Friday, February 25, 2011

An Ode to Comfort . . . Southern Coconut Cake

A true southern coconut cake is not something that has 4 layers and fillings.  It is a sweet concoction found in the back of an icebox, just waiting to be cut.  Usually, it is in a spare casserole dish that is not at the home of a sick friend.  It's covered easily with Saran Wrap, maybe with one corner up from sneaky hands slipping in to even up a corner.  There is Eagle Brand Milk oozing out of these corners, and Cool Whip lazing on the top.  It is sex on a plate.  This is a recipe for such a cake.

1) 1 Box Coconut Cake Mix
2) 4 eggs
3) 1 cup milk
4) 1 cup oil
5) 1 can Eagle Brand Milk
6) 1 cup cream of coconut
7) 1 carton of Cool Whip
8) Toasted Coconut for Sprinkling

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix Ingredients 1-4.  Dump into a greased casserole dish, bake for 35 minutes.  Mix ingredients 5 and 6 while the cake is baking.  When cake is done, poke holes in the hot cake and pour the milks on.  Let it cool.  Cover with Cool Whip, chill in the fridge overnight.  Sprinkle on coconut before serving.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Dan's new tub

He's so cute I can't stand it!

My Hub's Black Bean and Corn Salad

This is one of my favorite salads in the world, and it only has 3 ingredients.

1 cup corn
1 cup black beans
Italian dressing to mix

Mix.  Chill.  Eat.  Good!

I like mine with a little extra salt and a squirt of lime juice . . .

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sunday, February 13, 2011

I love this woman's products.


I bought her foodmill, food smasher, and steamer at Babies R Us a few months ago when I still had these vivid dream of making my own baby food. 

Yeah.  That happened.

But, I do taste everything that goes into Dan's mouth.  If I don't like it, or it makes me gag, it's in the trash.  I made 2 roasts for lunch today, roast beef and chicken, and I decided to break out these products so that he could eat what we did.  Easy Peesey Lemon Squeezey to get everything smashed up.  Nice consistency, and no big scary chunks hiding out in the mix.  And everything is easy to clean and dishwasher safe anyways, yea for busy mom (me).

I've found that Dan is not big on things with a strong flavor, so we did have to mix the chicken and veg with rice cereal.  He loved it, and I like that he's eating what he do, with no preservatives or weird stuff in there.  I may keep at this.  I'm not making my own purees, and I doubt I'll go all Jessica Seinfield in the house, but I can do this.

Ha! I'm not dumb.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

I officially suck . . .

At blogging.  Have been trying for the better part of an hour to post a collage I made of Dan Dan pictures, and I can't figure it out!  Is it that hard to do or do I just have a mental block against it?  Or well.  It's on my home computer and it looks very nice.

Look ma, my first bruise!


This happened Thursday.  It now looks like he has a dirty brown spot on his forehead.  Please don't ever break anything.  Mommy and Daddy both have excellent track records here, so please follow our example. 

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Chicken and Waffles

So, as I am in the need for a little comfort food as it is cold, and I am depressed (as per usual for this time of year) it is time for chicken and waffles, which I am making tomorrow for lunch.  It will be a first for the hubs. 

Chicken and Waffles

1. 1 recipe of your favorite waffle batter, enough for 2 (make sure there is a bit of sugar in the batter as it will help give the waffle a nice golden crust, but don't go overboard)
2. 2 chicken breasts, tenderized but not pulverized with a meat tenderizer
3. 1 cup AP flour, seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, on a plate
4. 3 eggs, beaten with 1 tsp water, on a plate
5. Oil for frying

1. Have the waffle batter ready and on stand by.  Make sure your waffle iron is hot.
2. Pour oil in a deep frying pan, you want the oil about 1-2 inches deep.  Heat to about 375 F.
3. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off excess.
4. Dip in egg mix.
5. Dredge again in flour.
6. Start frying in the chicken, until golden brown.  If the breasts are huge, they make need to finish in a 375 F oven for 10 minutes.  The goal is a moist piece of chicken with a nice crust.  A big thick hunk will dry out before it cooks through.
7. While chicken is frying, cook the waffles according to the directions on your waffle iron.
8. To serve, waffle on bottom, then syrup, chicken on top.  I like a little hot sauce on the chicken, but I'm a bit of a freak.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Why?

After losing my father, who was so young at 60, to a heart attack last year I thought that there was no death that could shock me more.  No death ever will shock me more, I guess, but finding out that Luke died last year from brain cancer has shaken me. 


29 years old.  One of the most talented people I think I will ever meet. 

I think the last time I saw him was at Old Man's Kirks, when he was playing in Saturnine or 613 Mob in high school.  Or maybe in passing at Vino's in college.  My memories are fleeting.  I regret that.  I regret that my head has been so far up my ass the past 3 years that I didn't even know that he was sick.

I haven't been living my days as I should.  This has shown me again that life and time are fleeting, and that true friends, and my family, are the 2 most important things in this physical world.  Every day is precious.  Every single day.