Monday, March 18, 2024

Around Lolly's Table: St. Patrick's Table 2024


Y'all know how I love to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!  My Irish heritage shines forth on March 17th and I stand proud as one who has Irish DNA in her genetic makeup!


Fiestaware in Sage was my choice for plates and bowls for this year's table.  It coordinated better with the green shade in the table runner shamrocks.


The "shamrock" salad plates were an Ebay purchase from years ago as well as the napkin rings.  I paired the gold flatware to match the gold chargers.


The gorgeous centerpiece vase is Fenton.  The S and P shakers are Fiestware sage as well.  The March 17th block is from Hobby Lobby as are the vintage-esque cards that bring to mind St. Patrick Days from yesteryear.



This uranium glass pitcher and matching glasses were my Great Aunt Marie's.  I'm sure somewhere out there she's thrilled they were used on this fun occasion.



This lephrechaun, named Larry, was purchased at St. George's Market in Belfast, Northern Ireland during our visit there last December.


This cute replica of an Irish cottage can actually burn a small square of peat!  The smoke rises from the chimney as it burns.


This miniature tea set was found in my mother's belongings.  I honored her by having it on this year's table.


We had a 5 hour dinner at this table and it was great fun to spend that time with friends!



Saturday, March 9, 2024

Bear Creek "Darn Good" Chili


Time to try another product from Bear Creek:  "Darn Good" Chili!  


You can certainly follow the package directions and enjoy this meal "as is."  But, as with most things I try in the kitchen, it's always fun to experiment and add in some extras to make it my own.

Here's what I used:

2 lbs. ground chuck
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 T. minced garlic
1 heaping t. ground cumin
1 package Bear Creek "Darn Good" Chili mix
7 cups water
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 (14.5) can diced tomatoes
1 small can fire roasted diced chiles

In a 5 quart Dutch oven, brown the ground chuck, onion, and garlic over medium high heat.

When the meat is cooked through, stir in the ground cumin, and cook for 1 - 2 minutes.

Add in the chili mix, water, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and roasted chiles.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.  Let chili cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Top with your favorites!  I chose shredded sharp cheddar cheese and a small dollop of sour cream.


We enjoyed this chili a lot.  Super easy and ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.  It had a nice flavor and the heat level was mild.  You could certainly add a can of Rotel tomatoes or season with your favorite hot sauce if you need some heat.

We'd definitely buy again to stock the pantry!

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Bear Creek Sausage and Chicken Gumbo


While grocery shopping recently, I was on a mission to try new (to me) products.  I had noticed this line of soups before, but hadn't really looked at them.  I purchased a couple to have on standby in the pantry.

Today was a cool rainy day and I decided to make the Gumbo version.


I realize that with all convenience products, this mix had the potential to be really yummy or a not so much meal.  I had Conecuh Sausage on hand in the fridge so I knew I'd definitely add that to the pot.  I also had a rotisserie chicken on hand so the shredded breast meat was also an addition.

1 package Bear Creek Gumbo Soup Mix
8 cups water
1 lb. Conecuh Smoked Sausage (sliced and browned)
2 - 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups sliced okra

I followed the package directions and brought 8 cups of water to a boil in a 5 quart Dutch oven.  When the water boiled, I whisked in the Gumbo Soup Mix and lowered the heat to a simmer.

Next, I added in the browned sausage and cooked chicken.  While the gumbo simmered, I sliced the okra and added that to the pot.

After 15 minutes of simmering, the gumbo was ready to eat!  I turned off the heat and covered the pot.  Then.....we worked on preparing our taxes.   After about 45 minutes, I rewarmed the gumbo (which had thickened nicely!) and toasted a loaf of French bread which I had topped with olive oil.


If you like a thinner broth gumbo, ladle it up as soon as the 15 minutes are up and dig in!  If you like a thicker gumbo, let it rest a bit so the rice can soak up some of the liquid and enjoy it what way.  Make yourself happy!


Our final take on this product:  

Timesaving?  Definitely.  
Was the flavor on point?  We thought it was delicious!  
Would I buy again and add in sausage, chicken, and okra?  Yes!





  

Monday, March 4, 2024

Fried Pork Cube Steak Sandwich


I love cube steak and it doesn't matter whether it's beef or pork.  I normally serve cube steak with a gravy and mashed potatoes.  

But for this meal, I decided to go the sandwich route.  I seasoned the flour liberally with Hardin's Seasoning for the coating and quickly fried it on the stovetop.  The result was a fun sandwich which was a nice change from a burger on a bun.

1 lb. pork cube steak
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1 T. Hardin's Seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Buns
butter for the buns
Condiments:  leafy lettuce, red onion, tomatoes, pickles

Place self-rising flour in a shallow plate and mix in Hardin's seasoning with a fork.  Cut cube steak into individual pieces that will fit onto a burger bun.  

Coat each piece of cube steak completely with the seasoned flour and set aside on a clean plate.

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add several pieces of the steak to the hot oil and lower to medium-high heat.  Cook for 3 - 4 minutes and flip; cook an additional 3 - 4 minutes.  Lower heat if meat begins to brown too quickly.  Internal temperature needs to be at 145 degrees F. 
 
Remove to a paper towel lined plate while you repeat with remaining pieces of steak.

When all the meat is cooked, drain grease from skillet and butter the buns.  Place skillet over low heat and place buns buttered side down into the skillet to toast.

Assemble your sandwiches with your favorite condiments.  We used mayo, a layer of lettuce, a slice of red onion, the pork, tomatoes, and pickles.  You do you and use your favorites.  This combination worked for us.

  



Saturday, March 2, 2024

Dining Out Southeast: The Bank, Oxford, Alabama


Last night we traveled to nearby Oxford, Alabama to have dinner with friends at a newly opened restaurant.  Before I go into the delicious details of our evening, you need the background story of this unique establishment.  Here's the scoop directly from their website:

First National Bank of Oxford was founded in 1903 by Davis. C. Cooper. The bank was built in 1883 at the corners of Main and Choccolocco Streets. In 1911, Cooper oversaw a renovation and expansion of the building. The facade was altered to the way it appears today with white marble added. D.D. Draper & Sons established the first bank in Oxford in 1879. In 1888, Draper merged to create the Bank of Oxford.

Here's a picture of the building in years gone by.


In January of this year, Gary and Laura Humphreys realized there was a need for a cozy spot for couples for date nights or for friends to gather for unique drink concoctions and amazing charcuterie boards.  The Bank is the result of their vision and it fills the void perfectly.

As you step through the door, you're transported to a 1920's speakeasy.  Everything from the decor, the "tellers," (servers), and the menu is based on Prohibition-era details.  Trust me when I tell you that sets the stage for a fun evening!



Now let's begin our culinary journey through the beverage menu!  Please don't come in planning on having a margarita or a cosmo or some such.  Come here with the mindset that you're going to a 1920's semi-hidden spot where maybe a password is needed to enter.  That's part of the fun!

As you can see, the menu is divided into three categories of liquor:  Gin, Bourbon, and Vodka.  For example, the Bee's Knees is made with honey, lemonade, simple syrup, and GIN.  If you go over one column, it's the same basic ingredients, but with Bourbon and is now known as the Yellow Jacket.  One more column over, you have Vodka as the liquor and it's now called The Big O.  


There's also wine and beer options.  Non-alcoholic beverages are listed under the "Counterfeit" category which to me is extremely clever labeling!

Here are our drink selections (for the first round!):





We all tried each other's drinks and each one was absolutely delicious!  There are so many special details in each glass.  The syrups are house made.  Who would have thought to have rosemary syrup in an Old Fashioned?  Another option was a brown sugar syrup.  I'll file that one away to try next time!

Another great thing about sharing these boards is you can mix and match and choose which suits your groups tastes.  You can choose two boards and four drinks which is The Bonnie and Clyde or four boards and eight drinks which is The Al Capone.  

We decided on The Al Capone and still ordered extra boards!  We couldn't decide which we wanted most so we went big.  



From the "Savings" section, we selected the Bread and Butter and The Big Cheese.

The bread and butter included a regular butter, a garlic butter, and a brown sugar butter.  They were all delicious (because it's BUTTER!), but I did everything I could to sneak as much of the brown sugar over to my side of the board.


The Big Cheese included four different cheeses (gouda, brie, goat) with a variety of toppings.  Look at all the textures in the bread!


Now on to the Money Markets!  We discussed, debated, and discussed some more.  There was no way we could eliminate any of these boards.  Seriously, could you?  

Let's start with The Garbo which features hummus as the main item, but additional items included pickled okra, naan, olives, blueberries, prosciutto, whole grain mustard, cheeses, peppers, cured meat and more!


The Chaplin which has chicken salad as the anchors of this board.  There's two versions:  one made with rotisserie chicken and the other made with grapes.  Raw carrots, rolls, sweet peppers, pickles, cured meats, cheddar, grapes, crackers, and apple butter complete the board.


By now it was time for round two of drinks!




Now, back to the boards!

The Valentino has two varieties of pimento cheese:  a traditional version and one with jalapenos for a little zip!  Dried apricots, olives, maple bourbon pickles, seeded crackers, bread slices, cheeses, and goat cheese.  So many amazing choices.


I did snap a picture of two of the boards side by side.  I wish I had remembered to get all three together!  Next time, I'll do better for y'all.  



For our "Retirement Plan" dessert board, we selected the Coco Chanel Chocolate Board.  


Two caramel chocolate brownies, two slices of chocolate cake, white chocolate covered pretzels on top of espresso hummus, blueberries, and cinnamon graham crackers with chocolate whipped cream.  Trust me when I tell you that this board was the PERFECT ending to this meal.  

Service was outstanding with gentle suggestions made and options given in a clear manner.  The drinks were some of the best I've ever enjoyed.  The atmosphere was fun, unique, and cozy.  The food...well, the presentation, as you can see, was impeccable and the contrast of flavors and textures was superb.  

We had a wonderful evening and I can assure you that you will as well!

 

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Around Lolly's Sideboard: President's Day 2024



I felt it was time to go all out for President's Day in decorating the sideboard!  No matter what your political party or leaning, we can all celebrate being an American.

As always, nothing sets the tone for a themed sideboard display like Fiestaware!  




I dug deep into my stash of patriotic trimmings and enjoyed bringing items out of hibernation to decorate!




This beautiful tea set was my mother's as was the milk glass pedestal bowl.



You can't celebrate President's Day without paying homage to the Father of Our Country!


I love these cobalt blue goblets featuring Mr. and Mrs. Washington!




And this document is the foundation of everything for our country.


I just love all these vintage wooden pieces.






Happy President's Day!