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Special Edition… Pecan Crusted Candied Bacon!

It is nearly impossible to make enough of Pecan Crusted Candied Bacon! That’s eating high on the hog! And… the reason for this Special Edition is because our candied bacon has been featured on the podcast and blog of the beautiful, talented Becky Hadeed @thestoriedrecipe! Her photography is ‘cookbook quality’ beautiful! I sent Becky a general recipe of how to make Pecan Crusted Candied Bacon, yet we wanted the recipe tweaked a bit- so, here’s the specific version with a few tips for making –

Pecan Crusted Candied Bacon

Mix together:

  • 1 1/3 cups Light Brown Sugar
  • 1- 1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Black Pepper OR
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper ( Black and Cayenne Pepper are to taste, I like it spicy! And often add both!)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

*Keep this mixture in an airtight container …it makes enough for at least a pound of bacon.

Method:

  • Prepare baking pan by lining with heavy duty foil, then lining with heavy duty parchment paper. Don’t skip this step! It is almost impossible to get the drippings off the pan!
  • After each batch remove and replace parchment paper. On top of parchment paper foil lined pan, set a baking or metal cooling rack.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • For each batch- cut 4 slices of thick bacon in half and arrange the 8 pieces on the baking rack leaving space between the slices. *Thick bacon is commercially sliced and is about 1/8 inch thick.
  • On each half slice of bacon, sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar mixture. (don’t overload bacon with topping, it will melt and run off onto the baking sheet and burn.
  • Press sugar topping lightly. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, check the bacon …it will always need more time- Bake for 10-15 minutes more checking every few minutes.

  • Remove Bacon and leave on rack to cool.
  • If properly cooked, the bacon will continue to crisp up slightly as it cools. Depending on the thickness of the bacon, it takes up to a total of 30 minutes for each batch.
  • Store Pecan Crusted Candied Bacon in single layers with wax paper or parchment between layers in an airtight container.
  • * Variation- add finely chopped walnuts if preferred or omit nuts entirely, though I must say- the pecans make it southern a delicious!

Serve: Alone as an appetizer (small parties…these go lightening fast!), Pecan Crusted Candied Bacon is wonderful crumbled over fruit or green salads. And! For a very special treat, crumble on top of a good vanilla ice cream, if you really want to dress it up– pour a teaspoon of bourbon over ice cream to enhance the vanilla flavor (if you dare! Adults only please) Then, top with a good caramel sauce then sprinkled chopped or crumbled bacon on top!

This Special Edition is an exciting time! It’s our first podcast!  The podcast with Becky of @thestoriedrecipe was a first for me! I mean, really…it’s a scary thing, wondering what your voice will sound like- if the recipes will work and okay, I didn’t want to sound like a redneck! Still. Becky did a great job making the recipes, including Mimi’s Award Winning Pimento Cheese look great! And… her editing skills on the video are amazing too. The episode includes two other wonderful guests and me! Here’s a link to Becky’s blog- The Storied Recipe and the podcast located at the beginning of her post.

I am honored to be Becky’s friend and to have appeared in her podcast, which is available as The Storied Recipe, Episode 4 and also through your podcast app. Follow Becky on Instagram @thestoriedrecipe as she continues to interview guests and discover recipes and the stories that go along with them! The table is where we find common ground. It’s the making of the food for our friends and families, sharing the stories and creating even more memories, especially during the holidays!

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs belong to Becky Hadeed and are used with permission – except- the ‘candied bacon on the baking rack’ which is obviously mine!

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Fried Pies… it’s a Southern Thing

img_2718Fried Pies might be the ultimate comfort food for southerners. Especially of… folks of a certain age; though their appeal knows no age, economic barriers or social status. Given the chance to eat a fried pie, the answer is always ‘yes!’

There are variations of fried pies. In other regions they might be called:

  • hand pies,
  • turnovers
  • even empanadas.

img_2721The comfort food we know as fried pies are generally filled with a thick filling of dried apples or peaches, though I’ve also seen other types- strawberry, lemon, chocolate and another southern type called Nachitoches Meat Pies from a small town in Louisiana. These variations aren’t what I’m talking about here. Fried pies always conjure up the type our mother’s made from dried fruit-plumped up with water and sugar, then boiled down until as thick as jam.

img_2724A tablespoon or so is put inside a small circle of dough, the edges are folded over to make a half moon shape; then they are fried. Not deep fried either… which I personally think would ruin a fried pie! Still, they are fried in about a half inch of oil or shortening even lard. They do especially well fried in a hot iron skillet. * You know, I really should tell you sometime all the reasons we love our iron skillets and fried pies is just one reason!img_2720

In my grandmother’s double first cousins’ cookbook- there is an old ‘anonymous’ recipe for fried pies… still the best one I’ve ever come up with so- Here’s how you make real southern Fried Pies!

  • 2 cups sifted Plain Flour (All purpose)
  • 3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/3 cup Shortening (plus extra for frying)
  • 2/3 cup Milk
  • Dried Apples or Peaches

Prepare dried fruit for filling. Set aside. Mix first 4 ingredients until like cornmeal, using a pastry cutter. Add milk and mix well. Divide dough into 8-12 parts and shape into balls. Roll or pat on floured surface to make a circle. Fill each circle with a tablespoon or so with dried apples or peaches. Fold dough over filling, seal edges by crimping with a fork. Chill. Fry pies in a heavy iron skillet in hot shortening until golden brown on both sides. Serve warm if possible.img_2718

* A word about rehydrating dried peaches or apples- feel free to soak the fruit in water overnight… a few hours will be fine also. Add granular sugar at a ratio of 1/2 cup to 1 cup of fruit, I’ll admit I often add a full cup of sugar to 1 cup of soaked fruit. These fruits are tart when dried. I have added a bit of cinnamon even nutmeg to the fruit, though this isn’t necessary. Simmer the fruit until the mixture is as thick as jam, watching carefully. I often bring the fruit to a bubbling state, cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour, more if needed. When the fruit has stewed, with a potato masher, press fruit until it is the texture of a thick jam; any excess juice can be drained away, you don’t want to ‘wet’ the dough when filling. Set aside the stewed fruit until the dough is ready. The stewed fruit will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Above are what dried peaches look like. And.. Below are what rehydrated and sugared dried apples look like before mashing. img_2719

* A word about the dough- the rule is to never overwork a pastry dough, fried pie dough may be an exception. My grandmother thought milk ‘toughened’ a pie crust dough, yet Milk works very well for fried pies since it will need to hold its shape while frying. And in my grandmother’s day, chilling wasn’t always feasible, yet I find after I fill and crimp the fried pies, chilling helps- therefore that instruction was included in the recipe.

** If you aren’t frying the pies right away, it is best to freeze the uncooked pies on a baking sheet in a single layer, then place carefully in freezer bags until you’re ready to make them. I love to make a double batch, freeze them and then take out however many I plan to fry. They do not need to be thawed before frying! (I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you, that many southern ladies who are expert at making fried pies, use a time saver they use canned biscuits and roll out the individual biscuits into a flat disc, fill with stewed apples or peaches just as in this recipe, and I must say- those are awfully good too!)img_2721

Fried Pies … it’s a Southern thing y’all! I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love them! They are warm, filling and delicious! With this nip in the November air, I know I’ll be making up several batches to enjoy as the ultimate comfort food! I hope you’ll try this southern favorite soon!

Love y’all, Camellia

All photographs are obviously mine!

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Camellia goes to California…

92F087D9-4772-45B5-A170-9F5E254C5AF1Fall is a wonderful time to go to California! We’ve been at various times of year and I have to say when the weather is still hot as blue blazes here- California’s September weather is almost perfect. San Diego is perfect year round, yet San Francisco has generally felt  much cooler than I’ve expected whenever we go! This time, we did a multi-region trip. We flew into San Francisco and drove down the beautiful stunning Pacific Coast Highway to Monterrey, back up to beautiful San Francisco, then up to Napa and Sonoma Wine country where it was harvest time!

We went to Monterey for a family event, our daughter was getting a degree from Naval Post Graduate School, and while she’s a civilian I have to say the service was thrilling and you’ve got to know any southern lady of any age loves to see men in uniform! And the uniformed ladies were good looking too! Of course our daughter was the one in the pink dress I ‘had eyes for’ during the commencement service.

The Navy Band played everything from big band tunes to ‘chill bump’ military and national anthems. So impressive!

The school is in beautiful Monterey which is nestled on the Pacific coast, so of course we visited Cannery Row and Old Town Monterrey. The afternoon before, several in our family had gone on what looks and sounds like an amazing Whale Watching Tour!11117419-7D66-47F1-889F-4884C5536F38
The original drive down the Pacific Coast Highway entailed a stop at Half Moon Bay where we stopped and ate- what else? Fish and Chips! The flowers were brilliant!

On the way back up, I was again amazed by the farms, especially the pumpkins!  We drove into San Francisco, where … Location, location is the first thing!

We stayed at the historic and beautiful Fairmont San Francisco! It’s an amazing place! Not to mention, gorgeous too! That evening we were all interested in riding the historic and fun San Francisco Cable Cars! We went to Fisherman’s Wharf, ate at Boudin’s Bakery…famous for their sour dough bread, and Guiradelli Square, where …let’s just say- we indulged in chocolate!51DDBEEF-F659-4A77-986D-C6C6F7700B24
We had booked a full day Wine Country Tour with Gray Line, were picked up at our hotel; the ride over Golden Gate is always breathtaking and the scenery was simply amazing! This tour gave us stops at 3 wineries of different sizes, the smaller one started in the vineyards.

I’m not a wine connoisseur yet these small batch wines were delicious. The next winery tour started in the barrel room and ended in the tasting room. Our next stop was a short visit and lunch in Napa. From there up through the ever beautiful Sonoma, yet extra pretty due to harvest season. The last winery will be a name familiar to all… Sutter Home, where folks can stay…as all through this area, there are wonderful places to stay and fabulous art and restaurants, the French Laundry comes to mind…

After a full day, we just wanted something quick and delicious to eat! On previous trips we’ve made- there’s a hole in the wall pizza place called Uncle Vito’s ! So don’t worry about the calories- you’ll walk, climb, trudge back up the hills of SF to the hotel- some would call it ‘invigorating‘.

CCD24E1F-5272-4A55-8F1E-4F8DD01789C3On Sunday, of course we wanted to visit the sea lions! And the whole Pier 39 area… so fun, at the Ferry Building to graze thru the vendors and purveyors of California made or grown food! Amazing gift shops and beautiful sites to sit outside and eat or visit.

We were up for something quirky to do so we went to the Museum of Ice Cream. The pink hot chocolate was amazing! For the kid in me- it was truly fun! On up to China Town, we found an alleyway where fortune cookies are still made by hand- the aroma of fresh fortune cookies was a lure, the samples of warm crisp pastry was wonderful and the sight of watching Asian ladies make fortune cookies was unforgettable.B9548E1A-7849-4015-9288-1CFC58533CBD

Of course, we had to eat Chinese food in SF China Town too! Back at the amazing Fairmont, there was a wine and cheese tasting, we also peered through the glass to see the rooftop chef’s garden and beehives! There is also a beautiful terrace with beautiful plantings of amazing hydrangeas, palm trees and bedding plants- sofas and chairs for reading and relaxing too. 807C49C5-F5AC-4860-A638-65591F9A4550

Since we were tired and full- we had one more stop at the Fairmont to make- the Tonga Room, which is a complete surprise in such a formal setting- for all the world, visitors feel as they’re on a shipwrecked island! Even thunder and rainfall add to the dance music- no we didn’t dance, though we did have a few good laughs and made it an early night before flying home the next morning. In five days and four nights, we’d seen quite a lot of California and as we left, okay I’ll admit- I waved goodbye to the statue of Tony Bennett standing in front of the Fairmont Hotel where he regularly sang- ‘I left my heart in San Francisco’ I suppose everyone leaves a bit of their heart there- and thinking of things you wish you’d done- then looking forward to returning again to this beautiful City by the Bay

Love y’all, Camellia

For more information on the San Francisco Fairmont- go to http://www.fairmont.com

Check out half day or full day Wine Country Tours through http://www.graylinetours.com

6A50ABD1-189F-4781-98E8-5A41195ACCCCAlcatraz Island is the number one tourist sight in this area- we did not go on this trip however- I was able to capture it for you! And, you do need to book this tour in advance of your trip since it sells out quickly- visit http://www.alcataz.com for more information.

*All photographs are obviously mine, except the whale tour photo which was taken by- Mike O’Neill who generously shared it with us!

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Camellia’s Chicken Pie…

C96AE592-45AA-43DD-BAAE-D8D2A44C10E7Chicken Pie may be one of the most universally loved savory pies in our part of the country- southerners simply eat a lot of chicken and since we do, there tends to be a bit of leftovers whenever we roast or bake a chicken. A southern chicken pie seems to be the favorite way to use leftovers or even start from scratch with the intent of making comfort food, especially when Fall begins to cool the air!

I guess some folks call it Chicken Pot Pie, though I never have. Why? When I think of pot pies- they were those little frozen pies my sister and I ate when our momma wasn’t cooking that night. My grandmother made her chicken pies very plain with a thick, rich creamy broth, chunks of chicken and a chopped boiled egg- no peas and carrots – just topped with a buttery flaky crust. The vegetables she served were side dishes. Sometimes chicken pie was served with mixed greens or a fruit salad.  I do tend to add peas and even very small diced carrots- though those additions are more for color than robust flavor. The best chicken pies have a subtle blend of flavors. In the Fall, I do add a small amount of celery, sometimes a pinch of thyme and always fresh cracked pepper- even a pinch of sage tends to bring out the fall flavors we tend to prefer around the holidays.

D0686462-2D4E-45E9-87EC-E8826D962C96Here’s how to make Camellia’s Chicken Pie–

You will need: Your favorite pie crust for a single crust. And-

  • 1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken breast- chopped in medium to large chunks.
  • Up to 1/2 stick of butter.
  • 3-4 Tbs. of all purpose flour (see note at the end of recipe)
  •   1/2 cup of small diced carrots
  • 1/2 cup of early peas (use frozen and do not add until filling is done!)
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1/8 cup of finely diced onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
  • Pinch of ground sage (if desired for fall flavor)
  •   2 cups of chicken stock (homemade if possible)

Butter a 9×9 glass baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter, add onion, carrots and celery stirring to coat and soften a bit (not too much though, we don’t want mushy vegetables here!) Add thyme and sage if desired. (I don’t add sage in the spring and if the chicken is well flavored!) Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour over vegetables and butter coating all. Add 2 cups of chicken stock and simmer until filling thickens. Not too much though as filling will thicken as it bakes! Add salt and pepper to taste. Off heat, add chunks of chicken and frozen peas, stir gently to combine.

9C1CAA3F-F21D-456A-96F3-DE14439D3FCA Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Cut the pastry round into a square piece that will fit baking dish. Cut dough scraps into small pieces and push into the chicken pie filling. This will also thicken the filling as it bakes. Top with square pastry, butter the dough lightly and cut slits as desired. If desired, sprinkle with cracked pepper.

3B5E79FE-02A5-4FCB-80B2-054E814FDFA6Bake for 50-55 or until crust is browned and filling is bubbly. This chicken pie is 4-6 servings. *Tip: I’ve mentioned this cooking tip before- when making a roux or a brown gravy- I bake the raw flour in a shallow pan at 350 degrees until it turns golden brown; cool and store browned flour in an airtight container. This is such a time saver and gives that rich flavor only a roux can! *You can see the color difference in the broth from this one I made in Spring when I didn’t want the darker color filling and the one made this week!

Well, if you live in the south, I know you’re enjoying this cooler weather! Whew, it’s been so hot for so long, it’s nice isn’t it? And! I’ll admit in the heat, I didn’t even want to turn the oven on! Chicken Pie was what I wanted to bake as soon as we dipped below 75 degrees! At least in the mornings! Oh me… hope you bake some comfort food like a chicken pie and! That you’re having a wonderful Fall!

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are obviously mine.

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Some Things Never Go Out Of Style…

20877054-9485-4571-9E48-88F0E310F2ABSome things never go out of style. Pearls. A handwritten thank you note. A good white blouse. A bereavement casserole or a pound cake. A kind word.

57DDD8B5-4814-47B7-8581-B0AD79AA7981A well cut suit and a decent raincoat. A genuine compliment. Well made shoes kept in good condition. Giving someone your full attention. Looking decent when you leave the house. Table manners.

CE7D9B55-9CC0-4A59-9F6A-7FC389CEF403Good language skills, even if spoken with a slight accent might make the difference in social situations or could call into question your upbringing. My grandmother sure drove this point home! Extending common courtesies. These things never go out of style.

I saw a disturbing headline recently that questioned whether the southern tradition of good manners is alive and well. Occasionally, I have to wonder whether that headline is true.

AD7FC119-65A2-408F-A6D4-5D3D7FE00A6ARecently, a sweet southern lady remarked, in her best southern accent, ‘Folks just seem so impolite, why just yesterday someone in a nice car behind me, actually honked their horn! Impatient and aggressive if you ask me.’  She was rattled to say the least. Okay, the two of us are… of a certain age. Still. She had a point and a nostalgic conversation ensued about good manners and other things that never go out of style.

CD92A979-5A2B-42CA-AC06-BE9ACA3558E3It’s important to understand that life is always better when we have at least a few genuine lifelong friends who stand by us ’til the end! So…no matter how many beauty contests you won or how high you rise on the corporate ladder- remember that you will always need friends and you will never be queen of everything! Since this is true- be the one who is willing to shine up and straighten your friends’ reputations and crowns without letting on that her tiara had slipped in the first place!

66AB7C8C-2897-4EFA-97A2-54BDCA467411Hospitality is important to friends, family and even strangers who might stop by…always be ready to offer refreshment of some sort. Be as generous as possible- the best hosts offer abundance… it sets the guests at ease so they won’t have to worry if there will be enough. And! Be the one who offers to add to the abundance by bringing a dish or drink if you are a guest!

18F26ABE-5E14-4D94-913E-357DF6ED18ADLearn and follow the basic rules of polite social engagements. Find out ahead of time what the occasion entails and the dress code. Always take a hostess gift, offer to help with set-up or clean up, leave at a reasonable time and don’t be the guest who wears out your welcome, then- for heaven’s sake – remember to write some sort of complimentary thank you note!

 

 

Come down off your high horse. While you value your opinions- others have their own perspectives which may differ. Show respect. Avoid discussions that could get heated. Is whatever you think, worth expressing, if it means losing important friends and relationships?53D8E6A0-6B0B-4AAA-AA65-7B34C0525218

And while I’m at it- limit gossip, I’m not sure it can ever be eradicated…just know when talk has gone over the edge from idle gossip to just plain meanness. No amount of saying, ‘Bless his heart.’ ‘We need to pray for her.’ Or passing unfair judgement ever made anyone look better! If you look back on your life…you might find that we are all just one bad decision away from being in the same dilemma- we’ve taken so much pleasure in passing along!706E302B-54B3-446B-ADDF-513ACF10DC2B

Thank you for letting me preach a little here…This judgement of others would include religious beliefs that folks hold dear. My own faith is important to me- yet that doesn’t mean I have all the answers to life’s dilemmas.450D5F7F-CA36-4871-A080-8B886E1F8C85

I recently read that a certain eastern religion believes in Smile Energy- I don’t know all of the particulars…yet I do know this- life just feels better and lighter when I smile than when I frown! Speaking of making a face… please don’t! Would you rather be known for your smile or your sour attitude? F1591DBC-BE6B-4B88-9BF6-3EC2C4B96B4E

If you belong to an organization, participate! Be the one who offers encouragement but is also willing to gather the kindling, bring the marshmallows and light the campfire! Let the leader lead, be teachable, become part of the sisterhood or brotherhood.

 

 

I speak from experience on this- find a group you can support wholeheartedly and the quality of your life will improve in direct proportion to your enthusiasm.  And, while I’ve been talking about things that never go out of style… offering support to others might be the one thing that never goes out of style! Support is best expressed by one of my favorite authors…

‘Support is a hand held when you’ve failed, a smile in the morning when you leave to face the world, a laugh shared till your sides ache and tears flow down your cheeks.’ By Mary Alice Monroe from ‘Second Star to the Right’

A ‘hand held’ when the day hasn’t gone so well or you need support…or even as a sign of affection- costs nothing but could mean everything!

82D70BF6-F81E-4077-B124-50C3673CC7EFThough darlin’- our southern mothers would add- ‘Limit those public shows of affection to hand holdin’ or a peck on the cheek, unless folks get the wrong idea about you, then, question your upbringing!’ Our southern mothers’ advice is another thing that never goes out of style! Oh me, how I do run on!

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are from my private collection with the exception of the ‘friends’, the hospitality queens with the turkeys and the ‘ugly face’ which were found via Pinterest so long ago I haven’t been able to run down the source- if they belong to you please let me know so I can credit you properly! Thank you. * The photos I chose for this post were chosen for subject matter only. They are fine beautifully mannered folks!