiculous laws) but I’m so glad he sent it because I’ve had that bottle in a special place wherever I’ve lived for over two decades now.

Reader Question: Where did you get your Flour and Sugar Canisters?  I actually made those. I got the canisters at Target and Wal Mart and then spraypainted the lids candy apple red with Krylon. I designed the lettering and my father in law cut it out of red vinyl for me. I used to sell sets of the canister words in the Southern Plate store back before I realized that I’m better at writing and giving recipes away than I am at selling things . After a while, the paint chips off the lids a bit, which I think gives it an even more authentic feel. I modeled them after my favorite Tom’s Jar.

Reader Question: What is that little house cookie jar you have? This is a Nestle Toll House cookie jar. I think they came up with them in the eighties and you had to send in for them. Lo and behold they’ve become quite the collector’s item. My mother got one when they first came out and she originally paid a good bit for hers. They generally sell for about $50 now but Mama and I picked this one up at an antique mall in Tennessee for $15.00.

I know you think I have a lot of Pyrex at this point..but you haven’t seen the half of it!

this is a somewhat cluttered photo of more pyrex…

Copyright 2012, Taste of the South Magazine

Here is a photo with a little Pyrex peeking in that was in Taste of The South Magazine…

and there is still more in my guest room, sunroom, living room (I have a sideboard in there), and some of it is usually in different parts of the country as well. I just got five boxes worth back from a photoshoot in Savannah for my next book – I haven’t even opened them yet because while the pieces were away having their picture taken,their spots got filled in with other pieces!

And THEN I found out about JAJ or Crown Pyrex…. As it turns out, when Pyrex was all the rage in the US, a company known as JAJ or Crown got rights to make it in the UK. They then proceeded to make bowls and dishes out of the same material, but with completely different designs, shapes, and sizes!!!! Some of the designs resemble those made in the US but some of drastically different, and utterly beautiful.

I’m. Just.  Not.  Going.  To. Think. About.  Those.

I can’t.

Truly… I can’t…

But if anyone wants to go on a field trip to the United Kingdom to hunt Pyrex, save me a seat

Valentine’s is upon us! I hope you’ve got plans to show those you love how special they are. I know we do that every day of the year but it never hurts to do a little something extra on a day like this.

Valentine’s gestures don’t have to be a big production, cost an outlandish amount of money, or take weeks to plan in order to make our loved ones feel special. All it has to do is come from the heart. No matter how busy you are, there is always time to do something special for Valentine’s Day.

To help you out a bit in case you need it, today I’m going to show you a yummy dessert that you can throw together in just minutes!

 For this, all you’ll need are: A package of brownie mix that makes a 9×13 pan, a tub of pink frosting, and a package of Toll House Dark Chocolate and Red chocolate morsels.* 

*These are limited edition so get them while you can! I found oodles of them at Wal Mart.

You’ll also need whatever ingredients the brownie mix calls for, which is usually a little bit of vegetable oil, water, and eggs.

 Mix up your brownie mix according to package directions. 

 Spread that into a greased 9×13 pan and sprinkle about half of the chocolate chips over it. 

Bake according to package directions.  

Allow to cool completely. 

 Frost with your tub of frosting. 

 Sprinkle the remaining chips over the top of the frosting, cut, and serve! 

To see more beautifully simple recipes from Nestle

like the ones below,

please click here to visit Wal Mart’s special Valentine recipe site! 

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!  

Love begins at home.

~Mother Teresa

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by Lunchbox. All opinions and views are my own and my daughter thought brownies with pink icing were the next best thing to sparkly unicorns jumping over rainbows.