Daddy's 90th Birthday - A Southern Season Brunswick Stew

My Dad's birthday is always near Thanksgiving.  That's appropriate because we are so thankful for him.  I would say he celebrated his 90th birthday on November 27, 2012.  And that would be true.  But he celebrated days before and he is still celebrating.  I like his style.  Birthday celebrations should not be closed up in a single day.

 

My sisters and I discussed many thoughts for how to celebrate Dad's 90th and we came to a decision that there should not be one big party but a celebration that really had no beginning or ending. 

 

So Happy Birthday Daddy!   We love you and we'll just keep celebrating every chance we get!

 

 

 

Daddy's Thursday night "Board Meeting" members surprised him with this cute cake last week.  We thought they hit the nail on the head with this.   Daddy really is the King of Hearts.

 

 

Libby made this apple cake for Thanksgiving Day at the Cabin.  We considered turning the 9 upside down for David Martin's 60th Birthday which was the day before Dad's 90th. 

 

 

Daddy spent his actual birthday in the house he grew up in Lattimore.  How amazing is it that?  Talk about coming full circle.  Dad was born in 1922 and his family moved into the Hunt House in 1929.  He enjoyed remembering and we enjoyed hearing story and story after story....  especially the one about renewing his driver's license!

 

Wendell literally dropped out of the clear blue sky to wish Dad a Happy Birthday.  It was a nice surprise for everybody and I especially loved it when he said he would be back in 10 years to celebrate the really big one!

 

One story Dad told about his childhood the other day reminded me of this picture of Simba hiding in the back of Jay's jeep.  Dad was remembering being a little boy in the Hunt House and wanting to go with his father on a sales call.  Dr. R. L. Hunt was a dentist by trade but he also ran a small business and traveled about selling fertilizer to farmers.  Dad was a little boy and he wanted to ride with his father so he hid in the back of the car.  Simba tried the same trick with Jay the other day.  Dad was more succesful than Simba and got to ride with his father that day long ago.

 

Judy had wanted to make Brunswick Stew at the Hunt House ever since she found a great recipe from A Southern Season in Chapel Hill.    The recipe makes about 5 gallons of stew and is a combined effort with various people contributing parts of the recipe.  We gathered all of the ingredients at the Hunt House and then put the stew together to simmer all day long.

 

Brunswick Stew simmering on the stove at the Hunt House.  This is a fun thing to make when you don't know who might be coming over or when they might show up! Judy had some quart jars ready to send home with everybody but this stew is so good there wasn't much left. 

 

 

A Southern Season's Brunswick Stew

 

Ingredients:

24 cups tomatoes
10 cups butter beans
10 cups corn 
8 cups onion, 1/4 inch chopped
8 lbs potatoes, 1/2 inch diced
2 large hens (or 10 breasts and 10 thighs)
5 lbs Boston Butt
5 lbs beef

1 1/2 Tbsp red pepper
1/8 cup black pepper
3/4 lb butter
12 oz worchestershire
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Day before:

Cover beef and pork with foil and roast fat side up at 350 degrees for 3 hours or until falls apart.

Cook chicken in water. Bring to low boil and cook until meat falls of bones (about 2 hours).

Let meat cool and pull. Store in fridge overnight.

Boil Potatoes and Mash half. Mash 1/2 butter beans.

Day of:

Put everything together and cook over low heat till deep orange color - about 6 hours. Brunswick Stew is NOT red!

Stir. Drink Beer. Stir. Enjoy.

Makes 17.5 quarts or 4.5 gallons. Send everybody home with some for the freezor.

The instructions say to serve with saltines. Mama looked this recipe over and everything was going along fine until she got to the part about saltines. She emphatically said, "No! not saltines. Brunswick stew is served with cornbread."

I'm with Mama on the cornbread, but this does make for a fun gathering. 

Thanksgiving 2012 - Cranberry Relish and More

Thanksgiving 2012 was a diverse mixture of travel and home and food and people. 

 

It was a combination of super fast pace mixed with slow resting pace.  I found myself watching both the skies and the highways with people flying in and out of our Thanksgiving holiday. 

 

David was home recuperating with his foot surgery so KC drove back and forth from Georgia a couple of times.  It was a good opportunity for David and KC to take some cooking lessons from our family.  They observed Sister making layered salad as well as Mom and Dad making Sage Dressing.  At our house they learned to use a sausage grinder to make cranberry relish and several other dishes.  Most of the dishes turned out great.  We did try Mama Crowder's Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (recipe posted Feb 24, 011) but they didn't set up so it turned into Chocolate Oatmeal dip for David Martin's 60th Birthday party.  Sometimes you have to improvise.

 

Finn came from Georgia with KC, and Simba was a happy boy to have a big puppy to play with.  Mr. Cat and Dingo enjoyed having Simba gnawing on someone else's ears for a change. 

 

Jay and the GWU basketball team traveled to Illinois, Iowa, Cancun, Home on Thanksgiving Day and then back to Illinois.  They had some exciting games with a big win over DePaul,  a near win over Illinois, and a tournament victory in Mexico.   We kept up through texts, Facetime, radio and television.  When the plane touched down on Thanksgiving Day, I got a text from Jay saying the team was on their way for Thanksgiving Dinner.  "And we are very hungry."  No doubt.

 

One of my very favorite things about Thanksgiving is that it really is all about gathering together.  Sometimes you have to sharpen your focus and remember that fact in the midst of all the grocery shopping and planning and cooking.

 

I like that Thanksgiving comes after election season and especially this one.  We were happy with some of the outcomes and  unhappy with others but it is an amazing election process we have.  I am thankful that we have elections that may be rough and tough and messy but at least we do it without war.  And when it's all over we can work on coming together with all of our diversity and moving on.

 

We spent Thanksgiving Day at the Cabin in Lattimore first for lunch with family and friends and then for supper with the Gardner Webb Basketball team.  It was a tricky thing to get it all together in one day but it all worked out and we actually enjoyed ourselves in the process. 

 

It's always good to share our favorite Thanksgiving food, but the best part of Thanksgiving 2012 is  time spent with diverse groups of people.

 

 

Judy, Penny, Libby, Cindy, me, Mom and Dad.  I am grateful that we could all be together on Thanksgiving at the Cabin.

 

 

 

It was like old times in our den when Rhett, Tucker, Jay, Elliott and David got together this Thanksgiving.  As young as they are, this crew has a lot of history together.  I'm not sure who enjoyed the visit more  - the boys or Mama and Papa Roy.   

 

 

 

Simba loved that Finn came to visit.  Sometimes puppies just need each other.

 

Finn and Simba dresssed for the occasion and then crashed after a long day of play.

 

 

There was a good bit of rest and recuperation going on over Thanksgiving. 

 

 

David may have had a broken foot but he definitely could grind Cranberries and Oranges for Thanksgiving.  We made Mama's Cranberry Congealed Salad (recipe posted Nov 27, 2010).  Then Dad and Judy walked in so we made another batch without the jello.  It made a great Cranberry relish for Turkey and Cheese Paninis for lunch that day.    (recipe posted below)

 

 

David and KC went to Sister's house to observe how she makes that awesome Seven Layered Salad.  (recipe posted April 21, 2011).   This salad takes three days to make.  Sister speeds up the bacon bits process by cutting up her bacon with scissors before frying - a fact David shared with a chef at Cowboy Stadium.  There is nothing better than your grandparents cooking tips.

 

Mom and Dad shared some sage dressing cooking tips with David and KC (recipe posted Nove 21, 2010).  It's all about cutting up the celery and onions into the perfect uniform size.  And about the sage.  And the right amount of liquid. And not packing the dressing too tight.  And then there are the other stories that are told around the chopping block - like how Mom and Dad met Itzak and Leah Rabin in Israel.  And how Mrs. Rabin gave them some homemade fig preserves.   And how Daddy wanted to show off the preserves one day but couldn't find them.  Because Mikey (Mom) had eaten them.  Oh the stories that are told in the kitchen.  

 

 

I brined turkeys and David cooked them in the big cooker.  We took two 20 pound turkeys to the cabin for lunch.  And there were some BBQ butts and Ribs in the cooker for the GWU dinner Thanksgiving night. 

 

Mom and Dad with Happy on Thanksgiving Day at the Cabin. 

It was fun to have a visit from Scott, Susan and Allyson at the Cabin on Thanksgiving night.

 

Sister and David at the Cabin on Thanksgiving. 

 

 

We are thankful for KC and all of the other sweet people who work on Thanksgiving day.  We shared  some Cranberry Relish with the ER in Georgia.

 

We didn't travel with the Bulldogs but David froze this shot on TV from the Big Ten Network.  Gardner Webb was ahead by two points when in the last second the Illini hit a three.  A heartbreaking loss but a truly exciting game.

 

Mom, Dad, Ivan and Happy celebrated the joy of being together.

 

 

 

The Gardner Webb Basketball team was a welcomed sight on Thanksgiving night.  Unity in diversity is always a winning combination.

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving 2012!

 

Cranberry Relish

1 package (12 oz) raw cranberries
2 oranges - peeled and quartered.
1 cup sugar (or a little bit less)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped pecans

In a sausage grinder, grind oranges and cranberries.
Add Sugar, pecans and celery and mix well. 
Enjoy as side with Turkey, on Paninis or other sandwiches or just on a spoon straight out of the bowl!Healthy, colorful, crunchy, salty, tart and sweet.  Diverse flavor and textures. So satisfying for the body and the soul.

 

 

 

Being Prepared for the Unexpected

"The wise thing to do is prepare for the unexpected."  This is from a fortune cookie that I have taped on our kitchen cabinet. 

I taped it on the cabinet so we could read it often.   Because 1) it is so true and 2) we had a good laugh the night David IV pulled it from his fortune cookie. 

It was a year or so ago and we had take-out from Chen's, our friend Micheal's great restaurant in Shelby.  We always enjoy everybody reading their fortune cookie words of wisdom and we always add a little fun to it. 

This particular night David III was uncharacteristically sitting on the couch with David IV uncharacteristically sitting in the recliner.  Jay and I were near the fireplace.  It's important to note where we were sitting because I could see David IV in the recliner but David III was facing the other direction.  As usual we had some kind of sports on TV. 

I noticed, but David III did not, that David IV was breaking open his fortune cookie.  He read it with great drama.  "The wise thing to do is prepare for the unexpected."

David III, still looking at the TV, said in all seriousness, "What makes you say that?"  I grinned and looked at David IV who went on another dramatic roll about why he would say that.  Never mentioning the fortune cookie.  It went on a for a few minutes until David III caught on and we all had a good laugh.

I guess you had to be there but it was a really funny moment.   And all of the funniest things have a lot of truth to them. 

There have been many times in our lives, and I know we are not alone, when things have been going along fine and dandy and then something totally unforeseen jumps up.  These things can either knock you for a loop or you can try to make the best of it.

I am thankful that I grew up in a home where the emphasis was always on making the best of things.  In fact, I've always thought of it as something of a challenge to try and figure out how to make "lemonade out of lemons".  Like throwing down the gauntlet.  We love a good challenge.  And that's a really good thing because some of these events have been more difficult than others.

Dad and I were talking about this the other day when he said,  "You know a lot of people think we live a fairy tale life, but we have had a good many challenges along the way."  And then in his way he paused and said,  "Well we have made it into a fairy tale most of the time."

I can think of many instances during my lifetime when I have observed Mom and Dad turning a challenge into a fairy tale.  Some of those times are rather heavy, but one example was a great experience. 

It was the time Daddy broke his arm so we all went to New York City. 

This was during the 1963 World's Fair.  Daddy was practicing dentistry at the time in Cliffside NC.  When a dentist gets a broken arm there isn't much he can do.   Like they say - a dentist is one half doctor and one half auto mechanic.  You really need two hands to perform dental work.

So Mom and Dad decided it was a good time for a vacation and somehow they flew with all five of us, ages 7-14, to New York City.  That trip was a hilarious experience and deserves a post of its own.  But the point is that they took something they could have grumbled about and turned it into fun. 

At my amazing book club our recent speaker made a similar point.  The Literario Book Club is an eclectic group of women of all ages which has been meeting since 1944.  I have been lucky to be a part of this group since 2000.  Literario deserves a post of it's own too.

Last Thursday night, Literario met at my house with author Rose Senehi as our speaker.  Rose deserves her own post as well.  One story always leads to another but I'm trying to stick with a theme here. 

Rose was talking to our group about her life and how she had several careers and then at age 56 wrote her first novel.  Now in her 70's she is working on her 7th novel and is completely engrossed and excited about it.  She is an inspiration.  After hearing Rose speak someone commented, "Rose you have lived a charmed life". 

Rose paused, much like Dad did, and softly said, "Yes, but I have worked hard at it.  Sometimes you make your own luck."

How true that is.  The best definition of luck that I have ever heard is that "luck is when opportunity and preparedness meet".  

And the way to do that is to be prepared to deal with change.  To see change as an opportunity not a roadblock.  Those fortune cookies have it going on. Truly the wise thing to do is prepare for the unexpected.

We had such an opportunity this week.  We have had a busy November with work, play, and comings and goings and all kinds of plans. 

GWU basketball started off with a bang with the first preseason game at UNC-Chapel Hill.  Jay is now a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs and was on the bench, not in uniform, but in a suit with a clipboard.  I am so proud of how he is maturing and it was a real shift to see him in that role.  It was also a shift for me to be in the Dean dome with my heart on the visitor's bench.

Marta was in town and it was fun to catch up with her in Shelby since the last time I had seen her in Dallas.  Mary was in town too and it was a change for her to be in Shelby without having her mother and sister to visit.  Carol was her host and they had a variety of experiences including craft night, Porter's play, and meeting Annie K who is walking across the US to promote peace.  Annie K does have her own blog and thank heavens for that because I could never fully express the wonder of what she is trying to accomplish.

Mem had her sisters - Mom, Patsy, and Veva C - and my sisters over for lunch one day. The food was delicious but the conversation was even more delicious.  We sat around her table for hours after lunch and laughed hearing stories of my mother and aunts growing up in Lattimore.  A few of us couldn't make it and Cindy asked me to blog it.  Honestly, some things you just have to be there.  I don't think I could possibly capture it all but one thing is for sure.  Knowing all of the sisters around that table and all of the challenges and sorrows that have come their way over the years, it is evident that all share a common character trait.  They are prepared for the unexpected.  Regardless of what happens they put one foot in front of the other.  They move on. They keep going and most importantly they keep their sense of humor.  Crowders laugh.  A lot.  And loud.   It's just always fun to be with a group of Crowders.

So we were busy this week and then we had our own unexpected event.  Which gave us an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive.   David IV broke his foot. 

Our plan had been to fly to Dallas to visit with David before Thanksgiving and to see him in action at Cowboy Stadium.   That was not to be.  Much like a dentist with a broken arm, David needs two good feet to perform his duties at Cowboy Stadium.

So fortunately, KC was available to help him through the first few days of recovery and then, in a flurry of discussion and quick decision making and an afternoon of phone calls with American Airlines, we changed our flights to Dallas into David's flight home.  Thank heavens for trip insurance.

So we missed a trip to Dallas and David is dealing with a broken foot for a few weeks but we will all be together for Thanksgiving! 

Lemons to lemonade.  Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Jay and Max at the Dean Dome.  GWU opened with UNC-CH and played a very repectable game.  It was a new experience for Jay and for us to see him on the bench as a graduate asisstant.  Ironically Jay played starting point guard in the Dean Dome as a senior in high school when Shelby High won the State Championship.  It's a special experience to be there in both roles.

Another fun thing about the GWU-UNC game was for Luke (#4) and Jay (with Carolina Blue Tie!) to be on the same basketball floor again.  Luke and Jay met through basketball and played together briefly at GWU.  Our family think of Luke as one of us and we share some great memories including pizza, bbq, Joe's, and the Catalina.  Jay and Luke will be friends wherever they each wind up and we look forward to more good times.

 

 

It's a great opportunity for Jay to experience basketball from a new perspective.

 

 

We had lunch at Mem's with Mama's sisters and some of my sisters.  Mem is a great cook and hostess.  There was no shortage of laughter at this table.

 

Carol hosted Craft Night when Mary was in town.  Carol and Jim each made chili for the occasion.  Beth and I were happy to help eat chili and make Angels from Okray.  That okra is truly the most versatile plant.  Since Carol, Mary and Beth each have daughters they had a lot more experience with craft night than I did.  My sons' crafts usually involved some type of sport. 

 

Here is my first Angel Christmas Ornament make of okra, cotton bolls and craft stuff that the mothers with daughters taught me about.  My artist friend, Pat, makes these and sells them at Broad River Gallery in Shelby.  Making them is really fun but quite the long process.  I recommend buying one from Pat.  They are a bargain.

 

My one and only craft is making these Turkey heads for a fun Thanksgiving centerpiece.  I saw this idea 20 years ago at the Southern Christmas show and now every year it seems I make a dozen or so.   This year we added this idea to craft night at Carol's.  Mary said there are now Turkey Heads popping up all over Florida.  My next door neighbor, Van, let me borrow magnolia leaves from his tree for the nest.  Actually he was out of town, but I'm sure he didn't mind.  Because he said so when I posted the pic on facebook.  Social media keeps you honest.

 

David IV is recovering from his broken foot.  A little TLC will hopefully have him back at work in Dallas soon.  Note the chocolate chip cookie on his shoulder.  Mawmaw's chocolate chip cookies can cure most everything.  David called it emergency medical relief.

 

On the way home from the airport in SC, we decided to take David on a nostalgic tour of Wofford's campus.  This beautiful ginko tree was in it's full majesty reminding us that we should never pass up an opportunity to cherish the beauty and diversity of nature.  As always, we count our blessings.