Limited Time Only Cookbook sale... $1.99

Starting today I am having a "Limited Time Only $1.99" sale on my cookbook, "Mama's Cookbook". This cookbook is composed of over 100 recipes from my Mama, her mother, Retha Bradham and my other Granddmama, Maggie Elliott... as well as many, many other family recipes. You'll find many pictures and bonus recipes with pictures and hyperlinks. This ebook will be emailed to you and is in PDF format and can be viewed as often as you like, printed in complete form or page-by-page... however you wish! Just select your sale item and click the "Buy Now" button under the picture of my cookbook.

A Tribute to Michele Wynn Gerhard ~ La Belle Cuisine

Years ago, I fell into a friendship that began on Southern With A Twist over some recipes I had posted and comments that were made on my blog...

"Wow! You know I love this, Lynn! When I read about your Mama making biscuits, I could picture my grandmother doing the same thing! Her biscuits were heavenly! When I would try to duplicate her efforts, I would always fall short! She'd smile and say, "Well, you're probably not holding your mouth right..." As with biscuits, so with pie crust and any other "short" dough... it takes a very light touch. Looking forward to much more from you, Lynn!" Going Back To Your Culinary Roots

And thus a friendship was formed. We found out that we had so much in common. It seemed that the more I wrote, the more we connected.

"Okay... as I was saying an hour or so ago... I LOVE your post! As you know, family culinary history is very dear to my heart! What you wrote reminds me of a long-ago 4th of July weekend spent with dear friends who helped organize a progressive party around a lake near McComb MS. It started out with Bloody Marys and went from there... Actually, there was some great food, but everyone remembered and talked about the Bloody Marys and the bottomless Daiquiri glasses served by a Delta pilot at his cabin. Apparently he was just sneaking up behind folks refilling their glasses. Best daiquiris I've ever had! And of course, a couple of the guys just HAD to have a swim across the lake. Mercy, mercy, mercy... Looking forward to your next post, Lynn!" Going Back To Your Culinary Roots

I loved the stories that we shared and the things we had in common... so much in history and food!

"Lynn, this really takes me back! I'm drooling all over myself! Actually the kind of meal you describe takes me back to Oklahoma when my grandparents had a place on Grand Lake. No crabbing there, but tons of fish! And my Grandmother Dolly had a fantastic vegetable garden. Mercy, mercy, mercy... As for the oysters and crabs, we spent some time in Colonial Beach VA, which is right at the mouth of the Potomac..... little oysters fresh out of the water, the sweetest I've ever had! I never did cook any crab in those days, but I sure did eat a lot!"  Soft Shell Crabs from Mitchum Creek

The more we connected, the more we felt connected!

"OK Lynn, I'm pretty sure your Grandmama Bradham and my grandmother were related! :)" Mama’s Date & Nut Bread

I think that her comment here is my favorite. I loved all her stories, but when she called me "Sistah!", I knew I was something special! 

"LOVE this, Sugah! Takes me straight back to long ago summers in Oklahoma with Grandmother Dolly and Granddaddy Mack! I still have vivid memories of watching her wring a chicken's neck, just the way you describe! And Granddaddy Mack cleaning squirrels and rabbits, and whatever else he might have brought home from the woods... We are soul sistahs fo' sho'! xoxoxoxo"

And a friendship bloomed, and we exchanged phone numbers. We had glorious talks on the phone! We rejoiced, complained, discussed, confided, cried, laughed and shared all manner of stories. I even sent her parts of my two books to review for me... In return, she sent me two cookbook, with a note attached...

"Read these! Look over them carefully! They are garbage! You are 100 times better than them!"

Michele was an awesome Mentor, Friend, Cook, Writer, Mother, Sistah and all around Woman! It was my PRIVILEGE to have known and loved her! I am a better person for having her in my life!

Oh how I'm gonna miss you my Sistah from another Mothah! I'll keep you in my heart Always and Forever! Until we meet again! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Please visit Michele's beloved website La Belle Cuisine and get a look at the wonderful, amazing woman that I had the privileged to get to know and love!

Winter Storm #2

The winter storm came in full swing

Wednesday morning. By Wednesday night,

we were getting reports that the worst was over. 

Soon after that report, our lights went out. I had just pulled the fried chicken out of the pan and put it in the hot oven. I wasn't even sure if it was done yet. Believe it or not, I don't fry chicken often! I had hot grease pop in my eye when I was very young, and I have to push myself to fry it.

Fried Chicken

Luckily, the chicken turned out great!

After eating, the hubby went outside to take some pictures. 

Grass...

 Crape Myrtles...

Grass and weeds covered in ice!

 When he came in, we gathered around the rocket stove

that he made and played Canasta until 2am.

Elliott took his beanie back

so the hubby put the ski mask on backwards. LOL

 The next morning,

Elliott made coffee on top of the rocket stove.

I grilled Greek Pork Chops!

Here are some things that I learned during this ordeal...

Ranch Sunflower seeds boiled in beef broth

actually taste good! Elliott's concoction...

A ski mask worn backwards provides

a perfect ponytail hole!

The Hubby is a sore looser in cards!  

But he's pretty darn good at decorating a cake when the room is 45 degrees without any power appliances! :-)

Trish's Caramel Apple Dip

My cousin, my best friend Trish and I finally got a chance to spend some time together yesterday. As teenagers, we spent as much time together as possible. She lived about 1 1/2 hours away. My Mama used to drive me down to spend some time and usually bring Trish back with us for the weekend. At least once or twice a year, her entire family would come to our house for a big whole hog BBQ/Pig Pickin. 

When I got my driver's license, I used to drive down and pick her up. When she and her twin brother graduated high school, I attended the ceremony, and took her back to her house for the celebration. As a present for graduating, her Dad gave her a bottle of Slow Gin and her brother a bottle of Jack Daniels. That sounds odd, but her father was a very unique man to say the least. She spilled Slow Gin all over her dress in my car, and we had to stop at a gas station for her to change her clothes. I brought her home with me, and we had an awesome party with friends that weekend! I caught her and my ex (Bud) kissing. I started to throw my drink at her, but she held her hand up and screamed, "NO Lynn! I'm wearing your blazer!" Bwahahahahaha!!! We both busted out laughing! Good times! 

Well, she came up yesterday and brought her grands... three month old baby, Karah and three and a half year old Brantley! The hubby was having a blast! He played ball with Brantley and even got rocker time with Karah.

Trish made us a dessert dip that was so good. The hubby said that it is dangerous! Every time I turned around he was in it! LOL

Trish's Caramel Apple Dip

2 - 8oz pkgs of Cream Cheese, softened
12oz container Caramel Ice Cream Topping
12oz bag Milk Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (she used pecans)
3 lb bag Granny Smith Apples

In an 8X8 dish, spread cream cheese. If needed, heat the caramel in the microwave just until pour-able. Pour over the cream cheese layer. Sprinkle on chocolate chips and nuts. Core the apples and cut into wedges. Use the apples to scoop up the dip. Dip, eat and repeat! 

Me and Trish... and my photo bombing horse, Tilly!

A Southern Belle's Rant... to Anonymous!

I've been agonizing over an email that I received this morning... from "Anonymous" no less!!! I'm compiling several blog posts that I have written on Southern Cooking and Soul Food. They all contain information on the history of Southern Cooking and Foods. The links are at the bottom of this post. That being said...

I am a Southern Belle with very strong ties to my Southern Roots. My Family History and Southern Heritage are a great source of pride for me. Southern Style Cuisine gets a bad rep from time to time... with Fat, Butter and Sugar being criticized at every turn. That's fine with me. You eat what you want, or don't eat what you don't want. Like it or don't like it. Love it or hate it... it's your call.

So, who peed in my corn flakes this morning??? "Anonymous", that's who. Someone not brave enough to leave their name... on my blog post about my baby brother's famous pizza... and I quote!!!

"Pizza is not southern but it shares a few major characteristics of typical southern fare: yummy but heart attack inducing. I feel fat after just looking at the pics."

#1... Knocking my baby brother's pizza is a BIG no no! If my Mama were still alive, she would find you Anonymous! BTW... I have the same knee-jerk reaction, since I took care of him after she died.

#2... If I told my baby brother that someone left a note on his lit'l Sis' blog insinuating that our food isn't southern, he'd be in his pick-up blaring Hank Jr's "Country Boy Can Survive!" demanding, "Take it back!"
(at the least... that's what he'd do.)

#3... My daughter-in-law, that had her wedding portraits taken in her breathtaking wedding gown, camo hat and rifle... would demand, "Take it Back!"

#4... My Mama was Southern. My Daddy is Southern. My Grandparents were Southern. My son is Southern. I am Southern. My kitchen is Southern. The food that comes out of my kitchen is Southern. Getting the picture?

My Grandmama Bradham, My Mama,

Me and My Son! Four generations of Southerners!

#5... I am NOT saying that a Southerner created the pizza. If you are a Northerner, and think New Yorkers created the pizza... NOPE. If you think that the Italians created the pizza, NOPE, wrong again. The Italians are the first recorded to have used the WORD "pizza". Foods similar to pizza have been prepared since the neolithic age also know as the Stone Age, beginning about 10,200 BC. Records of people adding other ingredients to bread to make it more flavorful can be found throughout ancient history. For more info on the history of the pizza... Click Here!

For more (calm and rational) posts on Southern Food and History choose any of the links below! :-)

My Mama... The original Southern Belle... no emails please!!!
http://lynn-southernwithatwist.blogspot.com/2012/04/no-one-who-cooks-cooks-alone-even-at.html

What is Real Southern Food?
http://lynn-southernwithatwist.blogspot.com/2010/07/real-southern-cooking.html

Family Reunion Picnic on the 4th of July
http://lynn-southernwithatwist.blogspot.com/2012/06/4th-of-july-at-cabin.html

Whole Hog Southern BBQ
http://lynn-southernwithatwist.blogspot.com/2011/01/southern-whole-hog-bbq.html

Collard Greens
http://lynn-southernwithatwist.blogspot.com/2011/12/southern-collard-greens-and-ham-hock.html

Soul Food History
http://lynn-southernwithatwist.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-is-soul-food.html


More Soul Food
http://lynn-southernwithatwist.blogspot.com/2011/05/healthy-soul-food.html

A Christmas Tree In Every Room

Each year, we had at least two Bar-B-Ques, one at Thanksgiving and one at Christmas. The Bar-B-Que at Thanksgiving was on Saturday and was for all the employees and business associates of Mama and Daddy. The one at Christmas was on Christmas Eve and was for family and friends. We had about a hundred people at each. We would spend all week getting the house ready and two days getting all the food ready. Mama would take some of the guys from the shop (Central) and put them to work at the house. One year, Al Miller (a young black guy that worked at Central) told Mama, “You’ve owned slaves before, Haven’t you?” It was always a busy and exciting time.

At one of the Christmas Bar-B-Ques, someone came out of the bathroom and I heard, “Oh my goodness, she even has a Christmas tree in the bathroom!” Mama had a Christmas tree in every room. The kitchen... living room... bathrooms... bedrooms... everywhere... We kids even had our own trees in our rooms. The trees ranged in size from 2 feet to 6 feet. Mama had a tree with seashell ornaments. One had dove ornaments. One had all homemade ornaments. One had all Victorian ornaments. One had all red and white ornaments. One had all Santa ornaments. She had a tree made of holly decorated with ornaments. She even decorated some of the houseplants!

Mama loved it. Holidays were another reason for parties, gifts and food with family and friends! Christmas was especially magical. Mama went all out. I remember one year Mama came home with Christmas sweatshirts. Mine read, ‘I Believe in Santa Claus.' Mama’s read, ‘I Want It All.' Charlie’s read, ‘Bah Humbug!’ Mama’s one requirement for Christmas morning presents was that you believe in Santa. Mama and I even had our picture taken with Santa.

One year when Charlie was about 6 years old, he came in and told Mama that there was no Santa Claus. She questioned him and then called everyone in the room. She said, “Listen up! Charlie has come in with the idea that there is no Santa Claus! That is not true! There is a Santa and anyone who does not believe in him...well, Santa won’t bring them presents. Is that clear? And I mean it! Clear?” Well, later Mama pulled us (except Charlie) aside and said that it didn’t matter who Santa Claus was or where the presents came from. It was the love and giving of the Christ-mas season. But the presents did come and as long as we said we believed we’d get presents. It didn’t matter if we were married or 50 years old, Santa would always come for us. What a concept! And she meant it. Jim and I got married (now my ex-husband) and she told him the same thing. That first Christmas, Santa brought Jim a recliner! The next year Jim told Mama at Christmas time, “I believe!”