Do you feel like that, too? This week was very long and somewhat depressing after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Children will be returning to school (moms, too!), time to think about the end of 2007, get that tax information in order, cleaning (?), and whatever else needs to be done!
Leftovers … some ways to use them … Rachel Ray
Taxes … help … IRS
Cleaning … help … Cleaning 
Remember, “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”
It’s Sunday afternoon sliding into evening. It’s been hot and humid with thunder booming out every now and then. No weather advisory for severe weather … yet.
Our small rural church has a new minister - Methodists do that - switch every two to four years. Keeps us from getting bored!
Funny ad on the back of a local cookbook, The Best of Cecil’s World, our small rural IGA selling NEW YORK cheesecake! Well, I thought it was funny.
Still being in recovery mode from surgery has caused a lot of TV watching. Today a marathon of Party of Five … y’all do remember it, don’t you? Let me know: did you watch it? like it? hate it? I’ve watched “The Good Shepherd,” “Birth,” and next up - “Insomnia.”
Still have forms due for AIU.
I thought living in the country was tough when still mobile and driving. Yikes, take away the ability to leave the ol’ home place and you soon realize how … wonderful Living Rural can be! I know, you thought I was going to complain. Not me, not this time!
“Y’all come back, ya’ hear!”
United Methodist Church, minister, IGA, cookbook/s, cheesecake, TV shows, “Party of Five, ” movies, “The Good Shepherd, ” “Birth, ” “Insomnia, ” online colleges, AIU Online
My last post mentioned, “… our small town grocery store, the IGA … .” The next closest grocery store is the Piggly Wiggly (you know, as in: “Driving Miss Daisy ‘to the sto’”) almost 20 miles away.
The IGA, though small in size, carries a very good selection of items: local grown produce, a wonderful meat selection with the added touch from long ago - your very own personal butcher who remembers what you like because he knows YOU. My hubby loves to cook inside and grill (charcoal, of course!) outside. He is known for his BBQ Chicken. YUM! The secret is in the sauce.*
The “city” grocery stores grilling chickens are usually the size of turkeys; however, the IGA always carries small tender hens just right for the grill (charcoal, of course!) Hubby loves to be asked to grill chickens (from the IGA 
) using his secret sauce; which will remain secret, I tried y’all, but he wouldn’t tell me even one ingredient!
An indoor specialty of his is “Crock Pot BBQ.” This features a little known cut of pork that the IGA has on sale quite often. According to the store’s printed label it is a: “BOSTON BUTT WHOLE.” Hubby even asked, “Isn’t this printed backwards?” Not at the IGA. Oh well, I guess a few things about rural living ARE a little backwards, sometimes! Anyway, the Boston Butt Whole makes great pulled pork BBQ. I did convince Hubby to share this recipe:
CROCK POT BBQ PORK
1 large Boston Butt (”whole” or otherwise)
Season to taste. Make your favorite light vinegar base BBQ sauce. Place pork in crock pot with the sauce.
Cook on low overnight. (about 6-8 hours til tender)
Remove meat and chill.
Pull lean meat apart into large bite size pieces, removing fat as you go.
Add your favorite sweet mustard based BBQ sauce to pulled meat.
Toss to mix well.
Reheat and serve.
YUMMY! remember, “the secret is in the sauce”*
After your belly is full … “Y’all come back, ya’ hear!” Country Gal will be waiting at the door.
* taken from Fried Green Tomatoes (also a recipe, for another time)
groceries, IGA, Piggly Wiggly, movies, Driving Miss Daisy, Fried Green Tomatoes, cuts of meat, pork, BBQ sauce, grilling, recipes
This is a simple, fast, low-fat recipe for Spice Cake.
1 box of Spice Cake mix, any brand will do ( I like Duncan Hines)
1 can pumpkin
1/3 c water
Preheat oven to 325
Empty pumpkin and water into mixing bowl
Begin to mix, adding spice cake mix 1/2 c at a time
Once mixed
Pour into greased cake/bundt cake pan
Bake in preheated oven for 45 min. to 1 hr., depending on oven; check after 45 min. to see if done (I use a toothpick; it should come out clean and dry, if not, cake needs to cook a little longer)
Cool for 10 min.
Gently remove from pan to cooling rack
Let it sit for a few minutes before serving
Place on cake plate
Delicious served with applesauce, spread on cake as icing or on the side
Add a dollop of Cool Whip and you’ve impressed your mom and/or guests with a easy dessert.
Enjoy!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Country Gal is going to put her feet up and have a slice of cake.
bundt cake pan, spice cake, desserts, low-fat dessert, Duncan Hines, Cool Whip, Mother’s Day
Living Rural is THE PLACE to share the trials of living in a small southern town, but also to share the joys and laugh at all things RURAL - one choice for electricity. telephone service, cable, grocery store and Internet. Comparisons of rural to city living. Southern traditions, manners, weather, humor, parenting grown children, "the empty nest" and retirement.
Living Rural Author(s)
» Pamela-Poston
