Bunnies or Squirrels

Who me? by Frances Robson

Good evening, ya'll. Hope you had a great Labor Day weekend and didn't have to "labor" except at the lake, beach, backyard bbq or just napping. We had to go to Valdosta today and a lot of you were traveling I 75 for there were lots of cars, trucks, RVs, trailers and other types of vehicles traveling North. I guess everybody had been to Florida for most of it was going North. You know South Georgia is just the pass through state from the north to Florida. We do have the distinction of having the busiest airport in Atlanta for more people fly in and then fly out than any other airport - it's the "most passed through" airport in the world. Shame they don't stay awhile and enjoy the great state of Georgia and some Southern Hospitality.

By the way, did you know that Wendy's stole my salad recipe? I'm thinking about suing them for they did not ask my permission. I posted it earlier but to refresh your memory, I'll post it again and see if you think it is like that new apple salad at Wendy's. Now they do add chicken to it, but so could I if I wanted to. Just tics me off for they could have asked me and I just might have let them have it - not likely but maybe.

Tossed Salad with Apple - I make individual bowls so you can add your favorite dressing

Spring mix lettuce

Iceberg lettuce mix

Broccoli slaw
Chopped onion

Apple strips
Thinly sliced carrots
Cheese - I like the Feta cheese but you can use your favorite - blue cheese is great

Craisins

Toasted walnuts, almonds or pecans

I slice the apple in vertical slices with the peel on. Slice these into thin strips .

Thinly slice the carrot.

Roughly chop the onion or thin slices

Fill the bowls with lettuces and broccoli slaw.

Sprinkle with the apple, carrots, onion, craisins, walnuts and grated cheese.

Serve with your favorite dressing. A raspberry vinaigrette is especially good with it.

To make it an entree, add sliced cooked chicken or thinly sliced pieces of cooked steak.

Doesn't this sound like the new salad at Wendy's? I think mine is better but you choose and let me know.

We have a problem and need some help. As you know our granddaughter and 2 children are living at the home place, out in the country from Camden, AL. Matter of fact, you could live in town and still be in the country but that is not the problem. Our great grandson, Noah is having animal identification problems and we need some help to get him straightened out.

You see Noah thinks squirrels are bunnies. He was standing at the window, looking out in the front yard and began to tell his mama about the bunnies. Going to window expecting to see a bunch of bunnies, she saw several squirrels playing in the front yard. Now this is not unusual for there are several pecan (pe-khan) trees around the house and they do love those nuts. Brooke told him they were squirrels but he insists they are bunnies and when Noah insists, you just go with it.

This past weekend she needed to do some work for her online class so she put Noah out in the backyard (fenced securely) and told him to catch a bunny - squirrel. Of course he didn't but I reminded her that his backyard companion is a basset hound named Harley and he just might get up enough speed to catch the "bunny." Her daddy wanted to know what she would do if he actually catches one? If she looks around, mama's recipe for fried squirrel and rabbit should be there for she cooked both. Good with grits and gravy.

So you see, we need some animal identification books or flash cards. Not too worried he will catch either one but we can't have a grandson, who is living in South Alabama, runs around in pull-ups and boots and can't tell the difference between a squirrel and a bunny. Although, if he catches either one they make a pretty good meal if you know how to cook them and there are many in that yard and the woods around it.

When we were growing up we went rabbit hunting at night with daddy. I think that is illegal but it was on our place and they were eating our food from the garden so supper they became. Mama would fry them, make gravy, simmer until tender and cook up a pot of grits to go with it. Add some hot biscuits, butter, and homemade fig preserves and we thought we had died and gone to heaven.

We would also go squirrel hunting down at the creek and mama would cook them the same way. Sometimes she would save up the rabbits and squirrels, add some chicken and sausage and make Brunswick stew. That was easy for we had our own canned tomatoes, butter beans, frozen okra, potatoes, and onions. We didn't have to buy much food for if it didn't move, mama put it in a jar or the freezer. We ate gooood at mama's table.

So you see why it is important that Noah knows the difference between these 2 animals or does he? Both cook up pretty good. You go Noah and catch a "bunny" and Mawmaw will cook it for you, make some fresh biscuits and eat it with some of Nana's fig preserves.

Well, ya'll enjoy the salad and let me know what you think and come back to see us. Be careful now and have a good night.

Nuff said,

The Georgia Peach

BAKED POTATO SALAD

MawMaw & Noah's Feet in Alabama Dirt by Frances Robson

Good evening. Ya'll come on in the house and have a cup of coffee and sit a spell. I am a trifle tired for I have been shopping today and like Roy says, I have looked and touched everything in several stores. It was kinda discouraging for I went to Valdosta to buy a dress and came home without one for until I lose some weight I am not going to buy any clothes. It is just plain discouraging to try on 4 dresses and not a one fit and I just gave up.

By 2:30 I was a lot hungry after a single bowl of cereal for breakfast so decided food was necessary if I wanted to continue to shop A garden salad with grilled chicken strips, reduced fat dressing and diet Coke was lunch and was still hungry but I was strong and didn't eat anything else. I just kept seeing myself in those full-length mirrors and that killed all hunger pangs. I did give into an apple on the way home but that was only a few calories. Ya'll pray for me!

I have a question for you. In one of my new magazines (I'm a magazine-a-h0lic) I read an article on how to live frugally. If I am already doing all of the 10 suggestions and more, does that make me more frugal, stingy, cheap or full of Scottish genes? Maybe I need to write an article about 20 ways to live frugally and help these poor people out who don't know how to live on a little money when you don't have a lot. I'm not sure I could live on a lot if I had it for I could just hear my daddy saying, "That costs money." He was more frugal than the most frugal person you know.

The picture at the top of the posting today was taken this past weekend at the home place in Camden, AL. Those are the feet of our great-grandson and mine. I wanted him to put his bare feet in the Alabama dirt so he will always come back plus it's also fun to squish your toes in the cool, black dirt of South Alabama. The picture at the bottom is Noah, his granddaddy Roy and Papa Roy building a fenced in area in the back yard so he can play safely. When he walked around into the back yard and saw them putting up a fence, he gave them a glare that would curl your toes. It was a serious scowl for he was realizing his days of freedom to run to the road were gone and he was not a "happy camper." We sure feel better about his safety now.

The weekend was wonderful for we had 4 generations all together. Poor Noah had 3 women telling him "no." This only encouraged him to show us and everything is now "Mine" or "No" or "Go away." He is a great little boy and his hugs are warm and kisses are sloppy but awfully sweet. Wish he lived closer.

Last week I baked some red skinned potatoes and baked 5 extra to make potato salad. I had also baked extra bacon to use later and made a delicious Baked Red Potato and Bacon Salad. The salad was very good so I thought I would share it with you.

BAKED POTATO SALAD

Ingredients

• 5-6 Red Potatoes
• ¼ to 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2-3 tablespoons of mustard
• 2 Tablespoons dill pickle relish
• 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 hard cooked eggs
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 2 stalks celery – chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Paprika

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Scrub the Red Potatoes Clean, prick with fork
3. Bake for 1 – 1 ½ hour at 350F
4. Remove from the oven and let the potatoes cool
5. Cut cooled potatoes in cubes – I like mine large
6. In large glass bowl place cubed potatoes and add other ingredients except paprika
7. Gently toss
8. Sprinkle the top with paprika
9. Cool in the fridge and serve cold

A couple of hints to make it easier. When baking potatoes, bake 4 extra ones to use later. I bake all my bacon on a rack in a baking pan. All the grease drips out and I use the extra slices in salads. I also do my sausage the same way - bake the patties and freeze the extra. These are just a few shortcuts you can make.

I hope you enjoy the salad and let me know what you think.

Nuff said,

The Georgia Peach

Three Generations Building a Fence by Frances Robson

Extra Special Baked Chicken

Good morning, ya'll. Come on in for a cup of coffee on a misty, fall day. Still warm down here but not in the 90's. It looks like fall, but feels like summer and I like it. I do not look forward to winter for as I grow older it makes my joints hurt. Arthur-itis and Burt-sitis visit often and they are not welcome visitors. Enough of that for you didn't come to visit for a"joint" recital.

Monday I cooked a pretty good meal and took a basic recipe for baked chicken and played around with it and concocted a good recipe. I am also sharing my salad recipe we use when the vine-ripened tomatoes are gone for the winter. Apples take the place of tomatoes and don't knock it til you try it.

Roy said it was a keeper and even though he eats most anything I cook, he said this was worth sharing with you.

Savory Baked Chicken

I chicken (cut up) or 6 chicken breast - I like bone-in breast for the bone adds flavor
1 package dried onion soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 lemon - juiced (2-3 Tbsp)

Mix all ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and gently turn pieces to coat with sauce. Place in baking pan which has been sprayed with cooking oil or lined with foil. Sprinkle with Cayenne pepper for heat and color. Adjust for your taste - a lot or a little.

Place in pre-heated, 350 degree oven for approximately 45 min. Turn after about 30 minutes to brown the other side. The chicken will be lightly browned when done.

I served this with rice cooked in chicken broth (bought) and used the sauce for gravy.

The next day I took the leftover rice added the leftover chicken and some chicken broth and made a casserole. I chopped the chicken in large chunks and used bought chicken broth. It was very good.

Now that summer is gone, it is hard to get good tomatoes for our tossed salads. We eat lots of these so I have concocted this recipe for a salad without tomatoes and cucumbers.

After the Tomatoes are Gone - Salad

Prepare by the individual bowl or a large bowl

Spring mix lettuce
Chopped onion
Sliced then diced apple
Thinly sliced carrots
Grated cheese - your choice but I like cheddar

Options: Sliced cauliflower, broccoli or broccoli slaw mix.

I slice the apple in vertical slices to have as much of the peel as I can. Slice these into thin strips and chop roughly or leave in thin strips. Thinly slice the carrot. Roughly chop the onion.
Fill the bowls with the lettuces and sprinkle with the apple, carrots, onion and grated cheese. Serve with your favorite dressing. A raspberry vinaigrette is especially good with it. I am going to add some mandarin oranges next time for I think that would be a good addition.

Ya'll enjoy and have a home cooked meal, get the family around the table, cut off the TV and have some good eating and family time. We uses to spend hours around the kitchen table just eating and talking and eating and drinking sweet, iced tea. Precious hours together and many good memories. The table is still there and we still gather to eat and talk and miss those gone on but treasure the memories.

Nuff said,

The Georgia Peach

Cranberry Salad or dessert

This is an easy congealed salad which I also use for a dessert.

Molded Cranberry Apple Salad

1 Pkg. Strawberry Jello
1 Cup boiling water
1 Small carton of sour cream
½ Can of whole berry cranberry sauce
½ Cup chopped apple – leave pealing on
½ Cup chopped pecans

Mix jello and boiling water. Stir until dissolved. Cool. I place mine in the freezer for about 10 – 15 min. Add sour cream and beat until smooth. Add cranberry sauce, chopped apple, and pecans and stir until fruit and nuts are mixed in. Pour into mold and refrigerate. I don’t usually use a mold but a square glass dish and cut in squares to serve. Can add whip cream to top of cool whip. Easy to double

This is good for anytime, but especially around the holidays. If trying to cut calories, use sugar free jello and low fat sour cream. Not as good as original but will do. You can also use walnuts if you prefer.

Good Eating
The Georgia Peach