Happy May!

May indeed brings welcoming sights for me in Savannah. Finally, my lawn is lush green after enduring months of brown centipede grass. And being surrounded by pale new growth on plants makes me do a jig, just because.  The weather is perfect right now, and there are so many great gatherings happening, like outdoor picnics, and this fun Jack and Jill party hosted by Miss Sophie's place.  

I love how she used these simple but fun props to make the occasion special.  The power of Pinterest!  

And here are some great recipes to get you jump-started to host your next gathering! 

Print These Recipes! 

All recipes by Miss Sophie

Used with permission

Sour Cream Pound Cake

1 ½  cups cake flour

1 ½  cups white sugar

½     cup butter

1      teaspoon vanilla extract

½     teaspoon lemon extract

½     cup sour cream

3      eggs

1/8   teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8x4 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in vanilla extract, lemon extract and baking soda. Add sour cream and flour and mix well. Pour into an 8x4 inch loaf pan. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cake cool on a cooling rack before slicing. Serve with sliced strawberries, blueberries or raspberries and whipped cream

Vinegar Cole Slaw

¾ cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon celery seed

1 medium head of cabbage, chopped

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

Combine cabbage, onion and bell pepper in a medium size bowl. In a saucepan, mix oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard, and celery seed and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour hot mixture over cabbage mixture and toss. Cover bowl and refrigerate a minimum of 24 hours and up to 6 days.

Peach Sangria

Break all the rules and serve this sangria in a Mason jar.  Better double it though, your guests will be asking for more!

1 Bottle of Pinot Grigio or your favorite white wine

½ cup Peach Schnapps

½  cup sugar

½ cup water

1 cup of basil leaves

3 sliced peaches

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 orange, sliced                                                                        

1/2 liter of ginger ale

Preparation:

Combine sugar, water and basil in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat just until sugar is melted, crushing basil with the back of the spoon against the side of the pot. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Pour wine and Schnapps in a pitcher, add sliced peaches, orange and strawberries. Stir in sugar water and basil. Chill mixture for at least one hour. Add ginger ale just before serving.

A Prom and Pineapple Dream Whip Recipe

 Spring is finally here in Savannah!  The azaleas have burst into full bloom, and the city roads are lined with their magnificent colors of pink, tangerine, and salmon, occasionally spotted by the bright whites of Chinese Fringe and Dogwood blossoms.  Beautiful spring time in Savannah also means high school junior and senior proms.  

And it was so fun to see my girl attend a senior prom.  Since she is homeschooled, I didn't think she would get to experience one, but I am so glad she did, thanks to good friends who attend a local private school.  

As I was taking these photos, my heart stirred with mixed emotions seeing my once little baby girl all grown up so beautiful and pinning a boutonniere on her prom date.  17 years have flown by and here she is.... 

Ok, let me stop right there.

There is something wonderful and hopeful about watching a group of beautiful young people filled with excitement and happiness. Though they may bear the burdens of the world later, for right now, it's good to see their lives protected by their loving families and surrounded by good friends.  Yes, this is good indeed.  

Here is a simple and refreshing dessert just perfect to round off your next elegant spring meal.  

You can also find this and other great recipes in Miss Sophie's weekly food column in the Savannah Morning News.  

Print This Recipe! 

Pineapple Dream Whip 

Recipe by Miss Sophie

Used with permission

16 ounces of cream cheese, softened
8 tablespoons pineapple juice
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to soft peak
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
4-6 slices of cored pineapple, fresh preferred (canned ones can be substituted)
Rum

Place pineapple slices in a medium bowl. Pour enough rum into bowl to cover the pineapple. Set aside and soak for 2-3 hours.

In a medium bowl beat cream cheese, sugar and pineapple juice until smooth and fluffy. Fold in whipped cream and vanilla extract.  Stir in coconut. Refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain pineapple slices and place on a baking sheet. Bake pineapple for 12 minutes or until edges of pineapple begin to brown slightly. Remove and allow to cool completely. To assemble: Place a piece of baked pineapple on a plate or in a bowl. Top with a generous scoop of cream cheese mixture. Garnish with toasted coconut and pineapple tidbits.

Sweet Letha and Strawberry Freezer Jam Recipe

The strawberry season is quite a bit longer this year than usual here in Savannah.  Due to warm weather, we have been getting sweet, ripe strawberries since early February.  And living only a half mile away from my neighbor's berry farm, it's great to be able to dash over to pick fresh berries whenever I need some.  

On this cool mid-morning,  I shouldered my camera and drove to the farm.   I was happy to see my poco Letha, and her mother uncovering the white floating row covers.  Letha is a daughter of migrant workers at the farm.   Her big dancing brown eyes greeted me, along with her cheerful "Hola, Miss Kay!"   When she saw me taking photos of the berries, curiosity got the best of her, and instead of helping her mama, she tagged along with me.  

I handed her a few pint-size baskets and asked if she could help me pick some not-so-big, red, shiny, pretty, stemmed berries.  Despite my numerous adjectives, she flashed me a smile and hopped over the beds like a graceful fawn and went to work.  

In no time, she had the baskets filled.  Her nimble, expert fingers did exactly what I asked for. She was tickled to be my helper/light bouncer/hand model and I was so happy to have her with me.  Her cheerfulness and sweet countenance made my day even brighter.  Gracias, Letha!  

These photos will be featured this coming Wednesday in Miss Sophie's column.  

Freezer Strawberry Jam

4 cups crushed fresh strawberries
3 cups sugar
1 (1.75 oz) pkg low sugar sure gel
3/4 c water


Rinse clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly.

Crush strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 4 cups crushed strawberries into a large bowl.

Mix sugar and pectin in large saucepan. Stir in water. Bring to boil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add strawberries; stir 1 minute or until well blended. FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

Avocado Love

  

Last summer, my husband turned his routine annual medical trip to New York into a fun mini-vacation with our teen daughter. And ever since their trip,  this New York City-loving duo have been harping about the fresh guacamole they had at a Mexican restaurant.  

My engineer husband, who has been married to this ex-caterer/church cook for two decades, rarely talks about food.  Oh, he loves to eat good food, but he rarely has a full conversation about it.

So when he mentioned several times that he wanted to make guacamole like they did in that New York restaurant, (translation = Kay, please make it the way they did in that New York restaurant,) I listened.  

      

And to my delight, I spotted this handsome stone mortar and pestle at my favorite local Korean food store.  It was so heavy that the lady had to triple bag it. Now it's the most used piece of equipment on my kitchen counter.  

 And our avocado repertoire has expanded from simple guac to Edamame-Guacamole and Avocado fries.  Pretty fun and fancy, right? 

I know, it seems wrong to FRY a perfectly good avocado, but it really works, and they are just delicious: crunchy Panko exterior with the goodness of a soft, nutty inside texture.   

My kids begged for more.  

These avocado photos were also featured in
 Miss Sophie's column on Savannah Morning News today.

Print This Recipe! 

Panko Avocado Fries with Hoisin Dipping Sauce

2 firm but ripe avocados

1/2 cup of all purpose flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup+ panko bread crumbs

3/4 teaspoon sea salt divided (in flour, egg wash, panko bread crumbs)

4 cup of canola or vegetable oil for frying 

In a small deep fryer or in a cast-iron pan, heat oil to 350 degrees F. 

In three separate shallow bowls or pans, put flour, beaten eggs, and panko bread crumbs in that order.  Add 1/4 teaspoon sea salt in each.  

Halve the avocado, peel, and slice avocado into 10-12 wedges total per each avocado.   

Dredge wedges in flour, egg wash, and then finally gently roll them in panko.  

Deep fry in batches until golden brown.  Drain on a wire rack or on paper towels.  Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.  

Hoisin Dipping Sauce 

1/4 cup soy sauce 

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 

1 clove garlic, minced 

1 teaspoon green onions, chopped 

1 tablespoon water 

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 

1/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 

1/2 teaspoon white sugar 

Combine all the ingredients and whisk until well blended.  Add more hoisin sauce if you want to thicken the sauce. Cover and refrigerate until needed.  

Gently warm in a sauce pan before serving. 

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Edamame-Guacamole 

Makes about a cup

1  avocado firm, but ripe, peeled, seeded and diced in chunks

1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed

1 small clove garlic, finely grated

2 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon jalapeño, chopped

2 tablespoons grated onion

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 lime, juiced

If you own a stone mortar and pestle, this is a great recipe to put it to use.  If not, use a food processor with a blade attachment.  First put into processor (or mortar) edamame, garlic, salt, cilantro, jalapeño, and pepper, and process until finely chopped.  Add lime juice and whirl a few more times to incorporate.  Add diced avocado and pulse 4-5 times until well blended.  

Serve this healthy guacamole in a pretty bowl with warmed tortilla chips.  You will need to double the recipe. It's never enough.  

Airsoft War and Simple Bar Cookie Recipe

"I looked toward Birnam, and anon methought

The wood began to move."
Macbeth Act 5, Scene 5

My little homestead is located in the midst of tall Georgia pines, a perfect rustic place for a large group of boys to gather and have an airsoft war.  

The weather couldn't have been better last Saturday: cool mid-60's with zero humidity.  It was exactly right for these southern boys in their full camo gear.   The whole day was spent running through the woods in teams or shooting at targets of chip bags, drink cups, and empty pizza boxes during their breaks.  

A few hours after their pizza lunch was devoured, I made these simple bar cookies.  Once the word circulated that the cookies were out of the oven, the forest began to move, and camouflaged soldiers abandoned their posts and forts for these warm chocolatey cookie bars.  

I couldn't be happier seeing my son and his friends romp in the woods, drinking in the fresh air.  Sure beats playing video games indoors, right?  And hearing them saying thank you's in between bites of these cookies really warmed my heart.  It was a great day.  

This recipe times two fed 20 hungry boys.  

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Simple Bar Cookies

Makes one jelly-roll pan 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" x 1"

or Half Sheet Pan

1 C (8 oz) Unsalted Butter, softened
1 C (7 oz) Granulated Sugar
1 C (7oz) Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla

2 C (7.5 oz) Oatmeal, ground in food processor
1 ¾ C (8.5 oz) Flour, all-purpose, unbleached
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt

2 C total of your favorite baking chips (I used white chocolate, peanut butter chips, milk chocolate, and Heath bar chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Combine together in a small bowl the ground oatmeal, flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together with a hand mixer the softened butter and both granulated and brown sugars until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla until well blended.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in dry ingredients until just combined.  It's ok if small patches of flour remain.  Do not overbeat.

Spray or grease the jelly roll pan with vegetable oil.  Spread evenly the cookie dough.  You can use a sheet of plastic food wrap over the dough to spread the dough.  Peel off the plastic wrap.  Sprinkle generously with baking chips of your choice.  Press down.

Bake until golden brown, about 22-24 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes and cut to desired size.

Simple Fried Rice

Happy Wednesday!
These fried rice photos were featured in Miss Sophie's food column in the Savannah Morning News today.  My children absolutely love fried rice (minus the peas and carrots) for breakfast, so whenever I start frying up the bacon, they all do a happy little jig anticipating their favorite dish.  

And of course, my church family, too, loves this dish.
  Click here for a previous shrimp fried rice post and step-by-step photos.    

If you have some left over steamed rice, try this super-simple recipe to make another meal.  

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Simple Fried Rice

Serves 8

2 eggs, soft scrambled (Click here for the best scrambled eggs)

4 Tablespoons of vegetable oil or bacon fat

5 cups cooked rice, chilled, clumps broken

3 Tablespoons soy sauce mixed with 3 Tablespoons of chicken broth

4 pieces of cooked bacon, finely chopped, more if cooking for breakfast fried rice

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup carrots, diced small

1/2 cup green onions, finely diced

1/2 pound of cooked small shrimp

Optional Veggies: 1/2 cups of each cooked bok choy, Nappa cabbage, sliced mushrooms

Optional Meats: Diced ham, chicken, or pork

Cook eggs and set aside.

Heat wok or large non-stick frying pan to smoking point. Add 2 tablespoons of oil or bacon fat if using, roll it around cooking surface to coat. Add rice and stir-fry until rice is hot throughout and free from clumps. Add soy sauce and broth mixture, combining it well. Add bacon and remove rice from wok or pan and set aside in a large bowl.

Add remaining oil/bacon fat to wok/pan. When oil is hot, add carrots first, then frozen peas, then shrimp until ingredients are hot. Add rice back into wok/pan and mix well. Fold in scrambled eggs and diced green onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

March for Life Dinner Boxes

About 50 of my church family members take a trip to Washington DC each January.  No, it's not a pleasure trip, though everyone has a great time on the bus.  They go to join and to participate in the March For Life with other 400,000+ marchers .  

This year marked the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.  

As my staff and I were packing 50 dinner boxes for the marchers to eat on their way to DC, words from an article I had read written by John Piper kept popping in my head, and I questioned: 

Does being in the womb disqualify person-hood?

Does undeveloped reasoning disqualify person-hood?

Why is it that some fetuses undergo surgeries to be saved and others do not?

How is it that our law protects bald eagle eggs but not human embryos?

It's a strange world, really.  

 Chocolate Peanut Butter Mound Bars tucked in dinner boxes were a huge hit among the marchers on this trip.
Click here for recipe!

It's my honor and privilege to make dinner boxes for the IPC Marchers each year.

Here is the standard March For Life Dinner Box Menu:

Fried Chicken Sandwich with Basil Aioli

Garden Salad with Savannah Mustard Dressing

Fresh Fruit Salad

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mound Bar

Kosher Dill Pickle Spear

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies for Snack

My Young Hunter & Venison Recipes

Hey everyone!  Did you all have a good holiday break?  It's been a fabulous break for me from church cooking, homeschooling, and everyday routine work.  My family and I did lots of movie watching, de-cluttering, and cleaning the house.  Now that I'm feeling rested and somewhat organized, I am super excited about  blogging again. 

Let me introduce you to my young friend, Breck.  

  Breck comes from a long generation of godly Christians.  His great-granddaddy was the pastor of my church many years ago, and I have known Breck, now a senior at Savannah Christian Prep School, since he was a toothless kindergartener.  An avid hunter since he was six years old, he is my go-to person for the freshest and best tasting venison.  

Thanks to Breck, my freezer is stocked with ground venison and tenderloin until the next deer season, and I'm happy to share a few of my favorite venison recipes with you.  

Venison sliders are my family's favorite meal.  We assemble our own miniature sliders with our favorite toppings.  And I recently tried the bacon wrapped venison tenderloin, (photo at top) simply the best and most flavorful way to eat this lean protein.  

These photos were featured on Miss Sophie's food article on Savannah Morning News.
Click here to read more about Breck, and about how deer is handled after a hunt for the best taste.  

Print These Recipes!

Bacon Wrapped Venison Tenderloin

Adapted by Food.com

*Also works for elk, or moose loin

1 to 1 1/2 lbs venison tenderloin
1/2 lb bacon ( Plain, thin-sliced bacon is best)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cups soy sauce, regular
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
3 cloves of grated garlic
White sugar for sprinkling

 1. In a gallon size ziplock baggie, put brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire, grated garlic, and mix well.  Add tenderloin and seal it well, pressing out any air in the bag. Refrigerate and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight.

 2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Take the loin out of the marinade, reserving the marinade. Lightly pat dry with a paper towel, so the marinade doesn't drip so much. Fold the thin edge of the tenderloin under, shaping it into a 6-inch log.

 3. Drape thin bacon slices across the loin. Flip the loin over carefully and secure the bacon onto the tenderloin with 3-4 toothpicks. Turn the bacon wrapped loin over, ensuring toothpicks are under the meat. Put loin on a jelly roll pan lined with foil (for easy clean up later). Sprinkle the top of bacon with white sugar.

 4. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Brush bacon top with remaining marinade. Reduce temperature down to 350 degrees F and bake additional 8-10 minutes for medium/medium rare or internal temperature of 135-145 degrees F. Let meat rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

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Venison Sliders

Makes 20-24 sliders 

 Panade Mixture:
1 slice of white bread, torn to pieces
1/4 cup buttermilk, half and half, or heavy cream
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 TB grated onion
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 pound ground venison
Olive oil for frying
2 Dozen Silver dollar rolls purchased or homemade (I used Margaret's Challah recipe, halve the recipe and the sugar)

Garnishes:
Lettuce
Tomato Slices
Sliced cheese squares to fit the burgers
Caramelized onion
Bacon
Sautéed Mushroom slices or any toppings of your choice

1. In a large bowl, make panade by combining pieces of white bread and dairy together, making into a paste. Add garlic, onion, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, pepper and salt. Using your hand, combine ground venison and panade mixture well.

 2. Form mini-patties about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Heat largest frying pan to medium-high until smoking point. Put a tablespoon of olive oil, swirl the oil to coat, and put venison slider patties to sear, forming a dark crust on both sides. Put seared sliders on a sheet pan. Finish searing the remaining sliders. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate the patties to cook later or freeze.

 3. If serving right away, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 7-8 minutes until cooked through.

 4. Assemble sliders on buns and serve with your favorite garnish.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas my dear friends!  December just flew by me with extra cooking for special events at church, my children's music concerts to attend, gatherings with friends, and the next thing I realized is that I haven't kept you updated since the first of the month!  Have you had as busy a month as I have?

Despite the commercialism of the Christmas season, December is truly my favorite part of the year.  IPC has the most beautiful Christmas program called Lessons and Carols where our 100 member choir sings beautiful hymns and carols, and the story of Jesus' birth is told.  Click here to hear our wonderful IPC Choir. 

And it was a special treat to attend my son's high school Christmas program.  

This is quite an impressive performance by a group of high school students.  And oh! My son is the handsome, black haired cellist in the second chair.  

This year marks my 5th year as the Church Cook at IPC.  My staff and I have cooked enough food to feed close to 20,000 people this year.  And our goal has been to keep our food healthy, good, and consistent.  And thanks to my super amazing staff, we have done that this year.  I feel so privileged to exercise this God-given gift of cooking for His people at church.  

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Thank you so much for reading this humble blog.   

With Love, 

Kay, The Church Cook

Holiday Wassail, Jane Austen Style

Last month, my family and I had an amazing experience joining the Regency Assembly of North Carolina, dancing at the Savannah Ships of the Sea Museum, the historic home site of William and Julia Scarbrough. 

For several months leading up to that night, we practiced our list of regency dances, and fretted over what clothes needed to be made, bought, or borrowed.  But in the end, it was Ruth Verbunt, the organizer and founder of Regency Assembly of North Carolina, who pulled us all together and made us all look and feel beautiful!  

Here is my girl all decked out in her handmade Regency-period dress with beautiful calf-skin leather gloves,  a generous gift from Ruth.  

(Group photo by Marla Gold)

Our dancing group looks quite dashing, don't we?  Except that all night, while dancing, I kept poking everyone's eyes or tickling Frans' (the tallest gentleman's) nose with my crazy-tall plumes.  

After our segment of demonstration dancing, the public joined in and we all danced "Physical Snob", a super-fun dance with lots of skipping!  

Overall, it was a night to remember!  Regency dancing is so beautiful and fun, I hope you will give it a try when you have the opportunity!  My blogger friend, Jenna, also has blogged about her Regency dancing experience here.  

Now where were we?  Ah, the wassail.  Here is fragrant wassail recipe from the Jane Austen Centre website, Bath, England.   Happy December everyone!  

Holiday Wassail, Jane Austen Style

Recipe adapted from The Jane Austen Centre site

1 gallon apple cider
1 large can pineapple juice (unsweetened)
3/4 cup tea (can use your favorite herb tea)

 Place in a cheesecloth sack:
1 Tablespoon whole cloves
1 Tablespoon whole allspice
2 sticks cinnamon

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and simmer in low heat for 4-6 hours. Add water to dilute if it becomes too concentrated. Serve warm, garnished with orange slices and cinnamon sticks.

Serves 20