Squishy Squash

Miss Etta that okra bread sound interesting so I think I may just skitter round to the local food store and buy all the fixings. It might be good with some corn tossed into the mix, too. I never have been one to leave well enough alone, although I prefer to think of it as adding my own touch to every little thing. As they say, I make it my own.

With this crazy weather I don't know if I should be making chili or eating watermelon. Only in Georgia can you find weather that can't make up its mind from day to day.

And yes, Miz Vul, although you have come new to our little front porch, you are missed already when you don't add your two cents worth to our discussions. Looking for a yoga dvd is not excuse enough to ignore us unless you happen to get tied up in some knot while doing one of those crazy contortions. Just how does it make you relax to twist a leg behind your neck? I tried some classes and I kept falling over. The only animal that should practice standing with one leg in the air is a dog.

I am short on time but did want to at least say hello. I will try to catch up later this evening if life permits.

Miss Faye

Special Hoppin John

Miss Faye,

While you are correct in saying Hoppin' John originated in the low country, you did forget to add another tradition of the low country. Gotta have the She Crab Soup!

Here is my recipe I use for Hoppin' John which is from the cookbook 'Four Great Southern Cooks." These ladies, descended from those who cooked in the grand plantations of the white-columned old South homes, know how to cook. They also know "Southern Cooking" means warmth, simplicity and hospitality.

Hoppin' John

1 medium sized onion, peeled and left whole
1/2 lb. salt pork
2 ham hocks
1/2 lb dried black-eyed peas
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 c. long grain rice

Lightly fry the salt pork, add the ham hocks, dried peas, the whole onion and red pepper. Pour in just enough water to cover, put a lid on the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the salt pork and ham hocks. Stir in the rice and cover. Remove any meat from the ham hocks and return to the pea/rice mixture. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Serves 6-8.

For She Crab Soup, use crab meat, butter, flour lemon, light cream, sherry, and Tabasco. Better yet. Jump in the car and head to the low country.

See you there! Hey, and bring along some Mint Julep tea, too!

Miss Etta

Rice Krispies are THE Best!

I did not know that easy to make dessert was called White Trash! What a hoot. You know I bet that it surely isn't called that in the North.

I know, I know, I seem to be fixating on what some of our favorites are called in other parts of the world. But it just can't be helped, when my mind travels down a path it finds a rut and there I am over and over again.

My favorite of all favorite desserts along those lines is rice crispy treats. Marshmallows and rice crispies with a bit of butter all mixed together. We used to make that all the time when I was a child. Now of course you can buy them packaged at the store but it just isn't the same as our homemade variety.

It was rare that we had any to share after we all got together to mix up a batch. Stir and test, stir and sample.

I was looking around and found a recipe that is just perfect for Christmas. Here it is:

Rice Krispie Christmas Trees
Servings: 12

Ingredients
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 package (10 oz. about 40) regular marshmallows
- or -
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups Ready-To-Eat Cereal Kellogg's® Rice Krispies®
- or -
6 cups Ready-To-Eat Cereal Kellogg's® Cocoa Krispies™
Prepared green frosting
Red cinnamon candies

Directions
1. Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly in 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool slightly. Using 4-inch tree cookie cutter, cut into tree shapes. Decorate as desired with frosting and red cinnamon candies. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In a microwave safe bowl, heat margarine and marshmallows at HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above.

Microwave cooking times may vary.

We used the kind of marshmallows that came in a jar sometime, too. Up north they call it "Fluff". I know because a dear friend of mine moved down here from the north and went looking for it but couldn't find it anywhere. I tried to tell her that we had something just as good if not better, but she was rather pig headed and would not listen. Now I see they are finally carrying her Fluff on the grocery store shelves. I haven't tried it. I will stick to my Duke's mayonaise and the jarred marshmallow I grew up with thank you.

Have a wonderfully crispy day,
Miss Faye

Barbeque- Places in Fayette Couny

Oh Miss Faye,

You just tickle me so. You've got me to thinking. How do we find out if those yankee people eat our kind of barbeque? Well, you may remember that one of kithin' cousins lives up there where it snows, so I'll post a letter and see what he says. You know, my daddy was a Yankee. He just couldn't resist the charms of my mama. I remember people describing her as a true Southern Belle. Now don't that beat all.

Oh, wait. Here I am just rambling on when you asked me a question. Just this week alone, I had lunch at Cafe Pig on Huddleston. Did you hear that Southern Living has written about them? Why, I guess that makes them famous in these parts. Last night, I ate at Shane's. And just last month, I braved the night air and ate at Smokey Bones. I like them all. But then my taste buds usually can't find bad pork. I sure wish you'd eat some pit cooked barbeque. Why, it's just as good as anything you could eat. Now, I like the mustard based sauces, which is the type of sauce my mama grew up with in the lowcountry. Does your delicate constitution let you have the sauce?

Wish I could stay longer, but I got to go fix some Georgia "ice cream" for my youngins. I just got some that were stone ground. You do eat that, don't you? I cook them with cream and butter for about half a hour. I also like to add cheese. Well, my mouth is watering so I'm off.

Miss Etta

Pig Pickin'

Well darlin' Miss Etta, you may have dined on barbecue, but yours truly kept her sweet bottom at home for the night.

Now, you have to tell all. Which barbecue place did you choose to dine at tonight?

I can rattle off any number of places to eat barbecue in Fayette County. Let's see, Speedy Pig, Melears, Cafe Pig and Smokey Bones come to mind quite quickly. Which one did you visit or did I overlook your choice?

I've discovered some people have some mighty strong opinions about their barbecue. Some like pork, some like beef. Some like the tart vinegar flavor and others like it sweet. Some like it shredded and some like it in chunks. I wonder if anyone has ever done a study about barbecue personalities?

Do northerners eat barbecue? Do you think they eat it in France? Does barbecue mean the same thing in California as it does in Georgia? These are deep questions that I am sure someone knows how to answer.

As you probably know, I'm not particularly partial to any kind of barbecue. However, do you remember that they used to call those big gatherings where they roasted the pig a "pig pickin'?"

Here's a topic for you: Brunswick stew.

Signing off for the night,
Miss Faye