Well, here goes the Fun!
Thanks! Girlies...but of course,I channeled Bob Marley, Mon!
The Setting.....
While the Jamaican music played, a Texas breeze "KINDA" cooled us_we feasted on Jerk Chicken Sliders w/ Bacon, Sweet Potato Fries, Pineapple Cold Slaw, Garden Salad, Pasta Salad,Dips & Chips,etc+++ a taste Test between Cupcake Prosecco v Candoni Wines Prosecco & Green Truck Organic Petite Sirah(YES)_Btw,NO CAN do the libation of Jamaica Rum Thingie..... AND.....drumroll....Southern Peach Cobbler w/ Blue Bell Ice Cream!!!!! WOW!
There were two_ "Controversial Items", one was actually a condiment & the other "The Rasta Mama Jammers"...part of the place setting, CREATIVITY AT IT'S BEST_okay!
Seems, One_Professor Phardtpounders (pronounced as in the PHARD sounds like F- as in ?artpounders)_ decided at some point in his career to make a "Colon Cleaner Hot Sauce"...an Elixir of Capsaicin "EXTREMUS" which
is an excellent creation of a Caribbean mustard hot sauce. It delivers heat and
an unforgettable island flavor to your meals, to say nothing of the laughs and
chuckles it will bring when you put a bottle on your table. Imported from Barbados. Made with Scotch Bonnet peppers, etc......kinda real hot_BUT I liked it! Buy some here:
http://www.amazon.com/Professor-Phardtpounders-Colon-Cleaner-Sauce/dp/B003S2SVAI
And....the other one_
They were getting some Solar Power_so they are able to do this...
So, to say the least with those two elements, there was lively conversation!
Meantime, I was Crowned by My Friends_"ANOTHER YEAR OF FABU-LOUS"_Banner included...thanky Crafty Jilly P.!
(Click on pic for close-up of Murano Glass Earrings,Yes,I went there Mon!..they are a work of Art)
Just a few items of "De-Li-Cious-Ness"...Pasta Salad (in white bowl) made by a friend that does NOT cook...was good,very good JD!
The Crème-de-la Crème...
ErMG!!! No Place Else But Texas Do We Put A Candelabra On Peach Cobbler,Light It & Sing Happy Birthday! Who does that????
Lost it on this TREAT...thanks Shelly for the Peach Cobbler & KB for the Blue Bell!
Then_there were so many prizes from the Girls! WOW! THANKS!!!And, Jilly P's Mom (Susan)sent these_we are all dish/china,etc Lovers!
Such beautiful GLASSES,details_check out the "Mad Men" Style Martini Glasses....AND,
JD's better half never forgets to send a gift_A 4-Piece Pumpkin Tea set and this little number_
Simply beautiful......
What a Beautiful Day with Friends! Thanks to Jilly P. for organizing, my "gurlfriends" for participating_I'm still in a "Jammin Mood"!
What a great time had by all_yesterday! My brother and his wife drove out from the city(Dallas) to pay us a visit! He's my older brother(first born)_the one that protected his little sister when we were growing up from life's dangers,etc.Always protective of me_it seems the clock has turned a little bit!You see,I've been telling my brother for a couple years to "Step Away From The Sugar"! Recently,he had a health scare from his sweet tooth_so now he wants to listen to little sis!
My husband and my brother should have invested in stocks for:
"Blue Bell Creameries"
...which opened it's doors in 1907 in Brenham,Texas.But!_As popular as this ice cream brand is_there's no "Stock Symbol" for this company as they are STILL a privately held company owned by sons & grandsons of the founding father,E.F.Kruse.
Back in the day_these fellows delivered the goods on a horse & buggy! Although Blue Bell is only available in about 26% of the nation’s supermarkets, it ranks as one of the top three, best-selling ice creams in the country.BB products are sold in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wyoming.
My Favorite way to eat BB ice cream_& really the only time I eat ice cream is when these two are paired together.Otherwise,I'm not a big ice cream lover.
Blackberry Cobbler and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
So,I was determined to show my brother how to make a sweet ice cream-like treat without all the "stuff" that does a body NO good!
He'd purchased a new Food Processor upon my instructions_so he bought that along with him. BTW,Black & Decker Food Processor(his choice) are reallllllllly noisy.I love my Kitchen Aid Food Processor_less noise.
But,before we started the task of an ice cream-like treat_I wanted him to taste another treat! I've been making "Butternut Squash Pie" for a couple years.One year we had a bumper crop here on the farm of Butternut Squash...per usual my husband had planted enough to feed a city_and it's only two of us! My brother did not think this kind of pie sounded appealing_squash...WTH!
Butternut Squash
So,this was hands-on...had my brother peeling the squash_you really need a Veggie peeler for the job_he was about to toss the seeds away_NO,NO!,I exclaimed_I will rinse & loosen them from the insides_dry,toss with some spices(cayenne pepper & sea salt)& a dash of Olive oil and roast them in the oven_a NICE treat & healthy munchable!My brother was like _Really? Continuing,I diced in cubes,rinsed and covered the squash with water_cooked until tender,then let cool.
While the pie crust was "blind-baked"= crust,fork piercing +parchment paper on top+dry beans_allows the crust to bake evenly for 15/20 minutes_I combined 2 eggs+a dash of Nutmeg,Cinnamon & Allspice_+ Vanilla & Fiori Di Sicilla(www.kingarthurflour.com/) _+ a can of Eagle Brand Condensed Milk Fat Free in Blender_then added Butternut Squash_it will be like a custard_pour into pie crust_cook until middle is set.
Finished product_Butternut Squash Pie_delicious!!!!
My brother & his wife wanted to cook the pie in the old Cookstove_I said "You do realize that it's 92 degrees outside?_this stove heats up to 500 degrees_the regular stove will do the trick"_so they passed on that idea!It is Late Summer in Texas...only in the 90's!
Next Project was_ Banana Ice Cream & Cherry Sorbet_
Check Archives for the Blog on_"I Scream For Ice Cream & Bellydancing...Don't Ask"_April 30,2012 http://sagebookwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html
His eyes popped when he had a taste of the Banana Ice Cream_BUT_when I made my favorite one with Cherries_he had that "Wild Stare of Gone Crazy Look"that only "SugarHolics" like my brother & husband possess! What he DOES NOT realize_is that this really sweet treat is FRUIT_no sugar added! Who Knew....don't tell him it's healthy.
We had some really good laughs_and did I mentioned that in between the Cooking Class_
The Dallas Cowboys played,deep philosophical conversations were exchanged on various subjects:
Zen Doctrines,Biblical Stories,Middle Eastern Cultural Traditions,Wine Tasting Trip,Spices,etc
Then a Walkabout to visit the Farm's boys & girls_
And check out my Meyer Lemons_just about ready to pick_
Meyer Lemon growing at Aaron's Hilltop Farm
...and then we sit a spell on the front porch_
AND_they're off to the city_"Big D"_asking could they come stay on the Farm with us! My brother declared_"My Little Sis got skills in the kitchen"! What a Funday Sunday Cooking Class.....Life is Good!
~A Sister & Brother relationship is a little bit of Childhood that is never lost~
