Happy Little Cottages By The Sea

Cottage Charm, Coastal Calm

September 2009

700 Strong…

700 hundred people showed up on Saturday to help clean the beach. They were big and small, they wore pink and helped pick up every single piece of trash on this entire island. We all love this island, be us a local or an occasional visitor but we all agree on one thing- the beach and the surf and the creatures that live on the both deserve a fresh clean litter free beach. Now- let’s all work together to be sure that the visitors that show up between now and next spring’s beach clean up leave nothing behind but their foot prints.

A very special thank you to Tybee Beautification who showed their exceptional organizational skills to pull this event together!

Mermaid Sighting at our newest cottage!

We have a new cottage in our collection – Memories at the Beach. Visit our website for all the details with more pictures coming soon. The cottage is a 1950’s fully restored home full of all the cottage touches we love so much. And… We had a mermaid sighting there… we like the quote!

 

The Deen Family Dinner minus the Deen’s

 

Now that the busy, busy season is over ( but we are still busy with visitors during this glorious September season!) we have a bit of time on our hands to have some fun. Hallie, one of our favorite Tybee friends put together this little dinner party last weekend . Here is her invitation:
“I’m writing to invite you over to my home on Saturday evening for the first of many Deen Family Dinners (minus the Deen’s). This time we will split the responsibility and have everyone bring something — the only pre-requisite is that it has to be a Deen Family recipe (i.e. a recipe from any one of their cookbooks or their websites). This can be any Deen Family recipe from Paula to Jamie, Bobby to Bubba. I will provide the main course — which will be something from the boys new cookbook Take It Easy (which is a fantastic cookbook ….you must stop by Seaside Sisters and buy you one). Hallie”
 

 

We all loved the idea and I jumped on this big time. I so enjoy cooking especially with a theme attached. We starting the evening out with Cucumber Martini’s and Candied Bacon …. yes- an appetizer only our Paula could put together. The recipe is from the Deen Family Cookbook-you basically lay bacon on a cookie sheet, pour bourbon on top and then sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake until crisp… People couldn’t stop with just one piece! This is right up there with Paula’s Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding we make for the annual holiday party! 

 

Here’s the items I made an amazing appetizer- shrimp dip , then a savory Blue Cheese Cornbread Bread Pudding ( btw– did any of ever use the word savory to describe food before we all started watching the Food Network? I know I didn’t!) For desert I made the big thick Carrot Cake with pecans and coconut from Corrie Hiers ( Paula’s niece) complete with Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting! On top of the cake, I had soaked dried apricots in bourbon and then placed on top fo the cake to look like little carrots and then fresh mint on top to look just like miniature carrots.All of my recipes I prepared came from the Deen Family Cook book which you can see on http://www.pauladeen.com/  
 

 

As you can see from the pictures, even Paula showed up for the party. True- she was a little stiff and didn’t move from the one spot – guarding the buffet table, but she didn’t stop smiling! We knew she was having lots of fun. As did all of us!

More figs!

Thank you Martha for this amazing recipe you sent to share! We’re looking forward to your return to Tybee this fall! I spent the morning kayaking the Back River this morning and thought about you and all your many friends who love these waters so much.

Everyone- here’s the tremendous recipe to enjoy!

Fig and Stilton Salad

Ingredients

3/4 cup ruby port
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil or walnut oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon mild-flavored (light) molasses
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1-2 cups figs, quartered
Note: You may substitute the wines for any red, and the oil with vegetable or olive oil. Also, I substituted honey for the molasses.
1 5-ounce bag mixed baby greens (about 10 cups loosely packed)
4 ounces Stilton cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
Preparation
Whisk everything but the figs in a medium bowl to blend. (Dressing can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Bring vinaigrette to simmer in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Simmer until dressing is slightly syrupy, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add figs and simmer for another 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide greens among 6 plates. Sprinkle cheese over greens. Ladle warm dressing and figs over salads and serve.

The Fig Adventures

My summer goal was to take advantage of these wonderful summer figs which grow on Tybee and find some great recipes to enjoy. As I rode my bike all over the island, I’ve been noticing some enormous fig trees bearing fruit! The challenge was would the squirrels and birds get the ripe figs or would I….. I managed to find enough figs to make a couple of delicious fig cakes with cream cheese frosting ( recipe came from the Southern Living cook book. 

http://www.southernliving.com/). My bike basket picture shows the fruits of my forging where I found several dozen ripe figs AND another bird nest that had fallen from the trees during a recent wind storm.