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Apple Snack in a Glass…

 

IMG_3576The Farmer’s Markets and Produce Departments might look like Autumn, but in the South the weather is still very warm. We love fruit of all kinds, we grow a lot of it- melons, peaches, figs, plums, citrus and more.  Yet, in the lower South, Apples are mostly grown in backyard orchards along with Pears, Persimmons and Crabapples, usually not as cash crops. Almost everyone wants a few fruit trees to enjoy. Folks find ways to can, dry and make small batches of –

  • Apple Butter,
  • Apple Jellies,
  • Apple Cider Vinegar and
  • Apple Juice and Cider for our winter pantries.IMG_3503

Yes, we do love Apples! There’s nothing like biting into a cool crisp apple, then smearing the rest of the apple with peanut butter! I couldn’t resist some pretty red Apples at the grocery store. While I was slicing them thin to oven bake some Apple Chips- it was hot outside! So, I decided to take a whole different direction with my Apple Slices-

  • I poured some apple juice, grapefruit juice and a bit of lemon lime soda in one glass for a tangy brew and another with a blend of cranberry/apple juice and a bit of tangy pink grapefruit juice for a icy rosy glow.
  • I loaded the glasses up with ice and dropped a handful of thin apple slices in each glass- my version of an early Fall- Apple Snack in a Glass!
  • A cinnamon stick might have been delicious too! Even, Iced Spice Tea might be nice or a light wine…IMG_3574

Why, I bet you could even come up with 101 ways to enjoy it! I think this will become a new favorite on these warm Autumn Days! I might be pining away for cooler weather, for making oven baked Apple Chips or Dried Apples made up into Fried Apple Pies! Meanwhile, make an Apple Snack in Glass, go out on the porch and enjoy! Umhmm, it doesn’t hurt it’s so refreshing and pretty, too!

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are obviously mine. *Apples were sliced thin on a mandolin- be careful those things are sharp!

Posted on by Camellia's Cottage · 8 Comments

In the Garden…

IMG_3512

‘I come to the Garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses; and the Voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.’IMG_3525

 

‘He speaks and the sound of His Voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing; and the melody that He gave to me within my heart is ringing.’IMG_3527

‘And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other… has ever…known.’ IMG_3528

This wonderful hymn was written by C. Austin Miles, at the request of Dr. Adam Geibil in 1912. It was commissioned to be a tender sympathetic song which would ‘ bring hope to the hopeless, rest for the weary and downy pillows to dying beds’.

Even though it was written over one hundred years ago- this Great Hymn of the Faith- called, ‘In the Garden’ – remains a restful comfort and source of sweet communion in the stillness of a quiet garden. I know I felt His Presence in the garden here at Camellia’s Cottage, as I headed out to do a bit of early fall cleanup one morning. IMG_3512

The simple beauty of a Garden Bench, the sweet birdsong and the morning stillness was of a great comfort…‘when the dew was still on the roses…’

Have a Blessed Lord’s Day!

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are obviously mine.

Posted on by Camellia's Cottage · 31 Comments

Fall Forage…

It’s early Fall, when mornings are cooler, days are slowly but surely getting shorter and evening deep blue skies are a bit darker hue. Armed with clippers, I went out to see what I could see, a Fall Forage that inspired me to bring a bit of early autumn indoors to enjoy…IMG_0182

I found bright purple Beauty Berries, almost fluorescent in color, the Glory Bower’s pale blossoms are now magenta and dark blue berries…a few Figs still left unripe, leaves still crisp and green…plump and orange-y Rose Hips…IMG_0196

Lichen laden branches pale and ghostly alongside unripe celadon Nandina berries… Clipping and cutting, my bag was getting full and interesting…A papery hydrangea nodding her summer head.IMG_3484

Frilly ferns and fronds under leaves just thinking about changing to Fall colors. Chive seed heads bright and white cheerfully stood alongside unforgettable spidery blooms from a fall bulb I can’t recall! Lavender and pale blue wild blooms growing near thick leaved sedum- always my Autumn Joy…IMG_0189

When I spread out the morning’s bounty from my early Fall Forage… I lined them up like the scouts they were- to let me take their beauty shots. They behaved so nicely… I couldn’t stand to let them go to waste and wilt. What would my Fall Forage look like in a bouquet… IMG_3495

Then a fleeting thought. What if I could somehow take a photograph that resembled an old oil painting…You know the ones with black backgrounds.

I think they call them Old Masters. IMG_0199

A happy coincidence I will admit, a quick and blurry picture, with not a single brush stroke except from the Master Gardener Himself and random clippings from an early morning Fall Forage.

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are obviously mine- Oh my, on days like this! *Plants are not listed in order.

Posted on by Camellia's Cottage · 12 Comments

Sweet Spicy Snack Crackers…

IMG_3290In the South, we’re known for hospitality, especially for our ability to offer pickup foods at a moment’s notice. ‘Y’all come over, no- we’re just having pickup foods’ … It could be as simple as parched peanuts…or quickly toasting some buttery salted pecans, even  pulling some cheese straws from the freezer and baking them off to put in a little silver bowl.  I have to admit having a little snack greatly improves conversation! We tend to keep a box or bag of a favorite cookie or cracker, but we do have our standards! The best is a little 1 inch square cheese cracker we’ve all been eating, all across this country since the 1920’s! It’s dangerous for me to be in the vicinity of a bright red box of Cheez-its®! IMG_3287

The all time favorite snack cracker of my lifetime- Cheez-its®, to my way of thinking can hardly be improved upon; now, with so many different flavors on the market why would anyone even want to try? Well, on a scrap of paper found in one of my cookbooks- I had scribbled-

  • Cheez-its®
  • Melted Butter
  • Cinnamon
  • Brown Sugar
  • Cayenne and Salt
  • Bake

*No measurements, no oven temperature, no bake time…were on that scrap of paper!  Who even knew why I kept it? Recently, I needed a new pickup food. Of course I had a box of Cheez-its squirrelled away in the pantry! I have to tell you, everything else on that list has a permanent place here too! I thought about it- and here’s how I made them:

Camellia’s Cottage Sweet Spicy Snack Crackers

  • I preheated the oven to 350 degrees, and poured the entire box of  Cheez-its (12.4 oz size) into a large mixing bowl (approximately 4 cups more or less)
  • I lined a sheet pan with parchment paper and I was ready to go!
  • Cheez-its are baked not fried, so I melted a stick of Salted Butter on low heat.
  • I mixed together 3/4 cup of firmly packed Brown Sugar, added 1 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon, a couple of pinches of Cayenne Pepper (go easy here) and poured them into the melted Butter.IMG_3288
  • On low heat, I waited until the Brown Sugar and spices were almost dissolved.
  • I poured the whole pan of spicy sweet mixture over the Cheez-its and tossed to coat them well, then spread them out in a single layer.
  • They were baked for 12-15 minutes, tossing occasionally until the crackers were shiny and the edges were carmelized.

After these Sweet Spicy Snack Crackers were pulled from the oven, I sprinkled a bit of Sea Salt over the top- not much now… When the crackers were cooled, I do admit to having to break some of them apart.  *If not serving right away, I would recommend storing them in an airtight container.IMG_3289

The results after just one try- were, to my taste- worthy of offering as a pickup food to drop in company!  I had some plump red grapes, a few fresh figs and small tangerines on hand. Okay, to make it seemed more like a healthy snack! It didn’t hurt that the kitchen smelled warm and spicy on an early Fall Day!

Love y’all, Camellia

*Cheez- it® are a registered trademark of Kellogg- under the name of Sunshine Bakery. This is not a paid advertisement, just a testimonial of how much we love them here at Camellia’s Cottage!

Posted on by Camellia's Cottage · 18 Comments

A Southern Mother’s Advice…

IMG_3477It’s a known fact that Southern Mothers dote on their menfolk and children. Wait a minute, it’s more accurate to say- Mothers tend to dote on their sons, but advise their daughters.  All. The. Time. Especially when it comes to dating. It is highly important for Southern girls, because their daddies have made them believe that no one- I mean in no uncertain terms, is good enough for their daughters.

img_3474.jpgSouthern mothers on the other hand, know what’s good enough for their daughters and what’s not. Okay. Here’s the thing… at some point the mother’s gonna have to write out an Engagement Announcement. For heaven’s sake and the surrounding communities, it better be a good one! For instance, when she asks- ‘Does he have a job?‘ a Southern Mother wants the answer to be an unequivocal ‘Yes’ even if he has a trust fund. As long as he has some gumption and it’s honest work, she can make the best of it-

  • Mechanic? ‘Harold Joe Smith is heavily invested in Automotives,
  • Pulpwooder? Buzzie Thompson is invested in Timber,
  • Farmer?  Billy Mack Hopkins III has acres of Prime Real Estate or
  • Coal Miner? Mickey Richards has Mining Interests.’

IMG_3457And if he has the semblance of a Last Name for a First Name, a Southern mother can get a decent write up for the paper. If he doesn’t have a Last name for his First name he’s probably a Yankee or a Redneck.  It doesn’t matter if his granddaddy was as crooked as the Mississippi River, a Southern Mother can overlook and explain it as a colorful eccentric background.. Now, if the young man in question is a descendent of Buster Crabbe- his rugged good looks might have translated into Tarzan on the silver screen then, but a Chest so Hairy it comes up out of the neck of his shirt? That is completely unacceptable. If his hair is like Conway Twitty or Willie Nelson, she will charm him right out of wearing it like that- Put him in a Navy Blue Blazer and Khaki Pants and no one will ever know the difference.

Basically, the Southern Mother wants the young man to have Good hair, Good teeth and Money. She can generally take care of the window dressing, especially if he smells good, too.IMG_3463

Now, if the young man asks if the Southern girl lives close to a Church or School Parking Lot because he needs to park his 18 wheeler there– for a first date? Okay, that’s not okay. ‘Sara Jean, you are not climbing up in the cab of that truck on a first date, what if he plans on takin’ you to a honky tonk or a truck stop then what will you do? And his CB handle is ‘Hauling Trouble’ !

Now, if he has money or comes from money? Even if he is ugly as homemade sin, the Southern Mother can work with that, too. She’ll talk about his triumphs on the football field or the golf course and say, ‘Well, for goodness sakes! Who would want a man to be wan and pale anyway?’ Especially if she can smell old money. IMG_2283

Southern girls have to endure the Inquisition… *Warning these are trick questions, so be careful of pitfalls here. The list of questions a Southern mother will ask, include but are not exclusive to:

  • Do you like his looks?
  • Does he have enough sense to get in out of the rain?IMG_3464
  • Does he clean up well? (If he does, no matter what he does for a living she will consider him to have potential.)
  • Does his wardrobe consist of T-shirts with sayings on them? Does said Tshirt have a pack of cigarettes rolled up in one sleeve?IMG_3466
  • Does the yard dog bark and growl when he comes to the door? Better yet, does that sensitive House Cat of yours screech and arch her back when he comes around?
  • Do children whimper and run?
  • Are you taken with him?
  • Is he conniving or wishy washy?
  • Does he have a limp wrist or a firm handshake?
  • Is he stubborn as a long eared mule?IMG_2121
  • Does he gallivant around?
  • Is he a thug or a hoodlum? Does he act like a hooligan?  (She will be checking for a prison record).
  • If he has a big set of keys jangling in his pocket and a big billfold with a chain hanging from his belt loop, she might smell money, yet not equate it with class.
  • Does he wear lifts in his shoes?
  • Is he Old School or Wild as a Buck?
  • ‘Are you just boring him to death Mary Lou or does he have narcolepsy?’
  • Are those his Real Teeth or does he have a Plate? ‘For heaven’s sake, he needs help with that halitosis! The cheapest thing you can buy is a peppermint!‘
  • Does he Yodel?IMG_3467
  • *Now this is important! Does he wear cut off jeans, a Speedo, or Board Shorts to the beach?
  • Is his hair a natural born color or is it green, blue or purple?
  • Is he a dude or a dud? ‘Gaynelle, is he a dude or a dud, that is the question…’
  • When you’re with him, is it Moon and Magnolias or a Buttermilk Sky and Blackeyed Peas?
  • Does he have a tendency to Howl at the Moon or just when it’s a Full?
  • Is he so Sweet it makes your Teeth Hurt?IMG_3471
  • Does he go by to check on his mother? Or, does he still live with her?
  •  Is he a Man of the Cloth? This is truly a trick question…

‘Now, you know Merry Beth, preachers that thump a Bible and run the rails have a tendency to stab you in the back, however- if he does actually wear a collar and cloth- well, now that’s different.’ Not. Really. But still.

  • Does he mostly take the Southern daughter to dance halls and honky tonks and is- ‘too drunk to kareoke’ ? (That’s coarse and common no matter how much money he has!)
  • Does he have any common sense? Is he able to extend common courtesy?  Does he have a sense of common decency? Hint: this may be the most important run of questions. Decency…

Now, even after all that, the prospective one will still have to have a ready answer for this one or she will never approve…‘Young man, who are your people?’ Remember she has a di-rect line  that rings into the State Archives Director’s Office. Really.

Assuming he’s passed all the tests, he still has to get past Daddy- who leaves the Porch light on if the young man seems nice. If Daddy is worried the lucky couple is lingering too long, the Porch Light will be flipped on and off. If his precious baby daughter doesn’t come right on in… Daddy will turn on the Floodlights as he opens the door- looking down the barrel of  his BB gun. Don’t get me wrong- Daddy doesn’t want to hurt him, just scare him a little bit.

It’s a wonder any Southern couple actually makes it to the Altar! But if he’s a good one…don’t let him get away! Even if you have to hog tie him and drag him fightin’ tooth and nail, get him to the altar! If you’re taken with him, if he makes you laugh, if he has some gumption and a sense of common courtesy and decency; the main thing is…when you can’t imagine life without him? Marry him, then dote on him like only Southern ladies know how!

Oh me, sadly all of this can or has happened.  Yet, like all good Southern tales, this one is part truth, part myth and part outright lies.

Love y’all, Camellia

*This is a humor piece, please don’t ever point a BB gun at anyone! * A huge thank you to all the Southern girls who contributed to the Inquisition, you know who you are! * ‘too drunk to karaoke’ is good ol’ southern boy, Jimmy Buffet’s line *Almost all photographs are part of the Camellia’s Cottage collection, please do not use without permission. *The vintage photo of the beauty queens holding large coins and the three cute old ladies are AOL images and may be subject to copyright