A Common Shepherdess

Country-fried steak Mashed potatoes Fried green tomatoes Sweet tea Sweet Potato Pie with Praline Sauce I found this recipe on a message board: 2 eggs 1 c sugar 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon 1 c whole milk 2 Tbsp butter 1 c cooked sweet potato pulp 1 unbaked pie shell Beat eggs slightly; add sugar, salt , spices and milk. Add butter to sweet potato pulp. Then add liquid mixture to sweet potato pulp. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake in hot oven (450F) for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until filling is firm. Praline Sauce 2 c (7 oz.) pecans 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 c water 1 c cream 1/4 c bourbon Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, or until browned and fragrant. Let cool, then coarsely chop the pecans. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over moderate heat without stirring, until a deep amber caramel forms, about 20 minutes. Gradually stir in th...

Today was our first day of school! For our 6-year-old it was her first day of 1st Grade. We have never really made a big deal out of our first day since we tend to do school work year round, but our 6-year-old is big on celebrations so I thought we should do something . This year I did much more advance planning. This year everyone has their own color coordinated books of checklists and materials. We spent some time decorating the covers of our Zoology notebooks. Our 4-year-old has a bunch of bird coloring pages in her book. (Both girls insisted on wearing dresses for their first day!) Each child made a First Day of School page that included a cut-out of their hand (I forgot to buy fingerpaint at the store), a photo taken this morning, a list of their favorite things and what they want to be when they grow up. Our 4-year-old wants to be a bunny doctor. Not a doctor who takes care of bunnies, but a doctor who dresses like a bunny. Her current favorite accessory is her bunny ear...

Cuban sandwich Florida fruit salad Tostones (fried plantains) Orange juice Key lime pie This is more of a southern Florida menu. Cuban sandwiches and fried plantains are found throughout the Miami area. Miami, of course, has a large Cuban population. We can't get Cuban bread around here so I used a loaf of French bread. If you wanted to make your own Cuban bread, here is a recipe. It's a two-day process, so plan ahead! My husband is not a big sandwich eater but he really liked these sandwiches. I roasted a pork ribeye roast the day before after marinating it with some Italian dressing. After it cooled, I sliced it thinly and then it sat in its own juices in the fridge overnight. As a result, it added moisture to the bread. I pressed the slices of sandwich in my George Foreman grill until the bread was crispy. Then I wrapped them tightly in foil and put them in a warm oven (about 170*F) to heat thoroughly before serving. Florida is famous for her citrus crops. The or...