Camellia's Cottage

Posted on February 23, 2017February 23, 2017 by Camellia's Cottage · 18 Comments

Happy Birthday Camellia’s Cottage!

Well, you won’t believe this but I’ve been writing about Camellia’s Cottage for a year now! I looked at the first time I wrote y’all and …well, we stumbled and bumbled along, but managed to write over 200 letters to you- won a couple of awards, img_2305-edited

…gained a wider audience than I would have ever believed -and hope to reach even more. I’m still excited about writing to you, with hopefully better content and better writing in the coming year; perhaps without too many danglin’ participles or obtuse grammar! Jeremy Miniard’s photographs have made us look good when we weren’t all that good, then Sally Smith shared some of her photography too! Your comments always make my day and get me tickled, some make me laugh my sides off! The Word Press Happiness Engineers were so patient when we were getting started. Questions like- ‘Ok, now what is a widget, darlin’? You know, I’m tech challenged- really have no business trying to do this…’ were graciously answered and were a huge help for someone like me, whose hands shook every time I hit publish for months on end- the amazing ‘ edit’ feature is a treasure. I found out I really enjoy writing humor, sharing what’s growing, what we’re readin’ or where we’re goin’ , what we’re doin’ and of course describing mouth watering southern food. I continue to enjoy struggling to find a photograph to go with what I’m writing even if I have to get creative about it- here are a few early attempts- don’t you just love those sweet Easter Eggs? img_1453-edited

It’s always a joy to find words to describe our people, who, contrary to popular belief are not all the same. We might talk funny but even the way we drawl varies. Perhaps my deepest joy is writing a Sunday inspiration; and I completely adore showing off this beautiful state, Alabama. Some of our folks might be nutty as fruitcakes- but as Eudora Welty once put it, ‘The South takes care of our eccentrics’. I know this to be true, the South takes care of me! I have more to tell you about how Camellia’s Cottage began, but now is the time to celebrate! You won’t believe some of the new stuff we have in the works for you! If you decide to hang around a while longer, invite your friends, I’d love to meet them. In the meantime, I hope you laugh, I hope you dance, I hope life treats you kindly, I hope all your dreams are coming true… ok, I’m starting to sound like the lyrics to a country music song. Drop by Camellia’s Cottage every chance you get, linger a while -maybe sip a tall glass of sweet tea, nibble on some cheese straws, extol the value of living close to a tomato vine, chew the fat- whisper a bit of gossip and share a bit of wisdom and inspiration…I truly look forward to visiting with all of you…

Love y’all, Camellia

visit Jeremy miniard’s work at Jeremy.miniard.fineartamerica.com or in our search engine- look for Porches of Alabama, Doors of Alabama, Backroads of Alabama and more!

visit Sally Smith at http://www.CampCreekCreations.com *all of the photographs in this post are obviously mine!

Posted on February 20, 2017May 14, 2020 by Camellia's Cottage · 7 Comments

Southern Cheese Custard Pie…

This is settled fact- the closer you are to someone who can make Southern Custard Pies, the better your life will be. The smoothness of a plain Sweet Egg Custard pie or a ragged Coconut Custard pie conjures up the most soothing Southern comfort imaginable. Southerners are no strangers to Savory pies- we love our Chicken Pot Pies, Summer Tomato Pies, Crawfish Pies and our hand held Meat Pies, but one Savory pie has eluded us during this day and age, because somewhere in our youth or childhood, a Southern Cheese Custard pie became an upscale lady’s luncheon or a miniature party food- and it was called by a fancy French name- Quiche. At country clubs or cobbled lane cafes, at private parties- the cheese custard pie was elevated and re-named to reflect the French Influence over our rustic home cooked food to newly fashionable Southern cuisine. In my older cookbooks- I have found Cheese Custard pies which are slightly different from what we now know as Quiche, and frankly I have recently tried making fillings with the standard quiche piecrust or the old style cheese custard pie with a buttery cracker crumb crust. The old style crumb crust tastes better and lighter to me. Think of the difference between a graham cracker crust and pie crust; then think of a cross between a casserole and a pie, then add eggs, cheese, gentle spices and savory sautéed vegetables then baked to oozing perfection, well I’m drooling writing this! And ladies, listen up! When you call it a Cheese Custard pie instead of a Quiche- well, believe me, real men won’t just eat it- they will finish off every last crumb.

The Cracker Crust is always the same-

Crush one sleeve of buttery crackers (not saltines)
Melt 5 Tablespoons of butter (no substitutes!)
Mix together and press firmly into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate (think graham cracker crust for sweet pies)
Do not pre-bake.

While the cracker crumb/butter cools down, mix Savory Filling. Now, here is where it gets interesting- you can basically raid your refrigerator for the filling-as long as the ratios are right you are good to go. The constant is:

2 Large Eggs
3/4 cup of sour cream or cottage cheese and-
At least 12 ounces of some sort of hard cheese.

If your vegetables need to be sautéed or parboiled do that- onions, squash, mushrooms, green peas, broccoli, spinach are all good choices, you will need one cup total after lightly cooking the vegetables you choose. You do not have to add meat in a Southern Savory Cheese Pie, though most call for chopped ham or bacon, even shrimp- all of which add so much to the flavor. For this Southern Spring Savory Pie,

I made the Cracker Crumb Crust.
I preheated the oven to 375º
Then I chopped 1/4 cup of fresh Green Onion Tops and 3/4 cup of parboiled, drained Asparagus Spears, cut in one inch pieces- don’t measure- just eyeball it!
I used 5 slices of crisp Bacon rough chopped.
I had about 6 ounces of Swiss Cheese and a little more than 6 ounces of Muenster Cheese, which I grated. *Here the measurement is not critical but don’t go over 12-14 ounces.
In a bowl, I lightly whipped 2 large eggs
Then added 3/4 cup of sour cream
Next, I added grated cheeses, the green onion tops and asparagus
Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Stir.
Then I added the chopped Bacon, gently stirred into the thick mixture.

I carefully poured the thick mixture into the cracker crumb crust, sprinkled lightly with red pepper flakes, then baked in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Let Spring Cheese Custard pie cool for at least 5 minutes, before cutting into 6-8 slices, since it is a rich pie.

With this Southern Cheese Custard Pie, I served Oven Roasted Shrimp, thinly sliced Navel Oranges on a bed of lettuce with a dessert of Strawberry Shortcakes. A slice of this pie and a citrusy fruit salad would also be a nice luncheon. The variations are endless. Let me repeat, the closer you live to someone who can make sweet or savory Southern Custard pies, the better your life will be!

Love y’all, Camellia

* Ritz® or Townhouse® crackers are good choices Photographs are obviously mine.

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Camellia's Cottage · 7 Comments

Prayer for Hope and Healing…

O Eternal Emmanuel, we are thankful You dwell among us. When we recall the masses of people who walked with You, the favored ones seem to have been the sick, the maimed, the infirm, the overwrought and always the children. As birds twitter and soft sunlit breezes blow open the first blossoms of spring- there are those who sit in waiting rooms with white knuckled strain waiting for diagnoses, eyes hollowed out from pain, are now glazed over with hopelessness, wheelchairs hold those weakened by injury and disease; weary and worn caregivers wrap the infirm in whispers of love, while wondering how much longer they can hold out, even as some loved ones fumble with that gauze curtain that separates this life from the next. Down hushed corridors and disinfected hallways, pleasant voices direct patients to labs, treatment rooms and sophisticated machines that hum, whoosh and beep. We confess it is in the dim rooms, the sweat soaked sheets, the twilight terrors that we cry out- ‘When God, when?’ Clinging to hopelessness like fretful children, who have been there so long, it feels like home. Before the break of dawn, whisper a gentle reminder of the time when You were pressed on every side, yet You felt a feeble feminine hand reach out and touch the Hem of Your Garment. She had spent all she had on all manner of treatments and physicians- with desperate hope her fingers touched the Healer in White Linen. Help us recall the one with useless limbs on his sick bed of pain, the one with congenital blindness, the one who was tortured with uncontrollable seizures, the many with decaying leprous sores, and the faithful woman who was bent double for 18 years! They were loosed from the grip of infirmity. We know You saw them, You heard their cries, for You have said- ‘Even if it were possible for a mother to forget her own child, I will not forget you- you are engraved on the Palms of My Hands’. Even now, we hear the swish of angel wings ushering humanity to the Throne of Your Mercy, where heavy sacks of heartache are piled up, hope has burned into ashen heaps, broken dreams are puddled at Your Feet, prayers are murmured for weak hearts to be strengthened, for endless pain to be removed, for chronic illness to be relieved and for spirits to be lifted. Prayers are offered for those who serve the sick, for those who stand ready in surgical gowns, for those who monitor life supports- that they would be ever aware of Your unseen Presence and the support You give to the patients who depend on their skills. Grant to them all, unfailing certainty that prayers are heard and Grace is given. May we never forget that You are still guiding gifted hands, still granting healing wisdom and still performing miracles. For those recovering in hospital beds alongside the beeps and hums of mechanical companions, we pray You will enable these to hear the rustle of guardian angel wings, the whir of dancing cherubim, the exquisite light of Your Presence and above all these precious words- ‘I will bind up the wounds, heal the broken hearted, console and comfort the afflicted, give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for sadness, a garland of praise instead of a heavy burdened spirit. In the Valley of Achor, the vale of trouble will be found a Door of Hope… The Son of righteousness brings healing in His Wings. I will never leave or forsake you. Ask and receive that your joy may be full.’* To the One who explored the vast measures of pain and deepest treasures of human suffering on the Cross of Calvary and rose victorious- grant to the Infirm hope and healing in our Magnificent Savior. Amen.

Love y’all, Camellia

*Scriptures are derived from Isaiah 49:15, Isaiah 61, Hosea 2:15, Malachi 4:2, Hebrews 13:5, John 16:24 Photographs of Camellia’s Cottage white daffodils are mine.

Posted on February 17, 2017February 17, 2017 by Camellia's Cottage · 6 Comments

February Fun…

Well, here we are in the middle of February! And while the major holidays are over, February has several celebration days besides the big one- Valentine’s Day! The Chinese New Year is rarely celebrated in the South but that doesn’t mean we don’t take notice-this is the year of the Fire Rooster, which began on January 28. My sister usually informs me of what year it is after she picks up her dry cleaning or if I get a hankering for Chinese food, I let her know. We can rest a bit easier if we’ve been told- it’s a good year. You can bet we know about Ol’ Red Roosters in the South.

And of course, I completely forgot about Groundhog Day until Weezie Walters told me that a neighbor has seen a groundhog- right here in our neighborhood! I don’t know about up North, but Spring has sprung here- Daffodils, Flowering Quince, Hyacinths are blooming their heads off right beside Winter lovin’ Camellias! This Southern Groundhog must have tunneled down here, and hasn’t met his shadow yet! I was told to watch out for something that looks like a beaver but with a bushy tail- now, I ask you, when and where does one station oneself to watch out for a suspicious groundhog? ground-hog

Southerners are a faith filled but naturally superstitious folk and February is the month for it! For instance, if there are big flocks of crows flying or landing in the yard, well we’re in for some cold weather. Some are consulting the Farmer’s Almanac even now, reading the signs to decide when to plant certain spring crops or watching moon phases for one reason or another. almanac-question almanac-public-domain

Those who were watching the moon with their sweethearts on Valentine’s Day saw something special- Jupiter and the Full Moon had a late night rendezvous- here’s a Heart Nebula better known as heart shaped cloud of cosmic gas- oh lord, don’t let me get started on that one! valentines-day-rendezvous-of-jupitar-and-the-moon It seems like we’re always watching the moon, shooting for the moon, eating or throwing Moon Pies® in Alabama! I’ve been asking my local grocer when they were going to get Moon Pies in- no one knew; but they all wanted one! As I was headed out of the store this week I spied them, turned around, grabbed two boxes and went through the line again to buy them!

Moon Pies® are made in Chattanooga Tennessee which kisses the right shoulder of North Alabama and this is the 100th anniversary of this particularly Southern confection. They were the large cheap treat of working men- coal miners, factory workers, laborers and were famously eaten along with big swigs of RC Cola® which had a full two ounces more than other famous cocolas, as we say it. If flush with cash the working men were also known to buy a Grapico® and a small package of salted peanuts which they poured right into the bottle! Way back in 1951 Big Bill Lister recorded a song called ‘Gimme an RC Cola and a Moon Pie’ the combination was so popular! Moon Pies® have never really gone out of style- still a favorite parade throw. Folks will risk their neck to get hold of one during a parade! I know this to be true, my husband bought cases of them to throw in parades for more than a decade.

Here at the Cottage when young children wanted a snack and we were lucky enough to have Moon Pies in the house- it was a big treat to put one in the microwave for about 45 seconds and watch the marshmallow in the middle rise. A warm double-decker Moon Pie® can’t be beat! Recently, I saw a recipe for making homemade Moon Pies! Will wonders never cease? But really, I don’t think home bakers will put the Chattanooga Bakery out of business, making the big four inch round graham crackers sandwiched with marshmallow, then coated with chocolate or yellow banana flavored icing continues to make us nostalgic. There is even a story of a lady who really never knew how to cook, much less bake- who had forgotten to have a dessert on hand; not to be deterred she layered the Moon Pies in the bottom of a Pyrex® dish, ran them in the oven for a few minutes to soften, then topped the whole mess with whipped cream and maraschino cherries- then asked her guests how they liked her recipe!

I’m told they raved over it. In Mobile, Alabama, since New Year’s Eve 2008, a big yellow lighted Moon Pie, is raised by a crane 200 feet in the air and slowly lowered, much like the Ball Drop in Times Square. The first year they had the world’s largest Moon Pie baked, that weighed 55 pounds! Lest you think, it’s only pore working folks and street revelers that like Moon Pies, consider that up in North Alabama, Saturn V rockets were built and NASA has a huge presence. It has been reported that any time a successful launch is made the preferred celebration food by Aerospace engineers is the famous Moon Pies® and celebrates the 1969 Moon Walk. Crazy in Alabama, maybe…February Fun for sure! In the meantime, I’m gonna get me a warm Moon Pie, an RoC Cola, a flashlight and go sit on the porch, maybe I can spot that bright eyed bushy tailed Groundhog!

Love y’all, Camellia

* Groundhog. Almanac and Rooster photographs are public domain, Valentine Moon is from http://www.space.com and may be subject to copyright. All other photographs are obviously mine. Moon Pie, RC Cola and Pyrex are registered products and this is not a paid advertisement for any of them- we just love them! Visit http://moonpies.com/about for more information.