What Is It About Beans and Cornbread??

Biscuit with Pinto Beans and Cornbread with Honey on Top
Pinto Beans

Cornbread Mix (the Secret's in what you put in it!)

Cornbread with Honey on Top ~ Yummy!
What is it about beans and cornbread that we love so much? It's one of our southern comfort food combinations, and is good for you, of course! Even Biscuit likes it! And these recipes are so easy, even Biscuit could make it herself! We like pinto beans because they seem to be easier to digest than kidney beans or even white beans. We usually like to make cornbread from scratch, but this mixture is great if you're in a hurry, and tastes just as good. Remember ~ we don't get paid for advertising this brand of cornbread mix, we just like it and know it produces consistent results every time, and think you will like it too!

Auntie Esther's Pinto Beans

1 1/2 cups pinto beans, washed and rinsed

6 cups of water

2 teaspoons of salt

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin, Light Tasting Olive Oil

(*Bertolli's is a good brand and easy to find in most stores.

We use this oil as it has a less "olivey" taste.)

1 sweet onion, quartered

DIRECTIONS: Put rinsed beans in pot with water, salt, olive oil and onion. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender with the Lid On. Stir every once in a while, to make sure beans aren't sticking. You will know when the beans are done, when they have a smooth texture in your mouth. If it feels grainy, they aren't done. You May have to add a little more water towards the end of the cooking, as some of it will evaporate out of the pot. It usually takes about 2-3 hours to cook them completely.

Our "Secret" Cornbread Mix

The "secret" is buttermilk and real butter- staples in a southern baker's refridgerator!

1 package Betty Crocker Cornbread and Muffin Mix

1 lightly beaten Egg

3 heaping teaspoons white granulated sugar

(you can leave sugar out if you don't want it on the sweet side)

1/3 cup Buttermilk-no substitutes

6 tablespoons of sweet cream, UNsalted Butter- no substitutes - melted

DIRECTIONS: In a mixing bowl, put in the package mix, sugar, egg, buttermilk, and 3 tablespoons of the melted butter. Mix together well. You may add another tablespoon or so of the buttermilk, if necessary. In a square metal pan - 8x8 inches - pour in the remaining melted butter, and rotate pan so butter covers the entire bottom of the pan. Pour in the cornbread mix, and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until slightly brown on the sides.

We like the cornbread with honey, of course! It's like dessert!

"All right, Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my closeup."

Peony #10 "Winter Fun"

The Perfect Gift

The Perfect Gift

If you’re alone this Christmas - Know that God is with you - Immanuel.

If you’re poor this Christmas - Know that the best things in life are free.

If you’re sad this Christmas - Know that you will be comforted.

If you’re happy this Christmas - Know that we are celebrating with you.

And if you just can’t seem to find that "perfect gift" -
Know that it was already given - Jesus!

Cooking and Coleslaw

Bebe: Okay. So I collect cookbooks. That doesn't make me a good cook. If you have any age on you at all, you know by now that good cooking is as much, if not more than, good technique.

Good Cooking, for me, is harder than making dolls or quilts! I can follow a recipe all day long, but for it to turn out tasting good, it takes that special touch that some people have. They seem to have some special skill that turns something plain into something great, like magic!

We share this coleslaw recipe with you,which we think rivals anything you find out in a restaurant. Even I can make this recipe with consistent results!

~

Aunt B.'s Coleslaw

1. Prepare salad, into a large container with lid:

1/2 head of cabbage (about a 8-9" diameter head): Shred by hand.

1 carrot: Peel, cut off ends and shred into cabbage.

Onion: Shred 1 Teaspoon onion into cabbage (any more and it will be bitter). We like to use the sweet onion - a Viadalia if you got one.

Pepper, salt, celery seed: sprinkle each of these over cabbage, stir around a bit, put lid on container and let sit 1-3 hours- doesn't have to be in the refridgerator.

~

2. Prepare the dressing: in a 2 cup liquid measure cup or small bowl:

1 cup Duke's mayonnaise or Hellman's Light mayonnaise

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

3 tablespoons white vinegar

Stir and stir this mixture, until sugar granules are no longer visible. If you want a more vinegar flavor, add one more tablespoon of vinegar.

~

3. Put dressing into cabbage mix and stir.

If cabbage mix is watery-- before putting in dressing!--squeeze out cabbage by hand to remove excess liquid, then add dressing.

Mix well. Put in a container with a lid and refridgerate. You can eat it right away if you like.

That's it!

~

We like Duke's mayonnaise because it has a great flavor. It is a full fat mayo, but we don't mind!

See more about the story of Duke's mayo at:

http://www.dukesmayo.com/

We are not getting paid to advertise Duke's. We just like this brand very much, and think you might like it too.

Young At Heart Christmas Movies

Our Favorite Christmas Movies

SCROOGE, 1970

From Bebe: I first saw Albert Finney in a movie with Audrey Hepburn: Two for the Road, 1967, and followed him ever since. His version of Scrooge, 1970, is a musical version. I grew up listening to musicals, and I love this one for Christmas, especially the touching love song: "You...You." And "Happiness". And, well just about every song--I love!

THE SNOWMAN, 1982

This is an animated film with no words, except for the very beginning. It is a magical and beautiful film. Very appropriate for youngsters!

EMMETT OTTER'S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS, 1977

This is a Muppet's film and it is my all time favorite! The "critter's" are not only cute, but the story is a very touching one--it'll grab your heart and make you feel good.

Other Christmas/Winter stories/films: Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates; Dr. Zhivago- with Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, and Geraldine Chaplin.

What movies remind you of winter and make you feel good this time of year??

Sneak Peak of Peony #10 and "Yes, Virginia- Oh! I Mean Peony! - It does snow in the south!"

Sneak Peak of Peony #10

A winter Peony is in the making!

And yes, it does snow in the south!

We awoke to a beautiful

Sprinkling of snowy frosting!

How lovely!

Happy December to you all!

The Color of Winter

The Color of Winter

We thought this photo deserved a post all by itself!

Beautiful!

I Love Cotton!

Cotton Fields, Cotton Bales, Cotton Bolls

~~

I love it all.

The plant is beautiful!

The flower (not pictured) before the boll gets larger,

is beautiful as well.

But the best part is

seeing the cotton emerge from the

prickly boll.

It's so soft and pure white!
And the fields look like they are

covered in snow!

If I were a plant,

I'd be cotton!

Veteran's Day 2009

Flag over Antietam National Battlefield,

Sharpsburg, Maryland

"My Red, White, and Blue"

79" Square

~~

"Ode to My Red, White, and Blue"

~~

What a terrible price was paid

as many were laid in their graves.

. . . and the way was paved with the

drumbeats, cries and blood of the

natives, pioneers, Union Blue and Confederate Gray,

which many tried to make fade away.

"Rember the Seven Sisters!"

Cornerstones from which foundations were made.

Anvils hammered out weapons of war,

tempered by the blood of mothers and men,

willing to die for what they believed in.

Later, sawtooth blades cut logs to rebuild,

and in time, the graveyards became flower filled.

Oh, My colors of Red, White, and Blue!

I raise my hand over my heart to you,

and remember the cost.

~~

Dedicated to all those who have been lost

for their country

in the quest for a good life and freedom.

~copyrighted, 2003~

It's Here! "i like pie" Small Quilt Pattern!

"i like pie"

19" square

Small Quilt Pattern

for Intermediate Quilters

Features hand or machine applique,

Hand or machine quilting, and

simple embroidery.

For a fabulous chocolate fudge pie,

go to Julia's Homestyle Bakery in

Murfreesboro, TN.

Happy Halloween! Welcome to the Castle of Nevermore

You Never Know What's Behind That Purple Curtain!

Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's poem "The Raven"

Enjoy a Safe and Fun Halloween today!

Pies!

~~~ Just to tantalize you ~~~

We have taken time out from dolls to

make a:

- A New Pattern -

that has been swimming in our heads. It's:

- Very "Confectionary" -

- An Embellishers Playground -
How Sweet!

BISCUIT!

Biscuit's Here!

She's the same size as the Peony dolls, so they can wear the same clothes.

She's got freckles in her sunny cheeks.

She's ready to play in her denim overalls.

She comes with a quilt and a pet dog - Miss Cheevis (Chi-Chi for short),

and has a bag designed and made just for her- the "Biscuit Bag"!

Do You Like Scary Things - Or Not?

Headless Horseman

quilt pattern

You can find this pattern at PeonySTreet at Etsy. It's for applique lovers. It features beading around the edge. A fun Halloween project. It was inspired of course, by "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." I think people in Sleepy Hollow, NY would like this one!

Peony STreet Postbox

Look What Came in the Mail!

(Not all at once, but over the summer.)

Bebe: I've been sick. Dr. said it was the swine flu - H1N1. At least I don't have to get the shot for it now, they said. It's nothing to laugh at. Down in bed for two days, extreme fatique, extreme pain in all major joints, fever, no appetite. In a word: B-A-D. And I'm one of those persons who always washes hands in public bathrooms, never touch the door handles, and uses the alcohol hand stuff after grocery shopping, etc., and avoid crowds. Was not around anyone who was sick to my knowledge. I guess that's the trick of it - you can't tell who's shedding virus! Good luck this flu season, and pray you don't get a bad case of it.

The bright spot is, however, all is better now, and I'm getting to relish what came in the postbox!

Jan Pateks books are wonderful and full of great projects. Want to make them all! http://www.janpatekquilts.com They are always having specials on patterns, books and kits.

Sew Sunny Homestyle by Tone Finnager- she's Norwegian - beautiful things to make! Find book at http://www.amazon.com and search for Tone Finnager.

And of course, my fave - Fig Tree. Oh, my heart sings when I see the colors of their fabric! I am a pastel-ly girl forever - it's closest to my heart. Find at: http://www.figtreequilts.com
If you get on autoship for the Fresh Vintage newsletter, you get a free pattern with each one, and it's shipped out four times a year!

A couple new items will be at PeonySTreet at Etsy soon!

New Chairs

New Chairs

from  "West End Fur. Co. 1892"

This stands for West End Furniture Company, that was established in 1892.

These doll chairs are 8" high, 3" wide, and 2" deep (front to back).

They were made to sit the Peony Dolls, but many other things

can sit on them too!

OR

You may just want to display

the chair on it's own on your shelf -

it is quite quaint all by itself!

Roses for Dottie Rose

My Roses for Dottie Rose, from Bebe

1. Flower Garden Red Rose

2. Silk Ribbon Rose on quilt made by Granny Lil, Quilted by me

3. Photo edited by me

4. Embroidered rose in wool, by me
5. Detail, silk ribbon rose on quilt. (My quilting stitches have gotten smaller!)

Dottie Rose

From Bebe: This is my mom, Dottie Rose, and two of her quilts. The quilts were both given to me. The log cabin is the first quilt I quilted, before I knew how to do the rocking stitch with one finger to make small stitches. The flower garden quilt is all sewn by hand, and is not quilted yet.

Dottie Rose is a retired homemaker. She made many things around our house - like curtains and pillows, but she mostly sewed clothes. And not just simple things to wear. She made SUITS and jackets that required tailering. She is a smart cookie, this one!! She taught me to sew - first with needle and thread, then embroidery, then sewing by machine. I remember her teaching me on her lap at the machine.

I spent many hours playing under the fabric bolts in stores and sitting looking at the buttons on cards on the wall. Where ever there was fabric for sale, we went! Dottie Rose is whom I first learned the names of different types of fabric - twill, wool, duck, ticking, woven, cotton, gingham, paisley, eyelet, calico, homespun. . . .

The love for texiles and sewing has never left me! Thank you, mom!

Break time!

"Me and My Coffee Cup on the Porch with Zinnias"

First Patchwork - Child of the 60's

From Bebe: Because this is the anniversary month and year of Woodstock, I have been reflecting on the influence of the 60's upon my artwork. I was very young then, but I can not deny the influence that era has had on my work. I was already "making things by hand" since about age 5. Coming from a family of women who valued handwork was also a plus. I think the original "handmade movement" came from any people's who had to make things from scratch, like log cabins and such, when there was no one to make it for them. It was a way of being independent and useful. I think that is why people who make things for them selves are some of the happiest. It is part of our true nature, and the closest we can come to complimenting the Creator. The 60's embraced "handmade" all over again!

Above is my first patchwork- on my favorite pair of jeans. I loved them so much, I couldn't bear to part with them, so made the front and back legs into bags. The fronts are in velvet and denim patches, the backs are leather sewn on by sewing machine.

I learned to crochet from Granny Lil. I explored it throughly, coming up with my own myriad of combination of stitches. This is the one vest that has been kept all these years.

Out of all the values I learned and embraced from my ancestors, it is this: that handmade gifts are always best. They truely come from the heart of the maker. ~ BB