Mama's Bread and Butter Pickles

This is my Mama's favorite kind of pickle and her favorite recipe for them... I made a half batch today. I'm delivering some tomorrow! :-)

Bread & Butter Pickles

Use 4 quarts medium-sized, cucumbers sliced thin (do not peel). Make sure they are not seedy. Add 6 medium white onions, sliced thin, 2 peppers, chopped and 3 whole garlic cloves. Add 1/3 cup salt. Mix thoroughly. Let stand 4 hours in covered container with cracked ice. Drain well. Combine 5 cups sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed, 2 tablespoons mustard seed and 3 cups vinegar. Pour this over the cucumber mixture. Heat just to boiling point. Seal at once in hot sterilized jars.*

* These are very old recipes! Today's safety standards require you to use the water bath canning method for 10-15 minutes to insure a true seal.

Chicken Salad Sammies

Chicken Salad for Sandwiches

One of MY favorites to make and eat!!!

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

4 Eggs, boiled and chopped

1 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish

1/2 cup mayo (or more)

1/4 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp basil

pepper, to taste

Mix until well blended. Store in airtight container in the frig.

For a sandwich... choose your favorite bread. Slice some tomato. Tear some lettuce leaves and assemble! Now rock out! :-)

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Mama's Slaw and Baked Beans... at the 1st Annual Adult Easter Egg Hunt!

This pasted weekend, I hosted the 1st Annual Adult Easter Egg Hunt. No... by "adult", I mean that this was an Egg Hunt for big "kids". Last year, I shared with my friends that the Hubby and I hide eggs for the kids as usual, but my son stared a tradition of them hiding eggs for the hubby and me. I got such response to that, that it wound up leading to the 1st Annual Egg Hunt for Adults! :-)

We had such fun! Not only did we have an egg hunt, we also had Redneck Golf, Carolina/Clemson Corn Hole Games and many egg games including Easter Egg Boccie Ball and the Spoon Race.

Everyone had fun! So much fun to get together and relax and play... even pulling out a blanket and chillin' out on the lawn!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sammies

Whole Boston Butt

1/2 Apple Cider Vinegar

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Pour about 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar over the pork, and then coat with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake  the Boston Butt at 250 degrees for about 6-8 hours uncovered... until the bone slides out easily and clean. I picked the fat off, and it actually fell apart easily... no fork shredding necessary! Then I added Daddy's BBQ Sauce to it. 

This time I used a Hamilton Beach Automatic Roasting Oven that Pixie gave me. Put the pork in it on 225 degrees and 12 midnight and Craig cut it off before he left for work. 

Mama's Slaw

Baked Beans*

2 cans Baked Beans, drain some of the juice

4 slices Bacon or salt pork, cooked and crumbled

1/4 cup ketsup

2 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar

Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking dish lightly with oil. In a large bowl, combine ingredients, then pour into the baking dish. Bake for 30-45 minutes uncovered.

* This time I used a crock pot to cook them and I added some of "Daddy's BBQ Sauce to them! YUM!

Red Velvet Swirled Bites

Remember me saying that I am not a baker???

Well, I was making some Red Velvet Swirled Bites. I had the batter all mixed up and turned around to see these... Good Grief!!!

Left out the eggs... time to remix.

Then, the cream cheese mixture wasn't blended well enough

and stopped up my pastry bag. I had to start all over AGAIN!

This looks better!!!

The finished product, finally!!!

Red Velvet Cake Mixture:

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons cocoa
3 tablespoons red food coloring
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs. Mix well. Mix cocoa and food coloring in a cup. Add to eggs and sugar. Add vanilla. Sift flour and salt. Add, alternating with buttermilk. Add soda and vinegar. Let foam and FOLD into mixture. Spoon this mixture into a mini muffin tin, filling each cup about half way.

Cream Cheese Mixture:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp vanilla

Cream ingredients and place in a pastry bag or zip-type bag. Cut the corner of the bag, and place the tip into the center and squeeze in the filling until the cup is about 3/4 full. Take a toothpick and swirl the batter and cream cheese mixture to create a marbled effect. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.

Michele's Gigi's Turkey A La King

I am continuing my project today where I cook and photograph a signature dish from my mentor and beloved friend Michele Wynn Gerhard of La Belle Cuisine! In the spirit of "Julie and Julia", I am featuring one of her family recipes, once a week. We will feature these special segments both on Southern With A Twist and La Belle Cuisine!  I figured with Easter coming up, a lot of people will be having ham. I like to make turkey for a change sometimes. We have kids that travel back and forth from in-laws and Grandparents to us. By the time they get here, they are tired of the traditional stuff. I talked with Michele this week, and we decided that this is a perfect time to choose...Gigi's Turkey A La King! (Click the link for her recipe) I'll have leftover turkey, and this is a great way to put it to good use!
Let's get cookin' Michele! :-) ♥ ♥ ♥
~ Lynn

I started with the roux and added the stock and cream.

Whisk until smooth.

Next was the turkey, mushrooms and peas.

When you read Michele's recipe, you will notice that she adds the scallions and mushrooms in the butter at the beginning. I had leftover sauted mushrooms from my smothered chicken so I used them and added them later in the recipe.

... and last was the chopped boiled eggs.

I cooked some mini cornbread muffins.

Voila!

The hubby wanted corn with his plate.

I have made Chicken A La King before, but this Turkey A La King is awesome! The richness of the stock, if you reserve it from cooking the Turkey, is just so much better than any other canned or bouillon stock or broth. I think the leftover mushrooms I had complimented the  sauce very well. I know I didn't follow the recipe to the letter, and I hope Michele will forgive me for that... living so far out in the country, I have to improvise from time to time. I handed the hubby a plate. (He is in the bed with a bulging disk in his back.) I waited for a response... "Mmm! Oh yeah! This is good!" I told him that I never put egg in mine. He said, "Yeah, but I think that is what just makes it sooo good!" Well, Michele... my hat is off to you and Gigi! Another success!

Dill Pickles... Easy Canning!

I got inspired when we visited Old McCaskills Farm when I peeked in their canning room...

I stopped and bought about 15 pickling cucumbers...

Dill Pickles

30 pickling cucumbers
1 pickling mix package (I use MrsWages dill mix)
7 1/3 cups water
3 1/3 cups white vinegar
1/8 tsp dill weed per jar
1 tsp chopped garlic per jar
Boil mixture. Pack jars with dill, garlic and sliced pickles. Pour mixture over cucumbers leaving 1/2 inch. Then follow canning instructions.

My son is such a pickle expert. LOL  He loves them and eats at least a gallon jar full each week. He kept asking me when they'd be ready. I kept telling him in 24 hours! I went to town, and when I got back (before the 24 hours were up!) this is what I found!
He also adds extra garlic to his!

I guess they are good! LOL

Foodies On a Farm Day Excursion and my Tuscan Soup!

Yesterday my foodie friend, Mary from All Things Food ~ Cooking with Mary and Friends and I went with four of her friends to two local farms, Old McCaskills Farm and Sunny Cedars Farm! What a fun time! We had lunch at Old McCaskills Farm... Marinated Grilled Pork Chops, Rosemary Rice, Green Beans, Rolls and Coconut Cream Pie! Awesome! We wandered around looking at all the animals. When we first got there, one of their calves had gotten out and was wandering about. I walked over and she came straight up to me and let me pet her :-)

Oops! Who let the calf out? :-)

Kathy McCaskill led her back into the pasture.

This little fellow needed his hoof cleaned out.

I have a feeling I'm being watched!

A bunny!

I'm thinking the canning room. :-)

The Store on the right and Kitchen on the left...

 Come on in... I didn't get pictures of the food.
Sorry, but I was hungry! I forgot! ;-)

Kathy McCaskill waiting on us in the store. 

I love the glass sign!

Cathy found some friends... baby lambs!!! 

 I love the feeder!

The Garden Shed...

 The back of the Garden Shed

My buddy :-)

 Itty Bitty Goat!

Cathy's new buddy! 

I purchased a Sheep Tape Measure and

Eco-Friendly Wool Dryer Balls! Awesome lunch also!

If you'd like to have lunch or just visit the farm,

go to Old McCaskills Farm!

Cathy and I get in the last few pictures,

while the rest of the girls discuss our next stop...

Sunny Cedars Farm!

We have arrived at Sunny Cedars Farm!

Mary, Russel and me!

He let the pigs out into

the pasture when we got there.

I could not get the videos to load,

so if you want to see them, please visit me on

Facebook at Southern With A Twist. They really are

a must see... "The Running of the Pigs!"

If I can find out why the blog is not loading,

I'll add them here as soon as possible!

  Big Girl! :-)

BP, the pig and her babies!

Piglets!

BP getting a drink of water! Awesome waterer Russell! 

Gathering eggs...

 Mary found a big one! 

Ten eggs in one roost...

Russell grinds his own feed here. 

Time for some shoppin' ladies! :-)

My Goodie Bag!

Sweet Italian Sausage, Bratwurst, Garlic Bratwurst,

Mild Pork Sausage and Country Style Ribs!

I held out the Italian Sausage from the freezer for this Tuscan Soup! Let me tell you that I noticed a difference immediately. The sausage didn't stick to the pan like the sausage I cooked for the Paella the other night! The hubby hollered, "What are you cooking? That smells amazing!" I told him and he said that it didn't smell like the Italian Sausage that I usually cook! He said, "If you need somebody to sample that... bring me a piece!" (He's in the recliner because his back it out.) The verdict? Sooooo good! It does make a difference the way a product is raised, fed, treated and processed! If you don't believe me, go see Russell at Sunny Cedars Farm and try some for yourself!!!

Tuscan Soup

6 cups chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
4 links of Italian sausage
3 large potatoes, cubed
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1/4 cup evaporated milk
salt and pepper to taste

Remove skin from sausage and crumble into a 2qt sauce pan. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic and continue to brown the sausage a little. Add stock and potatoes. Boil until potato is cooked. Add spinach. Continue boiling until spinach is lightly cooked. Remove soup from heat, stir in evaporated milk, and season to taste.

What an awesome outing!!! I urge all you to seek out your local farms and try to do what we did. Ask to come out and take a look at the working farms and fresh local products. It is well worth it in the experience and the quality products you'll find. From the farm to the table... know where your food comes from and how it gets there! Thanks so much to Kathy McCaskill and Russell Singleton for letting us come out and visit! I'm already looking forward to another visit!