The Secret’s in the Sauce

A famous quote by Sipsey (Cicely Tyson)  from the movie Fried Green Tomatoes.  One a my very favorite movies.   Anyway....the sauce does make a difference!

What do tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and spices have in common? Well, combined together with a few other great things, they make a great spaghetti sauce. With fresh tomatoes being plentiful right now, it’s a good time to whip up a batch of homemade spaghetti sauce for dinner supper. Here’s how I made mine:

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Use your own judgments as to quantity and taste.

~Fresh tomatoes, peeled with seeds removed, removing all the seeds and juice. This cuts down the thickening time down of the sauce. 

~Fresh valdia onion, chopped
~Fresh bell pepper
~Fresh garlic minced
~Oregano
~Rosemary, I used a rosemary garlic blend
~Basil
~Italian seasoning
~Sugar- small amount
~Salt and pepper
~A good shot of Worcestershire sauce
~A small amount of crushed red pepper, more if you like it hot!

While peeling and deseeding your tomatoes, place them in a colander for further draining. Crush the tomatoes in a food processor. Place in a large pot and begin cooking at medium temp. Chop onions in food processor. Chop bell pepper by hand. Add onions, bell pepper and all other ingredients to the tomatoes. Bring to a boil reducing heat to low and simmer for an hour or so until the sauce thickens. If you like a thicker pastier sauce you can add a small can of tomato paste if desired.

Add some cooked Italian Sausage and angel hair pasta noodles to your sauce and you have a great meal. You can really taste the freshness!

Got bread? Here’s a good one

Enjoy your meal!

~ "There is enough for all. The earth is a generous mother; she will provide in plentiful abundance food for all her children if they will but cultivate her soil in justice and in peace."

~ Bourke Coekran

What's for supper at your house tonight?

I’m Funny Like That…

Erin at  Dropped Stitches has Quiz Tagged me...

1. What's your staple, go to meal? Slices of ham. For breakfast you can eat it with eggs or pancakes, for lunch you can have a sandwich, for a snack you can roll up cream cheese and a dill pickle with it, you can eat it for any meal any way you want it.

2. What do you want to be when you grow up? I really do not want to grow up…its fun being a kid at heart. Grown–ups have too many worries, responsibilities, and decisions to make. It’s over-rated!

3. What book are you reading at the moment? A Painted House, by John Grisham, a novel set in 1952 Arkansas during cotton picking season from a 7 year olds perspective. Loving it!

4. How do you relax? In the recliner with a blanket...I like to snuggle

5. What color are the interior walls of your home? Light khaki, hopefully that will change soon. Holly’s old bedroom is a cream color and the spare BR is a creamy yellow…this is where I am now typing this out.

6. What is your guiltiest pleasure? Eating, I’m not gonna lie!

7. What time is bedtime and getting up time? 10-11 and 7-8…or what ever time I feel like it!

8. How long do you spend reading blogs? A little each day that I’m at home. There are some wonderful blogs and blogger friends out there.

We each have our own little quirks and oddities that make us unique unlike anyone else…this makes us special right? Things like taking the dust jacket off a good hardback while reading it. It just gets in my way, drives me crazy. And…

Eating salt and pepper on my fresh cantaloupe.
And vinegar on fresh cut-up cucumbers…yummy!
Raw okra with a little salt sprinkled on it! Oh yes…don’t knock it till you try it!

I hate the taste of coffee…yep I do…but I love love the smell of a just opened container of it, especially the fancy blends! I buy candles that smell like coffee.
I only like mustard on corn dogs!
I never eat all the bread crust on a sandwich…daddy used to tell me it would make my hair curl…well that never happened…so…

I get my hair cut in a barber shop. Always have…always well…by the same girl, and it’s not a man’s type of cut either…no way! Got my summer cut this morning…Ahhhhhhh…
I sneeze when I pluck my eyebrows and cough when I stick a Q-tip in my ear. Waxing the brows is much quicker…no time for the sneeze; it just takes my breath for a second! I’ll just have to live with the cough! I know I’m weird unique. Anyway…

I can really and truly relate to Jane on Drop Dead Diva. She is someone else in some else’s body! Yep that’s me! Check her out on Sunday nights on Lifetime…right before Army Wives…my fave!
I would rather watch paint dry than watch tennis, basketball, or wrestling. Grrrr

I write in the margins of my Bible…dates, names, important facts…etc…I underline a lot too. Why? It lets me know I’ve been there at least once.
I like things in their place and each thing has a place. Put. It. Back.
Norman Rockwell rocks!
So does Dr. Seuss!

And special we are…

"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus…"

Ephesians 2:10, NLT

"… for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Hebrews 12:5

For He loves us no matter what…

Summer Love

Loving summer …

But not the heat. 

I do love~

bare feet.

flip-flops.

feet with flip-flop tan lines.

fresh veggies. from my own garden.    

afternoon thunder showers with rolling rumbles.

lemonade. only fresh squeezed.

lime is good too.

a camera in my hands held to my eye.

big fluffy white clouds.

oversized t-shirts. shorts. flip-flops.

polka dotted flip-flops. lots of flip-flops.

a fresh hair cut.

water. air conditioning. thank you Lord.

a good book….a love story…a story of days gone by.

dirt.

a cool shower. soap. bubbles. lotion.

blooms. longer days. cool afternoons. the smell of a just cut lawn. green grass.

                   babies. blue babies. learning to fly. mama near by.

                                                      swinging.

         my porch.

a beautiful white beach with no tar balls.

trips. trips that take you no where.

berries.

popsicles.

ice cold watermelon. spitting seeds.

those moments you think you’re funny.

pretty painted toes.

vbs. little kids. crafts for kids. kool-aid and cheese curls.

sprinklers. fishing. ice cubes.
kool-aid ice cubes

visits with old friends. fond memories. catching up. time stands still.

I spent my morning with an old friend from my high school days. The hours turned into years of catching up. Remember when? Remember that? How is……? Where are they now? How are you? You look great! She was the really smart one in school. Top of our class. She is the doctor now…infectious diseases are her specialty. While she was still going to med school she would always asked me… “who would want to marry me being a doctor?” And my answer was always… “Another doctor.” So what did she go and do…marry another doctor!! She was in my wedding, I was in her's.  We rarely get to see each other because of their work. They live in Virginia and have two beautiful daughters.

What a fun visit….after many hugs, and “I love you’s”, she had to go with a promise of a visit the next time they are home to Alabama!!

Time stood still if only for one morning.

summer is good. life is good. sweet summer time.
slow.
easy.

did i mention i love flip-flops?

Credit where credit is due: google search, photobucket, & prim country graphics.

Photos that are mine: hydrangeas, veggies, potatoes in bucket and beach.

Celebrating Life

 

Holly and Richard

Crescent City Bridge in background
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These photos are from my trip to NOLA a few weeks ago.
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My daughter Holly and her husband Richard have been in Arkansas for the past week. Along with his parents, they rented a house on Greer’s Ferry Lake. Boating, tubing, fishing, swimming, horseback riding, antiquing, golfing, shopping, bowling, eating, site seeing…are just a few of the things they enjoyed while there.

They will be home tonight!!!! Can you feel my excitement? I’m ready to see them for a couple of days before they head back to Louisiana. I have a BIG feast planned for tomorrow, Father’s Day, which involves ribs, my famous baked beans, tater salad *yes, I said tater*, deviled eggs, corn, bread, sweet tea *of course*, and homemade chocolate ice cream which only has 3 items in it!! Can you say EASY?? Stay with me and I’ll share the recipe.  My mama and daddy will be joining us for some good eating, as we celebrate Father’s Day, Jackie’s Birthday, and a wonderful life in general.

Anyway...it is finally raining….sweet beautiful rain! Breathe deep and smell its sweetness. We need it so bad as it has been HOT and DRY here…with temps at 100! That rolling thunder even sounds sweet…Ahhhhhh….My veggie garden is loving some rain!! I see the tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, squash, collards, and okra smiling:)

Leaving you with these thoughts for Father’s Day, Sunday,

or what ever day you happen to be reading with me…

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,

The majesty of a tree,

The warmth of a summer sun,

The calm of a quiet sea,

The generous soul of nature,

The comforting arm of night,

The wisdom of the ages,

The power of the eagle's flight,

The joy of a morning in spring,

The faith of a mustard seed,

The patience of eternity,

The depth of a family need,

Then God combined these qualities,

When there was nothing more to add,

He knew His masterpiece was complete,

And so, He called it ... Dad

~~Author Unknown.~~

A Father's Legacy

"The father of one who is right with God will have much joy.

He who has a wise son will be glad in him."

Proverbs 23:24 NLV

A Father's Wisdom Prayer

"I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;

when you run, you will not stumble.

Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life."

Proverbs 4:11-13 NIV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am blessed enough to still have my daddy with me.

Happy Father's Day!

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Oh yeah...I promised you the recipe for the homemade Chocolate Ice Cream.

Here ya go:

One half gallon chocolate milk

One can sweetened condensed milk

8 ounce container cool whip

Mix all together and put into your ice-cream maker.

Freeze the ice cream and ENJOY!!

Variations: Use white milk and add fresh fruit, such as

strawberries, blueberries or peaches.

The Re-do Has Been Done

A while back, Jackie and I went to an estate auction. It was a farm estate belonging to a single never-been-married gentleman. He had lots of old stuff!! So naturally when he passed on, his brothers and sisters were the inheritors of his estate, so they put it up for sale to the highest bidder. There were several things I jotted down the lot numbers to bid on but the one I wanted the most was # 173!

An old primitive hand made pie safe. Yep it was the one thing that really caught my eye…but it also caught the eyes of others there too. Oh yes it did. I found myself in a bidding war. But in the end I was the high bidder, thanks to the older man who saw that I really wanted this piece. The blue color screamed at me. This is the way it looked, very much unloved. During its last years it must have spent its time outside in the barn…

I wanted to keep the blue color but to my dismay it was very dry and was flaking off so bad that we had to remove it, hoping it did not have any lead in it. We also had to remove all of the old screen from the door and the side air holes. After removing the paint completely I found a close match to the color…Kilz "Erie Canal".

I brushed a very light coat on, let it cure, and then took my "mouse" sander to distress it up a little. I finished it with a hand rubbed walnut paste wax by Howard.

I did not replace the screens as I wanted to stack old quilts on the shelves and I can see them better without the screen. I like how it turned out. Someone else likes it too.

Marina has found a nice soft spot to hide as she naps the afternoon away.

Yep I’m cat sitting at my house while Holly and Richard are in Arkansas for vacation with his parents at Greer’s Ferry Lake. Fun in the sun, boating, swimming, fishing…all those fun things you do went you rent a townhouse on the lake for a week.

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

On another note: a BIG thank you goes to Lindsay at Southern Cinderella for a sweet award she presented to me today~ A Simply Southern Blog Award. Pretty fitting huh?

In reception of this award I have to answer this question:

"In your opinion, what makes a person a true southerner?"

Here is my answer...

Well of course you have to be born in the south or at the very least been raised most of your life here. You have to eat grits, turnips, collards, fried chicken, fried squash, and of course fried green tomatoes. You must drink sweet tea with lemons and have that sweet southern drawl in your words which include Y’all and Ain't . But most important is your generosity and kindness…neighbors helping neighbors… from cooking food to share with a family who has lost a love one to the giving of your time and money to others. Southern is slow and easy with warm smiles, helping hands and loving hearts. It’s called southern hospitality! Now I reckon that pretty much explains what a true southern is. Now I got to get off this do-hicky and get busy cleaning so I can fix some supper!  **Now I know you are smilin’ like a goat in a briar patch?

Thank you Lindsay…my sweet Southern friend. Now I’m passing this on to some of my southern friends…

1* Sandi at Whistlestop Cafe Cooking

2* Char at ramblins

3* Sandra at Sandra Lundy Photography

All of these lovely ladies are from the good old southern state of Alabama!

From a true southern with a warm heart and lots of love… Have a great day my friends!

We Be Jammin’

It’s berry pickin’ time in the south. On my trip to New Orleans to visit Holly, we picked blackberries. Tons and tons of them…the only problem was reaching them as they grew on a tall chain link fence which surrounds one of the US Coast Guard stations. So we took a small step ladder and Holly did the honors of climbing and pickin’. Sorry there are no pictures of this event because you would have died laughing at the site of us. Adorned in a scrappy t-shirt, blue jean shorts, pink rubber boots (see photo on my side bar of “Run-Away-Housewife) and latex gloves, we were a pretty funny crew of pickers. Now as you are smart enough to figure out, the latex gloves did not last long because blackberries grow on a thorny vine. But they did keep the purple stains to a minimum on our fingers.
With each move down along the fence the berries got bigger and bigger! We felt like we had struck gold…until I saw the snakes!!  Yes I had walked right past them and made them scurry away into the fence line across where I had just walked. The guys at the CG station said they were most likely cotton mouth moccasins, a very deadly snake. Moccasins live near and in water and we could see the Mississippi River levee not far down the road ahead of us. I still shiver each time I think about them and thank God that I did not step on one of them… So this pretty much ended our picking of the berries and we had a full bucket anyway.

 

Now to make the blackberry jam…

We washed and cooked the berries down to a mush

so that we could sieve out the small crunchy seeds.

This was the big job and rather boring too, but makes for a more delicious jam.

All said and done, we had 22 jars of jam which we split 50/50. It was beautiful.

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Our other project was to finish up the final work on Holly’s junk made hutch/buffet, she and Richard assembled from a kitchen table she had found at the dump on the base. Now when I say dump…I mean it is a place with 2 huge dumpsters and also a place where military families put still good items outside the dumpsters that they do not wish to carry with them on their next move, mostly due to load limits on the moving vans. Holly grabbed up this nice table which Richard cut in half and removed 18” down the center to make it narrower. They slapped it back together and added the top center shelf, which Holly bought years ago at an auction, and added the side shelves and spindles.

After much sanding, filling, priming, and more sanding, we began the painting…

but did not finish before I had to come home to Alabama. Don’t you just love the soft color? It is called Bayfront Palm by Dutch Boy…a mark down at WalMart; yep she got a great price on a whole gallon. It is going to be beautiful in her dining room.

Got a busy week next week, VBS…Vacation Bible School at our church all week. Yours truly is doing the crafts with 3, 4, and 5 year olds.

WoooHooo...gonna be fun, fun.

More to come, so stay tuned.

Have a blessed weekend my friends!