AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Split Pea Soup DATE: 1/03/2010 10:54:00 AM ----- BODY:

Kevin and I have tried to marry our very different family culinary traditions during the winter holidays. I have loved learning to make pirogi, and tolerated learning to eat pickled herring. My favorite recipe of his mother's that we've adopted though is split pea soup.

Never in a million years did I imagine loving a thick green soup with barely any spices in the recipe, but I do.

Split Pea Soup

16 oz package of green split peas
3 qts of water or enough water to cover
1 small ham shank or bone (with plenty of ham left on it)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups finely diced carrots
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced potatoes

In a large pot combine peas, water, ham shank or bone and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Remove ham shank or bone. Stir in carrots, potatoes, onions, and celery. Simmer an additional 1 1/2 hours or until soup reaches desired thickness.

Of course, by now you know that I've got some "but I do it this way" to add to any recipe. This one is no different.

First of all, we cut up even more ham and add it to the soup at the half way point. We use big chunks of potatoes. And of course, I use stock instead of water. Usually I have plenty of turkey stock left over from Thanksgiving, and I'll just use that.

However, this year, my fabulous brother and sil sent Kevin a rack of ribs from Dreamland. They were delicious. We ate them for lunch the day we made the soup, so I collected the rib bones and made stock from them.

Let me tell you. There is no other way to make pea soup now. That stock was amazing, and lent the perfect marriage of our southern and northern roots to an old recipe.

Yum.

Labels: Good Eatin', Holidays, Recipes

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

clifford DATE:Monday, January 4, 2010 at 8:42:00 PM EST ...you had me at Dreamland.

*drool* ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Bubblewench DATE:Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 10:36:00 AM EST I don't even like split pea soup but I have a ham bone (with ham) in my freezer and might have to try this one!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Magpie DATE:Tuesday, January 5, 2010 at 4:52:00 PM EST Mmm - pea soup - I wish I had the ham bone at home... ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Cookies, anyone? DATE: 12/08/2009 12:01:00 PM ----- BODY:

Last night, after Little Bird was in bed, I started making my first batch of Christmas cookies. There was a cookie exchange for my woman's circle at the church this morning, and I was supposed to bring 10 dozen cookies.

Best laid plans, right?

I went to get started, opened the fridge and found that I only had one stick of butter. I needed five. My dear, sweet, wonderful husband changed out of his pajama pants and went to the store at 8:30 at night.

By 11:00, I was finally finishing up baking the cookies. I still had to turn them into oh so delicious little double doozies with my frosting, and roll them in my crushed candy canes, but I went to bed instead. Figured I could do that part in the morning.

This morning, Bird woke up with 101.4 fever. That meant no school for him, no cookie exchange for me, and a trip to the doctor.

I can't decide if I'm upset by the 120 chewy chocolate double doozies on my counter or thrilled to death. A little of both, I believe.

Cookies, anyone?

Labels: Bird, Good Eatin', Holidays

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Convertible Girl DATE:Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 2:09:00 PM EST Bring 'em on ;) Although P will shoot me for saying that. Hope Little Bird feels better fast! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mem DATE:Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 6:28:00 PM EST i will eat them!!! poor bird- hope he is ok... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

whymommy DATE:Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 9:59:00 PM EST Pass 'em over, Canape.

We've been grounded with fever this week too. Not too bad ... just enough to keep us out of preschool. :-(

Hope you and Little Bird are doing better now! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Andrea DATE:Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 12:35:00 PM EST Thrilled to death would have been my first reaction. *heh* Enjoy those cookies! :-) Hope your little guy feels better soon. Cookies should fix him right up! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Susie DATE:Saturday, December 12, 2009 at 1:27:00 PM EST Nothing quite clears the calendar like a sick kid. Tough break - to have to stay home. with cookies. Be right over... ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Shirley's Shoepeg Corn Casserole DATE: 11/22/2009 07:28:00 PM ----- BODY:

One of the things I make each year for the Boo-Shamoopie annual Thanksgiving blowout is this Shoepeg Corn Casserole. I almost feel guilty printing the recipe because it is so stinking easy, that this part of the meal feels like a cop out on my part. But Boo's husband loves it, and I've been making it every Thanksgiving dinner for over a decade now.

If you need something to take with you to a dinner, this is super easy, impossible to mess up, and you can make it the night before. Just wait to add the Ritz crackers until you are ready to bake it, and remember that if you have a refrigerated Pyrex dish, you want to put it in the cold oven and let it heat up as the oven preheats. Lest your Pyrex shatter. Which would be bad.

Shirley's Shoepeg Corn Casserole

1/2 C chopped celery
1/2 C chopped onion
1/4 C chopped bell pepper (I use orange because it's pretty and I hate green ones)
1 can cream of celery soup
8 oz. sour cream
1 C grated cheese (I usually use cheddar, but have been known to just use a combo of whatever was in the fridge at the time)
2 cans shoepeg corn, drained
1 can French style green beans, drained
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1 stick melted butter

Mix first 8 ingredients. Pour into a long, shallow baking dish (I use a 9x13, but I also don't measure very well, so I often am just dumping random amounts of the ingredients into a bowl until it looks good, so I'm not much help there, am I?). Top with crushed crackers. Drizzle melted butter over the top. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

See? Isn't that embarrassing? So incredibly easy, but I promise, people will love it. Unless your people are like my father-in-law, who doesn't like anything. But says he does. Well, he doesn't like this, or rice, or grits, or mushrooms, or several other things that appear on my table frequently. But he eats them anyway. Except mushrooms.

Papa does approve of The Pie, however, and I think you should click on over and remind yourself of said pie and how good it looks. It's something else you should add to your Thanksgiving table fo' sho'.

Labels: baking, Family, Good Eatin', Grandparents, Recipes

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

pastormargaret DATE:Monday, November 23, 2009 at 9:07:00 PM EST It will be on our table! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Convertible Girl DATE:Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 11:08:00 PM EST Hmm... think I'll be taking that to our supper club dinner next Friday. Thanks! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Meal planning DATE: 11/21/2009 10:07:00 PM ----- BODY:

If I don't plan ahead, there is likely to be pizza on the table or a trip to Torrero's. I just am not one of those people who can walk in the kitchen and throw something together.

So I meal plan. Often for a month at a time. I didn't mean to do it that way, but I got this awesome book, a Busy Body Book, at Blogher in 2008, and it just lended itself to compulsive meal planning. I know I'm not using it how they had in mind, but because of how I'm using it, I'm inclined to say it's the best planner I've had (although I'm waiting to see what Molly comes up with next, you know, supporting local moms and all!).

Here is what a week looks like:

The columns on the right hand side, I use for 1)Meals 2)People eating them 3)Notes 4)Weekly appointments 5)One-time appointments. The "people eating them" column may sound strange, but my stepdaughter is only here 50% of the time, and we like to have Papa eat with us whenever we can. Also, we meal share with a neighbor, so every other week, I make double and take part of it across the street, so I need to keep up with who I'm feeding nightly.

That's a terrible scan above, but the book is too big for my scanner. What you can't see on the far left is a lovely blank space where I put a list of what's in the freezer, Target lists, Trader Joes list, Costco list, or even copy down a new recipe I want to try. You can see the lines where I make my main grocery list.

About once every six weeks, I'll make a Costco run and buy meat. I'll divide it up into portions and freeze it, keeping a tally of what I've put on the menu plan. Other freezer basics are buttermilk biscuits, a frozen meal from Trader Joes for emergencies, a frozen pizza, a couple of casseroles, soup, stock, fat back for veggies (don't tell my Yankee husband about that though), twice baked potatoes that I make a couple dozen at a time, and summer vegetables put up for the winter. Basically.

That's it in a nutshell. If I follow the system, it works really well. I remember to take things out of the freezer in time for dinner, and I usually only have to go to Harris Teeter once a week. I feel better about how I'm running the household, the budget, and as a wife and mother.

And then there are weeks like this past one where I let it all slip through the cracks and barely made it to the store to get milk.

I like the organized weeks much better.

Labels: All work, Family, Good Eatin', My Life

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

pastormargaret DATE:Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 10:16:00 PM EST You make a momma proud! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Sunday, November 22, 2009 at 3:00:00 PM EST I wish your bro had inherited your organization/planning skills. Did I just say that? Shhh...don't tell. :-)
Eliz ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Joan Goldner DATE:Monday, November 23, 2009 at 8:34:00 AM EST Love your post about BBB! We designed it so YOU could design it YOUR WAY! Have a gret Thanksgiving! Joan ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Magpie DATE:Monday, November 23, 2009 at 12:20:00 PM EST Love that meal share with a neighbor thing.

And how do you do the twice baked potatoes so that they are okay in the freezer? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Molly Gold DATE:Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 7:51:00 PM EST Now that's my kind of gal! Thank you for giving a nod to your local Mom in business...that means more than you know. All I can say is stay tuned, its coming, it will be new and all about you! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Little Bird changes his mind DATE: 6/17/2009 08:20:00 PM ----- BODY:

We've come a long way from the first time Little Bird tasted apples. He is quite the fan now, although he chews them for awhile and then spits out what is left. Same with clementines.

Chew, chew, chew, spit. Endearing.

Bird does love his fruit though. Every afternoon after his nap, he gets a smoothie. He follows me into the kitchen and watches me load up the blender. As soon as I turn the blender on, he starts spinning in a circle and then runs back and forth the length of the kitchen, waving his arms in the air and yelling. He gets really excited over his smoothie.

Like I said, we've come a long way since the introduction of fruit to our Little Bird. Here he is last summer, having some apples.

Labels: Bird, Good Eatin'

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Beautifully Unique DATE:Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 9:51:00 PM EDT That picture is too cute! As long as he's attempting fruit it's a good thing, right? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Convertible Girl DATE:Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 9:37:00 AM EDT I love that he would make that little face, but then keep on eating the apples. Adorable! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mrs Mommy DATE:Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 1:20:00 PM EDT Okay so I remember watching that video a year ago and I giggled just as hard today and I did then. Thanks for the smile! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Meal planning and other rambling DATE: 6/14/2009 02:21:00 PM ----- BODY:

Oh, my heart. Almost daily, Bird does something that astounds me. Simple things that are so normal, but that to a first-time waited-so-long mama, are amazing.

I don't think this is necessarily fascinating reading material, but it's about all I think about some days. Between that and the overcoming nausea, I've been a little silent lately.

I do think that this pregnancy is going to end up with a healthy baby come the end of January, 2010. Today marks 8 weeks, and I am quite certain that things are progressing.

We've been spending our days biding time the past couple of weeks. There is lots of mommy-on-the-couch time with Bird climbing over me to reach the books that have been placed carefully within his reach. We read a lot. We watch too much TV. We try our very best to make it to the pool or the park after nap time when I feel better. We also infringe upon our neighbor probably way too much, but she is the type of person who meets you where you are, feeling good, bad, or ugly, so it's nice. I can be talkative or silently fighting off feeling like crap.

Summer is moving slowing, I'm afraid.

Meal plans have gone out the window. I've got to get back on that. At the beginning of the year, I took my dayplanner, which I always insist on having even though I have used it less and less since I left the non-profit world, and turned it into a meal planner. (Leave now if you are already bored, because it's about to get a lot more boring)

Each page has a week's calendar on the right and the left page is half blank and half full of lines. It's a planner that came in the infamous SVMoms swag bags last year at BlogHer, a BusyBody Book. At the beginning of the month, I go to Costco and buy meat for the month. I divide it up into portions of 2 or 3 and then freeze it. After listing what all in is the freezer on the blank section next to the first week of the month, I start filling in the days with meals, checking off the contents of the freezer as I go.

There are some constants. Tuesdays are swap meal days with Cyndi. Friday nights are breakfast for dinner nights. I also always buy 2 whole chickens every month so one night we have roast chicken, then the following night we'll have chicken enchiladas or some chicken casserole. Also, buying the whole chicken ensures that we always have chicken stock in the freezer.

Using the planner means that I can also incorporate Lovely's schedule into the planning, making sure I have lunch fixings on hand for her time with us as well. Or, if Kevin has a meeting or whatever, I can put it right in the same calendar where our meals are. The blank sections give me room to jot down a new recipe to try, and the lines for each week give me a place to make my grocery list right next to what meals we are going to have.

This was a fantastic system until I started getting really woozy when thinking about food. Planning meals is very difficult when just considering food makes you want to yak.

I have got to get back to it though, because I completely scored at the North Hills Farmer's Market yesterday. Thanks to Ilina, I was able to scoop up the full share of someone who wanted out of their committment to the very booked up Double-T Farm CSA for the rest of the season. Farmer Tom was looking for a "friend of a friend" to take it over, and Ilina was just that friend I needed to convince him to sell the share to me.

This means that every Saturday, we will have a whole mess of beautiful, tasty, organic, local produce to work into our meals for the week. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. This week we have lettuce, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, leeks, vidalia onions, zucchini, and zepher squash. The carrots taste exactly like I was standing with my grandfather in his garden. We would wash off the vegetables before we even got back in the house and munch on them in the backyard. I haven't had a carrot that tasted like that in years, until yesterday.

If I don't plan ahead, I'll be sure to forget what is in the fridge and let it go to waste. That would be awful, so I'm going to get back on it for sure this week.

It looks like I've written myself into a goal. I had better quit before I make any more promises to myself in public. Wish me luck.

Be sure to go over and enter the giveaway at Triangle Mamas. As of right now, it's been up for almost 48 hours and no one has entered. That is both embarrassing for me and great for you at the same time. It's for Animal Planet's Emergency Vets for the Nintendo DS. I don't even care if you have a DS. Just enter. It will make me feel better. Mercy buckets.

Labels: Baby Lust, Bird, Butterbean, Good Eatin', Stupid Me, Triangle Mamas, Try Try Again

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

slouchy DATE:Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 6:05:00 PM EDT he is totally adorable in that picture! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

No Minimom DATE:Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 6:10:00 PM EDT I am very pleased to see that the Butterbean on your sidebar has gone from the freaky tadpole stage to the fetal puppy stage! ;-) Definitely a wonderful sign!!

I have no advice on meal planning, alas. Hubby does all the cooking and gets very fed up with my answer when her asks me what I want for dinner: "Food" ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Convertible Girl DATE:Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 8:24:00 PM EDT I cannot STAND how grown up he looks in that picture. Too much.

And assuming that you were talking about the neighbor across the street, you're not infringing so quit worrying about it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Nita DATE:Sunday, June 14, 2009 at 9:56:00 PM EDT Inventory of what's in the freezer? Really? Color me impressed and in awe. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Magpie DATE:Monday, June 15, 2009 at 1:53:00 PM EDT Love my CSA - so glad that Ilina hooked you up with yours. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

pastormargaret DATE:Monday, June 15, 2009 at 8:37:00 PM EDT Are you turning into your mother? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Susie DATE:Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 5:39:00 PM EDT Step away from the blogging world for a few weeks and little Kicky grows up into a preppy college student. Seriously, he looks old enough to date.

And I remember quite well that whole being obsessed with food but not able to think about food all at the same time. It's hard to plan ahead when you can only eat what you want to eat at the moment that you want it because you are pregnant and irrational when it comes to eating. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Haiku reflection on a new me DATE: 1/18/2008 11:48:00 PM ----- BODY:

Guy and Lovely gave me a new mixer for Christmas. For 10 years, I have used my very basic Kitchen Aid 4 1/2 quart mixer for all my baking. I felt lucky to have a Kitchen Aid, but I knew that it was a little small for the amount and kind of baking I like to do.

There have been times that Guy has tried to talk me into buying the Professional 600 series mixer that I drooled over. The 6 quart one. Yum. But I just couldn't do it. I had a mixer that worked just fine. It seemed like such a frivolous purchase when I had something that already did the job.

Thank goodness for gifts. The new mixer is a power house, and I swear, I made the best pound cake I have ever made with it on its first run. The crust was absolutely perfect. The batter had room to breathe in that wonderful 6 quart bowl. I love it.

Since my old mixer didn't break, I couldn't see getting rid of it. It's a great mixer. So, we deemed it Lovely's mixer and set about teaching her how to bake.

Yesterday, I gave her a stack of cookbooks so she could pick out a cake to make.

She chose a Hot Milk Cake with Caramel Icing from the Jackson Junior League's Come On In cookbook.

Oh boy. I have never done caramel before.

We set our mixers up this morning and each made the cake. At the same time. Because I think the easiest way to learn it to get to do it yourself. We walked through the steps together and both had some really good looking batter to go into our respective ovens.

Tonight, we tackled the icing, but did it together instead of each doing a separate batch.

I am happy to report that it turned out beautifully. We were beyond proud of ourselves. We cut into Lovely's cake, that she made completely with her own two hands, and it was fantastic. My daddy would be in the kitchen with a fork, finishing off at least one of those cakes himself if he were here.

Now, if someone could just tell me how to clean caramelized sugar out of my cast iron skillet, I would be so thankful.

Tomorrow, we tackle some pajama pants with some cute pink flannel that her dad picked out for her. It's dadgum Home Economics 101 around here. From the woman who never considered herself very domestic. The woman who was going to be a rock star. Then the woman who was married to her job.

Y'all come by. I'll make you some biscuits. Things are different now.

************

Allowing for change
Allows you to find yourself
In comfortable skin.

Make sure you stop by and wish Jennifer safe travels and painless moving before she takes a Haiku Hiatus.

Labels: baking, Good Eatin', Haiku Friday, Lovely, My Life

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

slouchy DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 12:13:00 AM EST yum -- that cake (those cakes) sounds (sound) divine! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Bon DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 8:33:00 AM EST i stand in awe. can i come live in your nice domestic house with its mixers and cakes? seriously, i think you've just set off a longing i didn't know i had.

i think i could find myself a very comfortable (if probably soon enlarged by cake) skin there. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stella DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 9:50:00 AM EST That cake sounds delicious!!

If you heat the pan back up, the caramel becomes easier to work with and clean off! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

gail DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 10:02:00 AM EST MMM can I come over? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

pastormargaret DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 10:55:00 AM EST Save some cake for Dad. Put some really hot water in the skillet and it will dissolve the cooked on sugar. Been there; done that.
Mom ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jenni DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 11:03:00 AM EST I'm so jealous!! I want a new Kitchen-Aid! But I did get a Vita-Mix for Christmas. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Tiffany DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 11:47:00 AM EST Funny isn't it how we find joy in the things that at one time never even entered our minds? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Imstell DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 12:01:00 PM EST Would you be my Mom? I mean, I know I'm 40 (oops. 41. I forgot.) and all... but my mom never could cook... and it's never too late to learn... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mamma DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 2:11:00 PM EST That is nesting if I ever heard it. I am so mad I don't live closer. I am dying for some of your pound cake ever since you mentioned it last year.

I should make those yummy cupcakes now that I'm thinking of it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

KimmieRo DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 3:50:00 PM EST MMMMM recipe please!

You already are a wonderful Mom Canape. You are raising a great girl- and Bird? He's the luckiest baby in the world as far as I can tell. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jenn DATE:Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 10:48:00 PM EST You my friend are indeed a Southern Domestic Goddess! You are a terrific Mom to a terrific young lady and the littlest....he's gonna be so spoiled by you all. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Steph DATE:Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 9:32:00 AM EST The cakes sound YUMMY!

I find myself in the same skin this year. The girl who was gonna join the peace corp and save the world is a cloth diaperin, babywearin, bakin, cookin, cleanin domestic woman.

It's a nice place to be though dont you think? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Becki DATE:Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 10:10:00 AM EST Very cool haiku.

I should bake more....those cakes sound delish!! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Puppy Chow is even better than puppy love DATE: 12/04/2007 08:12:00 PM ----- BODY:

My apologies for the ranting yesterday. I'm better. I sent a polite email explaining my position and canceled my other gigs at that facility. The email ended complementing their facility and the parties they hosted, and I told them that I hoped they would begin to treat the musicians with the same respect they treat their other vendors. So there.

************

Whymommy and I were talking about old boyfriends this weekend. Not reminiscing, just remembering. I had a great high school boyfriend really. He was a total cutie, had great taste in music, was laid back, respectful, and just plain fun. He was a terrific guy.

Unfortunately, he went to college a year before me, rushed some fraternity, broke up with me over the phone, and then got involved in RUF. The getting involved in RUF was the worst of it. Dang right winged conservative jerks. He and another guy from our youth group wrote a letter to the Session of our church telling them how wrong it was that we had a woman preach and women serving as elders and deacons. They patted him on the head, he changed churches. Then he married some girl, they spit out a few kids, and I'm sure James Dobson has helped them be dutiful Christian parents.

I digress.

Heh. I digressed so much I forgot my point.

So instead, I'll give you one of the best things I got from that relationship. A recipe. His mom would make this every Christmas, and I think our youth group must have eaten a barrel of it at least.

I just made my first batch of the year tonight. My students always get a bag of it, my nieces and nephews love it, Lovely loves it, and I can't get enough of it. So enjoy.

Puppy Chow

1 stick butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
7 cups Rice Chex
2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. Pour over Rice Chex. Stir to coat evenly. Coat with powdered sugar.

Labels: Friends, Good Eatin', Holidays

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stella DATE:Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 9:51:00 PM EST How could that not be good!??!?! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

FENICLE DATE:Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 10:52:00 PM EST Good for you!! I had to go back and catch up with your post & Fertile Mertile's.

You made excellent points.

A little puppy chow always helps :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Steph DATE:Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 1:54:00 AM EST I think its great that you emailed them and YUM!!! Puppy Chow is so amazing. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Bubblewench DATE:Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 7:48:00 AM EST Why does that sound good? Because it probably is coming from you! The woman with the good receipies! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ally DATE:Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 11:29:00 PM EST Yum. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

K DATE:Thursday, December 6, 2007 at 2:40:00 PM EST My mom used to make us that same recipe only we called it "People Puppy Chow" ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Haiku Friday, by 35 minutes to go DATE: 11/23/2007 11:25:00 PM ----- BODY:

Gratuitous shot
Of turkey stock on the stove
Will freeze twenty cups.

My boys in new chairs
Ready to eat all they can
And sleep through football.

More haiku, and a sloppy fun Thanksgiving here.

Labels: Family, Good Eatin', Haiku Friday

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Secret Agent Mama DATE:Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 8:11:00 AM EST The stock looks fabulous, as do they guys in the new chairs! Great 'kus! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Steph DATE:Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 12:36:00 PM EST The stock looks amazing!! YUM!

The guys in chairs is great. Wonderful Ku ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ally DATE:Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 11:11:00 PM EST Whoa... yummy stock. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: The pie DATE: 11/21/2007 12:38:00 PM ----- BODY:

I hope this is worth the wait. I forgot that the pie wouldn't actually be finished until Thanksgiving day, so I couldn't finish this post on Wednesday. Photos are included after the recipe. Enjoy!

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

1 9 inch pie crust
3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
Dash of salt
1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon stick margarine or butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 cups sliced ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1 1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
Chocolate curls (optional, and I prefer it without for taste, but they are very pretty)

Prepare and bake Pastry Crust in a 9-inch pie plate unless you are my mother, in which case, you have made your pie crust from scratch. Either way, it should be baked and then cool completely on a wire rack.

Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, cocoa, and dash of salt in a small, heavy saucepan; gradually add 1/3 cup milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in chocolate; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spread chocolate mixture into bottom of prepared crust.

Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, eggs, 1 cup milk, and margarine in a heavy saucepan over
Prep medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook 30 seconds or until thick. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat cream cheese until light (about 30 seconds). Add 1/4 cup hot custard to cream cheese, and beat just until blended. Stir in remaining custard.

Arrange banana slices on top of chocolate layer; spoon custard over bananas. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard; chill 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap. Spread whipped topping evenly over custard. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired. Chill until ready to serve.

Melting the chocolate for the black bottom of the pie.

Spreading the chocolate in the baked and cooled pie crust, which I bought from the store.

Sorry, Momma.

Making the custard and trying not to burn my big belly on the stove. This pie involves LOTS of whisking.

Sorry, Bubblewench.

Arrange the banana slices over the chocolate layer.

Spread the custard over the layer of bananas.

Cover the pie in Cool Whip. I didn't use any chocolate shavings on top because I don't like them.

A slice of the pie in all its glory.

Guy eating the LAST slice of pie during Grey's Anatomy last night. There were only five people at our house yesterday with 2 cheesecakes, 3 pies, and some pumpkin bread. This pie gets finished off the same day every year.

I'm just glad this year it wasn't the dog who finished it off.

Labels: Good Eatin'

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Steph DATE:Friday, November 23, 2007 at 3:31:00 PM EST That pie looks AMAZING!! :) YUM! Im glad the dog didnt get it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

pastormargaret DATE:Friday, November 23, 2007 at 5:50:00 PM EST You're excused. If Paula Deen can use bought piecrusts and make the money she does, you should be able to as well. It looks healthy--or healthier than most. Just leave out the bananas. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jess DATE:Friday, November 23, 2007 at 7:35:00 PM EST I'd like some of that, please. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stella DATE:Friday, November 23, 2007 at 9:40:00 PM EST That sounds delicious!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

gail DATE:Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 5:05:00 PM EST MMMMMMM pie. I just ate the last of the pecans off the top of mine. There is still filling and crust though. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ally DATE:Saturday, November 24, 2007 at 11:12:00 PM EST The pie looks yummy, but my favorite thing about this post is your big belly peaking through the sides of the photos. Love it! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Steph DATE:Sunday, November 25, 2007 at 8:09:00 PM EST Oooo! I LOVE your wedding rings :) Those are awesome. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jenn DATE:Sunday, November 25, 2007 at 9:25:00 PM EST Wow! That pie looks awesome! Next time LA and I come to town we will need to try a slice of that yummy goodness! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Convertible Girl DATE:Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 8:32:00 PM EST Okay, that looks crazy good. And if you make it again and anyone shuns it because of store-bought crust, just bring it on over ;) ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Have one for me, will ya? DATE: 11/21/2007 10:27:00 AM ----- BODY:

Today is another prep day. There is more cooking and cleaning to be done, and recipes to share.

The first recipe I want to share is for Cajun Bloody Marys. Of course, I won't be making these this year, but usually, we make a big pitcher and sip on them throughout the week. Yum. Warms my heart thinking about it. They will also warm your throat. This recipe comes from the kitchen of Emeril. I took the liberty of augmenting it though because a 2 1/2 cup yield is just sad.

Cajun Bloody Mary

6 cups tomato juice
3 cups vodka
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoon prepared horseradish
6 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
8 teaspoons hot sauce
4 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoon cayenne
Pickled green beans or okra, for garnish
Cocktail onions, for garnish

Combine all ingredients (except garnish) in a small pitcher and stir to combine. Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve over ice with pickled green beans or okra and cocktail onions for garnish.

Yield: 10 cups

Be sure that you make these now. Right this second. The longer they sit in the fridge, the better they get.

Off to prep for the pie. You know the one. The dog's favorite pie.

Labels: Good Eatin'

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stella DATE:Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 6:44:00 PM EST oh good god that sounds delicious RIGHT NOW!! I'll have a few for you!!

I'm off to try and make heaven and hell...we'll see how that goes! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Clifford DATE:Thursday, November 22, 2007 at 5:40:00 AM EST Why don't you hook your non-tolerance-having friends up with a killer receipe for Egg Nog, eh? If you have one, that is.

Happy Thanksgiving, BTW. <:D ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Karaoke Diva DATE:Thursday, November 22, 2007 at 8:26:00 AM EST Kind of off topic, but my kid LOVES pickled okra.

Obviously, he did not get his taste buds from anti-vegetable me. :-) ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: THANKSgivin' prep day DATE: 11/20/2007 02:38:00 PM ----- BODY:

The cornbread is made. It is sitting out with the white bread, getting good and stale to go into the dressing.

The onions and celery are chopped.

The biscuits are made and cooked just until risen. Thursday, they will be ready to just pop in the over for a few more minutes.

A preview pumpkin pie is in the fridge for Guy. It's his favorite, so why not start a little early? Besides, Boo is bringing her pumpkin pie on Thursday, and trust me, you don't want to serve your pumpkin pie after Boo has served hers. It's killer.

I'm picking up the turkeys from The Fresh Market this afternoon. Yes, I said turkeys. I got two smaller ones this year so that one could sit on the table during the start of the meal and look pretty. The other one will be carved in the kitchen and served. I'm busy stocking the freezer for when Bird arrives, so I figured I could use any extra in casseroles anyway.

There is at least one more trip to the store to make for milk, eggs, and even more butter, but other than that, I think I'm done for today.

I so love this week. I love cooking a meal that takes 3 days. I love having the house smell like fall and having good friends and family come over for the sole purpose of eating.

Tomorrow, I give you the preparation of the famous Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie. And I swear on all that is holy in the universe, the damn dog isn't going to eat one bite of the pie this year. Not even a lick.

****************

Last week, one of my high school students asked me with a smug grin on his face if I said, "THANKSgiving" or "ThanksGIVING." One is apparently more cultured than the other. It's hard to know how you say a word once you start thinking about it.

I told him it was most likely that I said it the uncouth way, and he laughed. Even though he has lived in the South most of his life, his family is Swedish, and there is not a trace of a Southern accent in his English. He enjoys picking on my inner redneck.

As he left his lesson, I called out after him, "Happy THANKSgivin'." With no "g" on the end. With the emphasis strongly on "thanks." With him, practically rolling in the front yard with laughter.

Glad to know that my lovely drawl gives people such pleasure.

This is why certain of you to whom I would love to talk may never, in real life, hear my voice. The difference in listening to me talk and reading what I write is about 50 IQ points.

Sigh. (Spoken in three separate syllables).

Labels: Family, Friends, Good Eatin', Gratitude, Stupid Me

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Heather, Queen of Shake Shake DATE:Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at 3:00:00 PM EST How do you do it? The enjoying days of cooking?

Because I don't like it one. bit. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

WhyMommy DATE:Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at 6:44:00 PM EST She does it because that's the way her Momma raised her. Good and Southern. And I love her for it.

(Even though I am missing the cookin' gene, I love her for hers.)

Mmmmmmm ... I think I can smell dinner from here! Pass the pumpkin pie! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Candygirlflies DATE:Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at 7:28:00 PM EST I'm with you, Canape-- it's AAALLLL about the cooking for company!! Way, WAY fun. Am waiting with bated breath for the new black-bottom recipe!! After mastering those cupcakes of yours, I'm hoping I'll ace the pie recipe straight away.

And the accent?? You're "talking" to the woman who travelled to Georgia just for the EXPRESS purpose of waxing ecstatic listening to one of the most amazing accents on earth. Did you know that it is one the closest accents to the way English was spoken in Shakespeare's time? I highly recommend a documentary called "The Story of English". It will make you realize how cultured and classy you really, truly are.

Have a wonderful week-- I look forward to every juicy detail!

Hope you're feeling well-- xo CGF ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Steph DATE:Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 3:40:00 AM EST You sound so organized and the food all sounds amazing.. especially that PIE! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

labugga DATE:Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 9:29:00 PM EST Desperately waiting on the pie recipe, as I think Boy will never grow up and leave me if I learn how to make it.

And those last few sentences are a total lie. Just for the record. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Because you asked DATE: 10/16/2007 01:38:00 PM ----- BODY:

Black Bottom Cupcakes (Cupcakes of Shame)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 egg
1 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup chocolate chips
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons soda
2 cups water
2/3 cup oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, egg, and 1/8 tsp salt. Beat with whisk attachment until well combined and beginning to get fluffy. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

Combine flour, cocoa, 2 cups sugar, 1 tsp salt, and soda with a fork to blend. Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Batter will be thin.

Place liners in muffin pans. Fill each 2/3 full of batter, then drop 1 heaping tsp of cream cheese mixture in the center of each.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Yeilds about 2 dozen cupcakes.

Labels: Good Eatin'

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stella DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 2:51:00 PM EDT I would DEFINITELY eat one of those...actually right now would be perfect. Could I have one please? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

TinaGirl DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 3:13:00 PM EDT ummmmm sounds heavenly, sinful, shameful in the best description of the word. I Cant wait to make some. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Heather, Queen of Shake Shake DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 3:42:00 PM EDT Oh yum. I am now having severe chocolate withdrawals from my crack binge last week. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

MamaGeek @ Works For Us DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 5:30:00 PM EDT Printing right now. They sound divine. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stimey DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 6:58:00 PM EDT Based on these pictures, I would absolutely have eaten one of these. Maybe two or three. Yum. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Karaoke Diva DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 7:04:00 PM EDT Oh my gawd. Somebody, somewhere, please, make those for me. Those look sooooo good, but I know I would screw them up. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Candygirlflies DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 7:29:00 PM EDT Baking... Baking these RIGHT. NOW.

xoxo CGF ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Magpie DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 9:01:00 PM EDT Damn, they look pretty good to me. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Bon DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 10:08:00 PM EDT oh dude. see, i'd even GO to church to eat those. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ally DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 10:23:00 PM EDT Yum. Send one over my way after you go to Stella's, please. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mamma DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 11:36:00 PM EDT And I thought I was special. ;) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Paige Jennifer DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 10:36:00 AM EDT I'll take two, please. One for each ass cheek. I mean, that's where they're going to end up anyway. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Redneck Mommy DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 11:06:00 AM EDT I'm going to try this recipe. This afternoon.

If I don't burn the suckers, I'll let you know how they turned out.

Thanks chicky. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Imstell DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 11:56:00 AM EDT Ugh! I can't see the picture at work! The unfairness of it all! How am I to properly daydream of cheating on my diet without a visual? Woe is me... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Oh, The Joys DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 1:38:00 PM EDT Yum! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jennifer, Playgroups Are No Place For Children DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 1:40:00 PM EDT Those people at the potluck were crazy not to eat those! Thanks for the recipe! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

katy DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 5:26:00 PM EDT Yum....I would so make those right now if I didn't have way too many pumpkin logs in the fridge. If you like pumpkin I put the recipe up for my pumpkin logs today. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

labugga DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 8:39:00 PM EDT Ooh, yum. You should change churches, those people are obviously certifiable. Thanks! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mrs. Chicken DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 8:48:00 PM EDT I am SO making these. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

FENICLE DATE:Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 9:53:00 AM EDT YUM!! I can't wait to make these when we get back home :) Thanks for sharing. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Bubblewench DATE:Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 10:01:00 AM EDT I am going to buy muffin pans after work. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Beautifully Unique DATE:Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 12:48:00 PM EDT Freaking awesome dude! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Becki DATE:Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 7:20:00 PM EDT Those sound AWESOME!! ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Cupcakes of Shame DATE: 10/15/2007 08:40:00 AM ----- BODY:

Yesterday, Guy and I joined a church. After the service, they had a potluck for all the people who have joined in the past 12 months. I love a church potluck.

We signed up to bring dessert.

Saturday night, Lovely and I set out to make our Black Bottom Cupcakes. We have our own little system for division of duties, and can whip out a batch in no time now. She is in charge of the cream cheese filling, and I am in charge of the chocolate cake part. These rich, dark chocolate cupcakes with a cream cheese and chocolate chip filling don't last long around our house.

These cupcakes have been one of my favorites since I was a child and my momma would send them in my lunch box. It never occurred to me that they look a little funny.

Until yesterday.

Now, a potluck is more than just a potluck where I come from. It's almost a cooking or baking competition in it's own rite. Women, and some of the men, pull out all the punches to make sure that they are taking an empty dish home with them. That their dish is the one that has been scraped clean and then peered longingly into by the ones who took too long to go get their seconds.

So when it was time to leave and I went to collect my plate, I don't have to describe my horror when there were only 2 cupcakes missing off of that platter. One that Lovely ate. And one that Guy ate.

Perhaps I can blame it on pregnancy hormones, but I actually cried. A little. I couldn't help it.

Lovely insists that if just one person had eaten a cupcake besides our family, that they would have been gone. She said that they wouldn't have been able to stop themselves from telling everyone how fantastic they were, and that there would have been a mad rush for the cupcakes at that point and none would be left.

I think she was only a little disappointed. Because after all, we were taking home a couple dozen of our favorite cupcakes. Ones that we didn't have to share now.

Nevertheless, I'm thinking of changing the name of the cupcake to The Cupcake of Shame.

I have failed my first potluck at the new church.

I should have just made a pound cake.

Labels: Church, Good Eatin', Lovely, Not So Good Eatin'

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

slouchy DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 9:08:00 AM EDT This reminds me of the time Jack's school had a bake sale and I made peach crisp. Umm, how exactly does one divvy that up into individually sized portions?

I'll bet they tasted fantastic, your cupcakes. Their loss. ;) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jennifer, Playgroups Are No Place For Children DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 9:29:00 AM EDT Who passes up a cupcake!? Are you sure these are good people? Just kidding!

They have no idea what they are missing, I'm sure. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Andria DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 9:55:00 AM EDT You realize you have to share that recipe, right?
I once got that response, when I brought divinity to a party. Nobody had a clue what it was, and I was so very sad to bring it home. (And even sadder, because usually I ruin divinity, due to the humidity in Texas!) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Steph DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:00:00 AM EDT I agree.. who passes up a chocolate cupcake??? You may send them here :) You didnt fail. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Imstell DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 12:48:00 PM EDT "It never occurred to me that they look a little funny."

Not only do we need the recipe but we now need a picture. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month... I'm sure Chocolate Creme Cheese Cupcakes are good for breast cancer... ;-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

MamaGeek @ Works For Us DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 12:54:00 PM EDT I'm sorry for snorting a bit on this post. It's just that I so can relate to it. Except that my husband probably wouldn't have even take one of mine.

The silver lining: guess what you get to eat all week. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

ImpostorMom DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 1:15:00 PM EDT I do believe that recipe is necessary now. I certainly couldn't have passed up a cupcake regardless of how it looked. They are sort of my downfall actually. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stella DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 2:09:00 PM EDT I'm sorry!
But what kind of person passes on a cupcake...I don't care what they looked like! My mouth is watering just reading about them! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kathy's Surprise Party DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 4:08:00 PM EDT I know these potlucks well. I've been to many of them. I've had this happen before with a casserole - because people don't recognize it, they don't gobble it up.
I need a picture and perhaps a bite of this cupcake....oh, and the recipe. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Redneck Mommy DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 5:06:00 PM EDT I feel your pain. There has been more than one occasion where my offerings at a potluck have remained untouched and lonely.

Then again, there is generally a reason. Most people have common sense enough to know that I can't cook worth beans.

But I'd have eaten your cupcake. Promise. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jenn DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 5:58:00 PM EDT What church did you go to?

Church of Don't Know What You're Missing? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Oh, The Joys DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 6:16:00 PM EDT I totally understand this. It is powerful how important it is to be (as I call it) "Potluck Popular." ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Anonymous DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 6:29:00 PM EDT Will there be any cupcakes left on Wednesday, when I celebrate my birthday with one of my favorite people and her Lovely stepdaughter??? What an interesting coincidence .....

Bach ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

katy DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 8:17:00 PM EDT Church potluck dinners and family reunions around here are like that. People plan for weeks what they are taking to show everyone else up. It's silly and I bet your cupcakes were wonderful. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

gail DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 8:22:00 PM EDT I cried a little for you. My gosh what cupcake snobs. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Candygirlflies DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 8:38:00 PM EDT Um... let me get this straight.

These cupcakes were chocolate? With Cream Cheese Filling?! And CHOCOLATE CHIPS???!!

Has it occured to you that perhaps you have joined the wrong church?!!

Just kidding. Sort of.

But seriously, dahling... I'm going to be NEEDING that recipe.

Waiting (with bated breath, an empty stomach, and a serious craving) for your next post...

xo CGF ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ally DATE:Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11:58:00 PM EDT I'm with CGF. Any chance you'll be posting that recipe? Perhaps a label would be helpful next time. Maybe people didn't REALIZE the ingredients they were passing up! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Beautifully Unique DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 10:16:00 AM EDT Those cupcakes sound absolutely divine. I would have eaten one of your cupcakes. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Magpie DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 1:22:00 PM EDT Wow. I wish you'd supplied a photo.

I would have eaten one. Or several. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Bubblewench DATE:Tuesday, October 16, 2007 at 1:45:00 PM EDT You sure you got the right church if they're not eating cupcakes?

They sound really good. Hey, I'll drive down and pick them up and eat them. Be there in about 7 hours. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

K DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 8:10:00 AM EDT Black bottom cupcakes are to die for! I most certainly would have eaten one (probably more)... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jill DATE:Wednesday, October 17, 2007 at 4:10:00 PM EDT I just stumbled onto your blog and was so surprised to see the recipe for my all time favorite chocolate treat! I grew up on these! I know your pain all too well. I have had to "convince" several people to try these over the years. But once they do, not only do they want the recipe, they want you to bring them to every get-together. Hang in there!

I wish my family and I had been to your potluck, one of these sounds awfully good right now! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

FENICLE DATE:Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 9:54:00 AM EDT We had a similar dinner at a church we joined a few months ago. I took a Key Lime ball with graham cracker sticks to dip.

When we got there all these ladies had bought store made stuff!! i felt a little out of place. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: I'm just saying DATE: 10/01/2007 10:20:00 PM ----- BODY:

There are a couple dozen pumpkin muffins in my kitchen right now.

I made them.

They do not suck.

That is all.

Labels: baking, Good Eatin'

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

FENICLE DATE:Monday, October 1, 2007 at 10:57:00 PM EDT Then go eat them!!!!!!!!!!!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Steph DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 3:04:00 AM EDT I'm coming to get one!! lol ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

katy DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 7:01:00 AM EDT Yum......I bet there aren't that many left now! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Tiffany DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 7:37:00 AM EDT There would be slightly less than a couple of dozen in your kitchen if I were there right now... just sayin. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

minijonb DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 10:00:00 AM EDT mmmn... send a few my way. thx. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

gail DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 10:44:00 AM EDT Your blog is like a rainbow. Each day some new color?

Can I have a muffin? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Liz DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 2:06:00 PM EDT Please save one for me! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Karaoke Diva DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 2:38:00 PM EDT What sucks is that there aren't any in MY kitchen.

Do something about that, would ya? ;-) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jennifer, Playgroups Are No Place For Children DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 3:22:00 PM EDT Can I have some, I'll be right over!! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Kathy's Surprise Party DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 5:56:00 PM EDT Please send. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Stella DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 8:04:00 PM EDT I would like one with a pumpkin latte, please. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jenn DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 8:59:00 PM EDT The real question is, how many will be there in the morning?

Gotta use that "eating for two" thing to your advantage.

Plus, I heard that pumpkin muffins have like no fat. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Jenn - NMD DATE:Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at 11:23:00 PM EDT Yummmm....any left? I'm on my way...see you in about 4 hours. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Ally DATE:Wednesday, October 3, 2007 at 3:19:00 PM EDT This made me laugh. I so wish you were my neighbor. ----- -------- AUTHOR: Marty, a.k.a. canape TITLE: Dreamland DATE: 1/16/2007 07:56:00 PM ----- BODY:

Today was supposed to be day 3 of no tears. Mascara could return into my life. Maybe even eyeliner if I'm feeling up for it. But no.

Target was full of the cutest babies. Then there was the baby section. The tiny baby things. The cashier who is my next door neighbor who hadn't heard the news. It was my first time flying solo on giving it. From my mouth that is. I've gotten pretty good at typing about it.

Anyway, she came up to me with all of her Ukrainian enthusiasm for pregnancy (which pails only to that of my Turkish friend) and wanted to know how me and the baby were. I told her. Then, I cried. Not sobbed. Not fell apart. Just cried.

Guy said he was proud of me and that I was doing just fine. I did have some Kleenex packed and ready in my purse so my tears were as graceful as possible. Whatever.

Just now while fixing dinner, my sniffling in the kitchen brings a call in from the other room.

"You okay, Schmoop?"

It's not what he thinks. I'm sneaking a piece of white bread and dipping it in Dreamland BBQ sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Heaven. Spicy as hell, but oh so heavenly.

Labels: Good Eatin', Grief

----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Mamma DATE:Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 11:45:00 AM EST Way to go!! Crying, but not sobbing, is improvement. Whip out that mascara!!

And you have a schmoopy!!!! That's GOT to help. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Lizzy DATE:Wednesday, January 17, 2007 at 3:15:00 PM EST I know that 'schmoopy' isn't a Lizzy-only phrase...hello Seinfeld. I'm a schmoopy and The Mistah's a schmoopy, too. So I lurve to hear about others being schmoopies, too.
Crying anytime, anywhere is just fine. If it makes other people uncomfortable, that's their own problem, not yours. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Oh, The Joys DATE:Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 11:19:00 AM EST Every day (they say) it gets easier... I wonder if that is true or if it just goes up and down.

K and I call each other schmoop, too! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

Emmakirst DATE:Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 1:25:00 PM EST Crying is our way to deal with what happened. I'm glad you have progressed from sobbing to just crying. Time heals. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:

whymommy DATE:Thursday, January 18, 2007 at 4:29:00 PM EST You're making big progress, Canape! I'm so proud!

(I do want some Dreamland BBQ, though. I'm starving!!!!) ----- --------