Around Lolly's Sideboard: Pheasants

Pheasants aren't exactly seen everywhere in Alabama, but I do love to decorate with them!

These plates were purchased at Tuesday Morning years ago.  There were also turkeys, mallards, and elk  in the series.

The glassware was purchased at the World's Longest Yard Sale many years ago.  This lovely pheasant themed pitcher was found at an estate sale.

These lovely hand thrown pitchers are from Alewine Pottery located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

I've had these cute salt and pepper shakers for years.

This Limoges platter was purchased at a recent estate sale and the white pheasants were my great grandmother's.

These beauties were also found at an estate sale and I got a great deal on them.  They are Andrea by Sadek.  I absolutely love them.

This has been a transitional sideboard.  I used these same pieces for a table setting and moved them to the sideboard for a few weeks to bridge the time between mid-October into early November.

Buttered Rum Pound Cake

 

Sweet Harold finds some of the best recipes on his social media feeds.  Lately, he's been sending me ones that he really wants me to make.

Y'all know how I love to bake pound cakes and when I saw this recipe, I knew this would be one I'd love to try.  

When baking with rum, dark and spiced rum works better than the lighter rums.  I found this one and it was delicious in this cake!

Click HERE for information on this delicious rum.

You can use any Bundt pan for this cake, but I chose one of my favorite Nordic Ware baking pans.  I love the unique shape and design. 

1 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

1 t. pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 (3.4 oz.) box instant vanilla pudding

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

3/4 cup buttermilk or whole milk

1/4 cup dark rum

For the Buttered Rum Glaze:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1 t. pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon

1/2 cup dark rum

Preheat and Prep the Pan:

Preheat your oven to 350° F.

Butter and flour a Bundt pan or spray it liberally with baking spray. Sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Cream the Butter and Sugar:

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high for 2 minutes, until creamy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Prepare the Dry Ingredients:

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Mix the Wet Ingredients:

Whisk together buttermilk (or whole milk) and dark rum.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:

With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients with the wet mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Bake the Cake:

Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Prepare the Buttered Rum Glaze:

While the cake is baking, make the glaze.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.

Add sugar, water, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 3 minutes, whisking occasionally.

Remove from heat, carefully add the rum (it may foam up), and stir until the foam subsides.

Glaze the Cake:

When the cake is done, remove it from the oven.

Use a skewer to poke holes across the bottom of the cake while it’s still in the pan. Slowly pour half of the buttered rum glaze over the bottom of the cake, allowing it to soak between pours.

Let the cake cool for 1 hour in the pan.

Finish and Serve:

Carefully turn the cake out onto a serving platter.

Use the skewer to poke holes on the top of the cake, aiming between the pecans. Slowly pour the remaining glaze over the top, giving it time to absorb. If needed, reheat the glaze slightly before pouring.

Recipe from Grandma's Loved Recipes

Cowboy Stirfry 2 - Fajita Edition

A month or so ago, I made a Cowboy Stir fry on the Blackstone Griddle.  I made another batch last night and changed things up a bit.  So this recipe will be known as Cowboy Stir Fry 2!  

Isn't that an appetizing picture?  There are so many great individual ingredients, but when they're all cooked separately and then combined they make a delicious meal you'll be proud to serve your family and friends.

Vegetable oil

1/2 lb. Conecuh sausage, halved lengthwise and then sliced into 1/4" slices

1/2 lb. round streak, cut into small cubes

1/2 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

1/4 cup Dale's Marinade

your favorite fajita seasoning

3 cups small diced potatoes**

1 large green bell pepper, diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 cups finely shredded cabbage

1 can Mexicorn, drained

juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup fresh parsley

Pickled sliced jalapenos (optional)

Place the prepared sausage, steak, and chicken into a glass bowl and add the marinade.  Stir to combine and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 3 - 4 hours.

When ready to begin cooking, have all your ingredients assembled and ready to go.  Once you start cooking, you'll want everything at hand and ready to place on the griddle.

Preheat the griddle on high for a few minutes until a drop of water sizzles.  

Add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil to the griddle and using a large metal spatula, spread the oil over the top of the griddle.  

Add the meat, including the marinade, to the griddle and spread it into a single layer.  Lower the heat to medium.

Let the proteins cook for a few minutes and then begin to flip the meats over and over until they begin to cook and brown.  With the pieces cut into their bite sized shapes, it won't take very long.  Lower the heat on one side of the griddle to low and move the proteins to that side of the griddle.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the griddle, spread it out, and add the potatoes.  Sprinkle with a teaspoon or so of the fajita seasoning and toss to combine.  **I used frozen diced hash brown potatoes which I had thawed.  I found they cooked much faster than the raw potato I had used in the last recipe.

When they begin to brown, move them to the opposite side of the griddle and let them continue to cook.  Toss them occasionally to keep the browning even.

Spread another tablespoon of oil on the griddle and add the peppers and onions.  Sprinkle with fajita seasoning and let the vegetables begin to brown and soften....flip them repeatedly so they will cook evenly.  

Now it's time for the cabbage.  Move the vegetables over next to the potatoes and add oil to the griddle and then the shredded cabbage.  Again, season with the fajita seasoning and toss to coat.  The cabbage won't take long to cook.  As it begins to soften, mix it in with the peppers and onions.  

Here's where it gets fun.  Slowly, using two metal spatulas, bring in a little of the potatoes and a little of the proteins, continuing to toss everything together until all combined.  

Last, but not least, add in the Mexicorn and give another shake or two of fajita seasoning.  

Turn off the heat, give everything another toss together and add the lime juice over the top of all the goodness on the griddle.  

Carefully, place everything onto a sheet pan and bring inside to your serving platter.  Transfer the stir fry to the serving platter and top with the parsley.

Serve immediately with pickled jalapenos on the side for those who want to add a little zip!

Dining Out Southeast: Giuseppe's Cafe, Birmingham, AL

After our disappointment with out quest for Italian food while we were at the Gulf Coast last week, a foodie friend came to the rescue.  He sent me a glowing report of Giuseppe's Cafe in Birmingham.

A quick review of their menu and I knew we were destined to dine here.  As we traveled through Birmingham on the way to judge a BBQ competition in Mississippi, we decided to stop and enjoy lunch on the way.

This restaurant is in a hidden, out of the way spot, with very limited parking.  Go anyway.  They have a very small cozy dining room.  Go anyway.  You may have to wait a bit for a table.  Go anyway.  

You can learn about the cafe's history, view the menu, and get all the details by checking out their website, Giuseppe's Cafe.

This restaurant checked all the boxes of the "supper club" vibe that we wanted.  The dining area is cozy, you order at the cash register as you go in the door, you seat yourself in that cozy dining area, and wait patiently for your delicious food.  

We started with Cheese Bread which is a loaf of their bread, covered in cheese, broiled until all soft and gooey, and served with marinara for dipping.

As amazing as these pictures are, they don't do justice to the richness and comfort food properties which are on this plate.

Sweet Harold finally got his lasagna!!  Yea!!!  

This is a lunch size portion.  I can't imagine how many meals he could have enjoyed with a dinner sized portion by bringing a go box home.  

These are his words:  "Rich, cheesy, meaty, well balanced flavors in the sauce.  I love that it's served hot enough to almost burn my mouth.  This is exactly what I want in a lasagna."  I asked if it was better than mine and he very diplomatically stated that it wouldn't be fair to say without having mine right there to taste alongside.  Fair enough.  lol

Y'all know I love spaghetti.  It's my favorite meal.  I opted for the lunch portion as well and chose meat sauce over marinara.

I agree with SH.  The sauce was rich and meaty.  I added a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes just because I love them on spaghetti.  Mine was also served HOT and was a very generous portion.  The freshly grated Parmesan on top was a nice touch.  The bread was soft and warm.  My craving was satisfied as well.

Yes, we should have stopped here.  Seriously, we should have. But SH said wistfully, "With that authentic lasagna, can you imagine what the cannoli would taste like?"  

So y'all know we ordered the cannoli.  Look at this gorgeous presentation.  It was almost too pretty to eat.  Almost.

And because it's so pretty, I took a close up photo as well.

Y'all.  The filling was rich and creamy, the shell was crispy and flaky, and the chocolate was sweet, but not cloying.  Perfect combination of flavors. 

So did I enjoy my cannoli?  Well....

I'm thankful for foodie friends who always let me know where I need to go next!  Thankful to realize that we have a perfect Italian supper club an hour away that we can visit anytime.  

Their menu has all the Italian favorites you could want along with salads and sandwiches.  I took a quick picture of the kitchen as we left.  Look at where all the magic happens!  Check out that bread just waiting to make diners happy.  We will definitely be back.  Giuseppe's Cafe has made our last attempt at Italian food a distant memory.

Service was excellent.  Our drinks were refilled promptly and tables were almost immediately cleared of dishes as diners finished their meals.  Everyone we encountered was warm, friendly, and helpful.  

Flavor Expressions: Zesty Lemon Pepper Chicken

 

Trying a new product to see if it's worthy of y'all is one of my favorite things to do!  

Today's experiment is a "shake and bake" type product.

I love lemon pepper anything and this product gives you instructions for cooking either in the regular oven or in the air fryer.  I chose the oven method.

I had about 1.5 lbs. of boneless/skinless chicken tenders.  There are two pouches of seasoned coating mix in each box.  I was afraid I wouldn't have enough so I opened both pouches and placed in a pie tin.  The instructions state to mix one egg with 1 T. of water in another shallow dish.

I preheated the oven to 375 degrees F. and sprayed a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Here's a good tip to share:  when you're breading a protein after having dipped it in an egg wash, use one hand for the egg wash and one hand for the breading.  That way you don't end up with clumps of the mixture on both hands.  Think of it as having a wet hand and dry hand.

I dipped each piece of chicken in the egg wash, placed it in the coating mix plate, and made sure to cover the chicken completely with the mix.  Then on to the prepared baking sheet it went.  Repeat until you have all the chicken coated.

I baked for 25 minutes, turning the chicken over about halfway through.

The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees F. when fully cooked.

I steamed some broccoli and heated some whole kernel corn with butter for our side dishes.

Our verdict?  We thoroughly enjoyed this product and the chicken was delicious.  A super simple meal that would definitely be easy to prepare for an after work/school weeknight meal.

First Chili of the Season Chili

 

After spending last week at the beach, we came home to leaves falling, cooler temperatures, and even a hint that we may have a frost before the week is finished.  

When that first cool snap occurs, or even the hint of a first cool snap is mentioned, I'm ready for chili!

I turned off the AC today, opened the windows, and cooked a crockpot of chili....hence the name:  First Chili of the Season Chili.  You can either cook it stovetop or in the crockpot.  I had a lot to do this afternoon, so slow cooker it was.

2 lbs. ground chuck

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 T. chopped garlic

3 T. chili powder (or more to suit your taste)

1 T. ground cumin

2 cans Rotel (your choice of flavor)

1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

2 cups beef stock

2 (15.5 oz.) cans Bush's Mixed Chili Beans 

Spray the inside of the crock pot with nonstick spray.  Set the heat to high.  Add the Rotels, petite diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, and the beans.  Cover.

While these ingredients begin to heat, brown the ground chuck, onion, peppers, and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  

Stir frequently, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the beef browns and the vegetables begin to soften.

When the beef is cooked through and browned (not just turned gray), stir in the chili powder and cumin.  Let the spices "bloom" for a few minutes while stirring.  Remove from heat and add to the ingredients in the crockpot.  

Stir to combine everything and cover.  Set the timer for 3 hours on high heat or 4 hours on low heat.

Taste and add a little salt if needed.  Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite toppings, i.e., sour cream, shredded cheese, pickled jalapenos, etc.

Dining Out Southeast: Red Elephant, Dothan, AL

 

On the way home from the beach yesterday, we decided to stop in Dothan for lunch.  There were all the usual fast food joints and a few BBQ joints with questionable online reviews.  

We spied the Red Elephant located in a strip mall and observed a crowded parking lot and diners entering and leaving the restaurant.  Decision made.

The interior was welcoming and there were cute red elephant prints hanging on the walls that I couldn't resist snapping photos of to share.

As we expected, the dining room was packed with diners and the staff was hustling!  We were quickly seated and drink orders taken.

We told our server it was our first visit and she recommended several appetizers which are her favorites.

We started with Spinach and Artichoke Dip served with pita chips based on her recommendation.  She was telling the truth.  It was served hot, there was a ton of spinach and artichokes.  The dip was creamy and the extra parmesan topping was just beginning to melt.  The pita chips were sturdy enough to hold up to the thick dip.

After all the seafood we had enjoyed last week, we were ready for burgers!

We both chose the Classic Burger.  American Cheese for Sweet Harold with fries as his side; Swiss Cheese for me and onion rings as my side.

We both agreed this is one of the best burgers we've eaten in a long time.  Large patties, soft toasted buns, and cooked perfectly has we had ordered:  well done for me and medium well for SH.

The fries were okay as were the onion rings.  Nothing special, but served hot and crispy.

Here are photos of the menu.  

Nice place for a quick lunch and a yummy burger.  We saw a variety of salads and pizzas being served to nearby tables.  Everything looked very tempting!

Dining Out Gulf Coast: The Grand Marlin, Panama City Beach, FL

August 2023 we celebrated my birthday here at the Grand Marlin and we've remembered that meal fondly ever since.  While visiting Mexico Beach last week, we knew where we wanted to celebrate our 28th Wedding Anniversary!  

From the minute you enter, you are made to feel so welcomed and are always warmly greeted.  

When Sweet Harold called for reservations, they asked if we would be celebrating anything special.  As for my birthday, they had a special menu printed just for us!

We were seated at the same cozy table as last time.  It's in a small alcove and is out of the busy section of the dining room.  I asked and this table is Table #10.  I put this information specifically in this post so if you ever want a semi-private table, you'll know which one to ask for when making your reservations.

The view is lovely overlooking St. Andrews Bay.

Christopher was our server for the evening and he made certain everything was perfect from beginning to end of our meal.  

I was attempting to select what I wanted to drink and he told me if I ordered something and didn't care for it, not to worry.  He'd make sure I received something I'd enjoy.

I selected the Watermelon Lemon Drop:  Absolut Watermelon Vodka, Triple Sec, lemon juice, and a splash of grapefruit juice.  No need for me to try something else.  The drink was light and refreshing and the watermelon flavor was center stage.  I loved this one.

Sweet Harold had the Dirty Blue Martini:  Absolut Vodka, Lillet Blanc, splash of olive juice, and bleu cheese olives.  He ordered this same one last year and he agreed this one remains a favorite.

We started the festivities with Sweet Corn Hushpuppies with cinnamon butter.  Now for someone who grew up eating savory hushpuppies with ketchup, the idea of a hushpuppy with powdered sugar on top and served with a cinnamon butter, seemed different.  But, these were expertly fried in that the outside was crispy with a nice crunch, there were tender pieces of corn inside, and the interior had a sweet flavor.  The cinnamon butter was the ideal accompaniment.

I love She-Crab Soup and last year's cup was delicious.  I knew I had to enjoy it once again.  The soup is made with local blue crab, cream, sherry, and a drizzle of chive oil to top.

It was served hot (!) and the chive oil is a nice addition.  There was a nice amount of crab and this cup of soup well be fondly remembered again!  

Sweet Harold compares every wedge salad he orders anywhere to the Grand Marlin version.  I swiped a bite or three and agreed that the blue cheese is the star.  As you can see, this is a LARGE wedge of iceberg covered with blue cheese, bacon, scallions, grape tomatoes, and a creamy dressing.  It definitely deserved two photos.

If we were locals, I could see us being weekly regulars just for the she crab soup and this wedge salad.  Both are that special.

Now we'll move on to the main course.

Sweet Harold chose the Grilled Mahi with a caper brown butter sauce which was served with whipped potatoes and green beans.

Now any menu description that has browned butter will get my full attention.  This was a nice sized portion of mahi and was expertly grilled.  The little crispy capers were yummy.

The potatoes and green beans were more than a filler on the plate.  Both were delicious as well and the entire entree was a nice change from deep fried fish and fries.

A beautiful presentation isn't it?

I had been craving crab in all the varieties, hence the She-Crab Soup.  I wavered between the crab cakes listed on the regular menu and the crab claws on the appetizer portion.  I made up my own entree in that I ordered the fried crab claws from the appetizer menu and the Parmesan Truffle Fries from the "Sharable Sides" portion of the menu.  

First the fries.  They were definitely a sharable size and, yes, I shared!  Not greasy at all, they were fried to a gorgeous golden brown and topped with parmesan and truffle oil.  Decadent AND delicious!  I was offered a choice of ketchup or homemade ranch for dipping.  I selected the ranch and I can assure you, it was definitely homemade.  Yummy, yummy.

And now to the crab claws!  These beauties were large in size and flavor.  They were served with both cocktail and tartar sauce.  Thank you for the lemon wedge for squeezing over these pieces of heaven for the added zip.  There were 32 of these crab claws.  To say my crab craving was satisfied is an understatement.  

 Look at the size of this crab claw!

The Grand Marlin wanted to assure that our Anniversary was celebrated perfectly.  They gifted us with an amazing dessert complete with a candle!

The Praline Basket is filled with vanilla bean ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauces, then topped with blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries.  

Trust me, this was as yummy and decadent as it sounds!

Here are pictures of the menu.  I don't think anyone can read over this menu and not find several things you'd love to try!

Atmosphere:  10/10

Service:  10/10

Food:  10/10