Happy New Year!!

I have just awaken from a long winter's nap well, actually a Sunday afternoon nap on a 67 degree day in North Carolina. Happy New Year from our unusually warm weather. I think Sunday afternoon naps are good for the soul. We so rarely get to indulge in them and when we do it feels luxurious. I know that sounds like a silly statement, a nap, luxurious but try to "sneak" one in next Sunday and see if you don't agree. Not a 10 minute power nap, a fall asleep and sleep until you naturally wake up nap- it truly is a luxury.
Well it is THAT time of year... Time for New Year's Resolutions. Get healthy, lose weight, be nicer, yeah yeah yeah. I had already broken half of those before 8:15 this morning. Actually, I did not make resolutions in that vein this year. Our pastor, Pastor Chuck, preached a series on spending time with God. AND wait for it... zipping it Pippi long enough to hear what God has to say. OH!!! You mean I was suppose to shut up long enough to listen? Well Hello, who knew, such a novel idea. For the past month that is what I have been trying to do. Listen. And frankly, I suck at it. I am like the dog in Up!, yes Lord I hear you, you want me too, Eww! Squirrel, Chocolate, Phone, Sparkly. In the past, my conversations with God have been more like, well imagine God as a therapist. He is sitting in his chair, in a sports coat with elbow patches, looking at me over his reading glasses and I am laid all out on the couch dumping my woes in his lap and when I am done taking my lollipop and hitting the streets feeling ever so much better but starting the drive around the same mountain once again. However, I have noticed that God is taking advantage of those 3 seconds of attention and laying a few things on my heart- 16 pages and counting. :) Hey carrot cake...
Now I have had a few "Come to Jesus" moments with my Mama. NEVER EVER EVER GOOD! I think I may still be grounded from one of them. But when God has a "Come to Jesus" moment with you (should they be called a "Come to ME" moment?) it is not quite the same in my experience. I have not been grounded until I am 40 and I get to keep the keys to my car. It was more throwing the spotlight on a few things that made me cringe and then helping me realize that they need to change and can only change through and by him. The heavens did not part and I did not hear the voice of James Earl Jones (yes indeed- in my world God sounds like James Earl Jones) telling me what a bad child I have been. I felt conviction, conviction that there were some things that needed realignment. I read something recently that stated conviction is something about which we are convinced. A convinced conscience. My conscience has been convinced that I need to be more disciplined, a better steward and a better wife. Um, excusez moi? Me, a better wife? But Lord, I am the perfect wife, gracious, loving, never a negative thought or word..... And that ladies and gentlemen was the sound of heaven and Brad laughing their hineys off. Well maybe the good folks of heaven cannot laugh their hineys off but they sure thought that was HI-larious. Even I cannot type, write or say that with a straight face. And I am finding that those three things are interwoven. I want to be a better steward of the many blessings God has given me; my husband, family, home, finances and job. Using what God has given me to His glory, appreciating it and sharing it. And this blog is going to hold me accountable. It is still going to follow the craziness of canning, freezing and saving the dollars but now with a different purpose or shall I say with a purpose. Fasten your seatbelts, its going to be a bumpy, funny, fall on my face, honest, amazing ever so wonderful year. (The Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise. thanks Deddy)

The carrot- My Dog

Just a little afternoon humor- I found this in my snack a few weeks ago. The carrot has not been altered in anyway. And not I could not bring myself to eat the Ella carrot. She would have had no problem but not me. *Don't you love the fact that she is looking longingly at Arby's? Poor baby!

White House Toilet Paper

Yep- I have some. In the pocket of my caroling skirt. White House toilet paper and a bay leaf. Yes indeed, I visited the White House and all I got was toilet paper. Well, not really but for those of you who know me, it fits me that this is what I am excited about.

I am truly blessed to sing with a great group of people, the Victorian Carolers, and we were invited to perform at the White House. It was an amazing adventure that I will never forget. We were singing for a group of invited guests as they exited the White House tour. It was an honor and joy to sing in such a beautiful and historical place. The best part was with all of the greenery, it smelled like a big Christmas hug. We were allowed on the same tour and it was gorgeous. I had never been to the White House and it was awe inspiring. I wish I could explain better but the experience was so magical it it hard to put it into words. Although I will forewarn you, if you are the last to leave the tour, Security will threaten to "release the hounds" on your tush. No seriously as in- You now have to leave, we are bringing in the dogs.

I have pictures of our adventure. It was a blast and maybe, just maybe, we will be able to go again one year. And if you ask nicely, I will try and sneak some WHTP for you. :)

I am a Carolina Girl

Ok- not the UNC kind, that would lead to d-i-v-o-r-c-e court. (Go State!) I mean Carolina as in born and raised in North Carolina. I have never lived in another state and if I moved tomorrow I would always be a Carolina girl (just not the UNC kind because my in-laws like me and I want to keep it that way).

And while this blog is about my adventures in canning, which I have tons of updates coming soon to a blog spot near you, I had a gorgeous walk downtown this morning and it reminded me of why I love my home. As a friend of mine said yesterday, you know you live in North Carolina when it is 92 one day and 66 two days later. That is actually the prediction this week, 92 on Wednesday and 66 on Friday. You can run your heat and a/c in the same day.

We have had a doozy of a summer. We reached 90 degrees in May and never left but the last few days have been glorious. High 60's at night and low 80's during the day. This is why fall has become my favorite time of the year. It reminds me of birthdays, tailgating, pig pickins and riding my bicycle with my transistor radio... er Ipod (no need to give away my age, HA) feeling like a big girl because I could ride out of my grandma's sight.

Or maybe the real reason I feel like reminicsing today is a birthday and a biscuit pan. My Dad's 57th birthday is today. It is my second without him and while no less painful it is a little sweeter. Cancer is a horrible disease that brings strong men to their knees and although it weakened him physically, it strengthened his courage, his grace and his determination. He fought and fought hard to be here for my mom, my sister and myself. And although he is no longer here with us, I am reminded of him in best ways.

He took us fishing on the Tar River and let me "drive" the boat. He taught me how to fix a toilet, grow a garden and gave me the best taste in music. He never made me bait my own hook, pick cucumbers or corn when there were spiders AND he did not get mad when I ran his truck into the house. Although Sissy stood there with her mouth wide open and then said "He is going to kkkkkiiiiillllllllll you!" He didn't. He just asked me politely to exit the vehicle and proceeded to back it up with the windows rolled up talking 75 mph. I have no idea what he was saying but I think that may be how I learned all of the good curse words.

I loved both of my grandmas. They were good ladies but I have to admit, my grandma Edward's was one of my favorite people in the whole world. She just made it better, whatever "it" was she made it better. She also made the best biscuits. I do not. I can cook my butt off but as a Southern woman my inability to make a proper biscuit haunts me and my husband. He married the only Southern woman in the state of North Carolina who cannot make a decent biscuit. I lost my granddeddy recently and when cleaning out his house, my grandma's biscuit pan found its way to my house. Let's pause for a moment to laugh at that irony. I keep hoping that this pan is magical and that by touching it I will make the perfect biscuits and will no longer have to pass Mary B's off as my own. The thing is, the pan is magical. It is seasoned and shiny from years of Crisco. I look at that pan and see it sitting on the stove with cold biscuits and sausage for anyone who came over after breakfast. I can see her sitting at her table putting molasses on a biscuit. Once the plates were cleared, she would drink coffee and twist a paper towel into tiny little shreds while she and my family talked. If I was a big girl, I could sit with her and have a little of her coffee.

I am thinking of them today.

Actually, I am missing them today. I want to go back home and pull the covers over my head and cry until there are no more tears. I want to pout, kick and scream at why God could take from me three people I loved. But instead I am going to focus on the fact that He gave them to me. I got to fish; eat biscuits; swim; learn to fix toilets, can, garden and curse while they were here. And I am grateful for the opportunity. I will see them again, hopefully not for a while, which is a testament to the wonderful life God has given me but one day.

So as you are out and about on these beautiful days the next few weeks, I hope it makes you think of good memories, great people and Tammy Wynette. You knew I couldn't let the d-i-v-o-r-c-e comment go by without planting the song in your head. Evil- I know. ;)

Yummy Lemon Coconut Cake!!!!
Lent was a lllllooooonnnnnggggg 46 days so I celebrated by making lemon coconut cake for Easter Dinner. Yes- That was dinner. OK, so I did actually make an Easter Dinner but I dreamt about this the whole week before.
I am not a baker by any means. Bread has gone straight from the oven to the trash but I was still excited (and brave) to try this cake. I had to forgo the wonderful coconut cake at the Peninsula Grill in Charleston when I was there during Lent so this was my make up cake.
I was nervous but I found that this cake with all of its glorious fatty deliciousness was easy and divine.
My lemon came from lemon curd that I used as icing between the layers. Although I have made lemon curd from scratch in the past, we were going for ease since there was another entire meal to be made.
The frosting was a cream cheese frosting that I modified just a bit and may never be able to make again. :) But I will try and promise to write it down this time. The cake recipe is below.
Coconut, coconut, yummy yummy coconut. Everybody sing.... okay maybe not.... :)

1 c unsalted soften butter

2 c sugar

4 large eggs separated

3 a-p flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 c coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 of a teaspoon of salt

Lemon curd

Frosting

1 c flaked coconut

-Beat the butter at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, mixing well. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition.

-Combine flour and baking powder , add to butter mixture alternately with milk beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

- Beat egg whites and salt at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir about 1/3 of the eggs whites into the batter; fold in remaining egg whites.

-Spoon batter into greased and floured 9" round cake pans.

-Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

- Spread lemon curd in between layers. Spread frosting on top and sides of cake and sprinkle with coconut.

I like the idea of using lime curd in between the layers but that just opens the door to having a certain song stuck in your head all day long...

Ummm... Bad- Really, Really Bad

Yep out of the oven and into the trash! No Bread for You was the mantra this weekend. I really do wish I were joking but one slice of the Bread o' Lead and it went into the "garbahhhge" as my deddy would say.

Nope- Not a single picture to document the disaster. But it is through our mistakes that we learn bread has to be kneaded. Who wants a 2 minute massage, not me, and neither did my poor unloved bread. :) It wanted and kneaded (get it? Ha- sorry I am not above really bad jokes) 10 minutes of kneading. I am trying again this weekend. Hopefully, I will have pictures to post of a lovely loaf.

As for the cake... Well, my in-laws dropped by for dinner and I ran out of time. The sweet potato cake became chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. But I will conquer it this weekend as well.

Pie crusts will just have to wait...

No Really...

I am starting this, truly I am. I think, well maybe. Actually a new computer with wireless (hello friend!) and rising food prices mean I am going to learn to bake (if it kills someone) and can/freeze more veggies this year. Not only is it a sound practice for the sake of my pocketbook, it makes me happy because I have such wonderful memories of my grandmothers and the wonderful Sunday dinners with family.

Just a little translation for everyone. Dinner in the South is lunch and Supper is well supper. (Uncle Greg would be proud of me using proper Southern.)

It is almost Spring here in North Carolina and we are teetering between 75 and 55 degree highs. I am ready for warm weather but it is cool outside so I am hoping to fill the house with yummy smells. So... Today I am tackling 2 things that have always kicked my butt. Bread (let me know if someone needs help patching their foundation- that has been the case in the past) and cake. Not just any cake Old Fashioned Sweet Potato, think carrot but with sweet potatoes.

I am hoping to have pictures and even recipes when I am done.

*Disclaimer- my wonderful grandmother, whom I loved dearly and still do, would say the uglier the cake the better. That is my story and I am sticking to it.