Game Day Recipe Friday--Blackyed Pea Cornbread

You won't believe how good this is. You can make it in muffins pans or a 9 X 13 pan and cut it into squares. I've done it both ways, but, frankly, I think that muffin business is a lot of nonsense for nothing. Especially on game day. I haven't got time for that.

Roll Tide. Or whatever it is you need to say to get through the day.

Black-Eyed Pea Cornbread

• 1 pound of sausage
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 15.5-ounce can of Black-Eyed Peas, undrained
• 1 Cup of self-rising cornmeal
• ½ Cup self-rising flour
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 Cup of buttermilk
• ½ Cup of oil
• 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ¾ Cup cream-style corn
• 1 can of chopped green chilies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown sausage and onion together until sausage is no longer pink and onion is soft. Drain grease.

Mix remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add sausage and onion.

Pour into a greased 13X9 pan or drop into paper lined muffin cups.

Bake 45 minutes for cornbread or 25-30 minutes for muffins.

Let sit 15 minutes before cutting.

Serve with salsa or picante sauce if desired.

New Boots, New Attitude

The Best Boots EVER!

I have new boots that I bought Monday and wore tot school today.  While my love of new footwear is pretty well known, my love for these boots go to an entirely new level.  I have been happy and smiling all day long because my feet make me so happy! 

I know that no one who knows me even just a little bit would have ever guessed that I would fall so in love with a cowboy boot.  In fact, I would have never guessed it myself.  I sort of had to be talked into buying them by a friend.  How sad it would have been if I had missed out on all of the joy that my new footwear has brought me. In fact, my new boots seem to have induced a new sassy attitude as well.

Can you think of a time when one random act effected your attitude about life?

The Pleasure of Their Company

Kathy is recuperating beautifully and says hello to everyone. She'll be back with us soon.

Meanwhile . . .
Let's play a game. I would call it a creative exercise but game is more fun. Besides, I'll give a prize for the answer I like best. Creative exercises don't get prizes. They get grades or self-satisfaction. I say let's do game and tangible.

Here's what's going to happen. I'm going to tell you about a couple of women I saw shopping together in the grocery store. Then, I'm going to ask you a question about them. Not anything like, "What color were her polyester shorts?" but a speculative question.

Here goes:

They had that worn-out look about them that came from factory work, softball, late beer nights, and divorces. One looked like she'd had her hair cut by the only idle stylist in a walk-in salon the day before Easter. The other should have availed herself of that because she was too old to have all that hair hanging down her back. Their dark rusty tans didn't do anything to improve their looks, but they didn't know that. They were excited from the tops of their Lady Clairol heads down to their rubber flip flops. Their shopping buggy was full of charcoal, sirloin steaks, potatoes, store brand mayonnaise, and Cool Whip. Clearly, they were going to have a party.

Here's the question: Who were their guests going to be?

What's in a Name?

What’s in a name? I have often pondered how people come up with some of the names of businesses. Do they sit and actually think about it or do they simply write down the first thing that comes to their mind? Or does it have to do with registering their business with the Secretary of State and the name they actually wanted was already taken so they had to come up with something else fast?

After visiting the Plains this weekend we were driving back home through the remainder of a tropical storm. I am a nervous passenger when there are fifty mile per hour wind gusts so I sought some way to calm my nerves. The name of a business caught my eye and thus this blog was born. I began writing down the names of some businesses and I thought I would share them with you.

The first one was a fish restaurant on Lake Martin by the name of “Fish Tales.” Now, think about it: is this a place to go discuss the one that got away? To me it conjures images of dirty, fishy fishermen sitting around, swilling beer and telling tales. Not exactly a place where I would want to go with my family. Just a thought. Though the name is cute, maybe it’s not conveying the right image. Then we have “Catfish Cabin.” I have a mental picture of a family of catfish living somewhere in a cabin by the lake. I shudder to think about knocking on the door and being greeted by a two hundred pound catfish with long whiskers. That made me remember a place I saw in South Carolina named “Bronco’s Barbeque.” There was this big image of a horse on the top of the building. Of course you wonder: are these people making French barbeque out of horse? Secret's in the sauce...

Beauty Shops – Yes, here in the South we still call them that. Not salons – BEAUTY SHOPS. I passed one name “Curl Harbor.” Very cute name until you start equating that with Pearl Harbor which was an excruciating defeat for the United States. Does that mean that any hair cut you get there is going to be a disaster? Not exactly what you want to convey in a name. Then there was “Hairspray Heaven.” Really? I mean that brings to mind my grandmother, tight perms, and lacquer. And, ta da, there was a salon – “Splash Salon.” Are you going to make a big splash with your new hairdo or is someone going to splash something on you while you are there? Just some confusion on my part.

We passed a junkyard outside of Oneonta which had a body shop named “”Sudden Impact.” It’s kind of like naming a hospital “Cuts r’ Us.” Are you really hoping for someone to have a “sudden impact?”

The “Mater Shop” was a roadside market selling, you guessed it tomatoes, along with other vegetables. Another one was the “Picnic Basket.” I just thought that was odd.

There was an antique store named “Antiques and Uniques.” Now, that was very catchy but then I started wondering, what’s a unique? I don’t think that is a noun. Another store, specializing in patio furniture was named “The Swing Thing.” Without being too specific, that conjured other images in my mind, risque’ ones at that.

The best one was Jordan-Hare Stadium. I love the name, wouldn't change a thing about it because it epitomizes all the wonderful things I love about that special place. And, you see the nicest people there!


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So, are there any unusually named places that you know? Share the names with us here under the Tulip Tree.

Happy Labor Day

Are You Ready To Tailgate? It's Football Season!

In honor of the Opening of the College Football Season, I give you my famous Tailgate Bread. This is a wonderful thing to make and take with you to a game. It can be made ahead and reheated. And, when wrapped up as detailed below, will stay warm until cut into slices.

I like to change things up. I add ham, turkey, salame, different cheeses, whatever you decide to mix into the filling, you can make it work. I've done this in a TexMex mode, with salsa and cheeses too. I've even done an Italian version. Given a little imagination, you can really take this recipe a long way! Enjoy!

Tailgate Bread

1 loaf Frozen Bread Dough (or French Bread Dough made in Bread machine)
1/4 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
6 slices cooked bacon
1/2 lb. thinly sliced turkey breast
1 beaten egg

Spray cookie sheet with Pam, place dough (frozen) in center, brush with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and mold to dough. Let rise to double in size.

(Or make French Bread dough in bread machine, using the dough setting. After dough has risen, pick back up on recipe.)

Spread risen dough over cookie sheet, up to 2-3" from edge of pan. Make 10 slices along each side of rectangle about 2" long. Be sure to leave center whole. Place turkey down center, add cheese, and bacon. Overlap dough strips one after another over stuffing, securing ends carefully underneath. Once sealed, pinch holes closed. (Will resemble long Subway sandwich.) Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (opt.).

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with mustard. Can make ahead and reheat for 30 minutes. Wrap in foil, newspaper, and a towel to stay warm. Cut into slices and enjoy!

(I'll be out of pocket for a few weeks as I'm having surgery, but Jean, Stephanie and Cheryl will be sure to keep you entertained. I'll be watching football as I recover and ducking under the Tulip Tree when I can. Blessings!)

Recess

Do you ever wish you could go back to school just to have the pure joy of recess again?  My new classroom is right beside the playground and I can hear children as they are playing on the swings and slides or just running around in general having fun. This is especially evident late in the school day after they have had a long day of hard work in their classrooms.

I have never been the most outdoorsy person, even in the best of circumstances but I can sure remember the long ago joy of recess.  There wasn't a teacher to look over my shoulder and boss me around!  I could be the boss of the other kids, and often was.  I could choose to swing or slide or even just hang out in the concrete culverts that we called the "Tunnels of Love" because they were painted red.  Ahhhh, those were the days!

Now, as an adult, I don't ever seem to have a recess.  Oh, I sometimes have a day where I don't have as much to do but I don't really seem to ever get that pure joy like I did as a child where I feel as if I can just do what ever I want for a few minutes.  Maybe I should try to join the kids on the swings.

What do you do to recapture your joy or when you need a recess from life?