Biking on the 4th!

The good ol' southern style sweet tea is made, the beans are baked, the potato salad is made and the Honey Bun cake is fresh from the oven. Got fresh tomatoes and crispy banana peppers from the garden as well as loads of roasted garlic for the homemade bread. Just waiting a few friends who will be bringing the meat for the grill. In the meanwhile, I think I'll take a quick ride through the neighborhood and check out the gardens. The weedeaters and mowers were humming bright and early this morning. Gotta have it spiffed up for the 4th.

Home of L.C., my friend and former POW. God bless our servicemen!


Freshly mowed, nice and neat.


Sweet little garden of my friend and neighbor, Hetty.


A nice little elderly couple live here, octogenerians, I think. You'd be hard pressed to find a blade of grass out of place.

Same home, different view.


We're a flag waving bunch around here...and not just on the 4th.


Back to my little cozy, eclectic cottage. Yes, the gardens do indeed need attention.


An old pressed back chair I salvaged from the curbside. Needs a little work...think I'll call my good neighbor L.C. for that task.

July 4 Colors of My Garden..

Red...
White...
Blue...

Candy Making Day

I was off work today, the humidity was low and the temperature was a little cool, therefore, it was a good day for making candy. Divinity, Rum Balls, Turtles, and Peanut Butter Fudge were on the agenda as well as Justins favorite, peanut brittle. This is a simple a quick version which is every bit as good as the recipe which requires stovetop cooking. The bad thing is....it doesn't last long.


Microwave Peanut Brittle

1/3 cup white corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Spray a baking sheet with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray (or use regular butter). In a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine corn syrup and sugar. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes. Add peanuts and microwave on HIGH 2 minutes. Add butter and vanilla, and microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Stir in baking soda, and quickly pour out on greased baking sheet. Spread it out if it looks thick. (It'll look like you ruined it at first, but it regains its rounded shape as it cools.) Once it's hard, after about 5 minutes, break into small pieces.

Cookies, Cookies And Yes, More Cookies

Pounds of butter--nothing but the REAL stuff, mountains of sugar, dozens of eggs, chocolate--lots and lots of chocolate--pecans, walnuts, cherries, sprinkles, vanilla--real pure vanilla and, for good measure, a little flour to hold it all together. Gee, I don't know what I would do without my wonderful fire engine red Kitchen Artisan Mixer these days! But everyone loves wonderful, homemade Christmas cookies. I live in an old neighborhood which has a history that runs pretty deep in this city and most of my neighbors are elderly. But my, what a wealth of knowledge they are. Most of the ladies are retired educators and many of the men are retired school principals. Sprinkled among the group are a few doctors from the era when medical offices were in houses right smack in the middle of a residential area. Back in the day when it didn't matter if you had no insurance or if funds were low. They treated you anyway and trusted God to provide when money ran short. Most of them are in or near their 80's now and they're mighty wonderful folk, all of them. And I just can't help but laugh when they call or come by to check on me when the weather is bad or something unusual is on the horizon. So at Christmas I honor them with a little token of something special from my kitchen and, after hours and hours of measuring, baking and festive wrapping, it's time to deliver. This years selection includes:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Stars
Pistachio Mexican Wedding Cookies New Orleans Praline Treats
Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies