Red Velvet Wisdom

Our family has a bad habit of calling the youngest one in the family “the baby”. For some, it is cute. For my 41 year old brother to still be the baby, not so much. Yet, for the true baby of the family, the one who leads  a new generation, the one we all adore…it is perfect that he be the baby.

The baby is now one year old today.  His first year was celebrated with a Western theme his cake came from the bakery we fell in love with some time ago, The Bakerman. It was not only fantastic in taste, it was also fantastic in appearance. There was a cowboy had and cowboy boot that were cake.

Both the boot and hat are actually cake.

Let's get this party started.

Can I eat it now?

He even had his own baby cake.

Mmm....

I made wanted posters of various family members to go along with the Western theme.  My hope for this baby is that he always knows how wanted and loved he is.

Happy 1st Birthday Baby! We can’t wait for many, many more.

One of Mom’s standard appetizers was the sausage balls. There are easy (unless you have an aversion to mixing gooey things with your hands) and tasty. I decided to make some for Super Bowl Sunday. 1 lb. Sausage

• 2  c  Bisquick (I used a cheaper brand this time and it worked fine)
• 1 lb Sausage
• 10 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix all ingredients well. Joy says that Mom adds a few splashes of tobasco to hers. (not unusual) It will have to be with your hands. Form the balls, no larger than a golf ball.

Ready to bake

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. At this point I turn them over and bake a few more minutes. (I’m paranoid about meat being done)

Done

These aren’t the healthiest things around, but a few as we watch the big game are OK.  We will also have a vegetable tray, some chips and dips, and sandwiches. We don’t do anything  big because my husband has to work this year.

Myself, personally, I will be cheering for the Saints. If Dallas can’t make it then the my 2nd choice will do.

The Red Velvet crew will be converging in Arkansas today. Any guesses why?

• It is not Super Bowl related.
• We aren’t going hunting. (squirrel, deer, or mullet)
• Mother isn’t sick. In fact, she is now driving again after a two year hiatus. (ask me after I ride with her if this is good)

Want a clue?

I take for granted  that not everyone in the world has pecans at their fingertips.   I also forget that people call them PEEcans.   It sounds like puh-con.   We grew up with a pecan tree somewhere close by and have all spent plenty of time either gathering, cracking, or shelling these little nutty delights.

Anyway, we had a little treat table at work and one of my coworkers brought in a bowl of pecans.

I was eating them like crazy because they are healthy and it was keeping me away from the cakes and cookies.  I asked her how she made these wonderful goodies. Then she tells me she fried them!  Oops!

I’m very anxious to try and make these myself!

*  1 lb or so of shelled pecans.

*  ½ c sugar

*  1 tsp salt

Boil a pot of water and then pour in the pecans. Let the water return to boiling and then boil for a minute. Drain the pecans and lay on paper towel and pat dry. Sprinkle with the sugar and salt. Heat a skillet with oil covering the bottom.  On med high, stir fry the pecans for 3-5 minutes.  Do not let them get too dark or they will taste burned.

This recipe comes from my friend Peggy, who cooks this without the recipe and was worried that it is ‘about’ this much of everything. Peggy created this recipe from this one.

Chinese Fried Walnuts

• 6 cups water
• 4 cups walnuts
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• vegetable oil

Bring water to a boil.  Put walnuts in and bring back to a boil for 1 minute.  Drain nuts.  Pat as dry as possible.  Mix nuts with sugar.  Fry a quarter of the nuts at a time in one inch of hot oil until nuts turn golden brown.  Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Yield about 4 cups

I add my salt when I do my sugar.  Others add after frying.  I use pecans, also.  I also use canola or peanut oil.

Today’s Wordless Wednesday comes to you courtesy of my 11 year old daughter, Boo.

Texas Snowman

Sasha

Lucky

She is learning to do the photography and editing herself. I’m proud. (I can’t really be wordless. Sorry)

Like most of the pastors I know, ours has a wife that is amazingly sweet and kindhearted.  Of course I think that ours is the sweetest of all but I’m a little biased.  She is the kind of woman who works tirelessly behind the scenes at church, and finds time to devote to her husband and their 5 children.

Well, the other day she happened to call me and say that she was at that moment sitting in my driveway with a chocolate pie.  Now normally this would be something that excited me beyond belief, but at that current moment I was at work.  Lucky for me, my family was home, and able to go and get the lovely treat.  Their retrieval of the pie was then followed by a furious flurry of texts messages begging to dive into the pie.  I told them they could cut it, but ONLY if they got pictures first!

Now I have to mention that not only is this a chocolate pie, but this is the chocolate pie recipe that has been in the Jones family for three four generations.  And yes, it is as delicious as it looks.  The only thing I did NOT like about it is the fact that I had to wait to get a piece!

I have pictures of all three Jones ladies, who are all good Christian women that happen to be phenomenal cooks.  (Lucky for me I get to eat their food regularly).   However, I have to make sure that Grandma is ok with the pictures because the last time I asked her if I could put pictures of her she said, “NO!”  She’s pretty adorable.

According to these women even though they all three use the same recipe, they claim it tastes different each for each woman.  Without further ado, here is the famous Jones Family Chocolate Pie Recipe.

Pie Crust

• 1 C. flour
• 3 heaping TBSP Crisco
• pinch of salt
• 3 TBSP of cold water.

The youngest Mrs. Jones said she skips this part and buys a pie crust from Brookshires.  On a side note, the idea of making a home made pie crust makes Joy curl up in a ball and cry, so she totally recommends the store bought crust.  In my opinion, it was awesome.   Otherwise, mix the flour and crisco together and then add the water and salt.  Roll your pie crust out and bake it til slightly brown. (bake a store bought one as well)

Filling

• 2 C. Sugar
• 3 1/2 TBSP flour
• 3 TBSP cocoa
• 3 egg yolks (separated)
• 2 1/2 C milk (pet milk works well)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 TBSP butter
• pinch of salt

Mix flour, sugar and add salt. Add egg yolks, milk, vanilla and butter. Cook on low heart until it starts to thicken and pour mixture into your pie crust.

Meringue

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 TBSP sugar

Beat egg whites on high. When they start to get thick, add sugar and cream of tartar.  Pour meringue over your chocolate mixture and bake at 325º until meringue is slightly brown.

Take to your children’s Sunday School teacher:)