4th of July Recipe - New South Piemento Cheese

New South Pimento Cheese


One word. De-lish!

Great for your 4th of July celebration or any picnic.

The cast

Here's a the recipe. I don't add the pimentos. I just use the red roasted bell peppers.

I found it years ago at the Winston Salem Journal courtesy of Michael Hastings. Southern Cal Boy will not eat potato salad or slaw that is mayonnaise based. But he loves this pimento cheese. We eat it on Ritz crackers, with bread for a sandwich, with Bagel Crisps, and stuffed in small peppers.

The recipe says keeps for one day in the fridge. We've ate it up to a week. With all the salt in the cheese and the mayo, as long as it's cold should be fine. As always, use some common sense.

I took a photo of the finished product when I made it last week and deleted by mistake. Sorry. If you make some and you like let me know.

Hope you enjoy some soon.

Candace Mommie

Fun Fourth - Stuff to Make

Fireworks from a local 4th of July celebration.

Below are some ideas for you to get your 4th on.

Decorate a Radio Flyer with red, white, and blue tinsel bought at Michael's or the Dollar Tree. You could tape pinwheels to the sides.


Love this Patri-botic center piece  at http://familyfun.go.com/4th-of-july/4th-of-july-crafts/4th-of-july-decorations-games-pg-906069/#A. Need to make one of those.


Check out all these Fourth of July Goodies. Love the ice cream sandwiches with red, white and blue sprinkles or non-pareils on a lollipop stick. 

Hope these ideas spark your imagination for creative things you can do with your loved ones this July 4th.

Something blue. The lacecap hydrangea that lives in my garden.

Had to throw this in. It's the best it's ever been.

Enjoy!

Candace Mommie

4th of July Hand and Foot Flag

July 4th is upon us. Check out Heyferb.com this week for recipes and crafts to make yours a Fun Fourth.

First up we have this flag. It's all over Pinterest but the original can be found at Serendipity. Cute!

I saw it a couple of months ago and have been wanting to do it so much. Last week Wonder Boy and me found some time and did.

Grab some sturdy paper, red and blue paint, a sponge paint stick, paper towels, wipes, and a bucket of water. Paint your child's hands blue and feet red. You may want to rinse off the paint in intervals and repaint so the prints will be crisp. If you do layer after layer of paint it will fill in the lines on the hands and feet and the image will not be as crisp. So use your bucket of water, wipes, and paper towels.

My baby is not a baby anymore so ours looks different. If you have children of various ages a composite of different hand and foot prints would be adorable.

Haven't framed it. Working on other projects. This is the real world baby. It does not have to be pefect!

And guess what . . . we had fun while we were making it. That's the point!!! Summer fun.

Let me hear from you.

Candace Mommie

Fourth of July Goodies- Everything is Hot, Hot, Hot

Firecracker Cupcakes Recipe photo by Taste of HomeFirecracker Cupcakes Recipe

My all time favorite are the white cupcakes with red, white and blue cupcake papers. Decorate the cupcakes with red, white, and blue sprinkles to the uncooked cake batter. Then after baking decorate with butter cream. Tint bagged coconut red or blue. Pop in a red shoelace type licorice for a fuse. Also, the regular Twizzlers cut the appropriate length (1 or 2 inches) popped in the center of the cupcake. For some real fun, sprinkle Pop Rocks on top the icing. Kids love this. Here's a version of this with fresh berries and without some of the stuff mentioned above.

Also, love this easy, peasy idea for Twizzlers. Check it out. A bag of Twizzlers and some scrapbook paper and you are ready to go!

Hope you enjoy these easy and creative July 4th ideas!

Have fun and come back soon.

Happy Monday!

Candace Mommie

Flashback Friday - Flowers & Back to the Future

Remember these flowers from one of the Mother's Day posts?

Well take a look now.

 

The geraniums are the ones from Lowe's at 1/2 price. The sweet peas coming up on the trellis, not blooming yet, were planted on the eve of St. Patrick's Day from seed. The violas and the snap dragons were planted in the fall. Due to hotter than normal winter and the unnatural cool May and June these are still looking great. The violas will have to go soon as the weather is deathly hot.

Probably will replace before the 4th with something from another pot or perhaps pick up something on markdown. Maybe plant some coleus seeds and see what happens.

Have a great weekend! Check back in next week.

Candace Mommie

Thursday Summer Thirll Point Update - Summer Diary part 4

Here's Wonder Boy's Thrill Point Update

Passed  swim test                                 50  SURPRISE Points


Camped in the
tent w/Grandaddy         20 SURPRISE points


Camped in the tent w/Daddy   20 points



5 Books read                               25 points



Skim board                                     10 points

Boogie board                                   10 points


Sold bike & helmet for $25.00 while on vacation & w/family gift money for passing grade from relatives & Mommie & Daddy made up the difference to purchase a new bike
                               50 SURPRISE points

    
No bummer summer here.

Okay, so, like, can we skip the rest of the summer?
Don't cha think?
Nah!


We're just getting started baby!


Happy Thursday! Happy Summer! Make the most of your day if it's nothing more than running through a sprinkler. Get Happy!

Check back in for updates and fun.

Candace Mommie

Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker

In May I purchased a Kitchen Aid ice cream maker for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer.  This is a long post because I don't want you to waste time trying to get it right. Like usual, I was stacking. I'm not perfect and I goofed the two times I wanted to originally make ice cream and both times I had to wait until the next day to make the ice cream. Pay attention so you don't make the same mistakes.

Important: Bowl must be frozen before use according to manufacturer's instructions. Mine is in the freezer all the time so it's good to go.  



All parts must be assembled before beginning. Do not pour the ice cream mix into the bowl until After you turn it on. If you add the mix to the bowl before you turn the mixer on your mix will begin to automatically freeze and stick to the side of the insulated bowl.

Then you will hear a most unsettling sound of plastic bits that sound like the dasher is broken.

If you have the inconvenience of experiencing this do not panic. You will need to turn off the mixer and disassemble the ice cream attachment. Pour the unmade mix back into a container and refrigerate. Then let the ice cream maker bowl come to room temperature so the mix that froze to the sides will melt naturally. You will probably not be able to make ice cream  that day. Good idea - make it the day ahead of serving time.

Do not use hot water with the insulated bowl. It cleans up well with warm water. Then you will need to refreeze the bowl according to the manufacturer's directions.

I thought you must pour the mix into the bowl before turning the mixer on since that would be easier. Unfortunately, I quickly found that the ice cream mix began freezing and sticking to the side of the bowl. This enables the dasher to turn properly and so sounds like something is breaking. I turned it off and reviewed the manual. It stated to make sure to start the mixer on "Stir" and then begin to pour the mix into the bowl. So I had to remove the ingredients as stated above and start over the next day. It is cumbersome to pour the mixed ingredients into the insulated bowl and is a little easier to pour the mix from a pitcher into the bowl. Bowl to bowl does not work well.

 My dad loves homemade banana ice cream. However, this time I did not turn the bowl counter clockwise when attaching as the instructions state. I was in a hurry and didn't look at the directions again. Instinctively I turned the ice cream bowl clockwise which is bad because the bowl can slip. Again, the plastic breaking sound so I stopped. Glad the bowl didn't fly off the mixer.

Also, don't use a metal spoon like I did to scrape the bowl because it will scratch. Did this Father's Day too as I was in denial when I thought I could remove what had frozen and start over. You have to use the bowl immediately as it starts getting warmer when taken out of the freezer a no-brainer. The scratches are not effecting the quality of the ice cream they are just there and so the inside is not as shiny and new. The manual also warns against that too.

Your best bet is to make the ice cream at least one day ahead of when you need it and put it in the freezer overnight.  Both times I wanted it the day of, being new, I goofed and had to begin again the next day. Both times the ice cream was delicious and no problems.

Overall, the Kitchen Aid ice cream maker is a great product. The ice cream is soft, similar to a Wendy's Frosty. It doesn't make a ton, but if you are like our family and need to have a lot of people over to justify making ice cream with a traditional ice cream maker, the salt, the ice, and the left overs, then the Kitchen Aid Ice Cream Maker is for you.  Also, the insulated bowl stores better in the freezer than having to cram one more counter top appliance somewhere. I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond with a 20% discount coupon so it was a little less than retail. 

Can't remember where I found the following Key Lime ice cream recipe a few years ago, but it is delicious. It may be that I tweaked a recipe, but I truly do not know. Made it around Mother's Day and it's been in our freezer for a few weeks. This weekend I tasted it and it was still creamy and fresh; no ice particles like when using the typical electric or crank version ice cream maker.

Key Lime Ice Cream

1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup bottled Key Lime juice (Nellie and Joe's)
1 cup whipping cream
Dash of salt
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Combine all ingredients in a bowl stirring with a whisk. Pour into ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

When the ice cream is done put in freezer until firm and enjoy!

Hope you can make some of this ice cream. I'm a Key Lime freak so I really love it.

It's not too early to start thinking about your July 4th celebration. This is a great recipe to have on hand.

Please come back again.

Candace Mommie

Summer, Summer, Summer

The Windfall II

We're back home for a while. Catching up on laundry, seeing hometown friends, Father's Day cookout and stuff. Hope you enjoyed Father's Day with your dad, husband, or someone you love.

Will try to post update on Summer Thrill Points and ice cream recipes this week.

While I'm playing catch up check out Laura Winslow's 101 Bits of Summer Fun subway art. I've seen several summer versions while we were on vacation in shops, in advertisements, etc. Maybe you'd like to do one of your own about summer or your favorite vacation spot.

Happy Tuesday!

Please check back later.

Candace Mommie

Summer Diary 2012 (cont....part 3)

So there was a pool table in a sports bar where we had some fine NC local seafood last week. It was a quiet Tuesday night as school had not let out for summer in this remote vacation destination.

Southern Cal Boy & Wonder Boy decided they'd play a little 8 Ball. 

Just a little photo journal that should say it all.

More unexpected bonus Thrill Points for the boy.

Life is good.

Hope you are enjoying your summer.

Check back in for updates and fun ideas.

Candace Mommie

Father's Day Gift Idea (cont.)

Simple Package Ideas for Herb Blends

Here are some ideas for packaging the herb blends from yesterday's post.

Small canning jars are perfect for the herb blends. These jars can be found at Target, Wal-Mart and probably your local grocer's.

Still at remote destination without craft room. So you need to use your imagination.

Raffia or twine wrapped around the jar top would be handsome.

Attach a tag with the recipe on the twine or raffia and tie around jar lid. 

If you have a seashell with a hole in it tie on with raffia or twine.

Possibilities for decorating the jar are endless. Exercise your creativity.

Hope you enjoy the herb blends and find this useful. Let me hear from you.

Enjoy your day and please come back.

Candace Mommie

Father's Day Gift Idea

These recipes are for some great seasoning blends you can whip up with the kids to give Dad for Father's Day. The recipes do not make a lot, so you probably will want to triple or quadruple for a decent amount.

This photo was not taken by the Pioneer Woman. Some of the ingredients are not included in this photo as I am in a remote location  and this is all I could gather at the moment. Also, it's about 100 degrees outside and this is it. Hope you can handle the disappointment.


First, here's one that I tweaked omitting the lemon pepper and parsley. 


Steak Rub
2 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. dried thyme 
1 1/2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper


Originally from Southern Living 2000 Annual Recipes Cookbook  for peppered rib eyes and online here.


We use it as a steak rub and also add it to our burgers when mixing up. Rachel Ray suggests adding shredded onion to your burger mix for more flavor. We prefer ground chuck, onion, Heinz 57, and some of this steak rub.


Southwestern Spice Blend 
This one is also from Southern Living. We love it on pork chops, chicken, and in corn and black bean salsa. My favorite corn and bean salsa recipe of all time is in the Favorite Brand Name Grilling Cookbook and online. Add it to taste in this salsa recipe or your favorite.


Bread Dipping Herbs
1 tsp. garlic (powder or granulated)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper


Mix this up and use desirable amount in a small dipping bowl with olive oil to dip crusty Ciabatta bread or slices of baguette. You may want to add Parmesan cheese to the mixture before adding to the oil. I usually don't because it would need to be refrigerated - just depends on what you like.


Please come back for some simple packaging ideas.

Until then, stay cool and enjoy the beautiful sunset.

Candace Mommie

NC Seafood

The article in Our State Magazine inspired me to write down my memories about eating seafood in NC. It brought back great memories in different stages of my life that I have not thought about in a while or had forgotton.


Hope you enjoy this and will also check out the article in Our State Magazine about the tradition of Friday night seafood.


When I was a teenager we'd go out to eat fish on Friday nights in Asheboro or my mom would pick it up on her way home from work.


When I was little and my daddy's parents, Pawpaw and Mawmaw, would come up to Greensboro from their home in Four Oaks for the weekend, it usually meant a trip to the local fish market. Back in the day they could buy a lot of flounder for $4.00 and feed about 6 people. Maybe we even had some left that probably the cats get to enjoy. Everybody knows fresh cooked fish is the best. Mama would fry the fish and make homemade coleslaw where the cabbage was chopped but not minced to death. She also would fry up some good cornbread. I can smell it now and hear the food frying in the black Lodge frying pan.


My mom's parents, Grandaddy and Nanny took me and my aunt (more like a big sister to me as she's 8 years my senior), and later me and my sister (5 years my junior) on an annual July vacation to Ocean Drive, North Myrtle Beach in the golden days of that place 1968-1982. The house we rented belonged to Effie Smith of Smith Dry Cleaning that was for many years on Davie Street near the Greensboro Historical Museum. The Ocean Drive house was two story and had a huge yard and was across the street from the ocean.  We would always make the short drive over to Calabash, NC one or two days before the end of our vacation for some Calabash style shrimp.


Years passed, during and after college we maybe enjoyed about 8 or 9 years with Grandaddy and Nanny at a house owned by Southside Hardware of Greensboro in Long Beach. We'd ride over to South Port and eat fish there. My best friend from college's parents lived at Wrightsville Beach and the Dockside is where we would eat fish. I had seafood lasgana the first time there.And sometimes her brother who worked for a yacht company would bring the catch of the day home and we'd enjoy that grilled on their porch that overlooked the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway. 


When we got married the first few years we would stay in Southport and dine at the casual Provision Company. We also visited the Cedar Point - Emerald Isle area and enjoyed local seafood there as well.

In 1998 we visited Ocracoke for the first time and just like the fish, we were hooked. In 2006 after  selling a printing business he owned we were able to by our own cottage in Ocracoke. It once had been a storage shed for fishnets but was transformed into a small house. In the summers or any time we go, we enjoy buying fresh fish from the Ocracoke Seafood Company, frying it up, and dining on our screened porch among the beautiful, twisted cedars.

Currently, we're enjoying our summer and eating lots of NC seafood from our favorite local fishermen.  Hope you enjoy some fresh local seafood this summer. 


Check back in for updates on our summer and fun ideas.


Have a great weekend!

Candace Mommie

Summer Diary 2012 (continued)

Passing the swimming test was not on the Not Bummer Summer List. However, the consensus was Wonder Boy passing the swim test and continuing to jump off the diving board during the pool party was worth 50 points! and 3 Happy Tickets.

Happy Tickets - not sure how they will be traded out. Each book read this summer earns 1 Happy Ticket from Creative Ambrosia. Thanks Jenn. Lots of cute stuff there. Check it out.

Happy Tickets make us Happy!

Check back again for more updates and fun things.

Candace Mommie

Summer Diary 2012

 

We're on our third day of summer vacation.  Kicked off with the last day pool party.  Blue gray skies and 80% chance of thunderstorms, it was hot, hot, hot, but for a redeeming cool breeze. The sun was doing me and I had only about 5 hours of sleep due to preparing end of school year school gifts and baking and decorating cookies for Wonder Boy's classmates. So at that point Southern Cal Boy, myself and Wonder Boy's teacher had managed to be under one of the super giant permanent poolside umbrellas where we were chill-axing. When it was time to head back to school to deliver students, say our farewells until August and wish all our favorite peeps a Not Bummer Summer a tremendous down pour began. After only a few minutes it was apparent the rain had set in. Everyone made a run for their cars or SUVs and headed back up the road. The rain had stopped before we went 1/2 a mile.

Rain wasn't the big surprise of the day. The thing was all the kids had to take a swim test in the deep end if they wanted to get in the deep end, but also if they wanted to get in the vortex whirlpool - that's in the shallow part of the pool. This was explained to us, but with a group of about 90 kids, plus some siblings, parents and teachers, combined with last day of school excitement, I was unable to hear all the rules. A few minutes pass and I notice Wonder Boy isn't in the pool. So I investigate. He tells me he couldn't get in at all unless he took a swim test in the deep end. With encouraging words he wouldn't budge. So I told him to get in the shallow end because he didn't have to take a test.. He goes in and comes back in a few upset and saying he can't get in the vortex unless he has a bracelet. So not knowing what he's talking about I told him we'd go see a life guard and find out how to get one. Came back to the swim test. No bracelet without passing the swim test. He knows how to swim, but has never been tested. At this point me and two other mom friends encouraged him and Wonder Boy was psyched. He got in and swam across the deep end and then back again.

Now he's unstoppable! It was the diving board the rest of the day.

And the look on that boy's face - priceless!

.

Check back for how many thrill points this was worth. Much has happened since the last day of school.

To be continued . . .

Candace Mommie

The Last Day of School !!!

We made it! Today's the final day! It's been a fast week

And soon it will be time to hit the beach!

Hope you enjoyed the teacher gift idea this week and the summer hit list.

We'll be taking a break to enjoy some family time together and then we'll be back for a while.

Hope your summer starts off with a blast!

Flashback Friday returns next week with Memories of NC Seafood.

Happy Summer! Check us out later.

Candace Mommie