West Gadsden Cafe Coconut Pie

I have had a request for the Coconut Pie.  I do not have a picture of this pie but it is very good!!!!!!

2/3 Cup Sugar

4 Tablespoons Corn Starch

4 Egg Yolks

2 1/4 Cups Milk

1/2 Stick Butter

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1 Cup Coconut (use the coconut in the bag or can that is close to the cake mixes—Do not use the frozen coconut)

Mix dry ingredients well.  Add egg yolks and a little milk and mix well.  Add rest of milk, vanilla, and butter and mix well.  Cook in a double boiler or heavy pot.  Stir constantly.  Cook until thick.  ( I have no idea how long, the consistency will be a little thinner than you want the pie to be, it will thicken as it cools).

Add the coconut after you take the mixture from the heat.  Save enough to put on top of the meringue.  Pour into a cooked pie shell.  You will need to use one of the deep dish pie shells if you are buying a frozen one.  If you are using your pie plate, it should be deep enough to hold it all.

4 Egg Whites

1/3 Cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon Cream of Tartar

Water

Mix sugar and cream of tartar until mixed well.  Add just enough water to make it liquid.  Beat egg whites with mixer on high until lightly stiff.  Add sugar mixture and continue beating until stiff.  Top the pie with the egg white mixture and coconut then brown in the oven.

West Gadsden Cafe Chocolate Pie

West Gadsden Cafe Chocolate Pie

The chocolate pie at West Gadsden Cafe was probably the most ordered pie of all.  It sure is a favorite of my family and friends.  Usually I make a pudding instead of a pie, it seems to go further and my family is not fond of the pie crust.  I add a little more milk and I don't cook it as long.  I still make sure it is thick enough before I pour it in the bowl.  Sometimes I use Vanilla Wafers in the pudding and sometimes it is plain.  Just a note:  Mother always cooked the pies in a large double boiler, but I just cook mine in a heavy pan but I stir it constantly with a wire whip.

This is a picture of the pie made as a pudding.  This is just one recipe.

Chocolate Pie

1 Cup Sugar
1 pinch salt
4 Tablespoons Corn Starch
5 Tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa
4 Eggs (Yellows)
2 Cups Milk (Full Cups)
1/2 Stick Margarine or Butter (Do Not Melt First)
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Mix all dry ingredients well.  Add egg yolks and mix with a little bit of milk.  Add rest of milk and mix well before adding the stick of butter.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.  If it starts to cook too fast, turn the heat down just a bit.  If it cooks too fast, it will lump.  If you are making a pie pour the cooked mixture in a cooked pie shell.  You can use a graham cracker crust if that is what you prefer.

Meringue

4 Egg Whites
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cream of Tartar
Water

Mix sugar and cream of tartar until mixed well.  Add just enough water to make it liquid.  Beat egg whites with mixer on high until lightly stiff.  Add sugar mixture and continue beating until stiff.  Top the pie with the egg white mixture and brown in the oven.

This is a pudding that is four recipes (Cooked in a dutch oven on top of stove).  This is for the Baby YaYa--Nina's Birthday!!!!!!  She always request the chocolate pudding instead of a cake.

The cafe always made their pies with a pastry type crust and with a graham cracker crust so the customers had a choice.   The staff and customers were like family.  Most of the waitresses knew which crust their regular customers preferred.  I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.

Fudge Brownie Pie

Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner so I thought I would shared a recipe with you that is one of my families favorites!  Fudge Brownie Pie!  This is a brownie pie with hot fudge sauce.  For lunch tomorrow, I have doubled the recipe. In the picture below, you can tell how it fills this Pampered Chef pie plate.  

Fudge Brownie Pie

2 Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Melted Margarine

1/2 Cup Plain Flour

1/3 Cup Cocoa

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together melted margarine, sugar and eggs.  In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa, and salt.  Add flour mixture to margarine mixture; add vanilla; pour in regular pie pan.  Bake @ 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  It will still be a little soft in the middle.

Hot Fudge Sauce

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Cocoa

1/3 Cup Light Corn Syrup

1 Small Can Pet Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/2 Stick Margarine

Mix all ingredients except vanilla and margarine; cook on medium heat until it boils, stirring constantly.  Continue stirring and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat; add margarine and vanilla.  Stir Well.

This was the birthday girls desert today!!!!!  It is her favorite!  Happy Birthday Kristi!

This hot fudge sauce is wonderful even without the brownie pie!  You can make several batches of this sauce, pour in cute jars and you have yourself a wonderful gift for someone!

Serve Brownie pie with Ice Cream and top with Hot Fudge Sauce!

I would love to hear your comments after you make this!

Prayers for My Friend

If you are a person that believes in the power of Prayer, please pray for my dear friend.  I will not give details of the problem just that it is a health related issue.  I love her dearly and I believe the more people that pray the better she will be.  Thank you so much!!!!!

If you have a daily prayer list, please include my friend on your list and pray daily!

Thank you for praying for my friend!!!!!  Love you all!!!!!!!!!

Friends--A True Gift!

Friends

Friend /noun/ A person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

I want to tell you about my friends.  Do you have true friends?  I am one of the luckiest people in the world because I have true friends that have been with me through thick and thin! 

Beauchamp, Debra, and Nina and I met in 7^th grade!  We hit it off immediately.  We were in band together and several classes all through Jr. High School.  We went places together, like the movies on Friday night.  One of our dads would drop us off and pick us up.  Back then you could watch the movie multiple times with one ticket.  They didn’t clear the theatre after each showing!  Sometimes we would even walk down to Pasquales to eat and come back to the movie! 

We continued our friendship all through high school, but we added Kay in 10^th grade.  (She went to another Jr. High School).  We were all in the Gadsden High Tiger Band, Deleath Rives, Band Director.  Did we ever have some good times together? Oh Yes we did.  Some of the stories I can’t even tell you!  The Band trips to New Orleans—Sugar Bowl, Houston to the Blue Bonnet Bowl, with a side trip to Galveston were so much fun!  Little did we know at the time, that we were having the times of our lives!!!!!!!

I told you I was lucky well, we have dinner together on Wednesday nights and talk to one another at least once a day and sometimes all on the phone at the same time!  Not all of us can come each time but we try to make it.  Sometimes we bring our children, grandchildren, husbands, etc.  But we always have a wonderful time! Over the years we have laughed together, cried together, prayed together and been there for one another through it all.  I love these girls!

I have another friend that I went to high school with but we didn’t hang out in high school. Jane wasn’t in the band.  Our school was so big that you didn’t know everyone.  We also went to elementary school together for 2 years but she doesn’t remember me, even though I remember her.  We worked together for several years and have remained friends.  She is my walking buddy and partner in crime some of the time!  She moved to Virginia for several years but she is back home now. 

Thank you God for Friends like these!  I am not sure how anyone survives without friends like these!!!!!

Have you ever heard the song “Friends” by Michael W. Smith?  I think it fits us perfectly!

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end

'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

Thank you girls for your friendship, I know if I ever need anything, I can call on anyone of them!

Now meet the YaYa’s! (Which is what our kids call us)

From Top to Bottom:  Beauchamp, Debra, Nina and Kay.  Gadsden High School, Class of 1972!

Jane, Also Gadsden High School Class of 1972 but not in the Band!

 

 

Another friend is Julie, but she didn't go to GHS and I don't have a picture.  She and I have a booth at Churchill's Antiques, Downtown Gadsden.  Please Stop By and say Hello!

Fun Day With Annabelle

Annabelle started to Kindergarten this year and today was an Inservice/Holiday for her. So she came last night to spend the night with me. We have had a fun time! We have made Jack-O-Lantern Iced Cookies and 2 Heart Cookies for her Mom. Sunday is Missy's birthday so Annabelle wanted to bake something for her.

We also went out to feed the horses but only one came to eat. Annabelle fed Lady some apples.

Pictures to come!

Memorial Day

Matt and Missy

I would like to ask everyone to please remember our military men and women on this Memorial Day Weekend in prayer. I know how hard it is for the soldiers and their families when they are deployed to fight for their country. Each one of these soldiers made a decision to serve their country to protect the freedoms we all hold so dear. The families of these precious men and women need our prayers just as much as the soldiers do.

The picture above is my children the day Matt graduated from basic training at Ft. Sill, OK. We went with some friends to Meers' Restaurant to eat and this picture was taken on the drive up the mountain. If you have never eaten at Meers, you have missed a treat! They have the best and biggest hamburgers you have ever eaten.

Thank you to all our Military men and women and Veteran's everywhere!!!! You are the best our country has to offer. I appreciate the sacrifices you have made for our country. You are the reason we live in the greatest country in the world!

Annabelle's Dance Recital

Sunday, May 23rd was Annabelle's annual dance recital. Of course, she was the best one there and I am not one bit prejudice. This is her 3rd recital and she loves it! Below you see the one and only "Bee". She and 2 other girls danced while one of the older girls sang "Bare Necessities".



She was also in two other numbers--"Jailhouse Rock" and "Singing in the Rain". I loved both of those.

She takes dancing from Jaima Young Miller at Bella Prima in Birmingham, AL. The studio is located close to the Galleria.

Brownie Pie

One of my families favorite desserts is Brownie Pie! This recipe is very easy to make and it is wonderful! The hot fudge sauce you could eat with a spoon. You can make the hot fudge sauce ahead of time and just reheat it in the microwave. It will keep in the refrigerator for at least a week. That is as long as it has ever lasted at my house!!! I never add nuts to mine since neither of my children like nuts. I sure hope your family enjoys this as much as mine does.

Brownie Pie

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup margarine melted

1/2 cup plain flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix all dry ingredients together then add eggs and margarine. Mix well, bake at 325o for 25 minutes in an 8 inch pie pan.

Hot Fudge Sauce

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup margarine

1 small can pet milk

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

Mix sugar and cocoa together, then add other ingredients except butter and vanilla flavoring. Cook over medium to medium high heat until mixture boils. Continue boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in margarine and vanilla. Stores well in fridge and you can reheat in microwave.

To serve, slice a piece of pie, top with vanilla ice cream and drizzle as much hot fudge sauce as you would like! ENJOY!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Matt

Today is Matt's birthday. He is my baby and he is 33 today! As you can tell from the picture above, he loved the Dukes of Hazzard! He was such a cutie in this picture and he still is! He now has children of his own. This seems like only yesterday. Time flies when you are having fun :)

Maggie Claire Moon's Arrival

I have a new granddaughter, Maggie Claire Moon. She was born May 6, 2010 at 1:04 p.m. weighing 8 pounds 6 ounces, 21.5 inches long. Of course, she is beautiful just like my other 3 granddaughters. The picture above is Lyndsey, holding Maggie, Annabelle and Lydia.

Bertha's Pound Cake

I guess everyone has a lady at church that always makes a "pound cake". Bertha was that person at Dwight Baptist Church. Her pound cake was the BEST! She said her secret was Gold Medal Flour and starting the cake in a cold oven.

1/2 Pound of Margarine

1/2 Pound of Criscoe (either regular or buttered flavor)

3 Cups Sugar

Cream all of the above together.

Then add:

5 Eggs

Mix together in a bowl:

3 Cups Gold Medal Flour (All Purpose)

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Alternate the flour mixture with

1 Cup Milk with 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Added to it.

Bake at 325 Degrees for about an hour or until a cake tester comes back clean. BE SURE TO START IN A COLD OVEN!!!!!!

This makes a LARGE pound cake. I can make one bundt pan cake and 1 loaf pan (my bundt pan is a small one) or you can make 2 loaf pans.

ENJOY and be sure to let me know how it turns out!!!!!

Christmas 2009

My Dad with the Great Grandkids

From Left to Right: Back row - Joshua, Dad, Judson;

Front Row - Lydia, Jack, and Annabelle

Please Pray for Our Soldiers and Their Families

I would like to ask everyone to please say an extra prayer for our soldiers and their families. As a mother that has spent two Christmas's with a son serving in Korea and Iraq, I know how hard it is for everyone. Thank you to all our soldiers for the sacrifices they make for us everyday.

My son is home having completed his 4 years of service to this great country. I know there were many praying for him and for all his family while he was gone. Thank you to everyone for all those prayers. Please keep praying for the other soldiers still serving.

If you have someone in the military, please let us know so we can add their name to our prayer list.

Annabelle's Christmas Program

As always, Annabelle's Christmas program at Hand in Hand was wonderful. The staff always go out of their way to put on a fanastic show! Annabelle's group sang a couple of songs from "The Grinch". The teachers fixed all the girls hair and they were all so cute! Annabelle is the 5th from the left. Of course, I think she was the best!!!!!!!

Lydia's Baby Dedication and Birthday Party

Sunday, December 6, 2009, was a very busy day. First, we had Lydia's Baptism at Riverchase United Methodist Church. After church we went back to Missy and Tyler's and celebrated Lydia's 1st Birthday! It was a little early but we just combined the two events. We all enjoyed it very much. This is a video of Lydia eating her cake while being seranaded by Annabelle, Addie Grace (Tyler's sisters daughter) and Caroline. Annabelle and Addie Grace ran upstairs after church to change clothes--they said they had to get dressed to be the "Dream Team Rock Band". Caroline wasn't there for the big change!

Lydia's 1st Birthday!

Alice in Wonderland and The Queen of Hearts!

Let me introduce you to Alice in Wonderland, aka Annabelle and The Queen of Hearts, aka Lydia. Don't they look adorable?

West Gadsden Cafe Thursday Menu

Baked Ham
Fried Pork Chops
Beef Stew

Macaroni and Cheese
Green Beans
Creamed Corn

Fried Okra

Spinach

Baked Apples (before they moved to the last location)

Pear Salad
Tossed Salad
I know there was more, I will edit this when I can remember what else we had.

And of Course All the Great Pies--Chocolate, Coconut, Lemon, German Chocolate, Strawberry, Potato, and Egg Custard.

When the cafe moved to Forrest Avenue, the crowd was much larger, so they began doing a little something different with the Pork Chops. They would fry them in a skillet and get them very brown, then put them in a large "steam table pan" (long deep pan) with a wire rack in the bottom. Then they would cover the pan with foil and put them in the oven to bake for a while. All the grease would cook out of the pork chops and settle in the bottom of the pan under the wire rack. These are the most tender pork chops you will ever eat! Try them at home!!!!!

I still cook the Beef Stew for my family for Sunday dinner. Here is the recipe that I use. I put all the ingredients in my dutch oven to cook.

1 Can Tomato Sauce ( just a regular size can)
4 Cans of water ( use the tomato sauce can)
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
Dash of Kitchen Bouquet
Dash of Garlic Salt
Salt and pepper to taste (you can wait until later to decide how much)
1 regular size bag of baby carrots (cut each in half)
2 ribs of celery (chopped very very fine) I like the taste if gives but my family doesn't like to see it!
3 pounds potatoes (cut in bite size pieces) DO NOT PUT THESE IN UNTIL THE LAST 45 MINUTES OR UNTIL MEAT IS TENDER.

2 packages of stew meat (OPPS I left this out!!!!)

You may need to add more water

Bring to a boil and then place a lid on top and continue cooking on low. I can get my stew boiling, put a lid on it, turn it on low and it will continue to slow boil.

Be careful if your pan isn't a thick one.....this will stick!

Serve with Cornbread!!!!!!

I hope I have remembered everything, this is from memory. As you can tell, I don't use a recipe, I just sorta dump!

The Weekend

I had a fun weekend. I kept Annabelle and Lydia while Missy and Tyler went to the Alabama ballgame. We had a fun day! On Sunday, Annabelle sang with her choir at church. She is in the pink dress with a white hair bow and of course, right in front of the microphone. She spotted that mic when she started up there and made sure she got right in front of it! It was hard to get a good picture even though we were on the 2nd row. I hope you can see and hear this.

The Pre-School Choir at Riverchase United Methodist Church.

Finally I am Posting

Well it has been a long time since I have posted. My dad was in the hospital for two weeks and my sister and I had to take turns staying with him. He is so much better now, still weak but better. I know now he is on the road to recovery. While he was in the hospital, Annabelle sang him a couple of songs. They are posted on the left.

I will post more later. I have Annabelle and Lydia today and things are a little hectic! Annabelle and I made gingerbread mini-cupcakes while Lydia took a nap! Annabelle decorated them all by herself!