The Georgia Peaches Reading Room!

Estelle's received a call this morning from Atlanta requesting some yummy and quick recipes to prepare for the bookclub meeting this evening. Atlanta was blanketed with a sprinkling of snow overnight, so they are looking forward to some warm southern comfort food as they discuss their latest book read! Light the candles, pour a glass of wine and set the table darlings.....

Estelle's to the rescue! Dinner is served for you delightful Georgia Peaches!! Boots by the door please..........

From the " Best of the Best of Mississippi!"

Won't Last Long Sausage Rice Casserole

1 lb. pork sausage

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cup chopped celery
1 jar chopped mushrooms

1 package of dry chicken noodle soup mix

2 1/2 cups of boiling water

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1/4 t. salt

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 T. butter, melted

Brown sausage in large skillet. Drain the fat. Add chopped vegetables and saute until tender. Cover and set aside. Combine dry soup mix & boiling water in saucepan. Stir in the rice, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the sausage mixture and pour into greased baking dish. Sprinkle almonds on top and drizzle with butter. Bake @ 375 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes. Serve with crisp green salad!

Estelle's Quick Delicious Rolls

2 cups self-rising flour

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon white sugar

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Mix thoroughly (about 2 minutes). Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake at 450° for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown. Yummy!

Peanut Butter Marbled Brownies (An old Betty Crocker Recipe)

 Peanut Butter Mixture:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter (Estelle's uses Jiff)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 large eggs

Brownies:

1 box brownie mix, 9x13 family size

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup water

2 large eggs

1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick foil, or spray lightly with cooking spray. In mixing bowl, combine sugar, peanut butter, flour and eggs. Mix on medium speed 2 minutes. Set aside.


In medium sized bowl, stir together brownie mix, water, oil and eggs until well combined. Spread evenly in baking pan. Drop peanut butter mixture by tablespoonfuls onto brownie batter. Sprinkle peanut butter chips around as well. Swirl through batter with knife.

Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove from baking pan using edges of foil and cool completely on wire rack. (You can use your own favorite brownie recipe, too, but sometimes, these mixes are great and quick and they taste good!

"When was the last time you read a book that made you feel really good?"

Coastal Island Serenity!

Bailey Island is a unique coastal community featuring a serene way of life and has recently celebrated its 250th birthday.

 Bailey Island in Casco Bay is within the town of Harpswell, Maine.

A Maine House Mosaic

 It was originally named Newaggin and was first populated by European settlers in the 17th century.


The first settler of the island was William Black, or better known as “Black Will”, who was a freed slave from Kittery, Maine. Black Will took possession of the island in 1727 after spending many years of his life there. Newaggin the island, later became known as “Will's Island!”


Legend has it that in 1742, Reverend Timothy Bailey may have bought Will's Island for one pound of tobacco and a gallon of rum from William Black. In another variation of the story, the minister's wife liked the island and so the Baileys bribed municipal officials to find a flaw in Will's title to the island and award it to them. In any event, after Timothy Bailey and his wife took possession of the island, William Black left to live on Orr's Island. From then on, the island was known as Bailey Island.


The islands surrounding Bailey Island are Elm Island, Cedar Ledge and Pond Island which are steeped in tales of pirate treasure of gold and adventure. Pond Island is also the site of the ghost tale telling of a murdered pirate who stands guard over a buried treasure. The coastline runs roughly 216 miles and included larger islands of Sebascodegan (Great Island), Orr’s Island and Bailey Island, all connected by bridges. There are a scattering of 200 smaller islands only accessible by boat.


The Bailey Island Bridge was recognized as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1984 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The Bailey Island Bridge is reported to be the only granite Cribstone bridge in the world.


When visiting Bailey Island, be sure to have lunch at Bailey's infamous, Cooks Lobster House! It has a lengthy menu, pricey and very busy! The featured recipes today are Estelle's however. We just felt in the mood for some crabcakes once we remembered our day trip over to the island!

Estelle's Crab Stuffed Portabello's

1 cup crabmeat

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

4 tablespoons Parmesan

House Seasoning, recipe follows

2 portobello mushroom caps, or 10 white mushrooms caps

1/2 cup bread crumbs

Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the crabmeat, cream cheese, parsley, green onions and Parmesan. Season with House Seasoning, to taste. Stuff the mushroom caps with the mixture and top with bread crumbs. Spray the tops with nonstick spray to help them brown. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is hot and melted.

Once I tried Robert Duvall's mother's recipe for crabcakes, I have used none other. We voted them The Best!! I have made them for years, especially at our catfish fry's and holidays. You quickly learn in the South that anything, well almost anything, topped with a Ritz Cracker is gonna' be a winner!

Estelle's Crabcakes

1 pound  lump crabmeat

2 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 small onion, grated

1/2 tablespoon mustard powder

18 Ritz crackers, crushed

Combine all ingredients except the crackers. Add crackers crumbs in as close to sautéing as possible so that they crab cakes don’t get too moist from the other ingredients. Form into patties. Sauté in frying pan over medium-to-high heat in butter, 10 minutes per side. Make sure that it’s crispy outside but moist and juicy inside. .

The Southern Way!

"I've noticed that once it hits the table, fried chicken becomes highly political! Honored guests are always offered the largest piece, which is normally the chicken breast, as this is the part that our society deems superior. It's downhill after that. If you are a child, you will end up with the drumstick. Or, if you are a mother who is sacrificial, " you"  will end up with the drumstick! Politics will have been served!"

Grandmother Grace's Most Perfect Fried Chicken

1 (2 1/2-3 lb) broiler-fryer chickens, cut up

Buttermilk, enough to cover the chicken pieces

1 tablespoon hot sauce

butter flavor shortening (for frying)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 teaspoons seasoning salt

1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne red pepper powder

1/4 teaspoon thyme, crush between your fingers when adding

1/4 teaspoon basil

Wash chicken pieces and place in a deep bowl. Cover with buttermilk and hot sauce, and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Melt shortening in a cast iron skillet to a depth of about 1 inch.

Heat to about 370º. In a doubled brown paper lunch sack, mix together all of the dry ingredients. Remove chicken from bowl. Using additional seasoned salt and pepper, lightly coat to season chicken.

Place chicken in bag, one piece at a time. Shake well until thoroughly coated. Dip each piece in the buttermilk and coat with flour once again. Shake off excess; place on waxed paper for 15 minutes or until dry. Place chicken, skin side down, in hot shortening. Do not crowd skillet.
Brown until golden on bottom. When chicken pieces are golden on one side, turn pieces over, cover with tight fitting lid, and reduce heat to a simmer, turning chicken pieces occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is tender. When lid is placed on, and heat is reduced to a good simmer, the good side of pieces are the top sides. After about 10 minutes, turn back to skin-side down. After another 10 minutes or so, turn back to skin-side up for the last 10-15 minutes.
Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer for "crispy on the outside" crust. Remove at once, skipping this step, if a softer outside is preferred.Grandmother always drained their fried chicken on brown paper grocery bags.  Paper towels work well also.

"Who's th' one baked them good biscuits for supper?
 Louella could hardly speak. "What you want to know for?"
"Because th' one baked them good biscuits, that's th' one I'm goin' to marry!"

Louella's Buttermilk Biscuits
1/2 cup Crisco
4 cups White Lily all-purpose flour
(if you are not southern, you can use another brand of flour)
2 T. baking powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the Crisco with a pastry blender until you have a coarse meal. Stir in the buttermilk and form the dough into a ball. GENTLY knead on a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until you achieve a 1/2 inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place on the greased baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, then brush the tops with melted butter. Bake an addition 2 minutes until you have golden brown tops!

"Smells good!" as the aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg
floated around the small room. 
Uncle Billy placed the pie on his desk and lifted the tea towel back to appreciate the handiwork.
 "I want to share this pie and give Miss Cynthia and you half of it.
You'uns have been awful good to me and Rose."
"Let's see," said Tim, scratching his head.
"What will I carry half of it in?"
As Uncle Billy scratched his head, he kept lookin' at the pie
 thinkin' it looked mighty tasty!
 "Tell you what,"..."let's you and me jis' set down right here and
eat th' whole dang thing!"

 Estelle's Sweet Tip: Never peel sweet potatoes before they are cooked. You lose both the flavor and the nutrients. If you peel the cooked sweet potatoes under cold running water, you will lock in their sweetness!

Estelle's Sho-Nuff Sweet Potato Pie

2 cups freshly cooked and mashed sweet potatoes

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 t. nutmeg

1 t. cinnamon

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup evaporated milk

Topping

2 T. unsalted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 t. salt

Place hot mashed sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl and gradually beat in butter, sugar, vanilla and spices. Continue to beat, add the eggs and the evaporated milk. If mixture seems to stiff, add a little more milk. Pour into a nine inch pastry pie shell and bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving!

While the pie is baking, place 2 T. butter and brown sugar in small skillet. Over low heat, stir until the butter has melted and add the brown sugar. Stir until this has dissolved. Add pecans and salt. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour this mixture onto a cookie sheet. Let cool completely. Crumble the topping into small pieces and sprinkle over the pie. Serve with sweetened whipped cream!

Southern girls are God's gift to the entire male population.

There is absolutely no woman finer than one raised below the

 Mason-Dixon line and once you go southern,

may the good Lord help you - you never go back.” Kenny Chesney

Excerpts from Mitford Cookbook & Kitchen Reader

Charming Favorites!

I am totally in love with Mary Lake-Thompson, Ltd!!

A new discovery and a "new favorite thing!!"

A Maine House Mosaic

http://www.marylakethompson.com/

When my parents entertained with a dinner party, my sister Judy and I begged to help! We were just always in the kitchen with mother, busying ourselves with whatever little chore we were assigned to do. The silver would be polished, the dining table covered with heirloom lace tablecloths and the crystal would shine under the lights. That dining room experienced quite a few gay parties, engagements, bridal showers, church socials, LSU/Ole Miss football weekends......one of my fondest memories was serving the dessert on a silver pedestal cakeplate for engagement parties hosted by the sweetest group of southern ladies!  Food, especially in the south, is about so much  more than nourishment. Whether it is a happy or a sad occasion, Southerners come together over food! It is one of my favorite things!

Puny's Cheesecake

Crust

1 (6.75)ounce package of Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux Cookies

2 T. unsalted butter, melted...more for greasing the pan

Filling

4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten

2 t. pure vanilla extract

1 16-ounce container of sour cream, room temperature

In the mixing bowl of your food processor, crush the cookies along with the melted butter. Butter or spray the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap a piece of foil around the outside bottom and sides of the springform pan. Pat the cookie crumbs into the bottom of the pan only!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer and beat at medium speed until light and creamy, 8-10 minutes. Add the beaten eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the vanilla and sour cream. Pour the filling into the pan and smooth the top. Place the cheesecake in a hot water bath and bake for 45 minutes. The hot water should come to the center or halfway up the pan. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Do not open the door to check the cake! Remove and place on a rack to cool to room temperature. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Remove the springform plan and refrigerate the cheesecake until ready to serve.

All in the Family!

Irma remembers.......

When I was a kid growing up in the 40's we lived in a two family double decker flat in Ohio above my Polish born "Babcia" (grandma in  Polish). Whenever she made Golumpki (stuffed cabbage rolls) in her "ginormous" enamel covered roasting pan the aroma would waft up through the heating grates in the floor into my family's flat and make me soooo hungry. It was THE most wonderful aroma.   Those golumpki were so delicious & moist, covered in a wonderful tomato based sauce and just as tender as butter. Wow. Unfortunately Babcia was the type who never used a recipe in her life or wrote anything down so I couldn't even begin to duplicate this.

Babcia's Cabbage Rolls
12 large cabbage leaves
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 cup cooked rice
8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce





Immerse cabbage leaves in boiling water for about 3 minutes or until limp. Drain.
Combine egg, milk, onions, salt, pepper, beef and rice. Place about 1/4 cup mixture into the center of each leaf. Fold in the sides and roll ends over the meat. Place in slow cooker.
Combine tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the cabbage rolls.
** If you like more sauce I would recommend doubling the sauce, which is what I did this time and it turned out great.


I believe each of us possess memories from childhood of specific family dinners, or certain dishes prepared by our mothers that stand out from others. Memories that have stayed with us and evoke feelings of love, family, and happy times. One specific dish my mother, Miss Helen, prepared often, as did my Grandmother, had a really strange name....Slumgullion! I was talking to my darling Ohio cousin the other day, via email of course, and asked her if she had remembered this recipe? I could recall walking into their kitchen during summer visits to Ohio and envision a huge pot of Slumgullion cooking on the stove. 

 "It's funny that you mentioned this. I was talking to Paula the other day and told her when I miss mom I always make this. I was surprised that she had heard of this dish as well and knew exactly what I was talking about. It's a very simple recipe. "

 And so you have it........life goes on......and we savor those happy memories!

"What's for dinner, Momma?  Slumgullion precious girl!"

Helen's Slumgullion

1 1/2 lbs of ground chuck

1 medium yellow onion

1/2 cup green pepper, optional

1 lb. macaroni

1 large can of  tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

 Salt and Pepper to taste

1 T. sugar (Mother's secret)

Brown ground chuck in large skillet. Add finely chopped onion and  chopped green pepper (optional) and continue to brown until golden. Drain any excess grease. Boil macaroni in stock pot until desired doneness. Drain and mix cooked macaroni in with ground chuck mixture. Add tomato sauce and seasonings. Let simmer until heated throughout. Delicious comfort for a weekend meal....serve with crisp salad and crusty french bread!

When we reproduce our families recipes, which have lain forgotten on shelves or in boxes, in our own kitchens, we are filled with expectations, remembrance and joy!

Hot! Hot!....Hot Chocolate!

   

Allen's Gift of Hot Chocolate Mix

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups powdered milk

1/2 cup malted milk

1 cup good double processed dutch cocoa (Godiva)

2 bars good milk chocolate chocolate (Cadbury), grated

1 tsp salt

1 dash cayenne pepper

2 tsp corn starch

Mix all ingredients together and store in airtight container. Mix 1/3 cup of hot cocoa mix into one cup of hot milk. Stir until smooth. Top with whipped cream or marshmallows! Lovely.......

It was a snowy day in the village....a day to stay under my chenille blanket, Mae Mo by my side and sipping this wonderful hot cocoa....watching movies....

Thank you Cathy and Allen for the thoughtful gift of this amazing cocoa...

Warming Rustic Winter Cobblers, Crisps and Betty's!

The Maine House will be busy cooking and preparing guest meals for at least the next three months. Texas visitors are here to take in the Winter months in Maine! There is yet another storm heading for New England so I think we will be able to deliver the winter wonderland they had hoped to see! Once they become accustomed to "layered clothing" of coats, sweaters, hats, mittens, scarves and boots, they most likely will be ready to embrace springtime back in Texas! What better way to end a delightful winter nighttime dinner by lingering over the dinner table with good conversation, savoring a cup of coffee and a cozy cobbler!! These are a few of the best from Estelle's!

A Maine House Mosaic

Estelle's Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

4-1/2 cups rhubarb

 2 Tbsp. white sugar

1-1/2 cups strawberries

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. quick cooking tapioca

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. of grated orange peel

 1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1-inch pieces. Trim away the outside stringy layer and remove the poisonous leaves. Trim the ends. Stem and slice the strawberries. In a bowl, mix the rhubarb and the strawberries with the sugar, tapioca, and orange zest. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes to an hour. To create the crust, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in another medium bowl. Cut the butter in with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk and egg until just moistened. Pour the fruit into a 2-quart casserole dish. Drop the batter on the fruit. Bake for 35 minutes until the cobbler crust is golden brown. Serves 6. Serve with whipped cream or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream!

Estelle's Cranberry Pear Crisp

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice

1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries

6 pears, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

1 1/2 cups uncooked regular oats

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until cranberries pop and mixture thickens. Spoon evenly into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.Combine oats, flour, and brown sugar in a small bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit mixture.Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Estelle's Sweet Tip!

A "Betty" differs from a "Crisp" because the layer of crumbs is on the

 bottom of the baking dish.

Nectarine Betty

6 ripe yet firm nectarines

3 T. lemon juice

2 t. grated lemon zest

1 1/2 cups graham crackers

4 T. butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ginger

1/4 t. nutmeg

Pinch of cloves

1/8 t. salt

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 t. butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 2 inch baking dish with butter cooking spray. Place nectarines in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Place the lemon zest and graham cracker crumbs in separate mixing bowl. Add butter and mix thoroughly until the texture appears sandy. Add sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Mix until well combined.

To add the topping, layer half of crumbs in bottom of pan. Layer sliced nectarines on top of crumbs. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over fruit and dot with butter. Bake 30-35 minutes until topping has browned. Let cool. Serve warm with your desired topping.

“People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer

when they’re happy.” Anton Chekhov