Birthdays, weddings, graduations! Teas, luncheons, baby showers! Recitals, field trips, classroom parties! May Day, Memorial Day and Mother’s Day too! Father’s Day, fish fries and family reunions! Whew! I’m tired just thinking about it!
Here’s what the experts will tell you to do- shop ahead, stock up; get storage containers, label each one and make elaborate calendar entries, plan everything down to a tee! Well, I’m gonna do things different this year!
First I will mark my calendar 57 days out from the first day of our summer vacation-I will make sure all flights and hotels are booked by then to get the best prices. Then, here’s my plan:
- Shop my pantry, fridge and freezer first, work down what I have, give excess canned or packaged goods to food pantries who need it all year round.
- Shop my closet first, ditch what I know I won’t wear, what doesn’t fit or is stained beyond the blue yonder. Give the nice things to a shelter and throw the rest out.
- Shop my wrapping paper and ribbons, throw out the excess bits and pieces or the whole mess! And order a big roll of white wrapping paper for all of those occasions ahead.
- Gather my cleaning supplies in one place, use up what I have, throw out what is dried up or never used.
This is saving, not spending. This is getting a head start with what you have.This is spring cleaning at its best. Spring is too beautiful to fret over, get out there and enjoy it!
Love y’all, Camellia
Eggs are plentiful this time of year, perfect time to make Deviled Eggs! And believe me darlin’ you’re gonna want to Shut de Door and keep de’ devils all to yourself! Start with six fresh hard boiled eggs. To make them easier to peel, once they’ve bubbled 3-4 minutes drain and plunge into a big bowl of cold water with ice to chill. Peel the eggs, slice in half and carefully remove the yolks into a bowl. If you have one, put the white yolkless halves on a plate made especially for stuffed eggs- the one pictured is my grandmother’s. Mash the egg yolks. Add a good mayonnaise- check the label! Homemade Mayo has oil, egg yolks and lemon juice. Find a commercial brand with at least those 3 ingredients. One of my favorites is Winn Dixie’s generic label. Add 2-3 tablespoons to mashed egg yolks until a good consistency, more if necessary, then add 1-2 teaspoons of yellow mustard, please don’t make this mix into a paste!
Alabama has thrived on cornbread for generations, all of us, not just some of us. We all love it, eat it- crave it, need it. I learned the cornbread rules at an early age from my grandmother. I have her iron skillet and it still makes the best cornbread, though I do love corn muffins too!
And oh my! corn sticks! I have an iron corn stick pan too! But the rules never change. You are the first to know my grandmother’s rules. Use your own cornbread recipe, with one exception…which we will cover first.
Chicken and Dumplings
Camellia's Cottage 