Really? Really...

Yes, really!  My goodness, I'm frustrated.  I've made my MeMaw's homemade mayo 1000 times, at least, and for some reason I've tried twice today to make it & both times it has turned back into oil.  Do you have any idea how frustrating this is for me?  I just want to bang my head against the wall.

I've been finishing up the Christmas decorating so everything can get to the right temperature. (this is crucial to the making)  The tree has the pre-requisite 5 million strands of lights, the tables are festive, the last few doodads are out, and I just need some homemade mayonnaise for my food.

I think I'm being impatient.  It's like I'm learning to make it all over again.  I think the day I learned I went through at least 8 eggs and 8 cups of oil in the process.  One wrong move and the whole thing will fall.  It's quite tedious.  We have leftover turkey, dressing, and sides from yesterday that are screaming for homemade mayo.  The fam is asking for it too, and I so want to give it to them.

I'm also reliving when I made a cake out of a box and it fell.  Yes, I know you're wondering how that happened, but you know I don't like to measure anything...so that's pratically how it happened.  I can't remember it all, I'm blocking it out, but I don't think I used my mixer either. I found out much later that a cake needs air to help it poof in the oven.  It would help if I had read all the instructions...duh.  Baking is frustrating.

Well, I'm going to check my bowls, because it's getting close to dinner time, and we're hungry.  I just realized I didn't eat lunch because I was waiting on homemade mayo.  Oh well, here goes nothing.

If it turns out this last time I'll post a picture at the bottom of this post.

Merry Christmas & y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Some of my Favorite things

Christmas decorations are up in the stores; Magic 96 has started playing Christmas music; and I have to admit...it makes me happy.  (all except for the new Christmas Tree tax the president wants to impose on all of us who love fresh Christmas trees; hey Mr. President, you're killing me.)

I love Christmas.  I love the lights, decorations, music, food, smells, and it's a time for Hopson & me to show our children the true meaning of Christmas.  In the past I have felt pressure, all that I put on myself, to have a perfect Christmas.  What I have learned is that my family just wants to be together; have a little food; and spend some time praising the Lord for when the Word became flesh.  Once I realized this fact, Christmas became easier for me.

Now don't get me wrong, there are certain foods that must be present...it just wouldn't be Christmas at our house without them.  

Something that I learned to make in college from my mom who learned to make it from my MeMaw is homemade mayonnaise.  Most people turn their noses up at it, but once you taste it, oh it's a little bit of sunshine on your plate.  It makes everything taste better.  I eat it plain.  It is so yummy.  It takes some practice to learn how to make it, and you can't make it when it is raining outside, because it will fall.  That's what my MeMaw & mom told me anyway.

Another thing we love to eat are homemade cheese straws.  My MeMaw made the best tasting, most beautiful cheese straws you have ever seen.  I've tried to make mine pretty, but because I'm a lazy cook and not as patient as she was, mine can be quite ugly.  They still taste yummy, but they're not pretty.  I'll also let the kiddos help make them & they don't make them pretty either, but we have fun making them!

I'm going to be posting other recipes that we have for Christmas.  I'm looking forward to the season, as a matter of fact, I think I'll start decorating this weekend.  Merry Christmas to me! 


Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

Dinner and a Movie Part 2

As you know from Dinner and a Movie that while I was growing up, when one of the big 3 classic movies was on TV we would eat spaghetti.  While my children have been growing up they have not really cared for my homemade spaghetti.  I've tried making homemade marinara, and since they didn't like it I just gave up & used the stuff out a jar.  I know it's sad and pathetic.

But guess what, I found an easy (YEA!!!) but very yummy basic marinara sauce.  We love to watch Cake Boss.  Buddy Valastro, who owns Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, NJ, is now doing a show called Kitchen Boss, and can I tell you I LOVE IT!  It's like all the cooking shows that are out right now, but he made a marinara sauce that is to die for & because the entire fam loved it, I want to share it with you.  One neat thing about this recipe is that once you get the garlic cooked, you can make the rest of it in the crock pot.  That's right, I said the crock pot!  I am thankful for my crock pot, it has been a wonderful friend to me over the years.  :) 

I know you're going to laugh when you see the marinara recipe, but try not to.  Just be thankful!  It makes enough for 2 full servings, so you can use one and freeze one.  After my sauce was cooked, I added ground venison with onions, garlic, and a ton of Italian seasonings & returned it to the crock pot for a few hours to really get the flavors simmered together.  They all inhaled it, even the picky one.  It was a very successful night!  Everyone went to be full and happy & I went to bed satisfied that I now have a marinara that they love & will eat! 

Y'all be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley

The Cooking has Commenced

I know so many of you are like me, scurrying around your kitchens making sure all your goodies are made for Christmas.  I'm so glad that I'm not the baker of my family.  My sister and mother-in-law are great at baking.  You have to have precision to bake, and I don't measure, almost never.  Amy is baking all the sweet goodies & I'm doing most of everything else. (Well I am making a caramel pie, but that is just simmering sweetened condensed milk for 4 hours, nothing too hard there.)

Yesterday I worked mostly on what we're going to be eating Christmas morning.  I like to have a lot of different foods that we can eat on all day.  (I'm a little selfish & don't like to cook on Christmas day.)

I'm including one recipe with this email and will include others later.  The one thing we have to have at both Thanksgiving and Christmas is homemade mayonnaise.  This is my grandmother's recipe.  I remember when I learned how to make it, I think I used at least 1/2 a dozen eggs getting it right.  The one key is that you make it when it is sunshiney outside.  Don't try to make it when it's cloudy, it will fall.  And don't use a knife to get it out of the bowl.  And don't let your brother-in-law use a spoon to stir it up before you serve it...I almost had a coronary.

I know you may be thinking it's gross, but I have to tell you if you like lemons, you're going to love homemade mayo.  My MeMaw used to make tomato sandwiches with homemade mayo with salt & pepper...heaven on earth.

Well, I need to go, I have some cheese straws that need to come out of the oven.  Again, my MeMaw's recipe.  I wish she was still alive so I could tell her how much I appreciate all the work she used to put into all the goodies she would bring us, it really was a labor of love, and I'm happy to pass it on to my children.

Sending you all many heartfelt blessings for Christmas!
Be blessed beyond measure,
~ashley