My Mott-ley Crew

Life's Journey of Faith, Family, and Fun with Tammy Mott !

50′s Mother’s Day Breakfast June 15, 2012

Filed under: Event Planning Tips,Food,Recipe,Tablescapes — tmott @ 5:33 pm
Tags: , , ,

 

 

 

It’s time to go back in time and have a 50′s themed Mother’s Day Breakfast……..Not the poodle skirt and leather jacket kind of 50′s-that’s too easy…….It’s time to bring out June Cleaver and Lucille McGillicuddy Ricardo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tables are set, real linens and all……the food is reminiscent of yesteryear, served family style.  Family actually sit around the table and look each other in the eye!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was time to teach the young folk how to use a real napkin, how to hoola hoop in real life-not on an app somewhere in virtual land, and how to say “pass the fruit compote, please”……They were reminded that there was even a time when milk was delivered to the back door!

 

 

 

Enjoy this recipe from days gone by:

Honey Bun Cake

1 Pkg yellow cake mix w/pudding (Pillsbury)

4 eggs

2/3 c oil

1/3 c water

1 8oz carton sour cream

1/2 c brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2/3 c chopped pecans

 

Combine 1st 5 ingredients. Set aside. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans. Set aside 

Half batter in 13×9 greased and floured pan. Sprinkle half sugar mix. Repeat. Swirl batter with knife. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Drizzle with 1c powdered sugar combined with 1 T plus 1 tsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla  

 

DIY Lotion Bars and Dishwashing Biscuits! March 20, 2012

Filed under: Recipe,The Home — tmott @ 8:26 am
Tags: , , , , ,

 

 

It’s a country in the city life, and making lotion bars has been a recent interest…..and laundry detergent, too!  I love the smell of Diva by Tyler Candles, but don’t want to pay the 84.00 for a gallon of detergent…(can you blame me?)  So, I hatched up this Lucille Ball of an idea to make my own!  It’s still in the works, but the lotion bars are wonderful! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again, I got on Pinterest and looked through the barrage of DIY materials and what an education I was about to get…..I did find a great place to order bottles and fun packaging from: Specialty Bottle Company.

 

I found a local distributor for bath and body gel and hand lotion bases……I’ve been experimenting with fragrances and it’s not as easy as it smells!!!

 

 

 

 

I did make my own dishwashing biscuits and they are fabulous for a fraction of the cost…..

1 Cup Borax

1 Cup Washing Soda

1 Cup Lemishine (on the dishwashing product aisle)

1/2 Cup Kosher Salt

 

Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl and spritz a few times (I mean a few-maybe 3) and mix with your fingers.  It will make a hissing sound if you listen closely….wait a sec, let the hissing stop and spritz again.  Repeat until the powder is the consistency of wet sand.  (Maybe 15-21 spritzes total!!)  Using a measuring spoon, make 1 Tablespoon scoops and place on cut up coffee filters to harden.  I stack in a used plastic tub and then peel off the paper filter when I”m getting ready to use.  These little biscuits will do a load of dishes fabulously!

The one mistake I did make the first time was to think that I needed to spritz all at one time…I over-spritzed and had a gooey, volcanic mess on my hands!  I mean a VOLCANO of hissing mounds of soap…..

 

Whoopie! A new toy for the kitchen! March 18, 2012

Filed under: Recipe,The Home — tmott @ 5:42 am
Tags: , , , , ,

 

Whoopie Pies, that is….Red Velvet and traditional Devil’s Food Cake.

 

 

 

 

This handy, dandy gadget was found on Pinterest!  It can be ordered from www.freshfinds.com for 14.95!  I also ordered the whoopie pie pans from there as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A beautiful dessert tray !

 

A Colorful February Luncheon March 17, 2012

Filed under: Event Planning Tips,Recipe,Tablescapes — tmott @ 3:56 pm
Tags: , , , , , ,

All February luncheons don’t have to be red.  Since this month’s luncheon is for men and women, it seemed appropriate to go with some fun color.  There hasn’t been much of a winter, so spring seems  closer than ever!

 

With a giant vintage birdcage as the centerpiece of the buffet, butterflies and tulips were a natural fit.  (A caterpillar here and there added a little fun!)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The red thermos as a take-away was a homage to the Valentine-esque timing of the event.

 

 

 

 

 

But, the best part was the meal……and who doesn’t like dessert?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Red Velvet White Chocolate Fudge with Pecan Sandy Crust is the latest addition:

 

 

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

3 Cups White Chocolate Chips

3 Tablespoons Red Velvet Cake Mix

12 Pecan Sandy Cookies (Keebler)

3 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

 

Over low heat on the stove mix together the condensed milk and white chocolate chips.  About 1/2 way through melting, begin adding the cake mix – 1 T at a time.  Mix in completely.  Crush the pecan sandy cookies and mix with the melted butter.  Press into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 4-5 minutes for a crunchy crust.  Pour the fudge on top of the crust.  Let cool at room temp for a few hours , then cut into squares for serving.

 

Fall, Fall December 15, 2011

Filed under: Event Planning Tips,Recipe,The Garden — tmott @ 12:38 pm

 

 

 

 

We acted like it was fall here in Texas at Thanksgiving, even if it really wasn’t.  Leaves hadn’t changed colors (here they go from green to brown!) and the garden was so empty, the scarecrow didn’t have a thing to do but pose for pictures!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Burlap was the fabric of choice and a fun addition it made to all the decor and tables!  I can forsee the use of the burlap ribbon in upcoming projects!

 

 

 

 

 

A new twist to a family favorite!  Mason jars serve as the container for individual pecan pie……A delicious dessert and just enough for the sweet tooth, thanks to the creative matriarch-Grandma!

 

Start with an Herb Garden! September 19, 2011

Filed under: Recipe,The Garden — tmott @ 9:05 am
Tags: , , , ,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                So, you are thinking that a full scale garden is an overwhelming task?  Start with a herb garden! 

 

It is wonderfully refreshing to head outdoors with a pair of snips and trim a few things for seasoning in the kitchen!  It’s that Urban Pioneer feeling at it’s best!

 

Start off with a container, maybe a flowerbed spot by the front or back door, or even a windowbox that gets sunshine!

 

 

Add mint to a fresh fruit salad for a pick me up, add dill to potatoes (either hot or cold), basil is yummy when added to fresh tomatoes and mozzarella slices,and oregano is a staple in most Italian dishes!  Bon Appetit!

 

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe

  • Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor.  Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

This makes a wonderful Pasta Pesto Salad, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

Yield: Makes 1 cup.

 

 

 

It’s Mid-Season Garden Time! August 25, 2011

Filed under: Recipe,The Garden — tmott @ 11:03 am

 

 

With 100 degree temps outside, it’s hard to believe planting time is here.  Fall gardens go in soon, but it’s been heard (through the tomato vines!) that it is possible to have a mid season harvest.  Here in the south, the winter temps don’t really arrive until the holidays, so we are trying it out!  New bean poles have been put up, crops have been rotated, and new tomato plants have been put in.  Cucumbers,  squash and zucchini have been re-planted and are actually making an appearance through the hot soil……

 

 

 

 


 

 

Okra is just now getting to the point where it should be blooming, but it’s not!  New bell peppers have been planted, so hopes are high!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a summer recipe for Pimento Cheese that can be used as a spread for crackers, or a sandwich:

 

8 oz sharp cheddar finely grated

8oz sharp cheddar coarsely grated

1/4 tsp red pepper

1 tsp finely grated onion

1 tsp lea and perrin

4 oz diced pimento

1 1/2 Cup Mayo (add in to your desired consistency, you may prefer a little less mayo)

 

Urban Pioneering at it’s Easiest! Make your own butter….. August 10, 2011

Filed under: Recipe — tmott @ 12:38 pm
Tags: , , , , ,

On a recent trip out to the country, it was decided that if the women pioneers could make their own butter, so could we.  Armed with an electric mixer with a splash guard :-) , store bought heavy whipping cream :-) , salt, and cheesecloth for straining, we set out.  Here is what we did: 

Fit food processor with whisk. Fill food processor about 1/4 – 1/2 full. (large container of cream.) Turn on high. The cream will go through the following stages: Sloshy, frothy, soft whipped cream, firm whipped cream, coarse whipped cream. Then, suddenly, the cream will seize, its smooth shape will collapse, and the whirring will change to sloshing. The butter is now fine grained bits of butter in buttermilk, and a few seconds later, a glob of yellowish butter will separate from milky buttermilk. Drain the buttermilk.  (Save for making biscuits later!)  Add salt to your liking, shape or mold to your liking, and refridgerate.

Expect that the amount of cream you use will yield half in butter.

The cut glass butter bell is an antique passed from one pioneer woman in the family to the next!

 

 

 

Cowboy Chuck Wagon Dinner Recipe August 9, 2011

Filed under: Recipe — tmott @ 6:42 pm
Tags: , , , , ,

 

Here is a great recipe for an easy dinner that’s light on cleanup and great on taste.  It’s an all in one dinner that’s not a casserole…..For your campfire dinner you’ll need:

4 large rectangles  of thick foil

4 hamburger patties – leanness of your choice

2 cans of whole potatoes

1 onion

1 can corn (or carrots, if preferred)

2 cans green beans

ketchup,  lea and perrin, season all, garlic powder….the regular fixin’ stuff

 

Place a hamburger patty in the center of each rectangle of foil.  Season, top with ketchup and a slice of onion.  Divide veggies equally amongst the patties and sprinkle lea and perrin generously.  Make a campfire pouch by bringing opposite sides together and folding.  Start with long sides of foil, then shorter sides fold up.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour and you will be ready to ring the dinner bell!

 

 

(more…)

 

It’s Time to Get Ready for Your Fall Garden! August 5, 2011

Filed under: Recipe,The Garden — tmott @ 4:23 pm
Tags: , , , , , ,

As hot as it is outside, it’s hard to believe that the fall gardening cycle is about to begin……but it’s time.  So much was learned this spring, now it’s time to take in the fall planting schedule…….Beds are being expanded and more soil is being added as we speak.  The seeds arrived this week, and the process of cataloging is taking place so that good records will help in the planning for next year.

There were a few end of season surprises:

 

 

 

 

One single cantaloupe arrived from the two vines that were planted, so cantaloupe might not find it’s way into the spring of 2012 garden…..

 

 

 

Only one vine of eight in the watermelon category survived, but has yielded two  beautiful dark green watermelons. Yes, it is tied up with an old pair of hose!  That takes support to a whole new level as it helps the watermelon vine that went a little crazy! 

 

The eggplant were prolific as well, and so tasty.  Here is a wonderful recipe to try:

Eggplant Caponata Relish-serve on toasted bread as an appetizer or with pasta as a main dish!

 

 

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/caponata_eggplant_relish/