“All seasons have something to offer.” According to the calendar, yet another Summer has come and gone. September 22nd marked the official beginning of Fall 2013. I have mixed feelings. Do you? I mean, there are things I love about both seasons! Summer....<deep wistful sigh!>.... As an educator, I have enjoyed "summer vacations" for many, many years. The world around me seems to slow WAY down, and I can really enjoy life, savoring every moment. I'm already mourning the temporary loss of this.... .....and along with that loss, there's no more of this for a while..... ....or these folks hanging around very much..... “I have an affection for those transitional seasons, the way I must say, though, that the heat index in the South can make it tough to endure outside Summer fun for too long, and Fall temps can be a nice relief! So, let's stop all this "I miss Summer" talk, and move on to the beauty of Fall! Here's what I'm looking forward to this Fall: ** Going back to the ol' Alma Mater and seeing friends that I haven't seen face to face in almost 25 years! ** ** High School Football on Friday nights!** ** Saturdays spent tailgating and cheering our DAWGS on to victory "Between the Hedges"! ** ** Maybe even a wedding or two....** :) **...and, most importantly, thanking my God for His beautiful Creation all around us! ** See? Our sweet boy still comes to see us..... even after the pool is covered 'til next Summer! ;) So, there you have it. I'm planning on fully enjoying this new season of ours! How about you? What are you looking forward to? Whatever it is, I hope it brings you much joy! Happy Fall, Y'all!
Until next time.... ~Dot
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/10702495/?claim=t6wrvnq3qtg">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a> I've decided to take a step. I'm putting myself "out there". So, hello, BlogLovin' folks! To be included in this list I was instructed to "claim my blog". So, here goes..... :) I'm an educator. Like most folks, educators love a good "treat day". If you work in a school, you know what I'm talking about. It's the day(s) when everyone signs up to bring something to share......maybe around the holidays......or on a Friday......or maybe even "just because". Anyway, years ago, I took part in one of these very days, and I tasted one of the yummiest sweets I had ever put in my mouth! I asked my colleague if she would share the recipe, and she did so willingly! They are called "Praline Cookies", and, to be so good, they are probably the easiest things I've ever made! For the past few years, I've been making these tasty treats to share with our tailgating group, and rarely do I bring any back home. I've been asked countless times for the recipe, and always give it out without hesitation. However, I must admit a couple of things: 1) I really don't want anyone to make them so that folks will continue to "ooh and aah" over mine! and 2) I'm really a little embarrassed to reveal just how easy they are to make! Nevertheless, without further ado, here's the how-to for my Tailgate Treats..... (Pardon the quality of my cellphone pics. I just thought a little visual might help.) It all starts with good ol' graham crackers. One of these boxes has three sealed packages of crackers. I usually use one of these packages per baking sheet. *Fire up the oven to 350*F! Wrap a baking sheet (the kind with a lip all the way around) with heavy duty aluminum foil. Then, break the crackers apart and lay them side by side on the foil. You may notice that I've got a row leaned up on the side. I just don't like to have any space uncovered in my pan. It might be an OCD issue with me, so hey, do what feels right to you! :) Now, you'll need to sprinkle chopped pecans all over the crackers. The actual recipe calls for 1/3 cup of these babies, but I am ALL about some pecans, so I load it up!! (By the way, I'm from South Georgia....in the Albany area---that's "Al-binny", by the way---and we call 'em "pee-cans" down there. Since Albany IS the 'Pecan Capital of the World' I think we can all agree that this is the correct pronunciation. Just saying.... Now, let's head over to the stove and put two sticks of butter (butter, people, NOT margarine! Trust me on this! I learned my lesson the hard way!) and 1/2 cup of sugar in a saucepan and bring it all to a boil. Immediately back the heat off and let it simmer on <medium> until it looks like this... It's only going to take about 3 or 4 minutes, so stay closeby! You'd be smart to keep stirring, too! :) SLOWLY pour the sugary butter (or is it buttery sugar?) mixture over the nutty crackers. The trick is to pour so slowly that the nuts don't move around. This keeps them more uniform in appearance. (oops...there's that OCD business again...) Here's what it looks like right before you pop it in the oven. Yes, I know....some of the nuts have shifted. Ugh! Thanks for reminding me! Bake these yummy treats for 10 minutes at 350*F. You're going to think they still look too "soupy" to take out of the oven, but trust me on this! Place the pan on an elevated cooling rack and just leave them alone for a while. They need to cool COMPLETELY before you even attempt to get them out of the pan! Go do some laundry......or read a few chapters in your book......or take a nap. Just leave the treats alone! ;) After they have cooled completely, you should be able to lift one side of the foil which will bring the cookies with it. You'll probably find that they begin to separate on their own. Then, put them in an airtight container until you're ready to share them. I place a single layer on the bottom of the container, then cover with a piece of waxed paper, then another layer of cookies, then wax paper, etc. to keep them from sticking together. ....and that's all there is to it! See what I mean? Super-easy! Give them a try at your next Treat Day and see what kind of response you get. I'm betting you won't be bringing many back home with you! :) Let me know how it goes. I'd love to hear from you! Until next time, ~Dot P.S. Here's the recipe in a printable format in case you're interested: |
AuthorHi! I'm Dot. I refuse to succumb to the "empty nest syndrome"! So, this is my journal.....my photo album.....my attempt to enjoy the next chapter of my life as it unfolds. Welcome to The Roomy Nest! Archives
January 2020
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