Spring Planting

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

George and I were gardening beasts today. We tag teamed cutting the field, being sure to dodge the coreopsis planted last summer. The drifts of coreopsis and tickseed should be in full-glory yellow bloom starting next week. I picked a faffing bouquet and included a few sprigs of red clover. Ellie Phant seems happy with it. We planted the parade of bikes in the S-swath, along with mixed zinnias and white and pink cosmos. I’m praying the predicted rain will be just the right amount and that everything will germinate and grow as planned. Yesterday, on my way back from Baton Rouge, I stopped at the garden center that Handy Hardware opened. Tomato plants, pepper plants and beautiful, blue Louisiana iris were bought. Such friendly, helpful folks at Handy Hardware. Stop by if you’re in Magnolia. Everything was planted today, including 4 pots of Alstromeria Parrot Lily, I’ve been babying since February. I’m hoping they do well in the ground and spread. It’s such a favorite of hummingbirds.

So. What have you been planting this spring? #handyhardware #Louisianairis #gardenbikes #coreopsis #MSstateflower https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIpVg8lRlsx5aOlTSUEcu6skMEX1xsP01HYRJc0/?igsh=OGZxNDkzdjB6cHI5

Spring Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.

Three Minutes, Give Or Take A Few Seconds

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

Tylertown Tornadoes

March 15, 2025

In the space of three minutes, give or take a few seconds, my middle son and his family lost their home. An EF4 tornado raged through plantation pines and across farm fields to leave complete devastation behind.

My son was at work three hours away in Louisiana when the super cell tornadoes spun up on Saturday. My daughter-in-law and young grandsons were at home. So many things lined up and fell into place (quite literally) to get them out of their home and to safety. All clicked together in the space of three minutes to save their lives. Praise God!

A gofundme page has been set up for them. Any amount will help. Thank you.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-family-devastated-by-tornado?lang=en_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp13_t1-amp14_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=native_options&attribution_id=sl%3Ab2eef5b0-0f87-483a-8c83-f89d4af01d87

Again, if you feel led to help or share this, thank you.

Blessings to the reader.

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Breakfast Biscuits

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

What to do with the leftovers from Thanksgiving ? Of course, some of the remaining turkey and dressing were placed in containers, labeled and tucked into the freezer. They’ll be pulled out for easy meals later in the new year.

Breakfast Biscuits were made with leftover ham and cheese this weekend. Waste not, want not, ya know?

Here’s what I did:

I preheated the oven to 350°. In an iron skillet, I  melted a pat of butter by placing it in the oven as it heated up.

I then measured Pioneer Baking Mix, according to the directions on the box, into a medium-sized bowl. One cup of Dubliner cheese chopped small, one cup of chopped ham and half a stick of melted butter were added to the bowl.

Then, I added enough 2% milk to bring everything together. Using an oven mitt, I retrieved the hot skillet and placed it on the stove and dropped my batter into cathead biscuits.  Then the skillet was returned to the oven and the biscuits baked till their tops were a light golden brown. About 20 minutes. 

A side of Two Brooks Grits (a Mississippi company) and leftover cranberry sauce accompanied the ham and cheese biscuits.

Let me know if you try this recipe.

Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.

We also had some silly fun with a big pack of kazoo.

Old Fashioned No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

I’ve been feeling nostalgic lately. This time of year has me remembering all kinds of things. Nat King Cole has been featured a lot on my playlists. He was a favorite of my Daddy’s.

I’m trying to watch LSU play (?) Bama, right now. We just cannot manage a touchdown. Yeesh… Daddy graduated from LSU with a degree in mechanical engineering.  I miss my Daddy.

The other week, two of my sons worked on Tilly, my Daddy’s Kubota tractor. She needed a new radiator and battery cables, so Lee and George fixed her up, and now she starts on the first try. Good job, guys! You’re Mama appreciates you. I know in my heart that my father would be proud to know that his grandsons are keeping the old girl going.

Here’s a nostalgic recipe for you, one I learned to make way back in Mrs. Deaton’s 8th grade home-ec class. Home Economics: Is that taught anywhere anymore? It should be. We’d all be healthier. I digress.

Old Fashioned No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies

Here’s what to do:

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper  and set aside.

In a 2 qt pot, cook 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup milk, and a 1/4 cup cocoa powder over medium high heat. Stir till the butter is melted and  these ingredients are mixed well. Bring to a boil that can’t be stirred down. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes. You’re basically making a fudge base.

Next, take the fudge mixture off the hot burner. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/2 cup of Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter, and 1/2 cup of allergen free chocolate chips.  Stir until peanut butter and chocolate chips are melted. Then, fold in 3 cups quick cook oatmeal.

Using a spoon, drop cookie mixture onto prepared cookie sheets. The size of your spoon will determine how big your cookies will turn out. Big spoon, bigger cookies. Smaller spoon, yadayada.

It’s halftime and LSU is pitiful tonight. A cup of Community Coffee and Old -Fashioned No-Bake Oatmeal Cookies have been the highlight of this Saturday night.

Geaux Tigers anyway….

Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen. 

Loaded

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

Yep, it’s mayhaw season. The tree is loaded. And so we’re tarps this morning.

After an afternoon processing juice, I’m loaded with jelly. I made a mistake on one jar; I’m not sure if it will set up, so there’s an X on the lid. If that jar doesn’t set, I’ll mix it in some brewed tea.

The little dish off to the side is the foam or sponge scraped from the freshly cooked jelly. Remember to spoon off the foam so your jars of jelly will be clear. Biscuits are on the menu for a light supper and that scraped off part will grace each one.

Are you making jelly this year? Last year the weather did not cooperate.  Late freezes and big spring storms killed all the berries – mayhaw and blueberry – in the back garden. So, I’m really happy this year. I should have blueberries late May early June.

Jelly making blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.

I Fried My Breakfast

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

Just as I was getting supper ready last night, the power went out. I had my mouth all set for homemade tacos and “sopaipillas,” but I wound up eating Oreos and ice cream. The power came back on at bedtime, so I just put tacos on hold for Saturday. But when I woke up this morning, I thought about the tortillas I was going to fry for dessert last night. Why not fry them up for breakfast? So, I did.

Using an iron skillet, I melted coconut oil over medium heat. The skillet was big enough to fry the small tortillas two at a time. They drained on paper towels, then were sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. I dressed my plate with lite whip topping , a drizzle of local honey, and a ration of bacon.

I’m kinda glad the power went out.

Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen. 

Camellias and Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Posted on by theexileskitchen by Amanda Ellison Anglin

A walk to the mailbox had me enthralled with the blooming camellias, dotting the landscape. Their colors really brighten up the late winter garden. I picked a big handful and arranged them in a favorite vase.

Earlier in the day, I cleaned house, did a mountain of laundry while listening to albums I found last weekend at TBones in Hattiesburg.

After housework, I got in the kitchen and used up part of a cake mix to make cookie ice cream sandwiches.

If the egg is left out of the cake mix recipe, you can have cookies instead. Here’s what I did:

In a medium bowl,  I dumped in the cake mix ( I had about 3/4 of a box mix). I added about a 1/2 cup chocolate chips and a generous dash of cinnamon and ginger. Then I added 1/4 cup of brown sugar and stirred all the dry ingenious together to coat the chocolate chips well. Next, I stirred in half a stick of butter, melted, and enough water to bring everything together. I pressed the cookie dough into a 10 × 12 cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Then I baked it in a 350° oven till the top was golden – 15 minutes or so.

Then I took a round cutter and, well, cut out rounds. I figured this method would be the most consistent. 

I put a dollop of my favorite ice cream on one cookie and topped it with another. Repeating till I ran out of cookies, I then put them on a plate and placed them in the freezer to harden up. Each cookie sandwich was then stored in its own baggy and back into the freezer for individual snack time.

Note: Cool cookie completely before adding ice cream. I didn’t wait long enough, and the ice cream began to melt. Learn from my mistake.

Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.