Monday, June 29, 2015

Louisiana meat pies

Every time we drive home to Alexandria, Louisiana for a visit, we make sure to take a pit stop in Natchitoches.  There are several places that sell meat pies.  We grab a few and hop back in the car and munch on them  for the last hour of our drive home.

We also pack a cooler to bring home frozen meat pies back to Texas.  For the fourth of July celebration at the lake I decided to try small appetizer sized meat pies.  I used two of my favorite cookbooks and combined the recipes.  Louisiana Entertains, by far, my favorite cookbook of all time.  The recipes are presented by an entire meal or party.  Need 200 mini meat pies, they will tell you how!  Cane River Cuisine is another favorite of mine.  They both had perfect recipes.  My substitutions to the recipe are below.


The above mini pies are some of the rejects not pretty enought to make the cut that I baked for the family to try.  The other 6 dozen, I froze on a cookie sheet for two hours and then bagged them up, three dozen to a bag,  and returned them to the freezer.  



 The meat...

 The recipe called 7 cups of flour to make the dough.  I substituted refrigerator ready pie crusts. because I was lazy  I used a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter.  I was able to get 12 mini's out of one pie crust and almost two dozen more out of the leftover dough pieces.  I used four pie crusts.  I needed at least four more to use all the meat mixture.  But, spaghetti meat sauce will be wonderful for dinner tonight!
 The pies...

I baked a few to taste, maybe I think I should have let them brown a bit more.  But, they smelled so good and I was hungry.

Next time I make these, I am asking my best friend to bring a bottle of wine and four rolls of dough and it will be a group effort.  It is tedious loading those little dough circles with the meat mixture.  Girl talk and wine will definitely make this little project more fun!

My adjustments below from the Louisiana Entertains Cookbook recipe.
Purchased pie crusts
finely diced peppers and green onion
1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork
I couldn't find Chef Boyardee sauce mix (cookbook 1980's)
I did find two packages of generic dry spaghetti sauce mix
No olives or jalapeno peppers (will add peppers next time)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper, heavy sprinkle of granulated garlic and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of meat mixture is all that I could fit in my little circles of dough

Louisiana Entertains, 1984 is out of circulation.  
I found some for you used on Amazon.
The Harvest Coffee party recipes pictured above serves 100

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Coastal Charm

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Coffee plus oats plus yogurt equals

A great easy breakfast.  Add farmers market peaches on the side or on top and done!

 Last night, I mixed fresh brewed coffee with oatmeal, threw in a handful of chopped pecans and stirred in some honey flavored yogurt.  I then chilled it in the refrigerator overnight.  In the morning, I topped my cup of coffeeyo-oats (my creative name) with cinnamon. Sunday morning easy breakfast. 

Next time, I might mix the yogurt in right before serving, to give it a creamy texture.  Or maybe less oats. It thickened some overnight in the fridge.  Sorry, I have not measurements, I just guessed.




Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Ants OK for my 4th of July table

When they are cute litte ants from Pottery Barn, I will let them climb on my table. #buythemdonotattemptDIY 



 Cute Pottery Barn fry baskets too, for the napkins I will be using.

Happy Fourth of July!  I wonder if there is a cherry pie under that cake dome?

Cherry Pie recipe here.



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The Country Cook (will add link as soon as blogger fixes updates function) Uugghh
Coastal Charm

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Beach time fun... I want to go back!

Someone has fallen in love with Lala's beach hat.
Final beach post, I promise.
MissRaylyn was in charge of the beach tunes playing on Mom's phone.
 Dad and daughter time. 

 Mom and daughter time!
 Lynn and Lori time!


 It was fun, relaxed and I wish we could have had more than a week!
 Bye, bye...

Until next summer....
I need to add that my Mom, Karl and my brother Chris were with us on this trip for three of the days.  Same time that my camera got wet and had to dry out.  No pictures of them at all.  Sorry Mom, send me some of yours please.  

Friday, June 12, 2015

MissRaylyn at the beach

Yep, just one grand with us at the beach this year, well... and one on the way.
 Lala got in some good MissRaylyn lovin'. The gulf was the most crystal clear that I have ever seen.

 We tried to keep her protected from head to tow.  Papa was teaching her the art of sand dripping.

 Mama and little brother or sister to be! It is driving us crazy, but they are waiting to find out what baby number two will be.

 Cutest bow head and bow bottom on the beach!

 A little smocked goodness on our way to dinner.
MissRaylyn and her beloved floppy headed back to the house for naptime.  Floppy is loved so much, I am sure one day he will turn real! I need to read her the Velveteen Rabbit.
Oh my gosh!  Could anything be cuter!?!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Fort Morgan, Alabama

White sands and almost our own private beach.  If you are a people watcher, this might not be the beach for you.  If you want pretty much a private beach and relaxation, Fort Morgan is for you.  It reminds me of Gulf Shores beach from about 30 years ago. 
We stayed in this lovely yellow home for the week.  We were joined by two of our daughters, MissLynley and MissMelissa, one grand-daughter, MissRaylyn.  Plus my Mom, Karl and little brother Chris.
 The pool gave us an added refreshing plunge when you were ready to be out of the sun and sand.
 Our views both ways was just gorgeous.


We miss you pretty yellow beach house.
MissRaylyn will have her own post next.  When you are the only grand along for the trip, you pretty much have 10,000 pictures taken of you.  

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

The Gulf restaurant on the Alabama Florida state line

Several of my daughter's friends recommended we try The Gulf restauraunt while on vacation on the lower Alabama gulf coast.

Man are we glad we did!  




 Right before the bridge look for the blue train cars.



 Then enjoy the views, maybe a pirate ship!
 a little shopping...
and just chill.
Oh and the food was great too!
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