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Bear Cubs…

IMG_3417Brown Butter, Brown Sugar and Pecans, now that makes a special cookie. There’s nothing like coming home from school to an afternoon snack- especially if it’s warm and home baked! Something sweet after a meal or before bedtime is extra good! Bear Cubs have been on my list of must-try cookies  for a good while… They aren’t true Shortbread but filed away with my favorite Shortbread recipes, this old cookie recipe made with browned butter, brown sugar and pecans has a notation- ‘not a true shortbread cookie’ – But so close…so deliciously close, it would make a hungry bear cub very happy!

I suppose, the way the pecan is inserted makes the cookie look like it has a tiny bear paw print! I’ve seen similar recipes by other names-

  • Brown Sugar Shortbread,
  • Brown Babies and even
  • Browned Butter Cookies.
  • Without the pecan, I have also found several recipes which were made for fussy babies!

I like the name Bear Cubs….They are an excellent After School treat, wonderful for Holiday Cookie Swaps, delicious at Baby Showers and alongside a cup of Coffee or Tea is just perfect.  Even a Grumpy Bear of a man will settle down if you give him a few Bear Cubs!IMG_3426

Bear Cubs aren’t overly sweet cookies. I find them easy to make, easy to freeze and even easier on the tastebuds. Don’t expect them to hang around long once they’re baked! The method for making Bear Cubs is unusual. Butter must be browned and cooled first.

 

 

 

 

Browned Butter – Melt 3/4 cup of salted butter on medium low in a small saucepan; for approximately 5 minutes heat until nutty brown. There will be foam on the top when it’s hot from the butter fat, but as it cools the foam will subside. Strain it for clarified brown butter- but for Bear Cubs, simply cool the browned butter along with the tasty brown bits before incorporating it into the mixture.  (Southerners generally use salted butter but you may use unsalted and add a pinch of salt to the dry ingredients.)

Camellia’s Cottage Bear Cubs

  • Ingredients: 1 and 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) of salted butter – Browned and Cooled,
  • 1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar- packed firmly,
  • 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk,
  • 2 cups of Self Rising Flour, 3/4 teaspoons Baking Powder,  (if you use AP- add  1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder plus 1/4 teaspoons Baking Soda) ,
  • 1-2 teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract,
  • Approximately 30 pecan halves cut crosswise in halves,
  • A few tablespoons of Granulated Sugar. for dipping.

Sift Self Rising Flour and Baking Powder, set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cooled Brown Butter in a large bowl until fully incorporated and fluffy. Add whole egg /egg yolk and vanilla extract to Brown Sugar/Brown Butter mixture. Mix very well. Stir Flour Mixture into the Butter Mixture in 2-3 batches mixing well after each addition but do not overbeat. With rounded Tablespoon, scoop cookie dough and roll into balls. Then dip roll each ball in granulated sugar, placing them 3 inches apart on a parchment lined sheet pans. Press each ball with a small glass until the cookie is about 1/2 inch thick. Take a pecan piece and insert cut side up in the center of each, as shown. (*At this point Bear Cubs may be frozen on sheet pans for 45 minutes to an hour then stored in freezer safe bags.)  Bake each sheet pan on center rack for 12-14 minutes until golden brown. Cool in the pans, then transfer to cool completely. Store in a tightly sealed container. Makes 4 dozen. IMG_3416

I have to admit, these Bear Cubs don’t hang around any longer than a bear raidin’ a trash can! Bear Cubs are wonderful all by themselves and excellent with Vanilla or Caramel Ice Cream. I think these Brown Butter cookies will become a favorite Autumn treat! Make up a batch of dough to keep in your freezer! *Do not thaw, additional baking time may be required.

The  South’s mountainous areas have always had Bears- remember Davy Crockett? He was from Tennessee! Bears are now seen occasionally in populated areas, I heard a Mother Bear and her Cubs were seen walking through a gated community just a couple of weeks ago!

 

 

 

 

If you find yourself in a den filled with cute little Cubs and growling tummies, a tired Momma Bear or a Grumpy Old Papa Bear- give ’em a Bear Cub!  I’ve heard if you eat one of these sweet Bear Cubs before bedtime- you’ll hibernate very well!

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are obviously mine! *Bear Cubs should not be given to very young children- unless made without pecans, which could be a choking hazard or in the case of nut allergies. *Bear Cubs will remain crisp if covered tightly, but are easily crisped up when toasted a few minutes in a 350 degree oven…well, if they last that long!

Posted on by Camellia's Cottage · 18 Comments

Stormy Weather…

IMG_3212‘…when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us go to the other side of the sea.’ And leaving the throng, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat- and other boats were with Him. And a furious storm of wind ( of hurricane proportions) arose, the waves kept beating into the boat, so that it was already becoming filled. But He was in the stern of the boat asleep on a leather cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Master, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Hush now! Be still!’ and the wind ceased, (that is, sank to rest as if exhausted by its beating) and there was immediately a great calm- a perfect peacefulness…’ Mark 4:35-41 KJV Amplified VersionIMG_3209

Please notice first- ‘other boats were with them’. When a storm comes- you will not be alone. Others are affected by the same storm; others will suffer and others injured by strong winds- and there are others who will be blessed by what He does during that storm – even though they are not ‘in the same boat’ with Jesus; the storms we endure affect others, right? …

The part of the Amplified passage which I love best- is how the ‘rebuked’ storm reacted to Jesus. ‘And the wind ceased- sank to rest, as if exhausted by its beating and there was a great calm- a perfect peacefulness’.

If you have ever been through a hurricane or a tornado or any ‘Act of God’ afterwards there is a great calm; an almost perfect peacefulness. As the damage is assessed… The weather may be peaceful, yet the path of destruction is astounding…IMG_3223

The cleanup work is ahead; the wreckage yields it’s own suffering. Keep in mind that though the Galilean storm stopped raging- the disciples had to bale the water out of the boat. Storms have aftermaths.  Excerpt from ‘Four Days- the Lazarus Principle’

As Hurricane Irma continues her destructive path, a devastating earthquake has damaged an area outside of Mexico City and cleanup efforts continue from Hurricane Harvey- we would remember those affected by these Acts of God- situations beyond human control, as the insurance folks call them- we know these are Natural Disasters of Epic Proportions. It is always appropriate to remember that God does care about us all.  May we each do what we can to ease the suffering aftermath these folks now face, here and around the globe.

Love y’all, Camellia

* These beautiful photographs were taken by Jeremy Miniard. Find more of his wonderful work at jeremy-miniard.fineartamerica.com  Four Days- the Lazarus Principle written by Brenda Wyatt can be found on Amazon.com, BN.com and other fine booksellers. More information about this book may be found on our ‘About Us’ page.

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Parched Peanuts…

IMG_3424Parched is the Southern term for Roasted in the Shell Peanuts… Peanuts have always been grown in the South, yet when the Boll Weevil wiped out Alabama’s Cotton Crops in  in the early 1900’s, we came to fully appreciate the value of peanuts. George Washington Carver, at the famous Tuskegee Institute had been busy experimenting with the humble peanut.  By 1916, the scientific study of peanut agriculture was an effort to replenish soil depleted by constantly growing cotton, Carver introduced the South to the benefits of Crop Rotation! And Yes, it was the humble peanut, which rebooted the soil with nitrogen. Peanuts are actually legumes, not tree grown nuts. But what to do with all of those peanuts?? Smithfield® Hams boasted feeding their hogs with peanuts. Peanut Butter became a staple in the Southern diet.  Virginia, along with other southern states takes pride in Peanut Soup. Carver himself offered over 100 ways to use peanuts. However, this Southern snack food, the Parched Peanut had to be among the Top Three Favorites…

  • At Ball Fields, Circuses,
  • Hamburger Joints, Cattle Sales,
  • in Honky Tonks, Pit Barbeques and Zoos-IMG_3409

Folks tend to sit or walk around with a warm brown bag of parched peanuts! Peanuts are harvested from June to September. They are washed of the soil, then put on long tables in the sun to dry… these are what we call Raw Peanuts. When the raw peanuts are dried sufficiently, they’re put in big burlap bags and generally hung from barn rafters to store and dry out before being sold to markets or parched at home as a special treat. Believe it or not- even at the finest soirees- it’s not uncommon to find a big bowl of Parched Peanuts.

Peanuts are not the southern cash crop they once were; however small farms still grow peanuts for enriching the soil and for private consumption. There are some who parch shelled peanuts, however, there is nothing like the flavor of peanuts roasted in the shell, the aroma is wonderful! A curious thing about Parched Peanuts is that there is no specific recipe for them!

  • Some say- put the raw peanuts in a heavy Cast Iron Dutch Oven in an extremely hot oven- for an unspecified time! Until done.
  • Most say spread peanuts in an even layer on a sheet pan to parch,
  • Some say ‘salt the peanuts shells heavily’ – Other purists don’t.
  • Where recipes differ is the oven temperature.
  • Some say- heat the oven to 500 degrees, put the peanuts in; then turn off the heat; others say- spread raw peanuts on single layer baking sheets with the oven on low heat- (250 degrees generally) Parch until the peanuts are done…Okay.

The only way I know to tell you how to parch peanuts is the low heat method 250 degrees up to 350 degrees, then after 30-45 minutes…check. It could literally take several hours…IMG_3424

You will get the hang of burning your tongue when you check the peanuts. The husk is dry, the skins are dark red and fall off easy. If the peanut is still chewy not crunchy– put back in the oven.  Then there is always an instinct to parching peanuts. There are surely those who are born to be Parched Peanut Whisperers or Sniffers…they have a knack for just knowing… Burnt peanuts are awful…I say this with experience! Throw them out! However, I do recognize the time to check is by the nutty aroma. These days, I buy bags of ‘roasted peanuts’ – they will be stale… To revive them.. Parch peanuts in the shell on a single layer at 300 degrees for…well at least 30-45 minutes; checking after 30 minutes. Then comes a knowing… the sweet aroma of fresh Parched Peanuts… I whisper a sigh…IMG_2569

Now, listen darlin’ , Cotton may no longer be King in Alabama, yet every time I get a whiff of Parched Peanuts… I know he’s makin’ a comeback! Thank You Lord for the beauty of this red scrabble hard Alabama dirt, for fields ripe with harvest when the Cotton is high and for the humble peanut!

Love y’all, Camellia

*Our heartfelt prayers are with the wonderful people of the South’s Sunshine State, Florida- for safety and shelter from Hurricane Irma.

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SEC tips…

IMG_3370You know summer has taken it’s last gasp, not by the Heat Index but by the First Kickoff of the SEC…Southeastern Conference Football is major in the South! In fact football season is so important to us, it considered the height of poor taste to plan a wedding during football season! No, I. Am. Not. Kidding… There are rules for what we wear on Game Day- here at Camellia’s Cottage, of course we wear Officially Licensed SEC garments, team colors and particular to the ladies, there is a lucky Elephant Necklace, that must be worn with the elephant facing left- do not ask me why- it has just proved lucky! IMG_3410

All over the SEC region, there are certain foods which are considered ‘team foods’ – here in Alabama for Bama fans- Do I hear a Roll Tide? Since the days of Bear Bryant- our lucky foods are: Golden Flake Potato Chips Barber’s Onion Dip and Co-cola otherwise known as Coca Cola™! All are made or bottled right here in Alabama!

On game days, all over the SEC- Tailgate Food is served from the tailgate of an humble pickup truck, from RV’s, all the way to an Upscale Campus Affair- with food served on a sorority’s mahogany table draped with antique lace tablecloths, complete with a Chandelier hanging from a Live Oak tree! On some campuses, you might find a crazy fraternity serving …uh, cold drinks from a casket! It’s true. The food can be elaborate or simple- but always delicious and appropriate to the home team! When we watch games at home, there’s always popcorn, parched peanuts, cream cheese, party crackers and pepper jelly, chips with dip or celery sticks and…last week we had pit BBQ baby back ribs! Now, if you’re looking for actual football tips- you might be barking up the wrong tree here! I do, however, scream and holler during the games, it’s just more fun!

SEC stands for other lesser things too! For instance, the South Eastern Corner of the United States is:

  • The only region to be occupied by the Federal Government, where handsome men have worn military uniforms for years and to this day, the South Eastern Corner of the U.S.A. can proudly boast that our folks arguably sign up more often for military duty than any other region! We love our soldiers!
  • We have a history of courageous women who opened their doors to bears, raids and standing armies, faced tornadoes and hurricanes and they helped settle farms, homesteads, taught school, kept their families strong, yet are smart and beautiful all at the same time, with possibly more beauty queens than any other part of America… though it could be that we have more opportunities to serve as Peach Queens, Cotton Queens, Mardi Gras Queens and more… is there a Bo Weevil Queen? Anyway, we think we’re prettier for sure!
  • The South Eastern Corner is where children played in the dirt with silver spoons or found arrowheads in the backyard, learned how to fish before they were knee high to a grasshopper, little girls still wear Big Hair Bows, monograms abound, sandcastle building is second nature and all of them can charm the horns off a Billy Goat any day of the week!IMG_3408
  • The South Eastern Corner had more Dry Counties than any other part of the country, but still make the best Bourbon in the world. In fact we lay claim to the best Iced Tea and the best Soft Drinks (which we never call them!) Anyone who loves Coca Cola, Royal Crown and Pepsi would agree!
  • The South Eastern Corner is the only place in America where folks actually pull off on the side of the road near a homemade sign that touts ‘Boiled Peanuts’ and are excited about it! …Okay- it’s an ah-quih-ed taste! If you aren’t from here, let’s just say you probably won’t acquire a taste for ’em.
  • In fact, put a Barbed Wire Fence around the entire South Eastern Corner and eventually it will turn into a literal Nut House….peanuts, pecans, hickory nuts so hard you’d have to run an 18 wheeler over ’em to crack the shells… But where else but the South could George Washington Carver figure out how to enrich the soil and feed the masses with peanuts in this land flowing with Milk and Peanut Butter sandwiches?IMG_3411
  • The South Eastern Corner of the U.S.A. is where Church Choirs still sing with a Twang or fill the rafters with Soul; and where Gospel, Country, Beach Music and Motown are loved in equal measure.

I wouldn’t take anything for living in the SEC, for the football, the people and the good food! I have to admit – my personal favorite SEC stands for- South Eastern Cooking Tips! Here’s to Butter Balls and Spicy Shrimp and Shells!

Butter Balls are an old French method of food preparation for enriching sauces and gravy- keep these in the freezer and grab a few – you will be surprised what this simple little ball of flour and butter will do to make pan juices silky or definitely enrich the sauce for Spicy Shrimp and Shells! (Yes! the South Eastern Corner’s Food has a strong French Influence!) I made the Butter Balls recently, while I was cooking some bacon wrapped steaks to enrich the sauce. Let me show you…

Camellia’s Cottage Butterballs Soften 2 sticks of salted butter (if using unsalted butter add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt) lightly mix Butter into 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour, do not use more flour! With a teaspoon or your clean hands, scoop up a small bit of the butter/flour mixture and shape into rough butter balls no larger than a teaspoon, placing on a parchment lined pan. Butter Balls take no time to make, but make a world of difference in your cooking! Freeze at least 4 hours. Carefully store in a freezer safe container. Use to enrich sauces, pan juices and gravies.IMG_3271

Spicy Shrimp and Shells is a quick and easy recipe, full of flavor. This dish can be elevated to Party Status, can be stretched to serve a crowd, is wonderful served for Sunday Supper or eaten cold as a most delicious and different Pasta Salad! Add garlic bread and sliced Summer tomatoes and you have a complete meal! Most of the ingredients are pantry staples and here, we keep shrimp in the freezer all the time!IMG_3401

Camellia’s Cottage Spicy Shrimp and Shells

  • Prepare 12 ounces of Seashell Pasta according to directions.
  • Steam 1 cup of chopped Broccoli, drain and set aside
  • Drain 3/4 -1 pound of  uncooked Gumbo Shrimp (approx. 65-70 per pound) peeled, tails removed if desired
  • On low heat, combine 3 tablespoons of butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet
  • Add 2-3 tablespoons of chopped garlic, zest of a whole lemon, 2-3 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, a good amount of freshly ground black pepper, add salt as desired.
  • Stir until butter has melted and spices are combined IMG_3395
  • Saute Shrimp in batches until pink- Do not over crowd shrimp.
  • Place all shrimp back in warm skillet add 1-1/2 cups of pasta water, steamed chopped broccoli and 3-4 Butter Balls-
  • Cook on low until Butter Balls have been absorbed. No more than a minute or two. (If you have not made Butter Balls, add 2-3 teaspoons of butter)
  • Squeeze the juice of zested large lemon over pan straining seeds.  (Caution- do not add lemon juice utntil the end otherwise shrimp will become tough) I often make thin slices of the squeezed lemon and add to the Spicy Shrimp Mixture, for extra lemon-y flavor.

    IMG_3398

  • Drain Seashell Pasta. Put in large serving bowl, add Spicy Shrimp Mixture.
  • Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan Cheese, believe it or not- using the cheap type blends in best! Toss Spicy Shrimp and Seashells. Top with 1/2 cup of chopped green onion tops.
  • Wonderful with crusty garlic bread. Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry you are!IMG_3401

No matter what your favorite SEC team is, no matter where your favorite place to be in the South Eastern Corner, I know you’ll enjoy South Eastern Cooking Tips. Come back often to the Cottage for more! And always, I hope your SEC team wins unless they’re playin’ mine!

Love y’all, Camellia

*All photographs are obviously mine. Parched Peanuts are a southern term for roasted peanuts! Continued prayers for victims of Hurricane Harvey and for those in the path of Hurricane Irma.

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The People’s Princess…

IMG_3366I read with interest several articles concerning the commemoration of Princess Diana’s passing twenty years ago.  Along with that, I never get quite used to it, but here at Camellia’s Cottage, unexpected things happen. A beautiful vase of White Roses was delivered here by a prince of a young man along with a cake iced with White Cream Cheese Frosting made by his beautiful mother. It was a sweet bereavement gift. Why, I felt like royalty!

IMG_0170I’m not sure what kind of cake the People’s Princess preferred (though I bet she would have loved this one!) yet I do know that a White Garden was planted at Kensington Palace to honor Diana and included White Roses, which were purported to be her favorite flower. Can I just say here, that while we live in an humble cottage not a palace, when the heavy fragrance of white gardenias, lemony sweet magnolias and the distinct scent of honeysuckle hangs in the air, I admit I too, love white flowers! White flower gardens are beautifully mysterious. White bridal bouquets, white orchids, white cotton boll wreaths, white spring bulbs and yes, white roses- all conjure up precious memories.

IMG_3364 For the People’s Princess, millions of flowers were laid at the gates of this same palace after Diana’s tragic death, it has been reported that the fresh flowers were donated to hospitals and nursing homes, the wilted flowers were collected and saved in a special compost pile. Now, 20 years later, the compost has been used to mulch the beautifully restored sunken garden at Kensington Palace, now planted with…

  • White Roses,
  • White Lilies,
  • White Tulips,
  • White Daisies and of course
  • Forget-Me-Nots- To honor Princess Diana all year round.

When her clothing was researched it became clear the People’s Princess had a preference for White Clothing- Crisp White Blouses worn with jeans and  Evening Gowns embellished with Pearls seem to have shown off Diana’s natural beauty like no other color.

Like millions of others, I have been fascinated by her life; not only a stunning beauty who adored her children, Diana was also kind and generous in public causes and by private means. Her sons recalled midnight visits to hospitals and hundreds of private notes to folks who were infirm or dying. These were unexpected acts of kindness. I found myself thinking of the White Roses which found their way as an unexpected gift to Camellia’s Cottage on the very day of Diana’s commemoration; I thought of the time and care freely given to bake a homemade cake, the extravagant bouquet of Roses, the good thoughts expressed and the private kindnesses. IMG_3365

We had received a lovely gift, along with so many other sweet gifts, notes, cards and calls. Of all of the human characteristics I hold dear-

  • Effervescent Concern,
  • Enthusiastic Love and
  • Extravagant Kindness are above all.

When we exhibit these qualities- we best reflect the nature of the King of Kings.  I have, thankfully been the recipient of them all! I am inspired to re-double my efforts to exhibit these qualities and plan to fully enjoy Life’s unexpected gifts! As two decades have passed, the People’s Princess’ legacy lives on in a beautiful white palace garden and shows up best when we Common Folk show love, concern and kindness.

Love y’all, CamelliaIMG_3366

* All photographs of White Roses are obviously mine.